Pro AVL Asia July–August 2023

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July–August 2023

Editor’s Letter

All of us Blank Canvassers have now returned after months of intensive travel across numerous continents, taking in the glut of tradeshows that reunited the global AV industry during April, May and June. Along the way, we caught up with much-missed industry friends and contacts and visited lots of new projects. The result is a glut of interviews, features and new editorial series to bring you, some of which have made this issue, including a report on the M Resort and Hotel (p50) which Richard Lawn visited in Kuala Lumpur. While in Singapore and Malaysia, Richard also caught up with Generation AV, currently expanding across Asia with its unique blend of sales and marketing support (p66), as well as with Analog Way’s Guy de Souza (p64) and Stage Tec Asia’s Advon Tan (p72).

Meanwhile, my recent jaunt to Mumbai after a four-year absence brought me

up to date with industry developments there – seeing first-hand how that country is booming confirms its status as the third-largest pro AV market in APAC and the fastest-expanding economy in the region. For this issue I interviewed some talented young architects, engineers and musicians who’ve joined Munro Acoustics India (Industry Innovators, p46) and there’ll be lots more from the subcontinent in future editions. For those who lacked the superhuman powers to cover all the tradeshows, our team have done the work – you can vicariously visit KOBA (p58), InfoComm Asia (p60), InfoComm Orlando (p62) and Prolight + Sound Guanghzou (p24) as well as Palm Expo India, BroadcastAsia and the GETshow (pp44–45) in these pages, without the hassle of international travel, visa applications and tired feet.

ARRI opens subsidiary in Singapore

TAG is now powered by sunshine

Technical Audio Group is now making carbon neutral deliveries around Sydney with an all-electric, solar-charged, eight-tonne truck. Having long wanted to improve the certainty of local deliveries, particularly those direct to work sites where access is limited and where timing needs to be flexible and reliable, team TAG researched the options and settled on the SEA 300 EV.

“As a service to our customers, we want to guarantee deliveries and we were finding that local couriers just don’t have the flexibility to wait and make sure difficult deliveries are completed,” said TAG warehouse manager, Shane Linfoot. “You can’t blame them,

environment and the condition of the planet we pass onto the next generation. Every time tag|zero hits the road it serves as a reminder that a carbon neutral solution is not only possible but a serious and viable option. And the lack of exhaust emissions is something everyone out in traffic can enjoy immediately.”

It took 18 months for TAG’s SEA 300 EV to be delivered. The SEA 300 EV utilises a Hino chassis with the diesel engine and gearbox replaced by a SEA-Drive electric power system plus batteries sufficient for a 220km range. The company manufactures around five electric trucks every week at its Dandenong,

Established in 2008, ARRI Asia-Pacific initially operated from Hong Kong. Fifteen years later, the company has relocated to Singapore to further bolster the moving image industry in the region.

To mark the occasion, ARRI Asia-Pacific organised a grand ceremony with an open house and a party. The top management team from the headquarters in Germany, including executive board members Dr Matthias Erb and Lars Weyer, as well as

challenge and a significant milestone for our company. I am incredibly proud to say that this opening is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. With this move, ARRI is now even better equipped to serve the Asia Pacific market and meet the increasing demand for our products and services. ARRI Asia-Pacific is now structured around four strong hubs allowing us to better support our clients and promote industry growth throughout the region.”

they’re on a tight schedule and have to complete their runs, but it doesn’t work when one of our deliveries is critical and that’s why we made the decision to take control of those sort of deliveries ourselves.”

“On paper an eight-tonne electric truck is an eye-watering investment that doesn’t make financial sense,” stated TAG CFO, Craig Durrant. “If it was purely a business decision, we wouldn’t have taken the leap but there are much bigger factors at play here, like the

warehouse roof, tag|zero is charged directly from the sun. “There’s something beautiful and compelling about turning sunlight into local deliveries,” said Linfoot. “We’re working our solar array pretty hard now with nine electric warehouse vehicles, the odd EV charging up and now tag|zero.”

www.sea-electric.com

www.tag.com.au

AtlasIED and Fyne Audio announce collaboration

industry leaders and key players from APAC’s moving image industry, graced the festivities. ARRI Asia is part of ARRI Asia Pacific, which also includes ARRI Korea, ARRI Japan and ARRI Australia. Together, the subsidiaries provide sales and services to the entire Asia Pacific region. “The inauguration of the Singapore subsidiary in the heart of the Asia Pacific market symbolises a new phase in ARRI’s venture in the region. It shows how vital the region, including its emerging markets, is for ARRI. Together with our customers, we plan to significantly increase our activities here,” said Erb.

Bertrand Dauphant, ARRI Asia Pacific MD, added: “Completing the establishment of our Singapore subsidiary was a tremendous

Primely located in Marina Centre, Singapore, the new corporate office spans 335m2 and boasts a modern design with facilities for both customers and staff. The facility features a multipurpose creative space that can be easily converted for equipment demonstrations, ARRI Academy training, company events and more. The office also includes an open-concept workspace, adaptable meeting rooms and a collaboration corner to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Furthermore, the subsidiary in Singapore houses a fully equipped 280m2 service centre to cater for maintenance and repair of ARRI products. In addition, the service centre includes a warehouse space to ensure clients receive products promptly.

www.arri.com

AtlasIED has announced a strategic investment in UK-based loudspeaker manufacturer, Fyne Audio. The partnership combines AtlasIED’s expertise in integrated solutions with Fyne Audio’s premium transducer technologies to open broader market opportunities for both companies.

“When we started looking at premium solutions for commercial audio, our team knew they wanted to harness the advantages of point source technology and began a collaboration with Fyne Audio,” said Matt Czyzewski, EVP of AtlasIED. John Ivey, president of AtlasIED, continued: “Our long-term commitment to the company and the technology was further demonstrated

by making a significant investment in Fyne Audio, and establishing a collaborative partnership.”

“AtlasIED is one of the most respected companies in the industry and has decades of experience delivering commercial audio products and solutions,” said Anji Sosna, managing director at Fyne Audio. “As we’ve observed the evolution of the audio industry, we recognised AtlasIED as the ideal partner for us to reach our goals and create more opportunities for Fyne Audio technology to delight customers in more markets.”

www.atlasied.com

www.fyneaudio.com

SINGAPORE

The opening ceremony

Powersoft signs partnership with Vega Global

Powersoft has announced the signing of an agreement with Vega Global, for the supply of professional amplifiers to expand and strengthen the audio solutions it offers to end

Luca Lastrucci, CEO of Powersoft. “As shown in the 2022 Annual Report, Powersoft is reaping important results in economic terms; growing revenues and margins prompt us to be

Martin Audio visits Singapore and Generation AV

Generation AV recently hosted its first Martin Audio APAC Distributor meeting in Singapore. Over 30 Martin Audio business partners across Asia Pacific attended the meeting.

The APAC Distributor Meeting provided an opportunity for distributors to come together to network, connect, learn and experience the latest products and technology from Martin Audio. This event was also a great opportunity for distributors to connect with partners from other countries and to share their successes and experiences throughout the years. In conjunction with the meeting, this event was also the launch of Generation AV’s new Experience Centre in Singapore. The Experience Centre acts as the main hub for all distributors and their clients to gather and experience the latest products from Martin Audio.

During the APAC Distributor Meeting, the latest Martin Audio products – FLEXPOINT and TORUS 8 – were introduced. This was the first time all distribution partners got to hear these products. Dominic Harter, MD of Martin Audio, and Bradley Watson, Martin Audio global sales director, were in attendance to lead the demonstrations. In addition to the product

demos, there was plenty of discussion on future roadmaps, operations and the business in general.

“Martin Audio recognises one of our biggest potentials for growth today is in Asia, which is why we invested in the Experience Centre alongside Generation AV. Having all our partners in one location for the distributor meeting, to share and recognise their achievements, was just incredible,” Harter said.

Dave McKinney, Generation AV managing director, added: “A big thank you to all our distributors for making the trip across to our first Martin Audio distributor meeting in APAC. Due to the success, this will become an annual event; however, we look forward to welcoming partners with their customers during the year.”

At the event, Martin Audio and Generation AV presented awards to the top-performing distributors in Asia Pacific in 2022, encouraging distributors to continue their great effort in building the Martin Audio brand in their market.

www.generationav.net

www.martin-audio.com

its portfolio of amplifiers: Duecanali and Quattrocanali Series, Mezzo Series and UNICA. With this agreement, Powersoft will be able to better understand customers’ needs and explore new audio product opportunities, increasing its presence and visibility in target markets and new areas. Vega will complement the audio solutions offered to its end customers with a focus on the corporate and hospitality markets.

“Working with a partner like Vega Global represents an opportunity for us to maintain a competitive advantage in the market and ensure the mutual cross-pollination of knowhow. This partnership is part of Powersoft’s strategic and development path, undertaken by the company to enhance its potential and find new and unique technological solutions to increase its global presence,” commented

to our clients,” said Matthew Deayton, deputy CEO of Vega Global. “As a business, we are committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences and adding value to our clients, and we believe this partnership will enable us to do just that. We look forward to building a strong and successful relationship together.” On a separate note, Vega Global has announced that by the end of Q3 this year, it aims to provide its entire range of solutions through various flexible options such as pay-per-use, risk and revenue sharing and as-a-Service models. This approach intends to provide the flexibility to upgrade equipment when needs change, all while receiving ongoing support throughout the payment term.

www.powersoft.com

www.vega-global.com

Vichai Group reflects on the Journey of Friendship

Staged at the company’s recently constructed headquarters in Bangkok’s Wattana district, Vichai Group has celebrated its 40th anniversary. The lavish affair, themed as “The Journey of Friendship”, welcomed an assortment of distinguished Thai and international guests, clients, suppliers and friends stretching back four decades.

Established in 1983 by Kittisak Sopchokchai, Vichai Trading has grown over four decades to become one of Thailand’s most recognised AV systems integrators. The Vichai Trading Group of Companies comprises three subsidiaries: Sound & Communication handles the distribution sales of international AV products to a vast network of dealers and AV contractors throughout Thailand, DigitControl manages residential AV systems integration and Audio

Engineering Service provides after-sales service support and service contracts.

Following aperitifs served on the fifth-floor terrace, founder Kittisak Sopchokchai, president Thaweesak Thamsirisup and managing director Thitikorn Sopchokchai gave warming speeches to a packed auditorium of assembled guests. Those speeches focused on the friendship and trust of customers, suppliers and its long serving staff, acknowledging that the 40th anniversary milestone had been achieved with credit to them all. The jacketed management team took to the stage for a rousing performance, before the same live band with a brass section provided a musical accompaniment throughout the evening.

www.vichai.group

Powersoft and Vega Global at InfoComm Asia

AAA to fill in the APAC gaps

individual promoting Røde Microphones, Soundscape, Numark, Genelec, Mackie, EAW, AMS Neve and Adam Audio regionally for distribution companies, Kontakt and ProAktiv.

As APAC sales and marketing director for the German cable and audio interface company Klotz ais, Mahtani spent seven years establishing and emboldening the regional sales network. He then spent a further seven years strengthening the APAC sales network and increasing revenues for the German microphone and headphone producer, beyerdynamic.

involved in live sound and studio engineering, Mahtani is fluent in “talk tech” within the respective audio communities.

As the co-founder of location sound broadcast solutions company, Mic Check One Two, Mahtani and his team have provided technical solutions for shows including Asia’s Got Talent, The Apprentice Asia, Masterchef Asia, Asia’s Next Top Model, The Asian Dream, Caeser Recruits Asia and Bachelorette Japan

Institute Singapore, Mahtani was an industrious

Mahtani is well established in the industry and has played fundamental roles in securing largescale projects, including the recent equipping of beyerdynamic’s Tour Guide Systems within the Sydney Opera House. Mahtani has built a reputation as a go-to-person in the design of application-based F&B and retail outlets. He has built a strong regional network of distributors, systems integrators, consultants, engineers and venue owners. An all-round musician who continues to be passionately

Audiotonix acquires sonible

Located in Graz, Austria, sonible’s assistive mixing plugins are said to have provided a new generation of processing production tools for engineers and audio creatives with “uniquely intuitive” usability and “workflowenhancing” features at their core. sonible’s product portfolio also includes multichannel amplifiers for audio installations dedicated to science and research, and speaker technology for delivering 3D immersive soundscapes. It will join the growing Audiotonix brand portfolio of audio technology and solutions companies, which includes Allen & Heath, Calrec, DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Group One, Harrison, KLANG:technologies, Slate Digital, Solid State Logic and Sound Devices. audio creation,” stated James Gordon, CEO

d&b joins the UN Global Compact initiative

d&b Group, as well as its subsidiaries d&b audiotechnik and d&b solutions, has announced that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative – a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices.

As members of the Global Compact, d&b Group and its subsidiaries will have the opportunity to collaborate with other companies, civil society organisations and UN agencies, to exchange best practices and to contribute to collective action towards sustainable development.

The UN Global Compact is an initiative that calls on companies to align their

operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, companies can make a positive impact on society while also supporting the UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Social Governance have become key concepts in the business world in recent years, but for us are far more than just buzzwords, they are important guidelines and metrics that we have placed at the heart of our business,”

Aiming to inspire APAC expansion for companies lacking representation, AAA is a low-cost alternative stripped of the complexities of employment and incorporation. “AAA can deliver tangible results for manufacturers looking to gain leverage in the region with a minimal investment,” declared Mahtani from his Singapore-based headquarters. “Coming from both sides of the supply chain, AAA fully understands the importance of aligning business strategy and prompt support for customers.”

www.audioassist.asia

our other Audiotonix brands. The potential to utilise sonible’s intelligence in our other brands will be a ground-breaking proposition for all our customers.”

Ralf Baumgartner, CEO and co-founder sonible, commented: “As a team, our mix of highly skilled engineers and creative individuals have been on a very special

the heart of sonible. It’s been clear from our passion in evolving innovative and disruptive

such as these have produced tremendous positive social and environmental outcomes and have improved the lives of millions of people in the workplace and in communities

Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact

15,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, as

Kamal Mahtani

Amnon Harman seals the deal

Analog Devices expands in Singapore

Analog Devices Inc (ADI) has announced the launch of a new, environmentally friendly 3,668m in Singapore. Located within the Kallang Industrial Park, the facility is planned to serve as a central hub for the more than 200 employees working in Singapore in key divisions of the company, including research and development, test engineering, sales and manufacturing. ADI established its first location in Singapore in 1995 and has steadily grown its operations and workforce since then. This new strategic investment aligns with the company’s global expansion plans, which include enhancing its capabilities in the Asia Pacific region.

“Our new facility is an important milestone in ADI’s global growth strategy,” said Jerry Fan, president of Asia for ADI. “Enhancing our capabilities in Singapore is vital to leveraging the country’s superb talent pool and advanced manufacturing capabilities to serve our regional and global customers’ needs. Our investment reinforces ADI’s presence within Singapore’s thriving semiconductor ecosystem, which is supported by the nation’s digital growth initiatives.”

The new facility features a more spacious and advanced laboratory to foster interaction between the research and development team as well as customers in the region. Through this forum for the exchange of ideas, ADI

and its customers plan to deepen their collaboration and deliver products for the Intelligent Edge. In addition, a dedicated space has been allocated for test development purposes within the new facility, custom-tailored to accommodate

multiple automated test equipment (ATE) stations. These onsite testing stations are designed to enable faster initial testing of ADI’s products and accelerate the manufacturer’s ability to meet its customers’ challenges.

Fan continued: “Customer intimacy, business strategy, engineering processes, manufacturing capabilities and problem-solving are essential for creating long-term value for our customers. We are confident the environment within our new facility will help us deliver the kind of innovation that leads to breakthrough products and services, and we believe it will have a lasting impact on the region’s ongoing digital transformation journey.”

Location selection and build criteria for the site prioritised accessibility and sustainability. The new office is bicycle-friendly, close to public transportation and is directly accessible via expressways. Recyclable materials were used throughout construction, with energy-efficient AC, lighting and water systems all part of its advanced building automation system.

www.analog.com

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Robe lighting acquires Avolites

Robe lighting has acquired Avolites, a company known for its design and manufacture of lighting and video control products.

“This is a great acquisition for Robe,” stated Josef Valchar, CEO of Robe lighting. “Avolites has always been at the pinnacle of lighting control with products that complement our lighting fixtures; this will add significant value to sales made throughout the global distribution networks of both companies.”

The acquisition of the Avolites business is an important part of Robe’s strategic future growth plan. Avolites will remain based in the UK and

will continue under the existing leadership team. Robe is said to have a wealth of resources that will assist Avolites in accelerating its ambitious

innovation and product development programmes. “The Avolites leadership team wanted to ensure the best outcome for our employees, customers, suppliers and the brand,” commented Avolites MD Paul Wong. “Robe is an ideal home that will enable us to achieve just that, while maintaining our core values. Robe is a great fit for everyone associated with Avolites.”

www.avolites.com

www.robe.cz

Microhire strengthens partnerships in luxury hotel industry

Recently, Microhire also provided onsite technical production management for the Avalon Air Show. “Microhire delivered the full suite of audiovisual requirements for the onsite Conference Centre in addition to the organiser feature area, corporate chalet line and specialty exhibitor installations. The team maintained a high level of professionalism, customer service and positive attitude to not only the AMDA organiser team but to our clients, even when faced with complicated last-minute requests,” said Glenn Owen, GM, event operations, AMDA Foundation.

Australian-owned audiovisual and event staging services supplier, Microhire, has announced its recent partnership deals with luxury hotel chains The Ritz-Carlton and Le Meridien Hotels in Melbourne. This will see Microhire become the in-house partner, providing full AV services for the hotels’ clients, further solidifying its position as a trusted AV partner in the hotel industry.

Jamie Hughes, CEO, Microhire, said: “We are proud to be partnering with two of the most iconic hotel brands in the world. Our commitment to investing in state-of-the-art technology operated by our dedicated and talented team has led to the great partnerships with The RitzCarlton, Melbourne and Le Meridien Melbourne and we can’t wait to work with their clients to deliver an elevated event experience.”

Absen joins GPA’s Global Partner Program

Absen has joined the GPA Global Partner Program, which will see the manufacturer strengthen its supply chain and provide local contact points for its global customers across 50 countries. The GPA partnership will help support Absen’s global coverage and ensure a “strong and prolific” offering of its LED displays to new and existing customers.

“Absen brings over 20 years’ experience powering 50,000 installations to the GPA Partner Program,” commented Mike Stead, GPA’s director, global partnerships. “Through this united partnership, customers have access to understand, influence and benefit from the combined power of China’s leading LED manufacturer with the expertise of the world’s largest AV integrator.”

“We are delighted to be joining the GPA Global Partner Program,” said Darren Banks, industry development director for corporate at Absen. “I’m looking forward to expanding our sales reach into new areas through the GPA network of customers and partners. I’m sure it will be a beneficial partnership that will help us deliver on our shared goals.”

www.absen.com

Antony Page, GM, The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, said: “Microhire’s ‘guest first’ approach, on- and off-property professionalism and world-class audiovisual solutions align with our values. I look forward to the joint commitment to our partnership demonstrated through the many event successes for our guests and clients.”

“These new business wins are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have risen to the challenge and adapted to meet the changing needs of our partners. Our unwavering commitment to investing in technology, coupled with our dedication to delivering worldclass events with our partners, has positioned us for success in this new era of event and technology services,” added Jamie Hughes, CEO, Microhire.

www.microhire.com.au

Yealink becomes PSNI Global PVP

PSNI Global Alliance has announced Yealink as its latest Global Preferred Vendor Partner (PVP). The PSNI Global Alliance PVP programme connects vendors such as Yealink with PSNI’s Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to pursue market opportunities, and enable worldwide, standardised solutions to its customers.

“We are pleased to partner with PSNI Global Alliance and bring together our leading Teams and Zoom Rooms devices and UC&C solutions to global customers,” commented Rowena Fan, vice president of Yealink’s global channel.

“PSNI Global Alliance is known for its powerful AV networks and capabilities to improve the integrations and optimisation of pro AV solutions. This partnership will offer strong support for our business.”

Considered a market leader in the UC&C space, Yealink ranked number one in the global market share of IP Phone and is a top five leader in the videoconferencing market, according to a 2021 Frost & Sullivan report.

“We are delighted to welcome Yealink’s expertise to the PSNI Global Alliance,” added Tom Roberts, director of vendor programmes for PSNI Global Alliance. www.psni.org

ASG partners with Zero Density

ASG has invested in Zero Density’s line of real-time virtual studio, augmented reality and graphics technology designed for broadcast, esports and live events. The partnership expands ASG’s portfolio with options from Zero Density’s series of real-time virtual studio, AR/XR and broadcast on-air graphics solutions. “They have an

camera tracking data makes a production much more photorealistic in real time,” Van Hoy added. “They’re taking photorealistic XR to a new level. We believe it’s the highest quality available today.”

Yavuz Bahadıroğlu, Zero Density’s director of global channel management director for the US and Canada, echoed Van Hoy’s

Q-SYS acquires Seervision

Q-SYS has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Seervision, a Swiss-based industry company creating AI-driven camera automation software. The acquisition accelerates the Q-SYS strategy to develop and deliver a scalable and flexible software platform with intelligent audio, video and control technology that supports integration with unified communications and videoconferencing applications in the era of post-pandemic hybrid work.

As part of the transaction, the Seervision founders and team will be joining Q-SYS.

and Seervision will bring the industry’s best engineering talent, technology and resources together to create a new class of high-performance AV solutions that set a new bar for our industry. I am beyond excited this impressive team will become part of Q-SYS and, together, we are very well positioned to redefine intelligent video collaboration in multiple applications.”

exceptional technology that we can deploy at our clients’ sites to yield what we believe is some of the highest quality XR-based production,” explained Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We’re also very impressed with their customer track record. They’re highly recommended by their existing client base. These are things that we evaluate carefully as we decide who to partner with.”

“They have a unique methodology for realtime rendering videowall backgrounds that when combined with their method of using

optimism about the partnership: “We’ve seen the incredible work that ASG’s done with innovative installs and we’re thrilled to be partnering with such a talented team. We foresee a very bright future from this collaboration and know that together, we can help creatives deliver more realistic, eye-catching visuals more easily than ever before.”

www.asgllc.com

www.zerodensity.tv

Lawo joins SRT Alliance

“Making AV smarter by innovating at the software layer is part of our DNA,” said Jatan Shah, president and COO, QSC. “The Seervision team are proven innovators and best-in-class technical professionals with industry-leading experience and expertise in many strategic technology areas including video, computer vision and imaging, artificial intelligence/machine learning, motion prediction and real-time control, cloud and virtualisation. The combination of Q-SYS

“We are embarking on a thrilling journey as we unite with the Q-SYS team,” said Nikos Kariotoglou, co-founder and CEO, Seervision. “We believe this acquisition signifies a pivotal moment in the AV industry’s evolution towards a future defined by intelligent and scalable AV software platforms. Together with Q-SYS, we envision an open ecosystem fostering innovation and delivering novel capabilities and solutions to our diverse markets and customers. Exciting times lie ahead, and we are ready to shape the future of AV technology.”

www.qsc.com

www.seervision.com

while future apps will be able to process media data packets after they have been converted by the HOME Stream Transcoder, another containerised microservice processing app that will be available later this year. Lawo also expects that other applications, such as the ability to use a mix of SDI-, SRT- and ST2110-compatible cameras, OTT streaming and the fast retrieval of assets, will also benefit from its support of SRT.

Peavey joins community

WORLD

ALC NetworX has welcomed Peavey to the RAVENNA community. Under the RAVENNA partnership, Peavey has developed “sNET” – a single IP-based network

With Lawo and Haivision having announced the German broadcast manufacturer’s joining of the SRT Alliance, Lawo’s newly introduced HOME Apps will therefore support streams received in the SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) format. This includes the ability to transcode and transmit a variety of incoming source streams to SRT-compatible destinations.

“With the SRT Alliance, Lawo is joining an industry movement to improve the way the world streams video,” said Pablo Hesse, VP strategic initiatives at Haivision and director of the SRT Alliance. “SRT optimises

streaming performance across unpredictable networks with secure streams and easy firewall traversal, bringing the best-quality live video over the worst networks. We’re pleased to see the SRT protocol being actively implemented by some of the world’s biggest broadcast and enterprise streaming workflows as its adoption and industry-wide recognition continues to grow, becoming the de-facto standard for low-latency internet streaming.”

Three HOME Apps – Multiviewer, UDX conversion with HDR processing and Graphic Inserter – natively support SRT,

“Lawo’s aim with its new HOME Apps offering is to put broadcasters firmly in the driver’s seat by allowing them to select the production tools they require to tell compelling stories from the largest possible pool of options,” commented Phil Myers, CTO at Lawo. “Amid the growing diversity of deliverables and the race towards ever more content, it’s difficult to see how the future of broadcast workflows will be covered by SMPTE ST2110 alone. Lawo recognises the benefits offered by SRT and is pleased to be part of the SRT Alliance.”

www.lawo.com

www.srtalliance.org

infrastructure technology which will work at the core of its future MediaMatrix products.

Peavey commercial audio general manager, Shayne Thomas, said: “With a proven track record of 30 years and industry-wide recognition as a pioneer in the development of cutting-edge DSP technologies, it is only fitting that we integrate RAVENNA as part

DiGiCo’s Q338 arrives in Vietnam

VIETNAM

DiGiCo has unveiled its Quantum 338 128-channel mixing console in Vietnam to coincide with the Pro Light and Sound Equipment (PLASE) tradeshow at the National Exhibition Construction Centre (NECC). Both events took place in Hanoi.

DiGiCo’s vice president of sales, Ian Staddon, had travelled to the Vietnamese capital to support local distributor, Stage Professional, at both events. Held at the

As well as DiGiCo, international brands including d&b audiotechnik – also distributed by Stage Professional – as well as Allen & Heath, Adamson, Yamaha and Harman all had a presence on the show floor, alongside companies representing locally made products as well as many Chinese manufacturers and OEM suppliers. Loudspeaker demonstrations took place outdoors, with local and Chinese manufacturers joining European and US brands such as d&b, Amate and JBL.

www.digico.biz

by around 45–50 professionals from all over Vietnam from the live sound, studio recording, broadcasting and event production sectors.

“During the launch event, we had a live music entertainment sequence to add to the overall experience,” commented Nguyen Quoc Huy, sound engineer at Stage Professional. “It was a great opportunity for attendees to witness the capabilities of the Q338 desk in action.”

RAVENNA

of the supported audio protocols in conjunction with MediaMatrix sNET –AES67 audio streaming, control and monitoring over Ethernet.”

Andreas Hildebrand, RAVENNA evangelist at ALC NetworX, said: “Peavey, with its commercial audio branch, is a world-leading manufacturer of network-based audio processing and distribution systems. Peavey’s decision to base their new sNET audio streaming protocol on RAVENNA technology demonstrates that RAVENNA’s core genes, originating from the most exacting demands of the broadcast industry, are a perfect match for the ever-growing requirements of the commercial audio industry.”

www.peaveycommercialaudio. com

www.ravenna-network.com

Ross Video makes it real

“I think of it as more than a brand platform,” said Ross. “It’s an invitation and a rallying cry to customers, partners, future employees and everyone in the industry to challenge ourselves. Let’s imagine what could be. Let’s figure it out. Let’s make it real.”

Ross Video has announced the launch of its new brand platform and tagline, “Let’s Make it Real”. The visually dynamic platform is said to be represent a significant milestone in the company’s evolution, reflecting its commitment to customer imagination and enabling the transformation of ideas into reality. This is an important step towards a planned initial public offering (IPO) in the next few years to communicate

that customers remain the central focus for the company. The brand platform serves as an invitation to customers, partners and industry professionals to challenge conventional thinking, imagine the extraordinary and collaborate with Ross to bring their creative visions to life.

“Offering customers a superior experience has been at the core of Ross since the founding of the company.

Turning customer ideas into reality is literally what we do and always have done,” said David Ross, CEO of Ross Video. “That’s why we’re so excited about this new brand platform and what it holds for our future; it’s authentic to who we are and the partnership dynamic we hold so dear. With the planned IPO coming up, we feel it’s important to reemphasise our commitment to customer success.”

The Multichannel Flagship

“Our technology is in more settings and hands than ever, and our customers are using it to design stunning productions on a daily basis,” said Jeff Moore, EVP and CMO of Ross Video. “This new brand platform welcomes our customers’ visionary thinking and puts them in the driver’s seat so that they can dream up creative solutions alongside us. The vibrance and energy of the new visual system is a significant evolution for Ross and a massive step in conveying who we are to this broader audience. It’s also fitting that this great work was a team effort. External partners bringing fresh eyes complimented by Ross staff who know and own the brand.”

The platform will anchor all marketing and communication efforts, including a revamped website. It is designed to communicate how Ross has become a “cornerstone of the industry” while remaining “laser-focused” on customer success.

www.rossvideo.com

Qvest acquires tm stagetec systems

Qvest has strengthened its position in Australia and New Zealand through the integration of tm stagetec systems. With the new Qvest Australia hub, the company can now offer all global Qvest Group practices in this region as well. Customers of Qvest now have access to a broader range of offerings to meet the challenges of its digital transformation

we are consistently strengthening our global presence. At the same time, it is a clear signal of commitment to customers in the Australia and New Zealand region, which is of great relevance to us. Our new regional hub at Qvest Australia with Mark, Treva and their team, will enable us to implement a substantial Qvest knowledge transfer to this region.”

and remain competitive in the information, communications and technology industry. tm stagetec will be fully integrated into the global Qvest Group and will operate in future as Qvest Australia with all employees and the management team. The specialised practices from tm stagetec such as professional audio, systems integration as well as its expertise in network and management tools like DataMiner, will enrich Qvest’s existing offerings and practices and allow the company to stay at the forefront of innovation in the industry.

Treva Head, managing director at tm stagetec systems, said: “We very much look forward to

Mark Lownds, general manager at tm stagetec systems, added: “This is a time of growth for our company in which to gain the knowledge, resources and opportunities of a global entity that has a unique local perspective in each of the markets that it serves. As we move to become known as Qvest Australia, we look forward to better meeting the technology integration needs of our current clients and to expanding in our key industries to take on more complex and larger-scale projects.”

www.tm-systems.com.au

L–R: Mark Lownds, Treva Head and Peter Nöthen

New Chinese partnership for Biamp Pan Acoustics heads down under with CMI

With a continued focus on rapid expansion across the APAC region, Biamp has increased its existing sales channel by appointing Shanghai You Shi Wei Xin Electronics Technology to provide local inventory, sales account management,

deepen and expand our cooperation in a more direct manner,” said Niclas Brattberg, Biamp GM, Middle East and APAC. “Having inventory readily available in China will further underpin continued growth across the expanding range of Biamp solutions and enhance our commitment to delivering extraordinary service for our customers in China.”

marketing programmes, training and support in Mainland China.

“We are thrilled to partner with Shanghai You Shi Wei Xin, which has a wellestablished team and presence across Mainland China. We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership for a long time and so it made perfect sense to

“This is not only a perfect addition to Shanghai You Shi Wei Xin, but also represents our shared values in our pursuit of innovation and service excellence. We have seen Biamp’s commitment to growth and broader AV solutions that adapt to ever-changing IT environments. With this partnership, we will create a new benchmark for customer service in China,” said Stevie Ng, director of business development at Shanghai You Shi Wei Xin.

www.biamp.com

CMI Music & Audio has signed a new distribution partnership with Pan Acoustics to bring the German manufacturer’s audio solutions into the Australian market. Based in Wolfenbüttel, Pan Acoustics has been in business for more than 20 years. The brand provides solutions for all types of projects, from theatres and churches to train stations and conference rooms, with a focus on ensuring the best possible communication even in acoustically challenging environments.

“I was already looking for a partner in Australia and New Zealand over the past year to introduce our solutions in the region for the first time,” commented Pan Acoustics head of global sales Johannes Kampert. “When I met CMI at Integrated Systems Europe, I

LEA Professional expands to Vietnam

LEA Professional has unveiled its distribution partnership with Tech Sound of Hanoi, Vietnam. This partnership allows LEA Professional to increase support for its existing customers in Vietnam, as well as further develop new opportunities in the country.

Co-founded in 2022 by Nam Am Thanh and Le Ngoc Diep, Tech Sound is a distributor of pro audio equipment in Vietnam and is committed to bringing the most advanced audio technology to the market, along with sound engineering services. “We are so proud and happy to represent the LEA brand and the company’s innovative IoT and pro audio power amplifier technologies in the Vietnamese market,” commented Nam, president and CEO of Tech Sound.

“LEA Professional produces an extremely intelligent power amplifier with many features

Web UI, to name a few,” added Nam. “The one feature that clearly sets LEA above the rest is the company’s commitment to sustainability and

“We are excited about the energy and enthusiasm Nam and the Tech Sound team bring to the LEA brand,” said David Wong of

immediately felt that this would be a great fit. The team has a passion for audio that you can feel immediately, and the level of expertise in the pro audio and design team is stunning. Passion, know-how and reliability are some of the core values Pan Acoustics stands for, and I have no doubt that CMI will pass these values on to our new customers.”

www.cmi.com.au

www.pan-acoustics.de

Generation AV, LEA’s representative in Asia. “They know the Vietnamese market well, their salespeople are extremely skilled and they are strongly committed to customer service and bringing the very best products to the marketplace.”

“I would like to welcome Tech Sound to the LEA family,” commented Scott Robbins, vice president of sales, LEA Professional. “Mr Nam and his team have an infectious enthusiasm for our brand and our breakthrough technology, and I am thrilled to have them on board in Vietnam. Tech Sound is a key piece of our efforts at growing the LEA brand in the APAC region.”

www.leaprofessional.com

www.techsound.vn

CHINA

The LEA and Tech Sound team

Midwich APAC has announced a new distribution partnership in Australia with Neat, the Oslo-based video device company. Neat devices are said to help support businesses’ environmental goals by including unique experiences such as smart room sensor technology, which allows customers to monitor air quality, and people counting for healthier, lowercost rooms. Important in today’s new hybrid world of work, Neat aims to bridge the gap between in-room and remote

participants, giving its users a natural, engaging experience no matter where they are working from.

As part of the partnership agreement, Midwich will leverage its extensive network and expertise to introduce Neat to new customers and markets. This agreement will allow Neat to expand its reach and hopefully accelerate growth.

“We are beyond excited to partner with Neat,” commented Dan Fletcher, managing director of Midwich APAC. “Their products

are paving the way for meeting room solutions and align perfectly with our strategic goals of delivering exceptional value to our customers. We look forward to working with Neat in building beneficial relationships with our shared customers.”

“Midwich has a well-established reputation in the Australian market. Partnering with them gives us a tremendous opportunity to expand our business and bring our solutions to a broader audience,” stated Danielle

Rudman, channel partner manager ANZ at Neat.

In another move from Midwich, Starin, a Midwich Group Company, has announced a partnership with Just Add Power. Leveraging Starin’s service, support and full solution approach, Just Add Power’s full line of 3G Ultra and MaxColor Series solutions will be available from the company.

www.midwich.com.au

www.neat.no

Midwich announces Aussie partnership with Neat SoundTube goes with Blitzkrieg AV

SoundTube Entertainment has announced a new strategic partnership with Blitzkrieg AV, a pro audio distributor headquartered in Bengaluru, India. This new alliance promises to deliver audio experiences with local inventory and support to the rapidly growing Indian market.

LINEAR 9

THE SCALABLE LONG THROW LINE

Professional point source family

Professional point source family

Scalable system through horizontal clustering of the LINEAR 9 210 LTA

Scalable system through horizontal clustering of the LINEAR 9 210 LTA

HK Audio’s custom-designed, rotatable multicell transformer for maximum sound pressure with unprecedented sonic depth

HK Audio’s custom-designed, rotatable multicell transformer for maximum sound pressure with unprecedented sonic depth

Modern and updatable DSP at the heart of every LINEAR 9 speaker

Modern and updatable DSP at the heart of every LINEAR 9 speaker

2 x 10“ high-performance mid/high unit, two multifunctional speakers and two powerful 18“ subwoofers

2 x 10“ high-performance mid/high unit, two multifunctional speakers and two powerful 18“ subwoofers

Blitzkrieg AV, founded in 2018, brings over 15 years of experience in sales, consulting, systems integration and distribution to the partnership. With a deep understanding of the pro audio market, both technologically and geographically, Blitzkrieg AV is well positioned to help SoundTube extend its reach in India.

“Blitzkrieg AV has distinguished itself as a hub for partners to experience and test products in person in their extensive showroom. Their commitment to keeping critical spares and standby equipment on-hand for mission-critical installs offers our partners the confidence to focus on other areas of their businesses,” said Mitul Soni, techno commercial lead, India, for SoundTube.

K Keerthi from Blitzkrieg said: “We are excited to expand SoundTube’s innovative audio product lines in India. This partnership aligns with our vision to deliver the best in audio technology to our customers. We look forward to a fruitful relationship with SoundTube.”

www.blitzkriegav.com

www.soundtube-int.mseaudio.com

Non-networked speakers can be integrated into the LINEAR 9 network through DSP Out

Non-networked speakers can be integrated into the LINEAR 9 network through DSP Out

Straightforward setup thanks to the lockable PowerCon and PowerCon Link connectors

Straightforward setup thanks to the lockable PowerCon and PowerCon Link connectors

HK Audio DuoTilt for all mid/high units enables optimal adjustment of the dispersion pattern

HK Audio DuoTilt for all mid/high units enables optimal adjustment of the dispersion pattern

Road-ready features thanks to sturdy birch multiplex cabinet and resistant PU coating

Road-ready features thanks to sturdy birch multiplex cabinet and resistant PU coating

Engineered and made in Germany

Engineered and made in Germany

K Keerthi

Madrix expands Indian footprint with Hi-Tech

Madrix, German developer and manufacturer of LED lighting control solutions, has announced a new distribution partnership with Delhi-based Hi-Tech Audio & Image for India.

“We have always experienced the booming Indian LED-lighting market first-hand at PALM Expo and saw an enormous interest in our products; especially this year. It’s a trend that has only continued in this fast-growing country and it is important that we serve our local customers with the right products and fast delivery times. By partnering with Hi-Tech Audio & Image, we are making sure that we are reaching more customers to supply them with the control hardware and software they want for their projects thanks to LED fixtures that are getting more and more affordable,” explained Christian Hertel, business development at Madrix.

Hi-Tech already represent well-known lighting brands, including MA Lighting, Clay Paky,

ETC, ADJ and Luminex. Madrix was said to be the next natural choice for clubs, residential projects and the growing façade market.

“Madrix products are appreciated by lighting designers worldwide. For us, it’s an honour to be associated with such a highly acclaimed brand who has revolutionised the professional lighting industry. We trust the expertise of Madrix and look forward to achieving new milestones,” said Hi-Tech Audio & Image managing director, Nirdosh Aggarwal.

“As head of the lighting department at Hi-Tech, I am very keen to learn all about Madrix products. The symbiosis of hardware and software offered by the team from Germany is phenomenal. Thanks to this new partnership, we plan to offer flawless lighting solutions to our clients,” added Yash Gupta, vice president sales and marketing, Hi-Tech Audio & Image.

www.hitechavl.com

www.madrix.com

Funktion-One selects Gearlounge for Korea Nixer appoints PAT as its ANZ distributor

expertise in the region will help us expand our footprint and promote our solutions to an increasing number of users.”

tools, switches and patches for audio-over-IP (AoIP) applications including Dante, RAVENNA, AES67 and ST2110. Nixer Pro Audio’s solutions are relied upon by professional sound engineers, broadcast studios and pro audio rental companies for critical on-air audio monitoring within live, install and broadcast environments.

Nixer Pro Audio’s sales director, Mark Townsend, commented: “We believe we have found the right partner in Australia and New Zealand in Professional Audio & Television, they not only cover the pro audio and broadcast market in both countries well, they are also known for the their pre- and post-sales services, their fantastic technical support and have delivered some of the largest AES67 and ST2110-30 projects in the ANZ region. Their

Professional Audio & Television’s senior solution architect, Mike Heard, welcomed the announcement: “We were looking for an audio monitoring solution for our customers that left the more traditional, and let’s be honest, ‘antiquated’ audio monitors behind and I am delighted to say, we have found this solution with the Nixer product range. Our customers demand more flexible, multi-format solutions that sound great and are easy to use. Not only are Nixer’s user interfaces second to none, giving users straightforward, easy-to-navigate and highly flexible touchscreen interfaces, the audio quality of the monitors just blew us away. I have never heard a 1U monitor with such an amazing audio quality. The entire PAT team is very excited to bring Nixer Pro Audio solutions to our markets.”

www.nixerproaudio.com

www.proaudiotv.com.au

while supporting Gearlounge’s objective of re-shaping Korea’s music and audio industry landscape.

Junghwa Lee, founder and CEO of Gearlounge, vividly remembered his first encounter with Funktion-One during a visit to a club in Korea: “I wasn’t especially interested in the loudspeakers back then, but I couldn’t forget the engaging sound and kept its name in my heart. It was, of course, Funktion-One. Even after that, whenever I was moved by a special experience at a club or performance venue, it was always a Funktion-One sound system.”

“We are thrilled to become a part of the Funktion-One family,” said Lee. “This partnership marks a significant milestone for Gearlounge as we embark on a mission

Funktion-One’s director of business development, Andrew Low, commented: “With its vibrant market and growth opportunities, Korea holds great promise for Funktion-One, and Gearlounge, as an innovator and dynamic player in the industry, is perfectly poised to unlock that potential. Our shared passion for high-quality audio and the positive impact it has on the creation and enjoyment of music is at the core of what will be a great relationship.”

In addition to its sales network, Gearlounge will work closely with rental partners to bring Funktion-One sound to events, festivals and live shows throughout Korea.

www.funktion-one.com

www.gearlounge.com

KOREA

Christian Hertel from Madrix flanked by the Hi-Tech team at the recent PALM India show

The Gearlounge team

Nixer’s remote control app

Can you afford to NOT look at ?

Quantum 225

Now more than ever, DiGiCo’s dedicated focus on the creative demands of tomorrow’s productions gives instant confidence to professional engineers. The new Quantum 225 has been designed to work with you, supplying unprecedented power, performance and flexibility, delivered today for less than you imagine.

www.digico.biz

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Shure elevates José A Rivas to VP of global sales

Shure has announced that José A Rivas has been named vice president of global sales. Since joining Shure in 2004, Rivas has held several positions of increasing responsibility and geographic coverage, including sales and marketing director of the international Americas business unit, sales director of the Americas business unit, MD of the Latin America sales organisation and most recently as vice president of sales for emerging markets. Rivas has an in-depth understanding of Shure’s US business and championed key changes to its sales policies and go-to-market strategies. Internationally,

its global footprint. Under his leadership, Shure’s Emerging Markets grew consistently due to a multi-channel go-to-market strategy, increased focus on sales by vertical, and the deployment of in-country market development resources.

“We’re excited to elevate José to lead Global Sales,” commented Shure president and CEO Chris Schyvinck. “His experience with global customers and the extensive suite of Shure products will help us maintain our leadership in the audio industry. I know he will explore new growth in technology that addresses the evolving needs of end users.”

• MARC HERRMANN • MANAGING DIRECTOR DHD

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SOMMER CABLE based in Straubenhardt/Germany was founded in 1999 and is now one of the leading suppliers of professional high-quality cable and connection technology with a focus on the audio, video, broadcast, studio and media technology sectors. The product range including the in-house brands HICON, CARDINAL DVM and SYSBOXX covers cable bulkware, connectors, connection cables, individually adaptable distribution systems and electronics. A B2B shop with over 25,000 products is available 24/7.

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Funktion-One appoints Andrew Low

HHB Communications and Audio Pro International.

Funktion-One has appointed Andrew Low as its new director of business development. Having settled in the

Pittsburgh, Low joins the premium British loudspeaker manufacturer from Solotech UK, having previously worked with Shure,

With over 15 years in the pro audio industry, Low brings experience and expertise in both business development and marketing. He will initially work alongside Bill Woods, who is set to retire in June after 11 years with the company. Commenting on the appointment, Funktion-One’s Ann Andrews said: “We’re delighted that Andrew is joining the Funktion-One team. We’ve known him since his Audio Media International days and have always kept in touch. He gets us – our ethos and approach – and really appreciates the impact great sound can have. In addition to his professional skillset, Andrew is a great guy and will bond well with our global network of distributors and dealers.”

www.funktion-one.com

Theory Professional adds Marc Bertrand

New commercial audio brand, Theory

Professional, has announced the appointment of former CEO of Adamson Systems Engineering and respected veteran, Marc Bertrand as chief operating officer (COO) for Theory

Professional – a division of Theory Audio Design (Theory), and sister company to Pro Audio Technology (PRO).

Bertrand has over 25 years of experience building some of the audio industry’s most renowned brands. His resumé includes 15 years at Tannoy North America, eight years at TC Group Americas and over five years at Adamson.

Paul Hales, CEO of Theory and PRO, said: “We’re excited to have him lead our global sales and operations organisations. Marc’s broad experience

and unimpeachable track record within the commercial, professional and consumer market segments fits perfectly with our vision for the Theory and PRO brands.”

“There are several reasons I was attracted to Theory and PRO,” said Bertrand. “I’ve always gravitated to the ideal of audio performance first and foremost, and this is an unshakeable core value of the companies. Combine that with a well-defined, focused and elegant family of products – designed with passion and an uncompromising execution of fit and finish – and it was a no-brainer for me; they were speaking my language.”

www.proaudiotechnology.com

www.theoryprofessional.com

Visionary hires Joe Peavey

Visionary has appointed Joe Peavey as software development and support engineer. In this role, Peavey will provide in-depth technical knowledge through customer support and accelerate the development of new technologies to meet the growing demands for networked audio and video distribution.

Peavey brings a wealth of experience in engineering, product management and technical support. With over 25 years of experience, Peavey has worked with many well-known organisations, including Peavey Electronics and QSC. He will now

be instrumental in providing technical knowledge and customer support to Visionary’s end users, integrators and consultants.

Peavey said: “In my previous roles, I have worked closely with Visionary’s technology and I’m constantly impressed by the innovation and reliability of their technology. I’m honoured to join Visionary’s team and strengthen their customer relationships through reliable and extensive technical support.”

www.visionary-av.com

• LINDA LEE

• VP, OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN

QSC

• TIMO KOCH

• CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, MEDIA RIEDEL NETWORKS

Vega Global selects new CEO

Vega Global has announced the appointment of its new CEO, Steven Medeiros. Vega’s former CEO, Huaming Gu, will transition to the executive chairman role, ensuring the interests of Vega’s business and Vega board are aligned.

Medeiros joins Vega with 30 years of SaaS leadership across APAC and North America. Most recently, Medeiros served as general manager of Alida, a provider of comprehensive experience management platforms, leading the expansion of the group’s APAC business. Before that, he was CEO of NTT Hong Kong and Macau. Before NTT, he held senior leadership roles at Kony (acquired by Temenos), SAP and other prominent technology companies.

“I am pleased to join Vega to continue its 35 years of history as a leading AVI systems integrator in Asia and the Middle East while transforming the organisational focus on IOT, AI and client experience,” said Medeiros. “I’ve been in Hong Kong for over 16 years, and Vega’s reputation in the region is undeniable. I look forward to building upon the continued success in delivering superior solutions to our clients.”

“We’re delighted to have found Steven and to be expanding our leadership team,” said Gu, “With his exceptional track record in the IT industry, coupled with the strong team we already have in place with

T R UE

deep experience in AV, I am confident we are best positioned to take advantage of this constantly evolving market.”

www.vega-global.com

• DAN HOUSEL

• APPLICATIONS ENGINEER

RENKUS-HEINZ

Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2023

Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2023 concludes with a record high number of visitors

DIMMING THE LIGHTS ON 25 MAY, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2023 (PLSG) has illuminated a strong outlook for the global entertainment and pro AV industry, with a significant 61% increase in visitors reaching 85,046 – a new high. The four-day show also featured over 50 fringe events and showcased 1,403 exhibitors, representing a 35% growth from the previous edition.

According to the organisers, the enthusiastic response underlines PLSG’s status as an indispensable platform for both local and international industry players. This year’s show once again went beyond just showcasing the latest advancements in entertainment and

pro AV technologies to also highlight the vast potential applications of these solutions in a variety of industries, from construction and the commercial sector to cultural tourism and personal use. The Recording and Production Zone, for example, was strategically separated out from other business areas this year to help industry players capitalise on rapid growth in the personal recording market.

In tandem with this, as the cultural and entertainment industries make a full recovery, markets such as concerts, stage performances and cultural tourism are flourishing. As a result, the PLS Unicorn Series was once again

a highly popular attraction at the fairground, illustrating its position as a leading benchmark for showcasing excellence in the industry. The immersive experiences created by the pro AV solutions, media art and stage installations captivated audiences and demonstrated new standards for what’s possible in the world of events and live performances.

The next edition will take place from 23–26 May 2024 in Areas A and B of the China Import and Export Fair Complex. For more information email: plsgz@hongkong-messefrankfurt.com

www.prolightsound-guangzhou.com

PLS Unicorn Series/Immersive Entertainment Space

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as PR manager at Lawo?

After either arriving at the HQ in Rastatt or from my office at home, I grab a coffee and check my emails, according to their importance and urgency. I then read through all the newsletters I receive, as well as articles that I need for my work. I then set up a to-do list, distribute priority points and get started with preparing and writing text for the press, preparing presentations and, sometimes, lectures for students.

How and why did you get into choir conducting?

I have been in various choirs since my teenage years and have always been fascinated by the immediacy of singing, the experience of melody, rhythm and language merging into a

conductors with whom I have had the privilege of working with and their way of communicating music. I asked myself: how do they manage to form a unity – an instrument – out of all the different people, personalities and voices? How does that communication work? The desire to communicate my ideas of choral pieces to people and to work with singers and musicians led me to begin three stages of training to become a choir conductor, which I completed about six years ago.

How do you find the time to conduct amongst your work life?

Music has always been a part of my life from a young age, and I can’t imagine living without it. So, it can be an effort to find the time for my choirs – a men’s choir and a mixed choir – but I have a jour fixe every Thursday with my men’s

challenge to approach a choir with a music piece, explain, teach and keep up spirits, particularly when a successful performance can require weeks of effort. After preparing for a concert or community event for that amount of time, it is pure bliss after the final note, when you realise it’s all worked out.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start conducting?

Much like learning a language, conducting is all about communication, first of all. And you should never forget that you are, in a way, a teacher and a guide, so it’s not a bad idea to adapt your personality accordingly.

Why do you think it’s so valuable to have a hobby like this outside of work?

It gives you the opportunity to sink yourself fully into a piece of music – even if it is hard work sometimes – and I feel revived by doing so, collecting energy from what I am doing and also helping me become “whole” as a person. In difficult periods of life, for me, “my music pulls me through”, as John Miles once sang. It gives me a joy that I can only find in that space, and the energy I gain from working with music and musicians can then be put into my everyday work life.

Wolfgang Huber

A keen conductor and lover of all things music, Wolfgang Huber, PR manager at Lawo, explains ow his hobby revitalises him in order to be the best version of himself

All images courtesy of Christel Dietmeier, Buehl

Huber with colleague conductor Werner Falk backstage at the Landesmusikfestival

Coda Audio chosen for 32nd SEA Games

ZYFX Creative Technology was commissioned by Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) to handle the audio, video, special effects and performances for the opening and closing ceremonies of both the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games, deploying a Coda Audio AiRay system at Morodok Techo National Stadium in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. This was the first time the country has hosted the biennial event, as the 1963 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games was cancelled due to the political situation in the country at the time.

The Morodok Techo National Stadium was designed to resemble a sailing ship, a symbol of Cambodia’s relations with China, which partly funded the stadium, and whose people first arrived in Cambodia by ship. Two 99m prow structures allude to the Khmer gesture of Sampeah, where the palms join in greeting. The main system in the 60,000-capacity stadium consisted of 10 hangs at 38m above ground level comprising a total of 72 Coda AiRay compact dual 12-inch, three-way line array cabinets. Additionally, eight ground stacks totalling 28 ViRay compact three-way line array modules, plus an SC2 subwoofer in each array, supplemented the flown system. Four further stacks of 12 AiRays provided coverage for performers on the field, while

ZYFX Creative Technology CEO Andy Leong has been a long-time fan of Coda Audio, having previously worked with James Yeung of ESI Audio Consultancy in Singapore. Together, they designed the system using Coda System Optimiser to obtain the best possible coverage, with Leong supervising a team of system engineers, system techs, professional riggers and general workers to set up the entire system in just three days. Leong declared himself extremely impressed with the setup time for such an extensive system, as well as its final performance, agreeing after the design was complete to purchase a part of the system, with the remaining hired from TSC in Singapore.

The games, which ran from 5–17 May, featured a total of 37 sports, with the stadium hosting athletics, football and field hockey in addition to the opening and closing ceremonies. The event’s opening ceremony was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and delegates from regional sporting bodies. The two-hour show featured performances focusing on local traditions and daily life in Cambodia, with segments representing the country’s important fishing and farming industries and depictions of popular landmarks including Angkor Wat, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.

www.codaaudio.com

L-Acoustics rocks at Eraserheads Manila reunion

application engineers to design the system.

“A legendary rock band like the Eraserheads must have a loud, powerful system with great clarity,” explained Santos. “We modelled many system options in Soundvision in order to find the one that would do justice to the timeless, nostalgic music of the Eraserheads.”

Concert FOH engineer Sho Hikino and monitor mix engineer Xyron Ocampo were all familiar with L-Acoustics systems, which made for a smooth load-in and show management process.

The main PA system deployed for the concert consisted of 15 L-Acoustics K2 with four K1-SB subwoofers per side. Side-fill systems were delivered by 12 Kara boxes per hang on either side of the stage, while front-fill consisted of the 12 Kara enclosures. A pair of delay towers

placed 90m from the stage carried 12 K2 and four K1-SB each, while a second pair positioned 170m from the stage carried nine K2 per hang. Twenty-four SB28 subwoofers delivered low-end rumble for the audience. A combination of LA8 and LA12X amplified controllers powered the entire system. Forscink called on L-Acoustics Certified Rental Partners PMX and Pro Beatbox to supply portions of the massive sound system.

Santos said: “Fans and organisers left the show happy and satisfied. I’m pleased at the consistency of tone between the K2 and Kara, which gave the audience the same listening experience from front to back. It was a spectacular night.”

www.l-acoustics.com

Since forming in 1989, the Eraserheads have recorded seven studio albums, four of which have gone multi-platinum. Dubbed “The Beatles of the Phillippines”, the Eraserheads, fronted by vocalist Ely Buendia, disbanded in 2002 but continued to tour, staging a series of reunion concerts across the globe throughout the mid-2010s. Almost three decades since the four-piece alternative rock outfit’s inception, and 13 years since its last large-scale reunion, Eraserheads recently took the stage at the SMDC Festival grounds in Parañaque, Manila, performing for a legion of 75,000 fans in an enormous open-air concert. The show was a multi-sensory concert that included pyrotechnics,

a holographic projection of the late Filipino rapper Francis M and special guests performing live with the band.

Buendia requested an L-Acoustics concert sound system for both onstage monitoring and main PA systems. The band members, who have had successful individual careers, had experience working with Philippine L-Acoustics rental agent partner, Forscink. Concert promoters WEU Event Management asked Forscink to design a concert sound system that would cover the vast concert area with an audio system that would deliver clear, powerful sound – even over the pyrotechnics – over the planned three-hour show. Justin Santos, system

Out of this world

THAILAND

Mahajak Development has collaborated with Harman Professional Solutions to outfit Grande Centre Point Space Pattaya with audio and lighting solutions by JBL Professional, Soundcraft, dbx, Martin, BSS, AMX and Crown.

Located in the seaside city of Chonburi, Grande Centre Point Space Pattaya is said to be Thailand’s first space-themed five-star hotel. The hotel offers a wide range of facilities that combine outer-space-inspired design and innovative amenities, including a 12,000m2 intergalactic water park.

system to enhance and accentuate the projectionmapped façade effects.

To provide a unified audio experience across the building’s entrance and outdoor areas, the team installed AMX7215/95 and JBL ASB7118 two-way loudspeakers treated with WRX weather protection, as well as JBL Control 88M mushroom landscape speakers. The entire audio system is powered by Crown amplifiers with digital signal processing provided by dbx DriveRack VENU360 loudspeaker management systems.

www.mahajak.com

pro.harman.com

A bright solution for Nantong Grand Theatre

Nantong Grand Theatre, a new cultural and arts centre at the centre of the city of Nantong in Jiangsu Province, is the last building to be designed by the late master architect Paul Andreu. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, the complex houses five performance spaces: the 1,532-seat Opera Hall, the 1,185-seat Concert Hall, a 599-capacity Drama Hall, a 250-seat Children’s Theatre and a multipurpose Function Hall.

Six Robert Juliat followspots were supplied to the building by Hangzhou YiDaShi Technology Development and installed in the two largest venues. Four Aramis 2,500W HMI followspots were delivered to the Opera House and two 1,800W HMI Victor followspots to the Concert Hall.

The theatre owner, Nantong Culture and Sports Exhibition Management, specified the

XIM selects Meyer Sound for new auditorium

Robert Juliat followspots for this important new venue because it believes they are “of the highest quality and the easiest followspots to operate in the world”.

The Aramis and Victor units are installed in the main FOH followspot boxes with a throw distance of approximately 50m to the stage – a distance suited to their 4.5–8° and 7–14.5° zoom ranges respectively. Here they will be used for the venues’ eclectic programme of dance, musicals and opera.

Nantong Grand Theatre’s head of lighting, Wang Chenyu, said: “The beam quality for both Aramis and Victor is excellent – very bright and even.” His show team also enjoy using them for their ergonomic qualities. “Both the Aramis and the Victor are very easy to control,” confirmed followspot operator, Li Hao.

www.robertjuliat.com

Xavier Institute of Management (AIM), located in Bhubaneswar, India, recently invested in the largest state-of-the-art auditorium in East India. With a seating capacity of 5,000, it is designed for live performances, college programmes and cultural events, and features a state-of-the-art room that requires a similarly state-of-the-art audio system. Meyer Sound solutions, supplied by Sun Infonet, were chosen to provide coverage to every seat of the prestigious auditorium.

On the inauguration day of the auditorium, Fr. George Fernandes, chief administrative officer at XIM University, expressed happiness with the project, noting that multiple people had expressed their appreciation of the audio quality. “We realised we have invested into the best system we can have,” Fernandes commented.

The main PA system features eight Leopard compact linear line array loudspeakers and three 900-LFC compact low-frequency control elements on each side of the stage, plus four Ultra-X20

compact wide-coverage loudspeakers as stage fills to cover the VIP area. With the potential for large numbers of artists onstage, six MJF-208 high-power stage monitors were also provided. A further seven Ultra-X20 loudspeakers were used as fills in the upper and lower balconies to provide even coverage throughout. All of the systems are managed by two Galileo Galaxy network platforms.

www.meyersound.com

www.suninfonet.net

City Music 3.0 aims to connect, collaborate and create

Synonymous with musical instrument sales since 1968 in Singapore, City Music recently relocated to an acoustically treated and specifically redesigned space in Geylang. Having only relocated once over 55 years from the original music shop on Bras Basah Road to its Middle Road address in more recent years, City Music 3.0 in the LHK Building on Sims Drive differentiates itself in numerous ways.

“We no longer profess to be a music shop,” commented City Music sales director, Hoe Yeegn Lougn. “I’d describe City Music 3.0 as an e-commerce space where our customers can experience and touch technologies. Rather than simply demonstrating products and instruments, we are sharing solutions and ideas for specific applications. If someone is interested in a microphone, for example, we want to know what it is going to be used for. For a podcaster, therefore, we recommend a boom mount, a mixer and other products that will form a total solution or ecosystem. Rather than simply sell equipment, we want to support and collaborate with our partners and journey with them as their requirements change and evolve.”

Having showcased a new company logo, City Music 3.0 hosted Creator Tech Showcase within days of the official opening. The

two-day event staged during Broadcast Asia featured product launches, workshop seminars, networking sessions, panel discussions and prize giveaways. “On one hand we are encouraging collaboration and networking opportunities among creative professionals, brands and industry stakeholders. Attendees will learn about

emerging trends and best practices in the field, whilst our exhibitors can present their cutting-edge products and services,” said Hoe.

For the Creator Tech Showcase, City Music 3.0 promoted its first community-driven event that would connect brand vendors with creative professionals. “City Music has

always worked closely with its professional audiovisual and lighting brand partners, so we scheduled a speaker programme and product launches,” furthered Hoe. “Local and regional brand representatives and principals have attended to oversee several product launches, including Mackie’s VLZ Creator adaptive digital mixer and the Zoom 32-bit M-series MicTrak digital audio recorder. In addition, Audio-Technica has been demonstrating the BP3600 360° surround mic in collaboration with Dolby Atmos. We have also been assisted by Blackmagic Design, Shure showcasing their Stem conferencing ecosystem and Sony premiering their new condenser mic, headphones and cinematic cameras.”

Classifying its community members as content creators, podcasters, freelancers, AV professionals, educational institutes and streamers, City Music 3.0 also has a wide selection of musical instruments on display. “Our daily operating hours are from 10am–7pm, but we encourage people to make an appointment in advance as this allows us to be more prepared for a visit and to engage meaningfully,” added Hoe. A more traditional guitar demo display within glazed walls has been furnished by Castlery.

www.citymusic.com.sg

CHINA

INDIA

SINGAPORE

Aramis units in the Nantong Grand Theatre

City Music sales director Yeegn Lougn with the latest Mackie mixer

International turned to Cinewav to provide synchronised audio via mobile phones for the first time. This was first debuted at the official opening ceremony where locals and tourists across Da Nang could listen to a soundtrack using their smartphone in sync with the fireworks.

Pham Tu Cau, vice president and CEO at Sun Group Central Vietnam, Executive Office of Central Region, said: “It truly inspired me. I was struck at the sound quality which perfectly matched the visuals. This is also the first time in Vietnam that a renowned festival like DIFF applies this technology. I think this will be a new and exciting experience that visitors will surely enjoy. DIFF 2023 is a great way to showcase international talent to a local audience, to attract tourists to the area and promote the local

from Apple, Google Play or Huawei AppGallery, got the audio ticket free of charge and pressed “Play”.

“DIFF 2023 is back and it’s bigger than ever. We’re breaking all records in fireworks design and innovation. With Cinewav, the whole city can enjoy the full experience of the fireworks which are carefully choreographed to musical scores. DIFF 2023 is combining the very best in knowledge and a rich history in beauty, danger and invention without boundaries,” said Nadia Shakira Wong, managing director of Global 2000 International.

This year, the festival theme was “Light Up a Borderless World” with fireworks displays from the very best in the pyrotechnics world, including a local Vietnamese team and seven international teams – Art Eventia (France), Howard & Sons

Pyrotechnics (Australia), Joho Pyro Professional (Finland), Martarello Fireworks Company (Italy), Pyrotex Fireworx Company (United Kingdom), Surex Firma Rodzinna (Poland) and TW Hand Fireworks Co (Canada). Each team lit up the sky with fireworks and set the mood with a bespoke melody and soundtrack created to go alongside. Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics from Australia brings 100 years of experience across four generations. Andrew Howard, director, described his involvement at DIFF 2023: “We have designed and programmed every single

pyrotechnic effect to launch and burst in perfect time with the music soundtrack. The audiences being able to immerse themselves in the emotive music soundtrack and then be mesmerised by the magic of our fireworks effects dancing in perfect synchronisation with the music is what we always want to achieve in producing our displays. Together the fireworks and the music soundtrack create a powerful pyromusical production, once-in-a-lifetime event experience creating vivid memories they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

He continued: “Traditionally, event sites have a large-scale audio distribution system installed in main audience areas but not in all spectator vantage points. Our fireworks displays can be designed to be viewed by spectators spread over several kilometres of an event site or city, not just the front row of seats. This technology gives the power of music to the people to ensure they can hear the music soundtrack.”

“This is the first fireworks festival that Cinewav has been involved with and we are proud to be a significant part of it.”

Now in its 11th edition, DIFF ran from 2 June – 8 July 2023. Extending the festival beyond displays, Da Nang city has multiple cultural programmes, including Danang Electronic Carnival, an online beauty photo contest, M-Pack Carnival and a street food programme.

www.cinewav.com

GLP’s X5 IP Bar is simply the best for TINA

The latest production of TINA, the Tina Turner Musical in Australia, is the first show worldwide to feature GLP’s new impression X5 IP Bar. Designed by Bruno Poet since the original production in 2018, the show is playing in a number of cities around the world, but only in Sydney has the X4 Bar been replaced by the new impression X5 IP batten. Neg Earth supplied the first 24 of these after the rental company’s project manager, Lindsey Markham, had suggested them to Poet and the show’s international associate LD (and co-collaborator), Max Narula. The production at Sydney’s Theatre Royal is the ninth version of the show, which is also running in London, Stuttgart and on tour in the US, now serving as a tribute following her recent death.

Narula explained the circumstances surrounding the unexpected adoption of the new fixtures for the nine-month season in Sydney, followed by a twoyear tour of Australia: “Traditionally, we have used X4 Bar 20s but, when

since they no longer wished to invest in further X4 Bars, Lindsey instead suggested trying the impression X5 IP Bar, which we didn’t know existed.”

we were looking last August, there was no available kit in Oz, so we were asked to reach out to companies in the UK.

“We’ve worked with Neg Earth on arena shows previously; their personal

“We are very picky with the colours in theatre because we have time to tweak and fine tune over the show’s four-week technical rehearsals – and this includes the new lime chip,”

“You can take your X4 shows and transfer them onto X5 and it gives you individual pixel control on RGBL as well, as RGB which is brilliant.” Narula said: “They are absolutely fantastic: they are bright and the colours are outstanding, with wonderful saturates. In fact, the spectrum on the warm side is now unmatched. In addition, they are silent, and the dimming curve is as brilliant as on the X4. The silent operation is vitally important as a lot of the scenes in the show are incredibly quiet.”

His enthusiasm is supported by Bruno Poet himself, who said: “Since Max and the team did all the set-up in Australia, my first glimpse of the light curtains in action was when I arrived during cast dress rehearsals on stage. I was immediately blown away by the improvement over the original X4 Bars. The additional intensity made the light curtain look bolder and crisper, giving us a better balance against the video images behind. I was also really impressed by the quality of the colour we could achieve with the new lime chip. “I’m now a huge fan of the impression X5 IP Bar, which will be my go-to light curtain for future productions.”

www.glp.de

All images courtesy of Daniel Boud

Tim Omaji as Ike

Christie lights up Incheon Metropolitan City Museum

Incheon Metropolitan City Museum, the first public museum in South Korea, has chosen Christie’s GS Series 1DLP laser projectors to deliver lifelike visuals in two newly established immersive experience spaces within the facility. Created under the theme of “Incheon Running Through Time”, the exhibit comprises several immersive media art and immersive experience contents that seek to highlight the history, culture, economic and social development of Incheon and its historic Jemulpo district. A total of 11 Christie DWU630-GS laser projectors have been deployed in the main immersive experience hall and an innovative Jemulpo Photo Studio. The projectors were supplied by Christie’s partner, SNC Alliance, while the projector installation and commissioning were completed by local

“The immersive experience hall and Jemulpo Photo Studio are the latest initiatives by Incheon Metropolitan City Museum to inject exciting and interactive contents using state-of-the-art projection technology to showcase the rich history, culture and economic growth of Incheon to both local residents and foreigners alike,” said Chul-Ho Park, CEO of Mega Link. “The Christie GS Series is well-suited for this project due to its small footprint, low weight, quiet operation and long-life laser

Use Freely and Cleverly

illumination that ensures reliable, virtually maintenance-free operation.”

Visitors can admire detailed images displayed on a three-sided wall in the immersive experience hall by 10 Christie DWU630-GS laser projectors fitted discreetly overhead. Contents include “Jemulpo opens the gateway to modernity” which nostalgically captures the rapid development and progress of the Jemulpo district. Founded in 1883 upon the opening of Jemulpo Port, the district is home to several historical and cultural heritage monuments, which laid the foundation for further expansion and development of Incheon. Another highlight is a visual presentation titled “Incheon, where the land meets the sky and sea”, where visitors are transported to a world of visual splendor as they witness the city’s transformation into a world-class air, sea and land transport hub in stunning detail. The projections feature a display of Incheon’s iconic landmarks, as well as the Incheon International Airport and the Port of Incheon. Paul Lee, sales manager for Korea, Enterprise, Christie, commented: “Christie’s advanced projection systems such as the GS Series are designed for high-usage environments such as museums, enabling these venues to reinvent themselves and inspire visitors in extraordinary ways.”

www.christiedigital.com

Tsukuba’s Capio Hall selects TORUS

Naturally, we considered utilising a line array replacement but found a problem. While the hall wasn’t very deep, the three-storey horseshoe layout of the auditorium was vertically too great for the coverage angles.

“It was quite clear that a considerable number of line array cabinets would be needed if we wanted to provide complete vertical area coverage from its highest point, without converging on the frame of the stage.”

It’s then that the Constant Curvature array solution came to mind. In venues with high ceilings but requiring short throw, Martin Audio’s new TORUS rig offers a practical solution. Full-blown line arrays would be impractical and cost-prohibitive for a 15mto 30m-deep hall. However, a point source solution such as this could provide sufficient coverage and SPL.

A Martin Audio XD12, supplemented by a SX118 subwoofer, was specified for the side column and powered by iK42 DSP amplifiers. For infills and balcony seats, six Blackline X8 were deployed.

Takahisa Ota, who was responsible for the tuning of the system, said: “Originally, we planned a front wide/back narrow dispersion pattern but, as we adjusted this while listening to the sound, we discovered that specifying everything to a horizontal 90° would give a better coverage. In that way, the proscenium could cover 80% of the venue. We adjusted the delays and SPL of the Blackline X8s so that they were blended to the proscenium, to cover the remaining tiny area. You can adjust the angle of the TORUS waveguide even with grilles attached and this flexibility is such an advantage in situations like this.”

The Tsukuba Capio complex in Japan’s Tsukuba city, Ibaragi, incorporates indoor sports halls, theatres and meeting rooms, while Tsukuba itself is said to be renowned for being a scientific city of the future city.

Opened in July 1996, Capio Hall has provided an authentic atmosphere for theatre and dance, with its distinctive seat arrangement and stage facilities.

Capio Hall recently underwent a major sound system overhaul, and new rigs were introduced, including the new Martin Audio TORUS as the main PA. Nobuhito Endo, technical manager of rental company Sigma Communications, said: “Originally, the proscenium centre loudspeakers were exposed, and a cluster of several pointsource systems was flown from the grid.

Endo concluded: “Capio Hall has to meet the requirements of various types of public events. Recently, students’ dance presentations have been taking place frequently, and consequently a higher level of sound pressure has been required. In this application, TORUS and the subwoofers have enough headroom to cope, and I am extremely satisfied with the choice of the new sound system.”

www.martin-audio.com

Fortress Sydney levels up

high-quality audio experiences that would engage audiences, whether they were onsite or connecting digitally. Our goal was to ensure that the AV infrastructure was flexible and robust enough to accommodate a variety of events and broadcasts without compromising on quality or user experience.”

high output and compact design. The P15’s asymmetric dispersion pattern provides excellent coverage to everyone in the arena, while the L18 subwoofers deliver powerful and accurate low frequencies, crucial for an immersive gaming and entertainment experience. The quality and SPL level of

With over 50 years of dedicated experience in the audiovisual landscape, The Avit Group deploys technology in the design of comprehensive systems for hospitality and entertainment venues nationwide. Tasked with the installation of an audio system for Fortress Sydney, The Avit Group chose offerings from French loudspeaker brand NEXO, and a selection of systems from Australia’s Quest Engineering. Located in Chippendale’s Central Park Mall, Fortress Sydney is somewhat of a gamer’s haven. The expansive new site now holds the title of largest esports complex in the Southern Hemisphere, drawing crowds as a modern entertainment mecca. Housing a slew of colourful arcades, streaming booths, a themed tavern, sci-fi inspired bar, PC LAN lounge and a custom-designed esports arena, Fortress Sydney has been

designed from the ground up as the “unparalleled capital of the city’s gaming community”.

Sponsored by Alienware, Fortress is by nature a hub for the tech-savvy, packed with a myriad of gaming PCs, peripherals and addressable lighting. The Avit Group selected NEXO’s P15 point source system for the Alienware Arena.

The Avit Group’s operations manager, Adrian Davis, said of the installation: “For the Fortress esports project, we were given the brief to create a dynamic, immersive and technologically advanced AV system, which sits somewhere between an entertainment venue and a broadcast studio. The vision was to set a new benchmark for esports venues not only in Australia, but across the globe. It was essential to provide seamless and

After careful review of a variety of speaker options for the arena, NEXO’s P+ system was deployed in an L-R hang configuration, made up of a P15 loudspeaker and L18 sub on each side. Dotted throughout the rest of the entertainment complex, 60 Quest MX601 speakers partnered with nine Quest MXS10S subs provide coverage for the collection of spaces. Davis said: “NEXO’s reputation for delivering pristine sound quality, combined with the versatility of their P+ series, made it a clear choice. Quest speakers, on the other hand, offer surprisingly exceptional sound reproduction and coverage, at a lower budget, making them a perfect fit for this diverse and dynamic venue as both brands complement each other so well.”

Davis continued: “The obvious standout features of the NEXO P15 speakers and L18 subs are their impeccable sound quality,

these speakers was very surprising. We were first presented this option on paper from the team at Group Technologies and it was only when auditioning that we realised that the unbelievable specs were no lie –they exceeded everyone’s expectations at The Avit Group, especially our audio nerds. Both the speaker and subwoofer components are robust and reliable, ensuring that Fortress can operate smoothly during high-stakes esports events.”

Davis said: “When commissioning the system, I was blown away at how little processing was required to make the Quest speakers shine.”

www.grouptechnologies.com.au

www.nexo-sa.com

www.questaudio.com.au

www.theavitgroup.com.au

AUSTRALIA

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The arcade

The tavern

TVU Networks enables timely news for ANI

TVU Networks has integrated its TVU MediaMind and TVU Search platform into ANI, one of South Asia’s top multimedia news agencies. It simplifies content discovery by analysing video metadata, speech, text and faces, freeing news teams to focus on storytelling. The 630% surge in video hours ingested by TVU MediaMind and TVU Search in 2022 over 2021 underlines the growing relevance of cloud solutions in content creation.

The integration allows ANI to harness to harness the platform’s live ingest feeds, clipping features and the TVU Search portal, providing real-time access to the latest news. Clipped video content is automatically uploaded to ANI’s AWS S3 Bucket, offering customers quick and accessible news updates on its new multimedia web portal.

TVU’s all-in-one platform is said to have improved ANI’s operational efficiency,

PIXERA provides projections for Beating Retreat

AV Stumpfl’s PIXERA media server platform headed to the front lines for Beating Retreat, the military ceremony at the heart of India’s Republic Day celebrations. This year the event transformed New Delhi with a cutting-edge projection-

of Indian history and the present and future development of the country.

Fourteen PIXERA systems bolstered a Beating Retreat setup that included 61 Christie 20,000-lumen laser projectors,

replacing complex manual processes with a centralised solution for managing video

content. ANI is now poised to further evolve its ingest capabilities into this automation platform, enhancing its multimedia offerings and audience engagement. TVU MediaMind and TVU Search are said to have been “proven integral” to ANI’s news production, facilitating the timely and engaging delivery of news.

Prakash, editor, ANI Live Services, said: “TVU gave us a fast and efficient solution to an immediate need from our editorial team. The speed, reliability and quality of their ingest and clipping solution is unmatched in the market and allows us to provide a worldclass multimedia product to ANI subscribers across South Asia. ANI is constantly evolving its news agency offering, and companies like TVU are an important element to our technological upgrades.”

www.tvunetworks.com

mapping experience synchronised with a large drone display. Modern Stage Services won the tender to provide the projection mapping, calling on the PIXERA platform to bring the projections to life.

“This is the biggest projectionmapping project to date in India, as well as the first event in India where projection mapping and a drone show were in sync,” confirmed Pratik Wadhwa, CEO of Delhi-based Modern Stage Services. The show celebrated both the past 75 years

a further eight 40W RGB laser projectors, and lighting consisting of 96 moving heads and 180 LED PAR lights. “We have been using PIXERA for all our projects since 2021,” Wadhwa added, “and we are very satisfied with the stability of the software. Features like 3D previsualisation, live input preview and dynamic soft edge make the job much easier for us.”

www.mssworld.com

www.pixera.one

Adamson equips ZEROTOKYO

TST Entertainment, a joint venture between Tokyo Corporation and Sony Entertainment, has taken four years to deliver a signature live music and club experience in the Kabukicho Tower, in Tokyo’s Kabukicho district, featuring Adamson loudspeakers across three levels.

Zepp Shinjuku operates the venue for daytime live music events. At night, the multi-floor venue operates as the nightclub ZEROTOKYO. The design called for a lighting and sound experience that was seamless between the floors, but still respected the various needs of a live music and club environment.

Ryoichi Ishii, sales director for Adamson’s Japanese distributor Rewire Inc, said: “It is no exaggeration to say that ZEROTOKYO is one of the largest nightclubs in Japan. The fact the venue services live music and a

nightclub, there were many audio distribution challenges to solve.”

Adamson’s IS7Px and PC5 point source loudspeakers are used throughout the venue. An S-Series line array is used for the main performance space along with M12 monitors. S119 subwoofers are used in each room.

“The project design started in 2019 and, from the beginning, we envisioned visitors at the front of the floor being bathed from head to toe in sound, while those on other levels and at the back being able to hold a conversation.”

Ishii is said to be thankful for the support from Adamson’s applications team and is “proud to know the four-year project achieved so much notoriety and success”.

www.adamsonsystems.com

Congress Indonesia facilitates the future of Southeast Asia

The ASEAN Summit is the highest policy-making body in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It comprises the heads of state or governments of all ASEAN member states and aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its 10 members.

This year, the 42nd ASEAN Summit was held in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. It was chaired by Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia. The attendees of the meeting include leaders and representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ASEAN leaders made numerous joint statements and declarations regarding many issues, such as developing the ASEAN Community’s post-2025 vision, developing regional electric vehicle ecosystems, advancing regional payment connectivity, protecting migrant workers and family members in crises, health initiatives, etc. An event as high level as the ASEAN Summit requires equipment of the highest quality and reliability. Congress Indonesia was chosen to supply an end-to-end solution that covered conference microphones and interpretation equipment.

During the two-week setup, technical producers from Congress Indonesia meticulously checked and tested the conference microphone and interpretation configurations, ensuring all microphones corresponded to the schematic to suit each leader’s position. Throughout that period,

different government agencies dropped by to test the system, including an unscheduled visit from the Indonesian president. The technical producers stayed at a hotel directly across from the venue, so they were never too far away and could be on call for impromptu testing. ASEAN leaders spoke using Bosch Dicentis Wired Conference Microphones. Interpreters worked in a nearby room from a remote interpreter hub. The hub had eight side-by-side ISO 4043:2016-compliant soundproof Audipack interpreter booths. Each interpreter, seated in a booth, used a Bosch Dicentis Interpreter Desk and had a live feed of the meeting on the screens through the front window of the booths.

Live simultaneous interpretation was available in nine languages, including English, Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Malay, Thai and Vietnamese. Each leader could use their provided headphones and select their desired language channel directly from the touchscreen of the Dicentis microphone. For delegates that didn’t have access to microphones, handheld Bosch Integrus receivers were made available.

Every event has its logistical challenges and the ASEAN Leaders Summit was no exception. Labuan Bajo is a remote island not accessible by land from Congress’s Bali office, meaning necessary equipment had to be prepared and allocated months before the summit’s date. The amount of spare equipment increased significantly because of the inability to access additional equipment at short notice.

Secondly, the room’s layout changed considerably from the first to the second day. The main meeting was split into two rooms for the second, and all the tables were completely rearranged. Congress’s technicians planned a cable arrangement that was versatile enough for a wide range of different microphone positions.

With a high-level event like the ASEAN Summit, security is a prominent feature. Military and presidential guards occupied almost all sections of the somewhat small building. The venue was on lockdown during the president’s visit, including rehearsals. There was no moving in and out, so all the equipment, including spares, had to be onsite. Considerable communication between the Congress team, venue team and presidential guard ensured that signal jammers were moved to locations that would not impact the meeting’s equipment.

The technical outcome of the 42nd ASEAN Summit was a successful meeting with seamless communication and no major issues reported. “Without smooth communication, the summit wouldn’t have run well. The outcome was the result of close collaboration with all the vendors involved,” said Paula Luciana, event producer, Congress Indonesia.

“With our experience delivering the G20 Leaders’ Summit last year, we were very confident in our ability to deliver on ASEAN. It was an outstanding experience all round,” concluded Ardan Yogi, operations manager, Congress Indonesia.

Grand designs

Five-star hotel The Grand in New Delhi is the site of a new high-energy bar and restaurant, Bergamo, which has opened with an Outline PA system designed by Axys Integrated Solutions. The Italian-themed Bergamo, which can accommodate crowds of almost 200, attracts diners to its restaurant during the day and early evening, segueing into a high-energy bar by night.

After initial meetings with the venue architect, Axys director Prince Philip used Outline’s proprietary OpenArray 3D simulation software to design the system, finalising configuration and speaker placement. Equipment was supplied by Gaurav Malvai of GPAM, Outline’s Indian distributor, whose team also carried out installation under Axys supervision, with Philip handling final system optimisation.

The main sound system consists of a pair of Outline Vegas 12 CX coaxial full-range speakers and a Sub 218 dual 18-inch subwoofer. A pair of Outline Vegas 10s and a Sub 118 single 18-inch subwoofer provide fill for the bar area, while six Vegas 6.5 super-compact speakers and a Sub 110 10-inch subwoofer provide infill for more remote areas of the room. The subwoofers are concealed between seating areas to spread the energy evenly around

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Outline system is powered by QSC

“The venue owners wanted to run Bergamo as a high-energy bar rather than just a restaurant, and at night the area around the bar becomes a dancefloor,” explained Philip. “They were realistic about installing larger speakers than you would usually see in a restaurant setup in the first place rather than getting some that were too small for the environment they wanted

DJ equipment includes Musicson KS12 monitors, two Musicson PLP428 DSPs, Pioneer CDJ-3000 multi-players and a Pioneer DJM-900 mixer. Audac WX502/O weatherised speakers keep the party going on the spacious outdoor terrace, albeit at lower SPLs that won’t disturb hotel guests.

Electro-Voice and Dynacord elevate Chai Nat

A new Electro-Voice loudspeaker system with power and processing from Dynacord is delivering sound quality in a compact format for patrons at Naimuang Station, a regional restaurant known

loudspeakers was specified. The main PA includes four EKX-15 and four EKX-12 full-range boxes to cover the dining/audience area, with lowfrequency support from four EKX-18 subwoofers. Four ZLX-12BT boxes

for its live music scene, in Chai Nat, Thailand. The restaurant’s management was determined to elevate the audio experience at the venue to the next level. A key prerequisite was controlled coverage, to keep the output contained in the venue and minimise any noise pollution into neighbouring properties. The system also needed to sound great at lower volume levels for daytime guests, and it all needed to be reliable and easy for the staff to manage.

In an attempt to deliver on this vision, a system comprising passive EKX and powered ZLX series

serve as stage monitors. The main EKX system is powered by Dynacord L Series DSP amplifiers, designed for live/mobile applications: three L3600FD and two L2800FD.

Bergamo’s high ceilings accommodated Outline’s larger speakers

Green-GO goes to the theatre

Communication systems from Green-GO have been chosen for Wuhan’s Han Theater Hall, part of the vast International Expo Center in the city’s Hanyang District. Developed by general contractor Wuhan Construction Intelligent Technology, the centre covers 55,000m2, integrating conference, business, theatre, exhibition and hotel facilities as well as residential real estate and an ecology park. Within the complex sits the 2,350-capacity Han Theater Hall. Here the overall design of the PA system in the auditorium was the responsibility of Beijing Radio, Film & TV Design and Research

system setup and user preferences. In the event of a problem, a faulty device can be easily removed, and its replacement, once introduced to the network, can clone all system configurations from a neighbouring device. At Han Theater Hall, five Green-GO MCXD multichannel desk stations are sited at various locations, including the mix, video control, lighting control and stage operation positions, plus the voting control position for directors and other staff to use. There are 25 intercom network outlets in all, including in the amplifier room, signal switching room,

Institute. EZPro was brought in to provide clear, reliable, flexible and scalable audio solutions for this landmark building, with its contribution at Han Theater Hall including the venue’s essential crew communications.

“The Han Theater Hall will serve as a conference venue for high-level meetings, which has extremely high requirements for speech intelligibility and system stability,” said EZPro technical manager, Zhu Liuwei. “The project needed an intercom system with a good quality of sound, which is easy to use and would be scalable. Therefore, we chose the innovative Green-GO digital intercom solution.”

Green-GO’s technology is said to differ fundamentally from other current intercom designs in that it does not use a central matrix or routing-engine at its core. Instead, each Green-GO outstation holds all routing data,

mix position and various lighting, backstage and bridge positions, for the connection of six Green-GO BPX multichannel wired beltpacks. Furthermore, four Green-GO WAA wireless active antennas are separately configured both on- and off-stage to provide wireless communication signals for 16 Green-GO WBPX wireless beltpacks.

The system is also equipped with Green-GO InterfaceX, which links two-wire and four-wire analogue intercom systems into the Green-GO digital Ethernet network, also to facilitate the connection between the intercom system and the PA system. In addition, a Green-GO RDX Radio Interface is provided for linking portable radios into the Green-GO system.

www.ezpro.com

www.greengodigital.com

CHINA

Phoenix Central Park is free to roam with DiGiCo

Rising from the ashes of a once-fire damaged warehouse in Chippendale, Sydney, Phoenix Central Park has taken flight as one of the more extraordinary cultural institutions to grace the city in recent years. Designed around both the visual and performing arts, with separate unique spaces for each, Phoenix

including those incorporating a multitude of sound sources. At the heart of handling these sources now stands a DiGiCo Quantum 338.

Joshua Milch, Phoenix’s head of digital, explained why the Quantum 338 was chosen to handle all FOH and foldback duties in The Nest: “One of Phoenix’s core tenets is the free presentation of

art and performance to a variety of people from all walks of life. We seek to provide a curated set of works catering to many different backgrounds and fields of interest. In the course of accommodating these performances, we’ve been presented with a plethora of different technical requirements. Before acquiring the Quantum 338, we were hiring in hardware based on whatever particular requirements were needed for each artist. We’re delighted to have something permanent now, which will be able to handle whatever mixing requirements may come up. It’s the console’s ability to handle such a range of scenarios that made it the right choice for Phoenix.”

He continued: “In the short time we’ve been up and running, we’ve had acts like Sampa the Great, Genesis Owusu, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Jon Hopkins, Kelly Lee Owens and plenty more. Phoenix has hosted piano recitals, traditional chamber music, pop, opera, electronica, experimental noise, Korean hiphop, funk, neo-soul, progressive jazz – you name it – and for each we have a commitment to a high quality of presentation, and to making

is a philanthropically funded project centred around bringing art to the public, free of charge. Conceived and financed by arts philanthropist Judith Neilson, with daughter Beau Neilson leading as creative director, Phoenix is host to a wide gamut of music, dance and conceptual performance. These acts are accessible to the public through a free ticket balloting system, where a chosen few are admitted to “The Nest” – the venue’s intimate performance space. The Nest is a bell-shaped chamber with asymmetrical timber ribs winding around a central stage. Equipped with an immersive PA system, The Nest is able to accommodate a wide variety of amplified performance scenarios,

Felix Abrahams, head of audio and technical production at Phoenix, said: “Phoenix is both an intricate and intimate space, with flexibility very much a recurring theme across our day-to-day work. We’re very glad to have acquired the 338, as it fills a critical role very well, helping us achieve the finesse and adaptability required here. We essentially need to have a console that has capabilities that we haven’t even thought of yet.”

Abrahams explained that much of the mixing is done “in the box”, with the processing and effects suitable in meeting the needs of more technically demanding acts: “We’ve been able to handle the requirements for orchestra, choir and the sideshows of major artists. But we’ve also already used it on more esoteric setups. One such was a performance called Sound Touch with composer Damien Ricketson, incorporating a lot of DIY sound devices, with a zoned PA setup and some channels feeding spot speakers.”

www.digico.biz

Stagetec consoles facilitate AoIP upgrade at KBS

An 88-fader Aurus and a 36-fader Avatus were recently installed by Stagetec’s South Korean distributor, Sound Hub, into the main live TV production studio of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). The upgrade, transitioning audio and video from HD to UHD, was the first in 11 years, representing an investment not only in an AoIP network but also in replacing outdated equipment.

KBS had installed a Crescendo in 2016, the broadcaster’s first experience of working with Stagetec consoles. “Stagetec was not a recognised brand at KBS before the upgrade,” explained KBS TV production technology department engineer, Seung-Ho Kim. “Those engineers who had operated Stagetec consoles before were impressed with the audio quality, the AD converters and microphone performance, but our limited budget had restricted us from purchasing more. However, following the appointment of SoundHub as Stagetec’s distributor, we decided to purchase Stagetec consoles for this studio.”

The 88-fader Aurus dominates the small production studio. “The Aurus accommodates a wide variety of audio sources from various programmes,” continued Kim. “For example,

when mixing music shows, approximately 70 instrument mics are input into the programme. For balancing, we need to intuitively check all the inputs and outputs of these sources. K-Pop act,

Seventeen, comprises 13 band members. When they perform, the engineer needs to control many audio sources simultaneously and ensure that the levels are right once they have completed their performance before focusing on the next act. So, the more faders, the better.”

KBS opted to use MADI together with Stagetec’s proprietary Nexus network. “We usually use MADI when we transmit and receive the audio sources from Pyramix to the Avatus sub console or when we work with PA companies. When we connect to video servers we have adopted MADI, having previously relied on AES/EBU. We also use RAVENNA, AES67 and AoIP.”

Personally, Kim feels at home operating the Avatus. “Avatus is different – just by looking at the console surface, you know how to operate it.” www.kbs.co.kr www.stagetec.com

Image courtesy of jordankmunns

Image courtesy of jordankmunns

Image courtesy of Tom Wilkinson

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GETshow returns to Guangzhou

The 2023 GETshow went ahead at the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Expo Center from 8–11 May, attracting 110,378 visitors on an exhibition area of 80,000m2. This was the first large-scale audio, video and lighting exhibition to go ahead since China reopened its borders, with overseas attendees bolstering a show that delivered up to 90% of pre-pandemic traffic, according to some exhibitors’ estimates. Delegations from Western manufacturers including L-Acoustics, Meyer Sound, FBT and Martin Audio were back and, although most of them had comments to make about the high SPL levels throughout the halls, they were positive about both the show and the fact the country is again open for visitors.

“China has really bucked the trend for us over the past three years, because our business was severely affected by Covid,” said David Cooper, L-Acoustics’ director of sales, APAC, from the booth of distributor, Racpro. “Our business has increased in China over the past three years, and that has purely been driven by the power of the installation market here. As this is the first show

PALM Expo India draws the crowds

Pro AVL Asia returned to PALM Expo India in Mumbai to find that while the show footprint appeared to have shrunk from its pre-Covid size, a bigger crowd than ever filled the halls, despite a newly introduced admission charge. Linked by a walkway to the AV and lighting sections, the audio hall was dominated by the industry’s main distributors including Sun Infonet, Hi Tech, Alphatec, Ansata, Vardhaman and Sonotone. Some of these were noticeably larger and featured more brands than in previous years. Most, regardless of size, were following the global AV tradeshow trend of featuring a reduced selection of ranges and compact products, with more seating areas for meetings and a few dedicated meeting rooms where discussions could be held away from the

noise of the show floor. And noisy it was, as people greeted each other enthusiastically and discussed the myriad events and projects bubbling away in India’s booming market and certain offenders demonstrated their wares at ear-splitting volumes.

At the rear of the hall were Indian manufacturers and importers, with speaker drivers and DJ equipment proliferated, and this area was extremely popular with the younger crowd who flocked to the show, forming long queues around registration, which was held in a separate building near the showground entrance. Show organiser Hyve India had imposed an INR 500 entrance fee for the general public for the first time, which covered the three days. While this didn’t appear to reduce crowd numbers, especially on days

since China has opened up, it’s obviously very busy, with a lot of people coming to the show. It’s exciting to be back.”

Added FBT export manager, Roberto Mataloni: “We appointed a new distributor, Jusheng Tech, during Covid, and this is the first time we’ve been able to meet them in person. It’s good to have the chance to explore the things we’ve been talking about, and also to meet their customers to understand their demands. We hosted the Chinese launch of the new Myra system, and I’ve seen many customers who are interested in this flagship line array. I’m finding the show very vibrant; it’s like breathing fresh air again.”

“It’s been almost five years since I’ve been here; it’s great to be back, seeing the energy and that things are moving and evolving in an exciting way,” said John McMahon, Meyer Sound’s senior vice president. “We’re also happy that our partner, Shanghai Broad Future, has opened a new office in Guangzhou. China is a very large country with a lot of distinct geographical regions and characteristics so, in order for SBF to represent Meyer Sound well, they need regional

No carpet, no problem for BroadcastAsia 2023

As ASEAN countries have matured, Singapore’s dominance as a regional hub has declined. Additionally, the relatively high cost of attending a show such as BroadcastAsia has served as a further deterrent for the prospective visitor. At best, the attendance of overseas visitors in recent years has constituted 50% of the total.

Consisting of BroadcastAsia, CommunicAsia, and TechXLR8 Asia, the collective Asia Tech X Singapore (ATXSG) was reformatted at the Singapore Expo in 2022, having migrated between the more central Suntec City and Marina Bay Sands exhibition centres in recent years. Besides location, lingering Omicron-fuelled restrictions were a further deterrent to visitor numbers.

A year is a long time between exhibitions and, with expectations perhaps running low in the prelude, the show lacked frills and grandeur. The four exhibition halls of ATXSG were missing

carpets in the aisles, but it hardly seemed to matter as large numbers of attendees obscured the grey concrete flooring. BroadcastAsia welcomed back a mixed crowd of broadcasters, distributors, developers and representatives from the house of worship, education and hotel sectors. A mix of old and new attendees had travelled from ASEAN countries, as well as Australia and India. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised, and the regional visitors I have met are all professional,” remarked Orban’s VP of sales, Peter Lee, demonstrating the latest Optimod 5950 processor. JAA Systems showcased Artel, BTL, Calrec, Merging, Prodys and Sonifex technologies. “It’s been our busiest BroadcastAsia to date – incredibly successful,” said managing director David Chan.

NDI networking, OTT platforms, AoIP technology, live production, UHD content and film production equipment were all displayed and explained. With previous big-ticket exhibitors

SINGAPORE

offices. Now, they have a presence in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with more to come.” For Generation AV managing director, David McKinney, it was four years since he’d last visited the GETshow. “I don’t remember it being this busy, and I’ve been really pleased with how [Martin Audio distributor] Sino Huifeng has been using the MLA system to demonstrate a live house application on the booth, because the market is changing in

China, and we are seeing more live houses coming up. Excitement is picking up and business has restarted in China; things are moving very quickly here, and people are looking for different things. It’s been really interesting to spend time with customers to learn more about what’s happening in the market again, it’s definitely changed.”

www.getshow.com.cn

one and two, it seemed effective in limiting attendance to those who had at least a passing interest in audio, video and lighting.

The Harman Live Arena, a large space located off the corridor linking the halls, was packed as usual, but the Demoqubes outside the venue were down to just two takers: Pequod Acoustics and Coda Audio. There was also a well-attended conference and seminar programme featuring some of India’s leading lights in AVL. Overall, impressions of the show were extremely positive, with most exhibitors viewing the crowd crush as a necessary evil. “Out of all the visitors who come by our stand, around 20% are serious ones,” said Alphatec’s Devasis Barkataki, half-jokingly. “But if you think of the actual numbers that represents, it’s a good amount.”

Added Ansata’s Leslie Lean: “An idea that I’ve put to the organiser is to design an app where you could register and pay for entry rather than standing in a queue.” Along similar lines, many of those working on stands were petitioning for a separate entry queue for exhibitors, with everyone having to queue outside in the heat for entry to the halls during busy times. Others remarked on the lack of efficient air conditioning and surfeit of decibels that plagued the halls intermittently. Overall, though, impressions were positive, and the industry is already making plans for PALM India’s return next year, from 30 May –1 June 2024 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon.

www.palmexpo.in

including Avid, Blackmagic Design, Panasonic and Sony absent, increased visitor levels were shared among those that had kept faith in the exhibition. This included Lawo, which has been present since 2002, and was exhibiting alongside distributor BCI, highlighting the Home management platform. “We have met important customers and received many new leads,” said Lawo SEA sales director, Tan Boon Siong. “As one of the pioneers in IP technology, Lawo prefers to highlight solutionsbased showcase projects and references.” Few microphone suppliers were evident, but Sennheiser showcased its latest products from the Professional and Neumann.Berlin stables, including the EW-DX wireless platform, MH120 monitors and MT148 interface. Comms were abundant, with AEQ and Hollyland showcasing cost-effective solutions with price-performance features. Clear-Com vied for attention with the IP-based Arcadia

Central station, Eclipse HX digital matrix, Dynam-EC software and IrisX user panels. LaON Technologies featured its Genie 5GHz technology and Riedel highlighted its SmartPanel 1200 displays, MediorNet MicroN decentralised router, Artist digital matrix intercom, Bolero wireless intercom and SimplyLive technology. The company also introduced new SEA office general manager, Marion Dimayuga, at the show.

With KOBA, SMPTE, BIRTV, InterBEE and a multitude of broadcast shows vying for attention, BroadcastAsia continues to cement its status as an ASEAN regional hub. Whether the 2023 edition was the shape of things to come will be revealed next year; having missed the opportunity to reengage with the industry, will the big brand absentees return in 2024?

www.broadcast-asia.com

www.CommunicAsia.com

www.NXTAsiaExpo.com

Building the right team

MUNRO ACOUSTICS, WHICH HAS BEEN ACTIVE ON THE subcontinent since UK founder, Andy Munro, designed a studio for Famous in 1995, has employed several architects to broaden the scope of its work. One of the architects, Rachel Jacob, will be based out of a new office in Bangalore, while Vaishnavi Jadhav has joined the Munro team in Mumbai.

Jacob, who is also a musician and an artist, followed in her mother’s footsteps by studying architecture. “I thought that was the right path, and what I needed to do,” she says. However, midway through the five-year course, she realised that traditional architecture maybe wasn’t for her.

“I found that I enjoyed designing for sound, and that’s when I realised I’d like to do something in this field,” she continues. Having finished her studies and qualified as an architect, she started to conduct research in the field of acoustic design. This led her to Munro Acoustics director, Kapil Thirwani. “I realised that he is one of the best in the country and emailed him to say that I would like to work with him. And he got back to me immediately.”

In her initial phase at Munro, Jacob was based in Mumbai, where her architectural skills were called into play on a new development for Sound & Vision which required seven studios, complete with vocal booths, to be fitted into one floor. She has now returned to Bangalore where she’s been joined in the new office by acoustic consultant, Roopashree B.

Coming from a civil engineering background, Roopashree has worked as an acoustic design engineer for seven years with 3D design tools such as SketchUp and Odeon for projects ranging from large-scale hospitals and stadiums to studios. She also found herself drawn to AV and studio design and contacted Munro. “The company’s international portfolio of work in this domain greatly inspired me, and Kapil offered me an opportunity to join the Munro team,” she says.

Munro acoustic consultant Vignyan Beera, who’s been working with Thirwani in Mumbai for almost a decade, is full of enthusiasm about the new appointments. “When we started taking on bigger infrastructure projects, the sheer number of drawings and details

send them over, and the architects wouldn’t really understand what we meant.

“We were coming at it from our engineering perspective when designing spaces which, although functional, was not enough for these larger projects, so we figured that it made sense to have an architect on board. Then we could explain to them what needed to be done and they could translate it into a set of drawings that the project architect could work from.”

Prior to Jacob joining the company, architect Malhar Ambekar was assisting Munro in this capacity. “Malhar had worked as a set designer for a very well-known film director so he knew a lot about the kind of work we often do, such as building partitions, because obviously this is the same as a lot of film set work,” continues Beera. “And we realised that having an architect on the team really

Architecture and Urbanism. Around this time, Jadhav joined the Mumbai team and is handling the BIM modelling. “After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, I researched different streams connected and related to the construction industry,” she explains. “I got to know about BIM and did a six-month course which led me to joining Munro, discovering how they collaborate with architects and designers on international projects to incorporate acoustics and AV in architectural design intents. I found this really interesting and I’m learning more about acoustics and varied aspects of form and function in architecture.”

Also new to the Mumbai team is Johan Pais, an automobile engineer, bass player and engineering specialist who has collaborated with Munro on past projects. Joining as project engineering lead, Pais collaborates with the acousticians, engineers, architects and technology consultants across the Munro offices. The company has also taken on a space near its Mumbai office to experiment and create 3D structures to accommodate active technology for its design projects.

“Our new polymath innovators are adding value every day to the design and consultancy services, making the journey for those of us who have been working at Munro for a while even more exciting and teaching us new skills,” says Thirwani.

www.munro.co.uk

Acoustics and AV consultancy Munro has appointed a team of young architects, engineers and musicians to assist in its work.

L–R: Johan Pais and Vaishnavi Jadhav have joined the Munro team in Mumbai

L–R: Munro’s Roopashree B and Rachel Jacob are working out of a new Bangalore office

L–R: Rachel Jacob and Vignyan Beera

Dancing to its own tune

Sue Su visits TikTok parent company, ByteDance, at its new Beijing headquarters

FOUNDED IN 2012, TIKTOK OWNER BYTEDANCE continues to develop rapidly, its 2022 revenue exceeding US$80 billion. To accommodate this rapid growth and subsequent increase in employees, ByteDance has invested in several commercial buildings in recent years including Zhongkun Plaza in Beijing, which the company has refurbished and established as its Beijing headquarters.

In addition to office and conference facilities, a 2,000m showroom has been constructed in the ground-floor lobby. The showroom provides a window for displaying ByteDance’s overall business to visiting guests as well as presenting new products and future business plans.

The showroom’s many hard surfaces and display screens were creating a lot of sound reflection, so the proposed audio system needed to address this while also being completely concealed from view. With 30 years’ experience in audio and video integration, Beijing Xingqi Bangwei Electronics – a K-array dealer – was chosen as the subcontractor for the project. “The showroom needed to have a technological theme, so a lot of metal was used to fit out the ceiling and the floor,” says Miao Zhijun, technical manager of Xingqi Bangwei. “More and more clients require the audio system to be hidden as much as possible, which brought great challenges to our design and implementation.”

To achieve the best results, the company invited an acoustician to put forward a design for the showroom which would include sound absorption material to reduce reflections. Xingqi Bangwei also arranged demonstrations of suitable K-array products for the client. “K-array has some small cabinets as well as its flexible, snake-like speakers and some thin subwoofers, which were very suitable for this project,” recalls Miao, adding that the customers immediately asked if the speakers would be up to the job. “We presented some K-array references in theatres, showrooms and meeting rooms, and also brought them to K-array’s demo room in Beijing to experience the sound quality.

The entire exhibition hall covers an area of about 2,000m2 and is divided into three areas: the entrance lobby, the cloud server room and the display area, featuring 15 different exhibits. The lobby is entered via a large revolving door fitted with LEDs leading onto the centrepiece, an LED globe suspended from the ceiling which can rise up and down. A 7.1-channel system is installed here, with two Kobra-KK102 I 1m speakers with 16 woofers for each of the L-R channels, four Anakonda-KAN200+8 flexible array speakers for the central channel, eight KobraKK52 I 0.5m speakers with eight woofers for surround and two ultra-thin Rumble-KU210 passive subwoofers to complement the low frequencies.

The cloud server room, a standalone exhibition, uses four Vyper-KV25 ultra-flat passive line array speakers and two Rumble-KU44 compact subwoofers for playback during the guided tour.

Further inside is a large, open space with exhibits designed to showcase ByteDance’s diverse business segments, including a smart city model and a VR automobile experience. Each exhibit is equipped with either two Anakonda-KAN200+8 2m speakers and a Rumble-KU26 subwoofer, or two Vyper-KV25 ultra-flat speakers and a Rumble-KU26. More than 20 Vyper-KV25s are also installed on the ceiling to supplement the main system, providing redundancy if needed. All K-array loudspeakers are driven by Kommander-KA84 and Kommander-KA24 power amplifiers and concealed in the interior décor.

Since the showroom is designed to host at least two visitor groups at a time, there could be no sound bleed between the different areas. The design drew heavily on the K-array Pure Array Technology feature within the speakers, which can be used to optimise speaker angles. “The minimum vertical angle of the slim Kobra series is only 7°,” explains Miao. “We took advantage of the narrow vertical coverage angle of the line array speakers and placed them horizontally. As sound decays off-axis quickly, this method can be used for segregation.”

A ClearOne digital wireless system comprising two WS-880 eight-channel digital wireless system receivers with six wireless handheld microphones, four lavalier microphones and four headset microphones are divided between the two teams of commentators leading visitor groups. The two systems can also back each other up.

ClearOne’s Converge Pro 2 DSP platform receives output from sources including analogue and digital audio players and microphones. Two ClearOne Converge Matrix network matrices back each other up, providing input and output signal routing and, simultaneously, a management platform to monitor routing status. These also provide ample capacity to facilitate future expansion, as well as ongoing changes to the exhibition.

The 2,000m2 showroom is divided into different exhibition zones

The suspended LED globe can move up and down

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Dial M for multifunctional

OVERLOOKING THE KELAB GOLF PERKHIDMATAN AWAM (KGPA) in the suburban green belt of Damansara, the M Resort and Hotel aims to attract urban elites and business travellers alike. Commissioned to deliver AV and lighting solutions throughout a property that promotes tranquillity over vibrancy, Infinitum Technologies was challenged from the outset to subtly install premium AV and lighting technology by consultant Addy Wong, with equipment provided by local AV supplier, Mercoms Systems.

The 385-guestroom M Resort and Hotel provides an idyllic setting for banquets, receptions, corporate events, weddings, product launches and executive meetings. “M” stands for Malaysia, and the country’s bountiful natural resources – including ornate timber furnishings and fixtures – are aptly showcased throughout. The high ceilings and native plants heighten the inviting effect, while the contrasting wood and mirror details exude elegance and exclusivity.

Accommodating up to 1,040 guests, the pillarless President ballroom is the jewel of the hotel’s 5,000m2 of function space. The 27.3m x 55m venue can be divided by an acoustic partition into State Room 1 and State Room 2, with the entertainment technology integrated for every eventuality. When combined, two 6.14m x 3.07m Pixen P3 LED screens on the front wall and larger 9.02m x 5.18m LED displays fixed centrally to the lateral walls draw the visitor’s eye.

Sources including five localised wall panels offering VGA, HDMI and audio I/Os, which together with Sony BRC X40 HD PTZ cameras and Pioneer Blu-ray players, are routed to a Crestron MD 16-in/16-out digital matrix switcher. Once scaled and processed, the HD images are output to the four LED screens and Samsung 60-inch displays in the pre-reception area. The addition of NovaStar VX1000 LED display controllers support the extra-large resolution formats required by the screen sizes.

“The addition of Crestron control makes it easier to operate the various functions in the hotel ballroom,” explains Infinitum Technologies director Saw Siong Yih. “We have created presets for different orientations of the stage, enabling ease of use for

the facility manager and end user. As a result, there is little dismantling or reconfiguration required on their part.”

Renkus-Heinz ICLive XL electronically steerable line array loudspeakers are flush mounted to the left and right of the two smaller LED screens. Both the larger displays are bolstered by dual ICLive XL columns per side. “The interior designer demanded that the column speakers be flush mounted against the walls to maintain the aesthetics,” continues Saw. “Not only do their proven capabilities blend in with the design, but the 8-inch woofers provide an added 3dB of SPL output.” Enhancing low-frequency extension, four portable floor-standing Renkus-Heinz ICLX-118S 18-inch subwoofers can be patched into one of the 12 customised facility panels according to the orientation of the stage. Further monitoring flexibility has been added with four QSC K12 powered monitors, which can be plugged into any of the patch panels. DSP settings for room-combining scenarios in either landscape

the software settings of the Q-SYS Core 110f processor. In addition, the beams emitting from the eight Renkus-Heinz ICLive XL speakers have been adjusted to compensate for use of the partition and stored as 12 presets within the Q-SYS software. In addition to 12 analogue panels, four Attero Tech Dante digital wall plates are directly routed to the Q-SYS Core 110f processor via a Cisco switcher.

When the rooms are combined, a Yamaha TF5 32-channel console is used for audio mixing in the Grand Ballroom. However, when subdivided, a TF3 model is sufficient for the needs of State Room 1, while the TF5 can still be used for dedicated State Room 2 functions. In addition to the facility panels, audio sources include Tascam CD-200SB players together with eight UHF channels of Audio-Technica ATW-3000 transmitters for combining with ATW-3212 handhelds, ATW-3211 lavaliers and Pro31 wired cardioids. “In addition to being solid

The Kuala Lumpur cityscape may be reaching for the skies, but a growing community of newly built four- and five-star hotels are favouring discretion over visibility, reports Richard Lawn

The pillarless President ballroom is the jewel of the hotel’s function space

Dual 8-inch QSC subwoofers are kept out of sight in the lobby

L–R: Mercoms Systems’ Steven Chan, Infinitum’s Saw Siong Yih, Mercoms Systems’ WB Tan and QSC’s Eddie Tan

users to bring in their own mics should they wish,” explains Saw.

From the control room, the technicians control the AV and lighting room function parameters from a wired 7-inch Crestron touchscreen. In addition, two iPads provide dedicated wireless AV control including source, volume and DSP adjustments for each ballroom. “We opted for an HDBaseT network solution owing to the long distance from the wall panels to the control room,” adds Saw. “The four main LED P3 video screens and other displays receive their HDMI signals from a Crestron Digital Media 16x16 matrix.”

A total of 52 Ayrton LED profiles, par cans and Fresnel spot fixtures combine to create various lighting ambiences from the six trusses fixed onto the ceiling. The DMX signals are fed into Theatre Light TLDX-SP8 splitters for mixing on the two Net-1024 digital lighting consoles in room-combined and separate modes. “The lighting has also been discreetly installed,” continues Saw. “Owing to the multifunctional nature of the events, presets were required for the fixtures including the moving heads. In addition, we installed motorised bars so that the hotel technicians can easily relocate the profiles, Fresnels and PAR cans wherever required.”

Ornate wooden lighting structures in the pre-function area led

satellites provide discretion, while the addition of five QSC AD-S-SUB 6.5-inch ceiling subwoofers enhance the full-range capacity. A QSC MP-M80 unit assumes DSP responsibilities and a Tascam CD-200SB CD/USB player connected to a Kodio SY-P1002 rackmounted audio mixer provides the BGM for this exclusive zone. As in all other zones, the PA system can be overridden during emergency announcements.

Eight function rooms are divided by a corridor on the eighth level of the opposite building. In terms of visuals, each meeting room is equipped with a 3,072mm x 1,572mm Pixen P2 display and Novastar VX1000 processor. Video sources are connected to the HDMI inputs. Furthermore, two of the meeting rooms can be combined. Room-combining DSP settings are programmed in the software of the Q-SYS QSC 8 Flex eight-in/eight-out DSP processors incorporating a Crestron HD-MD4X2 four-in/two-out matrix switcher to provide switching and combining capabilities.

“These are flexible spaces, allowing guests to play video through the P2 LED screens or simply plug in a laptop through the VGA wall input connection,” Saw explains. “Likewise, audio had to be flexible, so three portable racks have been supplied, equipped with Audio-Technica ATW3212 handheld and ATW3211/829 lavalier mics, Koido SY-P1002 audio mixers, dbx 231 EQ and QSC

The QSC ACCT-6 speakers are powered by either half-rack QSC SPA2-60 or CMX500VA amplifiers. The Q-SYS Q-LAN is created by the network of STP Cat6 cabling that connects all eight rooms to Cisco SG-300-28PP switchers in the two back of house racks. Audio video parameters are controlled from the individual QSC TSC-47 4.7-inch wall panel touchscreens for source, volume, combining and matrix switching.

The open ceiling wooden design of the expansive all-day dining room posed a further challenge in terms of audio aesthetics. Powered by QSC CMX500VA amplifiers, 24 QSC ACCT-8 ceiling speakers have been suspended in more of a pendant mode. Finished in black to blend in with the ceiling décor, the 8-inch models ensure discretion. Music is sourced from a Tascam CD200 USB CD player connected to a Koido SY-P1002 mixer. Loudspeaker management parameters are controlled from a QSC MP-M80 DSP processor. Guests seated outside are delivered the same audio signal routed to four outdoor P Audio VS6F 6-inch IP-rated speakers.

A centrally located pool bar and alfresco dining area serves as a magnet during favourable weather. Combining high SPLs with proven weatherproof properties, four One Systems 112/HTH 800W 12-inch speakers and dual 108/HS8 8-inch subwoofers powered by two QSC PLD4.2 four-channel amplifiers serve this zone. “The client envisaged this area being hired out for private parties, so we designed a high-performance and high SPL audio system,” adds Saw. “The addition of two aux panels allows the guests to plug in their own sources or they can hire a DJ to host events.”

Added flexibility including DJ provision has been added with a Yamaha TF1 16-channel digital console and Tascam CD-200SB player behind the poolside bar. Finally, the perimeter between the lobby reception area and the pool is fully covered by six One Systems 106/HTH 200W 6-inch speakers powered by a QSC CMX500VA amplifier. A loudspeaker ceiling system was ruled out for the main lobby entrance area owing to the 11.5m ceiling height. “Fortunately, the two flush mounted ultra-discreet RenkusHeinz ICC 12 Live self-powered column loudspeakers are sufficiently powerful to cover this wide area,” continues Saw. “Powered by a QSC PLD 4.2 700W four-channel amplifier, two QSC AD-S28TW double 8-inch subwoofers have been installed into the wall below the ICC 12 columns and a third has been placed under a wooden pedestal in the centre of the foyer.”

In its pursuit to ensure AV discretion on behalf of the interior designer, Infinitum Technologies did not overlook the overriding AV requirements of this project. No sacrifices have been made in terms of powerful delivery, ease-of-use features and venue flexibility throughout this stunning property.

www.mercoms.com

www.mresort-hotel.com.my

A Yamaha TF5 console is used for mixing in combined mode and for State Room 2

Ayrton LED lights are fixed to six overhead trusses

The all-day dining room receives BGM from ceilingsuspended QSC ACCT-8 speakers

One Systems 12-inch speakers and 8-inch subwoofers at the pool bar and alfresco area

Remote possibilities

MELBOURNE BUSINESS SCHOOL (MBS), JOINTLY OWNED

by the business community and the University of Melbourne, offers a range of MBA and business analytics degrees, postgraduate degrees, short courses for professionals and custom solutions for organisations. As one of Australia’s leading business education providers, MBS needed to keep up to date with teaching methods by creating an immersive virtual classroom for 50–80 participants.

MBS initially engaged Melbourne-based AV and ICT specialist UT Consulting to carry out a market analysis of technology available in the Australian market and put the most suitable solutions out to tender. The key requirements for the system – which had to be integrated with MBS’s existing technology – were to allow at least three teachers to conduct lectures, presentations and interviews, with up to 84 students participating in online sessions. To ensure flexibility, provision for multiple source inputs such as PC, laptop and digital whiteboard was required, with chat functionality including the ability to ask anonymous questions and conduct quizzes and polls. Sessions needed to be recorded and streamed, virtual breakout rooms for smaller groups had to be accommodated and session analytics and technical logs provided. Any cloud-based component had to be based in Australia, and the system needed to adhere to top-level security and IT industry best practice.

At the time, one of the only available solutions was Barco’s weConnect teaching platform which hadn’t yet been installed in Australia. “A custom solution could have also been implemented; however, that would have required the complete design of a complex system, advanced programming, while hoping the disparate components worked with each other,” explains UT Consulting business manager, Talon Clynes. “Apart from Barco weConnect, it was up to the tender respondents as to which brands and models they selected, with the selections needing to meet the performance requirements of the project.”

The recommended AV respondent was Fredon, which was contracted to provide, install and commission the Barco-based solution. At the heart of the AV system are 25 weConnect Barco nodes running software which interface between the AV components and the Barco cloud solution. A Crestron VC-4 control platform facilitates audio, PTZ camera and lighting adjustments, while a Podion Orion-1 multimedia lectern houses the control interface for the AV and the Barco systems, allowing lecturers to present from their laptops.

The main teaching space – a soundproof studio with a curved videowall – is equipped with 14 interconnected 55-inch Samsung VH55T-E 4K displays, hosting up to 84 people in life-size proportions. This allows facilitators to engage with learners in the same way they would in person. Four Sennheiser in-ear monitors and receivers and two Shure Quad wireless mic receivers with eight lapel microphones are output to a Shure MXA 910 ceiling array microphone and eight Yamaha SRC20AB soundbars. A Samsung

physical whiteboard.

Fifteen Huddlecam Huddly IQ USB HD cameras enable participants – who can select four different angles to view lectures from – to observe facial expressions and body language. A Lumens VC-BC301P camera gives an overview of the room, while two Sony SRG-X40UH PTZ cameras with RM-IP10 controllers focus on specific areas such as presenters or the interactive display. Two 2-inch NEC M231 confidence monitors are installed on low-level trolleys for use in the most appropriate location.

A dedicated AV booth is installed with two Samsung QM32 32-inch preview monitors, allowing technical staff to check what virtual attendees will be seeing and giving direct communication with the classroom without being heard by remote participants. Technical staff can also communicate with the teaching space via a Glensound Beatrice D4 four-channel network desktop intercom system.

Building works were undertaken to convert what was a traditional teaching space into a classroom that could accommodate the solution and ensure optimal acoustics. The room was gutted, a curved wall put in place for the displays and an operators’ room added, with a glass window overlooking the teaching space. Acoustic treatment was installed under the guidance of acoustic consultant, Arup, which ensured the reverberation of the HVAC system was kept to a minimum and optimises audio for a virtual classroom setting.

“We can now offer the equivalent engagement and interaction found in physical classrooms, but in a much more immersive and flexible experience,” says Sachin Dua, head of learning spaces at MBS. “This new space lets experts see every learner and hear where a voice is coming from, and cameras pivot quickly to ensure that learners can keep up with the expert. The virtual classroom enables educators to leverage their personal style, charisma and natural energy to create a learning experience that resonates with their audience. By providing tools not typically found in video conferencing systems, it fosters social connections among students, engages learners and improves collaboration and productivity.”

www.barco.com

www.utconsulting.com.au

UT Consulting has helped Melbourne Business School keep pace with evolving teaching trends by installing an immersive virtual classroom, reports Caroline Moss

An AV booth allows technical staff to monitor and communicate with the teaching space

Up to 84 life-sized participants can be displayed on the curved LED wall

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Life’s a beach

BALI’S NEWEST RESORT, ATLAS BEACH FEST, IS THE latest venture of lifestyle and entertainment brand the Holywings Group, headed by flamboyant lawyer and TV personality, Hotman Paris Hutapea. This will come as no surprise to those who’ve dined, drank, danced and partied at one of Holywings’ 40-plus venues across Indonesia. The design concept of each Holywings venue is guided by the latest trends, taking inspiration from major cities around the world. “We bring ideas that we’ve picked up from other countries that are new to Indonesia,” explains Holywings’ Marvin Saputra. “Then we tailor them for our audiences and add a unique energy that can compete with other countries.”

Holywings already had history with UK club and live music brand Funktion-One before plotting its new venture, having installed its speaker systems at more than 10 of its W Superclub, H Club, Golden Tiger Club and Golden Dragon Bar properties and other venues across Indonesia. The systems have all been supplied by distributor and solutions provider DMP Musik and installed by Jakarta-based PT Electro Audio Engineering. So, when it came to the group’s most ambitious project to date – to create Bali’s largest beach resort which would also feature a superclub, host beachfront festivals and promote Indonesian arts and culture – it turned again to DMP Musik, which has provided and installed around 200 speakers across the venue, including some Yamaha models for a communal outdoor area.

Located on the Berawa waterfront, the Atlas Beach Fest features bars, swimming pools and relaxation areas with expansive views over the ocean as food and drink are served from various outlets to the accompaniment of live and DJ music. As well as entertaining guests staying in the luxurious accommodation options, a free-to-enter communal area hosts a market with street food stalls, traditional Balinese dance and music classes, workshops on Balinese art and cuisine and a range of installations and exhibitions by local artists, photographers and designers. Encapsulating the hedonism of Bali’s party scene is W Superclub Atlas Bali, part of the Atlas Beach Fest complex, forming a huge entertainment destination that attracts thousands of visitors every week. The three-level nightclub, designed with an industrial theme,

features Funktion-One systems in tandem with a state-of-the-art lighting and laser rig and fog machines.

“The concept was to create what would possibly be the largest beach club in the world,” explains DMP Musik CEO, Kenny Soewondo. “At the centre is a DJ stage, surrounded by many

different culinary experiences, clothing stores and food stalls, plus the nightclub. Resorts in Bali usually only have a limited choice of activities, so this was designed to be something different, offering a wide choice of leisure activities.”

DMP was brought onboard in mid-2021, right at the start of the project, with less than a year before it was due to open. “The owners wanted to have a very even distribution of Funktion-One speakers and subwoofers, with an emphasis on the DJ stage in the middle of the beach club,” continues Soewondo. “They are fans of Funktion-One, which they have used at many of their other outlets.”

At the heart of the main beach club area is a main stage and DJ booth surrounded by a dancefloor. This area has the resort’s highest volume of guests, who can order food and drinks throughout the day and stay to enjoy sunset from the west-facing beach. Visitors can gather to watch live and DJ performances from the comfort of daybeds which have been arranged with views of the stage, as well as from private pools. The main system consists of four Funktion-One Evo 6EH midhigh speakers, four F215 MkII mid-bass units and four F124 bass enclosures powered by two Linea Research 44C10 and two 44C20 installation amplifiers with onboard DSP. The wider area is covered by 27 Funktion-One F1201 compact enclosures mounted on palm trees, 18 F101 speakers on wooden poles and 19 BR118 compact subwoofers encased in wooden boxes, made in conjunction with the club’s interior designer to fit aesthetically with the décor. A Yamaha QL5 digital console with Tio1608-D stagebox is used at FOH for the main stage, while DJ equipment includes Pioneer CDJ-3000 players and a DJM-900 DJ mixer. The beach club area is controlled from the main AV room, one of four located around the premises connected via Ethernet which can be accessed using the local Wi-Fi network, allowing staff to make adjustments in separate areas. Each AV room is installed with a networked Yamaha MRX7-D matrix controller to manage the audio zones and provide control.

A covered corner area, Solitaire, has been provided for VIP guests to relax with a drink and enjoy a more premium

Funktion-One Evo 6EH, F215 and F124 system at the beach club

At the heart of the beach club, an outdoor dancefloor surrounds the stage and DJ booth

Funktion-One systems have been chosen for a new, supersized Indonesian beach resort. Caroline Moss gets the lowdown on Atlas Beach Fest, Bali

experience. Four Funktion-One F1201 and two F81 speakers plus one BR115 and two BR118 subwoofers have been installed, powered by Full Fat Audio FFA-8004 HD and FFA-6004 amps with NST VMX88 processing. There is also a general bar area for people to refill their drinks and sit in a shaded area

when the weather is too hot. This is installed with FunktionOne F81 compact enclosures and BR115 bass reflex units. Solitaire, together with its private pool area and a children’s pool at the southern part of the club, is controlled from AV room B.

The Culinary Ground is a large communal area outside the private beach club, which is free for the general public to enter. On offer are a bar, a coffee shop, a bakery, an ice-cream stall and restaurants offering ramen, sushi and local Balinese food among other choices. Here, DMP opted for a system using more budget-friendly, slimline Yamaha VXL column speakers to provide background music. A total of 14 VXL1-16 and 12 VXL1-24 column speakers have been installed throughout this area, together with 12 Yamaha VXC3F ceiling speakers and 19 Yamaha VXS5 surface mount speakers, powered by Yamaha amplifiers with DSP provided by a Yamaha MRX7-D. AV room C also handles background music at the front of the beach club. The jewel in the crown of the Atlas Beach Club is the W Superclub Atlas Bali, which can host up to 2,000 revellers, featuring a main five-per-side system of Funktion-One Vero VX90i speakers supplemented with eight F124 subwoofers. The delay systems consist of F1201s installed at the rear of the dancefloor and the rear balcony, with Evo 6E speakers and F121 subs to cover the balcony and F121 subs and MB212 minibass subs suspended above sofas surrounding the dancefloor. A pair of PSM318s are being used for DJ monitoring. The entire system is powered by Full Fat Audio FFA-8004 HD, FFA-10000, FFA 6004 and Funktion-One D120 amplifiers with NST Audio VMX88 and NST VMO16 processing. DJ equipment includes Pioneer CDJ-3000 players and a DJM-

“The project was very challenging for both PT Electro Audio Engineering and DMP Musik, as we were working in a limited time window during a time when supply chain issues were very significant,” comments PT Electro Audio Engineering’s lead sound engineer, Willie Satya. “Working together, as well as with Funktion-One, we managed to achieve the timely delivery and installation of the Atlas Beach Fest.”

www.funktion-one.com

www.nstaudio.com

www.yamaha.com/proaudio

Five-per-side Funktion-One Vero VX90i speakers form the main system at the W Superclub

Dan Daley discusses why what’s old can always be new again

HEARING OF LEOPARD II MAIN BATTLE TANKS

rolling towards Ukraine brought back memories. Not of Stalingrad in 1942, but of Frankfurt in 1992, when the city was the site of the European edition of RepliTech, the once-mighty tradeshow that also straddled San Jose, California, Hong Kong, Beijing and São Paulo. It was nominally focused on media manufacturing, but the real star of that show was the compact disc, once the king of all digital media and which celebrated a somewhat muted anniversary last March, marking 40 years since the first shiny discs were made and released in the US. (The first commercial CD, Billy Joel’s 52nd Street, was manufactured and released in Japan in October 1982.)

When Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA became the first CD to be manufactured in the States at Sony DADC’s first optical disc plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, it heralded a revolution that no one could predict. Within a matter of a few years, the CD turned vinyl records and cassette tapes, the media currency of that day, into yesterday’s news. Anyway, back to tanks. To give you a sense of how that business had mushroomed in barely a decade, KraussMaffei, one of a handful of high-tech hardware companies that made the disc-manufacturing equipment and which

A letter from America A letter from Europe

together comprised the suddenly muscular physicalmedia industry, also made the Leopard II, and gave some fortunate media members a ride around a test track in one on some occasions. True, it had no turret or cannon at the time, but it certainly trumped any spin in a mere Maybach (which were also plentiful at the time).

Another reflection of the sector’s affluence was an article I once wrote for Tape/Disc Business which, along with One to One and a few other trade publications, comprised the editorial fibre of the industry. The article focused not on any new technical developments or whizbang products but rather on the quality of the cuisine offered at various stands at the RepliTech Frankfurt show one particular year in the 1990s, the decade that would become media manufacturing’s gilded age. The stands for the largest companies were measured in hundreds of square metres to demonstrate their standing in the cultural pecking order of the business, with top chefs turning out some remarkable cuisine on site. Competition between the Germans and Italians was equally delicious. A regular feature at the San Jose RepliTech was a very large ice sculpture that, like the glittering tech temples Google and Apple would soon

build in the area, underscored Silicon Valley’s imminent dominance.

This opulence took place against a backdrop of a music industry that had become rocket-fueled by the CD. It was optical disc’s Roaring Twenties, but it was inevitable that there would be a 1929. It came in 2001, when the music sales tanked precipitously with the arrival of Napster and file sharing. By 2003, RepliTech had disappeared, along with several billion dollars’ worth of value. CD manufacturing systems costing millions of euros now went for a fraction of that on remnant websites. Then a remarkable thing happened: the return of vinyl, the very format that the CD had putatively crushed. Vinyl album sales reached 5.5m units during 2022, the 15th consecutive year of growth for the format which, for the first time, overtook the CD, with $1.2 billion in sales, compared to $483 million for CDs.

Formats don’t really die. Instead, they wait for cultural moments to reanimate them. Why vinyl, why now? Who knows? A 96kHz/24-bit digital recording is as good as it gets for human ears. Yet media makers continue to scour Eastern Europe for vintage vinyl presses. The lesson? Never say never. It’s also why we’ll always need tanks.

The unlikely reopening of a legendary European recording studio? Phil Ward promises a Miraval

THIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. A ONCE-COVETED residential recording studio, which had fallen into predictable decline along with nearly all the other great studios of the West, has been revived and refurbished, almost literally out of the blue. You would be less surprised if they raised the Titanic and put it into regular service between Dover and Calais.

Studio Miraval was the jewel in the crown of European residential recording, a place of almost mystical power that grew in stature as commercial recording reached its peak in the 1980s. Located in the south-east corner of France, within the region known as Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, it had all the old-world allure of the French Riviera combined with new technology, vineyards and a swimming pool. You could spend eternity in heaven and still miss Miraval.

If you remember the Hamlet cigar advertising campaign that used a jazz-piano version of Bach’s Air on the G String, you’ll understand how the player of that piano, French composer Jacques Loussier, could afford to buy this estate and then build a studio on it, firstly for his own use and later, as the concept of residential recording drifted across Europe like cigar smoke, on the open market. First came the rock bands,

like Pink Floyd and AC/DC, soon followed by a procession of ’80s icons from The Cure to Wham! via Sade and UB40. As late as 2006, Muse were in there making Black Holes and Revelations

Then, of course, it fell into disuse. The estate’s wine production proved to be more interesting than music to new owners Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who were still a couple back in 2011 when they bought it. Like Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, they were an A-list duo with French connections who enjoyed the trappings of the trans-Atlantic lifestyle: the best tables in Parisian restaurants; the finest hideaways in the countryside; ashtrays made from SSL consoles.

To be fair, the winemaking has gone pretty well. By 2020, Jolie and Pitt were marketing their second Provençal vintage, a rosé that they had the decency to call “Studio” in honour of the estate’s temporary diversification and all those hours treading the audio grapes to form the Judas Priest album Painkiller, among many others. Studio Rosé by Miraval has even garnered high praise among vintners, with one reviewer describing it as having “pale colour, citrus aromas, hints of white flowers and an iodine finish”.

Now, to me, that sounds like Vanessa Paradis herself singing Joe le Taxi, but I digress. This story is about Angelina and Brad.

It wasn’t long after acquiring Miraval that they split up, although they still share ownership of the wine business, and you can’t help wondering if there was a difference of opinion about the studio legacy that contributed to the breakup: “Aw, c’mon, Angie, lemme at least have a drum booth…” “No, you can’t, it will spoil the grape. And, anyway, you don’t even play the drums.”

One thing Pitt does have, though, is a genuine thirst for architecture and, by teaming up with record producer Damien Quintard, he has indeed brought the whole campus back to life – complete with a custom console and Dolby Atmos certification. The live room is 320m2, much as it was, and the new control room is 93m2. Vintage gear, including synthesisers, has been preserved, and Brad even gets his drum booth – exactly as it was constructed for Jacques Loussier’s percussionist Christian Garros, back in le jour. So, Angelina gets to drink the wine while Brad smokes the metaphorical cigar and thwacks the metaphorical drums. What a tale of hope and prayer.

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KOBA 2023

Allen & Heath, d&b audiotechnik, Electro-Voice, L-Acoustics and Shure were perhaps disappointed. Mixing consoles were in abundance, with Yamaha promoting the CL, QL and TF digital ranges in addition to the PM7 and PM10

to seek out equipment suppliers, finding a significant number of international brand representatives had made the journey to support their distributors.

Returning to its traditional format of three (A, C and D) halls within the COEX, the KOBA show also assumed its more familiar mid-May dates following last year’s June event. The upper thirdlevel halls presented broadcast and video equipment, while the ground floor was dedicated to professional audio and lighting. Technicians and engineers immersed themselves in the latest technology in addition to attending the numerous technical seminars and workshops.

Increased visitor traffic was recorded over the four-day event, particularly in the upper halls hosting the broadcast and videocentric exhibits. Indeed, the final “tumbleweed” day failed to materialise, with several audio exhibitors remarking that they had been forced to skip lunch. It didn’t deter the breakdown of most booths before the official 5pm close of play, however.

Several prominent exhibitors were absent, including DLogixs, Klausys and Sama Sound. Consequently, visitors expecting to be updated with new technologies from brands such as

including an mc256 console and A__line Stage 64 stagebox. Wheatstone recently appointed Koil Corporation as its Korean distributor, with sales director Jay Tyler crossing 12 time zones to kickstart the relationship and promote the LXE control platform and Arcus Remote Strata 32 console.

Soundus rolled out the latest DiGiCo Quantum 225 and 338 live consoles at its very own front of house location. This was

Made in Italy Zurich 2022

Now in its 31st year, KOBA has extended its appeal beyond traditional broadcasting, drawing a large and diverse crowd to the show floor. Richard Lawn reports from Seoul

L–R: DiGiCo’s Ian Staddon and Soundus’s DJ Kwon

HH Electronics’ Ian Wright and Generation AV’s Ben Goldsworthy supported Koil Corporation at KOBA

complemented by a K-array demonstration booth featuring K-Scape Rails, Domino, Lyzard, Pinnacle and Thunder speakers. Rounding off the Soundus offerings were a focused selection of Aviom in-ear monitors, beyerdynamic TG1000 wireless, Audio HOPS loudspeakers, MC2 Audio amplifiers and Stager microphones.

The aptly named Sound Solution grouped Midas consoles including the Heritage D HD-64 alongside Lab Gruppen amplifiers and Klark Teknik outboard. The DPA Microphones backdrop included the latest DDK4000 drum mic kit; a large selection was on show from RCF including the latest NX and HDL speakers, while Sommer Cable and Wisycom represented. A screened-off immersive setup consisted of an Adamson Fletcher Machine using IS5C coaxial speakers, IS213 subwoofers and RCF Ayra Pro5 monitors.

Harman distributor Tech Data fired up the latest JBL

A8 line arrays alongside EON, PRX, SRX, VTX, Control and column models in addition to Crown I-Tech amplifiers. AKG headphones were displayed in a home recording zone, while presentation switchers and Varia panels were also on display. Like Avid, Sennheiser splits distribution throughout South Korea according to market segment. Accordingly, the Evolution G4 wireless series, EW-DX, Digital 6000 and 9000 wireless systems, Ambeo VR 3D audio technologies and a vast range of wired and G4 wireless microphone products, together with Neumann studio mics and monitors, could be found on several booths, including Koil Corporation and Zinopro.

The Seki booth demonstrated KOBA’s extra-broadcast credentials, with exhibits including the Bose AMM multipurpose speakers, S1 Pro Bluetooth models, Pro8, Pro16 and Pro32 portable line arrays and AM stadium speakers, together with Audio-Technica turntables, BP shotguns, ATUC conferencing systems and ATW wireless systems. Mipro Korea highlighted the WL-22 violin, GT-24 guitar and SW-32 saxophone instrument wireless mics in addition to the more established MA series of portable wireless cabinets and ACT microphone systems.

Korean manufacturers were evident, with Inter-M’s commanding presence reinforcing its status in the domestic market. With half

of the Kevic booth dedicated to FBT speaker systems including Muse line arrays, IP66-rated Shadow 142L StageMax, Verve and X-Pro series, the other half featured solutions from the Kevic catalogue including the DP5000 digital PA controller. DK Vascom showcased a comprehensive range of Korean products including the Vass Castor class HD conferencing microphones next to Renkus-Heinz column enclosures and Ram Audio amplifiers. On the Ingang Audio booth, Meyer Sound’s Panther line array loudspeaker with the 2100-LFC low-frequency companion and Ultra-X40 multipurpose cabinet were on display. Dasan SR had reinvented itself with a new lineup of brands including db Technologies, Montarbo and Sonance (speakers), Earthworks (microphones), NST Audio (processing) and the Riedel Bolero intercom system. Its core EAW and Powersoft heavyweights had new technologies on offer including the KF210 line array and Unica next-gen, cloud-based amplifier platform.

New to the Kinoton Korea booth was Danish amplifier brand, , with its Danish representatives introducing the PowerZone amplification and control platform to the local market. Philippe Vitali and Guy de Souza from Analog Way also made the long trip to Seoul to highlight the latest video processing technologies including LivePremier presentation systems, Midra 4K presentation switchers, Picturall Mark II media servers, consoles and controllers to rental companies and systems

Several lighting exhibits were focusing their spots and moving heads on venue designers and theatre owners. Lugh Scape Rosco and Ushio) and Total Plus (Vari-Lite Strand Lighting) shone brightly at the rear of the hall. illuminated its section with a mixture of Esprite, Forte and MegaPointe LED moving heads together with TXI PosiProfiles.

“It’s important that we support our distributor, Art Tech Lighting,” said Robe Lighting APAC MD, Jens Poehlker. “The South Korean market is not only mature, it’s also very diverse. Our customers include theatres, rental companies, houses of worship and car manufacturers.”

Resembling a condensed IBC or NAB show layout, the video broadcasting halls on level three kept crowds transfixed by engaging with their audiences. Here, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Ikegami, Panasonic and Sony called upon female subjects to pose for long durations on studio sets. Between these exhibits, there was much to take in, including Clear-Com comms, ROE Visual LED panels and Deity microphones.

2023 Dates: 16–19 May

2024 Dates: 21–24 May

Venue: COEX Convention and Exhibition Centre, Seoul

Total exhibitors: 528

Attendance: 40,770

Contact: www.kobashow.com

Dasan SR’s Sun Mo Kan with new brands including Riedel, NST and Sonance

L–R: Ingang Audio’s Steve Kim, Calrec’s Dave Letson and Ingang’s Ju Hong Chan

DK Vascom’s Patrick Han promoting new conferencing solutions

Panasonic demonstrated its broadcast cameras and monitors on level three

InfoComm Asia 2023

Richard Lawn reports from Bangkok as InfoComm Asia gets underway,

itself from forerunner InfoComm SEA with a new name and venue

differentiating

FOLLOWING THREE YEARS OF STAGNATION, THE POSTpandemic world is experiencing a period of “revenge travel” as people make up for lost time. The “revenge tradeshow” is also in evidence, and both exhibitors and visitors are starting to feel the dizzying effects of these mass gatherings. With three-and-ahalf years between editions of InfoComm SEA (Southeast Asia) at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), a six-month gap was all that passed before the show popped up again in its new guise as InfoComm Asia at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC). Would such a short runup derail its transformation into a pan-Asian format?

The two halls dedicated to InfoComm Asia enticed a mixture of systems integrators, consultants, buyers, influencers and end users to see, feel and hear products and technologies introduced since the start of the decade. Although the number of exhibitors had largely stagnated at 130, the show footprint had grown by 38%. If the 2022 edition had succeeded in fulfilling an overwhelming desire to network in person, this year’s show witnessed a back-to-business approach.

2022 absentees such as Audio-Technica and Crestron were joined by new exhibitors, Barco, Harman, Kramer and Sennheiser. But the exhibitor balance was maintained by absentees such as Samsung and Epson, which had previously assumed the largest

exhibits in 2019 and 2022, respectively. A sign of maturity was evident as several exhibitors including Powersoft on the MI Engineering booth held press conferences and some visitors and exhibitors resorted to scheduling appointments.

The latest projection technologies including Christie’s Griffyn projector drew those with big budgets and ambitious projects in the pipeline. Slim 4K, indoor and outdoor LED walls from Leyard, Planar and Unilumin, together with digital signage displays on the HiSense and Philips Professional Displays booths, drew a mix of regional visitors. Hosted on the level above, a packed Summit Schedule with panel discussions, keynote speeches and seminars did little to dilute the show floor foot traffic.

In the wake of the pandemic, it was impossible to ignore the dominance of UC and VC technologies. Having collaborated over videoconferencing for the past three years, visitors were finally meeting industry colleagues. The hybrid world is here to stay, but InfoComm Asia appeared unbalanced, with a heavy weighting placed on digital signage, conferencing solutions and projection at the expense of audio and lighting technologies.

Largely devoid of competition, the stand-out audio and lighting brands such as Audac, Audio-Technica, Bose, JBL, LD Systems, Martin Professional, Sennheiser, Shure and Waves made an impression among visitors. If the show floor is going to welcome

back brands such as Adam Hall, Adamson, Allen & Heath, Avolites, d&b audiotechnik, DiGiCo and Nexo, there is the need for a dedicated audio demonstration area that will allow buyers to better assess the technologies. Sennheiser’s demo room equipped with a TeamConnect Compact speaker system pointed the way forward.

InfoComm Asia’s return to the QSNCC in 14 months’ time will undoubtedly ensure that the fast-maturing exhibition and summit will entice more visitors and exhibitors. The ambitious six-month period between shows, a change of venue and a rebranding could have derailed the exhibition organiser; however, InfoComm Asia remains firmly on the right track.

2023 Dates: 24–26 May

2024 Dates: 17–19 July

Venue: Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC)

Total exhibitors: 160

Attendance: 7,298

Contact: www.infocomm-asia.com

L–R: InfoComm Asia director Kanokwan Sukchaisri with Sonos Libra’s Alfonso Martín Rodríguez

Powersoft’s Francesco Fanicchi introduced the Unica amplification platform

L–R: ScreenBeam’s Johhny Lin, Albert Chen, Puttipong Paosila and Alan Chang

The opening ceremony featured Thai dancers and drummers

Jayme Quah, Shure: “InfoComm Asia is a unique opportunity to showcase our technology partnerships. We want to highlight the unique RF situations in Asia where regulations may not be proactively managed, so we are pushing our digital wireless and conference systems in addition to our Stem and flagship Microflex ecosystems. We have met a good mix of regional customers from the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, and some Singaporean partners. Our global team has performed a great job in collaborating with other developers and we are now fulfilling them locally here.”

S K Teng, Audio-Technica SEA: “We returned to InfoComm Asia as we felt the time was right to showcase our new digital wired and wireless products and solutions for meeting spaces including the 1.9 GHz DECT wireless product and ceiling microphones. Conferencing has traditionally been one of our biggest markets in Thailand, but we are being increasingly drawn towards commercial spaces in the education sector. Whether working spaces are hybrid or not, connectivity and improving productivity is important. Collaboration is helping to create total solutions for customers operating in different spaces, and we have announced a new strategic partnership with AVer Technologies at the show. The organisers have been very proactive at drawing in different visitors including several tour groups. It’s good to meet as many varied end users as possible to understand their new challenges.”

Jason Yeo, Christie: “With the rebranding to InfoComm Asia we are meeting slightly more quality visitors from across the region. We have met a good mix of different customers from cinema to rental to fixed installations and control room operators. Customers have been learning more about our interactive projection technology and the latest high brightness Griffyn 50,000-lumen 4K projector for large screens. It’s a Thai exhibition, but the visitors are predominantly from Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Singapore.”

“Business has almost returned to normal, with most people attending exhibitions, so it’s a good time to exhibit at InfoComm Asia. During our participation in the 2022 exhibition we received a lot of interest from customers and international visitors on our partner’s booth. Therefore, it was important to return and maintain that momentum by showcasing our presentation systems and videowall processing technologies to Thai and regional customers. We have met more new visitors this year; Queen Sirikit is a newly built facility in a convenient part of the city with more restaurants.”

Aurangzeb Khan, Jabra: “Following our strong presence at the BITEC in 2022, we exhibited again this year as APAC continues to be a very strong market for us. Jabra is a well-known audio brand but over the last few years we’ve built a video product series. This year we are debuting the Panacast 50 Videobar System. The visitors we have met operate in enterprise, corporations, global multinationals, finance and manufacturing across the ASEAN region, but mainly Singapore and Thailand. We’ve also met clients from Australia, India and Japan. It’s been a busy three days and I’ve practically lost my voice, which is a good sign.”

Nick Screen, Harman Professional Solutions: “The Southeast Asia market is important to Harman. We are making investments in the appointment of technical and business development managers within the region as well as roadshows. However, we also need to exhibit at tradeshows to meet consultants and systems integrators more focused on corporate spaces. During the pandemic, Harman invested heavily in R&D, so we’re showcasing JBL’s extended Control Contractor loudspeaker range together with the SRX 900 series and the Vertec line arrays. The AMX range is undergoing a refresh with the new VARIA panels and, despite this being an AV tradeshow, it’s important to highlight a select range of Martin lighting fixtures to showcase the whole Harman solutions portfolio. Coming to Bangkok was a statement of intent, to show our investments and to connect with customers. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the visitors, especially the consultants who want to know more about our growing portfolio and how they can be used for their upcoming projects.”

John Oh, Sennheiser Asia: “This is the first time that Sennheiser Asia has participated at InfoComm in Asia. We wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to the market and get the products closer to the end users. InfoComm Asia is a business communications-centric exhibition, which is ideal for our business conferencing portfolio, so we are highlighting our recently launched technologies such as Mobile Connect together with our alliances with Barco, Crestron, Lumens and AVer. Following the ISE launch of the TeamConnect Ceiling Compact with its automatic beamforming, we decided to create a demo room here at the show, allowing visitors to properly assess the technology for themselves. Over three days, we have met a lot of Thai customers and end users from Vietnam and the Philippines together with our partners from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, in addition to our Indian partners and consultants. Some Australian end users also visited, so this has been a very successful show and will probably see us coming back next year.”

“We have returned to InfoComm Asia with a booth showcasing several different scenarios for customers operating across a wide spectrum of verticals including retail, corporate, hospitality and a command centre situation. Following the success of InfoComm SEA in 2022, we anticipated larger visitor numbers, which justified a greater investment. Over the three days, InfoComm Asia delivered the right audiences for us in terms of end users, and the number of attendees is a lot higher by comparison. We have met people from all over Asia,

“InfoComm Asia is establishing itself as a great event to meet regional customers from as far as Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. We’ve met partners we haven’t seen for some time in addition to end users from across the region. InfoComm Asia draws visitors from multiple vertical markets and applications from military to government to hospitality to casino operators. The QSNCC is a much better venue and is far more accessible. Changing to InfoComm Asia has clearly had an effect as I have met people from further afield. The show will be even bigger next year, so it’s going to become an important event for the Asian AV industry. The turnout has been better this year and the quality of people has been fantastic. InfoComm Asia won’t be competing with other shows next year and, with a 14-month gap between

InfoComm Orlando 2023

On its return to Orlando, InfoComm defied expectations with packed aisles in the OCCC’s West Hall and a plethora of new products on display

across the MEA and APAC regions was capped off by the return of InfoComm to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida from 14–16 June 2023. InfoComm traditionally divides its attention between Orlando and Las Vegas on a year-by-year basis and, unsurprisingly, the gambling capital of the world has been the more popular fixture. InfoComm Orlando, perhaps unfairly, has enjoyed a reputation in past times as a bit of a “filler” show, but this was certainly not the case in 2023. Declared by many on the show floor as the first “proper InfoComm” in several years, the show kicked off with the customary ceremonial ribboncutting before a swell of eager visitors rushed the show floor, where they appeared to remain for almost the entirety of the exhibition’s three days.

From the show floor

year, InfoComm expectations were hopeful, if slightly muted. Noting the supply chain issues that have rocked the industry in recent months, it was unsurprising that many manufacturers were championing their efforts in developing software-based alternatives. Others were proud of the fact that they had engineered their business around such obstacles and so if they did have new hardware to display, they did so en-masse. Gone were the large (and largely empty) booths present in Las Vegas last year, replaced with much more compact and product-focused alternatives. Perhaps this change could also be attributed to the high cost of supporting the show for exhibitors – something noted by several we spoke to while roaming the aisles.

A major sticking point at InfoComm last year was the distance between the LVCC’s North Hall and new West Hall. With the show

Javier Navarro, DAS Audio: “The best thing about the show has been the number of people we have met. It’s not a massive issue, but I would have liked the demo rooms to be a bit closer to the hall. The visitors we’ve seen have largely been from the US – Central America and Southern America, but not that many from other continents.”

George Tennet, Blaze Audio: “It’s been amazing – a very nice exhibition and we have had fantastic traffic on our booth. We are launching new speakers and it’s been brilliant to see the reaction from the market. We also have a full new setup in the US with a lot of new sales managers across the region, so it’s a great chance to meet new people. In general, it’s a very well-organised show and easy to get around.”

Paul Hales, Theory Professional: “We’re launching the brand here for the very first time. You never know quite what you’re going to get, but we’ve had a full house in our demo room every hour and the response has been unanimously positive. We’ve grown our distribution network significantly just in these last three days, so it’s been hugely valuable. I think it’s obvious that the pandemic is not affecting the show any longer.”

Craig Burross, Robe: “It’s nice to see a well-attended show bounce back after the pandemic; it’s such an important one for both the national and international market. We’ve been excited to show our distributors new products that they can finally get their hands on. I really like how the organisers take care of you here. An example is the food court, it is well laid out and the food is exceptional. The organisers are super friendly and very hospitable – keep that up.”

“This is actually, surprisingly, a really good show. It feels like the tradeshow is truly back, even down to the fact that the InfoComm Daily is sat outside my hotel room each morning. We’ve also had more customers coming onto the booth and they all have really good questions. The atmosphere is quite relaxed versus previous shows. There is more of a European vibe at this with alcohol

“This show has been really phenomenal; our booth has been packed with people throughout. We’ve scanned several thousand people in total. ISE was off the charts in Barcelona this year with record attendance and so we were hopeful this would carry though to InfoComm. Now we need to carry this energy through yet again and expand the audience to include even more end users.

“Seeing the show back in full swing and very nearly at complete capacity in these West halls (which are massive) has put a spring in everyone’s step. I think there were a lot of questions as to whether in-person events would ever be the same after the pandemic but this has proved that they can be. I’ve been impressed with the logistics; picking up badges was seamless. Some fun and games with Ubers but it’s not bad when you consider the sheer number of people that have to get in and out of this building.”

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the consistent flow of customers that have come to the stand to be honest. Elation has a number of brands under its umbrella, with Obsidian being their control brand and having the network products under Netron. We’ve made a dedicated space right behind the main Elation booth for those solutions and that’s worked out very well; sometimes the control and networking products sort of get lost alongside the big fixtures. Having the show at this time of the year is good in many respects, but it’s a busy time for many lighting professionals. We get fewer designers coming through because they are normally out on tour.”

Mark Wadsworth, Digital Projection: “It’s been a lot busier than I expected and it’s had a good and very positive vibe. Last year was quite quiet, but it seems like everybody now wants to come back out. People are approaching the booth with actual projects they’re looking for kit for, so generally it’s been really positive. In terms of visitor make-up, it’s still predominantly a US-focused show, with some attendance from South America and Latin America.”

Man on a mission

reliable video processing equipment in the professional AV industry. Headquartered in the southern Parisian suburb of Antony, the French manufacturer and designer has developed solutions for numerous integration projects and event applications around the world ranging from live events to giant displays in lobbies, multi-window videowalls in stadiums, virtual reality studios for TV, museums and houses of worship (HoW). Having invested in regional representation for over two decades, the company’s sales in Asia are accelerating thanks to the driving efforts of recognised industry expert Guy de Souza. Establishing a Singaporean office in 2002, Analog Way’s direct investment in Asia Pacific would slowly gain momentum over the years. A change in personnel and relocation to Hong Kong in 2018 changed the course of the company’s Asia operations. The appointment of de Souza as its new vice president for the Asian subsidiary at the onset of Covid would quickly prove to be a masterstroke for the digital manufacturer with analogue roots. With more than 10 years of experience in the APAC AV industry, notably with Samsung and Daktronics, de Souza turned the pandemic to his advantage.

During his tenure at Daktronics, de Souza played a pivotal role in ensuring that the US video manufacturer would install its LED technologies into iconic landmarks including the Singapore National Stadium and the Star Performing Arts Centre, also in Singapore. “At Daktronics I learnt everything about video, but Samsung taught me the importance of having the right strategic distributors,” asserts de Souza. “Most importantly, I understood the value of selling premium products and, given that Analog Way is a premium provider of image processing equipment, I knew I

possessed the right skills to fully take on this position. Analog Way had very ambitious growth plans in Asia and so my primary focus was to grow Analog Way’s presence and distribution network in key markets, while strengthening the company’s relationships with existing partners.”

Having returned to his native Singapore after hosting the first Asian distributor summit on Jeju Island off the coast of South Korea, de Souza is weary from the long hours, yet refreshed by the discussions and resultant business opportunities.

Analog Way is embarking on an unprecedented chapter of growth with de Souza’s appointed assemblage of distributors

and sales partners. “I am fortunate that my headquarters has entrusted me to decide what is best, including a free rein in the appointment of distributors,” he says. Fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese, de Souza is thinking of learning French.

“Like my time at Daktronics, I am fortunate to have good mentors, and this has helped me to adapt to the French culture quite easily,” he continues. “I am excited to be working for a company like Analog Way. As an established market leader in image processing with high growth potential, Analog Way offers amazing, innovative solutions to help its customers meet their goals. After coming onboard, my first goal was to establish proper distribution channels with an initial focus on North Asia. Although the market was producing good numbers at the time, I felt we needed new distributors who could lead the market and take the brand to the next level.”

At a time when international travel was severely restricted and the business world was at the mercy of Teams and Zoom, de Souza’s first act was to appoint Kinoton Korea as exclusive distributor for the company’s complete range of image processing systems. “During the pandemic all we had was time at home, so setting up meetings was relatively easy,” he explains. “I think the pandemic helped our situation greatly in that it gave us a chance to reset. More importantly, it allowed us to see who would emerge stronger and gave us the direction for our current partners.”

One of de Souza’s Daktronics’ connections, Kinoton Korea would be the first distributor to enlist in Analog Way’s Asian family. As the company is one of South Korea’s leading cinema multiplex designers and commercial AV systems installers, de Souza was confident it would develop digital signage and immersive offerings requiring video processors.

“Since 2019, when we designed the control centre of the new stadium for the NC Dinos professional baseball club, the LiveCore image processor, with its overwhelming quality and performance, has been satisfying us in every respect,” explains Kinoton Korea president and CEO, Chris Y S Bae.

Continuing his mission to strengthen distribution ties in North Asia at a time when the Covid Alpha variant was raging, de Souza agreed terms with Digital Media Technology (DMT) for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Since its foundation in Hong Kong in 1990, DMT has built a solid technical team to provide pre-sales, system design, turnkey system integration and after-sales services in the Greater China region. It would be another two years before an exclusive distribution agreement would be signed in China with Jiangsu R&J Electronics. Specialising in R&D, sales and broadcast equipment rental for live production, Jiangsu R&J Electronics is actively involved in live sports, esports, entertainment and recording. “Analog Way has a powerful processing system that integrates video and audio, allowing users greater flexibility in many scenarios in XR and AR environments,” comments Jiangsu R&J Electronics managing director, Zhu Rong Jun. “Adapting to

Analog Way’s Guy de Souza

L–R: Chris Bae, Kinoton Korea and Guy de Souza

Alta 4K is Analog Way’s latest 4K60 presentation switcher

the current market’s needs, we plan to promote the production of 8K and XR in the Chinese market to provide the best solution in the broadcast, film and media industries.”

In just two years, de Souza has built an exclusive and somewhat enviable network of key distributors in the ASEAN territories. In early November 2021, a distribution agreement was concluded with Jakarta-based V2 Indonesia. Active in several important vertical sectors across the archipelago, V2 is a digital technological provider of AV solutions for the corporate and government sectors, media and communications, consumer electronics and rental events.

Most recently, Analog Way has confirmed sales representation in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. With expertise in AV, digital cinema, broadcast solutions and the pro AV market, systems integrator Goldenduck Group was selected by de Souza for Thailand. Long-established Singaporean systems integrator Electro-Acoustics Systems (EAS) has been specifying Analog Way products for a multitude of education and HoW projects for many years. de Souza, therefore, took the decision to appoint EAS as the master distributor for the Lion State. Meanwhile, noted distributor and SI, Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) –which combines a strong localised infrastructure with expertise –was most recently nominated by Analog Way to handle Malaysia and Vietnam.

With a combined history of 70 years, both EAS and A&L are highly trusted, established resellers and SIs of audiovisual and lighting solutions, from design to supply, integration and after-sales support. Eugene Yeo, general manager of A&L, established in 1993, explains: “The ongoing market appetite for high-resolution visual displays and the emerging trend of immersive experiences among venues has driven the need for AV technologists to look to high-quality image processing hardware, which is often being neglected. Analog Way’s latest product ranges align with what will be needed in the coming years.”

Following on from assembling a powerful network of distribution partners, de Souza is now overseeing sales, servicing and marketing initiatives in each country. Supported by Kinoton Korea and DMT respectively, full-service centres have been created in South Korea and Hong Kong. In addition, Kinoton Korea became the launch partner for the Alta 4K multi-screen and multilayer 4K60 presentation switchers and videowall processors. In

2022, Jez Lim joined de Souza as regional channel manager –primarily for Malaysia and Singapore – bringing in much-needed experience from the display industry.

de Souza believes that the strong foundations set in place have led to smooth business growth in Asia. “We are here for the long run and want to do things right,” he says. “After the appointment of distributors, the focus switched to certified training of inhouse technical personnel, together with targeted roadshows to selected clients. Our distributors also participate at the major Asian tradeshows, including KOBA, InterBee and InfoComm.”

In addition to ironing out geographic sales anomalies across Asia, de Souza is wary of the fact that sales in fixed installations have traditionally trumped the live rental sector to date. “With the projects we have won in recent years, Analog Way has a good track record in various install sectors. Our challenge is to mirror that success in the rental market. When we launched our flagship Aquilon 4K/8K multiscreen presentation system and videowall processor in 2019, the pandemic stunted its potential within the live sector. Now, with rental coming back strong together with programmes we have put in place this year, we are making significant progress, but remain committed to both markets and driving our efforts equally.

The recent Analog Way conference on Jeju Island served as both a pinnacle and a punctuation mark for de Souza’s three-year tenure at the French brand. “Back in 2020, we only had two official distributors, while today we have nine covering 15 countries,” he says. “To gather all our partners together for the first time in one place felt like a real sense of achievement.”

The line has been drawn and the next chapter of Analog Way’s Asian adventure has begun, with de Souza’s experience and drive significantly boosting the company’s regional presence. In return, de Souza is grateful for the opportunity to enhance his image processing knowledge and linguistic skills. “The biggest lesson I have learnt is more of a personal one,” he notes. “Relationships you forge and build over the years are what ultimately define you. The success that we are enjoying today could not have been possible without them.”

www.analogway.com

L–R: Joe Tam, DMT; Guy de Souza, Analog Way; Clement Choi and Desmond Stou, DMT

L–R: A&L’s Eugene Yeo with Guy de Souza

De Souza (right) with Lam Tze Tze from EAS, master distributor for Analog Way in Singapore

Analog Way held its first Asian distributor conference on Jeju Island in March 2023

The Aquilon 4K/8K multi-screen presentation system and videowall processor

The arrogance of youth

EACH GENERATION CAN BE DEFINED BY ITS IMPACT and differing approach from what preceded it. So, when it comes to bucking the status quo of traditional APAC distribution, Generation AV is well-named. Headed by David McKinney – a keen marathon runner with no intention of slowing down anytime soon – Generation AV was set up as an Asia Pacific sales representative company prior to the pandemic and, in driving its ambitious plans forward at lightning speed, is showing no deference to traditional predecessors.

Despite having lived in Asia for 20 years, McKinney has lost none of his Irish lilt, charm or friendliness. Heralding from Northern Ireland, his industrious and personable nature saw him scaling the corporate heights to become vice president of business development Asia at Harman Professional over a 17-year tenure, as well as a stint at Biamp. Fast forward, and the founder and managing director of Generation AV is supercharging the company’s fortunes and maximising new business opportunities. Having spent the past two decades in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Bangalore, Malaysia and, currently, Singapore, McKinney has an impressive understanding of the regional market and needs of the industry. More importantly, he understands people, with business associates soon becoming customers and then friends as he gets

“I started Generation AV in 2019 and had been running it for about nine months before the pandemic hit us and the world stopped,” McKinney recalls. Traditionally, Southeast Asian distributors in the AV business have either operated as resellers or order products for their own integration projects. Generation AV is different. “We’re effectively a sales representative company, partnering with international brands to manage their business in Asia Pacific,” he continues. “By becoming their Asia office and taking on management of the region for them, we develop a go-to-market strategy, support existing distributors, set up new distribution channels and provide marketing support.”

Experience, energy and market knowledge are powerful traits, but McKinney also knows how to pick a winning team, having assembled seven professionals with highly valued skills. Two of the Generation AV team are regional sales directors: Kevin Kee came recommended after running the Lightware SE Asia office and David Wong made his name at Electro Acoustics Systems, Christie Digital and Harman Professional. Manila-based industry figurehead Tony Sawyer, who spent a decade as global technical support for Electro-Voice in Dubai, provides application and technical support including touring events, audio system design and product training. In 2022, McKinney kickstarted an expansion programme by partnering with Prashant Govindan to establish Generation AV India, with the support of Bhagyesh Mehta as sales manager. Based in Mumbai, Govindan is a long-time acquaintance of McKinney, having earned his stripes at Biamp and as GM for Harman Pro India. “We’re seeing a lot of opportunities arising in India, but it’s early days for our team,” confirms McKinney. “The installation market is starting to take off, but the touring and rental sectors are growing very quickly.”

Starting with two brands prior to the pandemic, Generation AV is now into double figures. “Martin Audio was already a wellrespected and established brand across the region, but they needed a company based there who fully understands their way of doing business,” explains McKinney, who previously worked with Martin Audio MD, Dominic Harter, at Harman Pro. More colleagues from that time – former Crown vice president Scott Robbins and Harman Pro president Blake Augsburger – immediately appointed Generation AV on launching LEA Professional in 2019.

The Covid years were a time to reset. “After nine months of setting up and running the business, it was difficult staying in one place like everyone else in the world,” admits McKinney. “The hardest part for me was not being able to travel. However, we all quickly adapted and learnt how to do business and communicate as a remote team between ourselves, the brands and our distributors. By sharing ideas, and hearing what others were

Generation AV, launched four years ago, has lost no time in demonstrating a new way of offering sales and marketing support across the APAC region

The Generation AV experience centre

Generation AV founder, David McKinney

experiencing, it gave me some validation that we might just be doing some things right. Prior to the pandemic, some customers perhaps used one brand for many years but, during this period, they had the opportunity to research other brands and products. This trend created an opportunity for our small, dynamic team to move quickly and to capitalise on opportunities that arose.”

During this time, McKinney added further brands to his line-up including UK portable and commercial installation loudspeaker manufacturer HH Electronics. The product portfolio further widened with the addition of power conditioner and sequencer manufacturer Surge-X, networked

Systems, broadened things further with its videocentric innovations, while the capture of Sonance, James Loudspeaker and iPort put Generation AV on a new trajectory. “From a product, technology and design perspective, the Sonance Group has been leading the game in both the residential custom install market and in the commercial channel,” explains McKinney. “The Connect Pro Series from iPort is gathering a lot of attention, while the Sonance Invisible Series is the speaker solution that interior designers and architects have been crying out for.”

With its current line-up of 10 brands, Generation AV is starting

POWER UP YOUR AUDIO PERFORMANCE

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE LINE ARRAY SYSTEMS COMPACT, HIGH QUALITY SOUND, UNMATCHED VALUE

Sonance’s Landscape outdoor series concealed in the garden area

Scott Robbins, who appointed Generation AV on launching LEA Professional in 2019

need to experience AV products and, in audio, that means being able to fully evaluate by listening to a professional demonstration. That is the logic behind the recent opening of our experience centre here in Singapore.”

Noting the example of forward-thinking manufacturers and distributors, Generation AV has made a significant investment in an all-in-one showroom, educational hub and demonstration space. “Creating the experience centre became our main priority, and it has been encouraging to receive such an amazing response following its opening. My aim was to better serve customers; with this space we have created and the demonstrations we are hosting, customers can conceptualise audio systems in entertainment, hospitality, corporate, retail and residential settings.”

At first glance, the experience centre appears to showcase each of the 10 brands in various guises and sizes. A full range of Martin Audio loudspeaker products, from the very small Adorn install speakers to the latest Torus constant curvature series, dwarves the racked LEA Professional, NST and SurgeX electronics. The HH Electronics section combines line arrays with portable, plug-and-play solutions, while the Sonance group of custom and residential install speakers and devices occupy a distinct whitewashed wall. Despite stylish appearances though, it’s the demo that makes the sale. Sonance has made a strong impression on customers looking for concealed or outdoor solutions, and stereo playback through the Architectural, Invisible and Landscape systems

maximise impact so visitors will hear something new and different from what they might have heard before,” he says. Adds McKinney: “For example, we have set up the latest LEA Professional Sharkware software along with NST Audio’s D-Net software to control the routing, DSP and Dante networking throughout the experience centre. For Optimal Audio, we demonstrate how their controllers, smart amps and speakers can all be controlled and monitored from a web browser, while iMAG is transmitting uncompressed 4K video content to all the displays.”

The creation of a 32-channel immersive system incorporating Sonance loudspeakers and LEA Professional amplifiers is the latest addition. “Spatial software hosted on a Mac Mini with a Dante virtual sound card has created a real-world, immersive experience for those operating within hospitality, residential and themed entertainment setups,” says McKinney. “This does not encompass a 360° space, but that was the whole idea, as we wanted to show that you can put speakers anywhere in the venue and the Spatial software will design the audio around the room configuration. By creating an immersive system without being restricted by the speaker positions, we are promoting flexibility together with design and setup simplicity.”

McKinney is currently dividing much of his time between India and China. “When travel restrictions were lifted, it was like learning how to do business again,” he continues, with a grin. “The market’s changed a lot during the interim, especially in China,

which experienced Covid like every other country, but recovered very quickly. I returned to China for two weeks recently following a three-year absence, and it amazed me more than ever. I visited customers, business associates and friends in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou, meeting some customers for the first time that I’d been introduced to on Zoom and Teams during the pandemic.”

McKinney acknowledges that China will represent the biggest opportunities across the region for many years to come: “Although China is vast and differs regionally, it is moving forward very quickly and with great optimism. The overall plan is to get out there and travel, to engage with as many customers as possible and to reconnect with our partners once again. Now that we’ve visited virtually every country in person, we’re starting to see a positive outcome and business opportunities are emerging. We’ll continue to reconnect with everyone in due course, but the emphasis during the second half of 2023 will be on roadshows, in addition to hosting technical training events and product seminars. We also aim to maximise the use of our experience centre.”

As a keen marathon runner, McKinney fully appreciates that there is no gain without pain: “There are only seven of us and business is extremely busy right now, so we are experiencing some growing pains. We aim to recruit new technical team members over the next six months, but it’s important to grow at the right speed and at the right time. I think the next 12 months will provide the biggest opportunities with no restrictions, so we must work hard and effectively with the pieces we have put in place.”

Even in such a short timespan, Generation AV has differentiated itself markedly in the regional AV industry. “Representative firms are almost an alien concept here in Asia, but the market now understands how we operate and how we can support them,” he says. “We benefit from close relationships with both our partners across the region and the brands we represent, whose trust we have built over a long period. Although trust makes it easier for us to operate, we know there’s more that we can do and there’s always room for McKinney signs off by admitting the gratification of establishing the experience centre – a vision that has become a reality. “It’s a flexible space and we’ll always be experimenting here, but I’m looking forward to welcoming and filling this place with friends, partners, distributors and, of course, brands over the next few months. They will all play a contributory role in establishing this space.” Given the travelogue that McKinney and his team has signed up for, a finely tuned rota system may be needed going forward. Quickly coming of age, Generation AV’s success may just lead to a reassessment of the traditional APAC distribution model. Should LEA Professional ever create an amplifier in McKinney’s honour, the levels would undoubtedly go to 11. www.generationav.net

L–R: David Wong and David McKinney (Generation AV), Steve Trunkett (SurgeX) and Kevin Kee (Generation AV)

L–R: David McKinney and Rico Xu at the Guidance booth at Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2023

The HH Electronics demo area combines line arrays with portable, plug-and-play solutions

Server-based Processing

Coming of age

respective skillsets towards the development of loudspeaker technology since the company’s founding in 2002. “Ed and I go way back,” recalls Wheeler. “We met in 1996, and both grew up about five miles away from where the factory is now based. Both being musicians as well as studying several of the same subjects created a common interest, which also included the technical side of live production.”

University split the pair up temporarily, with Wheeler heading off to Imperial College London to study mechanical engineering and Kinsella to St John’s College Cambridge, specialising in natural sciences and chemistry. It was during this period that Wheeler’s passion for loudspeaker manufacturing emerged. “Turbosound’s original factory was only 15 miles from my home, and I was lucky to be able to spend most of my university holidays working there,” he explains. “It was a great experience for me, and something of an inspiration. Ed and I kept in touch as we approached our graduations, and the idea of setting up our own operation formed. Looking back, we really didn’t know what we were getting into. Through all the youthful enthusiasm there were tough lessons that had to be learnt quickly.”

The main roles of the founding duo remain the design and development of new loudspeaker products – with Kinsella looking after the acoustical aspects, and Wheeler focusing on the physical and mechanical – but neither is afraid to get stuck in on the factory floor where necessary. “Ed was once described by a teacher of ours as the ‘perfect blend between engineer and mad scientist’,” Wheeler jokes. “He has the ability to jump between working on fiendishly complicated mathematics, but then switching in an instant to gritty production matters or dreaming up a new process to make something easier or more efficient.” It’s no surprise, therefore, that the company’s Surrey base features Kinsella’s very own mad science lab, complete with trademark chalk blackboards and filled with electrical “toys” and esoteric gizmos. This is the fertile environment where the majority of EM’s innovations have been dreamt up.

“While as operations director, Mike looks after most of the dayto-day running of the business,” Kinsella continues, “we both take a very active role in the overall growth and development of the company. Our working relationship is what’s brought us to

this point, and together we seem to always be able to pick the right path through any situation.”

In the years since setting up shop in Dunsfold, the duo have established comprehensive in-house production capabilities, a dedicated team of passionate workers and an enviable product portfolio that has enjoyed great success in top-tier deployments and installations around the world. Using state-of-the-art automation alongside skilled craftwork, the team handles woodwork and paint processes, circuitry, final assembly and comprehensive testing all within the 2,300m2 factory.

Initial commercial success was achieved with what the pair describe as “a redefined, back-to-first-principles approach to passive crossover technology” – a mindset which has enabled the team to deliver impressive performance throughout the audio demand curve, backed up by one-to-one customer support for the life of the product. “We measure, we listen and we critically assess every aspect of every loudspeaker’s performance before it becomes a part of your system. This confidence in our production and quality control procedures means we can back our products with a five-year warranty,” says Wheeler.

Early product releases found their way onto West End and Broadway shows, corporate rental and a wide range of installations – from schools to big regional and national theatres. The installation of EM’s HALO Compact system at the Royal Albert Hall in 2013 was somewhat of a turning point for the company. For a maturing brand, preceding and subsequent success in theatre and other sectors has been impressive to say the least. Some of this can be credited to brand manager Greg Clarke, who officially joined the team in 2019 but had long championed the company’s products and technology.

was something about the team and the way they operated I found very attractive. There was a great ethos to what they were doing, and they were forging ahead in a field that was of much interest to me. A lot of equipment coming onto the market relied on heavy processing, and I was increasingly unconvinced

about the amount of obscure signal handling going on inside amplifiers. By contrast, EM was about getting everything right before the amplifier – the drivers, the cabinets themselves and particularly the passive crossovers.”

Two decades on and the company has never wavered in this ethos. “The cabinetry is exemplary, the componentry is the best it can be and the crossovers are exceptional,” furthers Clarke. Yet he is keen to point out that the brand is not afraid of exploring new innovations. “We’re absolutely embracing new technologies, just not in the pursuit of fixing bad design. Our amplifiers are chock full of DSP, but it’s how you use it that matters. One of the amazing things here is the fluidity of R&D, which is down to Ed and Mike’s very hands-on approach. Once an idea takes hold, we can deal with that and make it tangible very quickly.”

Additional strength to the team came in early 2022 in the form of industry stalwart Roger Harpum, who stepped into the role of

L–R: Ed Kinsella, Roger Harpum, Greg Clarke and Mike Wheeler

The laboratory where EM’s innovations are dreamt up

Inside the spray booth

British manufacturer EM Acoustics has outgrown its niche reputation as a theatre sound specialist to establish a full loudspeaker range

business development manager. Returning to the industry after a two-year hiatus, and on the back of a long career with several highly respected manufacturers – including 17 years at Meyer Sound – Harpum brings with him a substantial contacts list, backed up by a healthy dose of industry respect.

His first meaningful listening experience of the EM product was at the end of an initial, very successful visit to the factory. He states that “having heard many of the leading brands’ point source boxes over the years I knew the benchmark for a great product was extremely high. I think my reaction to the R8s says it all. I was absolutely gobsmacked as to how open and transparent the loudspeaker sounded. It just breathed easy.”

For a small company with much success focused on the live and theatre market, the forced shutting of doors around the world in early 2020 dealt a heavy blow. “It was probably around the summer of 2020, things really started getting a bit squeaky,” says Wheeler. “The slightly surreal thing was to come out the other side, with everything going flat out – we finished the last financial year 50% up on our best pre-pandemic year.”

“Of course, we’re not the only ones,” adds Kinsella. “There are other companies who have experienced very high levels of growth as the industry bounces back from the pandemic. The interesting thing from our point of view is the blend of business we now have. Our workload and associated order book is far more balanced across different sectors.”

On a personal level, the pandemic also had some unexpected benefits. “There was a certain clarity of mind that came from having very little control over events around us,” adds Kinsella.

Assembling the final components

“For once, not having to make a decision about what to spend time on was somewhat liberating.” This liberation yielded not only significant extension to the Reference Series (adding the R8 and R12 to the original R10), but also “the two finest loudspeakers we have ever developed” – a bold statement indeed, even from a founder of the company. Details of exactly what the duo were referring to are currently firmly sealed, but the mood was clearly excited and buoyant.

For now, “normal” business has resumed. “Coming out of the pandemic, as a company we made some very bold decisions on intelligent stocking,” states Wheeler. “Where others have been struggling, we’ve got lead times of less than 16 weeks on all our loudspeakers. We want to ensure that we can supply,

not because we’re trying to grab a bigger market share, but because people desperately need kit right now. Making sure our customers have what they need is fundamental to our ethic.”

To service that need, EM now has a varied yet complete product portfolio that includes the flagship Reference Series of precision point source loudspeakers, the HALO line array family, stage monitors and subwoofers, and the EMS Series, covering a wide variety of applications, both installed and portable. The Reference Series in particular has attracted a huge amount of attention, gaining traction with designers, engineers and installers who had previously been unaware of the capabilities of EM kit. Sales have been strong and continue to grow as end users can now confidently specify EM front-to-back.

“Now we’ve established the full range, we are carefully considering our product development, and there is some really innovative stuff in the pipeline,” explains Wheeler. “I already mentioned that the company’s grown enormously this year, but that’s only been by adding about 20% to our headcount. We’ve been focused on evolving our processes to become more efficient. The next product will be an addition to the Reference Series, the R5. Component parts are incoming and we’re working on the first batch right now.”

At 21 years old, EM’s subtle maturing of the duo’s original vision seems appropriate as it officially comes of age. “Absolutely!’ agrees Wheeler. “We’ve now got the key to the door.”

… before being finished off by workers

EM Acoustics speakers were deployed throughout 1REBEL

The full speaker line-up

The wooden cabinets are sanded by a robotic arm …

Think global, act local

FOR ANY WESTERN BRAND ENTERING THE APAC

market, the task ahead can be a deterrent. With 49 countries, thousands of languages, dozens of religions and 60% of the world’s population, the diverse continent cannot be homogenised. Berlin-based digital audio developer Stage Tec – a relatively new company itself –rose to the challenge, focusing limited resources where it would maximise returns.

Lured by rising demand for its digital consoles and routers, and after careful analysis, Stage Tec took a bold leap in 2004 to reinforce its APAC presence, setting up regional headquarters outside Kuala Lumpur. The move has served the company well as the subsidiary has grown its appeal far beyond Malaysia.

While the Cyberjaya office became the first direct subsidiary of Salzbrenner Stagetec Media Group, founded by radio ham enthusiast Friedrich Salzbrenner in 1993, it quickly became evident that Stage Tec would need to extend its reach beyond Southeast Asia. At that time, Stage Tec had built a strong reputation throughout Europe with a new wave of digital engineers who had created an industry standard with the Nexus router and digital consoles. An ambitious business plan was submitted, and the Salzbrenner family committed to significant investment to carry out the expansion. Current managing director Advon Tan, who enlisted himself to the cause in 2007, recalls the subsequent rollout.

“It soon became obvious that the company would have to extend across the continent beyond Southeast Asia to North Asia and Australia,” Tan says. “Within two years of being

established, we set up an office in Beijing followed by Sydney, Having spent over two decades working in Kuala Lumpur for Klotz Digital and Renkus-Heinz, Stage Tec’s international sales director Norbert Bau is now based in Berlin. “Stage Tec has enjoyed success in China since 2005 because of the reliability of our technology,” he says. “The Chinese market is completely different, but our subsidiary has enjoyed great success as they have the right business contacts and appreciate the unique business culture. It would be impossible to manage the Chinese market from outside China.”

Stage Tec’s bid to build recognition within the Chinese broadcast community was aided by an unsolicited approach from experienced audio technical engineer, Zeng Dong. “I’m not a salesperson, but I realised that Stage Tec had a very good product, and it would penetrate the Chinese market,” he explains. “Leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games, CCTV was embarking on a large-scale upgrade of its broadcast stations and was looking for reliable, proven, digital technologies. Having supplied around 50 digital consoles to CCTV, Stage Tec was in a strong position to tender for the Olympic Games by fulfilling the technical requirements of the tender and, of course, competing on price, which ultimately proved successful for us.”

From its Beijing headquarters, Stage Tec China has serviced its large customer base by remotely training engineers to troubleshoot problems. “Since 2005, Stage Tec’s high-quality brand image and reliability has led to

Richard Lawn talks to Stage Tec Asia about the German manufacturer’s progressive decision to establish an APAC stronghold almost two decades ago

Stage Tec China general manager Zeng Dong

Stage Tec is headquartered in Berlin

TAC System director Jun Yamazaki represents Stage Tec in Japan

The Nexus router has become an industry standard

an accumulation of excellent references, including CCTV,” continues Dong. “In addition to increasing our penetration within theatrical venues and recording studios, Stage Tec now has the biggest market share in the broadcast console market. I was so proud to commission the National Day celebrations over three years.”

Nexus has been central to the company’s expansions in APAC. In 2008, Singapore’s Star Performing Arts Centre specified a Nexus Star router for its multipurpose hall. It continues to serve as the backbone of its digital network, and the renowned venue plans to upgrade to a 96kHz membrane together with more intuitive controls. “Most venues have experienced how reliable Nexus technology is and how the simple transformation of adding a network card has futureproofed the IP,” explains Tan. “Whether I am specifying a Cantus or an Avatus console, Nexus remains the reliable backbone and can be completely updated within any IP domain by adopting the ST 2110 protocol.”

Tan confirms the brand prefers to stand out from the competition on quality rather than cost: “It hasn’t been easy, and we lose sales because of our price point, but we always look at our strategy over the long term. Despite the perceived cost of our products deterring many potential customers, Stage Tec is currently targeting more price-sensitive markets including Indonesia and the Philippines. It takes times to convince the client at the outset because you’re new and, to determine your product’s reliability, references are vital. More importantly, you need to be seen in the region over a period. As Stage Tec has been active throughout APAC for almost two decades, we have passed that test.”

Bau furthers Tan’s thoughts on pricing: “By focusing on a couple of parameters such as headroom, microphone amplifiers, latency and frame accuracy, we know that the competition cannot beat us. The momentum of the Avatus and Aurus consoles together with software updates are driving us forward.”

As in China, a respected audio engineer and digital console designer approached Stage Tec to represent the brand in Japan. Prior to taking on distribution for TAC System, Jun Yamazaki designed audio control surfaces for Japanese brand Tamura for almost two decades. While noticing Stage Tec’s increasing presence in the Japanese market, Yamazaki felt they lacked sufficient studio references. He proposed that he could expand Japanese business, particularly by focusing on AoIP technology.

“Initially, I was deterred by the high import taxes as it should not be applied to the broadcast market and SMEs,” reveals Yamazaki. “With the growth of TAC System, and with strong systems integration partners, the time had arrived to take on the challenge.” Having agreed terms with Stage Tec in 2020, the pandemic struck and restricted activities to online training. Fortunately, an opportunity with Fuji TV arose, and a major TV station commissioned two Avatus consoles for two of its music production studios.

Japan can be difficult for Western manufacturers to penetrate owing to cultural and language barriers. “The Japanese generally take a long time to decide, and only confirm after thorough research and analysis,” continues

Yamazaki. “The broadcast market here makes a lot of comparisons with US studios, and different broadcasters have their own unique culture. Fortunately, I understand the different characteristics of each TV station. Our quest to create a strong brand identity has been made easier as we already have a select group of users. Those audio engineers and broadcasters who have been to Europe understand the high brand value and audio quality of Stage Tec.”

The multicultural and multilingual Malaysian team has

fully support each one of our clients who wish to transition towards video.”

Despite initial investment to establish local setups in the formative years in APAC, Stage Tec remains underdeveloped in many countries. Bau concedes more work needs to be done in the region, and that customer loyalty must be continually earned. “We never take business for granted, and it’s in our DNA to provide instant support whenever a client has a problem. In an extremely price-conscious region such as Southeast Asia we

first console sale was to RTM in 2005,” says Tan. “Over the years, we have built upon that success and supplied all their TV studios, before tendering for their main RTM and regional stations. In 2022, we were heavily involved with the RTM Media City project in addition to repeat business upgrades.”

Analysing sales to date, Bau concludes that the legacy Nexus core distribution and networking system remains a central product in its portfolio. “Despite the technology being 30 years old, Nexus is extremely reliable,” he comments. “We continue to support routers that date back to the mid-1990s. The Nexus system has been upgraded with the latest AoIP technology and so our 1990’s customers can be brought onto modern networks once their Nexus systems have been configured and interfaced.”

With the demand for AoIP continuing to gain momentum, Bau believes that many customers remain unaware of what the switch to the network means: “Currently, latency and accuracy are topical themes, but Stage Tec technology ticks these boxes and that is why we are reviewing our existing product lines for future compatibility.” But, as the audio world migrates towards video, Bau remains steadfast in the audio camp: “As a purely audio company, we are not adding video processing into our product line, although we will

“Stage Tec has tended to focus on those high-tech markets that are less price-sensitive and where there is a ready demand for our products and technologies, such as Korea, Taiwan and Japan, but no two countries are the same. We have enjoyed great success over the years in Australia, but it is a unique entity. Our subsidiary there, TM Stagetec, is much more successful in the installation sector as opposed to broadcast. Our global team is relatively small, so we are currently in the process of empowering our distributors, which will lead to an increase in direct factory support from Berlin.”

With Bau at the helm, Stage Tec is being directed by an experienced sales director who fully understands the complexities of doing business in Asia, with the distribution network poised to benefit from his incisive leadership, while Tan – having steadily grown the business over the past two decades – humbly appreciates the course the company has taken to date. “Eighteen years of experience in this region has served us well but, back in the formative years, it was a journey into the unknown,” he says. “Credit to the previous founder and the directors for investing heavily and focusing our direction on becoming more visible as a brand in Asia.”

www.stagetec.com

Berlin-based international sales director Norbert Bau spent two decades working in Kuala Lumpur

L–R: Stage Tec Asia’s Muhammad Faiz Dzulkefli, Advon Tan and Nurhidiyah Stage Tec has been heavily involved with the RTM Media City project

THE NEXT BIG THING

DiGiCo increases power and speed with the Quantum852

but with an eco-friendly heart

DIGICO HAS announced the launch of the next generation of large-format live audio production mixing consoles. As with previous DiGiCo offerings, it has been designed from the ground up. Familiar, yet different, and with improved audio quality via enhanced algorithms, the Quantum8 52 is said to deliver a massive leap forward in processing power. It is neatly packaged with 1,000 nit LCD screens for full daylight operation and a newly designed worksurface, giving users the confidence that the Quantum8 52 has been designed not just for now, but for the future.

With that firmly in mind, the Quantum8 52 also includes a raft of eco credentials. Its lightweight alloy construction reduces weight, which in turn helps mitigate its environmental impact during transportation. It has a reduced operating power, thermal

cooling fans along with convection and temperature dependent cooling. Further reducing the environmental footprint is the inclusion of sustainable and recyclable materials.

The Quantum8 52 features fully redundant processing, with each engine powered by five of the latest 7thgeneration FPGAs and next-generation SHARC DSP processors. The input count increases to 384 mono channels, with 192 aux/sub-group busses, plus the familiar L-R/L-C-R/5.1 master busses. It comes with a 64x64 processing matrix, 36 control groups, two solo busses and 64 effects rack slots. There are 48 graphic EQs, 384 nodal processors, 128 Mustard processors and 32 spice racks. Additional benefits include the Ultimate “Stadius” modular Local I/O, with each of the three cards providing four Stadius mic pres, four Stadius line outputs and two bit-perfect AES I/O. On the back of

each engine there are eight single or four redundant BNC MADI ports, word clock, AES sync and video sync inputs, dual USB 2.0 sockets, a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 socket, 4k DisplayPort overview out, a five-port 1Gbps network switch, dual DMI slots, a Waves SoundGrid port and Optocore inputs as standard, with space for an optional second Optocore loop.

The three 21.3-inch daylight bright screens reportedly ensure there will never be a situation where viewing is difficult. There are also three 19.2-inch dedicated meter bridge screens, three dedicated 6.8-inch control screens for bank and layer switching, and 69 1.3-inch worksurface screens, all of w h ich are touch-sensitive for channel selects and solos, providing instant access and control.

www.digico.biz

Lawo powers up

LAWO HAS well as a host of upgrades to its Power Core software-defined DSP mixing engine and I/O gateway. Physically identical to the mc²36 MkII, the Lawo mc²36 xp desk is an addition to Lawo’s audio production

console range. Supporting up to 256 DSP channels, the mc²36 MkII is without onboard processing and can share the DSP of a Lawo A__UHD Core with up to seven other virtual or physical console surfaces. Available with 16, 32 and 48 faders, the mc²36 xp comes equipped with the same controls and touchscreens as the mc²56 and mc²96, while its onboard I/O is identical to the mc²36 I/O with 16 mic/line inputs, 16 line outputs, eight AES inputs and outputs, eight GPIOs and a local MADI port (SFP).

The mc²36 xp supports both 48kHz and 96kHz operation, immersive audio mixing and IP standards, including ST 2110, AES67/RAVENNA and ST 2022-7. It is a HOME native and offers production file compatibility with Lawo equipment across the mc² range.

RAVENNA/AES67 networking; AoIP facilities built with Power Core can scale from simple on-air suites to bigger broadcast networks with thousands of audio channels. Additional features in Rev3 include double the number of RAVENNA/AES67 ports with SFP; four ports can be used to expand I/O to as many as 512 RAVENNA/AES67 channels, or to provide LAN segment separations or LAN-WAN gateway applications in largescale deployments. In addition, bidirectional Unicast RAVENNA/AES67 streams are now supported for wide-area applications, while the front panel benefits from a USB port and an SD memory card slot for easy software maintenance operations.

Lavoce blends three further compression driver flavours

LAVOCE ITALIANA has introduced three 1.4-inch exit large-format compression drivers in the form of the DF14.300T, DN14.300TK and DN14.301T models. Continuing the manufacturer’s Next Generation design approach, all three incorporate Integral Input Surface (IIS) phase plug technology. Each driver offers 110W AES power handling and exhibits low distortion characteristics with a linear frequency trend to 20kHz, complementing the N14.300T and DN14.30TK Next Generation models.

The DF14.300T includes a ferrite magnet and employs the same IIS phase plug design and a titanium diaphragm assembly used on the DN14.300T neodymium magnet, resulting in a sensitivity of 107.5dB. Together with a 1.2kHz recommended crossover point, the DF14.300T is suited for more competitively priced higher power systems.

Serving as an alternative to the onepiece DN14.300T titanium diaphragm version, the DN14.300TK enhances the neodymium 1.4-inch exit by adding itanium diaphragm with a polyimide surround.

The hybrid diaphragm assembly combination promotes a lower resonance. Measuring a 109dB sensitivity, the Italian designer insists that the DN14.300TK offers better control at lower frequencies around the crossover points.

Offering two different diaphragm configurations and performance flavours, the DN14.301T is a one-piece titanium diaphragm and surround version of the DN14.30TK hybrid diaphragm model. Both drivers record a 108dB sensitivity and a 120mm diameter for space-limited two- or three-way systems and line arrays.

www.lavocespeakers.com

A GPIO expansion card provides eight GPI + eight GPO, along with two VCA inputs. This brings control features to the family of Power Core expansion cards, which include analogue, mic, AES3 and MADI, a Dante I/O card to interface with pro audio networks and a studio I/O card with two mic/line inputs, two line outputs and two HP outputs.

I/O extender (AIOX). Up to 20 AIOX devices populated with I/O cards can connect to a single Power Core, expanding the system I/O by 1,280 additional channels.

Consisting of scalable, dynamic broadcast and media production apps and microservices, the manufacturer has also introduced its next-generation, server-based processing platform. Designed for ease of configuration, Lawo’s HOME Apps operate on standard on-premise, private data centre or public cloud servers and are controlled from the unified user interface of the HOME management platform. Preserving all the

for up to eight AutoMix groups and 16 VCA groups.

The addition of BMCA-PTP grandmaster failover capability ensures constant master clock synchronisation, while Power Core Rev3 now supports Lawo’s eight-slot audio

functionality from which operators can choose for their productions. The current platform supports SMPTE ST 2110 and JPEG XS, in addition to the NDI and SRT protocols.

www.lawo.com

NEXT-proaudio redesigns LAs118 for improved low-end output

A NEW version of the NEXT-proaudio LAs118A.v3 (active) and LAs118.v3 (passive) has been introduced by the Portuguese manufacturer that comprises a different internal construction (frontloaded) while its exterior is the same as the previous version.

The newer v3 version has been internally re-engineered – from hybridhorn to front-loaded – to respond more effectively to lower frequencies. The optimised flare of the tuning port is said to reduce air compression and turbulence, especially at very high acoustic pressure levels. Although the average sensitivity of the new version of the LAs118 is a little lower than previously (approximately –0.4dB), the SPL level in frequencies below 50Hz is on average now 2dB higher. The v3 version will also use the new Power Module DPA2000.v3 which offers new advantages such as reduced fan noise with an internal fan, an increased heatsink efficiency due to

a front panel redesign, a higher humidity immunity due to the internal-only airflow, a USB connection and a higher grade heatsink protection paint. This new design and the dedicated presets were engineered to be compatible with the

mc²36 xp

Power Core Rev3

DN14.300TK

LAs118

L-Acoustics ushers in future technology with L Series

FOLLOWING AN official launch at the Hollywood Bowl, L-Acoustics has announced the L Series with its patented Progressive Ultra-Dense Line Source (PULS) technology. The L Series comprises two elements that are designed to work together or on their own: the L2 above and the L2D below. One L2 or L2D element provides the same contour as four K2 elements in a format that is 46% smaller and 40% lighter. The audio benefits of the L Series encompass “industry-leading SPL per size, unparalleled consistency over the audience area and improved rejection elsewhere”. Designed to reduce truck space and require fewer elements, the loudspeaker is housed in a smaller, lighter footprint for reducing load-in and load-out times. Each element comprises eight 3-inch high-frequency elements and eight 10-inch low-frequency drivers, complemented by four side-loaded 12-inch drivers with front and back exits. The combination delivers high precision broadband coverage with a choice of cardioid or supercardioid patterns. The L Series also features the French manufacturer’s Panflex technology, providing quick access to a choice of four horizontal directivity patterns: 70° or Panflex modules on the top elements, and two

fixed L-Fins progressing from 110–140° on the With no inter-element angles, operating setup times are said to be greatly enhanced with the pin-less auto-lock rigging system and single cable connection. Green credentials of the L Series include 56% less paint, 30% less wood and 60% less steel. Adding to system efficiency, the L Series is which supports the L2 and L2D with 16 channels of amplification and processing.

Integrating a touchscreen and an encoder wheel to set up initial parameters and a single SC32 connector on the rear for connecting loudspeakers, the LA7.16 powers any L-Acoustics line source array up to the K2. The LA-RAK III touring rack can house three LA7.16 amplified controllers comprising 48 amplification channels and 48 individual DSP channels in a 9U rack. In addition, there are two LS10 switches to support Milan AVB seamless redundancy.

Current amplifier technology is dimensioned to power all channels simultaneously over

the advanced Class-D output stages, assuring optimum system performance at all times.

www.l-acoustics.com

QSC introduces Intelligent Active Loudspeakers

WITH THE development of the Isoline-AX series, Wharfedale Pro has launched an active column audio solution. Serving as upgrades to previous Isoline loudspeakers, the portable Isoline-AX series consists of two models with differing subwoofer sizes and array configurations.

Integrating new features, the IsolineAX510 and Isoline-AX912 consist of interlinking 10- and 12-inch subwoofers respectively that directly couple with standing columns featuring mini-EVOFold waveguides mounted onto their high-frequency sections.

The AX510 column incorporates five 3-inch drivers and a single 1-inch compression driver, and the higherpowered AX912 is equipped with nine 3-inch drivers and dual 1-inch compression drivers. The rear panel of the subwoofer incorporates line, microphone, USB-drive and Bluetooth inputs and, as such, reduces the requirement for an external mixer. Providing enhanced control over horizontal coverage, the column can be rotated by ±15%. In addition, two Isoline-AX arrays can be paired wirelessly using TWS technology, for enhanced scalability and sound coverage. High and low EQ knobs offer ±9dB of control.

www.wharfedalepro.com

DESIGNED FOR applications ranging from portable, plug-and-play setups to networked,

DEEP mode provides additional low-frequency extension and driver excursion processing.

AV systems and connected stages. The two-way LA108 8-inch and LA112 12-inch active line array loudspeakers are complemented by the LS118 single 18-inch active subwoofer.

Two-way technical innovations include a QSC LEAF (Length-Equalised Acoustic Flare) waveguide and an ergonomically designed and single operator QSC RapidDeploy rigging system. QSC AWARE (Automatic Wireless Array Recognition) system intelligence provides onebutton single box or full array intelligence and optimisation.

The LS118 active subwoofer’s onboard DSP further optimises and protects system performance. Two LS118 units can be arrayed in a cardioid arrangement to maximise lowfrequency output in front, while minimising unwanted energy around the sides and rear.

stands or poles of various lengths. The LS118 can be deployed in both horizontal and vertical orientations in a ground-stack configuration or using one of its two pole receptacles. All three models feature daisy-chain connections for analogue and digital audio.

The QSC SysNav (System Navigator) app for Windows and iPadOS can be downloaded for designing, configuring, controlling, monitoring and applying signal processing to individual loudspeakers, full arrays or groupings of both. Additionally, the AIM (Array Installation Modeling) prediction tool visualises array coverage by positioning virtual loudspeakers and arrays in a scaled, graphical model of a space.

LA7.16

Wharfedale Pro stays on track with Isoline-AX

AS PART of its 45th anniversary year, Genelec has unveiled the 8381A Smart Active Monitoring system, a flagship, floorstanding Adaptive Point Source design that is said to bring together precision and envelopment with LF control, huge headroom and high-resolution imaging. Designed for high-end music recording, mastering and audiophile listening, the 8381A is a fullrange monitoring solution that can reportedly adapt to any acoustic environment. For audio professionals, the 8381A produces accurate full-band mixes that translate consistently to other rooms and playback systems, while audiophiles will experience “every detail and nuance of a musical performance”.

As a member of The Main Ones range, the 8381A system is acoustically coaxial right down to bass frequencies, and draws on proven technology developed for Genelec’s The Ones family of point source monitors and the W371A Adaptive Woofer System, which can be combined to create a free-standing, full-range monitoring system. However, the 8381A also offers controlled directivity and uncoloured response both on- and off-axis, with an ultra-wide frequency response spanning from 20Hz–35kHz. It comes with almost 6kW of amplifier power and a maximum SPL of 126dB.

At the heart of the 8381A is a proprietary high SPL Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDCTM) midrange/tweeter driver. This MDC driver shares a common acoustical axis with the 8381A’s four complementary 5-inch dome drivers which are arranged

the forward-facing 15-inch woofer is said to provide stable directivity, control and coherence.

A pair of high-performance 15-inch woofers employ the LF adaptive technology originally developed in the W371A, which, according to

Martin Audio unveils FlexPoint portable series

MARTIN AUDIO’S FlexPoint portable series targeting the rental market has been released, alongside new SX subwoofer and DX controllers. Described as setting a new benchmark in performance and versatility for compact, standalone loudspeakers, the FlexPoint models feature passive twoway configuration to reduce running costs and amplifier count while promising “the very highest quality sound to match the expectations of prestige venues and topflight touring artists”.

The FlexPoint series comprises five models, with highly flexible deployment covering a range of professional applications, from live sound reinforcement, theatre sound and corporate AV to distributed sound systems and immersive environments. Spanning the miniature FP4 to the more powerful FP15, FlexPoint loudspeakers promise clarity, detail and coverage at all sound levels without affecting sightlines or detracting from venue architecture.

FlexPoint’s coaxial point source technology has been pushed further by incorporating a two-stage waveguide within the magnet structure. This maintains wide constant horizontal coverage out to very high frequencies, while the perimeter of the cone acts as the horn mouth, enabling pattern control to a lower frequency. Drivers can also be rotated without the need for any tools, increasing their deployment options and ease-of-use out on the road.

FlexPoint Systems can be used in conjunction with SX series subwoofers to extend low-frequency performance and impact. The SX Series itself has been expanded with two new models. The SX115 is a single 15-inch subwoofer and the SX215

system. This means that the SX series now comprises a single and double 10-, 12-, 15and 18-inch as well as a cardioid 15- and 18-inch and the hybrid horn/reflex-loaded SXH218.

For the optimum sound performance, Martin Audio iKON amplifiers with onboard DSP are recommended for FlexPoint Systems. However, and primarily for larger installations, Martin Audio VIA amplifiers in conjunction with a DX4.0 system controller are compatible. For smaller installations utilising the FP4, FP6 and FP8, a combination of VIA amplifiers and the newly announced DX0.4 or DX0.6 controller are said to be a cost-effective option. The DX0.4 is a two-in/four-out controller, while the DX0.6 is two-in/six-out. Additionally, the company has announced a major update to DISPLAY 3 3D prediction

software featuring a new sub array tool as well as a host of additional features and workflow improvements. The sub array

supreme levels of low-frequency control –despite the effects of room acoustics. This technology allows the 8381A to tailor performance carefully to the room, offering flatter, smoother in-room response at the listening location, with LF imaging coherent with the full audio range. This flat and neutral LF response minimises acoustic notching, and reduces detrimental reflections and resonances by the walls, ceiling or floor of

As part of Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family, the 8381A integrates with Genelec’s GLM software, which can configure, calibrate and control entire Genelec smart monitoring systems. GLM minimises the listening room’s influence on the sound, enabling the user to produce mixes that translate to other systems, whether the format is stereo, surround or high-channel count immersive. GLM also includes the GRADE room report feature, which gives the user a complete analysis of their room and monitoring system performance, providing specific observations and advice on any acoustical issues, helping users and studio designers alike to fine-tune the room’s acoustic treatment, adjust monitor and listener positions, and optimise bass management.

In this version, two sub array types are supported with “Broadside Stack” and “Castellated” configurations. For Broadside Stacks, any sub loudspeaker can be selected, while for Castellated scenarios only subs which have cardioid settings available can be utilised. The Beta 5 release also includes an early version of a tool to display the frequency response at any position on a surface, flown deployments of Martin Audio’s latest product TORUS 8, a new control in the Loudspeaker Property Inspector to optionally constrain aiming angles to those available for the pin locations in the lift bar, default speaker insertion heights and the inclusion of BlacklineX point source and subwoofer solutions.

www.martin-audio.com

FlexPoint

SX115 and SX215

THE STAGE IS SET FOR NORTH AMERICA

LAVOCE products are now proudly available from our group’s US division Elettromedia Corp. in Tennessee, to supply and support our manufacturer and distribution partners directly in North America - Contact our US sales team today to find out more.

Cutting-edge AI-powered products and solutions are expanding AV’s potential to create fully immersive digital experiences.

The rise in real-time video analysis and recognition is leading to increasingly intelligent displays. Access to faster networks is revolutionising how we engage with AV content - see it all at Integrate 2023!

1 SOUND adds the LF44 to its Tower Series

THE TOWER

1 SOUND’s catalogue, furthering the application possibilities of the Tower Series. The LF44 is a low-frequency column array loudspeaker, meant to perform with the Tower LCC44 or LCC84 as a low-frequency extension. The LF44 has the same construction and look as the LCC44; therefore, all the LCC44 accessories are applicable to the LF44. It can be deployed in a flown array with the LCC44 and LCC84 or can be wall mounted independently. The unit consists of four high-powered, low-frequency drivers, and has a bandwidth of 70–200Hz (–6dB preset depending). It uses an independent amp channel with proprietary DSP. Like all other 1 SOUND speakers, the LF44 is IP55 and saltwater resistant with custom colours available. Power is 560W (continuous) or 280W (AES). The speaker provides 8Ω impedance and comes with four NL4 connectors, each allowing for audio inputs and linking.

Designed for medium and large-scale installations and live audio applications, 1 SOUND has also developed the Contour CT212. Capable of delivering a maximum SPL of 145dB, the latest addition to the Contour Series is a horn-loaded, three-way passive loudspeaker. The point source enclosure comprises dual 12-inch cabinets and a 4-inch coaxial with a 2-inch mid-high compression driver. Capable of maintaining constant directivity down to 200Hz with a bass response down to 55Hz (–6dB preset

DAS Audio scales from LARA to SARA

has expanded its flagship ARA series with the addition of the SARA ultra-compact line array system. Capable of delivering a linear performance of 138dB maximum SPL and wide dynamic range, SARA is suited towards medium-sized installations

The SARA’s symmetrical design incorporates two customised 8-inch loudspeakers for mid and low frequencies and a compression driver coupled to a 100° horizontal dispersion waveguide for the high frequencies. The internal Class-D four-channel amplifier provides 3,000W RMS of power. Two channels are used in bridge mode to power the compression driver, and the remaining two are used to power the 8-inch woofers. The three-point captive rigging system can be used for both the SARA and SARA-SUB, which can accommodate arrays with 24 SARA and 16 SARA-SUB flown units. Significantly reducing assembly time, the Fast Set Splay (FSS) system allows angles to be adjusted in 1° steps from the stacked position.

100° x 50° dispersion. Equipped with eight M5 and four M6 rigging points, the Finnish birch enclosure is finished in a UV-resistant polyurea coating in black, white or custom colours and fabrics. Weighing 41.6kg, the IP55-rated and saltwater-resistant CT212 can be flexibly installed courtesy of the 316

In addition to the SARA’s features, the ARA series includes a four-band HOS, atmospheric correction, 1,024 taps for DASaim (FIR filters) and a delay of 280m or 823ms per cabinet.

The NFC technology used for self-positioning the systems within an array can be configured within the ALMA software and an internal microphone checks the status of all the components. Weighing 34kg and housed in birch plywood, the SARA 100 module justifies its compact criteria with 265mm x 655mm x 515mm dimensions.

Complementing the SARA line array, the SARA-SUB enhances the low-frequency response down to 35Hz (–10dB). The subwoofer integrates 18- and 15-inch neodymium transducers with 4- and 3-inch voice coils respectively. Fixed in a cardioid configuration to reduce rearward radiation and to focus bass energy on the audience results in up to 14dB reduction in the rear dispersion.

The SARA-SUB’s built-in Class-D amplifier has

four channels in bridge mode for each of the speakers and includes a switch-mode power supply.

ARA’s hardware features and ALMA’s software tools combine to offer control and customisation of sound reinforcement systems. With IP communication, the ARA system can be monitored and EQ settings can be configured in real time. Sharing the same tonal balance, coverage, phase and frequency response as the LARA, the SARA can accompany the LARA for delays, side fills and front fills in a venue.

www.dasaudio.com

Oceanway Audio unveils the S15A powered subwoofer

The SUB215 is a fast-responding, deep bass subwoofer with a “clear and punchy” upper bass, capable of producing a maximum SPL of 140dB. The cabinet is equipped with two 15-inch low-frequency drivers with the latest tetracoil technology. It measures 17.8 inches when deployed either horizontally or vertically. The SUB215 can be specified as a completed system using the pole cup accessory which allows users to deploy the CT28 with a 1 SOUND Active Tube or mount any other satellite on top. In addition, it has proprietary rigging points in order to attach a Tower Rigging System, fit for stacking the Tower LCC44 or LCC84 on top. Like all 1 SOUND loudspeakers, the SUB215 is IP55-rated and saltwaterresistant with custom colours and finishes

AMERICAN MANUFACTURER Oceanway

Audio has taken the wraps of its latest innovation, the S15A subwoofer. Designed by audio innovator, product designer and Grammy award-winning producer Allen Sides, the S15A is said to be perfect for recording and mixing

applications, and suitable for a range of listening environments where low-end loudness with power and definition is key.

With a single 15-inch low-frequency driver capable of handling up to 3,400W, the S15A features an internal 1,200W amplifier, resulting in a “spectacular” bass response with a frequency range of 28–120Hz, capable of handling a maximum of 128dB SPL. On the rear panel, in addition to stereo balanced XLR inputs and outputs, the subwoofer features a full set of controls, including gain, low-frequency adjustments, crossover and delay, making it suitable for integration into almost any audio environment. A trigger input/output is also included in the design to maximise power conservation and other applications.

www.oceanwayaudio.com

SARA

LF44

EAW builds on Radius line of speakers

27kg, the KF210 is a suitable option for small crews operating out of medium or large outdoor festivals, corporate events, houses of worship, performing arts centres or theatres. The cabinet houses dual, symmetrically placed 10-inch woofers, delivering 90° horizontal bandwidth, and a 3-inch voice coil compression driver mounted to the manufacturer’s patented Isophasic waveguide. Frequency response is 55Hz–18kHz.

The heavy duty polyuria epoxy protects the cabinet’s Baltic birch wood construction from visible wear, while its IP55 rating means the KF210 can handle any weather an audience is able to withstand.

EAW has also added accessories to support its AC6 two-way, full-range ADAPTive column loudspeaker, including a pole mount, stacking plate and stinger offerings. Suitable for production

Bosch steps up security

DESIGNED TO provide high-quality sound and flexible integration for video security and public address applications, Bosch has announced the launch of its IP-based horn loudspeakers and amplifier module. The high-output LHN-UC15L-SIP horn (for long-throw applications), the compact LHN-UC15W-SIP horn (for wideangle coverage) and the AMN-P15-SIP amplifier module support both two-way VoIP communications via SIP as well as pre-recorded/automated messages.

Pre-recorded messages can be instantly activated using camera detection with Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA), while VoIP/SIP capability makes it possible to channel live speech from a central control room – either one-direction or two-way talkback utilising the horn’s built-in condenser microphone.

continually maximising output and fidelity at any drive level. Other features include integrated Dante networking (with loop-thru), as well as analogue redundancy capability.

The manufacturer has also unveiled the KF210 two-way dual 10-inch line array cabinet. Offering a max SPL of 141dB, in addition to three-point rigging and built-in weather protection, the KF210 is medium-format passive line array designed to support a wide range of applications in a small package.

Despite its diminutive form, the manufacturer states there has been no sacrifice on output. Weighing approximately

for ease of travel and the expansion of its mounting options. All three accessory options are said to create an enhanced user experience for production companies. Pole mounting and stinger accessories ease mobility of the loudspeaker, enabling users to take the AC6 anywhere on the road for demo tours, live events and more. Additionally, with a stacking plate, two AC6 loudspeakers can now be combined, allowing for the movement of multiple speakers as a single unit.

www.eaw.com

Lynx Pro Audio unveils

DESCRIBED AS an ideal solution for conference and KTV rooms, Lynx Pro Audio has introduced the new KR series, a line of passive two-way loudspeakers specially designed for installations where high volume is required while delivering vocal clarity with low distortion.

The two full-range models belonging to the KR series feature two-way passive 10-inch and 12-inch versions, with a 1-inch driver mounted on a 90° x 60° rotatable horn. Beyond conference and KTV applications, the cabinet is suitable for use in houses of worship, as well as nightclubs.

The double port located at the rear of the enclosure creates increased bass frequency response. When installed close to a wall, this creates a reflection that extends the

KR series

The 15W Class-D amplifier module is designed for direct connection to passive loudspeakers or via line-out to an external amplifier, serving as a bridging device to add VoIP/SIP capability to existing public address systems. The horns are each equipped with a built-in Class-D amplifier also delivering up to 15W and can be integrated directly into existing SIPcapable systems for use as VoIP/SIP endpoints. The horns and the amplifier module both support PoE.

The horns and amplifier module offer a range of features for flexible integration, including remote configuration via a web-based GUI; Bosch Alarm Task Script Language (ATSL) support for direct camera integration; internal storage for pre-recorded messages; third-party integration via easy-to-use HTTPS REST API; GPIO for generic third-party integration; audio line-in to support live speech from other devices, such as the audio line-out of a camera; remote health/self-testing; and onboard DSP.

www.boschsecurity.com

low-frequency response of the system, creating an extra bass boost. The cabinets are constructed from MDF and coated in high-resistant polyurea paint, giving them greater durability. A wide range of dedicated accessories allows the installation of these loudspeakers in all types of setups: ceiling or wall-mounted, on a speaker stand or as a satellite with a subwoofer.

Although the KR series can be used without a processor, the manufacturer recommends that the cabinet presets are applied for maximum optimisation and performance. These presets are available on the full range of ARK processors and on the brand’s amplifiers with built-in DSP.

www.lynxproaudio.com

Celestion heads into deep space with PowerProX18

INCORPORATING AN advanced voice coil that has been designed to reduce power compression, Celestion has launched the PowerProX18 subwoofer. The 18-inch subwoofer features an advanced cooling design that reportedly enables its voice coil to run 20°C cooler than comparable drivers in the same class. In addition to reducing heat-related stress on the 4-inch glass-fibre voice coil former and other thermally sensitive parts, there is also a reduction in the temperature-related rise in coil resistance that causes power compression.

Providing additional driver performance and durability, advanced adhesives are used, and the glass fibre-loaded cellulose cone is weatherproofed both on the front and the rear. With a nominal impedance of 8Ω and 1,200W nominal (AES) power rating, the sensitivity is measured at 97dB (1W@1m in 2π space). The cone’s polysiloxanelaminated dual suspension contributes to the Bl (motor force) curve exhibiting an improved cone displacement symmetry, added stability and reduced distortion. The aluminium demodulation ring reduces the inductance (Le) of the motor circuit (1.61mH @ 1kHz) and a lower power compression. The ring also reduces

harmonic distortion as the voice coil and

applications requiring compact, discreet sound reinforcement such as ceiling speakers and cinema audio.

Operating within a frequency range of 35–1,000Hz and weighing 13.2kg, the PowerProX18 is suited to large subwoofer applications.

The company has also unveiled the TFX0412 4-inch ferrite magnet coaxial driver, which features a rigid pressed steel chassis and 1.25-inch diameter (LF)/1-inch diameter (HF) copper clad aluminium voice coil. The TFX0412 is described as a very cost-effective addition to the company’s well-established series of coaxial units, for

The TFX0412 features a fully combined LF loudspeaker and HF compression driver which are powered by a common magnet motor assembly, with the same magnet used for both the LF and HF elements. This enables the voice coils and hence the acoustic centres of the two transducers to be brought as close together as possible, delivering improvements in signal coherence and time alignment. With the delivery of both lowand high-frequency signals from the same chassis, the TFX0412 offers a combined frequency response of 90Hz–20kHz (a crossover is required.)

T h e TFX0412 features a polyimide film HF diaphragm and employs Celestion’s next-generation Sound Castle soft clamping assembly which decreases operational stress on the diaphragm. Both HF and LF voice coils are edge wound using

HH Electronics amplifiers head to the Multi-Zone

WITH THE launch of its MZ Series, HH Electronics has created a range of high-performance, multi-zone install zone amplifiers and wall controllers. At the heart of the range is the Origin multi-core processing platform. Based on 56-bit floating point precision to control input routing, level controls and EQ settings, no digital artefacts are produced, and headroom is enhanced. Zone limiting can be configured for mixing and matching both Hi-Z and Lo-Z speakers. Designed for continuous usage while lowering energy consumption, Origin’s Eco power saving reduces power consumption to less than half a watt in standby mode.

Three 1U rack-mountable amplifier models are currently available. The two-zone MZ-140D features two individual 140W RMS Class-D amplifiers; the MZ-140Q is a four-zone, 4x 140W model; and the MZ-280Q is a higherpower, four-zone, 4x 280W amplifier that can be configured to run in either 70V/100V or at minimum 4Ω impedance. inputs allow two individual mics to be

Work Pro’s Fantastic Four

SPANISH AV manufacturer Equipson has expanded its Work Pro brand with the introduction of four multipurpose amplifiers. The Synthea Series offers a variety of configurations with a range of different channel and power output options. Their fully integrated DSP can be controlled via TCP/IP, GPIOs and S/PDIF in/out, making it straightforward to link multiple amps in a larger installation. The range also has built-in WAP to provide web-based adjustment of parameters,

such as EQ and level, enabling system configuration from any device.

Designed for smaller sound systems, the Synthea 2125 offers two channels with 125W of power per-channel, while the Synthea 2500 also provides two channels but with a higher power output of 250W per-channel.

For sound systems that require multiple speakers, the Synthea 4125 provides four channels of 125W each, or two channels of 250W. The range is completed by

copper clad aluminium. Also included is a demodulation ring that minimises the effects of power compression, as well as reducing the harmonic and intermodulation distortion that is commonly associated with voice coil displacement.

In brief, the manufacturer has added its Neo Creamback speaker to its collection of Dynamic Speaker Responses (DSRs) available for use with the company’s SpeakerMix Pro plugin. Captured in digital form as DSR, the Neo Creamback was recorded by Celestion engineers using the same techniques as its other IRs and DSRs, with three pro-quality studio microphones: a Shure SM57, a Royer R-121 ribbon mic and a Sennheiser MD421.

www.celestion.com

Synthea 2125

CF18PPX

TFX0412

NEXT Audiocom introduces the A504DSP

PORTUGUESE MANUFACTURER

NEXT Audiocom has unveiled the A504DSP which combines a lightweight, 4x 500W (2x 1,000W) amplifier with a powerful DSP engine that can be configured to suit a wide range of tasks, without the need for additional equipment, to drive a wide range of loudspeaker systems. The close integration of processing and amplification allows the DSP to monitor and better adapt to amplifier behaviour, reportedly making dynamics processing far more accurate and effective than that typically achieved with

The A504DSP has been designed for both touring and installation. The DSP engine is controlled by a built-in OLED screen with an encoder – eliminating the need for outboard loudspeaker processors – or by a PC, and comes with input/output routing, high- and low-pass filters, parametric EQ filters, compressors/limiters, noise gates and alignment delays.

NEXT Audiogroup has released its Audio Configurator, which aims to streamline the process of choosing NEXT Audiocom

The art of broadcasting

WHEATSTONE HAS introduced the Audioarts Voice1 processor to “bring out that larger-than-life broadcast voice in anyone”. Voice1 features peak vocal performance across the entire vocal range, not just male voices, with no undesirable colouration added. Voice1 uses Super Quiet mic preamps and high-quality 24-bit A/D converters. Voice1 is a WheatNet-IP audio network device similar to its four-channel counterpart, the M4IP-USB, with routable I/O and logic control.

across four, three or two outputs to drive, for example, four full-range loudspeakers or subwoofers, a high-power subwoofer and two full-range loudspeakers, a high-power subwoofer and a biamplified speaker or a high-power full-range loudspeaker and a high-power subwoofer.

expertise, allowing anyone to easily configure and customise the ideal audio system. The tool uses audio packs to generate tailored audio product packs that are optimised for each installation.

www.nextaudiogroup.com

THE DEMAND for products capable of integrating several services into a single cable is on the rise again, particularly combi-cables that are made up of one or

Designed to transform highly compressed source music into a more dynamic listener experience, Wheatstone has also released the Audioarts Lion FM/HD audio processor. Measuring a half-rack size in width, the FM/ HD audio processor utilises Wheatstone’s next-gen multiband AGC and limiting/clipping algorithms. The processor includes stereo enhance, RDS and Wheatstone SystemLink for transporting the entire MPX and HD audio signals, including RDS, to maintain FM/HD alignment across any high-speed data link.

SystemLink is a composite FM megaplexer for today’s high-speed data links. At 24-bit resolution, SystemLink

makes it possible to get across the detail necessary for high-quality audio. This 24-bit digital MPX and HD audio megaplexer also uses RIST, the open-source transport protocol, for reliable, real-time audio transport along with error correction at the lowest possible latency. With fibre optic, 5G and other high-speed connections becoming more common, SystemLink is described as an important part of today’s studio-to-transmitter link. By packaging the whole MPX payload for transport over highspeed data links from cloud data centres to the transmitter site, SystemLink also forms an important piece of the “audio processing in a cloud” puzzle. It can be used with any audio processor, including Wheatstone’s flagship X5 FM/HD audio processor, MP-532 multiprocessor and new Lion FM audio processor. SystemLink is part of the Layers Software Suite as the MPX output of the Layers FM module, which includes multiband processing, PPM watermarking and full RDS capabilities as instances in an onsite server or offsite at cloud data centres.

OT234YS boasts both low attenuation and flexibility

of a DMX cable and a 3x0.75mm² power supply, and the C283, which is made up of the same DMX cable but with a 3x1.5mm² power supply. The C283 comes in different KLOTZ HAS begun supplying the new PD7 Pro Digital series of cabling which features the high-quality OT234YS low-loss cable for AES/EBU and DMX signals. The doubleshielded OT234YS has a large conductor cross-section of 0.34mm² (AWG 22/7), making it suitable for professional applications thanks also to a durable PVC jacket. The connectors available include either XLR 3p. or XLR 5p. plugs by KLOTZ or Neutrik.

According to the manufacturer, the robust yet flexible cable has a particularly low signal attenuation, which is due to the generous conductor cross-section and low capacitance. This makes it ideal for long distances and transmitting digital signals such as AES/EBU and DMX, as well as analogue microphone and line audio signals, easily and stably. Two shields protect against noise.

The cable’s black PVC jacket, which has an outer diameter of 6.7mm, is suitable for a temperature range of –20°C to +70°C and gives the cable a pleasant flexibility despite its solid conductor cross-section

and double shielding. Both cable ends are also equipped with transparent heatshrink sleeves for free labelling. The PD7 Pro Digital cables are available in lengths from 1–50m with the six-fold KLOTZ quality control according to ISO 9001:2015.

www.klotz-ais.com

Sennheiser unleashes Profile USB for plug-andplay users

DEVELOPED SPECIALLY for streamers, podcasters and gamers wishing to fully focus on their content, Sennheiser has launched the Profile USB microphone. The sideaddress microphone is available as a table stand version and as the Profile Streaming Set with a three-point self-locking boom arm. Consisting of the KE10 condenser capsule, the cardioid pickup pattern of the condenser provides attenuation of sound coming from the rear, ensuring the streamer’s voice is in

How to clip and sound great with RØDE’s

solutions, including UNIFY, RØDE Central and RØDE Connect for expanded functionality and flexibility.

The RØDECaster Duo is a compact, all-in-one audio production solution for podcasters, streamers, musicians and content creators. It offers the same feature set as the revolutionary RØDECasterPro II, with the same high-power quad-core audio engine, Revolution Preamps, APHEX audio processing and customisability.

to be easy to use; the 44mm x 45.3mm x 18.3mm transmitter and receiver clips are said to connect seamlessly to cameras, smartphones, tablets (iOS and Android) and computers (Mac and Windows). They use RØDE’s Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission to provide recording over a 100m range, and utilise Intelligent GainAssist technology to automatically control audio levels. The company has added the ability to connect an additional transmitter for capturing three microphones simultaneously, and the units work with all social media apps, including

The Wireless ME is also compatible with RØDE’s video and audio apps, including the RØDE Capture iOS camera app for dual-camera video recording, and all RØDE Series IV Wireless Systems. The mics

Profile USB

allow the mic to be used with third-party table stands. Ideal for any on-camera applications, the set comes with a threepoint, self-locking boom arm and includes integrated cable management.

Having addressed the challenge of bringing spatial immersion to streaming customers with stereo devices, Sennheiser’s AMBEO 2-Channel Spatial Audio renderer for live broadcasting has launched. The live renderer transforms standard multichannel surround and immersive formats into two channels of audio in real time. Patented controls, adapted for use in a broadcast environment, allow for fine-tuning of spatialisation settings to maintain mix integrity and dialogue intelligibility.

www.sennheiser.com

operating time of seven hours.

The Streamer X from RØDE Microphones combines a professional audio interface and video capture card in a “compact, easyto-use” console. It features studio-grade audio inputs for XLR and line-level devices, headsets and RØDE wireless microphones, with an ultra-low noise, high-gain Revolution Preamp and APHEX audio processing. It also offers 4K30/2K60 streaming and up to 2K120/4K60 pass-through for high-quality video in a wide variety of applications, from streaming and gaming, to podcasting and content creation, to business presentations. Two USB-C connections accommodate dual PC setups, and four customisable SMART pads allow for on-the-fly triggering of sound or voice FX and other actions on a computer. It is also fully compatible with RØDE software

The PodMic USB is a versatile, broadcastgrade dynamic microphone for podcasting, streaming and content creation. It offers the same sound quality and compact yet rugged form factor as the PodMic, but comes with XLR and USB connectivity. Featuring the recently released NT1 5th Generation, the PodMic USB includes a Revolution Preamp and high-quality analogue-to-digital conversion, advanced DSP for adding professional APHEX voice processing to any recording, and compatibility with smartphones and tablets for use on the go.

Firmware updates have also been released for the Wireless GO II and RØDECaster Pro II. The Wireless GO II now features the ability to save on-board recordings as WAV files for easy transfer to a computer on the go and start/stop on-board recordings using the transmitter and receiver power buttons, as well as new camera models added to the camera preset feature. Wireless microphone connectivity has been added to the RØDECaster Pro II. Users will also be able to connect any RØDE Series IV wireless transmitter – including the Wireless GO II and Wireless ME – for recording wireless audio directly to the RØDECaster Pro II.

www.rode.com

Jabra evolves with new hybrid working headsets

expanded its Evolve2 range with new headsets built for ultra-flexible hybrid working. The Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex, Evolve2 55 and Evolve2 50 are engineered for ultraflexible hybrid working and intended to enable professionals to take calls and meetings no matter their environment. Additionally, they have optimised sound for professional use and music, so there is no need to switch headsets when it is time for a break.

The Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex has a unique fold-and-go design with a collapsible hinged headband and slimmed-down earcups, and comes with a soft sustainable pouch. Users can reportedly be heard clearly, even in loud locations, thanks to a powerful chipset, advanced digital algorithm and beamforming Jabra ClearVoice microphones. The chipset and noise-cancelling technology delivers hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and closefitting memory foam earcups help seal even more of the surroundings.

The headset has a 360° busylight, a shorter hide-away boom arm and it is certified for all leading virtual meeting platforms, like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom. It promises up to 32 hours of music time speakers, a specially designed chipset that powers speech separation and two premium www.jabra.com

The power of eight

THE BP3600 immersive audio microphone is the latest addition from Audio-Technica, a broadcast audio tool capable of capturing stable, threedimensional sound beds at sporting events, concerts, festivals and movie sets. The microphone houses eight compact capsule assemblies integrated into the body while remaining compact and lightweight enough for single-operator usability and simple setup. According to the manufacturer, this practical broadcasting solution captures realistic sound that will bring the recording location directly

DPA launches first drum miking kit

disconnecting and assembly quick and easy. Also included is a safety strap that can be connected to drop-prevention wires when used above spectators in stadiums, auditoriums or other venues.

The end of the microphone’s grip includes a LEMO 2B multi-pin output connector for attaching the included LEMO-to-XLRM (x8) breakout cable, for routing the eight channels to a mixing console or audio interface. LEMOto-LEMO 2B multi-pin connector extension cables are available separately for use between the microphone and the breakout cable to increase the cable run length.

WITH THE arrival of the DDK4000, DPA Microphones has released its first drum microphone kit. Consisting of the Danish brand’s 4055 kick drum, new 2012 Compact Cardioid and a 2015 Compact Wide Cardioid stereo pair, the kit also incorporates three 4099 CORE instrument mics.

Specifically created for kick drum applications, the 4055 provides a tight, natural, well-defined sound and offers different sounds depending on its placement relative to the kick drum. Owing to its condenser mic capabilities, the 4055 produces a clean reproduction to a maximum SPL of 164dB. The asymmetric design provides easy positioning both inside and outside the kick drum, while the large housing and wind damping foam in front of the capsule, behind the grille, minimises air turbulence pickup in front of the kick drum hole.

mics, comprising a specifically designed 17mm capsule.

extend from the body to form a cube with 15cm between each microphone assembly. Each assembly in the eight-channel, nearcoincident array is equipped with a 12mm hypercardioid capsule to produce ideally separated, discrete signals and deliver immersive audio experiences.

When used in a typical 5.1.4 immersive scenario, the four upper microphone channels can be assigned to the upper speaker channels, and the four lower channels can be assigned to the lower speaker channels. This eliminates the need for additional decoding or latency processing during routing.

User-friendliness is enhanced with the main unit’s visible colour-coded and numbered channel indicator rings that allow for easy identification of channels. To ensure that onsite setup is simple when time is limited, each microphone assembly features a lock that guarantees precise, repeatable positioning and prevents accidental removal. These connector locks additionally protect the microphone terminals from the elements, including rain, and make

Technica has also added its ATND1061DAN ceiling array to a Q-SYS system that includes the Q-SYS Core 110f processor, AD-C4T ceiling-mount loudspeaker, SPA Series amplifiers and the I/O-USB Bridge peripheral. Designed for use in high-impact spaces ranging from boardrooms to lecture halls, operators can take advantage of the scalable Q-SYS audio, video and control platform in articulate audio quality, rejection of unwanted sounds and the option to trigger camera position presets using real-time positioning data from the ATND1061DAN. The ATND1061DAN ceiling array microphone adds vocal intelligibility and clarity throughout the room, even with multiple talkers courtesy of the Dante network audio outputs. Simplified integration with the Q-SYS Control plugin enables control of an the ATND1061DAN, including the ability to mute, trigger the LED, load presets stored in the main unit and monitor connection status from a Q-SYS network touchscreen controller.

www.audio-technica.com

The 2012 serves as an all-around, generalist pencil mic for capturing accurate, singleinstrument pickup with clarity. According to the manufacturer, characteristics include exceptional transient response and an intricate pickup, together with extended frequency and flat frequency responses for all live stage setups.

Designed for use as an overhead stereo pair on drum kits, the 2015 features uniform, wide

Added to minimise distortion and increase dynamic range, the inclusion of the 4099 CORE instrument mics rounds off the kit. With its discreet size and versatile mounting/clip options, the 4099 CORE operates within a 109dB dynamic range. Inclusive of microphone holders and adapters, the DDK4000 kit comes in a sturdy Peli case. Optional accessories including a stereo boom, gooseneck mount and corresponding shockmounts are also available.

www.dpamicrophones.com

Access all areas with AEQ’s TP9116

WITH 16 four-way lever keys and associated RGB displays squeezed into a compact 1U unit, AEQ’s TP9116 user panel provides access to AEQ’s CrossNET and Conexia intercom matrixes. The TP9116 provides talk and listen functionality and individual volume control for each communication point. Lever keys have two

has acoustic echo cancellation to avoid local feedback and automatically levels the voice power or tonality and speech habits of each operator. A three-band PEQ, high- and low-pass filters and a compressor/limiter/expander are also built in. The TP9116 incorporates audio signal generators (tone 1kHz @ –20dBFs, pink

BP3600

DDK4000

2021 Compact Cardioid

AX Center – DAD’s new studio centrepiece

AX CENTER is a dedicated Thunderbolt modular audio interface from Digital Audio Denmark with dual mic and instrument inputs, dual headphone and monitor outputs, built-in PRO|MON monitor control with speaker EQ and two slots for DAD expansion cards. It comes with 256 Thunderbolt 3 channels, 256 Dante I/O channels, up to 192 MADI I/O

channels and 16 ADAT channels, as well as onboard summing and processing.

The AX Center offers a compact 1U interface with built-in DAD AD/DA conversion and mic preamps, as well as flexible DADman routing, monitor control, DSP processing and the option to add more I/O flexibility via two expansion slots.

AX Center is equipped with two elements that allows it to not only be the centrepiece for audio conversion, but also be the central point for monitor control. The first is the PRO|MON section of the complimentary DADman control software, which gives access to a 512x64 channel summing processor, and the second is the built-in SPQ processing that offers 128 channels

Neumann bridges microphones and monitoring

IN COLLABORATION

company Merging Technologies, the MT 48 distinguishes itself as Neumann’s first-ever audio interface for use in studio and home studio applications. Based on the Merging Anubis audio interface, the MT 48 features additional USB and ADAT connectivity, in addition to a user interface. With a dynamic range of 136dB(A) and mic preamps with up to 78dB gain, the MT 48 captures the full sound potential without any bottlenecks. Equipped with four analogue inputs and eight analogue output channels (four stereo outputs), the MT 48 is expandable via ADAT (switchable to S/PDIF) and AES67. The interface is also equipped with two headphone amplifiers with low output impedance. Onboard DSP effects include EQ, complex dynamics processing and reverb. Additionally, the MT 48’s Dual Output Technology allows users to record the pre-FX and post-FX signal simultaneously. Four independent mixers for each stereo output provide monitoring, and a touchscreen interface allows users to change parameters, including mixer levels and pan positions. All monitor mixes and all settings can be adjusted directly on the unit, although a Remote-Control App and browser-

the release of the KH 120 II studio monitor. The second-generation model is stated to offer improvements in all acoustic parameters for deeper bass, higher SPL capability and increased resolution. In addition, its internal DSP engine allows for phase linear crossovers and room correction via the manufacturer’s MA 1 Automatic Alignment. The KH 120 II follows the same philosophy as its predecessor, but takes it to the next level: “highest linearity, lowest distortion, no colouration and adaptability to any acoustic environment”.

Brompton sees the light

BROMPTON TECHNOLOGY has unveiled its TrueLight receiver card, which enables full calibration of the pixels and control of the light spectrum emitted by an LED panel with a broader spectral output, by utilising extra emitters in addition to the standard RGB format. Driven by the new Tessera G1, the system is said to offer “unparalleled” colour rendering, illuminating individuals and objects with increased realism.

TrueLight leverages Brompton’s proprietary Dynamic Calibration technology, performed by the company’s Hydra measurement system. The manufacturer believes that this is the only system on the market capable of providing complete spectrally aware calibration for extra emitters to ensure colourimetric precision, full

with a total of 1,024 EQ filters, as well as delay. This makes it a suitable solution for accurate speaker correction in the studio. The internal routing matrix of the DADman software spans 984x984 channels, allowing any input to be routed to any output, or even duplicating and routing to several different destinations simultaneously. Finally, the Thunder|Core connection has a hardware latency of only nine samples, 32-bit floating point resolution and is capable of handling up to 256 bidirectional channels at 48kHz and 96kHz, 128 channels at 192kHz and 64 channels at 384kHz. It also supports Apple Silicon processors, macOS Big Sur (and up) with a Core Audio driver, as well as Windows 10 (and up) with an ASIO Thunder|Core driver.

www.digitalaudio.dk

These achievements are made possible by DSP-controlled electronics whose crossovers reportedly avoid the phase distortion caused by analogue filters. The KH 120 II is made to extremely low tolerances of no more than ±0.5dB and, as a result, stereo imaging is described as “razor-sharp”. The new model is also an update in sustainability, as Neumann engineers developed a patent-pending amplifier technology which it says combines superior audio performance with the energy efficiency

amplifiers of the KH 120 II deliver up to 145W to the 5.25-inch woofer and 10 0W to the 1-inch tweeter, they only consume 17W when idle. Auto-standby reduces power consumption to

0.3W when the KH 120 II has not been used for some time, but can be deactivated. The KH 120 II offers analogue and digital inputs (S/PDIF). It will also be available in an AES67 variant with redundant AES67 audio network ports that are fully compliant with broadcast standards such as ST 2110, ST 2022-7 redundancy and Ravenna. At the same time, the KH 120 II AES67 is compatible with Dante-generated AES67 network streams.

www.neumann.com

KH 120 II

colour and luminance correction are applied on a per-pixel basis, delivering the image quality necessary for direct-view applications, including reflections. All possible RGBW spectral mixes are fully corrected, maintaining calibration accuracy at all times.

Utilising the full range of Tessera software features, TrueLight takes advantage of PureTone for consistent linearity of both RGB and “W” LED output, ThermaCal for temperature correction of all LED colours, ShutterSync to eliminate on-camera artefacts for RGBW lighting and direct-view applications, and Extended Bit Depth to significantly enhance the dynamic range of RGBW output, amongst others.

www.bromptontech.com

©

OPEN CONTROL. UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES.

AMX CE SERIES UNIVERSAL CONTROL EXTENDERS deliver AMX-quality hardware control to any system that supports IP connectivity. An open control API makes it simple to integrate these boxes with third-party control systems or apps, and the integrated web interface enables configuration without specialized applications. PoE powered, with a small footprint for easy installation and concealment, they extend the reach of control processors well beyond the limits inherent in point-to-point connections. Learn more at www.amx.com.

Get wider with Wisycom

WISYCOM’S MTK982 is a dualwideband, stereo IEM/IFB transmitter designed for a range of live event productions. It reportedly features the widest switching bandwidth available

The transmitter also features integrated low-energy, long-range Bluetooth remote control. It also has Stationary Wave Ratio sensing on its antenna outputs, while the 470 663MHz frequency range in North

WITH BOTH Dante-compatible and non-Dante models available, the DM3 consoles are suitable for a wide range of applications. Offering up to 96kHz sound quality, a fast and simple setup and ease of operation, the chassis measures

a USB memory stick and a separate USB connector on the front panel. The Dantecapable DM3 adds further multitrack recording capability using Dante Virtual Soundcard. Meanwhile, the DAW Remote function means a range of DAWs can be

on any in-ear monitor system (up to 300MHz), enabling users to find the best frequency wherever they are. Its low interference output features wideband intermodulation phase cancellation. Combined with its Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) signal means the MTK982 offers the highest quality signal available in an IEM/IFB transmitter, according to Wisycom.

America (470 770MHz in Europe) works in conjunction with the BFLT1 transmitter and BFLR1 receiver to enable the MTK982 to transmit low-latency signals over fibre to remote areas.

The MTK982 can also be remotely controlled and monitored using Wisycom Manager software.

www.wisycom.com

Biamp bundles head to small conferencing rooms

DUE TO the popularity of Biamp bundles for medium and large conference rooms, the manufacturer has begun offering bundles for huddle spaces and small conference rooms.

The bundles help to streamline the buying and installation process by providing a complete system in a box, while enabling end users to leverage one unified hardware system to ensure a great meeting experience every time.

a Devio SCR-10 with a Vidi 250 camera as an entry-level solution, along with options that include Parlé table mics, Parlé ceiling mics or pendant mics featuring Parlé Beamtracking technology to intelligently track and mix conversations from around the room. These systems can also be paired with the Vidi family of 4K conferencing cameras.

For a simplified all-in-one solution, the Parlé VBC 2500a and Parlé ABC

The bundles provide options for either Unified Communication (UC) controlled rooms leveraging Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Bring-Your-OwnMeeting (BYOM) scenarios where meetings can be managed through a user device brought into the meeting space. The new BYOM solution for small rooms starts with the Devio SCR family of devices for PCs running conferencing platforms including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and Cisco Webex. The devices support a single USB connection to a host computer for audio and video media using DisplayLink USB graphics technology. The BYOM bundles offer a range of options, including the pairing of

2500a will be compatible with Assistive Listening Systems (ALS). Featuring a new dedicated 3.5mm output connector with a mono balanced line level output, the Parlé bars provide a premium audio experience for individuals requiring hearing assistance. To optimise performance at install, the included Biamp Launch software analyses and tunes the acoustic performance of the room with just a touch of a button, including for ALS. The Parlé bar can then be controlled through a bring-yourown laptop, phone, tablet or through a dedicated UC host device.

www.biamp.com

Offering low latency and two highquality processors featuring 18 types of effects, a simple, intuitive user interface is centred around a large, 9-inch screen with multi-touch control. Users can choose from multiple languages for channel names (using the DM3 Editor or DM3 StageMix applications) displayed on a light or dark background, reportedly making the DM3 series easy to use in any space, lighting conditions and by users of different nationalities. The DM3 is also suitable as a sub-mixer for a Dantecompatible main console.

Additional features include custom fader banks, MonitorMix support for personal monitor mixing and an 18-in/18-out USB audio interface. Multitrack recording via USB to Host is supported, while simple two-track recording is also possible using

the creation of bespoke control panels, tailored to the needs of remote control and installation monitoring. Meanwhile, the optional RK-DM3 can be used to mount either unit in 13U of a standard 19-inch equipment rack.

Additional software applications include DM3 Editor, a standalone Windows or Mac application for both online operation and offline setup and editing, and DM3 StageMix, an iPad app that enables remote control of the DM3 Series via a simple, intuitive interface, allowing an engineer to control mix parameters from a performer’s position on the stage. Meanwhile, the MonitorMix application for iOS and Android devices puts control of each performer’s monitor mix in their hands.

www.yamaha.com/proaudio

Yamaha unveils DM3 with Dante-compatible and non-Dante versions

Portable power

THE NEUTRIK Group is introducing the CONTRIK range of professional power distribution products. CONTRIK extends the group’s product offering with a portfolio of power distribution systems, equipotential environments.

Employing automated precision manufacturing processes, together with high-quality components and materials, CONTRIK systems reportedly offer “unsurpassed” levels of quality, safety and reliability, and provide reductions in cabling costs, complexity and man hours. CONTRIK’s

multicore solutions are said to further reduce complexity and cable volumes for demanding mobile and outdoor applications, including preassembled multicore cables, Power Containers and Power Racks with multicore outputs,

capable of operating in the harshest conditions, these systems provide high data capacity with high reliability, rapid setup and immediate

With circuit-breaking capability and discrete power-in and power-out keying to prevent intermating of power cables, the powerCON

NAC3FXXB are IEC/ EN/UL/CSA 60320-1 compliant. Its speakON series of audio connectors expand the NLFXX series with four-pole and two-pole cable connectors. Both feature a locking boot for security and a two-compound housing to improve handling.

impact (up to IK 10+).

Shure scans the spectrum

THE AXIENT Digital AD600 Digital Spectrum Manager delivers real-time, wide-band spectrum scanning and monitoring from 174MHz to 2.0GHz, spectrum analysis and frequency coordination in a single rack unit. Six antenna connections deliver multiple coverage options, while Dante connectivity provides advanced audio monitoring of the network. The USB port can be used to export, import or save

Tascam boxes clever with Dante

BOASTING SEAMLESS integration with Tascam’s range of Sonicview mixers and full Dante compatibility, the SB-16D 16-in/16-out

Dante-enabled stagebox from Tascam can be deployed directly onstage using its large rubber feet or used as a 3U rack-mounted unit for recording, broadcast or commercial installations.

The SB-16D features 16 XLR mic/line inputs and 16 XLR line outputs, and multiple SB-16D stageboxes can be networked to provide greater I/O capacity. Each input channel has +48V phantom power and an SIG OL LED for input-level monitoring. Each line output is also equipped with SIG OL LEDs.

Multiple stageboxes can be used simultaneously in a Dante network, while two Dante ports equipped with etherCON-compatible Dante connectors enable redundant streams with robust connections. For additional system reliability, a DC power input is provided which allows a redundant power supply to be added. The SB-16D can be easily integrated with Tascam’s Sonicview digital recording and

control of mic gain and other parameters, when connected to Tascam’s Sonicview mixers, the SB-16D’s eight-in/eight-out GPIOs expand to 16-in/16-out GPIOs to facilitate parallel control.

Optimised for audio recording with the company’s wide range of products, Tascam’s TSQD-128A is a customised media card

The latest Neutrik FIBERFOX HMA fibre-optic connector systems provide multimode fibre without the need to handle pigtailed bulkheads

REAN’s Power X Series ruggedised power connectors are rated to UL 94V-0 and IP65. Power X Series components are certified according to EN/UL 60320-1, with cable connectors accepted as a component for cord sets according to IEC 60799. Latest product introductions include REAN XLR and Ethernet Z-Series connectors, rated to IP65 and featuring the company’s proprietary air tightness for protection from air ingress.

www.neutrikgroup.com

information available when it’s needed. Guided Coordination menus can be used to plan, RF scan and deploy frequencies to the entire system. Additional tools are available to analyse the spectrum, capture data and perform site RF surveys. Users can also monitor demodulated audio from the network using Dante Browse and listen over Dante features.

www.shure.com

to work with Tascam products. This is said to reduce the risk of incompatibility and ensure high stability.

exactly the specified components (control ICs, memory devices, etc.) that have been verified

Each card is tested and pre-formatted by Tascam and supports the UHS-I (Ultra High Speed) standard, resulting in high-speed performance with a maximum transfer rate of 95MB/s (read) and 85MB/s (write). The TSQD128A provides a minimum speed of 30MB/s with support for UHS Speed Class 3 and Video Speed Class V30. The manufacturer reports that the card is also suited for use with SDXCcompatible devices from other companies. In brief, the manufacturer has enhanced the functionality of its Portacapture X8 32-bit float portable audio recorder with a free V1.32 firmware update. While multitrack overdub recording has always existed on the Portacapture X8, Tascam has made this clearer by renaming the Punch I/O function as “Overdub/Punch I/O”.

www.tascam.com

Dante Connect brings cloud control to third parties

AUDINATE HAS announced key partnerships in support of Dante Connect, the company’s suite of software applications that facilitate cloud-based broadcast production. Dante Connect transports audio to and from production software running in cloud-based virtual machines (VMs) that can be accessed via an internet connection, ingesting audio directly from on-premises devices for processing in cloud services.

Providing 256 channels of audio per VM, Dante Connect is designed for broadcasters seeking to embrace remote production. Dante audio between cloud VMs allows expansion of capabilities and the extension of Dante Connect across multiple instances and regions. Remote monitoring allows producers to check on audio over a lightweight webRTC connection without risk of interruption to source channels.

Key industry partners who have already announced Dante Connect compatibility are Amazon Web Services, Waves, Audiotonix (Solid State Logic and Calrec), Riedel and HHB Communications.

Audinate has also announced an API as part of Dante Domain Manager 1.5. The API

provides key functionality of Dante Controller and can query Dante domains, devices, channels and status to enable capabilities and integrations for a wide variety of installations. Built using the GraphQL query language for rapid development with common tools such as Postman, Apollo Studio or Altair, it inherits protections and permissions from the Dante

Domain Manager configuration for secure deployment.

Crestron is showcasing the capabilities of the API with the introduction of a Dante routing plugin for 3-series Crestron control processors. The integration allows users of Crestron control processors to change Dante audio or video channel subscription routes

with a single button press. Dante Domain Manager 1.5 with the new API is a free update for existing users of Dante Domain Manager with active support agreements.

Audinate has announced the availability of transferrable licences for the Dante Virtual Soundcard audio interface software. Dante Virtual Soundcard runs on Windows and macOS computers and provides an audio interface to applications for up to 64 Dante-enabled channels on the connected network. Previously, Dante Virtual Soundcard installations were locked to a single computer as per the licence agreement. The new transferable licence option allows a user to overcome that limit and move their licence from one computer to another with ease. This is especially useful when purchasing new computers, using disk images to deploy machines or if a repair causes significant hardware changes to a computer. The new transferable licence option is available for new purchases and is also offered as an upgrade to existing DVS single machine licences.

www.audinate.com

Optimal Audio enhances WebApp Symetrix releases Composer 8.4

OPTIMAL AUDIO has announced the release of WebApp 1.1, featuring a BluOS Control API integration to control Bluesound Professional audio devices that feature built-in network-connected streaming and music management controls for use in commercial audio

The integration of Bluesound Professional streaming music devices such as the B100S and B400S provides a scalable solution for venues requiring up to four playback streams. Integrators and end users can configure routines within WebApp to automate streaming preset recall and

SYMETRIX HAS added support for Dante Brooklyn 3 cards, an SSH Lua API for Intelligent Modules and a USB HID conferencing module as part of its Composer 8.4 update. All current Symetrix DSPs now support the Audinate Brooklyn 3 Dante module, with the installed card displayed on the front panel screen. The SSH Lua API for Intelligent Modules allows Intelligent Modules to interface with services requiring authenticated SSH communication. Other features include T-10 Fast Screen switching whereby T-10 switches between Control Screens much faster than in previous versions.

In the BETA version, a new USB Human Interface Device (HID) control for the Radius NX and USB card allows touchscreens and remotes to control and display the status of the most common Universal Conferencing (UC) applications. Currently this only works

certification and/or a Composer update for full functionality.

Symetrix has also announced that its product catalogue and specifications are now available to integrators and consultants via the D-Tools platform. The addition of Symetrix processing and control solutions will streamline planning, ordering and deployment of professional AV systems. D-Tools is a concept-to-completion tool where integrators can do everything from the moment they get a phone call until the end of the process when they have to bill the job out. As part of this ecosystem, D-Tools users will now be able to specify Symetrix’s full range of AV control solutions from within the software, ensuring they can build the best solution for their clients. The software features more than 300 partners and over 1,000 brands to service the 8,000 companies globally that are using D-Tools.

backbone of its ecosystem of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers, providing a systems integrator with the ability to configure an entire system of multiple zones in a venue, while presenting the end user with an “intuitive and simple” interface to control the sound system. With this latest release, WebApp and Zone firmware enable API controls for Bluesound Professional devices via BluOS from Optimal Audio Zone controllers. The solution supports playback from almost 20 streaming platforms and internet radio stations, including services specifically designed for commercial use.

primary responsibilities. The API integration also allows WebApp to play, pause or skip a track and displays song artwork for an improved end user experience.

In addition to the integration with Bluesound Professional streamers, the latest update includes several useful new features. A Client Configuration Tool has been added to enhance security and simplify the operation of client connections, such as mobiles or tablets. A global setting for “delay units” in system settings and an auto Time Zone/DST adjustment have also been added.

www.optimal-audio.co.uk

Dante Connect

Forewarned is four-ARMed with Gravity’s quartet

STAND SPECIALIST Gravity has announced its VARI-ARM series of stands which allow all three joints of the stand to be locked and released with only one central adjusting screw. The VARI-ARM M14, VARI-ARM M38, VARI-ARM L38 and VARI-ARM L TV provide flexible positioning for a range of equipment, from cameras and monitors, to microphones, pop filters, recorders and smartphones.

Each VARI-ARM model is based on a stable articulated steel arm with three joints that allow equipment to be moved freely and precisely into any desired position. The three joints can be tightened and loosened with just one hand via the centrally mounted adjusting screw. The VARI-ARM M14 has a ¼-inch thread at both

ends that is compatible with most camera monitors as well as every commercially available photo camera and smartphone mount. Meanwhile, the VARI-ARM M38 is equipped with a 3⁄8 -inch thread and a mounting bracket with a wide clamping range of 15–35mm. Gravity says it is suitable as a mount for heavy broadcast microphones as well as for mounting an SLR camera on tabletops, and comes with a 3⁄8 -inch to ¼-inch adapter. With the same thread and clamp equipment as the M38, the VARI-ARM L38 can be used as a quick-action microphone arm for mounting to desks, microphone stands or other surfaces. Its extended arm length of 415mm makes it suitable for the alignment of microphones in

TV has two 16mm TV spigot adapters and can be mounted on any truss construction. Unscrewing one of the TV adapters and using

options.

www.gravitystands.com

Datapath gets Active with IP encoding and decoding card

THE ACTIVESQX2 is a PCIe plug-in card that allows IP sources to be decoded for display on videowalls and workstations, and for captured sources to be encoded for delivery to other parts of the ecosystem. Designed for video distribution projects such as large-scale control rooms, NOCs, SOCs and campuses, the ActiveSQX2 is compatible with Datapath’s current Vision capture card family and can also

decode more streams or to add scalable

Combined with Datapath capture and graphics cards, the ActiveSQX2 gives users the ability to decode up to 12 1080p30 streams (H.264 or H.265)

and encode up to eight 1080p30 H.264 streams or three H.265 (1080p30) streams. It allows captured sources to be simultaneously re-distributed across the network to other endpoints which need the same information for display. AES encryption for each stream means it can be used within an Aetria system.

www.datapath.co.uk

Daniel understands industry technologies and their application. He cultivates strong relationships to develop your business. We work with brands and suppliers to help find top talent for their business teams in the Americas, EMEA and APAC. Interfacio connects professionals with world-leading pro AVL brands.

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connect@interfacio.com

Int: +44 208 986 5002

@interfacio

understands sales, distribution and shapes your solutions.

Behind every great brand is a Daniel.

Panasonic advances its 4K credentials

DESIGNED FOR broadcasting, entertainment and live event applications, Panasonic has developed the AW-UE160W/K PTZ camera. Finished in pearl white or black, the flagship model combines the flexibility of a PTZ camera for freely setting up in position and the functionality of a system camera commonly used in broadcast. With the simultaneous release of the AW-SFU60, the Japanese brand has added an optional software key to activate SMPTE ST 2110 for the AW-UE160 series.

Promoting a high sensitivity of F14/2,000 lx, equivalent to a studio camera, and the latest generation image processing found in Lumix, the AW-UE160 is equipped with a phase detection autofocus that enables high-speed focusing to capture fast-moving subjects. Featuring a 20x optical zoom and offering a horizontal view range across 75.1°, the AW-UE160 is the first PTZ to support the SMPTE ST 2110 IP transmission standard and wireless transmission with a 5G mobile router via USB tethering. For combined operation with system cameras, it supports a return

AW-UE160W/K

RTMPS, etc.), the 4.6kg camera can fit

Developed for live cinematic video, Panasonic has added the 4K PL-mount studio camera to its portfolio. Equipped with a large format, super 35mm Imager and PL Lens mount to accommodate cinema lenses for a shallow-depth look, the AK-PLV100GSJ is a fully enabled system camera. Compatible with the AK-HCU250 and AK-UCU600 camera control units, the latest addition can be a companion to existing B4 mount camera systems. To capture cinematic video, the existing camera head can be swapped with the AK-PLV100GSJ.

www.panasonic.com

Move SE brings lower-cost streaming options

expanded its Move 4K series of PTZ streaming cameras with the Move SE line – a collection of low-cost, high-quality streaming cameras for small to medium-sized houses of worship, schools and businesses. The SE series offers all of the features of the original Move 4K, including auto-tracking, SDI, HDMI and USB connectivity, but with a maximum resolution

Along with the new cameras, the company is also releasing a new Camera Management Platform (CMP) which will add auto-tracking capabilities to the previous Gen2 camera models. The CMP software is available for download on Mac, PC and Linux computers and features tools for

pan, tilt and zoom camera control, colour management and auto-tracking. The Link 4K is a Dante-enabled, autotracking PTZ camera which is available in 12x, 20x and 30x optical zoom models. Dante AV-H brings device interoperability to H.26x endpoints, while every Link 4K camera also features SDI, HDMI, USB and IP output for complete versatility. The Link 4K features 4K at 60fps over HDMI, USB and IP, and provides 1080p 60fps resolution over Dante AV-H and SDI. The cameras can be mounted on wall, ceiling or pole mounts as well as in outdoor enclosures. The Link 4K’s automatic video inversion feature senses the camera’s orientation to save time on installation and setup.

Sony enhances critical evaluations

DESIGNED FOR critical evaluation, colour grading, live production and postproduction applications, Sony has unveiled a flagship 30.5-inch 4K HDR professional monitor. The BVM-HX3110 features a dual layer antireflection LCD panel with Sony proprietary signal processing, supporting a higher peak luminance of up to 4,000cd/m².

In addition to BVM-series characteristics including colour reproduction, picture consistency and precision imaging, the BVMHX3110 offers brighter specular highlights and introduces an optional fast pixel response mode for reduced motion blur. With a wider viewing angle and a standard IP interface for SMPTE ST 2110 signals, the BVM-HX3110 complements Sony’s Networked Live ecosystem. The monitor’s standard toolset incorporates Waveform Monitor/Vector Scope (WF/VS), false colour, focus assist,

closed captioning, 3D LUT processing, and quad and side-by-side viewing modes. In addition to fast pixel response, supplemental benefits include support for JPEG-XS as well as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) through optional licences such as tools for enabling HDR/SDR conversion and a user 3D LUT signal output. The existing BVMHX310 remains available as a companion model to the BVM-HX3110.

With the MDR-MV1 reference monitor headphones, Sony has combined audio quality with long-lasting wear and reliability. The open back design enables accurate reproduction of a wide sound field, making them a suitable option for mixing and mastering immersive spatial sound, such as 360 Reality Audio, in addition to stereo sound with highresolution capability.

The MDR-MV1 offers extended spatial sound reproducibility and accurate sound object positioning within a 360° space, plus high-resolution, nuanced sound with a wide frequency range and accurate soundstage. The headphones’ uniquely developed driver units provide ultra-wideband playback (5Hz–80kHz) with natural high frequencies. Promoting capture localisation, spaciousness and detailed changes in sound processing, the open

The Link 4K’s built-in auto-tracking can track a specific person up to 90m away, even when other people are in frame, while users can manage auto-tracking from anywhere on the network via PTZOptics’ web UI. Link 4K cameras can also be controlled using video production software such as OBS, Livestream Studio, Wirecast, vMix, mimoLive or Tricaster, and PTZOptics supply a range of hardware joystick controllers like the IP joystick, serial joystick and SuperJoy. In addition, the cameras can be controlled remotely using tools such as NDI and Zoom.

www.ptzoptics.com

internally reflected sounds and eliminates acoustic resonances. pro.sony

Q-SYS adds to its network video solutions

Q-SYS HAS introduced the NV Series NV-21-HU, a two-in/one-out endpoint with support for HDMI and USB-C. The NV-21-HU is said to simplify installation with a singlecable solution for video distribution, AV bridging and device charging via USB-C. Its compact design and reduced I/O make the NV-21-HU suitable for supporting meeting rooms, learning spaces, hospitality and entertainment installations.

As a software-configurable solution, the NV-21-HU can be defined as an encoder

integrators to provide a more flexible system that supports a broader range of devices while eliminating the need for adapters and, in some cases, multiple cables. In addition, integrators can add AV Bridging (with an optional feature licence) to extend the device’s functionality to support full UC Platform bridging capabilities.

The NV-21-HU joins the Q-SYS video portfolio alongside the NV-32-H (Core Capable) video endpoint. It features a more compact design providing more options to rightsize the application based on I/O density, form factor

no-code deployment, reportedly saving time and money in both the programming and installation phases.

Q-SYS Designer software v9.8 has also been released. The Core 110f now supports the ability to run in Peripheral Mode. In this mode, users add the I/O-Core 110f as an inventory peripheral and then configure a separate Q-SYS Core processor to run the design. The Core 110f (v1 and v2) has a new GPIO Property selection of “Optional”. Setting GPIO to Optional allows a design to

clearer progress and error communication. Users will see the progress of Q-SYS Designer Software discovering the Core, uploading new firmware (if required), deploying the design and reporting any errors during the process. Q-SYS 9.8 also introduces support for the SPA-Qf 60x2 and SPA-Qf 60x4.

Finally, Q-SYS has announced its collaboration with Lenovo to provide a seamless way to purchase and deploy highimpact spaces by bundling Lenovo room compute solutions with Q-SYS audio, video

DESIGNED AS a compact all-in-one hub for livestreaming, Roland’s VR-6HD direct streaming AV mixer is a 28-channel audio mixing console with HDMI connectivity. With core features from Roland’s flagship

presentation decks, still images and video clips. Custom feeds for live and online viewers can also be created by assigning composition layers to multiple busses.

ROSS VIDEO is promising “big switcher performance in a mid-sized package” following the launch of its Carbonite Ultra 60. The company launched the first edition of Carbonite at NAB in 2011 and, according to Ross, the Carbonite Ultra is the most popular mid-sized production switcher on the market. It says the Carbonite Ultra 60 is bigger, faster and more powerful, and is designed to enable customers looking to undertake more demanding productions to do so without having to spend money on a large switcher.

in HD or UHD. The first Carbonite with an internal power supply, its modular 3U frame can be configured as 36x15 and can be expanded as requirements change. It shares the same feature set as the Carbonite Ultra and supports most major formats and frame rates. HDR and WCG support are built in, and audio mixing and processing capabilities are available with an additional licence key. The Carbonite Ultra 60 package features modular I/O boards to leverage the switcher’s feature set without buying more I/O than necessary. This modularity also supports

VR-120HD in a more compact format, the VR-6HD combines switching, audio mixing and LAN/USB streaming encoders into a single unit. Users can connect multiple cameras and computers via six HDMI inputs for different views, and incorporate robotic PTZ cameras to change angles at the touch of a button; the VR-6HD features native support for select Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Sony, PTZOptics, Avonic and VISCA-compatible PTZ LAN cameras. Different brands can be mixed and matched, and up to six PTZ cameras can be operated simultaneously.

Sources can be assigned and switched on the fly, including camera inputs,

The VR-6HD features a video matrix with three HDMI outputs, a USB-C streaming output and an Ethernet streaming output. Routing tools provide the flexibility to feed program displays, monitors, multi-view producer displays and online audiences simultaneously. Roland says the VR-6HD makes livestreaming easy with direct streaming over Ethernet, computer streaming over USB and adaptive bitrate support. The VR-6HD also provides simultaneous SDXC recording for archiving and distribution.

proav.roland.com

NV-21-HU

AJA launches Dante AV transmitter/receiver

VIDEO AND broadcast specialist AJA has made a six pack of announcements, with the unveiling of a Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R converter and firmware upgrades to five separate product lines. The Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R transmitter/receiver converter was developed through a partnership with Audinate. It leverages the tools of Audinate’s Dante IP audio technology to enable transport and control of low-latency 4K/ UltraHD/2K/HD/VESA IP video and audio to/ from 12G-SDI or HDMI 2.0 devices over a 1GigE Dante network. The converters provide a way to integrate video distribution in a networked facility and incorporate Dante AV Ultra IP video into a variety of environments. Meanwhile, the company has also unveiled firmware releases for HELO Plus, ColorBox, BRIDGE LIVE, FS-HDR and AJA Diskover Media Edition. v2.0 firmware for HELO Plus introduces two licensable features, including simultaneous multichannel stereo audio streaming/recording and PlayToStream,

Blackmagic releases capture and playback PCIe cards

which lets users leverage a previously recorded programme for a future streaming event.

ColorBox v2.0 brings a host of customerrequested features to AJA’s colour-managed workflow converter, including an add-on licence to expand ColorBox’s Colorfront video processing options. The update supports the latest v1.6 BBC HLG LUTs, while an ORION-CONVERT update is now accessible with a gamma compensation function to ensure compatibility between different colour conversion philosophies.

AJA BRIDGE LIVE is AJA’s multichannel UltraHD and HD live video solution for remote production, contribution, collaboration, streaming and delivery. The v1.14 update introduces optional perpetual JPEG XS I/O licences alongside RTMP input, support for ST 2022-7 hitless redundancy and input auto-reconfiguration.

www.aja.com

TVU Networks on the road –and in the cloud

EXPANDING ITS suite of multi-camera transmission technologies, TVU Networks has introduced the TVU RPS One. An all-in-one cloud and studio remote production product, the RPS One combines the company’s field-tested, multi-camera encoding and transmission functionality with six integrated 5G modems for wireless transmission.

In conjunction with TVU’s live cloud production platform or TVU RPS decoders, the RPS One delivers an end-to-end cloud-based or on-prem live video production solution from field capture

antenna array to provide seamless operation of all six modems simultaneously. Its six 3GPP Release 16 modems provide comprehensive support for 5G SA and NSA modes, as well as compatibility with the most widely used 5G, LTE and 3G bands. Additionally, the RPS One’s dual Wi-Fi modules provide connectivity with local devices and multiple available networks concurrently.

The unit has four 3G-SDI inputs that support 1080p/1080i/720p HDR remote production. It supports up to 16 channels of SDI embedded embedded audio, and a low-latency single return video feed from an SDI or IP input on any TVU transceiver or TVU cloud service. The RPS One simultaneously aggregates up to 12 data connections, including internal/external cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, IP Microwave and Satellite

DECKLINK IP is a family of PCIe cards that capture and playback 10-bit uncompressed, broadcast-quality video directly into 2110 IP-based broadcast systems. The cards support multiple video channels plus each channel can capture and play back at the same time. DeckLink IP provides total IP network security as all video is captured and played back using the DeckLink IP’s frame buffers, which act like a videobased firewall, isolating the Ethernet port from anything other than video and audio. There are three models in the family. DeckLink IP HD features three channels of capture and playback to 2110 IP broadcast systems via a single RJ45style Ethernet connection. DeckLink IP HD Optical features three channels of capture and playback to 2110 IP broadcast systems via an SFP-based optical fibre Ethernet connection.

It supports livestreaming, talkback and optional internal network storage, as well as a joystick for precise DVE control.

family with 40 12G-SDI standardsconverted inputs with support for standards HD 2160p60.

ATEM advanced chroma keyers, four downstream keyers, four Ultra HD media players and two SuperSource processors.

The 2110 IP Converter 3x3G is a rackmount converter which converts 3G-SDI devices to 2110 IP broadcast systems. It features 10G Ethernet which means it can support up to three separate 3G-SDI video channels

DeckLink IP/SDI HD allows connection to both 3G-SDI and 2110 IP systems. This model has two capture and playback channels to 2110 IP via RJ45 Ethernet, 3G-SDI and reference out. All models support 720p, 1080i and 1080p video standards up to 1080p60. The manufacturer has also released the ATEM Television Studio 4K8 live production switcher that combines all the broadcast features of the ATEM Television Studio HD with additional support for Ultra HD standards up to 2160p60. The ATEM Television Studio 4K8 features eight standardsconverted 12G-SDI inputs, 10 12G-SDI aux outputs for external recorders and a four-port 10G Ethernet switch.

at the same time. Each channel has independent inputs and outputs, for connecting up to six different SDI devices. It also includes a front panel with a colour LCD for monitoring, menus and diagnostics.

And to finish, DaVinchi Resolve 18.5 has been released, which adds new AI tools, over 150 feature upgrades such as Resolve FX relight, speech to text editing, automatic subtitling, AI audio classification, Universal Scene Description file support and new menus on the Cut page that let customers work faster while allowing more time for being creative.

www.blackmagicdesign.com

HD, the 4K model

DaVinci Resolve 18.5

disguise launches pixel-perfect video playback solution

DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY experiences and fixed installations, disguise has revealed a 4K video playback solution with EX 3. Including disguise’s Designer software, APIs and the disguise Cloud collaboration toolkit, the EX 3 promotes an end-to-end workflow from concept to delivery, on a single, connected platform. Featuring three 4K video outputs suitable for both projection and LED displays, each EX 3 is designed to play back video with minimal latency. Additional EX 3 machines can be added and synced together to scale out the video playout or used in a session with other disguise media servers for more complex experiences. With genlock support, multiple EX 3 machines can be synced together, enabling play back of 4K video at scale, with minimal latency. Using disguise APIs to build additional applications on

Crestron connects Teams with BYOD

CRESTRON AND Microsoft are aiming to encourage BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) meetings to even more spaces. The Crestron AirMedia Connect Adaptor enables users to wirelessly present and conference on any connected display, in any meeting space, with dedicated Microsoft Teams bundles.

Although it also works with other platforms, the AirMedia Connect Adaptor is the only dongle optimised by Microsoft for wireless collaboration, eliminating the requirement for an additional app to present and conference, both expanding and simplifying BYOD meeting solutions. When used for wireless presentation, the plug-and-play AirMedia Connect Adaptor provides content transmission up to

4K/30p, as well as content encryption for full network protection. The adaptor plugs into the local device’s USB-C connector and users can present or conference with no need to install additional software or adjust user access.

AirMedia collaboration integrates natively with other Crestron room technologies, such as occupancy sensors, touchscreens to manage schedules and controls, and the Crestron DigitalMedia platform to enable wired presentation and content distribution.

As with all Crestron devices, provisioning and managing AirMedia devices can be done remotely through the Crestron XiO Cloud Management System.

www.crestron.com

distribution of video content over IP networks between disguise machines, it offers 12-bit RGBA colour, ultra-low latency and ease of setup while removing the need to distribute SDI inputs across all physical machines. Users need to configure their Spout application on a disguise rx render node to target the RenderStream bridge. Aimed at installations and events with large LED displays that require a simpler method to distribute live and interactive visuals across displays, the solution minimises cabling and enables resolutions and colour depths beyond HDMI and SDI. Visualists can control large LED screens and take advantage of cluster rendering with video-

Further Marshall cameras brought to market

INCORPORATING LOW-LATENCY NDI|HX3 streaming in addition to IP (HEVC) encoding with SRT, Marshall Electronics has launched the CV570/CV574 miniature and CV370/CV374 compact cameras. Featuring resolutions of up to 1920x1080 (progressive), 1920x1080i (interlaced) and 1280x720p, the CV570-ND3 miniature and CV370-ND3 compact NDI|HX3 cameras both contain a Sony HD sensor. Housed in a lightweight aluminium alloy with rear I/O protection wings, the cameras include interchangeable lenses, multiple broadcast frame rates and remote adjustability.

The CV574-ND3 miniature and CV374-ND3 compact NDI|HX3 cameras both contain the same features with a Sony 4K (UHD) sensor. All four cameras can be set to NDI|HX3, NDI|HX2 in addition to standard IP with H.265 and SRT settings, with a simultaneous HDMI output for traditional processing or switching equipment. The CV570 (HD) and CV574 (UHD) use a miniature M12 lens mount, whereas the CV370

The touchscreen interface offers self-help dialogues, preferred settings, saved features and intelligent menu and sub-menu layouts. The fine-tune finger dials enable precise adjustments for white balance, red/blue gain, gamma, black level, brightness, exposure, iris, shutter, resolution and frame rate. Preprogrammed with control protocols for all Marshall cameras, the CV-RCP-V2 can be converted to fibre using common fibre media converters for much longer distances. Multiple cameras can be set up with one global preset or multiple presets saved on the RCP unit or external USB memory sticks.

Marshall’s range of monitor solutions has been extended with the ML-454-V2. The two-rack Quad 4.5-inch screen video monitor features a brighter LCD display. Designed for flypacks, control rooms, routing rooms and other video system applications, the LCD display distinguishes itself with looping video inputs. The company has also announced its next generation of POV cameras developed around

(HD) and CV374 (UHD) use a slightly larger aluminium alloy body with a CS/C lens mount for longer throws and focal length lenses.

The Californian brand has also added a multi-camera control touchscreen RCP in the form of the CV-RCP-V2. Featuring a 5-inch TFT LCD touchscreen (800x480) with adjustment knobs, up to seven different cameras can be configured remotely from a truck or control booth. A three-pin XLR cable connection allows for cable runs of distances up to 300m.

highly optimised Sony sensors. The CV226 All-Weather Lipstick camera, now the CV228, is the first model to make the upgrade and features 3G-SDI, remote adjust/match and swappable lenses. The camera also has the ability to receive firmware updates in the field. The company says that additional models making the switch to the new design include the CV503 to the CV504, the CV506 to the CV508 and the CV344 to the CV348.

CV574-ND3

ML-454-V2

Ayrton raises its Profile

AT JUST

Rivale Profile is the latest addition to the company’s Classical IP65 3 Series. Punching above its weight with a 160mm frontal lens and a 450W high-efficiency LED module, Ayrton says its high-definition progressive CMY colour-mixing system provides a perfect reproduction of pastel colours. A variable deep red channel optimises the colour rendering index at low levels and offers a progressive red with a high level of saturation. A progressive CTO and a sevenposition colour wheel complete the palette of tools dedicated to colour.

Calibrated at 6,500K with a luminous flux of 27,000 lumens, the Rivale Profile can produce a beam of 4° with a 13:1 zoom ratio and a zoom range of 4–52°. Other features include seven rotating gobos, eight fixed gobos, a framing section that allows the precise positioning of each shutter blade on 100% of the surface with a rotation of ±90°, an iris diaphragm, a monochromatic effect wheel, two combinable rotating prisms and two frost filters.

definition effects system which generates complex graphic effects. Both the Argo 6

Wash and Argo 6 FX can be used alone or in combination with the main LED matrix and are part of Ayrton’s Multi Sources IP65 6 Series.

www.ayrton.eu

Cameo’s OTOS SP6 and OTOS B5 are turning heads

EXPANDING ITS OTOS Series of lightweight, IP65-capable moving heads, Cameo has added two specialist models with the OTOS SP6 Spot Profile and the OTOS B5 Beam. The OTOS SP6 is an IP65 spot profile moving head with a 600W LED light source and an illuminance of 75,800 lx at a beam angle of 7°. With a 130mm front lens, the optical system offers a zoom range from 7–50°. Weighing 34kg, Cameo says its IP65-rated housing means the OTOS SP6 is suitable for outdoor use in the live, event, theatre and TV sectors. The OTOS SP6 also has two gobo wheels, a five-facet prism and an integrated four-fold iris slider system with individual angulation and ±45° rotation.

It also features two frost filters and a variable iris diaphragm. It works with CMY colour mixing and includes an additional colour wheel with six dichroic filters + open for saturated, powerful colours, while the linear CTO correction allows for variable adjustment of the colour temperature in the range from 2,600K to 7,000K. Its adjustable PWM frequency (650Hz–25kHz) also means the OTOS SP6 is suitable for flicker-free use with film and TV cameras.

Weighing in at 33kg, the OTOS B5 is a beam moving head based on a 480W discharge lamp with a service life of 3,000 hours. It delivers an illuminance of 511,000 lx @ 15m and its 205mm front

Claypaky spotlights four premieres

ITALIAN LIGHTING specialist Claypaky has announced four arrivals to its growing catalogue. With dense, solid beams of light, the Skylos fits a custom 300W white light laser source to provide an extremely parallel, uniform beam from a 300mm front lens. Designed to be more versatile than a classic searchlight, its beam has no visible hotspots and the beam angle can be adjusted from 0.5–5°. With a lightweight and compact IP66-rated body, the unit can be rigged on trussing for use on tours and is capable of working in extreme weather conditions and in environments with high marine salinity and a high risk of corrosion. Its internal heating system means it can work at temperatures as low as –40°C.

Also IP66-rated, the Arolla Aqua is Claypaky’s top-of-the-range, weather-resistant light which fits a white 900W (7,000K) LED light source and is capable of a 40,000-lumen output. Its zoom can be adjusted over a linear 5.5–50° range (9:1) and Claypaky claims that its

The Sharpy-X-Spot is a simplified SharpyX-Frame model which fits a 550W arc lamp to produce deep, vivid, uniform colours. An optional beam shaper module turns the Sharpy-X-Spot into a fully fledged SharpyX-Frame, and the module is automatically recognised by the product firmware.

lens enables it to produce precise 1° beams that prevail even in dense lighting designs. Like the OTS SP6, its IP65-rated housing allows it to be used in all adverse weather conditions.

The effects section of the OTOS B5 includes a static gobo wheel with 19 gobos + open, as well as three rotating and indexable prisms on two levels to create a variety of mid-air effects. Users can draw from the full range of shades thanks to its integrated CMY colour mixing and the additional colour wheel with 14 dichroic filters for particularly saturated

www.cameolight.com

Finally, the Buddylight is a followspot system that follows performers and speakers automatically. The Buddylight can be used either in an Art-Net or DMX network or in standalone mode.

www.claypaky.it

OTOS B5

Rivale Profile

Argo 6

Skylos

Buddylight

ETC’s LED upgrade is easy on the environment

providing an RGBA LED retrofit to its Source Four ellipsoidal fixture, which the company says is as good for the environment as it is for the pocket. The company’s Source 4WRD Color II LED engine allows users to upcycle any existing ETC incandescent Source Four fixture to an RGBA LED fixture. This non-destructive retrofit reduces waste by maintaining the majority

v1.9 boosts MA Lighting performance

devices for quicker configuration. With the template file feature, starting from a known point is as simple as starting a new show. Output protocol settings have also been brought into Eos and expanded to support configurations for dynamic and static systems, laying the groundwork for future system expansion.

Updates include fixture-, device- and

MA LIGHTING has introduced a raft of new features as part of its v1.9 software upgrade for its grandMA3 lighting control platform. Compatible with the entire

actions in pools, a 3D selection grid tool, relative XYZ, break in cues, CMY colour readout and improvements to show file handling. The software also

Compared to the previous generation of Source 4WRD Color, the engine uses a quarter of the power. Meanwhile, the addition of the snap-in reflector and the brighter red emitter provide an intensity increase of 36% in warm whites, while ETC claims it dramatically improves colour rendering performance.

It can be a full spot profile, a full PAR or full PARNel fixture, and has 12 built-in colour presets and five built-in sequences. It maintains Source Four features such as shutter cuts, pattern projection, field peak-to-flat adjustment and a library of Source Four lens tubes.

programming environment. Augment3d now includes a Zones feature which provides the ability to define regions in the 3D model space and automatically affect fixture behaviour when they intersect with the zone. This functionality extends to attaching a Zone to a moveable element to allow it to affect the behaviour of static fixtures as well as movers.

Colour control has also received upgrades with the ability to set configurations for fixtures. As users build LED fixtures, Eos dynamically generates a gamut to provide

range of grandMA3 devices, as well as on Windows and Mac computers, the software offers the same functionality across all platforms and show files work seamlessly across all consoles and computers. Functionalities included in v1.9 include a SpeedMaster layer for phasers,

provides workflow improvements and optimisation in network and multiuser environments. Free training on all updates is available on the MA Lighting website.

www.malighting.com

GLP’s X5 runs to x5 products

Real-time updates are now possible with ETC’s v3.2 software update to its flagship Eos lighting control family. As modern lighting systems encompass more controllers and devices, access to network configuration controls are paramount, and Eos v3.2 brings key settings from the shell into the Eos application itself, allowing them to be saved in the show file and adjusted in real time, without leaving the session or stopping output.

Device settings are also now stored in profiles within the show file, allowing users to bind

use of the colour tools with any fixture. The software also adds native and virtual CIE XY controls via the colour tools and command line to keep users up to date on any communication path the fixtures may use.

Eos v3.2 also introduces implementation for Vectorworks and the ability to import glTF from other drafting suites. Other features include macro search, cue alerts and focus palettes that follow Augment3d objects.

www.etcconnect.com

GERMAN LIGHT Products (GLP) has expanded its X5 range to five products, with the launch of three X5 extensions. The X5 Bar 1000, X5 IP Bar 1000 and the X5 IP Maxx all share the X5’s features and can be combined with each other to achieve greater consistency in terms of colours and white light.

GLP’s X5 IP Bar 1000 is IP65certified and its linear LED tilt bar is equipped with 18 40W RGBL LEDs. It offers a large zoom range and the iQ.Gamut colour calibration algorithm, while its square lens design enables light curtains in the narrowest zoom range of only 5° and an even and homogeneous colour distribution in the wash up to 70°. The identically equipped sister model, the X5 Bar 1000, is for indoor use only. The X5 IP Maxx has 37 LEDs in an X5 specification.

Meanwhile, the X5 iQ.Gamut colour algorithm has also been added to GLP’s IP65-certified FUSION X-PAR 18 Z, which

FUSION X-PAR 18 Z

is based on the X-PAR 12 Z launched last year. The model benefits from a more powerful 180W LED engine in an almost identical form factor.

www.glp.de

X5 Bar 1000

Source 4WRD Color II Eos v3.2

AI’s impact on live production

About the author

MARK BREAKSPEAR HAS been in the AV industry for over 15 years and joined Interprefy in April 2022. The past 14 months have seen him supporting AV companies around the world that are benefitting

from remote simultaneous interpretation and live captioning solutions. He is also heavily involved with onsite event requests due to his knowledge of integrating Interprefy’s technology with live installations.

Interprefy provides professional language interpretation and AI-translated speech and live captions

WITH THE RECENT POPULARITY OF LARGE LANGUAGE models (LLMs), attention has quickly shifted to how the technology can benefit commercial applications. As one of the first companies to deploy a live AI translation solution supporting live events, Interprefy is uniquely positioned to offer its vision of the future.

What is Aivia? How did the solution come about?

Aivia stands for Artificial Intelligence Voice Interpretation Assistant, and it’s our AI-powered event translator, which can translate live content from 45 languages into 73 languages and even more captioning languages. In recent years, the world has become more connected than ever. RSI [remote simultaneous interpretation] technology has made the process more affordable and flexible, opening up a variety of new use cases, such as online meetings, webinars and even internal company events. At the same time, it’s still out of scope for many organisations and events with smaller budgets. On our mission to remove language barriers and democratising access to real-time translation solutions, we developed a solution that is a great fit for those scenarios, where interpretation was out of scope, without compromising on quality.

What are the benefits of an AI translation platform like Interprefy Aivia?

We’ve already catered to a number of partners seeking multilingual captions during an event that didn’t have the budget for professional interpreters (which can be quite expensive) but still wanted to provide language services of some kind to their clients. We deployed our speech-to-text engines then, on top of that, added AI translation of that text into other languages. Using their own phones, or any of our other delivery methods, people can follow live captions in a variety of different languages as the event is happening and without any interpreter being involved. It enables significantly more people to benefit from language services, even if they can’t find the budget for professional interpreters. Now, with Interprefy Aivia in its current form, clients can get access to speech-to-speech translation in real time, and even in combination with other languages using professional interpreters.

Why would a company choose to go with AI over human translation systems?

One example where this technology suits clients perfectly is events with large numbers of parallel sessions. Some

international congresses can have 20 or more simultaneous sessions and providing a team of interpreters for each one would drastically increase the budget required. Interprefy Aivia allows for real scalability that doesn’t break the bank. When highest accuracy is mission-critical or there are legal requirements to use interpreters, organisations can’t afford to take any risks in the quality of interpretation. In these cases, AI is not an option. This includes diplomatic sessions, highly technical sessions, regulatory sessions and legal proceedings.

How do you ensure accuracy with AI translation?

Different engines have different qualities, but they all rely on clear audio in. Poor audio in equals poor captions out. Beyond the requirement for good, quality inputs, we greatly improve the system’s accuracy via a glossary of anticipated terms in the backend. Before an event, the client will provide us with us all the speaker names, acronyms, company names and specific event-related terminology. Even if you’re translating into, say, Japanese or a language where the alphabet and polygraphy is completely different, the platform will generate the correct output while still providing the feasibility to add in terms that should not be translated.

How much of this technology is being driven by platforms like ChatGPT?

We’ve had the Interprefy Aivia solution in development for a few years now, but certainly the drive in [ChatGPT developer] OpenAI’s solutions has made everything much more feasible. Even though we don’t utilise their tech currently, there’s been a massive uptick recently in the capabilities of AI which we’ve been able to piggyback off. We developed the platform and then we benchmark different AI engines in a process where we can use multiple engines in the same event based on which ones perform best in that particular language combination. In this respect, we’re engine-agnostic, and we can chop and change as the various technologies continue to evolve in capabilities.

Should human interpreters be worried?

In many cases, AI translation is not a suitable substitute for professional interpretation. AI translation and professional interpretation both have their unique strengths and we advise

every client to carefully consider which solution best fits their event needs, content, target audience and budget. There are also whole sectors of the market that could never previously afford live interpretation whatsoever. Now they can. Rather than replacing the humans, it’s more a case of opening up new avenues to a wider audience who would not have had this opportunity before.

How do you expect this market for AI translation to further develop and mature in the future?

We hope that providing a solution that gives more organisers access to language services will increase the demand for simultaneous interpretation globally, whether using AI or professional interpreters. However, the gap between the proportion of events that need professional interpreters and the ones that can be serviced with this rapidly developing AI technology is constantly shifting as the technology improves. Given the drastic improvements made in the last 12 months, I’m excited to see where it takes us in the future.

www.interprefy.com

Aivia provides speech-to-speech translation in real time

The FletcherMachine Remote software offers an easy-to-use yet complete set of mixing functionalities, including EQ, compression, auxiliary sends, and much more.

To learn more about the FletcherMachine visit our website at adamsonsystems.com