Versatile professional speakers that deliver superb sound and consistent coverage throughout venues of every size.
The general shift away from mainly oil-based economies to embrace more diverse sources of income has been hugely positive for the Middle East’s audio industry. With many countries identifying tourism as a potentially lucrative revenue stream, the region’s entertainment sector has received a boost as mega-projects have been announced.
The mall, airport, stadium and hotel installations surrounding Dubai’s Expo 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar have rightly dominated headlines for a few years. But now there is a new mega-project destined to generate just as much interest.
In early April, Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, announced that the Kingdom would be building an entertainment city in Al Qidiya to the southwest of Riyadh. As part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, the new mega-project will cover 334km2 and will offer cultural, sporting and entertainment activities. While details of exactly what will be in the entertainment city are minimal, it is known that it will feature a safari and a Six Flags theme park – one of three set to be built in Saudi Arabia. Based on similar projects that have recently taken place in the Middle East, these two features alone should provide plenty of business for regional audio companies.
Construction of the entertainment city is scheduled to commence next year with completion planned for 2022. This is an ambitious timeline for a project of this scale and will surely mean a host of suppliers and integrators will all be required to play a part. Winning business in Saudi Arabia has always been challenging, particularly for those not based in the Kingdom. However, the scale of the development and the speed at which it needs to be completed means that there are likely to be plenty of opportunities. With Saudi Arabia joining the list of countries looking to entertainment and tourism as a way to provide more economic balance, the future of the regional audio industry looks positive.
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LEBANON: Mix FM appointed Loud N Clear to supply the audio equipment for the recent Bryan Adams concert at Biel in Beirut. The rental company decided to deploy its L-Acoustics rig to cover the 8,000 strong crowd.
‘Everyone knows Bryan Adams, so everyone has a clear idea about how every single detail must sound,’ said Loud N Clear’s Roger Bou Farhat. ‘The main goal is to give the sound operator the tools to translate to the
audience what they expect to make it easy for him to become a bridge between the artist and fans.’
To achieve this, Loud N Clear deployed an L-R main system of 16 L-Acoustics K2 cabinets with eight
Further low end came from 16 ground stacked SB28 subs. Eight of the manufacturer’s Arcs cabinets
18 Kara cabinets were used for
delays while four Arcs and the same system. Power for the solution was
‘For this production we wanted to get a very deep low end in the whole venue, while trying to not be the sub energy as the artist wanted to have his audience no further than 1.2m from the edge of the stage,’ recalled Mr Bou Farhat. ‘We found this balance combining a cardioid arc
WORLD: Samsung Electronics has completed its acquisition of Harman International following ‘the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the transaction, including approval of the transaction by Harman stockholders and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions’.
Harman president and CEO, Dinesh Paliwal, will retain his role alongside the company’s existing management team. Samsung has stated its intentions to retain the Harman work force, headquarters and facilities,
as well as all of its consumer and professional audio brands.
‘The close of this transaction opens the door to create substantial growth opportunities and deliver greater
said Young Sohn, president and Electronics and chairman of the board at Harman. ‘Bringing together Harman’s iconic audio brands and capabilities paired with Samsung’s leading display technologies will deliver enhanced audio and video experiences to consumers and professional end markets.’
‘We are excited to have completed the transaction, which provides compelling cash value to our and provides new opportunities for our employees,’ commented
Mr Paliwal. ‘Samsung provides Harman with the scale, platform and complementary technologies to accelerate growth and extend our global market leadership in automotive, smart audio and connected technologies.’
Following completion of the acquisition, Harman’s common stock has ceased trading and has been delisted from the NYSE. All Harman stockholders are set to receive $120.00 per share.
The acquisition was driven by Harman’s presence in the automotive and consumer sectors,
sub energy throughout the venue. Everyone knows that this kind of combination can create some comb distances between sources. But happily for us, L-Acoustics gave us enough tools to work on it, allowing us to deliver a fantastic result throughout the venue. This also gave Bryan Adams’ engineer, Jody Perpick, the chance to develop an awesome and powerful mix that people expect when they come into a Bryan Adams show.’
Bou Farhat is very happy with how everything sounded. ‘Our goal expectations of the fans for such a big artist. When they came and they found “exactly what they needed” there is no other way for us than to feel so happy. L-Acoustics is a really opportunity to adapt the design to the real needs of every show and artist. That’s what Loud N Clear searches for all the time.’
www.loudnclear.me
the automotive sector accounting for approximately 65 per cent of Harman’s US$7 billion of reported sales. ‘We see transformative opportunities in the car – and a future which seamlessly connects lifestyle across automotive, home, mobile and work,’ noted Mr Sohn. ‘Samsung’s and Harman’s leadership in these spaces perfectly positions Samsung to be the preferred partner to our OEM customers.’
www.harman.com
www.samsung.com
With DeltaQ technology, new ShowMatch array loudspeakers more precisely direct sound to the audience in both installed and portable applications. Each array module offers field-changeable waveguides that can vary coverage and even create asymmetrical patterns. The result is unmatched sound quality and vocal clarity for every seat in the house.
Learn more at SHOWMATCH.BOSE.COM
UAE: Roberto’s recently opened its doors, serving Italian cuisine on the the day is a Funktion One solution installed by regional distributor Emaudio system due to its reputation. The Funktion One installation
comprises three F1201 booth in the main dining area by speakers and three Evid 12.1W 12F55 cabinets. equipment, including a Pioneer players. Serving as monitors on the
15 Funktion-One F55s were installed on the terrace
unit. Providing an additional boost
solution is also installed to handle processors and a Red-1 digital Ethernet remote control to control the In addition, Em-Tec installed, tested solutions deployed. www.emtecav.com www.funktion-one.com
this is a major advantage because make that move.’
SOUTH AFRICA: The setup has been installed in being decommissioned and moved scalable and open system that is
broadcast equipment on the market routing.’ that delivers against budget and production requirements,’ noted
WORLD: in products that combine Sony’s analytics and bitrate management announced the partnership plans in November 2016, the deal has been
jointly developed products that Sony’s video security customers Security Systems.’
Other equipment installed in the important to have supportive and proactive people around you. Inala they achieved.’ www.axon.tv www.sabc.co.za
customers.’ delivering best-in-class video security
www.boschsecurity.com www.sony.net
UAE: Maestra Dubai took responsibility for the full technical production of the recent Groove on the Grass at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. Produced by the Artists Network, the event saw around 5,000 people enjoy performances of Time, Dewalta, Marc Houle and ‘We’re excited to be part of the phenomenon which is known for provide just one point-of-contact for the client.’
ALGERIA:
for MasterChef Algeria. The reality television series was produced at a suburb of El Hamis and saw Mr were reportedly selected for their ‘Essentially I replaced over 30 Forest. ‘This ultimately saved some manufacturer to pay attention to the colour temperatures and produce an www.robe.cz
a day in advance of the show with
and a complete sound system were added. This was set up below a saddlespan tent structure from
Wicked. This was completed in 24 sound-checks the next day before the show kicked off at sundown.
the event, Maestra turned to local
SOUTH AFIRICA: A DiGiCo S21
by Eventech in South Africa.
distribution, the console was selected primarily because of its popularity on
‘The rental market companies and technical riders demanded it,’ explained Wynand Veldsman from Eventech. ‘We are thrilled as the unit compact and has versatility with the
needed to control, direct and focus the sound to minimise unwanted pollution. Delta met this need via an L-Acoustics Kara system with low end reinforcement from SB28
LS9 console, plus all the various DJ riders. required by headline artists. The Claypaky and Martin Professional Atomic strobes and 12 blinders.
of DMX-controllable mock-neon LED tubes, which were installed as supplied here was thanks to a smaller Kara system.
www.deltasound.ae
www.maestra-group.com
receive them,’ added Kyle Robson from DWR. ‘The S21 is our best seller, and while it initially took DiGiCo about three years to develop the console, it was well worth the wait.’
www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.eventech.co.za
UAE: Russian artist Vera Brezhneva recently performed in the ballroom of the Burj Al Arab over two
East delivered the full A/V setup, the foundation of a Meyer Sound system for the main PA.
‘We work with an event company called M Premier, which does all the major Russian events in Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumierah and other major 5-star resorts in Dubai,’ explained Karl da Costa, technical
for the past six years and we’ve faced in the Burj Al Arab ballroom in terms of space constraints, elevator excess and the prevalent 7-star VIP protocol.’
The main PA was formed from Sound M’elodie curvilinear array loudspeakers, complemented by a pair of 700-HP subwoofers. ‘Frontsystem was driven via a Galileo 616 processor,’ noted Mr da Costa. ‘The
CYPRUS: An Amate Audio solution has been installed to provide the BGM and to facilitate the occasional smallscale live concert at the Banco Kitchen & Bar in Nicosia.
as well. Monitors were Meyer Sound MJF-212.’ Also deployed on the audio side was a Klark Teknik 31-band equaliser, four Sennheiser ew systems and a pair of Rio boxes. Shure UR2 wireless microphones with UR4D receivers and a UR1 beltpack.
Sharpys and Mythos were deployed with Martin Professional Mac 301
LED washes, ETC Source Fours and LED PAR cans. Also implemented on a haze machine, a 63A power distribution box, an Avolites Titan called on a 9 sq-m 6mm LED screen with processor, switcher, monitor and laptops.
‘The client as well as the artist were very happy with the end result,’ concluded Mr da Costa. ‘The event was very well received over the two days that it took place.’
www.artesme.com
The Spanish manufacturer’s Cypriot distribution partner, AA Model Power, supplied the system.
The restaurant’s visual theme sound system, meanwhile, consists of Key8 point source systems coupled with Key15W subwoofers. These are powered processed by a DSP206 system.
www.amateaudio.com
www.mpsound.eu
We are passionate about delivering the best quality products with the most competent service out there.
SOUTH AFRICA: Centurionbased rental company Eventech has added 12 Prolyte Prolyft Aetos motors to its inventory. The solutions were purchased from DWR Distribution and will be used for ground support applications, depending upon client requirements.
‘We chose Prolyft for various reasons,’ offered Wynand Veldsman from Eventech. ‘It was time to upgrade our current motors and Prolyft is often the motors are quiet, aesthetically pleasing and look neat in a rig.’
‘We are pleased to see the growth of Eventech and all the exciting projects they have in the pipeline,’ said Robert Izzett from DWR. ‘When a good crew is complimented with good equipment, you can’t go wrong.’
www.dwrdistribution.co.za
www.eventech.co.za www.prolyte.com
RÉUNION: Azot Radio, a radio station on the Island of Réunion that broadcasts over two frequencies as well as via its own smartphone app, recently installed an AEQ Capitol IP digital audio mixing console at its central studio. The installation forms part of ongoing technology upgrades being made at the radio station. During the second phase of Azot’s studio upgrades, it reportedly became apparent that the connections between studios and audio sources using multichannel AoIP would need to be extended. This became the driving factor in the decision to invest in the Capitol IP desk, which has been developed for integration in a variety of settings. www.aeq.eu
JORDAN: Amman-based systems integrator, International New Technical Est (INTE), was responsible for the audio solutions at three of the four stadia used for the FIFA Under 17’s Women’s World Cup.
The integrator opted for DAS Audio solutions to meet the needs of the Amman International Stadium, the King Abdullah II stadium also in Amman and the Prince Hassan stadium in Irbed.
‘The requirements were not clear from the client as they had no one on board who had a technical background in audio or video,’ explained INTE project manager
Haitham Nazzal. ‘The only clear requirement was from FIFA that the dB level should be between 95dB and 105db, and the STI should be above 0.55. Our audio design exceeded these numbers.’ The audio solutions for all
three venues were designed in collaboration with DAS using EASE. At the Amman International Stadium the solution combines 10 HQ-112.95CX speakers with 12 HQ-112.43CX and a pair of HQ-112.64CX cabinets. Power is via four D-20 and the same
the solution is processed by a pair of the manufacturer’s DSP-2060A. The King Abdullah II stadium again uses the HQ-Series with nine HQ112.95CX, 12 HQ-112.43CX and a pair of HQ-112.64CX. Power is
DSP-2060As on processing duty. In Irbed, 12 of the HQ-112.43CX
alongside eight HQ-112.95CX were installed with power from three providing the processing.
While time played a critical factor for the project as a whole, the major audio challenge came from the installation location for the speakers. This involved the team from INTE steel roof of the VIP sections at a height of 25m.
Having met the deadline for the audio installation, the INTE team was also set the last minute challenge of delivering on the video front as well. The installer designed a visual solution that would take its feed from OB vans, process the signal and then distribute it to 24 screens installed in different locations around the stadia. Having successfully completed the installations, Mr Nazzal is very happy with the results. ‘I can easily say that wouldn’t do anything differently.’
www.intejordan.com
TURKEY:
the sound solution and the newlybuilt and soon-to-open Radisson Blu hotel in Diyarbakir. The systems integrator deployed a variety of products from Harman’s portfolio of brands, including JBL, AKG, BSS, dbx, Crown and Soundcraft across two meeting rooms, a ballroom and
In the ballroom, 16 JBL Control 16C/T ceiling speakers and six JBL Control 19CS in-ceiling subwoofers were integrated. These are powered
processed via BSS Blu-100 signal processors. AKG microphones were also supplied, as well as PRX series speakers and Soundcraft mixers that will be brought out during special events, such as live performances and at weddings.
Along the ceiling of the spa and
panels, Blu-Bib break out boxes and Blu-GPX network-controlled GPIO expanders. The meeting rooms, meanwhile, have been equipped with JBL Control 25-1 speakers, dbx
‘The installation took approximately four weeks and we did not face any at SF. ‘The customer is very happy with the results.’ www.sf.com.tr
WORLD: Amate Audio recently revealed that it had ‘encountered some products of questionable origin in a few markets around the world’. In doing its ‘best to provide a clear and authentic path’ to its products, the Spanish
public information present in the QR, and the “private” information that is invisible to the human eye’. Unlike a typical QR code, the smart label takes on a square design measuring 21mm x 21mm with a coloured frame that is reportedly
manufacturer has rolled out ViSeQR Product Authentication as a solution.
The authentication system sees a ViSeQR smart label applied to each new Amate Audio product constructed at the manufacturer’s factory. The smart QR label allows a user to verify the product’s authenticity using the free smartphone app.
The ViSeQR smart label combines standard QR technology with a procedure developed by ViDiTrust that forms a link ‘between the
not reproducible. The integration of the label in the graphic print creates particular printed elements that are designed so that forgers are unable to counterfeit them. The ViSeQR app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. In the event that an item scanned is of questionable origin, the user will be directed to a page on Amate Audio’s website that will disclose steps to be taken.
www.amateaudio.com
www.viditrust.eu
SOUTH AFRICA: Paul van der Walt, better known by his stage name Watermark High, is a Johannesburgbased electronic musician and was released last year. In addition, he is working on a side project, Kinoh, for which a debut EP is scheduled for release shortly. He is studying Music For The Media, Cinematic Orchestration and Sound Design. Facilitating part of his studio setup, the musician and producer has recently revealed, is an Audient iD22. ‘My iD22 is my main sound card/ audio interface. It’s part of my core studio/writing setup along with my Maschine Studio controller and Ableton Live 9,’ said Mr van der Walt. ‘My friend Jacob at Benjamin Pro Audio told me about Audient. I absolutely hated my old sound card as it was giving me so many
Pointes, 36 LEDWash 600s and 64 LEDBeam100s and was delivered by Robe Middle East. These luminaires join the 24 Pointes, 48 LED Wash 600s and 24 LEDBeam 100s already on IACQatar’s lighting rental roster. ‘These three models all complement each other very well and are also all extremely tasks,’ said IACQatar project and sales manager Elie Salameh. Mr Salameh also commented on the support that IACQatar received from the Robe Middle East team, led by Elie Battah.
QATAR: Doha-based A/V rental and production company Al Isteklal IACQatar (IACQatar) has expanded its lighting inventory with the acquisition of 148 Robe moving
lights. The rental company has its initial purchase of the Czech manufacturer’s solutions in 2012.
The new investment comprises 48
UAE: A business continuity playout site has been set up for Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) by Imagine Communications. A disaster recovery solution that provides full premium channel functionality and runs using du’s Media Cloud platform, the business continuity service was subjected to an extended proof of concept phase. The result is reportedly a cloudnative and secure facility that matches the functionality of ADM’s existing operations.
throughout two facilities. Imagine’s distributes schedules and updates to the existing ADC automation platform in Abu Dhabi and to the Versio playout software at du’s datacentre in Dubai. Following the rollout, ADM and Imagine Communications have entered into a service level agreement that will see the latter upgrade the former’s existing facility to the new virtualised platform, which will run on HPE servers.
problems and was really unstable, so Jacob suggested Audient.’
Benjamin Pro Audio serves as Audient’s regional distributor. Mr van der Walt works out of his home studio, which he has been adding to
‘I don’t have much hardware, just two synths: a Novation Bass Station 2 and a little Critter & Guitari Pocket Piano. I also have a bunch of Midi controllers that I mainly use for performance: a Livid Instruments Ohm RGB, NI Maschine, an old 49-key Midi keyboard and an Akai APC40 MK2,’ he explained. ‘I mainly produce and mix in the box so I have bought a bunch of great plug-ins over the years. I use a lot of Native Instruments stuff along with Ableton’s native plug-ins, but also stuff by IZotope, U-he, IK-Multimedia, Toneboosters, Goodhertz and many
others. My studio monitors are a pair of Eve SC207s.’
The iD22 is one of the more recent additions to Mr van der Walt’s setup, and has seemingly impressed him.
until I heard what it sounded like, that my mind was really blown,’ he added. ‘I couldn’t believe the clarity of the conversion compared to my old sound card. Although I don’t record that much, I love that I also have some really good preamps at my disposal. And a simple but really useful thing I use all the time is the assignable buttons. I love being able to switch to mono in an instant. I’ve never had that before and I use it all the time.’
www.audient.com
www.benjaminproaudio.co.za watermarkhigh.bandcamp.com
we look forward to exploring this strong relationship in a market with such big growth potential for LED dynamic lighting,’ said Peter Johansen, CEO of SGM Light. ‘Together, we create the foundation for cementing our position as number one in the region.’
‘The service is amazing, very fast, totally professional and very knowledgeable – from the sales through to the technical team.’ www.iacqatar.com www.robe.cz
MIDDLE EAST: Lighting manufacturer SGM has assigned Venuetech as its exclusive distributor for the Middle East.
The deal draws upon the previous relationship between the two companies established in 1992.
‘We have high expectations and
Venuetech’s technical director, Elie Kheirallah, discussed the opportunity this appointment presents to the distributor. ‘SGM is going to reinforce our presence due to the extensive product range ideally suited for the harsh conditions in the region,’ he said. ‘We look forward to developing this strategic partnership.’
www.sgmlight.com
www.venuetech.ae
architecture provides not only the functionality but the performance that premium broadcast channels demand. What we have implemented on du’s media cloud we will implement on-premises as our nextgeneration playout facility.’
‘Working with Imagine Communications, we have created a cloud-native business continuity site which precisely mirrors the functionality of our traditional
playout, and we have transmitted from it,’ said Peter Van-Dam, technical advisor, live media production services at ADM. ‘We
‘Our strategy is to move towards an all-IP infrastructure,’ explained Hamad Abdelrazaq, director of technology, live media production services at ADM. ‘This proof of concept with full IP playout channels running on a datacentre miles away is an important step for the broadcast industry in the region.’
www.admedia.ae
www.du.ae
www.imaginecommunications.com
MIDDLE EAST: Crestron recently held an Elite Partner Conference at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by more than 50 systems integrators from all across the Middle East, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE.
The manufacturer has held two similar dealer events in the region:
Atlantis on The Palm and the second at Le Royal Meridien. With three years having passed since the last conference, the company invited
cent of its business in the region
of the company’s business in the Middle East is in the commercial and education sectors, those solutions were highlighted more than its residential products.
explained Robin van Meeuwen, president and CEO of Crestron EMEA.
‘We do this every three years and it’s good to get everybody together. A lot of these integrators and dealers shows such as ISE or InfoComm.
Therefore, it’s important to get them all together in the same room so they can understand our vision and the direction the company is going in, as well as the latest technology.’
Spanning two days, beginning at
at the same time the next, the event began with a focus on Crestron’s strategy, operations, support and sales, before giving way to in-depth discussion of new technology and products on the second day. ‘It’s a product launch of sorts for the region,’ Mr van Meeuwen noted. ‘Director of technology Stijn Ooms is giving a demonstration of the NVX and Mercury systems launched last Middle East.’
Mr van Meeuwen revealed during a speech given at the conference that Crestron’s business in the Middle East delivers approximately 20 per cent of the company’s EMEA turnover. He also noted that projects in the Middle East often result in sales across Asia, Europe and the United States, while a lot of business Crestron completes in Africa comes from Dubai-based integrators.
Although the two previous Elite
Product demonstrations were given
Operation in channel-rich 5GHz frequency l Interference-free in congested site environment l Wired-like wonderful audio quality with maximum clarity l Up to 128 Beltpack connection per Base Station l Up to eleven(11) full-duplex audio channels l Up to five(5) group communication channels l Patent-base super-scalable IP based repeater solution - RBS25 with up to thirty(30) RBS25 connection l Hands-off like a butterfly & bee l No limitation on the number of Beltpack linkable per RBS25 l Compact Beltpack for high mobility l Compatibilities with other wired systems l AES 256bit level 3 encryption l Mobile Station in the line-up l LaON in-house solution including the wireless SoC and RF module builtin the systems l Easy wiring and installation l More with less cost-effective solution
Attendees were given an in-depth look at the latest
Crestron technology
Partner Conferences were held in Dubai, the choice of venue this time was due to it having been installed with a variety of Crestron products two years ago. ‘Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE,’ said Mr van Meeuwen. ‘It’s only an hour away from Dubai and the hotel is equipped with Crestron solutions.’
Crestron’s president and CEO, Randy Klein was also in attendace, the event. ‘A big part of our message here is about partnership,’ said Mr Klein. ‘Trade shows are great end of the day, the responsibility of maintaining customers lies on our shoulders, which is why we run these events. The one precious thing that you can’t replace is time, so when these people, who are all professionals and own their own businesses, dedicate two days of their time to us, it’s important.’
www.crestron.eu
MIDDLE EAST: Dolby Atmos will be rolled out across all branches of Emaar Entertainment’s Reel Cinemas chain in the Middle East. The deal will see the new MA390C 3-axis speaker system from Dolby subsidiary SLS audio an entire cinema portfolio, including in the chain’s outlet at The Dubai Mall.
SOUTH AFRICA: Collective Works, a creative visual design practice, has been launched in South Africa. The company is jointly established by Christopher Bolton, Joshua Cutts and Bradley Hilton.
‘Dolby looks forward to working with Reel Cinemas to bring Dolby Atmos to movie lovers all over the Middle East,’ commented Friedrich Deininger, senior director of cinema at Dolby Laboratories.
‘Reel Cinemas will become the
to have Dolby Atmos with SLS loudspeakers across our entire portfolio,’ noted Adon Quinn, senior director at Reel Cinemas. ‘This collaboration with Dolby means that cinemagoers can feel fully immersed in the story unfolding on screen.’
www.dolby.com
www.slsloudspeakers.com
WORLD: Calibre has reported a 31 per cent year-on-year increase in sales revenue for 2016. The image processing manufacturer cites the appointment of its global distributor, Stampede, as well as growth across China, Europe and North America as contributing factors.
UAE: The recent McGettigan’s Paddy’s Day Party was supported by eclipse, which worked to a very tight time scale to provide audio services for a full day of live music having been called upon at the last minute.
A d&b audiotechnik rig was deployed to provide complete coverage of the grass area at Dubai’s Media City Amphitheatre.
‘We made a last minute decision to bring eclipse on to do the audio for our Paddy’s Day event at Media City,’ explained Greg Dufton, managing partner of DGT events. ‘Having already weeks before, the team only had several days to prepare the audio.’
The d&b system deployed included six J8s and two J12s per side, all
array processed, as well as 10 J-subs and four J-infras for the sub-array, and three V-subs, two Y8s and two Y12s for the ground-stacked
There were also eight M4s and six M2s for stage wedges, with six D80 amp touring racks and 11 D80 amp sleeves.
Two Dolby Lake LM44s, two d&b DS10s, and two Cisco managed network switches were used for signal processing and networking. In addition to supplying the audio reinforcement for the Paddy’s acts, including the Stars of The Commitments, with eclipse’s Tariq Al
Hassan and Wissam Shaheen at the helm. ‘The coverage was excellent, and we utilised the usual superb quality of the J series in its full glory,’ commented Mr Shaheen, eclipse Staging Services’ senior audio engineer.
‘Despite the time constraints, eclipse turned the job around and delivered the audio and power with no issues. With 8,000 people attending we were very happy with the result and all international acts commented on how professional the audio was. As a regular supplier of ours, we look forward to working with eclipse on our next event, DXBeach,’ concluded Mr Dufton.
www.eclipse.ae
Aiming to offer an ‘innovative approach to live show and event design’, Collective Works is targeting projects that require a full technical design, lighting, video and set. Automation is also offered and services include equipment
and video programming and execution.
‘A major contribution is forecast from Calibre’s relationship with global distributor Stampede, as from OEMs in China, North America and Europe,’ explained Calibre CEO Tim Brooksbank. ‘Watch this space. 2017 is going to be a great year for Calibre.’ www.calibreuk.com
IRAN: Shidco has deployed an FBT cinema. The Tehran-based venue is part of a larger war memorial complex and features a main hall and photo gallery as well as the panoramic cinema.
To meet the needs of this prominent venue Shidco and its installation partners, Farayand and Shabakeh supplied a 7.1 solution based on FBT’s Vertus CLA604A speakers with low end reinforcement from the manufacturer’s Vertus CLA208SA subs. The design called for 16 of the active column arrays with the same number of subs. These have been installed in pairs in eight niches evenly spaced around the
cinema.
Away from FBT, the design also called on an Onkyo TX-NR818 processor, a Focusrite Scarlet
18i20 soundcard, Proel cabling, Neutrik connectors and patch panels and a PSC 801B power sequencer from LAX.
‘Considering acoustic issues, it has been an extremely important
project,’ said Shidco CEO Mr Darab. ‘I’d like to thank the project manager Amir Ataabadi for all of cinema in Iran and due to its shape, it inherited severe acoustic problems. Therefore, detailed simulations and measurements had to be made. As a result of these, a column speaker seemed to be the most reliable system. Not only, does it meet the spatial requirements, but it also has a very acceptable directivity. This is the main reason that we used FBT’s Vertus series.’ The installation itself took six weeks and everyone is reportedly happy with the results.
www.shidco.com
Mr Bolton has prior experience in establishing a company, having started Keystone Productions in 2003 as well as founding Pixel Native alongside Mr Hilton. Mr Cutts possesses similar business acumen, starting his own company, Visual Frontier, in 2011.
‘There is a great chemistry and between all of us,’ Mr Bolton commented.
www.collectiveworks.co.za
SOUTH AFRICA: The South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has completed the initial phases of its radio production and playout and music rotation software upgrade. The project will see the national broadcaster roll out Scisys’ dira! as well as MusicMaster, which is distributed in the region by OnAir, across 19 channels.
‘SABC did a thorough evaluation of the existing systems on the market, and Scisys delivered the most convincing offer,’ said Dennis Herold, SABC’s general manager radio broadcast facilities. ‘Besides the technical requirements, Scisys’ experience with large systems was of great importance to us.’
SABC’s new solution will integrate with third-party systems for newsroom integration and advertisement/spot scheduling and playout. More than 700 workstations will access the complete system, with more than 1,500 users working in 19 languages.
The contract for the project was awarded to Scisys in the summer of of concept system to ensure that all
at the broadcaster’s Radio Park in Johannesburg and succeeded in the acceptance test in September.
‘This involves some 19 channels in 16 locations – we have a large
problem, the 21dB team suggested the STO seamless acoustic ceiling to the interior designer, AAC Interiors. ‘They wanted a solution that would be completely invisible and would not affect their design,’ recalled Dr Bechwati.
organisation with a great variety
all the requirements,’ explained Kersan Kistan, manager at RBF Digital SABC. ‘The proof of concept system showed that it is absolutely up to the task. We are now looking forward to the actual roll out.’
Following the successful test, the second phase of the project was to roll out the music rotation software, MusicMaster, to 14 of SABC’s channels, located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Polokwane. This stage was completed by the end of January 2017 with 14 stations now successfully on air.
The next phase, which got underway
in March, will see the installation Johannesburg. Once completed, the production and playout solution will be rolled out to 15 regional locations across South Africa.
‘We are very proud that SABC has chosen dira! as their new radio production and playout system and very much welcome this very famous African broadcaster into the concluded Dr Willi Pieper, director Scisys Deutschland GmbH.
www.musicmaster.com
www.onair.de
www.sabc.co.za
www.scisys.de
‘With all of this new kit, our audio engineers needed an innovative console with increased functionality and accessibility to really utilise the speakers’ potential,’ explained Flair managing partner Sameer Rahman. The decision to go with d&b Y-Series speakers was reportedly made following several months of planning and market research.
UAE: Chez Charles recently opened located in Dubai Design District (d3). 21dB Acoustic Solutions provided the sound solution, installing an all Genelec system and specifying a seamless acoustic ceiling from STO.
‘We were referred by an old client of ours, The Crystal Group,’ explained Fouad Bechwati, principal at 21dB. ‘Having completed several projects in d3 already, 21dB has built a solid reputation there.’
The venue features very high ceilings and a very large glass façade. This resulted in long reverberation times and therefore poor clarity when 21dB ran the acoustic simulation. To solve the
With the ceiling in place, 21dB deployed six Genelec 4030 installation speakers and three 7040 subwoofers in the main dining area. The bar area is covered
mounted in the ceiling. For the outdoor terraces, six M030 studio monitors were provided, while a pair of 8040s serve as DJ monitors. An XTA DP426 processor handles processing for the entire system.
‘The combination of the acoustics achieved by the STO system, coupled with the clean sound of Genelec rendered this as one of the most successful projects ever achieved by 21dB,’ said Dr Bechwati. ‘Everything is so clean, the acoustic and sonic atmosphere is just perfect.’
www.21dB.org
UAE: Flair Event Services has added to its technical roster with the purchase of sound systems from d&b audiotecknik. Part of the eclipse Group, Flair designs and executes creative elements for a variety of social events and the investment follows the expansion of the group’s audio offering across the board.
The sale comprised eight Y8 and four Y12 loudspeakers, four Y7P point sources, eight Y subwoofers, monitors. Additionally, the Flair team has taken stock of a DiGiCo S31 console.
UAE: Timeline Television partnered with Racecourse Media Group (RMG) once again this year to broadcast the Dubai World Cup, as well as all 20 of races at Meydan Racecourse. Timeline supplied the complete technical infrastructure including cameras, the electric vehicle systems and graphics, all of which were
controlled and monitored using Axon’s Cerebrum software.
‘Our Meydan Racecourse infrastructure includes a large SAM central hybrid matrix that handles all audio and video routing,’ explained Daniel McDonnell, managing director of Timeline Television. ‘The matrix is controlled by the Axon Cerebrum platform. The operators use both
The new equipment has already been deployed for a number of events following delivery. These as well as multiple private social events.
‘Our previous experiences with d&b equipment have always been positive, which made the decision to make this purchase an easy one,’ concluded Mr Rahman. ‘Aside from being a favoured system for many incoming performers, it is great to be able to recommend it to our clients, and we have received nothing but good reviews after they’ve heard what it’s capable of. We’re so happy with the purchase, that we’re already looking to further double our audio inventory due to the success that we’ve experienced so far.’
www.flairsfx.ae
touch screens and hardware panels to perform complex routing, speeding up the operation. Cerebrum also provides a single interface to control a variety of other broadcast equipment making the whole
www.axon.tv
www.timeline.tv
UAE: Christie’s Pandoras Box is being used at Meraas’ City Walk development in Dubai to synchronise over 100 million pixels of content from Float4. The outdoor digital experience includes more than 30 LED installations, nearly 30 projectors, and a water fountain show that uses water screens.
‘Meraas wanted to differentiate themselves,’ said Alexandre Simionescu, co-founder of the Float4 studio. ‘One of the things they wanted to do was create a location that was pedestrianfriendly. It’s not something that innovative. They like to question things beyond “can we do it bigger” and ask “can we do it better?”
‘When producing digital content for these types of installations, you need to understand what the technical implications are, so you can effectively take your idea and execute it,’ continued Mr Simionescu. ‘That’s one of the challenges: how do we produce content that can be used for advertising, ambience and shows on a different set of displays and make them work together? What
do we do with an 85m wall, and the long, and then the water fountain?
All are different aspect ratios and different technologies. It combined a lot of technologies in one place.’
The design studio worked with XYZ Cultural Technology to design a system powerful enough to synchronise and control all 100 million pixels. XYZ used Christie Pandoras Box Players, Managers and Widget Designer to manage the entire digital experience.
‘Christie Pandoras Box includes the strong technologies that let us achieve a synchronised and immersive space of this size,’ noted
Eric Cyr, partner and co-founder of XYZ. ‘It is a server with strong acquisition capabilities that can keep all these playbacks in sync, and has a strong logic to create the schedules we need.’
Pandoras Box allowed XYZ to manage varied, scheduled content on different surfaces while providing proof of playback to sync it all together. ‘There’s a daytime and night show,’ explained Mr Cyr. ‘The nice thing with Christie Pandoras Box is that one system always has the same content as the others. Just by changing the matrix and IP address, we were able to have a spare player in two minutes.’
‘City Walk has certainly succeeded in making themselves a stand out destination,’ concluded Mahesh Singh, Christie’s regional sales manager for the Middle East. ‘The combination of the water fountain, projection and LED screens – and the sheer scale of the installation –is truly a spectacle. It was a hugely ambitious project yet the complexity and synchronisation is perfectly executed.’
www.christiedigital.com
EGYPT: The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) has selected GatesAir’s Flexiva transmitter and Intraplex intelligent IP networking solutions as part
latter’s managing director, Amr Shedid.
The installation saw 27 GatesAir Flexiva FLX 10kW solid-state plus one single-frequency network (SFN). This will facilitate three transmission sites, each served by a cluster of eight Flexivas, while an additional unit serves as an automated back-up. GatesAir also reports that the ‘eight plus one largest of its kind in the world’.
The setup is designed to leave no dead spots, particularly in Northern Egypt, which has historically suffered from unreliable FM radio reception. As each SFM utilises eight transmitters broadcasting the same signals simultaneously, the reception is reportedly seamless when they overlap due to the transmitters all being aligned to the same GPS timing source. Synchronisation is facilitated by GatesAir Intraplex IP Link audio codecs, including a built-in Intraplex SynchroCast option that manages precision delays to keep the SFNs broadcasting simultaneously.
of what is reportedly the ‘largest digital FM radio rollout to date in the Middle East’. The purpose of the installation was to expand the Cairo-based broadcaster’s FM radio coverage across the county. GatesAir worked with its local partner, Cairo Communication Systems (CCS) on the project, which was led by the
‘With the addition of this powerful, transmission infrastructure, ERTU will be able to greatly expand their FM radio coverage area to include remote regions hundreds of kilometres away where people cannot currently receive any over the air radio stations,’ explained Rich GatesAir. ‘GatesAir will prove that our FM radio transmitters and SFN technology are capable of handling the demands of this state-of-the-art compromising the signal quality.’ www.gatesair.com
QATAR: TSL Products’ Intelligent Display System (IDS) has been installed at Al Jazeera’s headquarters in Doha. The installation was completed by Sony for the launch of the broadcaster’s new Arabic studio facility. The solution is designed to
combining television displays and timers and dynamic information. Al Jazeera initially planned for separate clocks and production timers inside the studio’s gallery.
SOUTH AFRICA:
Series solutions were deployed for the production of musical Annie that ran at Artscape’s Opera in Cape Town following a stint in Johannesburg at the Teatro team was led by technical
DPA mics were used for the production
the equipment used was sourced from Gearhouse’s theatre rental which presented triple the dynamics and gain levels. A vast amount of DPA d:screet 4061 headset microphones was matched to the skin tone of the individual actors. In addition to the 4061 headset microphones were used by and providing coverage under the balconies was a combination of www.prosound.co.za www.splitbeam.co.za
distribute information across the entire facility.
‘The main idea behind the installation was for easy information-sharing across the head of network operations standards at Al Jazeera. ‘To whether live or in rehearsal mode; to indicate which productions were taking place in the studios; and what was required in the
increase. You can then build the as needed.’
‘Although the galleries are currently the only areas whereby
‘it has proven so useful that we are so that production information can also be made available.’
www.tslproducts.com
Showtech
and these were powered by a pair of MMX Spots, Claypaky Sharpys and Alpha Washes, LED battery lights,
PAKISTAN: The Sindh Assembly in Karachi recently turned to Tahir Iqbal of Integrated Media to design and install and new broadcast solution, which ultimately featured Blackmagic Design’s Atem 1 M/E Production Studio 4K as its foundation. The client required an upgraded A/V solution that would
‘We needed to make sure the old and new systems could be seamlessly integrated, to allow members access to any archived video materials they required for future parliamentary rulings,’ system didn’t allow the team to use downstream keyers for adding graphics and effects to its video feed. In particular, the Assembly wanted to add a ticker across the bottom of the programme feed to provide a professional, live news feel to the production.
the national broadcaster.’
The team can remotely control four PTZ cameras positioned in the main hall. The feeds from these are supplied with audio and graphics to the Atem 1, which produces
it via Thunderbolt to a Mac Pro for live editing. The feed is then sent through a Mini Converter SDI
On the audio side, the main PA for the opening act and a Soundcraft for The Bellamy Brothers were deployed. Joining those on
systems. Showtech also constructed the roof truss for the stage, The stage backdrop was formed delivered with Dataton Watchout were also provided to supply content sides of the stage.
www.showtechme.com
‘There are a number of videowalls and repeater screens throughout the new facility where live sessions are screened,’ Mr Iqbal continued. ‘However, the Assembly also provides a feed to the national broadcaster, Pakistan TV, as well as to private television channels. So, when we started to design and specify a solution we had to balance the onsite audiovisual needs of a
videowalls constructed from Philips borderless LED screens and is also transmitted to repeater screens for the speaker and in the viewing gallery and press room. A patch panel enables distribution to the older building.
‘The patch acts as the primary router between the two buildings, and a central Ethernet switch provides the bridge between the old
‘The team can then quickly retrieve
and access archive material as required from the previous system.’ The audio feed is controlled by comprising tabletop microphones, column and bracket speakers and headphones. A Behringer audio
audio monitors cover the press room.
‘Our daily task of providing a concise and clear representation of the Assembly’s debates and decisions has become much easier,’ said Asim Ahmed, technical controller at Sindh Assembly. ‘The
sessions to anyone that needs it while also giving us the professional capabilities necessary for our television partners.’
www.blackmagicdesign.com
1/3 PAGE
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WORLD: FBT founders Vinicio Tanoni and Bruno Baldoni have both passed away. The pair died within a month of each other.
Mr Tanoni and Mr Baldoni established FBT in 1963. The pair created a small workshop in a garage amps were originally produced. In the 1970s, FBT switched its attention
PA systems and has since gone on to win numerous awards for many of its pro audio designs.
A statement from the company
credits the pair with ‘helping to lay the foundations of the modern music and audio industries. Their partnership was one of mutual understanding – Mr Tanoni, the meticulous engineer, and Mr Baldoni, the passionate audio enthusiast who saw the future they would create together. Yet as strong as FBT grew, in his heart, Mr Baldoni was inspired simply by his love of music and sound. Today, it is our great honour to follow his example and continue the work of these two extraordinary men.’
www.fbt.it
SOUTH AFRICA: Splitbeam recently supplied lighting equipment during The Centre for The Less Good Idea: Season 1 at Arts On Main in Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct.
The Gearhouse Group company specialises in theatrical productions.
The production was created by visual artist William Kentridge, while Wesley France served as lighting designer. The two have worked together on several performances, workshops and plays. Mr France has also called upon Splitbeam on multiple occasions to deliver a lighting rig, as he did for The Centre for The Less Good Idea
The production was split into two areas: the studio, which hosted workshops, and the centre room that was used for staging short plays. The lighting rig comprised 32 Fresnels in the studio and Rush LED PARs in the centre room.
‘The events were not taking place in a theatre environment but rather in empty rooms,’ explained Helen Surgeson, key account manager at Splitbeam. ‘Although the studio does have catwalks and some positions
WORLD: Outline has updated the design of its website with new features including a scrolling layout for easier navigation, the subdivision of products to facilitate manufacturer’s catalogue and
the ability to search products according to series or application. This design will reportedly allow those without in-depth pro audio they require.
The site includes product sections
for lounge bar/restaurant, theatre, disco/club, theme park, touring, portable, cinema and stadium/ arena. Each product page lists the key features, a detailed description and a list of relevant accessories, as well as a technical data sheet
from which lighting can be hung, the centre room lighting had to be hung off temporary structures.’
Ms Surgeson notes that the relationship between the rental company, Mr Kentridge and Mr France has been a collaborative one, with Splitbeam offering advice applications.
Splitbeam I have always found them
to be extremely helpful, orientated towards a theatre rather than a corporate budget and with excellent client service,’ said Mr France.
In related news, Gearhouse South Africa delivered a projection screen measuring 10m x 6m with scaffolding support, a Panasonic 21k projector and a small PA for an outdoor art display on Fox Street. The rental company was approached by Yoav Havel from Tintpost to deliver this project.
www.splitbeam.co.za
and manuals.
The site has been optimised for view on mobile devices and the design features clean lines with soft coloured graphics.
www.outline.it
Outline has refreshed its website
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UAE: Protec was called in to design, develop, direct and deliver the opening ceremony for the recent IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The theatrical production made use of special effects, choreography with military personnel and assets and scenic staging sets deployed on a 250m x 60m performance stage that was built from the ground up and arranged into an action packed show for a live audience.
The production included a mix of local heritage performances as well as local and international military parades. The main part of the show was a battle enactment of military group representing the Land Forces, Special Forces, Navy and Air Force liberate a war torn nation in
explosions, rock falls, bullet hits and water explosions) culminating in the successful liberation of the mountain village.
‘This show involves jets and timed to the precise second to match up with the action sequences on the staging area performed by armoured vehicles, infantry, special effects that include large pyro explosions on land and on the mountains, water explosions and vehicle explosions,’ explained Eddie Andradé, the show’s creative director. ‘This involves intense coordination between the show caller, stunt director and choreographer, special effects crew, stage managers, video, audio, cameras, the Navy, the Land Forces, the pilots, the airport, the air bases,
noted. ‘Therefore it had to be built up to 1m above the existing surface, graded up with sand, road base and tarmac/asphalt. Protec also built a temporary 65m long x 30m wide x 1m high ‘lake’ which held 2 million litres of water on which jet boats and a submarine were run. ‘We added working waterfalls that we built into greenery to complete the scenic visual,’ added Mr Lakin.
The mountains themselves were built out of base scaffold structures with carpet fascia that was painted to resemble rocky and moss/grass
a military demonstration, it needed to involve military procedures and methods. This calls for some serious research and coordination. From a creative standpoint, we had already done a desert theme and a port theme so this time it had to be in a completely different setting. So mountains it was. Once we had the setting, we had to develop the storyline that was creative yet practical and most importantly, safe for them to perform live.’
digital outs and Optocore Sane units running analogue outputs to the LA8
the mountains from militia control. The enactment featured air drops, moving pursuits involving tanks and armoured vehicles in challenging surroundings, a fully working and custom built train and submarine as well as full movie grade special effects (including high grade vehicle
the police and civil defence.’
Protec’s founder and CEO, Stephen Lakin, was in charge of building the entire scenic set. ‘Under the temporary venue that Protec built, were the exhibition centre’s utilities and drainage systems which had to be protected from the weight of the military vehicles, some of which weighed in excess of 60 tons,’ he
landscaping. The mountains had to be strong enough to withstand pyro explosions at various heights, abseiling, zip lining and a lot of personnel movement. Over 400 tonnes of ballast was used to secure the structures which worked well with the high wind speeds experienced
LED screens were built into the upstage mountain structures with access to work behind them.
The audio package included 40 in blocks of four with SB28 subs positioned between each set of two
RE redundant engine which meant we could lose kit or connections anywhere in the network and not lose audio or control at all,’ Protec’s head of audio, Ed Ross explained.
‘For communications we used a
control panels, HelixNet belt backs and Motorola digital radios. These were integrated with Riedel RiFace units for seamless communication across platforms.’
‘This is a very unique show,’
simple as using your imagination and delivering an action movie styled show because it also has to be realistic in the sense that being
‘Thank you very much on a successful IDEX, which for ADNEC and Abu Dhabi, was the most successful ever IDEX in its history,’ concluded Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, group CEO of ADNEC. ‘This year’s show has broken all records, including reaching more visitors than previous years. Working with Protec was a pleasure for not only myself, but for all my team. It was a delight to work with such a professional, well organised and structured organisation. I am sure the stress behind the scenes was well worth it in the end. What a marvellous opening ceremony and each day I watched the performance, I noticed even more intricate details to the show.’
www.productiontec.com
EGYPT: To mark International Women’s Day, Avid recognised the success of its and installing a broadcast news solution at ONTV in Cairo. The team members hail from Holland, Slovenia, Beirut, Italy and Dubai and between them speak nine languages.
‘The presence of an all-female installation team on site in the Middle East is unusual to say the least,’ said programmes EMEA at Avid. ‘Many of our Middle East customers are a little reticent when our female engineers or consultants arrive but their presence is usually welcomed on the sheer merit of their technical expertise and years of experience delivering broadcast solutions
across the EMEA regions.’
‘In the last 10 years the presence of a female consultant or engineer on site has been met with a growing level of acceptance by many customers,’ noted Claire Humphries, consulting manager for Avid (EMEA). ‘Often it is not until our female team demonstrate their deep technical knowledge; often delivered with a high level of emotional intelligence and instinctive communication skills that the customers accept us alongside our male peers. I am encouraged to see now how readily many customers welcome us in their technology environments, overlooking deep-seated cultural sensitivities and taking us on merit.’
www.avidblogs.com
MIDDLE EAST: Esther Eden has been announced as a young brand ambassador for Sennheiser in the Middle East. The singer-songwriter is signed to Universal Music MENA and joins an array of local artists and DJs who have been working with the manufacturer.
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Middle East. ‘We want local artists to know that we’re highly active in the Middle East, that we’re here to listen to and support their requirements, and of course, that we have a host of worldclass audio solutions for musicians of all genres and budgets.’
With Esther Eden, Sennheiser hopes to support her with advice on the right microphone to use to get the best out of her vocal style plus product and technical support at her gigs.
‘Sennheiser has always been on top of their game, especially where wireless mics are concerned,’ stated Esther Eden. ‘They have been the choice of many of the top stars in music.
‘We have been replicating in the region what we do on a global level, with an emphasis on young, emerging talent,’ said Mig Cardamone, director of sales and marketing at Sennheiser
But what struck me the most about Sennheiser is that they are willing to support new talent and that to me is important as I want to be connected with brands that are interested in uplifting the community. I am just starting my journey and I have been blessed to have Universal Music MENA at the helm. To now have the support of another leading international brand not only encourages me but endorses my art and my talent.’
www.sennheiser.com
South African summer, the Hunter’s cider brand hosted three concerts over consecutive weekends in different cities across the country. The tour for party goers and prize winners travelled from Peoples Park East in Durban via Johannesburg’s Mary Fitzgerald Square before closing at The Ostrich Farm in Cape Town. The concert series featured performances from a range of South African artists such as Cassper Nyovest, Black Motion, Chicana, Nasty C and Ricky
Company was enlisted to deliver the sound, lighting, staging and power
for every leg of the concert series. To make for an easier solution
Company deployed the same setup for each gig. On the audio side this comprised a main PA of 24 Das Audio Event 210A line array speakers with 18 LX-218 subwoofers. Eight Action 12A cabinets were deployed for monitors with a pair of Action A subwoofers. Mixing was handled by a Soundcraft Si Compact 32 digital console and processing was courtesy of XTA. The rental house also provided four Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus DJ decks and a DJM-900 Nexus DJ mixer. A Shure QLX-D wireless system with eight microphones was deployed to capture the vocals.
Company implemented a mixture
600 and 300, LEDWashes and Pointes with Martin Professional Mac 101 and Atomic Strobes as well as PAR cans from Longman. The rental company’s lighting designers, Mbulelo Msuthwana and Keagan Browning, programmed the lighting solution using an MA Lighting dot2 console with F-wing. ‘We loved the simplicity and ease of the MA as well as the node options allowing so many DMX outputs to be easily spread out.’
Taking care of the visual elements for each concert were large 7m x 3m LED screens above the DJ booth
while Robe smoke machines added to the effects. Power distribution for the concerts was from Huey 63A and Beavis 32A units.
On the staging side, the company called on Prolyte trussing with Prolyft Aetos hoists and Layher stage deck for the set design. ‘In Johannesburg
and Durban, we built an archedshaped dome roof stage belonging to Paul Nel of Show Co, measuring 50m long, 25m wide and 25m high,’ Browning. ‘In Cape Town we trucked in our own 12m x 12m Layher roof stage.’
Due to the distances involved between each leg of the tour, the team needed to keep to a tight schedule. ‘The structure was built on Tuesday, technical went in late Wednesday, Friday was rehearsal and Saturday was show day. Sunday was takedown and on Monday we travelled to the next city,’ recalls Mr Browning. ‘It was hectic on the gear and the crew!’
The large distances also meant
Company was away from its Durban base. Fortunately it was able to call in support from South Africa’s tight-knit rental community when challenges arose in Johannesburg and Cape Town. ‘What stood out for me on this tour was the help and assistance from all my competitors in the industry,’ Mr Browning
big or small, it was a simple phone call and the guys were there to help out. It’s great knowing we all have such comradeship in this competitive industry.’
2-3 MAY
UAE
The NMK Academy returns with a workshop focusing on solutions from Shure, taking place at the Holiday Inn Al Barsha.
www.nmkelectronics.com
8-9 MAY
Dubai, UAE
For consultants only, this course from Extron provides an introduction to A/V systems integration particularly for those new to the industry.
www.extron.com
8-11 MAY
Dubai, UAE
The Bosch Security Academy in the Middle East presents PA 1: a sales and design workshop with a focus on Bosch public address systems. ae.boschsecurity.com
16-17 MAY
Dubai, UAE
GSL Professional is hosting a pair of BSS training days. These will cover the HiQnet Audio Architect Introductory (AA100) and BSS Audio Soundweb London (BSS101) courses and the more advanced BSS Audio Soundweb London 201.
www.gslprofessional.com
27-29 JUNE
This three-day instructor led course, DMC-E-4K. It is an intermediate level course designed for those who wish to fully execute and support a DigitalMedia project.
www.crestron.eu
SAUDI ARABIA: Sennheiser recently hosted a one day seminar in Riyadh attracting 45 attendees
of it,’ explained Ryan Burr who led the training session for Sennheiser.
‘We were able to show them what a difference an antenna distribution system can make. I hope that we will see a resurgence of
antenna systems sold out to these installations in Saudi Arabia.’
Attendees at the event also found the sessions useful. ‘The Sennheiser seminar was a highly fruitful event for all participants
from the Kingdom’s integration market. The training had a focus on the manufacturer’s business communication tools, but also took antenna design into account.
‘I spent the latter part of the afternoon discussing antenna design which got the most interest really because a lot of the time
the participants to the latest version of Titan and how it can optimise their creative visions
from our company,’ said Mostafa Fath EL Bab, business development manager at IDEC. ‘The excellent presentation was very detailed and gave us a full insight into the products showcased. We strongly suggest similar programmes be held in Saudi Arabia where we can attend easily and increase our knowledge on specialised products to specify these on project proposals.’
Following the positive reaction, the manufacturer plans to host similar sessions in the Kingdom in the future. ‘I would like to do another one dedicated to broadcast,’ stated Mr Burr. ‘We see the broadcast market on the up in Saudi Arabia. Hopefully by the end of the year we will have held another seminar there.’
www.sennheiser.com
30 participants.
The event was presented by Aziz Adilkhodjaev and Rebecca Harding from Avolites UK alongside Wiam Boutine of Procom. It introduced
This included the latest additions such as key frame shapes, pixel mapper, live busking techniques, internal visualiser and undo history. The sessions also covered the Avolites media server software, AI and demonstrated participants reportedly found the training very useful as they were able to practice live on their laptops using the Titan software simulator.
www.procom-me.com
UAE: The NMK Academy returns in April and May for its sixth iteration, covering six of the manufacturers that the distributor represents over the course of seven seminars.
26 April with a focus on Clear-Com, followed by a Shure Pro session over the two day period of 30 April and 1 May and a Shure System seminar from 2 to 3 May. Roland solutions will be explored on 8 May, with Cloud in the spotlight the next day. NMK Acadmey 6.0 concludes with Williams Sound on 10 May and Smaart from 14 to 16 May.
‘We have quite a few new products and we’re entering new business segments,’ explained NMK’s Dino Drimakis. ‘People are getting smarter and technology is more
cost effective, but there’s many more events, especially with the Middle East becoming more culturally accepted. So, we’re starting to see more requirements
WORLD: Projection specialist, Elite Screens, has added an educational blog to its website. The blog is designed to answer the ‘tough questions’ that many users and installers may face when working with projector screens.
come out.’
Mr Drimakis went on to discuss what attendees can expect from the upcoming academy. ‘There’s interaction between users, manufacturers as well as ourselves as we get to know what products are required for the market and developing skills,’ he said. ‘For previous editions, we’ve had people from Africa, the GCC and even India. We talk to them about hands-on experiences and it helps participants to understand the it interactive so that everyone joins the discussion and creates a community-building type of experience.’
www.nmkelectronics.com/education
Elite Screens has started a blog
Content will be provided by industry writer Dave Rodgers, who will also serve as the site’s administrator. He has more than 20 years of experience and expertise gained within the technology industry. The blog can be accessed at: elitescreens.com/blog.
www.elitescreens.com
said audio department intern, Nicholas Fenton. ‘Working with the incredible audio department to give support on projects such as Party in the Park, RedFest and Jazz Fest has been a privilege, exceeding my expectations of Dubai.’
UAE: The most recent batch of interns to pass through the eclipse warehouse in Dubai have been given a comprehensive grounding in the challenges that can be thrown at events professionals in the Middle East. While the international team has worked on a variety of events of all sizes, the standout was the challenges presented by RedFest DXB.
‘My internship with eclipse has prepared me for the industry ahead and has given me the experience needed to tackle future challenges,’
Developed in 2015 by eclipse’s general manager Martin Lubach, the initiative is one of many endeavours the company has introduced as part of Mark Brown’s mission to contribute to the education and training in the industry. This year, the interns have come from the University of Bolton Backstage Academy and the University of South Wales in the UK, South Africa’s Academy of Sound Engineering and SAE Institute, UAE.
‘This season has been an exciting one for the team and I am glad that the interns were here to experience it with us,’ said Mr Lubach. ‘During their time with us, I hope that we have inspired them to continue with their chosen careers and come back to us after college to take the industry by storm! We wish them all the best, and look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future.’
www.eclipse.ae
UAE: Dubai-based distributor, GSL Professional, has recently expanded its Airport Road premises to house its service centre as well as a training facility. The training facility is a new addition to the company while the service centre has moved from the Al Awir suburb of the city.
The new training facility has already been put to use with Georgi Hristov, technical manager, GSL Professional – Projects leading sessions on BSS. The attendees from across the GCC and covered the Audio Architect 100, BSS 101 and BSS 201 syllabuses.
‘The trainees were curious and had a lot of questions,’
said Mr Hristov. ‘Overall it was a good training. We want to provide our clients with the
best in technology, support and education and as part of the support which we offer, we will be hosting other such relevant training sessions shortly.’
www.gslprofessional.com
SDVoE training at ISE 2017
WORLD: The SDVoE Alliance is aiming to familiarise systems integrators, designers, consultants, installers and manufacturers
Ethernet (SDVoE) via online training sessions. The webinars will be led by Alliance president Justin Kennington along with Laurent Masia of Netgear and Art Weeks of ZeeVee.
The initial sessions took place on March 8th and 9th under the headline: Deploying Zero-latency AV-over-IP Systems Using SDVoE Technology. The webinars focused on Ethernet as the transport for A/V signals in professional environments and the ecosystem
around the SDVoE platform.
According to the Alliance, attendees endpoints and networks and how to use them to impress clients.
‘The initial SDVoE education and training sessions we held at ISE 2017 played to packed houses and provided an overwhelming indicator of the industry’s hunger for AV-over-IP standards,’ said Mr Kennington. ‘Education is a central mission of the SDVoE Alliance and it’s particularly important now that every major manufacturer of A/V signal management gear seems to have an IP solution.’
www.sdvoe.org
UAE: Martin Audio has named Delta AV Solutions as its new distributor for the UAE. The British manufacturer joins the likes of DiGiCo, L-Acoustics and HK Audio in the Delta AV Solutions portfolio.
‘We’ve been doing our research into the potential for this market, who the major players are and would be, that brought us to Delta AV Solutions,’ said Bradley Watson, EMEA sales manager Martin Audio. ‘We started a dialogue and the result is that Delta AV Solutions is our new distributor, effective immediately.’
‘Obviously we are always looking for new and exciting products, we just want to see how we can work together to grow the brand as well in the region,’ added Gareth Armstrong
from Delta AV Solutions. ‘There’s a great range of products and things like the Blackline X is a box that we could sell to anyone.’
SOUTH AFRICA: DWR
Distribution has been appointed as the new South African distributor for Green Hippo’s range of Hippotizer media servers. The two companies will be visiting Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban in May to showcase the latest features of Hippotizer V4 during the South African Hippotizer roadshow.
‘We are really excited about this partnership with DWR,’ said Phil Blue, technical sales manager at Green Hippo. ‘We believe their
dedication to customer service and scope for the South African video market presents exciting opportunities for all.’
Duncan Riley of DWR also expressed his excitement at the agreement: ‘We are looking forward to a great future with the product,’ he said. ‘We will also be committed to supporting clients who already have Green Hippo products.’
www.dwrdistribution.co.za
www.green-hippo.com
SOUTH AFRICA: ApexPro has announced three additions to the portfolio of manufacturers it represents. The company has taken on the South African distribution for Symetrix, Atterotech and Stewart Audio.
‘The three brands complement one another perfectly in installed sound applications and are all extremely valuable additions to ApexPro’s product portfolio,’ stated the distributor. ‘The team
these three prestigious brands many applications around the country.’
The three new additions join the likes of Audio-Technica, ElectroVoice, ETC, P Audio, Bosch and Ultimate Support in the ApexPro stable.
www.apexpro.co.za
www.atterotech.com
www.stewartaudio.com
www.symetrix.co
With Mr Armstrong positive about the potential for growth in the region, he can also see advantages to working with the manufacturer
on the installation side. ‘The big thing for us is the support that we get from Martin Audio is second to none,’ he explained. ‘They’ve
got a full integration team that you can call at any time and they are available to support you on those installs.’
Mr Watson meanwhile believes that the manufacturer’s latest product releases combined with this new relationship will help it move forward in the region. ‘Our exposure has been weak for some time,’ he reasoned. ‘We are aggressively attacking the market now to move forward hard and with Gareth and Delta onside I think it’s the perfect partnership. Moving forward, with us as a brand and with the exposure that Delta have got out here it’s a good choice for us.’
www.deltasolutions.ae
www.martin-audio.com
NORTH AFRICA: Calrec Audio has appointed Decibel S.A as its exclusive distributor for Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. The Switzerlandbased company will represent the full line of Calrec solutions to broadcast customers throughout these territories with an emphasis on Brio.
‘Brio is a truly ground-breaking solution that promises to be a big success throughout our service area. As in many markets around the world, our broadcast customers are always on the lookout for a full-featured and robust audio desk that is also well-priced and easy to use,’ said Jean-Pascal Ruch, MD of Decibel S.A. ‘It’s an honour to represent Brio and the other
consoles from Calrec Audio, a brand that represents the highest standards in audio mixing consoles for the broadcast industry.’
markets,’ added Florent Chaouby, international sales manager at Calrec. ‘With his 40 years of experience and track record for audio console installations in both radio and television, he knows our market inside and out.
‘Decibel is a highly respected and well-established brand in Switzerland and North Africa, and Jean-Pascal is well-known by broadcasters in those
‘The contacts and relationships that Jean-Pascal and his team have built, especially in North Africa, will help us build our presence there,’ he continued. ‘With Brio, Decibel will be able to get access to this exciting new market, and as the territory develops, we can introduce our larger-scale broadcast system solutions to the region.’
www.calrec.com
www.decibel.ch
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Revolabs has named SkyGroup Communications Africa. The distributor specialises in video conferencing, A/V integration and cloud-based communications.
sales director EMEA at Revolabs.
‘With this partnership, SkyGroup will help us effectively meet the growing communications solutions in the southern African region.’
videoconferencing solution.
‘While the African continent is establishing itself as a global player, travel remains expensive or sites are often remote,’ offered Dirk Schreuder, sales and marketing director at SkyGroup Communications. ‘That has
‘SkyGroup’s extensive knowledge
communications, coupled with the company’s wide-ranging skill set and strong management team, will provide its reseller base with access to Revolabs’ communications systems,’ said Russell Harpham,
Following the agreement, the distributor’s reseller partners will be able to bundle Revolabs’ wired and wireless microphones and conference phone systems with SkyGroup’s complementary technology offerings to create a
technology is in high demand. More businesses throughout Africa are using UC clients such as Skype for Business, which calls for technology vendors to tightly integrate with communications offerings such as Revolabs’ range of wired and wireless solutions have experienced incredible demand.’
www.revolabs.com
www.skygroupcom.co.za
TURKEY:
TURKEY: Renkus-Heinz has in Frankfurt. numbers.’
MEA:
WORLD: Pro audio veteran Håkan Sjöö has joined Powersoft, taking on the role of regional sales account manager, EMENA. The role encompasses India, the Nordic countries and German speaking territories, as well as the Middle East and North Africa, and will see the Swedish native apply added emphasis to rack-mount
Mr Sjöö brings more than 20 years of relevant experience to the position, including that gained in his most recent roles at Renkus-Heinz where he served as regional sales manager for India, European sales manager
manager – EMEA. In addition to a background particularly suited to the type of work he will be doing, Mr Sjöö has a deep knowledge of the region, including India where he relocated to in 2008, and this Powersoft feels, will also serve him well.
‘Håkan is a passionate leader and his channel distribution knowledge will greatly contribute to Powersoft’s expansion in EMENA regions,’ said Powersoft’s sales and business
looking for passionate talent and we are all very happy to have him join our world-class team.’
MEA: Dubai-based A/V sales and marketing consultancy Vivid Audiovisual Media has hired a new sales assistant for the MEA region. Remina Santos Castro joins the company as it celebrates its third anniversary.
‘I’ve known Remina for nearly a decade now, as we worked together
EMEA: WyreStorm has named Nick and training manager for EMEA. Mr Roberts replaces the recently retired industry veteran, Glen Harvey, and is tasked with delivering training throughout the EMEA region.
Mr Roberts has more than a decade of industry experience
Cedia. During his career he has designed a wide variety of large-scale commercial A/V systems for hotel chains, bars and clubs, as well as designing meeting and presentation environments for corporate clients,
professional recording studios for education, live stage lighting and audio and mid-to-large scale home cinema systems.
‘Nick’s impressive skill set spans the development and analysis of control/automation software and
ability and an excellent knowledge of driver development – all of which make him a highly valued addition to WyreStorm’s technical team,’ said Adrian Ickeringill, WyreStorm’s EMEA general manager. ‘When we have worked with Nick in the past we have always noted his technical
‘I was into the life safety evacuation side of the industry,’ said Mr Salim. ‘My experience within the UAE projects business will help to further strengthen Bose Professional. With great products and technologies from the project needs in the UAE.’
pro.bose.com
‘The installation sector is my strength and the new direction Powersoft have taken with Ottocanali, Duecanali and now Quattrocanali underlines the amazing developments now taking place in that segment,’ noted Mr Sjöö. ‘The growth in India in particular has been amazing and countries like Iran are also now up-and-coming, with trade embargoes lifted. As for Europe, Germany has also produced some amazing results, and these are markets I will be focusing on as a priority.’
www.powersoft.it
years. I’m very happy to have her on board as she’s familiar with audio products but more importantly she understands the local markets,’ explained Chris Hellmuth, managing director of Vivid AV Media. ‘I hope
talent like her in the future.’
Vivid’s MD also commented on the company’s anniversary: ‘We
competence, extensive installation experience and superb market-facing interpersonal skills, so when the opportunity arose to add him to our ranks, we didn’t think twice.’
Aside from the training aspect, Mr Roberts’ experience in designing A/V systems for commercial and him to manage WyreStorm’s system design service throughout the EMEA region. This will see him take responsibility for producing key content and elements used in the service and growing this side of the WyreStorm business.
‘For years I have associated the WyreStorm brand with rock solid performance and have used many of their products in all manner of system designs and installs,’ said Mr Roberts.
currently represent three brands and business is getting better,’ Mr Hellmuth said. ‘German audio manufacturer beyerdynamic just assigned us to handle their complete product portfolio in the MEA region, so it’s simply becoming too much of a workload for a “one-man-show”.’
www.vivid-avmedia.com
‘Through my involvement with control/automation solutions I got to know the people behind the brand, which let me fully appreciate the WyreStorm philosophy of providing the best technology for the application. I am thrilled and honoured to join the WyreStorm team to become part of an exciting, dynamic and special group. With the continual expansion of the WyreStorm product line and the exciting developments just around the corner I am looking forward to WyreStorm as one of the very best A/V solutions providers in the industry.’
www.wyrestorm.com
SOUTH AFRICA: DWR Distribution has hired audio engineer Jaco Beukes to assist Kyle Robson. Mr Robson handles DiGiCo sales for the distributor and the appointment follows reported growth in sales of the manufacturer’s consoles.
Mr Beukes has worked on various
Afrikaans is Groot, which he was the RF and assistant technician for. He is also well versed in using DiGiCo consoles, having been introduced to the SD8 at a young age by his father and working for rental company Sound Stylists.
‘I have known Jaco for many years and I have had the opportunity to
work with him,’ said Mr Robson.
‘I am really looking forward to his appointment.’
On joining DWR, Mr Beukes
expressed his excitement about the challenges to come.
www.dwrdistribution.co.za
management, market intelligence and track record of achievement at the the international pro audio industry but opportunities for pro audio solutions
WORLD: Having joined the advisory board of d&b audiotechnik last year, David Claringbold has been appointed to the manufacturer’s management team, taking on the role of chief marketing as director of theatre and events at the Sydney Opera House, has relocated from
the late 1990s and throughout that time I’ve been continuously impressed by the quality of the products and engineering,’ is only ever on one thing: developing absolutely thrilled, and honoured, to be
as ‘a strategic platform for our future
position includes leading marketing communications, public relations, brand
www.dbaudio.com
MENA: Imagine Communications
business development background, joined Imagine in 2009 as senior solutions sales architect, his most company, he occupied roles at both the local broadcast community, Anas aspects of the integrated broadcast
ideally placed to clearly articulate to environments, and to ease their
help media companies in this creative and dynamic region begin to build their proof of concepts, demos and other activities to more effectively inform our
www.imaginecommunications.com
David Claringbold Anas Hantash, MENA sales director at Imagine Communications“We have bucked industry trends and broken industry standards to find the best possible audio solutions both analog and digital. We don’t simply gauge our system’s performances on published specifications; we gauge it by the smiles on people’s faces.”
George Krampera Founder, Chief Engineer, Legendary Pro Audio Pioneer
WORLD’S FIRST OPTIMISED LINE ARRAYS WITH SCALABLE RESOLUTION
DEVELOPED WITH long-throw theatre and live music applications in mind, Nexo has unveiled the latest Geo loudspeaker in the form of the M10. The speaker is stated to be twice as powerful as it sibling, the Geo M6, while drawing on structural and acoustic innovations developed in the STM modular series. However, its silhouette is still similar to the M6.
The M10 houses a single 10-inch neodymium LF driver paired with a 1.4inch titanium diaphragm HF driver. The cabinet itself is an injection-moulded reticulate urethane co-polymer enclosure with a footprint measuring 531mm x 288mm x 355mm. There are two versions of the M10 cabinet, offering 12.5° and 25° of vertical dispersion. Both offer 80°/120° horizontal dispersion which can tools, by removing the magnetic grille and cabinet weighs 21kg and can be ordered in the full range of RAL colour options.
According to the French manufacturer, the use of the single 10-inch driver
offers several advantages over the more commonly used double 6-inch, the frequency response from a two-way cabinet, while the box keeps a narrow inter-cabinet angles’.
A new companion subwoofer has also been launched alongside the Geo M10.
The MSub15 weighs 36kg and is operable in omni or cardioid mode thanks to front and back connection plates. The MSub15s
are the same width as the M10 cabinets, but two subs are equivalent in height to three M10s. It includes large composite bumpers on each corner and side handles.
with or without the MSub15, while up to 12 M10 or eight MSub15 modules can Alternatively, the M10 elements can be groundstacked on top of the MSub15s with between -12° to +12° of tilt.
Another highlight of the new cabinets is the use of an internal three-point rigging system with automatic locking. Two different bumper options are available, both with optional expansion bar, as well as an extension accessory for groundstacking.
For power, Nexo’s NXAMP4x4 TDcontroller is capable of powering up to four M10 or three subs per channel. The system can be controlled over a network using Dante, Ethersound or an AES/EBU digital expansion card.
www.nexo-sa.com
Ruggedized RJ45 data connector solution for data transfer in harsh and demanding applications.
1/4 PAGE 1/4 PAGE
Ethernet cable- and chassis-connector with CAT6A component compliance according to ISO/IEC 11801 and TIA/EIA 568-C.2 PoE+ compliant according to 802.3at Type2; rugged latch lock system million fold proven; intermateable with the existing etherCON CAT5 range; shielded system - high noise immunity and EMI protection.
The best of Nexo’s Geo series is now available in a single 10-inch format with flexible mounting options
COMPRISING OF the VIA-8 and VIA-12 cabinets, together with the VIA-SUB cardioid and SB218 subwoofers, the VIA Line array system marks P. Audio’s introduction into Line array technology.
Capable of producing a maximum continuous SPL of 126dB, the VIA-8 and VIA-12 enclosures are fully-powered, two-way line array cabinets loaded with two 8-inch neodymium woofers and 3-inch large format compression drivers. Whilst the 8-inch woofers feature a neodymium motor structure with aluminium shorting rings for reduced distortion, the HF compression driver is a three-inch design featuring a Mylar surround.
The two Line array cabinets differ only in dispersion with the VIA-8 enclosures offering an 80° x 15° pattern and the VIA-12 providing a 120° x 15° pattern.
The VIA-SUB is a fully powered cardioid subwoofer that utilises a rear-facing 12-inch woofer to effectively cancel the sound radiation behind the cabinet and to control LF feedback issues.
The newly-designed, forwardfacing 18-inch woofer uses double neodymium magnets for high neodymium woofers utilising two neodymium magnets, the SB-218 has been designed for applications requiring high levels of LF reproduction.
Each VIA enclosure incorporates matched to the DSP with 96kHz AD/DA converters, incorporating the latest FIR technology for providing Linear system phase. An RS-485 connector in each component facilitates remote
control with the included software for editing single cabinet parameters. The software allows adjustment of the graphic EQ, delay times and gain, together with real-time monitoring of the
The rigging for the VIA series is designed to support up to 16 VIA-8 or VIA-12 cabinets or eight VIA-SUB cabinets, for which the three-point design allows for a
rear rigging is made from 6061 T6 extruded aluminium with hardened steel/stainless steel pins.
The rigging design allows inter-cabinet array angles of up to 14°, whilst the subwoofer angle, as the delay in each cabinet is available to create different radiation patterns as needed.
P.Audio has also recently developed the Line series of loudspeakers for environments, consisting of the 2Line-6, 3Line-C and 2Line-Sub. Available in black or white and enclosed in a heavy-duty steel cabinet with a steel grille, the 2Line-6 is a high directivity vertical column array. It incorporates six closelyspaced 2-inch neodymium-based dynamic transducers offering controlled polar lobing and tight pattern control.
A rear-mounted switch allows the system impedance to be changed between 4-and 16-ohms. The 4-ohm setting is intended for use is required. The 16-ohm setting allows four cabinets to be parallel
linked, either when a 4-ohm the accompanying 2Line-Sub is
adopted lower power applications. The addition of the active 10-inch 2Line-Sub to the 2Line-6 provides full range audio reproduction. An
two 300W outputs comes with a universal Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS). Eight switchable EQ presets different voicing modes with the 2Line-6, including one preset optimised for use with the spoken word. Constructed of dense plywood with a steel splatter coat the 2Line-Sub comes with two recessed handles on the side of the cabinet.
the 3Line-C comprises eight 3-inch woofers in a vertical array
six 1-inch soft dome tweeters mounted in front of the woofers for added high frequency extension. The loudspeaker can be paired with the XT-15A SUB for low frequency support, using the dedicated 3Line preset. The XT15A Sub offers DSP parameters and integrates a two-channel channel to powering the 3Line-C and the other for the subwoofer.
The 3Line-C enclosure is made from folded steel and incorporates folds in the side walls to improve strength together with butyl rubber damping materials to prevent resonances. Finished in black or white, the 3Line-C is both zinc plated and covered with powder coated paint to prevent cabinet corrosion.
www.paudiothailand.com
THE NEW Domino Series from K-array is a line of full-range stainless steel loudspeakers that offer plug-and-play functionality and the ability to be driven by
The series comprises three full-range models, the KF26, KF210 and KF212. The KF26 is the smallest of the three and measures less than 12cm deep. It houses a 6-inch woofer and a 2-inch neodymium magnet woofer coaxially mounted plus a 6-inch passive radiator to extend the bass response. The KF26 has a selectable impedance 8/-32-ohm and 90° horizontal and vertical coverage. It can reportedly be transformed into a self-powered speaker just by inserting the
FF. It offers a maximum of 109dB, making it suitable for smaller installations.
THE NEWEST member of the X-Line Advance family has been unveiled as the X12-125F subwoofer. Designed for use with both Electro-Voice X1 and X2 arrays, the dual 15-inch subwoofer houses high-output transducers in a compact enclosure delivering a stated 9,600W output.
The subwoofer can either features the family’s Integrated Rigging System for ‘quick, secure and seamless deployment’ in arrays. Having been sonically matched with the series’ fullrange enclosures, as well as the X12-128 groundstacked 18-inch
is stated to complement the existing models in a range of X1 or X2 mains and X12-125F
system with X1 or X2 mains, to mains in LF mode and X12-128 as a groundstacked system with X1 or X2 mains and X12-125F above mains with X1 or X2 mains and X12125F above mains in LF mode in
ground stacked as subwoofer; and groundstacked in LF mode, with X1 or X2 above as mains and X12128 as a centre mono subwoofer array.
www.electrovoice.com
Stepping up in size, the KF210 has a 10-inch woofer and a 3-inch neodymium magnet woofer coaxially mounted in addition to a 10-inch passive radiator. Like the KF26, the KF210 has selectable impedance and wide vertical and horizontal coverage.
The largest in the series at 20cm-deep, the KF212 comprises a 12-inch coaxial transducer with a titanium dome and a 12-inch passive radiator and is stated for use in clubs and lounges.
While wall brackets ship with the cabinets, there are also a range of optional accessories available for each model, such as to further hide the speakers. All three models can also be covered in addition to the standard black and white renderings.
www.k-array.com
CERWIN VEGA has developed the CV series of portable, powered PA systems for small to medium-sized performance venues.
Representing the line’s most compact systems, the CVE group comprises of four powered speakers
with single 10-, 12- and 15-inch tops and an 18-inch subwoofer. Mounting points and an accessory
installation options, although the three models can serve as portable speakers or stage monitors. Each cabinet incorporates 1,000W
XLR/TRS inputs, one XLR output polymer enclosures, the CVE10, CVE-12 and CVE-15 weigh between 15kg and 18kg and like the CVE-18s come with a Bluetooth pairing for wireless connection to
The CVX series includes the
1,500W-rated CVX-10 and CVX15 tops with the 2,000W-rated CVX-18s and CVX-21s subwoofers.
All four cabinets include Class-D
channel mixer and include three XLR outputs with two XLR inputs.
The top enclosures are composed of lightweight polymer whereas the subwoofers are built from 18mm Birch plywood and protected with
ADOPTING UPDATED technical solutions and user-friendly features, LD Systems has introduced second generation Maui11 G2 and Maui28 G2 active column systems. Like their predecessors, the Maui11 G2 and Maui28 G2 have been designed as easy-to-use PA systems in small- to medium-sized venues. The respective outputs of the Maui 11 G2 and Maui28 G2 cabinets have been increased using Class-D
RMS respectively. Portability has also been enhanced as the weight of both column systems has been reduced and the Maui11 G2 can now be assembled from two sections.
Housed in 15mm plywood white, the Maui11 G2 and Maui 28 G2 cabinets accommodate three 6.5- and two 8-inch LF woofers respectively, whilst the corresponding aluminium column sections feature 16 3-inch and eight 3-inch drivers. Coupled to BEM (Boundary Element Method)
THE LATEST subwoofer creation from the team at Danley Sound Labs comes in the form of the TH-Mini15, an ultra-compact single 15-inch subwoofer that also serves as the bigger brother to the smaller Danley TH-Mini. With a 105dB sensitivity
and maximum continuous SPL of 132dB, the model is stated to be capable of reproducing frequencies down to 50Hz. Measuring 76.2cm x 45.7cm x 60.9cm, the subwoofer is intended for ‘pack-and-go’ live situations such as pop-up houses
installation.
‘The Danley TH-Mini15 is a greatsounding little subwoofer that can be moved with relative ease,’ commented Danley’s Mike Hedden.
switches provide main/monitor mode, live/playback EQ and high indicator has also been added.
the CVXL are the largest and most powerful of the CV series group.
The single 12-, 15-, or dual 15-inch wooden tops can be combined with single 18- or dual 21-inch
Weighing 29kg, the CVXL-112
is a 1,500W-rated cabinet that incorporates a 12-inch woofer with a 1.75-inch HF compression driver operating within a 55Hz–18kHz (±3dB) frequency range. Capable of delivering a maximum SPL of 135dB and 137dB respectively, the CVXL-115 and CVXL-215 models can extend the low frequencies down to 47Hz.
www.cerwinvega.com
optimised waveguides for improved sound dispersion, newly developed dual 1-inch neodymium tweeters comprise the HF sections. Fourchannel mixers with Hi-Z input options, stereo line inputs and Bluetooth audio streaming have been integrated into the new
Auto-adaptive 24-bit signal processing with LD Systems’ own DynX DSP technology enhances distortion-free audio. Accessory kits promote the speaker columns to be used separately from the subwoofer in wall mounting applications with two options, whilst a stand is also available for positioning the columns next to the subwoofer.
As well a second-generation version of the Maui11 and Maui28, LD Systems has introduced a third generation of its Stinger speaker improvement’ over previous models. The Stinger G3 series comprises 8-, 10-, 12- and 15-inch passive and active full-range cabinets, as well as two 15-inch and 18-inch
subwoofers. The cabinets are constructed from 15mm or 18mm birch ply, while an abrasion and impact-resistant polyurea plastic coating helps to prolong longevity during mobile use. All of the active speakers are equipped with Class-D The dispersion characteristics of the full range models have been enhanced in the HF range over the previous generation. LD Systems’ proprietary DynX DSP technology can also be found onboard, and offers four one-touch tuned presets – full range, satellite, monitor and
In addition to three different G3 subwoofer’s DSP presets also feature a cardioid option.
www.ld-systems.com
cover or in the tight space under the stairs at a restaurant. It’s got a pole cup to make it easy to mount atop boxes and the handles are all well placed for ergonomic transport.’
www.danleysoundlabs.com
QSC HAS introduced new software for TouchMix users that enables two-way migration of digital audio
DAW software on either Windows or Apple Mac computers. According to the manufacturer, Version 2.0 offers this capability to users of all three models of TouchMix digital mixers, including
already offers users directto-DAW interface capability with computers running Apple Mac migration between TouchMix and DAW software is now also possible. In addition to the new DAW Utility software, Firmware v1.1 can now be downloaded for the mic/line, six line, stereo USB)
product enhancements including direct download for upgrades and improvements to the parametric EQ. A Channel Safe function prevents an individual channel’s settings from being changed by a scene recall by setting the ‘can’t change’ channel to Safe. It can still operate normally but will be unchanged by any scene recall.
The ‘Omit levels’ function on the
assignments, for which presets can now be recalled without affecting mute group, sub group and DCA group assignments.
In addition to increasing the maximum LCD brightness, the monitor pop-up now includes delay settings and source selection buttons in addition to a vertical fader for level control.
Away from mixers, the Core 510i integrated core processor has joined the Q-Sys portfolio,
software modes, as a full Q-Sys audio, video and control processer or as an I/O peripheral that can accommodate any combination of Q-Sys analogue, digital and networked audio I/O cards.
The Q-Sys Core mode handles all AVC processing including resources for built-in acoustic echo
deployed with the Q-Sys A/V-to-USB Bridging solution for soft codec conferencing applications.
The I/O Frame mode offers support for up to 128x128 audio
channels as an I/O peripheral into the System for processing on a separate Core processor. It can accommodate any combination of Q-Sys Type-II I/O cards including Dante, CobraNet, AVB or Q-Sys analogue and AES/EBU cards.
With the recent release of Q-Sys
Core processors shipped to date, including the Core 510i, offer native AES67 capability without requiring additional hardware or license costs. The Core 510i processor also offers multiple levels of System redundancy allowing the designer to choose the most appropriate scheme for the project at hand.
Finally, a new Q-Sys I/O-8 Flex
channel expander has been audio I/O channels. The device channel via Q-Sys Designer Software as either a fully balanced mic/line input with phantom power or a line level output. It also offers PoE+ support for single-cable deployments plus an auxiliary DC power input that can be used for redundancy. With the same chassis and mounting solution as the QSC SPA Series power mounted under the table in a conference room, on the wall or in a rack.
www.qsc.com
PORTUGUESE LOUDSPEAKER
manufacturer Next-proaudio has developed a new Acoustic Simulation
single subwoofer setups or subwoofer arrays. Intended to aid Next-proaudio owners when deploying subwoofers into a venue, the tool is stated to be ‘extremely intuitive and easy-touse’. It allows the user to simulate in 11 different ISO 266 spacing
capable of predicting the acoustical performance of the subwoofers,
solution for a given venue with multiple sound sources.
The AST includes a database of Next’s subwoofer models, containing sensitivity, maximum power and cabinet dimensions. Several different parameters can be tweaked, including orientation and vertical
electronic parameters that can also
To achieve the maximum phase
calculation precision, the speed of sound is calculated taking into account the humidity, temperature and altitude. The resultant coverage simulation is mapped, showing the SPL distribution throughout the venue. With a listening point – a virtual microphone, the user can predict the frequency and phase response in a desired location. The software permits up to four listening points simultaneously. The user only needs to indicate how far the virtual measurement will be taken and click to trace. A polar plot is also available and will be displayed in a separate window alongside other important information such as Q, DI and -6dB angle.
task of setting up virtual subwoofer arcs has also been streamlined with the tool’s Virtual Arc function. Based on the acoustical beam aperture performs the necessary calculations location and delay) to input into a DSP audio processor.
www.next-proaudio.com
PENN ELCOM has released a new ‘quiet’ exhaust fan for heat extraction in cupboards and other enclosed environments that feature
product comes with a drill template to aid installation, creating an cover to keep the overall cabinet enclosure looking smart.
With an operating low-noise fan is well-suited to low noise environments. Measuring 80mm, the fan is
also small enough to be neatly ensconced ‘just about anywhere’ in a cabinet.
A thermal sensor accessory can be plugged into the temperature sensor socket which is set to
sensor accessory is supplied with an acrylic adhesive pad to be positioned in an area where it can detect the ambient temperature of the equipment being cooled.
www.penn-elcom.com
RCF HAS extended its column array line source series with the advent of the NXL44-A. Combining three 10-inch neodymium woofers with a 1.4-inch exit driver coupled on an asymmetrical waveguide in the HF section, the components are tuned to deliver uniform coverage over an extended frequency range. The manufacturer claims that the asymmetrical design of the horn projects sound energy with great accuracy, thus avoiding undesired
enclosure always remains vertical and hence bypasses the need for tilting the cabinet in a manner that would affect its stability. The large format compression driver to deliver the majority of the vocal range to create enhanced coverage and dispersion control.
The HF horn design also promotes the use of two NXL44-A columns to be cascaded as a stacked array for enhanced control over directivity in challenging acoustical surroundings. Integral DSP with optimised phase response offers precision control, whilst a two-
channel Class-D bi-amped 700W
the HF and LF sections. Fixing points can be used for rigging
although the cabinet can also be applied in portable/live PA sound applications.
The Italian manufacturer has further enhanced its D-Line HD series by incorporating MK4generation technology. The HD10-A MK4 and HD12-A MK4 active 10- and 12-inch models incorporate RCF’s latest transducer technology, which can reportedly increase the power of the cabinets to 1,400W. The inclusion of FiRPhase technology, proprietary and advanced FIR and advanced
clarity. Whilst optimising dynamics, amplitude and phase patterns, the FiRPhase algorithm reportedly minimises latency in the system.
Two M10 and three M6 threaded inserts provide mounting hardware options.
compact subwoofer satellite systems requiring high SPL levels
subwoofer family. The new model incorporates a 15-inch woofer with
input section comes with stereo XLR inputs and stereo XLR linkcrossover outputs with switchable crossover frequencies for satellite systems.
presets offer plug and play
and 15-inch ART7, 4PRO and D-Line active speakers.
Further features include DSP processing with factory presets
and selectable crossover, gain and delay.
also an active subwoofer featuring the manufacturer’s latest woofer technology and DSP processing,
maximum SPL. It features stereo XLR inputs and outputs and is designed to offer a ‘blend of bass reproduction, high SPL and compact dimensions for mobile use’, targeting bands and DJs in particular.
www.rcfaudio.com
L-ACOUSTICS HAS dipped its toe into the portable column speaker market with the introduction of Syva. Describing the system as a completely new format it has dubbed ‘segment source’, each Syva column houses six medium-frequency and three high-frequency transducers in a J-shaped curvature format. The portability and attractive design make the system wellsuited to corporate events, trade shows and house of
worship applications, as well as small cinemas and lounge bars. The column pairs with an accompanying high-power subwoofer or Syva infra extension to achieve 142dB maximum SPL.
The companion Syva Low enclosure features two K2-grade 12-inch drivers designed to provide low frequency contour and extended bandwidth down to 40Hz. Similarly, Syva Sub features one KS28-grade 12-inch driver to further extend the bandwidth of the
system into the infrasound domain controller can drive up to four Syva enclosures.
The column can be wall- or or used alone with its baseplate. Alternatively, it can be mounted on top of Syva Low or Syva Sub using the AutoConnect plug-and-play audio and physical link. Cabinets
www.l-acoustics.com
DESIGNED TO deliver accurate audio reproduction whilst producing multi-functional applications, dBTechnologies has created the B·H series. The four two-way models in this newly developed series capable of providing SPLs up to 126.5dB. Each of the 8-, 10-, 12and 15-inch woofer models are equipped with 1-inch compression drivers coupled to an asymmetrical horn to ensure a wide and uniform throw pattern. Internal DSP comes in the form of a Flat or Boost EQ switch, allowing sourced BGM to be either faithfully reproduced or boosted according to the environment.
Weighing between 6.4kg and 17.3kg, the cabinets incorporate
a clean and contemporary full grille design. Whilst portability is enhanced with the addition of three handles, multi-functionality is assured by dual stage monitor angles and pole cup for use as a
portable PA system when mounted onto a dBTechnologies subwoofer. In addition to the new B•H series, the Italian manufacturer has also introduced two subwoofers designed to complement its full-range Opera
cabinets as part of the Sub 600 series. Both models feature a 600W
The Sub 615 is equipped with a 15-inch transducer while this is increased to 18 inches for the Sub 618. This results in a high maximum stated SPL for the Sub 618 of 133dB.
Users are reportedly able to form PA systems with a single sub and two full-range speakers without the need for any external processing or crossover. Controls on the amp panel allow users to operate with mono or stereo feeds, invert polarity and select the output link mode –True Bypass or Xover. A Sub Mode switch boosts the low frequency EQ for a deeper output.
www.dbtechnologies.com
ADAMSON CHOSE Pro Light & Sound 2017 to unveil its new series of integration loudspeakers alongside a new subwoofer addition for the S Series. At launch, the IS-Series comprises the IS7 fullrange and IS118 subwoofer. The manufacturer describes the cabinets as packing its ‘sophisticated tourlevel technology into architecturally pleasing housings that can be used in a range of applications from performing arts centres to sports venues, conference centres and
houses of worship.
The IS7 is a two-way, full-range line array cabinet containing two ND7-X5 7-inch neodymium drivers and an NH3 1.4-inch-exit compression driver. Its waveguide produces a slightly curved wavefront with a nominal dispersion pattern of 100° x 12.5° (H x V). The manufacturer claims that the increased vertical dispersion without
Technology eliminates the low-mid lobing normally associated with two-way line source systems. The companion IS118 subwoofer is front-loaded with a lightweight, long excursion 18-inch ND18-S Kevlar neodymium driver making use of Adamson’s Advanced Cone Architecture and a 4-inch voice coil. Both models’ cabinet construction uses marine-grade birch plywood
and aircraft-grade steel. The IS7 is equipped with NL4 connectors and screw terminals while the IS118 has screw terminals available on demand. A plate-and-screw rigging solution is recessed in the
installation. Finishes are standard black and white, with RAL colours available on demand.
The latest addition to the S-Series is a narrow-dispersion version of the S10 two-way cabinet offering an 80° x 10° (H x V) pattern. ‘Based on requests from our strong clientele of touring users, this narrow version of the S10 was developed to increase the long-throw capability of S-Series packages and further expand their usability and performance
Adamson’s Marc Weber.www.adamsonsystems.com
HK AUDIO has made an addition to its Lucas Nano series of portable loudspeaker systems with the Lucas Nano 602 occupying the series’ lowest price point. The manufacturer states that the 602 is an ideal complement for DJs or musicians that still want to use their own external mixer. With a 10inch subwoofer base and two satellites wth 4.5-inch woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, the system has a maximum SPL of 130dB and caters for crowd sizes up to 200.
Featuring one stereo input, the 602 column boasts the ability to be deployed in its optimum and it can be combined with any other model in the Lucas Nano 600 series range to form a twin stereo system if more power is required. The cabinet weighs 16.3kg, meaning it can be transported with one hand, with the satellites mounted inside the subwoofer. Also employed inside the enclosure is a Multicell Transformer that claims to deliver ‘the quality performance of a large high-frequency horn at a fraction of the size’ and antipower transfer.
www.hkaudio.com
NEW SELF-POWERED versions of JBL’s 7 Series Master Reference Monitors have been introduced in the form of the 5-inch 705P and 8-inch 708P. The series was originally developed as a speaker that could be deployed in 5.1, 7.1
or immersive surround setups for broadcast and postproduction facilities.
Aside from the production of power, the new active 7 Series cabinets are essentially the same as their passive brethren. The 725G 5-inch
THE LYD 48 has become the latest addition in Dynaudio Pro’s LYD studio monitor range. The three-way speaker combines an 8-inch and a 4-inch woofer with a 1-inch tweeter,
and black like the original LYD range, the LYD 48 is also available as a classic all-black version.
powers both of the woofers together with the tweeter, delivering 80W/50W/50W of features a 96kHz/24-bit signal path with selectable input sensitivity, together with the standby mode that features in the original LYD speakers. The three-way version also offers bass extension. This provides a choice between the default setting or pushing towards maximum bass
or volume, whereby the changes affect the low-end response, but ensures that the linear frequency response remains intact.
The sound balance option serves
balance gently, emphasising one end of the spectrum whilst decreasing the opposite end by the same amount. This differs
LF transducer used in the 705P is stated to provide 14mm peak-topeak excursion and low-frequency output down to 39Hz. The 728G eight-inch LF transducer inside the 708P utilises the manufacturer’s Differential Drive technology, which aims to reduce power compression, provide a greater sustained output and an extended, linear lowfrequency performance down to 35Hz.
Additionally, both models feature JBL’s Image Control Waveguide that reportedly results in a ‘seamless transition’ between woofer and tweeter and therefore provides a wide sweet spot. Power is from a 120W amp powers the 2409H highfrequency transducer, while a 250W amp is dedicated to the 725G and 728G LF transducers. Both models also feature room equalisation and
a variety of connectivity options in line with their active counterparts.
As well as new 7 Series models, JBL has expanded its line-up of all-weather cabinets with the AWC62 2-way coaxial loudspeaker. Measuring 25.91cm x 25.91cm x 25.65cm, the AWC62 provides 110° coverage from the 6.5-inch low-frequency driver and 1-inch HF compression driver resulting in frequency response from 70Hz-18kHz. Finally, a new studio loudspeaker tuning system has been released. Housed in a 2U rackmount enclosure, Intonato 24 can calibrate and control systems of up to 24 speakers with customised recallable routing of up to 24 sources selected from 24 analogue, 24 digital and 256 networked audio sources.
The device has the capability to
manage monitoring systems of up to 24 speakers, including up to four subwoofers that can be assigned as ‘Bass Management’ subs with selectable crossover settings. It is also compatible with all monitoring formats including stereo, 5.1, 7.1 and immersive.
www.jblpro.com
TANNOY HAS once again reworked its Ceiling Monitor System with CMS 3.0. This sees the ‘reinvention of the Dual Concentric driver’, which has of the CMS 3.0 models: CMS 403DCe, CMS 503DC, CMS 603DC and CMS 803DC, as well as the CMS 803DCQ which is designed especially for high-ceilings and longer throw applications.
the manufacturer, as it alters the frequency response without interfering with the phase. By the sound balance toggle switch can be turned to either ‘Bright’ or ‘Dark’.
www.dynaudio.com
RENKUS-HEINZ HAS reinvented a pair of its notable loudspeaker series. The new C Series speakers, designed for installed sound applications, are the next generation of the CF and CFX Series, while the T Series evolves from the TRX Series and targets both installations and live sound. The C Series aims to serve as a ‘cost-effective solution for theatres and performing arts spaces,
houses of worship, multiuse venues and public spaces’. Formed from a multitude of systems, the range is divided between
models, all of which are available
also include the latest version of Renkus-Heinz’ Complex Conic Horns with updated drivers.
Meanwhile, the T Series is also
The newly built Dual Concentric driver is constructed with the manufacturer’s Omnimagnet technology, in addition to Torus Ogive Waveguide assembly. This, Tannoy states, delivers ‘more consistent and controlled directivity’, while reporting a ‘notable improvement in higher frequency ranges, in comparison to previous generations’.
Each of the units in the new series has been designed to assist in specifying,
installing and commissioning back cans and clamp designs. Other improvements have reportedly been made to time alignment and the coherence between LF and HF. All modes utilise a 16-ohm driver in from sister brand Lab.gruppen.
www.tannoy.com
includes the latest Complex Conic Horn technology. Where this range differs is that each system is built to order with customisation options including myriad horn patterns, as well as colour matching and
cabinets also contain redesigned HF and LF drivers.
www.renkus-heinz.com
AUDAC’S LATEST subwoofer is a subwoofer with a twist. Named Noba, aesthetically it looks more like a full-range cabinet than sub, thanks to its curved shape and very compact dimensions, both of which permit the enclosure to be wall-mounted. The enclosure is constructed from 4mm-thick aircraft grade aluminium and packs an 8-inch woofer with 300W power output. The integrated Class-D amp also makes 150W of power available for each of the top speaker inputs.
‘When the idea for developing the Noba arose over three years ago, we didn’t want just another active bass cabinet to be hidden in the room’s darkest corner,’ reasoned product manager Stijn Vandebosch. The new cabinet uses Audac’s WaveDynamics technology, which allows users to set up the optimal
their preferred audio settings through the onboard USB port. The Noba sub can be paired with Audac’s Ateo2 full-range speakers
star rating thanks to its green credentials.
www.audac.eu
AS PART of its promise to introduce a raft of new products during 2017, Ecler has announced the IW103 in-ceiling/inwall loudspeaker for corporate and residential buildings, sports and leisure centres, and meeting and conference rooms. The speaker houses a 3-inch transducer and includes a high impedance transformer unit with 15W and 30W power selections at 100V line level.
In other news, the Spanish
company has made its IC6 and Ecler Essentials spherical pendant loudspeaker available in a manufacturer claims that the IC6 is ‘the perfect option for 70/100V and low impedance sound solution’, as it mounts a 6-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter in a discreet design. The eUC106 spherical pendant houses a 6.5-inch woofer, 0.5-inch tweeter and 70/100V transformer.
www.ecler.com
DUBBING THEM revolutionary, Apart Audio has released a new designed to be intuitive and highly set of front panel controls. the Belgian manufacturer has unveiled the MaskC install loudspeaker series, which differs from the original Mask series primarily in its cabinet construction and mounting options. The mixing amp series comprises of four models. The MA120 and MA240 offer 120W and 240W RMS output power respectively, while each features two mono balanced mic/line inputs, four music inputs (stereo line, mono summed), a mono balanced paging mic input, an emergency input and left-to-right priority audio routing on the rear panel. The MA30 and MA60, which offer 30W and 60W of power respectively, have been panel features a prominent rotary volume control, while inputs include one balanced mic/line input, two music inputs and an emergency input. All four models have an automatic standby mode that powers down the amp to 0.5W after 10 minutes without a signal.
Moving on to the speakers, the MaskC series similary comprises four models.
Each available in black or white and usable inside or out, the cabinets are constructed from ABS plastic and make use of Apart’s patented Universal Clickmount bracket, that allows the cabinets to be simply ‘clicked’ into place. All four models also include 3-step overload protection that reduces the power to protect the transducer, downward tilting drivers that allow for higher mounting and a rotatable logo. The 70W Mask4C and Mask4CT models feature a 4.25-inch coated paper woofer and a 1-inch silk dome tweeter, while the 200W Mask6C and Mask6CT feature a 6.25-inch woofer.
www.apart-audio.com
The DSP608D
Bose has entered the conferencing market with the ControlSpace EX www.amateaudio.com
Packing a 138 dB wallop, Kiva II breaks the SPL record for an ultra-compact 14 kg/31 lb line source. Kiva II features L-Acoustics’ patented DOSC technology enhanced with an L-Fins waveguide for ultimate precise and smooth horizontal directivity. WST® gives Kiva II long throw and even SPL, from the front row to the back, making it the perfect choice for venues and special events that require power and clarity with minimal visual obtrusion. Add to that a 16 ohm impedance for maximized amplifier density and a new sturdy IP45 rated cabinet, and you get power, efficiency and ruggedness in the most elegant package. www.l-acoustics.com
D&B AUDIOTECHNIK and Peavey
d&b sound reinforcement system
control method.
Nion DSP and nControl PC and joins the likes of Q-Sys and Beckhoff as the German loudspeaker manufacturer aims to improve its third party integration.
The system is designed and managed via PC with the accessed and controlled wirelessly with any smart device supporting HTML5 via the Kiosk2Go remote control platform. The system can also be controlled using wall panels, touchscreen devices and GPIOs.
The plug-in itself provides control parameters to adjust the mute status, levels, power on/off, and alter the AmpPreset. Critical status information can be monitored
the operating state of connected loudspeakers.
the plug-in was the Amsterdam Arena. Here the ArrayProcessed
TOPP PRO the introduction of the T2208.
Designed primarily for live audio applications, the compact rackmountable design incorporates 16 XLR, four line and two USB inputs together with 16 microphone preamps each offering dedicated
way system comprises dual 3-inch tweeters. The 40W (continuous) rated cabinet is equipped with an adjustable rigging system with a vertical splay adjustable in 1.5° increments from 0°to 12°. As the 8kg dual 5-inch version housed in a slightly larger enclosure. The 120W system operates within a 90Hz to 20kHz frequency range, for which the passive version includes a 2kHz crossover.
d&b Y-Series speakers and 30D amps have been networked backbone.
www.dbaudio.com
www.peaveycommercialaudio.com
24-bit resolution and 96kHz sampling conversion, and the unit has been designed in a compact form factor.
The manufacturer has also updated its BlueLine Digital range with the incorporation of DSP. BLR 2 DSP is a receiver with one channel of stereo unbalanced audio and two outputs, while BLS 2 DSP is a one-channel stereo audio sender. Both units include two
WORK PRO’S DD 4 enables conversion from an analogue signal to Dante, as well as from Dante to analogue. This, the manufacturer states, allows for additional
both signal types can be combined. The converter’s internal DSP offers
allow for the equalisation of audio
the crossover, limiter or delay via the built-in DSP. Due to the modular nature of BLR 2 DSP and BLS 2 DSP
the manufacturer states that ‘it has
THE NEXT generation of Eighteen Sound’s 3-inch diaphragm HF compression drivers have been unveiled by the Reggio Emiliabased transducer manufacturer. The new family includes two neodymium drivers, the ND3T and the ND3ST, and one ceramic version named HD3000T. According to the manufacturer, all models have been developed with
and ‘can be powered either through
In another update, the newlyreleased BL AC 1 is a new version of the LM GPIO. It possesses three control channels, two RS-485, two RS-232 and two Ethernet, which reportedly add versatility. It is a 19-inch rack solution that houses collector outputs for IR control. Control is offered by the OSC protocol or WorkCAD 3. Speaking of WorkCAD 3, the new software suite integrates device with a UI maker. This enables the creation of customised interfaces for controlling any Work Pro accessories.
www.workproaudio.com
trim control. A centralised 7-inch LCD touchscreen with its graphical view and set-up provides a familiar, intuitive interface for the primary functions depicting all the DSP channel parameters.
motorised volume control fader are available as are multi-use encoders offering control of the PEQ, gate, compressor, effects promoting wireless remote control management from a laptop or tablet courtesy of the T2208 editor app, a USB I/O audio interface also enables stereo recording. Additionally, the T2208 console can be networked via Dante. Designed to be versatile in application and functionality, the manufacturer has also created the in both passive and active versions using traditional connectivity or DSP control utilising the
HD paint. Weighing 3.2kg, the two-
with four circumferential slots.
Eighteen Sound states that the copper ring on the pole piece contributes to the reduction of inductance effects and related
reproduction while being able to generate very high SPLs.
The ND3T features a 1.4-inch
with an overall diameter of 109mm. Despite the size, the ND3T’s neodymium magnet assembly has been designed to obtain 20KGauss in the gap, which Eighteen Sounds says
transient response’.
Another feature of the new generation models is the proprietary metal phase plug
The HD3000T ceramic transducer
For live portable applications, the manufacturer recommends subwoofer with power hub allowing be pole-mounted. Two inputs for with a user switchable switch are built into the S12’s rear panel. Integrating internal DSP parameters via the Custom Sound iOS App, the hardware for enclosures, together with cables and poles. The addition of a stereo Bluetooth receiver serves as a source provider for playback.
www.topppro.com
distortion, while the diaphragm kit’s self-centring design allows precision mounting and easy servicing.
The ND3ST shares the same phase plug and diaphragm Geometry as the ND3T in a slightly larger size, in order to reach an The HD3000T is the ceramic model of the new family and is suitable for all applications where weight and size are not strict issue but a high standard must still be maintained.
www.eighteensound.com
Remote management by IT personnel from one location is made possible with the CS-700’s integrated network management system.
Staying on the subject of conferencing, with the Version 3 release of MTX/MRX Series signal processors Yamaha has included
to feature the functionality in its systems. The addition of this functionality removes the need for fader operations during applications in which multiple microphones are in use. It also reportedly maintains an equal level for the howling margin.
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for huddle rooms, Yamaha has created the CS-700 as an all-inone collaboration solution. The CS-700 wall-mounted system incorporates audio, video and collaboration capabilities including Revolabs’ microphone technology. The beam-forming microphone array ensures audio can be captured and delivered to the far end, whilst four speaker elements provide audio coverage for all the participants in the room. Through the integrated USB port, the CS-700 can be connected to communications platform such as Microsoft Skype for Business, Cisco Spark, GoToConference, Google Chromebox for Meetings, Vidyo, WebEx, Zoom and BlueJeans.
In terms of visuals, the unit is equipped with a special wideangle video camera, whilst a high ‘pixel-per-face’ resolution ensures that participants can recognise nuanced facial expressions vital to effective meetings. The plug-andplay design with its USB connection to a laptop or tablet allows users to seamlessly join a meeting.
Dugan automixer functionality, which is designed to automatically raise the gain on any microphone receiving input and to lower it when there is no signal received during conferences. This creates a constant mixer gain by adjusting each input sound.
Yamaha has worked alongside Dugan automixer manufacturer Dan
Also delivered by MTX/MRX Version 3 are such functions as support for switching between sources,
using the Dugan override allocation remotely using a wireless DCP device, including iPads and Android systems. Other features include the DCP series digital control panel and group mute allocation.
In other Yamaha news, the Japanese company has expanded its commercial installation catalogue with the inclusion of the VXS1ML full-range speaker and VXS3S subwoofer. The manufacturer describes these as its ‘most compact speakers to date’ and ‘ideal for environments where relaxing, natural-sounding BGM reproduction is the goal’.
The VXS1ML includes a 1.5-inch full-range driver unit and is built to
offer 170° horizontal and vertical dispersion. On the other hand, the VXS3S makes use of Yamaha’s SR-Bass technology, designed to ‘achieve powerful yet natural bass reproduction in a compact enclosure’, and supports both lowand high-impedance connections. It features satellite connectors allowing it to be connected directly to the VXS1ML and a range of other cabinets, and to minimise channels. When the satellite connectors are used, a built-in crossover is automatically applied. Both the VXS1ML and VXS3S offer myriad mounting hardware options, mounted in a ceiling or mounted on lighting rails, and come in black or
www.yamahaproaudio.com
SSL’S LIVE series of mixing consoles has gained a major expansion with the new L200, a mid-scale console intended to give
channels, up to 48 aux sends, up to 24 Stem groups and six masters, while a 4x32 input, 24-output matrix is provided in addition.
Arms can be mounted on either or both sides of the console and can laptop/utility trays. External screens can be used to display the console overview screen, automation screen, or other system devices.
L200 features a row of three 12-channel fader tiles (38 faders in total). A central 17-inch multigesture touchscreen provides access to all of the desk’s functions, and combines with quick controls in the central fader tile to provide hardware control. The master tile, located alongside the screen also provides mute group, solo/talkback, assignable keys, and automation controls. Onboard effects processing is reportedly the same as featured on the more powerful L300 and L500, with 48 instances of effects processors available at any one time. The L200 also features
and bring the platform to a wider audience.
In terms of processing power, the desk offers 144 paths all of which have full processing. According to the manufacturer, these paths can
The surface itself has an inverted T design that claims to leave all essential controls within reach of the user while also bringing sprung arm mounted external screens/devices closer to the centre of the console.
on any SSL Live console can be loaded directly onto another console in the Live range (within system limitations).
In addition to the new live console
release, a V2.1 update for SSL’s Sigma remote controlled analogue summing mixer has surfaced. The free update brings Eucon control as well as plug-ins for the AAX, AU and VST3/VST formats. Other new plug-in, which enables compatibility with Logic, and plug-ins for mix bus and monitoring streamline session control and recall.
provides improved integration with
of the updates, Sigma’s Remote application has also been made available as a dedicated Sigma Remote app for iOS and Android.
The manufacturer’s SSL Live
L500 and L300 consoles have also received an update with the release of V3.3 software. The update facilitates the control of devices and routing to and from of devices directly from the SSL Live consoles. All routes are displayed on the console’s Dante controller while all I/O devices in an SSL network
online device when available. A series of ownership controls have also been included over the Dante network and this extends to the manufacturer’s System T broadcast consoles.
www.solidstatelogic.com
SOFTUBE’S CONSOLE 1 has received an upgrade with the release of Console 1 Mk II, which reportedly addresses frequent user requests.
the console with Universal Audio’s UAD Powered Plugins. This makes
on desks from Chandler Limited
mapping is required as all plug-ins
PEAVEY’S NEW MediaMatrix Claro
conferencing solution delivers 12 eight line outputs and an RJ-11 connection in a 1U audio processing equipped with studio quality preacoustic echo cancellation up to eight inputs.
The system’s DSP engine and software is designed for ease of use and control is via any smart device, HTML5 or the MediaMatrix nTouch-180HD and kiosk-180HD
panel features several connection ports, allowing for interfacing with and controlling third party solutions, such as projectors, projection screens, monitors, lighting and HAVC systems. Ports include 12 DLIO connections, RS-485 and
GBit network switch. Claro also possesses automatic and manual
In other Peavey-related news, has released an updated version of its Tactus digital mixing system. The new Tactus was developed in
THE THIRD generation of PreSonus’ StudioLive consoles ‘the result of nine years of R&D’. StudioLive Series III launches with two models: StudioLive 16 and StudioLive 32.
Unsurprisingly, StudioLive 16 possesses 16 channels and 17 motorised faders with the faders and XMAX preamps. The consoles include 24 and 40 inputs respectively.
StudioLive Series III consoles are installed with the manufacturer’s Capture multitrack recording software, recording up to 34
Updated for Series III is the Fat Channel processing function, which
and is comprised of hardware and software elements that incorporate the Wave eMotion LV1 software.
Tactus is a touchscreen solution that is formed from three pieces of hardware: Tactus.FOH, Tactus.Stage and Tactus.Control. It also makes use of the Waves Soundgrid audio network
I/Os is designed to monitor, control and synchronise audio signals at FOH and onstage.
faders and slider control on the Tactus.Control as well as an improved dedicated master on/ off switch,’ said James Kennedy, operations manager for Peavey made connectivity and networking www.peaveycommercialaudio.com
The software maintains the features added during another recent update, which provides Console 1 – and now Console 1 Mk II – with DAW control functions for Presonus Studio One and Cakewalk Sonar.
a few minor layout changes to the markers.
www.softube.com
FOLLOWING THE recent launch of the new Allen & Heath dLive C
British manufacturer has upload a
include the Dyn8 plug-in, supplying DCA spills, a Virtual Soundcheck mode and Dimension Chorus Rack
all dLive mixers.
functionality and processing display a third, independent view on an external monitor, as well as warranty and service upgrades.
Another addition is Scene
Safe, which when activated on a designated channel, will not allow for the adjustment of settings on that channel. To aid in practicality, Fat Channels now reportedly channels. The new consoles also provide 16 FlexMixes in addition matrix mixes.
PreSonus has also released the Studio 26 and Studio 68 USB 2.0 a UHD recording solution at an entry-level price point. Both record featuring the manufacturer’s
such as Peak Compressor/Limiter 76 emulation and the Multi-Stage Ducking Processor.
owners of dLive S Class systems warranty extension to 3 years. www.allen-heath.com
preamps, digital converters and clocking, as well as MIDI I/O.
Studio One Artist DAW software
On the loudspeaker front, PreSonus has added to its ULT line with the launch of the ULT10 long-throw, powered loudspeaker. As with the ULT12 and 15, the
horn and a 10-inch low-frequency driver with a 2.5-inch voice coil
www.presonus.com
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mixing it up with panache for Christian McBride and others, the result is truly exceptional. Discover more at digico.biz/excellenceexposed
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WITH THE Ui24R, Soundcraft is offering a ‘complete digital mixing and multitrack recording system’
Ethernet connection.
the Ui24R’s signal processing technology. Meanwhile 20
Studer offer users plenty of inputs, channels making for a total of 24. Ui24R facilitates the redundant recording of a stereo mix, as well as all 22 multitrack inputs, computer. Soundcraft states that it USB audio interface and the user’s A compact rackmount unit, the Connected PA ecosystem. www.soundcraft.com
SLIMLINE VERSIONS
The new D Series Slimline models
claim to offer a power output that factor’.
Rational Power Management
across channels without the need to reduce the channel count of total power output. The new slimline models also as low impedance. ensure optimised running costs. www.labgruppen.com
THE NEW sees British manufacturer MC2 power and audio up in a single unit. The range comprises ‘power processing’
what the manufacturer terms accommodate Dante. The Delta’s
Accepting analogue, AES3 digital and optional Dante networked can reportedly connect to any the network, as well as processing four additional channels with local analogue outputs to connect auxiliary output channels are fed
All input processing channels as dynamic EQ. All eight output processing channels can include industry standard presets created option, allowing a single network audio from the DSP amp to any
analogue if required.
relay of either USB or Ethernet legacy products.
AudioCore application, with tuning and monitoring of a network of app.
www.mc2-audio.co.uk
CRESTRON HAS expanded its commercial applications, the amps reportedly support applications
requiring simultaneous low and high impedance speaker systems, as well as remote control
single rack space with a choice
THE MAG808 from Chinese manufacturer DSSPA is an 8x8 digital audio matrix and paging
inputs, the system also supports
To cater to emergency situations,
on the front panel for control, the
channel, remote paging, remote panel control and remote control
contact inputs and one dry contact output. Additionally, it offers four remote paging microphones, two local mics with phantom
www.dsppatech.com
software, a Crestron control
Audio Tool software features a without a central control system. www.crestron.com
-less power requirements
-less heat dissipation
-reduced carbon footprint
-speakers reactive energy recycling
LISTEN TECHNOLOGIES is boasting the ‘largest range of any existing portable FM technology’ with the 100m it cites for its ListenTalk mobile two-way communication system. The solution has been developed for noisy, crowded and/or mobile environments where people need to communicate with others and wish to avoid having to shout or whisper, such as worship services.
The communication system has been created to allow contact with leaders and other participants in a group via the one-touch talk-back feature.
Participant talk-back mode can be set up for one-to-one, one-tomany or all-to-all communication.
ListenTalk operates with encryption on the 1.9GHz band while a docking station case charges, stores and programs the devices. Additional ListenTalk features include a
removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, simple user interface and technology that enables devices to be deployed globally.
Users have the option to carry the ListenTalk transceiver with built-in microphone in their pocket or attach it to a belt or lanyard. The device comes standard with an ear speaker. Additionally, a variety of headsets are available, and the system is compatible with personal smartphone earbuds.
One of the most notable features
Instead of manually selecting and (NFC). As such, ListenTalk devices can be automatically
tray to accommodate up to 10 simultaneous groups operating in the same space. Thanks to NFC, users can switch groups by touching the ListenTalk device to another leader device.
www.listentech.com
THE VERSION 1.3 update to Shure’s ShurePlus Channels iOS app has been released on the Apple App Store to provide users with new and improved features, such as increased monitoring and organisational abilities, in addition to more convenient access to key channel parameters. The update’s aim is to ‘enhance the mobile environment for audio professionals by providing realtime, precision monitoring of select Shure wireless systems from an iOS device’. New features in ShurePlus Channels 1.3 include a redesigned Dashboard view, which displays RF and audio meters, as well as active transmitter information for multiple channels on a single screen. The added Access Control functionality allows engineers to set PINs, to protect any supported device or property adjustment. Access
A RAFT of new microphone models were announced by Harman-brand AKG at ISE 2017, from handsfree to handheld variations. For presentations, AKG has released the HC644 head-worn and LC617 lavalier microphones that both feature updated designs stated to be resistant to moisture while both are also compatible with all of the manufacturer’s bodypack transmitters.
The HC644 is a head-worn miniature condenser microphone that features a slim headband. The LC617 is a clip-on omnidirectional lavalier mic with rotating clip. Both microphones are stated to offer exceptional RF shielding and both house a MicroDot connector that allows them to interface with most major wireless microphone systems. There are black and beige colour options to suit different clothes or skin tones.
In terms of new handheld microphone models, AKG has
using the Harman Connect PA. At its core, the mic is essentially an AKG P5 dynamic vocal microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern with everything needed to work with the Connect PA system built-in underneath. At launch it is compatible with Soundcraft Ui12, Ui16, and Ui24R digital mixers, JBL PRX800W series speakers and dbx DI1 active direct box.
Finally, the C636 Master Reference in a handheld condenser microphone designed to reject feedback and handle noise through the use of uniform cardioid polar pattern and double shock suspension system. A multilayer protection system comprising a foam layer behind the grille and a magnetically attached mesh layer on top is stated to prevent unwanted pop noises.
www.akg.com
Control also allows users to restrict who has the ability to change device parameters by prompting those attempting to gain access to provide authentication. The other new feature delivered in Version 1.3 is the ability to categorise channels into colour-coded groups that can be ordered according to the user’s preference.
TG 1000 now features Dante compatability via the RJ-45 port on the rear of the device
BEYERDYNAMIC HAS expanded the connectivity options for its TG 1000 digital wireless system with a Dante interface. The move follows
the increasing popularity of AoIP in both live and installed audio applications.
The upgrade sees the 24-bit
ShurePlus Channels 1.3 requires a device running iOS 8 or later.
The solution is compatible with the Axient wireless management network, the UHF-R wireless system, the ULX-D and QLX-D digital wireless systems and the PSM1000 personal monitor system.
www.shure.com
system’s dual receiver now able to connect to a Dante network via its RJ-45 interface. This is monitored by a pair of status LEDs on the rear of the 1U device. As such, the receiver offers both analogue and digital outputs, the latter of which is compatible with the AoIP protocol.
www.beyerdynamic.com
WITH A continued focus on its Ambeo 3D audio technology, Sennheiser is releasing it into the consumer market. Ambeo Smart product to make use of the German manufacturer’s 3D technology. A compact earphone, it is designed for 3D audio recording applications.
The earphone will allow users to capture and listen to binaural audio on devices such as smartphones. Binaural audio is designed to replicate a soundscape as well as the direction of sound and its spatial characteristics. The 3D audio recorded using Smart Surround can then be listened to using standard stereo headphones. Each ear hook is equipped with a pair of microphones that
reproduce ‘the subtle differences in timing, volume and timbre that occur as sounds from different directions reach each ear’. It offers a variety of readily available connection options, including Apple Lightning and USB-C. Also new from Sennheiser are additional frequency variants for evolution wireless 300 and 500 series microphone systems. The ew 300 G3 and ew 500 G3 radio microphones have been designed in anticipation of forthcoming changes to spectrum allocation that will affect applications in America and Canada. The systems will therefore cover the 470 to 516MHz range, adhering to the A1 variant.
www.sennheiser.com
AUDIO-TECHNICA HAS built upon its ATM350 series with the release of the ATM350a microphone packages. These are cardioid condenser instrument microphones designed with six on instruments such as woodwinds,
strings, brass, percussion, drums and piano.
The ATM350a microphones are capable of handling an SPL up to 159dB and feature a cardioid polar pattern to minimise side and rear pickup and protect from feedback.
is incorporated as part of the in-line power module to reduce ambient noise. Making use of the manufacturer’s UniMount system, the ATM350a mics provide a variety of mounting options, such as a drum mount, magnetic piano mount, universal clip-on mount, expandable woodwind mount and a pair of attached to any of the mounts.
The ATM350U and ATM350UL are the 5-inch and 9-inch gooseneck models, respectively. Both are cardioid condenser instrument mics with a universal clip-on mounting system and include an AT8543 power module, AT8468 violin mount with a ‘hook-and-loop’ fastening method and a protective carry case in addition to the ATM350a microphone itself.
The ATM350PL, ATM350D and ATM350W systems feature the ATM350a with the piano, drum and woodwind mounting system respectively. The piano mounting system is a 9-inch gooseneck, while the drum and woodwind are 5-inch versions. All three include the power module, violin mount and protective case.
The ATM350UcW, meanwhile, is a wireless version of the ATM350a. It includes the ATM350acW microphone itself, terminated with a locking 4-pin connector for use with the manufacturer’s UniPak
body-pack wireless transmitters, an AT8491U universal clip-on mount, AT8490 5-inch gooseneck, violin mount and carrying case.
www.audio-technica.com
ANTELOPE AUDIO’S portable recording interface, Zen Studio, has been upgraded to the Zen Studio+. The new unit claims the same 12 built-in microphone preamps, 64-bit acoustically focused clocking and I/O as its predecessor, but with added Thunderbolt connectivity and a range of hardware-based FPGA effects.
As well as Thunderbolt and USB ports, the hardware includes a pair each of dedicated preamp outputs, headphone outputs, and monitor outputs. The 12 aforementioned mic preamps include hi-Z and line inputs, while there are also an additional eight inputs and outputs on DB25 and the unit is further extendable via ADAT or S/PDIF.
Zen Studio+ also offers word clock input and output as well
as an atomic input for upgrading to the manufacturer’s 10MX atomic clocks. It also features a customisable routing matrix and built in talkback capability.
The FPGA effects include EQs, For EQs the manufacturer has modelled the Lang PEQ1, BAE 1073, 1084, 1023, UK69 as well as a number of other classic British and German vintage units. Zen Studio+ also offers the FET76 compressor.
Control of the solution is software based. Windows or Mac users can access the signal routing matrix, customisable presets and up to four independent mixes which are assignable to any output, as well as taking control of the unit’s FPGA effects. In addition, iOS and Android apps offer remote control for adjusting mic pre gain levels.
www.antelopeaudio.com
FOCUSRITE’S OCTOPRE and OctoPre Dynamic provide a way to add eight channels of Scarlett second generation preamps to any DAW or digital console or audio interface with an Adat I/O. The devices both offer 24-bit/192kHz A/D conversion and eight analogue line outputs for standalone use.
The OctoPre Dynamic also adds analogue soft knee compression on every channel that is controllable via a single ‘compression’ knob and eight channels of D/A conversion, with 108dB dynamic range, fed from the Adat inputs. Furthermore, both OctoPres offer LED metering.
The OctoPre has a pad on every channel as well as the two front panel, high headroom instrument inputs. The manufacturer states that these newly-designed instrument inputs offer additional headroom to cope with hot pickups while the mic preamps are well suited to handle high input levels when recording drums and other punchy sources. Finally, the OctoPre Dynamic features an additional eight channels of ADAT input that can be fed to the eight line outputs, while word clock in and out with jitter elimination allows both units to sync with digital systems.
www.focusriteplc.com
RUPERT NEVE has expanded its 500 Series of racks and built on the R6 with the release of the R10 ten space rack. The manufacturer boasts more than 150 per cent of the required current for a 10-space chassis for added reliability.
the R10 includes sliding nuts to accommodate a wide range of third party modules. It has a variety of XLR and TRS I/O options and is equipped with LED current metering to monitor the amount of power being used. Its internal power supply meanwhile has been designed and double-shielded induction.
The manufacturer has also
unveiled the SwiftMix MC5 master control module for use with the SwiftMix automation system. The automation system provides the 5088 console with VCA-free moving fader automation and the MC5 now adds advanced transport, editing and grouping functionality, as well as several DAWs.
‘The addition of the MC5 Master
Controller will add powerful capabilities to the 5088 console,’ said Rupert Neve general manager Josh Thomas, ‘providing the user with a control set familiar to the ProTools user, and allowing for a truly world class signal path.’
www.rupertneve.com
WITH THE latest version of Universal Audio’s UAD software, Windows 10 users now have access to the complete functionality enjoyed by their Mac-using counterparts, enabling them to cascade up to four Apollo Thunderbolt audio interfaces for up to 64x64 channels of analogue I/O. Up to six UAD-2 or Apollo devices can be combined, including UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators for additional plug-in processing power. Mac users running MacOS Sierra are required to install versions are now incompatible.
In addition, UAD Software v9.1 extends Console 2 software support to users of multiple Apollo FireWire devices, and all Apollo interfaces now feature Console 2 software.
The manufacturer’s popular Apollo Twin 2x6 Thunderbolt desktop interface has also been completely re-engineered under the hood. While there are several features include a lower THD as a result of new A/D and D/A converters, realtime UAD-2 quad core DSP processing and the addition of dual Unison preamps. According to UA, the Unison technology combines analogue and digital circuitry to provide authentic emulations of some iconic recording equipment, including their ‘all-important impedance, gain stage sweet spots and circuit behaviours’. The Apollo Twin MKII ships with the manufacturer’s realtime Analog Classics plug-in bundle.
www.uaudio.com
LYNX AUDIO TECHNOLOGY is claiming ‘a major leap forward in the count and features available in the converter/interface market’ with the release of its redesigned Aurora series of converter interfaces. The new Aurora (n) series comprises 14 models boasting up to 32 channels with connectivity including Thunderbolt, USB, Dante and ProTools | HD in a single rack space. According to the manufacturer, the Aurora (n) features an I/O
of which includes a preamp, an
analogue summing module and a digital (AES3+Adat) module. All units include an onboard micro SD player recorder capable of up to 32 channels of recording and playback. In addition, two audiophile grade headphone outputs and a 1-in, 3-out word clock I/O sporting the manufacturer’s SynchroLock-2 sample clock technology are on every unit.
Furthermore, Lynx promises that ‘a host of new features and capabilities will continue be added periodically www.lynxstudio.com
THE ONES are uncompromised 3-way point source monitors that not only promote faster and more consistent production decision making, but also longer listening time than a traditional loudspeaker, because unnatural imaging, a main contributor to listener fatigue, is reduced.
EXTRON HAS developed an all-in-one recording solution that aims to take the hassle out of recording high-quality video and audio presentations. The one-touch solution only reportedly requires a user to insert a USB stick and press the record button to begin, making it ideal for students, classrooms or volunteer house of worship teams. The StudioStation system
uses Extron and signal processing enabling the recording of ‘nearly all’ HDMI source resolutions. The default recording setup is
is compatible with virtually all media players and editing software. Via the embedded web page, users can also customise the default
API HAS added a pair of extra features to its 3124mb+ mic preamp to create the 3124MV. These features are front panel variable output level control and a switchable 3:1 output transformer selection, also on the front panel. Like the 3124mb+, the 3124MV provides an additional audio mixer with a transformer balanced output. The mic pre
also adds a stereo panner with a level control, and a post fader aux send. The stereo panners and the aux sends are bussed to master output controls and then to the rear panel jacks. A stereo aux return is provided to return effects or cascade additional mixers for more inputs.
www.apiaudio.com
THE MACKIE Big Knob monitor controller has been turned into the Big Knob Series with the addition of new models that introduce high resolution USB recording and playback: Big Knob Passive, Big Knob Studio and Big Knob Studio+. Both the Big Knob Studio and Big Knob Studio+ are stated to offer
varying applications.
‘For customers searching for a simple recording solution that works right out of the box, StudioStation delivers,’ says Extron’s Casey Hall ‘StudioStation automates common functions and bypasses many of the hassles associated with computerbased recording systems.’ www.extron.com
TASCAM IS targeting the professional installation and sound reinforcement markets, as well as the house of worship range of professional rackmount products.
CD recorder build upon the manufacturer’s existing SSCDR200 digital audio recorder and are designed to ‘exceed the demands of modern installations’. They offer networking and scheduled recording features, in addition to optional Dante support via an IF-DA2 Dante card.
The SS-CDR250N solid-state CD recorder
are also designed to pair with
controller. Built to withstand ‘years
full colour LCD screen, start/stop
Another addition to TASCAM’s
USB and cassette player/recorder. This is a multi-platform playback unit that the manufacturer states there is very much still the demand for.
‘As much as the audio world is shifting to digital, there is still strong market demand for a cassette device,’ explained Joe Stopka, director of sales and business development at TASCAM.
to not only play cassette but to record from cassette to MP3 on USB is the perfect bridge from the past to the future.’
www.tascam.com
high-resolution USB interfacing and feature dual Onyx mic preamps capable of providing 60dB of gain range. The Big Knob Studio offers a routing choice between three sources and two monitor pairs.
The Big Knob Studio+ expands this to 4x3 routing, including a USB playback from a DAW with
AUDINATE PREVIEWED the Dante Domain Manager platform at ISE 2017. The software, available later in the year, is a complete network management solution designed to offer enterprise-grade system administration to the A/V industry, while aiming to make audio networking more secure, scalable and easier to manage. Integrators will reportedly be able to for example categorising by room, building or site. This will allow for independent Dante Domains to be created, while the ability to set a single Dante Domain encompassing multiple IP subnets is also provided.
On the security side of things, Dante Domain Manager provides IT and A/V managers with functionality including authentication and control, role administration and integration with Active Directory. A suite of useralerts and messages offers complete visibility and accountability. The network domain concept was initially conceived for the IT sector to differentiate and manage multiple private networks across a single infrastructure. Audinate states that it ‘is applying this same approach to A/V, customising the features to the needs of A/V professionals and end users and effectively providing the
192kHz/24-bit audio conversion. In contrast, the Big Knob Passive allows users to choose between two sources, two monitors and control it all with one knob. As the name indicates, its passive design requires no additional power to function.
www.mackie.com
community with the opportunity to deploy the best strategies and best practices of both A/V and IT’. ‘Coupling A/V and IT functionality requires deep consideration of the challenges addressed in the design, deployment, and maintenance of A/V network systems,’ said Audinate COO David Myers. ‘We worked closely with A/V and IT integrators, end-users and our partners in the manufacturer community to make sure Dante Domain Manager administration and security of IT to professional A/V systems.’
www.audinate.com
LA122A - Active Line Array Element
2220Wprg 2-Way amplification 135dB max SPL (Full-space)
LAs118A - Active Arrayable Subwoofer
2960Wprg amplification
138.5dB max SPL (Half-space)
* Networkable DSP, control software included
ACCORDING TO German broadcast manufacturer Lawo, its V__pro8 video processing tool is now more powerful thanks to its latest update. The tool allows users to connect different video formats as well as to connect between audio and video. While increasing its features-per-RU density, the platform also includes an updated A/V sync tool which, in addition to the native V__line sync pattern and the EBU pattern, can now also read the Vistek VALID8 format. Additionally, the integrated quad-split multiviewer now also features multi-coloured Tally lamps, switchable via Ember+, which allows for the integration of MV tally in the overall tally system of an installation.
The 19-inch device provides an internal 8x8 video routing matrix and a 384x384 audio matrix and features in-built framesynchronisers that are syncing the incoming independent free running signals to the same
DIRECTOUT’S M.1K2 Madi routing system has been given new functionality in the form of an LUA scripting engine and SFP.IO SMART I/O board. With calls (Salvos) using scripts
According to the manufacturer, this allows the unit to respond quickly to critical circumstances, such as a system failure, and to implement complex command sequences.
The SFP.IO Smart is a new I/O board that enables Madi signal quality analysis and the interrogation of information using SFP modules. Dedicated signal level information, SFP media and their performance characteristics can be viewed through the system’s web interface, with any errors occurring permanently logged. www.directout.eu
reference (Blackburst or TriLevel), in contrast to the variable video and audio delays that are for compensating latencies and providing lip-sync match between incoming or outgoing audio (up to 320ms delay) and video (up to 8 frames delay) signals. In order to automatically compensate for the internal video latency, the manufacturer states there is an internal AudioFollowVideo delay mode available.
The V__pro8 provides embedders with SRC to embed, de-embed
channels within the eight SDI I/O streams simultaneously, while interfacing the audio to mixing consoles or external audio routers via Madi. Additionally, the Dolby E Auto Aligner automatically adjusts the timing of Dolby streams, and the V__pro8 can be enhanced with a Dolby E Encoding/Decoding option that provides fully-compatible en-/ decoding of multichannel audio on a single AES3 connection with Dolby E metadata handling. The surround downmix provides two automated
Lawo-quality 5.1/7.1 to stereo downmixes per embedder. With the timecode insertion capabilities, users can choose between ATC LTC / VITC1 / VITC2 insertion from an input signal or free run mode or from internal timecode generator.
The test pattern and video ID generator provide video ID insertions (text, source, date, timecode, time of day) and colour
Lawo’s V__pro8
bar test patterns as well as a selection of audio test tones and A/V Sync test patterns. The unit can be further enhanced with optional features such as up/down/cross and AR format converter, quadsplit multiviewer, waveform and vectorscope displays, RGB & YUV colour-correction and proc-amp.
www.lawo.com
... yet still the presentation is delivered clearly and safely to the audience.
The D-5000 Series provides unprecedented speech clarity for delivering the presenter’s voice to audiences in any speaking scenario. Experience for yourself the clarity, ease and safety of this wireless solution, whether for the classroom, office meeting rooms, banquet halls, courthouses or multipurpose halls.
We supply sound, not equipment. www.toa.com.sg I TOAasiapacific www.toa.eu I TOAeurope
THE LPP480A has been designed by Marani to improve upon the DSP functionality of the previously released DPA480 and includes the is a speaker management system offering four analogue inputs and eight analogue outputs as well as a pair of AES/EBU inputs, managed by two of the manufacturer’s M716
The system also includes 24-bit AD/DA converters and each input channel gives the option for 13band parametric equalisation, gain control, noise gate, RMS compressor, internal white/pink
allow for up to 8-band parametric
equalisation in addition to the 6dB/ octave to 48dB/octave slopes
Peak limiter, RMS compressor are also available on each
can be selected as the IIR style, including Hp/ output, as well as 512 FIR inputs, 1024 asymmetrical FIR taps also be routed and mixed in any I/O and control, the LPP480A can be connected via USB, RS485 or TCP-IP, while the remote control PC software enables simultaneous
www.marani-proaudio.com
THE MODEL 371 intercom beltpack has been created to offer Dante networking capabilities to two-channel party line intercom and single-ear headset applications, the manufacturer, Studio Technologies, has combined ‘the features offered by broadcaststyle party line intercom user devices with a single-channel listen output and a 4-pin male XLR Studio Technologies states that Model 371 can be easily with switches that enable the
to push to talk or push to talk/tap, while users are reportedly able to send and alert signals using an integrated sidetone and remote microphone
port and multiple units interface over Ethernet networks using provides PoE as well as facilitating www.studio-tech.com
ASTRO SPATIAL Audio’s Sara II premium rendering engine is a 3U rackmountable device that aims to bring object-based 3D mixing to the live sound and installation sectors, in addition to room acoustics and Utilising Fraunhofer’s technology, the device houses a the front panel, and compared to the original Sara engine, a lownoise cooling system, redundant SSD drives and up to 64 Madi or
A DANTE option card has been made available by Clear-Com for use in its Eclipse-HX matrix intercom compatible with Eclipse HX-Omega, Median and Delta matrix systems card, users can transport up to 64 channels of high quality audio to multiple Dante-enabled devices
It is stated to support all standard sample frequencies for professional use, including a 96kHz/32-channel
www.clearcom.com.
ASL INTERCOM is describing its Enchorus line of Dante format converters as a ‘professional, solution for live stage applications, production studios, According to the manufacturer, various AES3 and analogue audio inputs and outputs, the modules can be fed from analogue and effects devices in a side rack or be used for tasks such as monitoring
The Enchorus series comprises four devices – the EN1101 with eight AES3 outputs and four AES3 inputs, the EN-1102 with six AES3 inputs and outputs, the has eight mic inputs and four line outputs as well as including a fourway splitter for each input and
Each Enchorus module is equipped with two Ethernet ports for building
redundant network paths or for daisy chaining, an integrated 16x16 mixer, a four-band equaliser on each input and output and redundant
The engine can be controlled via a browser-based GUI in addition to simultaneous control from up to 10 hardware devices via
The system latency is stated to be less than 5ms, and reliability is ensured with a solid build as with the use of a Linux CentOS operating system, states the
www.astroaudio.eu
Optional kits allow for rack mounting the devices
The Enchorus modules also include rubber bumpers that allow them to be stacked on stage or, as an option, multiple units can be rack mounted
to the network can reportedly imported, and exported using the www.asl-inter.com
KSM8
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THE NEWEST addition to the Christie Boxer range, the 3DLP Boxer 4K20 is designed for users who don’t require the 30K brightness of its older Boxer 4K30 sibling. In addition to providing ‘full native pixel-perfect 4K resolution’, Christie states that the 4K20 features 20,000 lumens as well as
as well as being equipped for use as a standalone projector and includes Christie’s TruLife electronics
platform, which is designed to deliver ultra-high resolution and high frame rate video while also supporting a video-processing second, allowing for a performance of 4K DLP at 120Hz.
The projector houses a high bandwidth multi-input card (HBMIC) that enables 4K 60Hz
HDMI or DisplayPort and offers a range of connectivity options for high bandwidth 4K signals. The
SPANISH INTERCOM and pro
audio manufacturer Altair has launched a next generation version of its HD wireless intercom system. This follows a decade of
clarity within a 100 Hz to 7KHz bandwidth.
Enhancements to the Compact series beltpacks include a convenient Mic button located on the upper part of the case, a stronger battery holder, Reset button, belt clip and stronger headset connector. The antennas are now located within the 160g case, whilst the battery status and ‘out of range’ indicator can be checked using the front panel LED bar graph.
With a battery life of up to 10 hours in full duplex mode, the compact beltpacks can operate between 50m to 350m from the base station.
Christie Link transmitter can also be bundled with the Boxer 4K20, or purchased separately later on.
input capability with Christie Link and that, along with all other inputs on the 4K20, delivers preview capability, fast synchronisation and the ability to switch between inputs.
has been released for the Christie Phoenix content management system. Version 1.5 enables direct integration with Milestone’s XProtect open platform IP video management software (VMS).
Following the update Phoenix will retrieve H.264 camera
data straight from the XProtect recording server, while the XProtect event server initiates automated videowall control. This makes for what Christie describes management and control room operations’.
update is a pair of new operating modes: standard security and stringent security. The standard security mode will be suitable for most users as the stringent mode is designed for high-security environments. Added security allows client systems to comply with NERC/CIP requirements.
www.christiedigital.com
NARDA’S SIGNALSHARK is a realtime handheld analyser for measuring the interference in the high frequency spectrum. It’s capable of making a a wideband measurement of an entire frequency range, detecting hidden signals, reliably capturing very short impulses, or localising interference signals. The SignalShark covers a frequency range stretching from
The analyser combines a 10.4inch touchscreen for operation of the large number of measurement and analysis functions, but can also be adapted in advance to the measurement tasks and users needs, for both beginners and experts alike.
Furthermore, The two Li-ion
analyser
batteries can be hotswapped during operation, while the design conforms to MIL standards, ensuring it will make reliable
environmental conditions.
www.narda-sts.com
feedback from end users with regards to the system’s stability, hardware resistance, radio coverage and audio quality. When used with an HD base station, the WBP-210HD (single channel) and WBP-212HD (dual channel) belt-packs deliver enhanced
The Extreme Series of beltpacks feature more advanced features such as a built-in Bluetooth interface that promotes the use of Bluetooth wireless headsets, whilst maintaining all their previous characteristics including Twin Mode operation. Designed for robust use with a colour display screen, the antennas are once again built into the enclosures to
www.altairaudio.com
THE ROAMEO wireless intercom system has been developed by RTS to enable communications over large areas, while applying focus to userfriendliness. It can be integrated into all of the manufacturer’s matrices operating like a wireless keypanel, groups and individuals.
PRIMACOUSTIC’S HONEYCOMBS have been designed to offer additional aesthetic options when installing acoustic absorbers. As the name suggests, the new absorption panels replicate the hexagon of nature’s honeycombs, allowing for the creation of unique patterns, delivering a different look than that provided by standard square and rectangular models.
The 406mm panels are 38mm thick, made from glass wool and available in black, grey or beige Broadway acoustic fabric, as well as Primacoustic’s proprietary
reportedly have been subjected to testing that ensures Honeycomb
www.primacoustic.com
Roameo provides license-free audio to the DECT standard, which the manufacturer states allows for ‘a large number of simultaneous users across wide areas’. It comprises the TR-1800 belt pack and AP-1800 access point.
Connection to a digital matrix is achieved by Ethernet cable and
the system is described as using a ‘standard IT infrastructure’. Users are able to expand the coverage area by deploying additional access points and Roameo is designed for ease of set up with multi-language scroll lists on the belt packs and the control software, and four differently shaped talk/listen buttons to assist when used in low lit environments.
www.rtsintercoms.com
1400 watt 2-way amplifier
131 dB max SPL
1.7” voice coil neo c.driver
2 x 6.0” high power neo woofers
48 kHz, 32 bit DSP processing
Symmetrical design
Extremely low weight
ACTIVE LINE ARRAY MODULE
The concept of this speaker derives from the touring industry, bringing in a compact cabinet all the experience of RCF professional sound.
A 1400 W 2-channel class-D amplifier powers the system. A powerful DSP with the new proprietary FiRPHASE algorithms processes the sound including crossover, phase correction, limiting and protection. The system features state-of-the-art RCF transducers – two powerful 6.5” woofers for a solid bass reproduction plus a high-powered compression driver mounted on a precise 100°x10° waveguide to deliver perfect vocal clarity, high definition and an incredible dynamic.
AN INCREASING number are taking to streaming services and events online. For those that already broadcast content over the internet or those considering doing so, Blackmagic Design’s Web Presenter provides assistance in delivering feeds from professional SDI and HDMI video sources to streaming software and sites, including YouTube and Facebook
Live.
A cost-effective alternative to dedicated streaming encoders, Web Presenter features 12G-SDI and HDMI connections and works by converting any SD, HD and UHD sources down to appear as if they are that of a 720p USB webcam. This is because while these sources aren’t guaranteed to work with all streaming software, webcams do. Therefore, Web Presenter allows users to stream high quality video via any service or software and the 720p format ensures HD quality and a 16:9 aspect ratio while keeping data rates low. When used in conjunction with Blackmagic’s Mini Smart Panel, Web Presenter
also facilitates live switching of programmes via its two-input production switcher.
Replacing the ATEM Television Studio, Blackmagic has released the ATEM Television Studio HD, a miniaturised live production switcher with eight inputs (four 3G-SDI, four HDMI), a built-in control panel, two still stores, digital video effects, an audio mixer, a camera control unit and upstream and downstream keyers among other features. At of a
rack space wide, the manufacturer claims that ATEM Television Studio HD is the ‘world’s smallest all in one broadcast switcher’.
It is compatible with all SD and HD formats up to 1080p60 and also includes SDI and HDMI multiview outputs, aux and programme outputs, two analogue audio inputs, built-in talkback and RS-422, Ethernet and a built in IEC power supply also feature. Every input features resynchronisation for
‘glitch free’ syncing, which enables the device to be utilised as a frontend controller for A/V systems. The front panel contains eight buttons to switch between sources, as well as audio buttons, down stream keyer, fade to black, media player and cut buttons. An LCD screen, spin knob and additional menu buttons adjust settings and parameters, while a software control panel for Mac and Windows is also provided.
Finally, the HyperDeck Studio miniaturised broadcast deck with non-stop recording to dual SD card recorders in all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p30’. It is designed to use most SD and UHS-II cards to record and playback
broadcast quality 10-bit video and features 6G-SDI connections. Including HDMI for monitoring, built-in sync generator and Ethernet for uploading media via FTP, Blackmagic states that it is ‘an ideal solution for digital signage’ applications.
HyperDeck Studio Mini has been developed to handle a variety of tasks, such as ISO recording at multi-camera events, as a playback deck for multiscreen digital signs, for review and approval in client suites, in postproduction with key source for sending animated broadcast graphics to a live production switcher.
www.blackmagicdesign.com
TSL SYSTEMS is targeting the corporate sector with its Media Production Solution, a full suite of products and services that facilitates single operator functionality for the creation of video content.
The solution comprises a twocamera production facility with Ross Video Solo switcher, a Cirro Lite lighting design with a DMX lighting desk and a Yamaha audio mixing console with a variety of sound solutions from Genelec
and Sennheiser. Also included is a basic graphics set via FTP which is managed within Solo using the Mediamanager. A Ross CG licence on PC is also provided to facilitate this.
Media Production Solution includes HDD recording capabilities with the ability to teleprompter system is courtesy
for Ross PTZ cameras, and gallery screen, additionally scope
monitoring functions also feature. Desking is by AKA.
Included with the solution is installation, commissioning and support, in addition to a three year maintenance programme that draws upon the ITIL methodology. Optional extras can be added, such as remote control, expanded lighting, Skype TX integration, additional camera channels and audio enhancements.
www.tslsystems.co.uk
www.digico.biz
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A LITTLE over a decade on from the original release of the Diva line array, French manufacturer Amadeus has unveiled Diva M2 Terming it the culmination of more than 25 years of live and installed middle format line source system in the Diva series.
Diva M2
CEO and co-founder, Bernard Byk, ‘The frequency transducers, the geometry of more broadly all major acoustic, electroacoustic, electronic and mechanical components have been completely rethought.’
The unit comprises one direct radiating 8-inch neodymium LF transducer
single acoustical output and coupled to also features a diffraction horn optimised for a vertical dispersion of 10° and a horizontal dispersion of 100°. This mechanical and acoustical design reportedly enables vertical arrays of up from 0° to 10°.
magnet assembly and phasing plug. The
by the compression driver is transformed
making a dramatic improvement in the high-frequency sound. The driver is a annular ring diaphragms and promises
covers a smaller frequency range for
The larger midrange annular diaphragm features a 3.5-inch voice coil to cover the the small annular diaphragm features a 1.75-inch voice coil covering 6kHz to 22kH. The complete system offers 65Hz to 22kHz (-3dB) frequency response.
enclosure.
www.amadeus-audio.com
for high frequencies. Occupying Evo7TH is also adaptable to a number Evo 7T, the Evo7 TH is inverted. The manufacturer claims that this means the high and mid frequencies ‘mirror perfectly, maintaining coherency for increased reach and audience capacity’.
7T horn-loaded 15-inch drivers and provides mid-bass reinforcement
TWO NEW models have joined Funktion One’s Evo series of touring cabinets. The Evo 7TH and Evo 7TL215 are described as supplementary mid-high and mid-bass enclosures respectively, increasing the overall
The Evolution 7TH is the mid-high section of the Evo 7T. It features a 10-inch driver for the mid-range and a 1.4-inch compression driver
reinforce the mid-bass frequencies, so
www.funktion-one.com
EPSON HAS unveiled three entrylevel projector models that emit up to 5,500 lumens of colour and white light output and offer a high contrast ratio of 15,000:1, ideal for installation in larger venues under the banner of the EB-5000 series. These are the EB-5510, EB-5520W and EB-5530U. All three in mounting and aiding installation. The three models differ in their whereas the EB-5510 has a native and the EB-5530U boasts WUXGA EB-5530U and EB-5520W share such as 50-inch to 300-inch wide
EB-5510, meanwhile, possesses 30-inch to 300-inch wide and tele
per cent.
Each projector makes use of RGB liquid crystal shutter projection technology and features an ecomode, which reportedly allows
10,000 hours. When it does come ergonomic design that Epson has developed for this series is said to enable easy access that means technicians will not have to uninstall the projector from the ceiling. The EB-5520W and EB-5530U both feature compatibility with as a result of their HDMI and
Epson’s 5530U is one of three models that form the new EB-5000 series
HDBaseT connectivity. The HDBaseT video, audio and Ethernet using The EB-5510 also includes HDMI ports, but forfeits the HDBaseT connections.
Another feature shared by the EB-5520W and EB-5530U is the Miracast function that offers the ability to project content from compatible smart devices and laptops wirelessly, without the need to install any special software. This is achieved with the manufacturer’s iProjection application, built in to each model. It allows for the simple wireless control and transmission
a connected device, removing the complications that arise in installing a physical connection setup. The EB-500 series projectors include split screen functionally, allowing for the display of two images simultaneously, side-byside. They are all designed to automatically power on once a updates will be available periodically, which can be installed either across a LAN network, or by inserting a USB memory stick storing the update into the projector.
www.epson.com
Sommer’s Transit MC 3202 HD has been developed to meet growing demand for UHD
THE TRANSIT MC 3202 HD is Sommer Cable’s solution to meet the growing requirements for UHD signal transmission. A UHDSDI three-in-one hybrid cable, it
and a camera power supply. The manufacturer describes the cable
and has designed it to handle longdistance transmissions with low damping values.
With UHD signals delivering HD, a challenge is often faced in connecting broadcast production
developed the new Transit cable,’ said Pascal Miguet, Sommer recommended for all applications where a stable UHD signal are important.’
www.sommercable.com
transmit both power and the HDMI feed to four TP315-104 receivers. The transmitter incorporates a loop out connector for driving a local video monitor as well as providing IR support for remote control of
The companion TP315-104 HDMI
receiver connects to the AC socket
The Altinex TP315-103 Anywire transmitter and TP315-104 Anywire receiver
ALTINEX IS targeting temporary digital signage applications with its TP315-103 Anywire transmitter and TP315-104
of the manufacturer’s Anywire line will allow the transmission of live video and computer video signals with synchronised audio
for distances of over 30m using cords.
The TP315-103 HDMI over transmitter supports video signals AC outlets with embedded HDMI signal capability, which can then
addition to taking power, accepts the HDMI signal. The receiver provides four AC power outlets with embedded HDMI as well as a dedicated HDMI output. As all four AC outlets provide an HDMI feed, the TP315-104 can also reportedly act as a relay for both power and system.
www.altinex.com
Tasker’s new Komby cables
Designed for broadcast and LAN installations across TV and recording studios, theatres, sports and music events the Italian manufacturer states that all four cables are suited to both indoor and mobile laying, and within ducts, conduits, panels and false ceilings.
All four new additions to the Tasker Komby family come with PVC jackets, PE, PUR or LSZH sheaths, and with or without metal jackets.
www.tasker.it
WITH EVENTS STAGED IN CITIES RIGHT ACROSS THE globe, Ultra has become one of the most recognisable brands in the world of electronic music festivals. Having grown organically from its Miami roots, Ultra Fest performances can now be found in South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
The African leg takes place over consecutive nights in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The most recent event saw the Johannesburg leg take place once again at the Nasrec Expo Centre while the Cape Town Stadium provided a new home for Ultra in the west of the country. For the 2017 edition of the festival, as with the three that preceded it, Ultra promoters in South Africa, Showtime Management, selected Gearhouse Group to supply the technical equipment for the concerts.
‘We supplied all the roofed structures, VIP decks LED screens, lights, trussing, rigging, generators and power distribution, audio, DJ equipment, cameras and A/V control,’ says Eyal Yehezkely, Gearhouse overall project manager for the festival. In Johannesburg, the setup was larger as Jaco Saaiman, project manager for the Johannesburg event explains: ‘Not only did we supply the main stage with all of the mentioned elements but we also supplied the B-stage in Johannesburg with all structures and technical equipment this year.’ The audio side of this saw both Gearhouse teams turn to L-Acoustics. The main system in Cape Town comprised 24 of the end support was via 16 of the French company’s SB28 subs.
Additional speakers came in the form of 20 Meyer Sound Milo 90/120s with 16 of the American manufacturer’s HP700 subs.
On stage the DJ booth was equipped with 20 Pioneer CDJ2000 Nexus players and six Pioneer DJM900 Nexus mixers. The DJs were served by 12 L-Acoustics dV-Doscs, a pair of dV-Subs and eight HiQ115s for monitors mixed via a Yamaha M7CL.
The following night 1,300km away in Johannesburg the local Gearhouse team deployed 36 L-Acoustics K1 cabinets with subs. In addition to this, the system for the main stage also 48 SB28 subs. The system was powered by 64 L-Acoustics for processing and signal distribution and a 48-channel Avid
The DJ setup on stage was remarkably similar to the Cape Town leg with 20 CDJ2000s and six DJM900s. These were joined by four Pioneer SL1200 turntables. The monitoring system for the DJs comprised 12 L-Acoustics Kara with eight SB18 subs for low end and eight HiQ115s. These were processed by a further LM44 and mixed on a Yamaha M7CL.
The B-stage at the Nasrec Expo Centre relied on a distinctly smaller system. The main hangs were formed of 12 Kudo cabinets with low end via the same number of SB118 subs. On stage, six dV-Dosc and a pair of dV-Subs alongside four HiQ115 cabinets served as monitors. Power was via eight LA8s and the stage was mixed on a 32-channel Yamaha LS9 at FOH. While audio was a priority for the festival, with the DJ locked into a restricted performance space the visuals also have to come to the fore. This is where Gearhouse Group company LEDVison was called in. ‘Because the artists are mostly DJs to create more lighting and video effects,’ explains LEDVison’s
Jessica Green. ‘It becomes an interactive element with the audience, adding to the overall entertainment experience.’
The solutions supplied by LEDVision saw the Cape Town Stadium equipped with 216 Lighthouse Duoled18 panels, 102 of the manufacturer’s R16 panels, 108 ROE Visual MC7 panels and 142 of ROE Visual’s RS1200 LED strips. The larger Johannesburg setup saw 240 of the Duoled18s, 150 of the R16s, 144 MC7 panels and 196 of the RS1200 LED strips.
‘Incorporating the ROE Visual MC7 panels and ROE Visual RS1200 strips has added new creative elements to the rig for the use of the lighting and video engineers,’ says Ms Green. with the ROE Visual strips. In addition to this, bespoke rigging frames at 45-degree angles in the ceilings of both venues.’
With two very different sized productions to stage, the respective crews faced different challenges during the setup. ‘Cape Town was about 15 per cent smaller than Johannesburg, but had less time to build and working in a stadium was at times restricting,’ recalls Mr Yehezkely. ‘However, Cape Town had open space that was easily accessed, yet suffered from heavy rains and winds.’
‘The Nasrec Expo Centre is a huge space so getting equipment in and out is easy,’ furthers Mr Saaiman.
‘We did however have a tough time with weather, it rained during the entire setup for both structures and technical and only stopped raining on the day of the show.
‘It was very tricky getting all the technical up and running with all the rain and moisture,’ he continues. ‘Some gear could handle the wet weather but most of the lighting on the “wings” had to be kept closed up
until the evening of the show to avoid damage. We did however plan for this and had two trucks on standby which were used as workshops which we could send equipment to in order to
‘Weather did play a part in this year’s setup as well,’ agrees Ms Green. ‘Even though Johannesburg was loaded in mainly in constant rain, there was not a single issue with the screen panels at all.’ With both events delivered successfully, everyone concerned done. ‘We’re very happy and very proud to have achieved this,’ offers Mr Yehezkely. ‘The client and the international team were
complementary of our delivery.’
‘Although the two events took up the majority of our stock, all of our technical crew and the full attention of our management, it is team work
all the elements together in the very tight production schedule,’ adds Ms Green.
‘This was truly an amazing team effort and we were able to deliver on time and to the client’s expectations,’ surmises Mr Saaiman.
All this teamwork meant that the party could go on at Ultra Fest, whatever the weather.
www.gearhouse.co.za
www.ledvision.co.za
GEORGE ANDREOU IS NO STRANGER TO THE PAGES OF Pro Audio MEA. As the technical driving force behind Istanbul’s Zorlu Centre as well as countless other smaller municipal theatres around the country, he is well-versed in meeting the needs of Turkey’s theatrical community. So when the consultant sits down with PAMEA to discuss his ‘biggest project to date’ we can’t help but be intrigued.
‘After Zorlu, the challenge to design and build such a theatre at the heart of Turkey was irresistible’ recalls the Desmus executive
and we started working on the project designs immediately. This was done in parallel with the construction which made everything more challenging.’
During the construction of Turkey’s National Congress and Cultural Centre, there was just six months available to turn the space from a concrete shell into the state-of-the-art theatre and conference centre that the client required. While completing the project on schedule in itself would be a major challenge (achieved thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Atempo installation team) getting the audio right provided the largest obstacle.
‘The biggest challenge we had over there was the sound, this time I wanted to go one step further,’ states Mr Andreou. ‘We used Wolfgang Ahnert as the acoustician and he did a wonderful job. We made measurements after we completed the theatre
and we compared them to the preliminary studies that we had and there was no difference.
‘The whole theatre is very nicely isolated and acoustically designed,’ he continues. ‘We used a beautiful combination of diffusors and absorbers in a decorative way around the theatre following the concept designs. We have a very nice breakdown of frequencies and the solution works visually as well as acoustically.’
Aside from the acoustics, a further contribution from Dr Ahnert was the suggestion that many of the theatre’s audio needs could
be met by Astro Spatial Audio. ‘In the beginning I was a little sceptical about it as I didn’t know the company, but we went to Pro Light & Sound in 2016, I met with the guys and listened to the system. They showed me how it works and I found it very interesting, so we decided to go with it. We wanted to be able to have different effects going around the theatre, but Astro doesn’t only do playback, it also does live and it does electroacoustics so we could achieve much more by using it.’
While the Astro Spatial Audio solution was new to him, the subsequent decisions saw Mr Andreou take a more familiar route. Playout is via an extensive d&b audiotechnik system comprising cabinets from the manufacturer’s V-series and matrix meanwhile is a Stagetec Nexus with a custom designed ‘We have every possible input at the Nexus and the user can choose on a touch display dashboard what they want to do,’ furthers Mr Andreou. ‘They can select stereo and plug the desk into the connections at FOH and the system will work as stereo. Or they could go L-C-R or 5.1. Accordingly, Nexus chooses which inputs they can activate and what they can take. If you go 5.1 then at FOH you have six XLR plugs and then you choose your desk and plug in to make your mix. It’s very simple to use it. It’s very complicated as a system, but we’ve made it simple and very user friendly.
‘Then it goes onto the electroacoustics, where the Astro Spatial
Audio Room Acoustics Pro module works with the Nexus matrix, activating the inputs of the Schoeps microphones above the stage and reproduces the natural stage sound, the signal is processed adding different reverberations throughout the venue,’ he continues. ‘It changes the characteristics of the room. You can have long reverberation times in the room, a medium one or a short one, or whatever you can imagine. Nexus is a
the crossover and playout through the main system.’
the guys from d&b and Astro came and had a week inside the theatre with an orchestra to tune the system,’ he recalls. ‘However, I was not that happy with the live performance of the when it was playing in electroacoustic mode, but you need to
think about the target audience, who are going into the theatre and what they are expecting from the system. You can’t act like everybody has a trained ear and will understand. So we brought back the team to re-tune it a little bit more obvious than they thought it needed to be. Now people will understand the difference when you push the button. This was done a month or two later and now the system is playing beautifully.’
Following the same model as the Zorlu Centre, the National Congress and Cultural Centre has been designed to meet the needs of productions by stocking a vast quantity of equipment. For example it owns multiple consoles including DiGiCo SD8s, Yamaha CL1s and CL5s and Soundcraft Vi-7000s as well as analogue GB4-16s. ‘We again bought a very nice, big set of mics and anyone who comes into the theatre is happy,’ furthers Mr Andreou. ‘We have all the classics from Shure, Sennheiser, AKG, Schoeps, DPA and Neumann. Whoever goes in will be able to do anything they want.’
In addition to this there is the split and adjustable orchestra pit, which can also double as a stage elevator from and to the storage space below the stage for moving equipment and instruments. Equally, the venue houses a Wenger orchestra shell.
‘Eramita did a great job with the Wenger Diva shell but more importantly, the orchestra is also very happy using it,’ says Mr Andreou. ‘We did some test events with a big 70-piece orchestra what the best positioning was for them so we had to get them to move around a lot, but this is what you have to do.’
intercom system which has connection points around the venue. Likewise, a portable set of equipment from d&b with monitors,
speeches can be staged anywhere.
Away from the theatrical side, the venue also holds an important position as the host for government speeches and meetings. The international element that many of these events take on meant the National Congress and Cultural Centre required a 12 language simultaneous translation system that would be robust and provide clear audio to every audience member throughout the hall. To meet these needs, a Shure wired system was installed and integrated into the Figueras seats.
‘I didn’t want to go infrared in there because a lot of people from the government come and wireless signals can be challenging in this situation,’ he explains. ‘So I tried not to use frequency-based equipment and instead send the signal over cables. The quality through cables is always better. In every Figueras seat we have incorporated a Shure module that you can plug your headphones in to, you can choose the channel for any of the 12 languages it can handle and change the volume and that is all you need to do. It is very simple. The quality is amazing. It doesn’t matter if you are under the balcony or not, wherever you are you get the same signal and we make sure that it is always 100 per cent guaranteed.’
While the theatre is obviously the main focus of the building, there are a further 10 meeting rooms which have also been installed with d&b sound systems and Shure conferencing solutions. ‘These have all been equipped with sound and projection systems and connection boxes that means you can connect to almost anything you want and as you want,’ explains Mr Andreou.
Away from the audio the theatre features an Exterity IPTV solution, projectors from Barco and LED displays from Liantronics. Lighting sees the combination of ETC modular dimmers with grandMA desks and moving heads from Robe and Martin Professional. ‘We did the stage engineering system with Eramita, J&C Joel and J R Clancy,’ recalls Mr Andreou. ‘It consists of 42 bars at 1 tonne and four bars at 2 tonnes to and we have had no problems.’
While the installation ran smoothly, some unforeseen circumstances that nearly derailed the whole venture took place. ‘On July 15 the attempted coup happened in Turkey, Mr Andreou. ‘The orchestra came and set up, we had a lot of people attending and everything went smoothly, it sounded wonderful. Then around 10pm the attempted coup had started. There was an explosion in the yard of the theatre 50m away so all the facet glass was broken. Our team of around 16 people including local and foreign technicians, were on site at that time. It was a very scary situation, as a place away from the trouble. We found a hotel between Ankara and Istanbul and stayed there until everything calmed down. On the following Monday we had to send people in to see if there was any damage to the theatre.’
While this was a challenge that could not have been predicted, there was also a further sense of responsibility felt from this being a publicly-funded project. ‘We tried to use the investment the best way we could,’ says Mr Andreou. ‘It’s not good to spend penny we spent would be on equipment that did multiple things. It is a huge responsibility to design a place like this and there are many factors that need to be taken into account for a successful handover. To avoid problems the Desmus team operated the that all operations and systems ran smoothly and properly.’ clearly proud of. ‘The customer is really happy right now, they use the theatre almost every week for different things,’ he some galas and opening ceremonies. They use it for multiple
and it is very easy to do anything you want. This is very important for us. We are very proud of it, it was hard work but it became the diamond of Turkey.’
www.desmus.com.tr
It didn’t matter how far back their seats were. Or how cavernous the hall was. All they heard – all they felt – was sound that was warm, intelligible and personal. With clear, precisely-controlled sound from Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers, their seats were the best in the house. To learn more or for a demo, visit www.renkus-heinz.com.
renkus-heinz.com
©2017 Renkus-HeinzIt isn’t just about being heard, it’s about being understood.
THE FIRST SALE OF A FLAGSHIP PRODUCT IS A HUGELY sig
fusion music festivals, jazz festivals and many more events. So with this variety of demands the Pro X system seems to be a good choice for this venue.’
The installed solution comprises a Midas Pro X-CC-TP including a Midas Neutron DSP engine, a pair of the manufacturer’s DL231s and the same number of DL151 I/ Os for FOH. The original Pro 1 and DL151 meanwhile now take on monitoring duties. This controls a Das Audio house PA system which was provided by Dounye Sedaye Parsi. The main L-R hangs consist of six of the manufacturer’s Aero12A active cabinets. A further pair of
subwoofers supplemented further by two LX218A ground stacked subs. The installation itself was handled directly by Mr Siyapoush and Mr Monazah and the biggest challenge came from the timing of the project. ‘We had to install the system one day prior to the Fadjr music festival and train the sound crew to hook up with this new system,’ recalls Mr Siyapoush. ‘It was 10 nights of back-to-back performances with three different concerts each night. This meant we did a lot of patching, setup automations and sound checks every day. Thanks to Behrouz the user friendly Midas operation we
installed the system and made sure the festival went perfectly.’
with the end results, he is more interested in the experiences had by the systems users. ‘I am so delighted and proud but perhaps it is better to say how happy the musicians, performers, sound crews and engineers are, and they are more than happy now,’ he smiles. ‘Behrouz Monazah believes that the Midas Pro X is a digital system which behaves like an analogue console. He is really surprised by the sound quality and all the mixing tools and he is willing to add more Pro X systems to his gear in future.’
‘The Midas sound quality and lots of fantastic features such as advanced automation and audio processing including a very versatile and wide range of inputs and outputs made this the right choice,’ adds Behrouz Monazah. ‘The Pro X digital system was a very wise choice for us to work in this venue.’
While ensuring the client is pleased with the end result is key for any project, the strategic nature of a sale into an iconic venue makes that all the more notable. The importance of getting the project right on a business level can be vital to future success.
‘This venue, and of course this complex, is one of the most iconic monuments in Iran and Behrouz Monazah is a well-known and respected Iranian live sound engineer with a great reputation, so these two features made this project very important for me,’ says Mr Siyapoush. ‘It is a very good and important reference for Ertebat music and Midas because the very installed in an iconic monument. I really love that it has been installed in the Azadi Hall and also that a great live sound engineer is working with it. I believe these things are going to be very positive for our future business with the Pro X console.’ That has to be the vital factor for this project. It is often said that the that is to such an important venue, surely all of the sales that will now follow will be that bit easier.
www.ertebat-music.com
1/2 PAGE
AS PRO AUDIO MEA STARES UP INTO THE PURPLE glow of the mechanical waterfall, it is not the roar of the water or the thrum of cars passing by overhead on the Sheikh Zayed Road that captivates us but the number of people who are idly passing time at one of Dubai’s newest attractions. On the temperate Thursday evening when we are visiting the Dubai Water Canal, happy families are out taking a stroll along the banks of the new waterway while others are riding the ferry through the waterfall. There are even one or two brave souls who are taking an evening run along the footpath.
This is a scene that could be repeated the world over (mechanical waterfall aside). A space designed to be used by the public for their own enjoyment is more than meeting its remit. This is not by chance, the level of planning that has gone into the canal project is clear for all to see particularly when it comes to the A/V equipment in use. While the touchscreen information kiosks, gentle multicolour LED lighting and tastefully illuminated bridges provide the most obvious examples of this, it is the addition of an audio solution that best makes the point.
‘The end client knew that a lot of people are going to visit here and they didn’t want the canal to just be visually attractive but to have a real energy too,’ offers Nittin Dargan, division manager for Bose Professional MEA. ‘They wanted background music completely covering this space but at the same time they didn’t want very visible speakers sticking up on poles. The client wanted to merge the sound system with the surroundings and have a subtle BGM feel.’
This brief led the combined team of consultants and contractors to turn to Bose’s FreeSpace 360P-II loudspeaker.
huge install base in this region where quality music and outdoor reliability in coastal conditions are very important,’ explains Mr
Dargan. ‘The FreeSpace 360P was selected because it is an is one of the most suitable speakers for outdoor applications. The speakers are completely exposed along the banks of the canal so having high quality is important.’
With the loudspeaker selected, 475 units were purchased through the manufacturer’s local distributor, NMK Electronics. The next task was to explore the best way to connect them to create the 2km BGM system. While a variety of networking options for the BGM system were explored, ultimately a decision was taken to install an AVB-based solution from Biamp.
Walking along the banks of the canal it’s easy to miss the
An AVB network spanning 2km and nearly 500 Bose outdoor speakers provide James Ling takes a walk
Disguised as expanded seating areas next to some of the plant pots are 25 IDF (intermediate distribution frame) locations. Each processing for the BGM solution.
Obviously, it would have been impossible to run all 475 speakers from one single location so the decision was taken to break the network down into different zones. Each IDF location
These inauspicious areas also serve to break down the AVB network into manageable chunks and provide direct access for engineers if there needs to be any adjustments.
The BGM network runs for 1km on either side of the canal via the network backbone was to facilitate the level of monitoring required by a network of this scale. The monitoring capabilities mean that people can see exactly where any problem occurs,
‘The canal project was one needing two head-ends (one on each bank) linked over IP with multiple channels of processing,’ furthers Biamp regional manager, Middle East and Africa, Dave Nazir. ‘Tesira with its modular architecture was an ideal solution, offering not only the DSP processing and control required but being able to run multiple audio networks allowed for bridging between banks.’
While creating the AVB network provided the largest technical challenge for the project, there was a more practical problem faced with the loudspeakers. ‘This was a very fast track project. We got to know about it three months before the canal launched and we had to work hard to meet the client’s needs in a timely manner,’ recalls Mr Dargan. ‘We were able to source the required quantity of speakers but there was an issue around the
However, we worked together with the other teams on the project and the decision was taken to make the plant pots bigger. We had a lot of support from everyone involved in the project because they were all very aware of the quality of these speakers and didn’t want them to be changed with anything else.’
The MA 808 innovatively integrates wireless microphones, speakers, CD / USB player and a Bluetooth interface for wireless music streaming into a sturdy, compact case that offers an entirely portable sound system anywhere it is needed. MIPRO supplies UHF and 2.4 GHz receiver modules options and matching handheld or bodypack transmitters, as well as the exclusive miniature transmitters for musical instruments, such as violin, saxophones, erhu, guitar, cajon, and so on, the MA-808 portable wireless PA system.
Lightweight with built-in pull-up handle and sturdy wheels for easy transport, the economical rechargeable battery system enables operations indoors or outdoors without AC power and cumbersome cables. Even handheld & bodypack transmitters can be stored within the sleek cabinet.
With the challenges overcome and the system up and running, Mr Dargan is clearly proud of the end result and the multiple functions it can serve at the canal. ‘It provides an ambient music level, it’s just a gentle BGM. However, when the launch of the canal happened, they did not need to use any extra speakers, the music along the banks was all through these speakers.’
While he is happy with the solution, it is the reaction of everyone else that is most important to Mr Dargan. ‘So far we have been hearing good things, the customer is happy, people who visit the site are happy, we have had good feedback from quite a few people.’
With our walk along the canal concluded it is easy to see why this is such an important job for all concerned. Dubai’s canal provides a unique public space in the heart of the city, the new BGM system helps people get the most out of it.
www.biamp.com pro.bose.com
WE WERE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL THAT HEAT RISES. THE same is true of sound, as any audio engineer that has worked stadium and it will often seem quieter than those held inside smaller indoor venues. That said outdoor stadiums are, at install a new solution. the restaurant.
when not in use.
IT’S NO SECRET THAT OPEN SPACES AND REFLECTIVE surfaces are ingredients that can wreak havoc for sound engineers. Add in a pinch of random décor and there’s the potential recipe for disaster.
This was the combination that Procom was met with when it was contracted to deliver the audio solution at the newly opened Italian restaurant Matto, located inside The Oberoi at Business Bay. With dozens of new restaurants and bars opening each and every week in Dubai, many of which are found hidden away inside hotels, it can be a challenge for the venue’s owner to provide customers with a unique experience.
and ambience can be just as important in delivering an environment with a difference.
In an effort to stand out from the crowd, Matto has opened its doors with an industrial theme that blends the mechanical with small town Italy. A background of concrete walls and metal growing basil. It is visually stunning and is certainly unlike anything you may have seen before, but how would it sound?
‘The décor here is astonishing,’ exclaims Liam O’Brien from Procom. ‘They’ve got the heavy metal look going on and the DJ booth is on a Vespa! The area was scary at the beginning when I was listening to it and thinking, “What have we embarked upon? This will be a disaster!”’
With such a focus on the visual aesthetics, the client brief did of course state that the restaurant required a sound system
that would ‘disappear into the décor, without compromising on sound quality’. Therefore, Mr O’Brien and his team utilised AutoCAD drawings and EASE simulation to determine the proper solution. This resulted in the selection and design of a K-array system, although there were still concerns about the space.
surfaces,’ says Mr O’Brien. ‘The venue is hall-like and I told the client that we would do the installation and if it then still didn’t sound good, that they should be prepared to spend some
important to them to keep the industrial look.’
Discussions regarding acoustic treatment would end there though, as once the system was installed it was no longer deemed necessary. ‘In the end I needed to do very little equalising,’ notes Mr O’Brien. ‘What absorbed most of the acoustics was the furniture, which brings a bit more irregularity into the room. The good thing about the décor is that it is
chaotic in terms of breaking up standing waves. I did the EQing directly on the amp with the K-array software so that it was included in the hardware loop.’
The installation comprises 10 K-array KK52 line array elements, a combination of K-array brackets and custom brackets designed environment into account. ‘They are installed with vertical splay on one side as they are not too visible,’ explains Mr O’Brien. ‘On the other side, they are a lot more visible so we went with a horizontal splay, which works very well. This is something I have done at quite a few other restaurants with the splay, not only with the KK52 but also with KP52 cabinets.
‘The nice thing with the KK52 is the difference between the
continues. ‘If you’re using them as an array you set it to spot mode and the opening is 5-degrees. And 30-degrees on each side.’
they thought it would ruin the aesthetics.’
Handling the lows and complementing the KK52s is a pair of 18-inch K-array subwoofers. One has been placed in a cage along the wall next to the bar, the other is across on the opposite wall beside the DJ booth. The restaurant’s décor would again present a challenge when it came to installing the second of the subwoofers, with the visual look of the room taking precedence over sound. Procom therefore had to make a compromise.
‘This sub was meant to be the other side of the DJ booth,’ Mr O’Brien points out. ‘But, they had a change of décor and unfortunately
Controlling the system is a Soundcraft Ui12 Wi-Fi mixer that is fed by the Pioneer DJ equipment installed on top of the Vespa next to the entrance. On nights that the DJ has off, a combo CD/USB player feeds the mixer. The Ui12 allows the possibility to control the volume of the restaurant’s audio with a smartphone. For DJ monitoring, K-array’s powered wedge Cheese box speaker is soon to be installed. This has been chosen due to its reported clarity and aesthetics – as will go unseen from the front of the DJ booth. Behind closed doors, en route to the kitchen is a single KA84 setup, suspended below the ceiling above a storage area. ‘It’s all we need,’ explains Mr O’Brien. ‘It’s a big amp with four channels at 2,000W.
down one side, another powers those on the other side and a channel for each of the subs. Just one amp to power the whole system: it’s as simple as that.’
With the system installed and the restaurant serving up pizza, pasta and myriad beverages, things are
sounding as well as tasting good. ‘The distribution of sound is very present without being overly loud,’ concludes Mr O’Brien. ‘Clarity without the volume – that’s what you want to have everywhere.’
www.procom-me.com
The distribution of sound is very present without being overly loud.
Clarity without the volume – that’s what you want to have everywhere.
WHEN STEVEN CHEN STARTED HIS BUSINESS FROM HIS kitchen table in Taipei, his energetic drive to succeed was fuelled by a desire to make the best voice coils on the market. Today, he retains the same vision and enthusiasm leading the 550 employees in his 55,000 sq-m factory on the outskirts of Bangkok. Having celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016, P Audio is not only one of the largest suppliers of transducers in the global market, it is also a renowned OEM producer for many leading Western brands. Together with his sons Howard and Tony, the Taiwanese dynasty is now developing its own brand of loudspeaker enclosures and audio systems.
Initially founded as Voice Coil, the Thai manufacturer originally distributed speaker components in Thailand and surrounding South East Asia. Having studied the consumer and professional markets very closely, Mr Chen took the bold decision to develop a line of transducers from scratch. ‘The business grew successfully in Taiwan for many years, but I was forced to relocate many times as employees would be enticed to work for bigger corporations,’ recalls Mr Chen. ‘These larger companies had an uncanny knack of following me! I received a call from a friend in Thailand asking me to consider opening a factory there. I thought he was joking, but decided to take a look. It turned out to be a great recommendation as I was exposed to a high level of quality workmanship and engineering.’
manufactured for many years in Asia, the concept to develop professional models was somewhat alien at that time in Thailand. It was 1991 and P Audio had entered the pro audio market of speaker and transducer manufacturers – a brand relocation to its current purpose-built facility in the Nakhon Pathom district of Bangkok was necessary. Costing US$16 million, the site continues to dwarf its Western
competitors. It aptly demonstrates Mr Chen’s belief in reinvestment and his ethos continues today as a new (28,000 sq-m assembly) facility nears completion in the same neighbourhood.
The 28,000sq-m facility nears completion; An artists impression of the finished complex
Speakers, baskets and paper cones continue to be sourced from local manufacturers. With the advent of mass consumerism in Asia, the Indian and South East Asian countries continue to capture a healthy market share where the newly updated Challenger C18 650EL continues to break sales records. Mr Chen shows no signs of slowing down despite having been a grandfather for over eight years now and is nearing 65
years of age. He has the energy of an adolescent, normally getting by on three hours sleep per night. ‘The pressure I experience is all self-applied as I have over 550 people here to look after. But personally speaking, I lead a very simple life and enjoy what I do and have no plans to retire.’
automatic 550m loops and combined with a 5,500 sq-m warehouse, P Audio is a hive of activity. A team of highly of new transducer and cabinet innovations, this area is home to a very large anechoic chamber, in which the engineers have equipment and software.
In-house tooling is used both in the development and in the design, allowing the engineers to enhance electrical,
combining all the mechanical parts, including the baskets, pole pieces and soft parts. In addition, production of the magnetic motor structure, where it is needed, resulting in a magnetic
With continued growth, the complex has added new industrial units in order to take on added manufacturing processes. T-yokes, back plates and other metals are produced internally and a polypropylene injection moulding facility was opened seven years ago. A colossal inventory of Ameda and other high-tech automated equipment produces back plates from raw steel in addition to laser cutting, bending, punching, stamping and for rigging apparatus such as turned pins such efforts. ‘It possibly costs more money to produce our own parts and materials, but this speeds up production and gives us both from a third party supplier. We can make as few or as many as we want – there is no minimum order.’
An adjacent factory houses new equipment where the freshly cut back plates are the cabinets is also conducted here with environmentally friendly water-based paints. Incharacterise other sections of the factory.
Up to 600 compression drivers per day can be produced in the lower-level of the main facility, and the models are frequently tested along the production cycle. An environmental testing ‘torture’ chamber pushes the speakers through punishing extremes of temperature and humidity a unit will only be passed for shipping if its measurements lie within the
instruments and frequency response booths are dotted along leave the factory in pristine condition.
A computerised ordering system further ensures a smooth transition from the moment the initial order is processed
same day rather than being held in a production queue.
The factory itself is located both near to Bangkok International Airport as well as the river, making logistical transfers of inward parts and supplies and outward orders
transducers to the global market has never wavered and has been assisted by the lower labour costs that the company
cabinet making, electronics and other engineering required in the development of our systems catalogue is being produced at the new factory.’
Having taken the decision to grow the business as a systems manufacturer, thus ending its reliance on OEM and driver production, the Chen family have streamlined their activities. Howard is charged with systems product development and marketing while his brother Tony oversees the development of rejuvenated in his latest role, enjoying travelling to international trade fairs sourcing new machinery for the large virgin
newly acquired plant will be automated.
capabilities this year for which all of the components and parts
Mr Chen’s second son, Tony Chen, postponed his father in the family business, employed as director of OEM engineering. Long serving head
company forward. Although neodymium models have been in production since 2004, ferrite designs continue to constitute a large proportion of the sales. Having developed Auto Balance ago for its transducers, P Audio has integrated such technologies into its existing families of woofers and high frequency drivers.
The P Audio loudspeaker catalogue was greatly passive and active models designed for both interior and outdoor applications. The 2Line and 3Line-C column series exemplify this powerful surge in P Audio’s product development away from traditional two-way systems, whereby harsh acoustic environments are now being targeted. Together with the active subwoofers that accompany these columns, P Audio challenged itself to create all the new components in-house.
OEM was initially the key in allowing P Audio to gain its status in the market today, but with the advent of the new
a part of the factory that was converted from a staff cinema and entertainment complex. ‘With increased demand for our was becoming increasingly uncompetitive. We will still need to import the Baltic birch plywood and other materials, but all the
The future for P Audio is in systems such as the new X8-15A enclosure; The GM18-100N woofer are still in high demand
so we are heavily committed currently in the recruitment of product development will revolve around software rather than changing the hardware in addition to networkable, selfpowered systems.’
Both highly astute and realistic, CEO Mr Chen’s ambitious goals resemble those of a resolute explorer determined to cross a mountain chain who sees further peaks in the distance to do my very best. Material wealth means nothing to me – I just need $3 per day to live on. The company is my life and I am responsible for the livelihoods of my employees and that’s why I never take holidays. For my competitors, it is extremely www.paudiothailand.com
EVER SINCE
WENT BUST, there’s been a healthy scepticism around nextgeneration A/V formats. Yes, Dolby AC4/Atmos has been included in the ATSC 3.0 standard. But few are sure to what extent consumers are going to embrace object-based audio on television. Most TV is still listened to in stereo, or even mono. Even though prime-time mixes are done in 5.1, and virtually all sports downmixing means everyone without a decoder is none the wiser and no less happy with their television experience.
But if you want to look at a new A/V proposition that will have long legs into the future, look no further than drones. For the hundreds of millions who tuned in to the Super Bowl, the drones that accompanied Lady Gaga’s halftime performance were an augur of things to come. At a time when live performances are the big moneymakers in media, drones are the perfect complement: they’re cheap, easy to operate and manage,
and look spectacular.
Drones have found their way onto Broadway in equally stunning ways. Cirque de Soleil has elevated the unmanned aerial vehicle
show, Paramour, in which eight custom-built quadcopters dressed as lampshades interact with human performers. Meanwhile, over at Radio City Music Hall, the holiday spectacular
with small motors and propellers that move a GPS-prescribed route above the stage.
Drones can bring the physical equivalent of cinematic CGI into live events. ‘They are in dress like all actors in this movie; they have character, motivation and certainly no lack of presence,’ said Bill Keays, science and technology advisor at Cirque du Soleil, on RoboHub, an online robotics forum. ‘I would be inclined to challenge the assumption that they are playing a supporting role.’
Phil Ward
THE MEDIA MIND BOGGLED RECENTLY
when John and Helen Meyer, the renowned boomer couple behind Meyer Sound’s 38 years of global domination, celebrated the 50th anniversary of their relationship as only A-list boomers could. With press and industry gathered in Amsterdam for this year’s Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) expo, the Meyers booked a suite at the famous Hilton Hotel in the city and hosted a press conference that combined a campaign announcement for 2017 and a live Facebook feed – routine enough, you would agree. But this was the fabled John and Yoko suite, a corner room with a balcony and spectacular views over Amsterdam where the king and queen of the counter culture mounted their ‘bed-in’ for peace in 1969, subtle remnants of which have been preserved by the hotel as a perfectly understandable USP for international guests. So with the slogans ‘Bed Peace’ and ‘Hair Peace’ embossed onto
the window behind them, the Meyers posed on the edge of the bed for photos and took full advantage of the setting; a touching tableau for the egalitarian values that unite the Lennon-Ono legacy, the Meyer Sound ideals and the very details of the Berkeley
not dressed in pyjamas.
taken delivery of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album, arguably the record that inspired more careers in pro audio than any other. It was a sonic experience as much as a musical one, and our love-generation lovebirds were already drawn to the world of loudspeakers, microphones and the unique alchemy that starts with those base metals and turns them into gold. Well, vinyl anyway. The opportunity to witness a demo of some topnotch gramophone goodies using this slice of history was too good to be missed, and at
Expect to see drones used increasingly in live performances as shows become increasingly competitive for consumers’ entertainment spend. But can they become part of the show’s audio content? The big problem is that their buzzy little motors and whoosh of helicopter blades can obscure sound around them. But there are some brave souls out
There are plenty of experiments attaching shotgun and hypercardioid-pattern mics to the underside of drones to capture sound while rejecting the sound of the drone itself. It’s not a solution for dialogue capture by any means, but since so much of the drones’ inherent noise is in the upper midrange and higher, it leaves plenty of bandwidth in the lower mid and sub frequencies.
Then there are some advanced attempts to integrate drones into music performances.
Sennheiser’s Shape Of The Future Of Audio website informs us of a start up, since acquired by Qualcomm, that programmed
drones to play instruments designed for their capabilities, such as a single-string guitar whose pitch is changed by a drone tightening and loosening the string by changing its altitude, and another UAV that plucks it at just the right moments.
There are some safety issues to consider. Sequencers can be predictably boring but they’ve never killed anyone. On the other hand, that lack of autonomy is well-suited for playing predictable musical parts over and over again on a grand scale, thanks to their ability to ‘swarm.’ Verity, the Swiss company behind Paramour’s drones, has developed their ability to ‘learn’ from repeated experience. This learning function is used by internal algorithms to calculate and register their positions on the stage and relative to each other. It’s not a big step from there to playing a huge string pad.
Don’t fear the Robot Apocalypse — embrace it. It might return the favour and hire you for a gig.
the event the Meyers found they had more in common than woofers and tweeters.
History repeats itself all the time. Apart from this public reunion of international modernist hospitality and hippy monarchy, another echo of the era is abroad: in 1969, even as Lennon ordered world peace on room service, reports were published that showed album production overtaking singles production in the factories of the UK record more than in 1967.
This was the era of the concept album, and the statistics betrayed a cultural as audiences wanted all of the hits of Engelbert Humperdinck in a slim package.
And now the album is back – on vinyl. In 2016, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), album sales on this format reached the highest total in 25 years, more than 3.2 million, a 53 per cent increase
year-on-year. And guess which album was at number eight in last year’s vinyl chart?
But don’t get excited. Vinyl is only 2.6 per cent of the whole music market, which is rapidly migrating from download and CD to streaming. Monetising that phenomenon is the industry’s latest headache.
Hang on, back to the Meyers. Campaign announcement? Yep, this was not your regular product launch. ‘We will travel near and far to see our customers and creations and participate in exclusive experiences,’ announced the Meyers, ‘to launch important new products, host game-changing listening experiences, increase our festival presence and collaboration with key touring partners, and explore new Meyer Sound frontiers, such as China and India.’
So our Two Virgins are back on the road. They’ve survived rather well. With a little help from their friends.
NEXT GEN AUDIO PRODUCTION IS AN UMBRELLA OF TOOLS and options that provides the ability to produce immersive, interactive and personalised sound as well as to program user audio control. This document is focused on the production of immersive sound for live sports and entertainment media.
Attempts at producing immersive sound over the years have had a variety of mixed results, making it obvious that many problems still exist. As of 2017, there are several methods for producing immersive sound, such as speaker-based, the use of objects, ambisonic production, and even a combination of these different methods.
Speaker-based audio production is the way stereo and surround sound is produced and mixed today. It is predicated on the assumption that reproduction will be on a similar speaker system and setup, for example, two speakers for stereo and six speakers for surround. This stereo approach was acceptable for a long time because many television sets had enough room for two speakers and people who were interested hooked up their TV and VCR to the stereo speakers. Everything was good until surround sound became the new normal. With surround sound, most consumers did not have adequate reproduction systems, or if they did, they were mostly not set up to match the arrival of consumer friendly audio systems and soundbars in the last few years, there was generally no way to hear artistically mixed broadcast sound.
Soundbars are not intended for critical listening or mixing, but and experience for consumers. You don’t have to think too hard about it, but the future of sound listening is probably going to be simple: headphones and soundbars. And this begs the question of which production method – speakers, objects or ambisonics –can deliver a good experience and reproduction in the real world of listening options.
Speaker-based reproduction will be necessary for mixing and monitoring but as previously stated, this method is not really practical for the home reproduction of immersive sound. Speaker-based reproduction was the incorrect assumption for surround sound. In fact, it was not until the widespread availability of soundbars that surround sound gained traction. Immersive sound adoption will absolutely depend on the consumer’s purchase decisions as well as the availability of Object and ambisonic-based audio production overcomes the limitations of speaker-based production and the lack of technology to adapt the audio to the consumption desires of the listener. This ability to adapt to the consumer’s needs essentially
decouples the production process from the reproduction – which is exactly what was needed to match and cater to the wide variety and number of ways that consumers experience audio today. Object and ambisonic audio production practices render formats capable of a wide variety of listening preferences.
assets with localisation and other information. But inherently, broadcast and broadband because of bandwidth. Ambisonic audio production has been around awhile, albeit advancements with higher order ambisonics (HOA) that some of the theory became valuable for advanced audio production.
rendering to a vast range of reproduction options. HOA is a far order ambisonics ever envisioned.
for the spatialisation of audio for a convincing immersive experience. The concept of constructing high order ambisonic resolution for the appropriate output format is a new audio production paradigm.
There seems to be many clear advantages with the reproduction of ambisonic audio for the masses and there is audio creation.
The future of sound production will undoubtedly change bright future for advanced audio production but a transition from conventional speaker-based audio practices to the future methods of sound production is necessary to get there.
Speaker, object and ambisonic methods of audio production are all capable of producing immersive sound with different levels of accuracy and believability. All methods and theories of immersive sound production require the ability to localise a sound element in a dimensional soundsphere. Fundamentally, spatial imaging and placement is the foundation to any dimensional sound production.
As audio professionals, we are familiar with left/right and front/back horizontal (amplitude) panning. But the fact is that for truly dimensional positioning, a height component is also necessary. Dimensional panning tools give the sound designer/ mixer the means to accurately position the apparent location of a sound anywhere in the soundsphere. Three dimensional panning/positioning can be applied to audio elements or groups of sounds to locate a sound to any 3D coordinate around, above and below the listener.
Panning across the horizontal panorama is known as Azimuth. Today, all mixing consoles and plug-in panning tools can position a sound anywhere around the listener – fully 360° in
Precise localisation in the horizontal and vertical sound space is essential to realistically create immersive soundfields
the horizontal plane. Stereo and surround sound reproduce audio in the horizontal plane – in front, to the sides and behind the listener.
The concept of immersive sound attempts to put the listener in a complete sound space with sound above the listener as is heard in the real world. in the horizontal and vertical sound space it is essential to realistically create immersive also known as elevation.
above the listener and how it enhances the perception of spatialisation and the ability to accurately localise sound
sports and entertainment because you can build a discernable above the horizontal perspective of the ear.
the sound elements are acoustically captured. Sound elements as reverb and room simulators are useful tools in dimensional and immersive sound production because they recreate the space.
audio production but spatial enhancements have proven effective in immersive sound production for both speaker and ambisonic methods of production as well.
a dimensional space. The ability to contour parameters like
Test case
speakers when more speakers are present.
either includes an attempt to capture sounds with an acoustic footprint or capture sounds with a minimum amount of acoustic sports is undeniably impacted by environmental acoustics. spatial enhancements while close, detailed sounds may not.
and atmosphere was routed to the above quad channels. The the middle 5.1 and upper four quad layers of sound. As a word of
available to the listener. When you increase the number of the positive elements of your sound production then your sound production possibilities are expanded. For example, a sound element closer or farther away, but as in the real world production possibilities. Size expands the perception of
contributes to a disruptive mix of the sonic foundation. Clearly microphone placement can be used to enhance movement. For example, if you place a series of microphones across a panoramic space and then render the sounds across a series of speakers, the listener perceives motion as the sound source moves past and between each stationary microphone.
motion is achieved.
can be captured live with microphone placement, however there
The impression was described as mediocre. There was no a solution, but there are currently limited options for true XYZ
you can create the illusion of top and bottom, in other words, the
With the current array of production options which provides tools. Sound spatialiser tools are available for postproduction to production practices.
IT IS HARD TO DEFINE CABSAT. IT IS WIDELY SEEN AS the most popular and busiest of Dubai’s audio-related tradeshows, yet it never feels crowded in the same sense that some of the international events can. It attracts a very strong audience each year in terms of both size and quality, yet it can sometimes feel like a networking event where you catch up with the same people every year. Business is usually done products that get a global launch, but with NAB just around the corner most of the technology on show will be ‘new to the Middle East’. In essence it is too popular to be considered a local show, yet doesn’t have the pulling power to categorise itself in the same bracket as the large international events. time, things got off to a rather damp start as the rain fell in did not want, but the crowds did eventually make it through booths and declared themselves happy with the start of the show. As is usually the way, the second day provided further improvement in terms of attendance and at times did feel
they required to be able to categorise the event as a success. This is largely a sign of the current improved state of the Middle East’s broadcast market, but the fact that many as a further reason to encourage manufacturers, distributors and systems integrators to take space at the show.
the return of Cabsat to Halls 1 to 8 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. This meant the rather segmented feel of the 2016 event, where it was remarkably easy to miss a large chunk
However, with large sections of some of the halls curtained off it took a lot less time to reach the far wall than many visitors
A further challenge presented by the 2016 show seemed to have resolved itself with a number of last year’s notable absentees returning to take stands in 2017. There was still no
Sony booth (once a stalwart of the show with a statement design each year) but the manufacturer was present on three partner booths which were all situated within a small
Professional which deciding to host its own event in 2016, came back to Cabsat with a bijou booth dedicated to Studer Over the years Cabsat has often been praised for the programme and elements such as the Content Delivery Hub returning this was once again the case for 2017. As always own range of attractions designed to entice visitors onto their stands. While Yahsat’s virtual reality space launch and the upstairs room taken by ETC to highlight the differences in turned to immersive demonstrations to highlight their wares. Avid and Yamaha. Both sectioned off areas of their booths to create small immersive audio demonstrations, Avid’s Sreejesh Nair demonstrating a 9.1 setup and Yamaha instead highlighting Nuage and Steinberg in its 7.2.1 room.
Of course, the highlight for many would be the new equipment on show. As always, there were plenty of ‘new to the Middle East’ displays, but this year only TSL Products launched something at the show – the MPA Solo SDI audio monitor.
Cabsat is seen by many as a stable show. While this might every year, it does make it a worthwhile investment for many
a couple of important clients come to the stand and see the right sort of people here.’
‘It has actually been a really positive show. I think that Cabsat generally is the kind of show that is very much about networking, we don’t tend to get into very in-depth conversations about the technology. The quality overall of the people we’ve seen has been very heartening. I think the numbers don’t feel much better than last year, it doesn’t feel like it’s been busier. However, the people who we have been talking to have distinct projects that they are working on.’ Stuart Russell, Ross Video
‘I think it’s much better for the pure broadcast side. It would be great if they could combine one of the pro audio shows and interlink it into this and then we can have one decent show in the region. Cabsat is the only show out here that I would say is an established show which is well attended.’ Ian
Staddon, DiGiCocompressed compared to other years, but it’s been a really good show up again in this region.’ Andreas Hilmer, Lawo
‘The number of visitors was better than last year, but still not as good as we want it to be. You never get people who don’t know what they are talking about. It’s been serious people, quality people which is good for us.’ Salam Askar, Sennheiser Middle East
‘This is a growth region for us. When you think of the large broadcasters in the area, all of which are our clients, the economic pressures are so intense for all of those segments that there are very few people you can go to who can offer anything from creative process to consumption and everything in between and make it more integrated.’
Luis Hernandez Jr Avid‘We had our own booth for many years but usually we don’t sell direct and we don’t give prices on the booth so we were sending people to the NMK booth instead. We decided that there was no point in having our own booth if we could do it with NMK instead.’ Samer
Mouwanes, Clear-Com‘The business that seems to be coming up has made it a better show this year. There is also an understanding of what kind of technologies are increasing the value for the end user and that is forcing people to re-evaluate what they are putting in to their studios.’ Alok
Ghurde Thomsun Trading‘So far Cabsat has been great. It is only about meeting new people to a small degree, it’s more about reconnecting with familiar faces, making sure they know what’s new.’ Chicco Hiranandani, Shure MEA
‘It was very good. This year we had a lot of visitors and it’s obvious that people are really interested.’ Ahmed Magd,
Riedel
‘It’s been a really good show, there’s been a good standard and high quality of people here and that’s what you want. You want to have good conversations with people that are long lasting, you make a real useful contribution to their way they work.’ Adrian
Hogg, Focusrite‘It’s been better than expected because I was extremely really big interest in Lectrosonics. I’ve talked to most of the Emirates broadcasters and some from outside and I’ve seen a lot of people from Africa.’ Jim
‘It’s been very good, we’re on the Mediacast stand and they have delivered us a nice range of dealers and customers to see and some good potential. We haven’t seen a high quantity but certainly high quality. We’re fairly specialised and niche in our products so that’s perfect for us.’ Clive Osborn, CEDAR
Audio Bakker, Lectrosonics‘We happened to have the MPA Solo SDI ready so I carried these out fresh from the production line. It’s ideal for this market, there are a lot of customers here from Africa, Asia, India, Pakistan and they are all primarily still baseband. It will be many years before they go to more exotic formats like IP so this is the product they have all been waiting for. The response has been overwhelming.’ Chris
‘This show was okay I think, probably better than last year. There has been a notable downturn from African visitors. Because we have BSS, our distributor for Brio here, they were bringing lots of people over. So we have more leads than this time last year.’
Anthony Harrison, Calrec‘I think the majority are faces we’ve seen before. Our experience is that this region has tailed off in the last couple of years but the feedback we are getting from our existing customers is that it is looking a little bit more buoyant.’
Eamonn Heffernan,2017 Dates: 21 – 23 March
2018 Dates: TBC
Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre
Total exhibitors: 450
Attendance: TBC
Contact: www.cabsat.com
NOW IN THE SECOND YEAR OF ITS NEW INCARNATION, Pro Light & Sound 2017 opened a day earlier than MusikMesse with a seemingly reduced footprint and footfall. The scheduling of the shows one day apart was clearly a response to last year’s unpopular move, which saw both exhibitions run over a total of six days with PL&S going solo for two of those. Notable by their absence were several long-term PL&S exhibitors, and not just long distance ones such as Meyer Sound and Genelec. Local German companies including Sennheiser, Electro-Voice, HK Audio and Eve Audio also decided to stay away this year.
However, product launches were in plentiful supply with Martin Audio releasing a total of 10 newcomers, the Wavefront Precision Series comprising the WPC and WPM; new SX118 and SX218 subwoofers; the XE Series comprising the XE300 and XE500; the LE100 and LE200 stage monitors and new Ikon
live sound and contracting market by replacing our Wavefront line arrays with new optimised sound systems called Wavefront
MLA series products into a more conventional package with rack
LD Systems unveiled the results of its collaboration with the Porsche Design Studio, the Maui P900 powered column PA system as well as the Maui 5 Go battery operated column PA.
international platform where we can gain feedback from the Adam Hall CEO, Alex Pietschmann.
More new speakers were to be found right across the show including Coda Audio’s Arrayable Point Source system, Amadeus Diva M2 array cabinets, the JBL VTX A12 system and Eon One Pro battery powered line array, Focal Shape studio monitors, Audac Baso18 passive and Noba8 active bass cabinets, APG’s new SB range of SB112, SB115-M2 and SB118 subwoofers, Adamson’s S10n narrow dispersion line array cabinet and IS-Series installation speakers and Nova’s Mythos series. Funktion-One added two new speakers to its Evolution Touring Series, Evo 7T and Evo 7TL-215, L-Acoustics presented its new P1 networked digital audio processor, the new Syva segment source speaker and L-ISA immersive sound solutions, while K-array showcased the Mastiff monitor range. d&b audiotechnik released
dBTechnologies held daily presentations of control software Aurora Net alongside its new B-Hype speakers.
Consoles were out in force, with many brands dominating the centre of hall 3.1. Solid State Logic was launching the SSL L200 Live, the latest and most compact addition to its Live
Series. Over at Stage Tec, the brand new Avatus IP-based console was being unveiled. Yamaha, meanwhile, took the covers off its smaller format Rivage PM10 CS-R10 control surface. DiGiCo was showing the SD12 console launched in starts earlier than it used to, so we did our own launch,’ said
to do a trade show launch, this would still be the one we would do it at. It’s been a good show for us, but I do feel the numbers are down. We’re located in a good spot and we’ve been busy
DiGiGrid was back on the stand after a less than positive experience in hall 4.1 last year, announcing a new collaboration that allows SD console users to integrate with a Waves Multirack system. Also new was a DiGiCo S App mic preamp card.
Cadac
got a cracking location in the middle of console alley,’ said marketing manager James Godbehear, who nevertheless was reporting fewer international participators from outside Europe. Elsewhere, Riedel launched the Bolero wireless intercom solution and Optocore unveiled the SFX7 network interface controller module designed to be built into third party products. Apart Audio
products, the Revamp8250 amp, MA120 and MA240 mixing amps, MaskC Series install speakers and CM Design Series speakers. And Powersoft launched the new LiteMod 4HC and
show to launch the new amp modules because the show is very specialised; there are many loudspeaker manufacturers here, which in this case are our main customers.’
Some companies were introducing new personnel. d&b was proud to announce that former Sydney Opera House stalwart
Rocha has left EAW for L-Acoustics, DiGiCo welcomed Austin Freshwater as general manager while DPA’s new CEO, Kalle
The live outdoor demonstration areas continued to receive healthy attendance, helped by the warm spring temperatures and blue skies. RCF’s new HDL30A system was one of the main participants, along with entries from KV2, dBTechnologies, Funktion One, TW Audio and Audiofocus
There was also positive reaction to new Silent Stage in hall 4.1, proposed by Klang:technologies and Vision Ears we had a band playing on our booth and we wanted to reach more people, so we spoke to some other in ear manufacturers organisers were searching for new ideas and they liked it,
did
and have supported the concept.’ The Klang:fabrik 3D mixing desk was being used together with products from Kemper Amps, Hearsafe, In-Ear Kommunikationstechnik, Variphone, Westone, Audio-Technica and Allen & Heath. ‘It’s been a slow, but by the end of the day all the headphones were getting taken up and it hasn’t stopped since.’
PL&S did manage to attract some new exhibitors, or those back from a break, including Bose, Focusrite, Marani Proaudio, d3 Systems and Grunwald Display Solutions. It was also the second ever appearance for US manufacturer Clair Brothers. Having taken up residence in a peripheral zone of hall 4.1 in 2016, it seemed much happier in the centre of 3.1 this year. Exhibiting the new S2-B and S2-A subwoofers appeared to be heavy around the open plan exhibits such as the 1.5AM+ wedge and portable KiT speakers. ‘We haven’t marketed ourselves at trade shows until recently, but as we export more products overseas than in North America, we felt
Sadd. ‘We’ve met a lot of new contacts which is possibly due to the fact that we are in a great location near to some premiere digital console manufacturers.’ Harman, by contrast, was absent from 3.1 and could be found in the midst of lighting and staging in hall 4.0. ‘The European market is extremely important to us, especially on the lighting
side,’ commented director of public relations, David Glaubke. ‘The show still draws customers and it’s an opportunity for our EMEA customers to come to a centralised point for us to demonstrate what we are doing. The booth has been busy for the entire show. People are coming to see what is new with Martin but they are getting exposed to Soundcraft and JBL.’ Chauvet was showing the Strike 1. ‘It looks like a real Tungsten light and people love the dimming,’ said Steven Batslé. ‘This is still an international show and I’ve seen a lot of people from various territories around the world, but mainly Asia. There is a good combination of pro audio and pro lighting companies here.’ Indeed, many of the lighting and multimedia companies seemed happy with PL&S as Avolites unveiled software updates and new developments in lighting and video integration, while Robe and Clay Paky staged theatrical lightshows on their stands and Christie launched the Pandora’s Box OCTO server.
one could be forgiven for thinking two entirely separate events
here you stand the chance to do business with three, which is pretty good,’ said Alex Schloesser, business development, Asia SE Audiotechnik. days one and two, then on day three there was already a serious three days were good,’ commented Outline Blom. ‘We invite people in advance and they’re happy to come because it’s home ground, we need to have a presence, and we little insecure.’
Peter Klotz, director, Klotz ais, was happy with the attendance said. ‘It’s a valuable showcase to exhibit the latest products, the appointments showed up and we met some new contacts,’ FBT Elettronica products, Ventis, X-Pro and Subline, were well received by our customers.’
commented Outboard Electronics
Lawo
with all the trade shows.’ better,’ said Nexo Fohhn
Antelope Audio
not sure I’ll be coming next year.’ show organisers, in connection with some other companies, and it doesn’t happen here, it’s become a local show. Last year people to be here longer.’ Sennheiser and HK Audio was particularly apparent. All three demonstrations, competitions and an overall buzz that ensured the commercial A/V sector continues to grow, ensuring the all departed. The internet and companies such as Thomann, which embraced speedy deliveries and bigger discounts, have and showrooms. With rents and utilities to pay in addition attendees wandering the show.
integrators travel to ISE nowadays.’
oriented concepts. We need to look at how the days have worked this year, and also at changing the seminar programme because there’s a lot in German, and we need to include our international visitors. We are also looking to see what we could bring in to help the audio and sound recording people. And we’re talking to companies that pulled out, like Sennheiser and Meyer, about ‘The touring season changes, the market changes, and now we have ISE. Maybe the entertainment market is growing more slowly now than the systems integration market. A show is a
The magic potion the Messe organisation created back in the 90s and noughties worked like a charm. However, that very
2017 Dates: 4-7 April
2018 Dates: 10-13 April
Venue: Frankfurt Messe
Total exhibitors: 950
Attendance: 100,000 (combined)
Contact: www.pls.messefrankfurt.com
IT’S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE SOLID STATE LOGIC FIRST dipped its toe into the concert market with the Live series of mixing consoles. To date, a cumulative 12,673 man days have gone into developing the overall platform. followed by the physically smaller L300. Now the British manufacturer has added a third member to the family and is targeting mid-sized productions with the L200. ‘L200 takes the SSL quality, commitment and audio reproduction and offers it to a mid-market production,’ states Richard Ferriday, product manager for SSL Live. ‘Production managers now don’t necessarily have to say “you can’t use an SSL, it’s too expensive”. We’ve got a value proposition which has got all of the SSL brand behind it, sounds great, is easy to use and it’s no longer a mortgage to use one.’
its distinctive shape. ‘It is a very unusual shape for a mixing console,’ agrees Mr Ferriday. ‘However, the shape lends itself to supporting some of the many accessories that you have to surround yourself with these days at the mix position. We’ve created space for the extension screen and the inevitable laptop. We’ve moved all of the important controls, hardware and GUI-based, into the centre of the console and you’ll never have to reach up to the far corner of the console because we don’t have any far corners to put anything on. It’s a very compact, very functional user interface.’
The desk itself offers three 12-channel fader tiles, giving 36 faders in a continuous run plus the focus and master faders, an instant access area for the key bits of hardware that users need to get to quickly, a tablet stand with a USB port and
manufacturer claims to be the brightest in the industry. ‘If you’re working outdoors on a lovely sunny day you’ll still be able to operate the console even in full daylight.’
In terms of I/O, the L200 offers a total maximum potential of 600 inputs, 144 processing paths and up to 600 potential outputs. ‘The architecture of the console and the amount of I/O on the back will support a total of 600 simultaneous sources,’
96 input channels, all of which have full processing. The 96 input channels feed up to 24 Stem groups and a maximum of 48 auxes. There are six masters, so it can
In addition to the 144 paths in the console there is also a 24-channel matrix which sources from 4 x 32 inputs.
continues Mr Ferriday. ‘You can decide how many inputs you need up to a maximum of 96, how many auxiliaries you need a few monitor sends or you need to run 20 stereo in-ears, you build the console the way you want it to work.’
While the desk’s vital statistics are important, it is its connectivity which is perhaps the key feature. ‘If you walk up to the back of an L200 with a cable in your hand, there’s a back that you can plug it into,’ says Mr Ferriday. ‘We offer very comprehensive connectivity.
‘We have Dante inputs and outputs and Madi inputs and outputs,’ he continues. ‘We have our Dante interface which gives us up to 64 ins and 64 outs via Dante. We’ve got eight BNC Madi super analogue mic pres and 12 super analogue line outputs. We have a pair of Blacklight ports which is SSL’s proprietary multi-channel digital audio transport. We use this to connect via
While the desk itself offers plenty of connectivity options, SSL has added to this this by expanding its range of stageboxes
With the release of the L200, Solid State Logic has shown the networked future of its Live family of mixing consolesSSL’s Net I/O SB 32.24 stagebox One aim for the desk is users should be able to plug in any cable
with a Dante-based option for networked audio, the Net I/O SB 32.24. ‘SSL has actually been making network I/O for some time,’ reasons Mr Ferriday. ‘Traditionally this has been a broadcast product, it’s not something we’ve sold into the live market in the past. However, the new Dante stagebox
We’re still using the same super analogue mic pres as we do on the broadcast device, but we now have a different form factor which is more appropriate for live.’
The unit includes 32 mic/line inputs, 16 analogue outs, four AES/EBU inputs and four AES/EBU outputs. However, it is on the back panel where the new stagebox offers something unique. Here there are two pairs of redundant Dante network ports.
‘In addition to the Network A redundant pair, there is a second redundant pair on the back of the box which provides a gain compensated Dante split,’ furthers Mr Ferriday. ‘This channel includes the gain differential audio. The audio coming out of here will not be changed by anything that happens on the input gains from the control console.’
This means that the box can operate as two discrete
networks. ‘These two networks are invisible to each other,’ explains Mr Ferriday. ‘If one is connected to a broadcast truck, the live audio network is invisible to the broadcast truck and whatever they are doing in there is completely invisible to the live network. This is the digital equivalent of a transformer isolated switch. There is no possible interaction between the two networks.’
While the ability to have two separate networks offers some clear advantages, Mr Ferriday is equally convinced that Dante networking in the live environment is a positive thing for engineers to do. He offers the example of a conventional live show setup with an FOH console and a monitor console, a truck to record the show on a separate console and a feed for the house broadcast. ‘We have some conventional Madi I/O and some Dante I/O which is connected directly to the network,’ he begins. ‘The Madi I/O goes
Dante bridge, you then split that off into the Dante network where that is then shared between the FOH console, the recording console, the broadcast console, the OB truck and all of that audio is available to all the desks. It’s bi-directional too, so if you want to take audio back from the broadcast truck, such as the audience mics or the ambience, we can ask the broadcast truck to send us an ambient feed back into the network and we can pick that up where ever we want. It gives
goes to and it allows you to build up very large complex audio networks quite simply and very inexpensively because it is using standard switches and Cat-5 cable.’ Expanding the Live family into different markets was always going to be the sensible option for SSL. But by embracing the potential of audio networking for the concert market, the manufacturer has shown that all that time in development has
THE AGILE DEVELOPMENT methodology was itself developed primarily for projects concerning the building of software. It is designed to minimise risk by breaking down the development into individual stages – or sprints – that tend to run anywhere between one and four weeks and involve work across all stages of the project lifecycle, including planning, analysis, design, coding, unit and acceptance testing. Following each sprint, the progress made is examined and if the sprint is deemed a success, the project will progress to the next stage. If faults are it before moving forwards. This is how Agile works to reduce the risk factor.
Regular stand-up meetings are also held when following the Agile methodology. These are called scrums and can be held as frequently as every day should the project call for it. The purpose of the scrum is to allow stakeholders to update each other with work completed and what they will be working on next, while also serving as a means of identifying any potential problems before the end of the current sprint.
Having gained a positive experience in adopting the methodology for several of its software endeavours, Sennheiser chose development of a piece of hardware: the Digital 6000 wireless microphone system. ‘The core advantage of Agile development is that traditional development methods,’ explains Sennheiser COO Peter Claussen. ‘A classical method, for instance, would see the product to the development team. Depending on the complexity of the product, he would then get and a half. If you take a look at today’s speed of innovation, you will agree that your product
delivered in a given time. Contracts in threeweek sprints are not really feasible, as your purchasing department will explain to you.
‘Also, for hardware, certain things take
So we still have the project lead looking after this schedule.’
So, did working to the Agile methodology result in any changes being made to the end product? ‘We actually managed to implement some exciting extra features,’ Mr Vollmers replies. ‘A good example is the auto-set-up function which was added relatively late in the process. Sound engineers can quickly set the system up without having to consult spectrum analysers or the WSM software.
There are plenty of processes that cannot be squeezed into three-week cycles. Therefore, we adapted by retaining the position of a classical project lead. He was looking after all these longterm processes and the interfaces where Scrum
Another amendment that Sennheiser made to the Agile process was to forgo the role of scrum master. ‘Instead we worked with the project lead,’ says Mr Vollmers. ‘He coached the team, introducing them to all aspects of this development approach. I acted as the product owner, and made it a point to be with the team
‘Another example is the colour of the display,’ the product owner furthers. ‘We would have had yellow LEDs but I knew that the market prefers displays with white LEDs as these are easier to read off. The development team had always voted in favour of yellow LEDs because they have a longer lifetime. So we did extensive climate tests with the most modern white OLEDs and found that they would meet our strict quality requirements too.’
With the Digital 6000 now available, Sennheiser considers its development process a success. ‘We had used the approach for the Control Cockpit software and for programming software for the supply chain,’ notes Mr Claussen. ‘In software development, we were particularly happy with the self-organising teams and the structured sprints. Digital 6000
three weeks, checking whether the due tasks had been completed and planning the next sprint,’ says Tom Vollmers, product owner for the Digital 6000. ‘Individual development sub-teams also had retrospective meetings to evaluate what went well and what didn’t and how they could improve.
‘The sprint cycles were a challenge, because software-driven as they are, they do not take typical industry timeframes into account.
Mr Vollmers also mentions that the entire Digital 6000 team would spend all week working together in a single space. ‘That helped team dynamics and the project a lot,’ he notes. ‘The increased exchange it brought about and
transparency and better communication. ‘Every sub-team knew what the others were working on, and you could align easily,’ says Mr Vollmers. ‘As we had to estimate our working packages every three weeks, we became more and more correct in the estimations of what could be achieved in what time.’
Mr Claussen reveals that there was one disadvantage to working Agile: ‘That is working with external and internal partners who do not know the Agile approach or have different timeframes to consider,’ he says. ‘If you have a development partner, they would expect a
and we are running several development projects in the pro audio sector using Agile now. We are starting to add some consumer products too and our in-house Agile team headphone developers.’
‘In a nutshell: Agile is a transparent to current market needs and delivers on a predictable schedule,’ concludes Mr Vollmers. ‘I think Agile development is the only truly effective way to develop a product. Of course, for our hardware approach we had to adapt the concept and we succeeded in doing this by including a project lead. The Agile routines really worked for us, and working in one big team came up with more and more ideas, making the development process extremely creative and fruitful.’
www.sennheiser.com
Sennheiser opted to employ the Agile methodology typically
development during production of its Digital
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