Pro AVL MEA July-August 2022 by Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd

ProAVLMEA July–August 2022 MICA (P) 022/05/2022

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LEADING THE WAY

Procom serves SĀN Beach a taste of K-array

ASIMETRIK IN ANKARA

THE RETURN OF THE TRADESHOW

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PROSOUND HITS A HALF-CENTURY

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Contents

July–August 2022

Volume 19 Issue Four

News

4 Special report

Features

24 Show reviews

Products

Well, it’s been great to finally be back at tradeshows at long last, but as you’ll see from the back portion of this magazine issue, it’s been a slightly crazy period. ISE set the pace in early May with a busier than expected return and gave us our first taste of Spanish food and sunshine while discussing integrated AV – which made a welcome change from the normally cold and gloomy skies of Amsterdam in February. Just two weeks later, NAMM kicked off in Anaheim to a mixed response thanks to an unusual June calendar slot. Then InfoComm brought the industry to Las Vegas to cap off what ISE had started. It was remarkably refreshing to be back to normality, with barely a mask in sight. The Middle East Event Show even managed a return to the exhibition fold after three years with a successful show at Dubai’s Madinat Arena. Stripped-down, easily digestible show reports of all of the above can be found in the Business section starting from p42. Elsewhere in this issue, we have a variety of features spanning everything from acoustic measurement to the outfitting of AV in parliamentary chambers. A look back at the eclectic history of South Africa’s oldest audiovisual company and a first-look insight into the potential role that blockchain could one day have on AV are also included within. I hope you enjoy!

Editor

Company profile

Welcome

sluckhurst@proavl-mea.com

CONTACTS

Business

PUBLISHED BY:

17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2DU, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1892 676280 COVER: SĀN Beach PRINTER: Times Printers Singapore LICENCES: Singapore: MICA (P) 022/05/2022; Malaysia PPS 1604/05/2013 (022953) All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owners.

GENERAL MANAGER Richard Lawn

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CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Moss

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DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Libby Stonell

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Karen Wallace

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T: +1 562 746 1790

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NEWS

CTME invests in the DiGiCo Quantum338 MIDDLE EAST

Creative Technology (CT) has announced that it has recently increased its audio investment in DiGiCo mixing consoles, being the first in the Middle East to stock the new Quantum338. Wissam Shaheen, head of audio, commented: “From minor conferences to the most complex of shows, DiGiCo has been the industry’s premium choice for many years now. As a long-time user myself and knowing what the British manufacturer represents in modern pro audio, deciding to go with DiGiCo was easy. The Quantum338 now sits at the forefront of our new audio mixers inventory; this desk defines the future of sound mixing with features only a Quantum can deliver. “SD12 consoles and S21 compact mixers have also joined our control fleet. An extensive line-up of I/O options accompanies all our mixers, from SDRacks to SD-NANO Racks, and everything

first in the region to acquire the new DiGiCo Q338 console. We always meet the common goal of better serving our end client by offering the latest in new technology at the highest standards.” Andy Reardon, managing director of CTME, commented: “We are delighted to have the new equipment delivered to our region. Our audio team has the technical know-how and expertise to enhance every event and give the best experience using the latest technology in the market. We are dedicated to offering our clients the best solutions across the region and are proud to be stocking the latest DiGiCo equipment to ensure we can meet the needs of our clients in the GCC.” in between. We have ensured that every available slot is filled with Stadius 32-bit pre-amp/DAC cards, with every connectivity option available.”

AVIXA Xchange to connect the AV industry all year round WORLD

AVIXA has announced AVIXA Xchange, a unique community for the AV industry designed to connect thought leaders, providers and manufacturers with AV solution seekers. The platform was designed to be a place where expertise and experience are

signage, learning solutions, live events/ performance venues and the business of AV. As solutions continue to evolve, so will the channels. Videos, articles, case studies and other pieces of content are generated by members of AVIXA Xchange.

shared, knowledge and connections are gained, news and education are available, and communities across every segment of the industry interact. “At AVIXA, we wanted to take the networking, learning, business and camaraderie that occurs at a tradeshow like InfoComm or ISE and translate that into a digital community that people have access to all year round,” said David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA. “AVIXA Xchange is the place for AV professionals to continue learning and connecting to enhance their businesses and careers.” The content focus of AVIXA Xchange is on solutions, which is the common language between buyers and AV providers. The current content channels include conferencing and collaboration, content, production, streaming, digital

AVIXA Xchange also features rooms and forums for users to conduct micro conversations on a wide range of topics, such as CTS study groups, jobs and industry events. There are also rooms for regions around the world and rooms for conversations in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and additional languages. “It’s vital to regularly engage with professionals in your industry throughout the year – not just at an annual event or a scheduled meeting,” said Sarah Joyce, chief global officer, AVIXA. “AVIXA Xchange is a digital world for maintaining those relationships and building new ones. And digital knows no bounds – the global AV community is at your fingertips on AVIXA Xchange.”

Chadi El Masri, CEO and founder of 7Hertz, said: “7Hertz was honoured to be part of this milestone step taken by Creative Technology in being the

www.ctme.co www.digico.biz www.the7hz.net

disguise launches Metaverse Solutions division WORLD

disguise is launching a Metaverse Solutions division in an effort to enable the next generation of live, virtual production and audiovisual location-based experiences for the metaverse. Having launched its extended reality (xR) workflow two years ago, disguise has powered several live events in the metaverse, such as Kaskade’s in Fortnite and Rocket League, as well as launches for major brands such as Gucci and Ferrari. The company is looking to further leverage solutions in collaboration with metaverse event enablers Surreal and advanced content creators ZOAN using Epic Games’ suite of applications. disguise’s history in xR will allow the new division to work with emerging metaverse platforms, such as Fortnite, Roblox, Sandbox, Niantic and others, to deliver integrated solutions. “Our mission is to help create experiences that challenge expectations. We believe in connecting the physical with the virtual worlds, to create

gateways to the metaverse. Through this, we will enable a world that fulfils essential human needs: to connect, to collaborate and to be included. The promise of the metaverse is to unleash a new wave of opportunities for every kind of creator, including partners, brands and performers alike,” explained disguise CEO, Fernando Küfer. Led by disguise chief experience officer, Alex Wills, the Metaverse Solutions division will be fuelled by disguise’s newly formed exploration unit named disguise Labs, led by disguise’s chief of staff, Abi Bowman. “There is a huge amount of interest and investment in this space right now, and what is most exciting about launching this new division is that we offer a tangible solution to help brands and creators develop the next generation of experiences,” concluded Wills. www.disguise.one

www.avixa.org

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It’s not just that the 5D has integrated audio networking. Or flexible output power sharing. Or that you can easily hide it. You’re saying “yes” to more. A d&b system that provides the scalability, flexibility, and reliability needed for installations. Still, the 5D is a very impressive amplifier.

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NEWS

Acre cultural centre highlights Israeli culture with DAS Audio ISRAEL

The Acre Culture Hall in northwest Israel has undergone a sound system renovation, as the organisers aim to transform the venue into a referent for cultural activities in the northern region of the country. The hall is designed to host numerous events such as theatre performances, concerts, live classical music and children’s shows. AB Electronics, the company in charge of the project, opted for DAS Audio systems, confident that it fulfilled the client’s requirements that meant it could host any type of event. Eight Event-26A units were placed on each side of the stage, together with two Event-115A and Event-218A subwoofers for bass reinforcement. The Event-115As were flown with the Event-26As, leaving the floor space for the Event218A subwoofers for additional bass reinforcement. As front fill, four Q-23 units from the Quantum

series were used, in addition to four Artec-308 units for delay to cover the back rows. The success of the installation is highlighted by the words of Shimon Lankri, mayor of Acre: “The Acre Culture Hall is a dream come true. We are truly proud of the new hall, which has been conceived to promote one of the leading arts and culture of Israel and the world. Acre is a vibrant city: innovative and creative, artistic and traditional. To me, the Culture Hall is a beating heart that connects to a greater vision of the city, a city of cultures, a city that is a national and international hotspot for creativity and quality of life. I am pleased to invite you to discover the venue, to let yourself be impressed by the numerous cultural activities that the hall offers and be part of the enjoyment of a new cultural experience.”

Acre Cultural Hall Maor Benzino, director of the Department of Culture and the Culture Hall, stated: “The story of Acre’s new Culture Hall is legendary, from being an old and

complicated venue to becoming a spectacular new hall.” www.dasaudio.com

Blue Array lifts audio to new heights with Fenix towers SOUTH AFRICA

Blue Array Productions, a rental and production company, has invested in two Fenix Stage Hercules 8 front-loading lifting towers supplied by DWR Distribution. The units were used for the first time at Liefde by die Dam – a festival attracting 8,000 attendees – held recently at Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg, where Blue Array supplied the audio solution. The Hercules 8 is the tallest tower by Fenix at 8m, with the height-adjustable system able to lift line array systems, trussing or LED screens with a maximum load of 300kg from the floor. “We initially tried out the smaller AT-906 Fenix towers, only to find that we had some weight limitations which forced us to go for the bigger towers,” explained Nathan Thiart, senior sound engineer at Blue Array. “It was a happy coincidence because we definitely had a need for something of this stature.” Blue Array specialises in audio and always outsources the structures and scaffolding needed for PA or delay towers. Thiart had recently seen a few write-ups on the Fenix range and presented the solution to Kobus van Rensburg, the owner of the company. “Stacking a PA is fine when doing an event for a smaller audience but, when it comes to coverage, the audio does start thinning out towards the back and it’s here, when flying a PA, that you can address the problem and utilise the line array. “Putting up the water ballasts and towers, often clad in black, are not attractive,” said Thiart. “There are times when clients feel you are taking away from the image they hope to create or

blocking the stage view. At Liefde by die Dam, the lawns are raked and when someone is seated 80m away from the stage, they have quite a small view of the stage.” When you add obtrusive towers, it becomes problematic so, with this in mind, Rensburg started talking to DWR Distribution. The units were delivered by Jaco Beukes of DWR Distribution who gave a short training session followed by a tutorial video to demonstrate the setup. “It was super quick and where any other tower structure would take days to figure out, this took 15 minutes,” said Thiart. Audio technician Reotshepile Tlhowe added: “The setup was quick and we didn’t have to stress.” Thiart and Tlhowe agree that the new solution is also a time saver. “You no longer need to rely on a rigger, someone to build the tower and fill a water ballast,” said Thiart. “Now you arrive, set up the Fenix stands and fly the PA. The system also enables you to drop the PA should you need to change the angles very easily and without needing power where setups often haven’t allowed for rigging power. With this tower, it’s as simple as dropping the PA, moving the PA slightly and then going back up again.” Liefde by die Dam was said to be a success, with the show also travelling to Cape Town. “There was a lot of excitement, and everyone was very happy to be doing a show of this scale again,” concluded Thiart. www.dwrdistribution.co.za

Blue Array’s Nathan Thiart and Reotshepile Tlhowe

www.fenixstage.com

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NEWS

Boulevard Riyadh City experience enhanced with d&b SAUDI ARABIA

The Riyadh Season celebrates not only the capital city of Saudi Arabia but also Saudi culture and its people, forming part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 social and economic reforms designed to enhance quality of life and boost economic and tourist activity. A prominent Saudi landmark for the 2021/22 season is the 900,000m2 Boulevard Riyadh City, built from the ground up with nine areas containing restaurants, cafés, boutiques, gardens and games centres. It also incorporates the Kingdom’s largest cinema, an electric car circuit, a skating rink and four theatres, each equipped with d&b V-Series systems supplied by local sales partner, 7Hertz. 7Hertz was approached by events management company Sela, which has been delivering the Riyadh Season since 2019. “Our relationship with Sela goes back a long way,” said managing partner, Chadi Masri. “We’ve known the technical director, Hicham Bitar, and the head of audio, Samer Atallah, for some time and have built up a relationship of trust over the years. When

Boulevard Riyadh City celebrates Saudi culture

The two largest theatres range in capacity from 600 to 900 seats

this project came along, they had already more or less made up their minds that it would be d&b. Added Bitar: “We required a solution that covered all the bases: extremely high quality, modern, flexible enough to handle all types of performance and rider-friendly. During the Season – and even beyond now that the Boulevard Riyadh City is a permanent structure – we have artists coming in with a different show every week, so it was imperative for us to have systems that we are proud to present to any engineer and that all engineers are happy to use.” Atallah concurred. “When designing an indoor sound system for a theatre, there are two points to keep in mind: first, directivity of sound and, second, homogenous sound across the venue. d&b leads the industry in terms of sound directivity – putting the

energy where needed and avoiding exciting unwanted parts of the venue which can yield late reflections and reverberation which may deteriorate speech intelligibility.” The two largest theatres, Bakr Al Shaddi and Mohammad Al Ali, range in capacity from 600 to 900 seats and are installed with L-R hangs of 10 V8s and two V12s per side, supported by two centrally flown SL-SUB cardioid subwoofers. Four T10s and two Y7Ps provide front and side fill respectively, and four M4 stage monitors complete the line-up. The two smaller theatres, Al Andaleeb and Kawkab Al Sharq, are in cabaret format with tables for an integrated dining and entertainment experience. Here, Sela opted for L-R arrays of three V8s and one V12 per side and a pair of centrally flown KSL-SUB cardioid subwoofers. Front fill and side fill are again performed by four T10s and two Y7ps respectively, with four M4s for monitoring. d&b’s ArrayProcessing technology optimises performance across the listening zones of each theatre, which was a leading priority for Bitar when choosing a system. “ArrayProcessing enables us to achieve the best possible sonic performance, even in a difficult venue,” he said. “We were working to extremely tight deadlines and specifications were changing right up until the last minute. However, d&b’s ArrayProcessing technology ensures that we’ll get the best out of the system, whatever the environment.” “7Hertz and their integration partner, HiFi Service, worked incredibly hard to make sure that everything came together seamlessly,” said Bitar. “Despite the supply challenges and tight deadline, we delivered a fantastic project that does justice to the raison d’être of the Riyadh Season: a celebration of the Saudi people and its culture, using the best materials available to deliver the highestquality experience to our visitors.” www.dbaudio.com

Pan Acoustics takes ACS under its wing WORLD

Pan Acoustics and Acoustic Control Systems (ACS) have announced that after two decades of cooperation, they have decided to join forces. Going forward, Dutch company ACS will operate under the wing of Pan Acoustics. The companies will work closely together and where possible act as one team. While the location and all positions in ACS will remain the same, the inclusion of the company will mean that complete project solutions can now be offered from a single source. ACS and Pan Acoustics have been closely associated for many years: A core from ACS, a 96-channel DSP unit, was developed as an engineering achievement of Pan Acoustics in a contracting project with ACS. Since then, a close technical partnership has existed with the goal of providing customers with natural acoustics. “Now the expertise of both companies is coming together to form a great

ACS owner M Ijsselmuiden shakes hands with Pan Acoustics CEO, U Borgmann whole. We are looking forward to numerous synergies in sales and the development of new products,” commented Udo Borgmann, CEO and founder of Pan Acoustics.

“An ACS system can usually be installed in a room without major intervention, after which the room can be used in a truly multifunctional way,” explained At van den

Heuvel, technical director at ACS. “Together, we share the goal to now even better consult our customers in the commercial, theatre and cultural sectors with holistic solutions

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NEWS

No expense spared for UAE studio “paradise” UAE

Firdaus Studio is part of the sustainable mixed-use community known as District 2020, formerly the Expo 2020 site in Dubai. The studio’s vision is to become a leading musical hub by servicing established musicians from around the world while taking an active role in nurturing the next generation of talent within the region. Designed by the team at Modi Digital, the original idea for the recording studio was thought up by Her Excellency, Reem AlHashimy, the minister of state for international cooperation, United Arab Emirates and director general, as well as A R Rahman, the composer, artist and musician. The multi-use Live Room was designed to function in cinema mode, performance mode and recording/scoring mode with the ability to accommodate up to 80 musicians. The control room features an analogue-digital hybrid workflow setup consisting of a 40-input Rupert Neve Designs 5088 and Avid S6 digital control surface, and is certified for Dolby Atmos Music/HE 7.1.4 mixing. In addition, there are four isolation booths equipped with screens and 4K cameras, as well as an Auxiliary Control Room for programming, writing or small recording sessions. “‘Firdaus’ translates to ‘Paradise’ in Arabic, so it was important that all aspects of the studio reflect this ideal,” said Aditya Modi, design custodian at Modi Digital, “and we believe a sonic paradise is best achieved with high-end analogue sound quality. We have spared no effort in ensuring the performance captured is of the highest quality.” As a digital workflow was nonnegotiable for a future-forward studio with Dolby Atmos capability, the studio’s desk – custom-built by Sounds Fishy – divides the 5088 into two sections with the S6 in the centre for digital mixing capabilities.

and to support them in their implementation. “The holistic approach shall also pay off in terms of sustainability, entirely in the customer’s interest. Pan Acoustics already offers a 10-year warranty for products developed and produced in-house.” Udo Borgmann concluded: “I am absolutely convinced of the longstanding ACS quality. That’s why we are extending this sustainable warranty of 10 years to ACS products with immediate effect, retroactively from 2020. Planned obsolescence is an outrage for us. We live sustainably and believe in our products – the customer may do the same.” www.pan-acoustics.de

“Our 40-channel 5088, fully loaded with Shelford 5052 mic preamp and inductor EQ and 5051 inductor EQ and compressor modules, is extremely special sounding,” said Navneeth Balachanderan, sound engineer and AV tech at Firdaus. “The detail and the warmth of the preamps are simply unmatched by any other pre we’ve heard, the desk has infinite headroom and the saturation you get when you hit the desk hard sounds really musical. It just sounds right on any possible source you can think of.” www.rupertneve.com

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NEWS

First Dubai harbour restaurant opens with DAS UAE

Located in the Dubai Harbour Pier Club, Bar du Port has recently been outfitted with a new DAS Audio sound system by Procom Middle East. The venue is one of the first restaurants to open in the harbour and offers guests a relaxing waterfront setting with live music. Having been enlisted to provide an AV solution for the owner’s branch in Beirut, Procom Middle East was once again called on for the Dubai Harbour Pier Club installation. Procom opted for a DAS Audio sound system that has turned Bar du Port into one of the largest Artec-500 installations to date. Three determining factors influenced the choice to use the Spanish manufacturer’s cabinets: a reliable and durable audio system, especially considering the proximity of the venue to the sea; the ability to be used both indoors and outdoors; and the ability to blend into the venue’s aesthetic harmoniously. The Artec-500’s wide bandwidth and high SPL made them an ideal choice for Bar du Port.

Designed with even coverage and distribution in mind, a variety of Artec-500 series cabinets were selected to cover both the indoor and outdoor areas, including 23 Artec-510, five Artec-508, two Artec-506 and 16 Artec-s15 loudspeakers for low-end support. Additional Action-218As were used for increased bass response around the DJ and a pair of Artec-526A units delivered the high SPL and low-frequency reproduction required for the DJ monitors. All zones are powered with PA series amplifiers and the complete venue is controllable via a custom-built iPad control implemented via Symetrix Prism 12x12, control server and ARC-3B units. The venue runs on digital audio streams via Dante and the DJ booths are connected to the central control through a DA11AEN and DA11DE from Blustream. www.procom-me.com

Martin Audio makes the right waves in charismatic Ghanian church

GHANA

A newly constructed, 4,400-seat, threestorey church in the Ghanaian capital of Accra has been installed with Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision line array system. With a global outreach overseen by founder Reverend Mensa Otabil, the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) commissioned Eben Awuah of Amson Audio to conduct audio consultancy and installation works. Having been associated with the Dominion Centre in London’s Wood Green, the Ghanaian production engineer and integrator Awuah has been working with professional audio systems since the age of 13. “The time came to set up my own AV operation and serve the whole of West Africa, including Nigeria and the Ivory Coast,” commented Awuah. “I needed to go back there with a recognised system and Martin Audio was one of the premier brands I was looking at.” The turning point came during a Martin Audio open day he attended in 2019

during a demonstration of the scalable Wavefront Precision Compact optimised array. “It coincided with the completion of an installation in Nigeria with another leading system,” he furthered. “Although that sounded great, what I heard from WPC gave me the headroom I needed for this project.” This was very much foremost in his mind when he was brought in as a consultant by the ICGC for its new project, described as a “Pentecostal Charismatic church”. “We earmarked four major systems and I was asked to give the pros and cons of each and explain which would be the better choice for the church.” Awuah was then asked to undertake the complete installation. Knowing the system would need to reinforce a vast programme of music – from gospel voice choirs to full orchestras, rock ‘n’ roll bands and spoken word from celebrants – he recommended a WPC solution. “We are the only church in Ghana with an opera group, a

classical band, a harmonised choir and rock ‘n’ roll band,” laughed Awuah. “WPC not only gave us more warmth than the other systems, but we needed a stronger lower end that we just couldn’t find elsewhere. It gave us that little bit of extra headroom with all the drivers hitting the right frequencies within the box. As for speech reproduction, the clarity from WPC is second to none.” Ensuring maximum control, consistency and coverage, the entire system is run in one-box resolution and consists of two hangs, each comprising 10 WPC elements and two hangs of eight. These are used in combination with hangs of six SXCF118 18-inch cardioid subwoofers flown behind each hang. There is further ground-stacked sub reinforcement from 12 SXH218 dual 18-inch subwoofers set across the wide stage in blocks of 2-44-2. The line arrays are powered by 10 iKON iK81s and the subs by five iK42s. Cardioid characteristics for the subwoofers were deemed to be essential owing to the large

number of microphones deployed onstage, especially with orchestral performances. Powered by four iKON iK42 amplifiers, 12 CDD8s are deployed as stage lip fills together with 12 XE300s serving as floor monitors. The vast number of support function rooms and ancillary areas in the extensive building also have their sound delivered by more than 140 Martin Audio C6.8T ceiling speakers. System design assistance was provided by Martin Audio product support engineer, Robin Dibble. “We just loaded the system files from Display 2.3 via VU-NET and, with the minimum of tweaking, it was ready to go. This system just works, even though there is still more work to do on the room.” The installation has certainly met with the approval of ICGC pastor Otabil, who predicted that “this must be the best sound system in the whole of West Africa”. www.martin-audio.com

The system has to reinforce a wide range of musical genres

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CP Green to decrease Claypaky’s carbon footprint WORLD

Claypaky has launched CP Green, a Spotlight on Sustainability initiative, stating that “eco-friendliness is not enough”. The objective of this initiative is to reduce Claypaky’s carbon footprint and increase energy-efficiency. Claypaky has already implemented several projects to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities. Its existing efforts include the implementation of the Kanban control system into its manufacturing process to increase the efficiency of the operation and reduce waste, optimisation of the compressed air production and testing procedures leading to the reduction of the total electrical consumption and CO2, elimination of all solvent-based coloured ink on product packaging and paperless operation in the production process and paperless fairs. To coordinate all the corporate initiatives, integrate them across the whole organisation and secure the execution of the changes, a Sustainability team, led by Claypaky executive Andreas

Huber, has been formed. “My mission is orchestrating the sustainability and environment activities and to foster lasting connections across the company, inspiring and engaging colleagues across the Claypaky organisation in their work to support the sustainability and environment activities,” said Huber. “I will listen to ideas from any colleague on how we can improve further.” “Sustainability became a high priority in Claypaky as we aim for pioneering sustainable entertainment products and operations for a safe and better world – driving sustainability is a crucial part of fulfilling our company ambitions and goals,” said Marcus Graser, Claypaky CEO. “Working towards a climate-neutral future is fundamental to pursue a sustainable development. Claypaky understood the urgency to act now and believes the best way to achieve this is by adopting a scientific approach to tackle climate change impacts of its activities so as to ensure real results are delivered. Spinlife is proud to contribute to this

process and to independently support the company in achieving this ambitious goal,” added Professor Alessandro Manzardo from Spinlife, a spinoff of the University of Padova contributing to and supporting the initiative. Because aircraft emissions are released high in the atmosphere, they have a significant impact on global climate change. To reduce the environmental

impact and partially offset the emissions produced by business travel, Claypaky has recently purchased 5.879 carbon credits supporting the Asahan 1 Hydroelectric Power Plant 2 x 90 MW, a run-of-river hydroelectric power project in Indonesia’s North Sumatera Province developed by Bajradaya Sentranusa. www.claypaky.com

Museum-goers transport into the future with Barco UAE

Back in 2014, the Dubai Government organised a summit with small temporary exhibits in which it shared ambitions, visions and a roadmap for the future. Now, the growing initiative is a permanent installation known as the Museum of the Future. The new landmark exhibition space, which opened in February of this year, offers visitors a look into the future, incorporating elements of traditional exhibitions, immersive theatres and themed attractions exploring the predicted evolution of society, science and technology. The ever-changing exhibition space is crafted by visionary designers, artists, engineers and technology experts. The museum founders called on Atelier Brückner, a company that specialises in museum concept development and exhibition design, to help bring the attraction to life. Together with AV

consultant, medienprojekt p2, it reached out to Barco to collaborate on the project. With architectural challenges and unique requests, Barco engineers worked with AV integrator AVI-SPL to customise the museum’s technology accordingly. One of the main exhibits focuses on what life could be like inside a space station – named OSS H.O.P.E – in 2071. The room has metal walls designed to look like a spacecraft, with screens acting as windows to show the views during lift-off. Fourteen Barco F90-4K13 projectors with an UST lens are installed in the shallow space behind the screens, providing 110 megapixels on a 21m x 4m curved Rigiflex screen – said to be the largest curved rear-projection screen in a single piece ever built. “Our engineering team went all out for this project,” said Kris Wullaert, product manager at Barco. “Together with the

customer, we invested time and resources in customised engineering, pushing the limits of our existing manufacturing equipment, to realise the unthinkable.” The exhibit also features three F70 projectors creating an image inside an inversed dome and two F80s projecting onto a robotic interactive table. The HEAL Institute has 10 UDM projectors reflecting a digital version of the Amazon rainforest, and the Al Waha exhibition

features four UDM-4K22 and four G60 projectors providing visitors with a visual spa experience. External coolers made for an almost silent performance, befitting the meditative feel of the attractions. Finally, a free-standing UniSee videowall is used on the exhibition floor to inform visitors with details on the technologies used. Phil Marlowe, AVI-SPL managing director, Middle East, concluded: “The Barco technology portfolio is world-class to begin with, but we needed a solution. Barco engineering stepped in and stopped at nothing to ensure perfection. From custom one-of-one solutions to the deployment of onsite professional services, the Barco team thought outside the box every step of the way. Barco became an extension of the AVI-SPL team and we are very pleased with the results the team achieved.” www.barco.com

12 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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P Ju

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NEWS

Prosound sponsors Julanie J tour SOUTH AFRICA

Prosound was recently a PA sponsor for Julanie J’s four-date tour of the Western Cape of South Africa, following a period where the company has been helping the country’s live music industry get back on its feet. To support the tour, Prosound provided Stage-Tech managing director, JP Chetty, with a Meyer Sound solution that would have the versatility to cover the four different venues while also being robust enough to handle four back-to-back performances. “Not a lot of people in South Africa tour with Meyer, but it is robust – I know first-hand that this PA does really well on tour,” explained Chetty, who served as audio and tech engineer for the tour. “We took the PA out and did four shows in four days and there was not a single issue with it. We worked very different venues from rooms of 100–200 people to outside, which Meyer has not been associated with traditionally in South Africa, but it worked well for every setting. It’s exactly the same sound, it just gets bigger.” The tour stopped off at the Jamrock Theatre in Brackenfell, Klienmond Central Café, Die Bordienghuis Theatre in Wellington and Sumsare Wyn Plaas in Robertson. For each venue, Chetty used a pair of Meyer Sound Ultra-X40 tops with low-end reinforcement from a pair of the American manufacturer’s 750 LFC subs. “The nice thing about it is that the rooms weren’t massive, so the PA became immersive,” he reflected. “You’re sitting in the room, you close your eyes and it’s like you’ve got headphones on. That’s the magic of Meyer – you can scale it up or scale it down and it’s super versatile.” The tour received universal praise, with the Meyer Sound portable PA earning some genuine compliments. “The owner of the farm for the outside gig said, ‘I listen with a very critical ear, I know good sound and this is the best sound I’ve ever heard’,” recalled Chetty. “It was just two tops and two subs, and we filled his whole field up, it was absolutely beautiful.” “Julanie’s music is doing really well on radio – there’s a lot of sing-a-long Afrikaans songs so the crowds really enjoyed it,” Chetty said. “When people are in there and enjoying the music, there is this peace that sits in the room. I hadn’t experienced that pre-Covid, only now. We only get to appreciate what it is to be together because we were forced to be apart. We are hosting that experience and enabling it with things like sound, light and staging.” Prosound’s Justin Acres concluded: “Tours like Julanie J’s show that the powered solutions

from Meyer Sound can deliver perfect sound, day after day, no matter what the venue is. A well-mixed show on a high-quality sound system will always lead to a good experience for the audience. We hope that tours like this will encourage people to get back out there and remember what it is like to experience live music as part of a crowd again.” Julanie J at Jamrock Theater

www.prosound.co.za

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July–August 2022 PRO AVL MEA 13

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NEWS

JDC Lines go down a storm at Riyadh EDM event

Barco joins AIMS WORLD

Barco is now a member of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS). With AIMS’ new Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX) set of open standards and specifications said to be gaining traction in the pro AV industry, the Barco membership ties in with the company’s perspective and roadmap in terms of AV-over-IP solutions. Barco and AIMS are said to share the same vision on IPMX being the only open standard that eventually replaces the many different proprietary protocols.

SAUDI ARABIA

Some 360 new GLP JDC Lines have been used by lighting designer, Sam Tozer, for the first time on a single stage at the MDLBeast Soundstorm EDM event. Set over four days on a 120-acre site outside Riyadh, the event hosted over 150 famous DJs, including Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Tiësto and Deadmau5, with an audience of over 700,000. Sam Tozer’s Vision Factory was responsible for lighting four of the eight stages. Equipment vendor Colour Sound Experiment topped up its GLP inventory by acquiring a further 100 JDC1 hybrid strobes for the occasion. But MD Haydn Cruickshank was keen for the JDC Line 1000s to make an appearance: “We supplied 360 of them,” he reported. “I really like the JDC Line and, since it is related to the JDC1 that we already had, it was a safe bet. Sam was on board straightaway.” Colour Sound handled the lighting, video and rigging aspects of the production in the four Underground stages at Soundstorm, working closely with MDL on the engineering and structural requirements of the underground area, which was constructed of nearly 1,000 shipping containers. Vision Factory was also

involved in the project, helping to create four unique venues that represented the nightlife culture within Saudi Arabia, each within one of the shipping containers. Colour Sound has built on a close relationship with Sam Tozer over the years, and his pre-viz took place over a week at its London facility. This was the largest project the LD and his nine-strong team had been involved in, and such was the scale that Colour Sound itself shipped 20 containers out to the desert. All 360 of the JDC Lines were deployed on the UG1 stage (the biggest in the underground area), where Kris Goodman, who was directing this stage, handled the task of programming. In addition, 700 GLP X4 Bar 20s were distributed across all stages, as well as 150 JDC1s and 24 impression FR10 Bars. “I wanted a linear fixture that I could use to trace the architecture of the stage. In combination with the X4 Bars and FR10s, we followed pretty much every line on the stage. I also wanted a big strobe look, which they delivered on, but had the additional capability of creating pixel LED effects as well.” As for the JDC1s, these were split between the large UG1 and UG2 stages and the X4 Bars divided between these stages (in particular

UG2) and UG3. “We used the full pixel-mapping facility and had to work out a new way of programming them, as there were a lot of parameters on the desk,” Tozer observed. The biggest challenge was creating a unique look for all stages “but also having enough dynamic to keep audiences engaged visually for three days,” he explained. From a production perspective, the event was said to be a complete triumph. “Our brief was simply to create something that had never been seen before, and we managed to come up with these concepts. I think all the stages we were responsible for were loved by the locals, and the MDLBeast socials certainly expressed that,” Tozer added. Due to the size of this event, along with significant demands from other shows in the region, Colour Sound has now opened a 2,800m2 warehouse in Jeddah – a rare alternative in the Middle East from the heavily populated rental hub of Dubai. Explaining the decision, Cruickshank said: “Soundstorm was a massive rave in a part of the world that hasn’t really seen it before. It’s good to be at the beginning of something culturally.”

“The IMPX open standard is designed to be the technology that manufacturers, integrators and end users need to achieve truly engaging IP media experiences,” said Samuel Recine, chair of the AIMS Pro AV Working Group. “We’re so pleased to welcome a key member such as Barco to the alliance and get their support in the industry’s migration to AV-over-IP.” Barco has agreed to work together in educating the industry on the benefits of the IPMX open standards and fostering its adoption. “At Barco, we’ve been committed for many years to the early adoption of open signal standards to enable interoperability in our products and greater operational flexibility for our image processing end users,” said Robbie Bruce, image processing product management director at Barco.

www.glp.de

www.barco.com

Televic appoints NMK Technologies to grow its network in GCC GCC

To expand its operations in the Gulf region, Televic has appointed distributor NMK Technologies to grow its network in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. NMK Technologies, a Midwich Group company, has been serving the GCC market for over 30 years, currently holding four operational facilities across the region. The company’s approach is to offer end-to-end AV/IT solutions to its clients where Televic fits the current portfolio like a glove. “We are proud to add one of the most technologically advanced conference brands, Televic, into our portfolio. The brand offers a wide variety of top-tier products and has highly competent team members on board – we are super excited to be working closely with Televic’s foresighted team,” said Dino

Drimakis, commercial director at NMK Technologies. In the past year, NMK has taken over leading AV/IT brands including Barco, Brightsign and L-Acoustics, to name a few. “Televic integrates extremely well with our current portfolio,

allowing us to offer nothing but the very best to our partners. The distributor plans to penetrate the brand into its ongoing projects with key corporate, healthcare, educational and governmental partners. “We strongly believe in organically growing the brand following

our comprehensive action plan tailored to strengthening its brand equity,” commented Drimakis. “We are very pleased to start our cooperation with the leading distributor of professional AV solutions in the Middle East and are strongly convinced that NMK Technologies will further contribute to the growth of the Televic brand in the region thanks to their position as a trusted leader for AV consultants and system integrators,” added Jürgen Van Muylder, sales and marketing director EMEA at Televic Conference. With this partnership, both the companies said they have ensured a promising foothold in these fast-paced markets. www.nmkelectronics.com www.televic-conference.com

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TEAMCONNECT INTELLIGENT SPEAKER

Meet Your Teams. Not Your Average Microsoft Teams Speakerphone The TeamConnect Intelligent Speaker is the ultimate audio solution optimized for mid-sized Microsoft Teams Rooms for up to 10 people. It is designed specifically to give teams a whole new way to collaborate in hybrid meetings: smart, focused, inclusive and as if everyone is in one place. www.sennheiser.com/product-tcisp

Scan to learn more

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NEWS

Arthur Holm aids Algiers’ sustainable AGB bank ALGERIA

The AGB bank, a collaborative project between Algeria and Kuwait, is a 110m-high sustainable building spread over 25 floors, encompassing 33,000m2 of space. The bank includes a conference room designed and integrated by Videlio. Both Videlio and Arthur Holm have worked to install advanced AV technology in the conference and meeting rooms, as well as the auditorium, with sustainability, efficiency, resilience and customisation in mind. The end result was the customised design of the DynamicX2-KM monitor, combined with UnderCover and different connections on the front panel. Because of this, the monitors, keyboards and connections were concealed inside the

desk when not in use. In addition to the keyboard and mouse, the monitors incorporate USB, USB-C and power sockets. As well as the conference room, Videlio designed the meeting room so it could be split into two different rooms. In this case, and considering the table had an open layout, it decided to use Dynamic3 folding monitors as they take up very little space inside the furniture. For the auditorium, AH1 manually foldable desktop monitors were chosen. The AV integration was completed with Mitsubishi videowalls, Cisco cameras, Bose speakers and Crestron control systems.

AET com rece and take edit 9 Ja wea At inte team cod In to whic Cam staf inte

www.arthurholm.com

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Christie acquires assets of Brass Roots Technologies WORLD

Christie has announced its acquisition of assets from Brass Roots Technologies, a Texas-based technology company specialising in consulting and the engineering design of advanced optics and electronics for display and imaging systems. All current employees of Brass Roots Technologies have transferred to Christie and the operations will remain in Allen, Texas, under the Christie name.

Zoran Veselic, president and chief technology officer, Christie, commented: “We

welcome Brass Roots Technologies’ talented engineers and design team, who will join our

existing teams to explore future technologies together.” By joining Christie, the Brass Roots Technologies staff will enhance the engineering offering with a skillset that includes system architecture, optical design and analysis, mechanical design, electronic

hardware and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) firmware design, software development, in-house CNC fabrication, prototype assembly and functional tests and verification. Frank Poradish, founder of Brass Roots Technologies, added: “We are honoured to join Christie in this merging of the minds. We have collaborated with Christie since the start of our business more than 13 years ago, and there is no better fit for us. The synergies between the two organisations will contribute to growing Christie and add to its technology capacity both in the labs and in engineering resources.” www.christiedigital.com

16 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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NEWS

AETA provides codecs for African sporting events CAMEROON

AETA Audio Systems has delivered a combination of commentary codecs to the recent African Nations Championship (CHAN) and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). CHAN takes place every two years with the 2021 edition being postponed and instead held from 9 January – 7 February 2022, due to harsh weather conditions in June/July of last year. At the request of Loca Images, a systems integrator based in Paris, AETA’s technical team adapted the ScoopTeam commentary codec to meet specifications for these events. In total, AETA provided 144 ScoopTeam units, which were used in five locations throughout Cameroon during both occasions. Station staff made use of the Dante interface for the internal networks of each stadium and the

ISDN interface for the remote links. Imed Ben Ameur, technical director at Loca Images, designed and managed the installation and stayed onsite in Cameroon during both competitions to accompany ScoopTeam users and ensure streamlined operations of all equipment. “Beyond the technical respect of the specifications, the ergonomics of the ScoopTeam user interface was decisive in our choice,” said Ameur. “We don’t regret our decision for a split second, especially since during the various broadcasts, all the local technicians were able to operate the products with almost no help from us.” www.aeta-audio.com

WM Touch

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Shure and Barco collaborate on future of hybrid meetings

12/04/22 08:54

WORLD

Aligning with the InfoComm Show 2022, Shure has announced that microphones from its Stem Ecosystem, Stem Wall, Table and Hub have received full certification with the Barco Clickshare Conference room system. With this certification, Shure and Barco have partnered to make it easier for users to turn any “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) meeting space into a hybrid meeting environment. Johan Pirot, product manager, ClickShare Alliances at Barco, commented: “Combining our two solutions, users can operate video conferencing systems and collaboration tools that give them the freedom to connect, collaborate and wirelessly share content from anywhere.”

Barco hopes that those who have adopted Barco ClickShare Conference can be confident in their decision to also equip their spaces with the Shure Stem Ecosystem. With a BYOD-enabled meeting room, users can walk into a space and, with a connection or click, can wirelessly start a video meeting from a laptop or share their screen while using their preferred video conferencing software. As long as the user has access to the Button or App, they have access to ClickShare-compatible cameras, displays and audio devices present in the room. “We are thrilled to expand Barco ClickShare certification to select Stem

Ecosystem products,” said Luis Guerra, associate director of global product management at Shure. “As hybrid work continues to evolve, Shure is committed to providing users with powerful and seamless

conferencing solutions for the modern workplace.” www.barco.com www.shure.com

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NEWS

The NAB Show 2022 USA

Three years after the last event, the NAB Show 2022 set out to reinvent the visitor experience by presenting a content lifecycle through four “collections”: Create, Connect, Capitalize and Intelligent Content. Each provided Inspiration, Innovation and Implementation zones, exhibits and learning sessions to assist as the industry reopens.

Frankfurt Prolight + Sound: 36 months later GERMANY

The 2022 edition was the first Prolight + Sound without Musik Messe, which had moved online. As the show evolved from its MI roots over the years, the show floor grew immensely, welcoming sound reinforcement, lighting and video manufacturers who, in turn, drew an international audience of dealers, distributors and end users. In Hall 11.0, the audio hall, organisers filled 30% of the floor space which was unsold with museum exhibits, including old Martin Audio, EV and JBL loudspeaker systems dating back to the 1970s. These exhibits spoke volumes about the show organiser, which appeared to be harking back to the past and better times.

Premiering its MAILA line array system before the show at its headquarters north of the city, LD Systems was in a buoyant mood. CEO Alex Pietschmann said: “Exhibitions need to reinvent themselves in close collaboration with exhibitors. Live experiences are coming back stronger than ever because nothing beats being together in real life. Looking ahead, there needs to be clear added value and an element of magic and the unexpected at every live event.” Pietschmann, a passionate advocate of sustainability, participated in the first Green Event Day, focusing on sustainability. The event blended presentations, keynote speeches and panel discussions from industry experts, exploring the status quo, future goals, specific solutions and best practices. The entire Future Hub was built using recyclable materials and powered by green

Day one opening

The audio hall was only partially full electricity. Aimed at a younger audience, the hub combined a startup area, career centre, campus and network lounge for connecting talent with companies. In addition to systems for live sound reinforcement and fixed installations, Studio Village enticed those looking for music production, recording and DJ products in a standalone section. Having taken multiple booths at previous shows, HK Audio downsized to a single booth where it served pasta and artesan gin. Its latest Cosmos line array rubbed birch plywood shoulders with the Move 8 and Sonar loudspeaker systems. NAV, a debutant from Poland, promoted its line array and point source systems, attracting interest from potential new distributors as far away as South Korea. But the absence of RCF, d&b audiotechnik and FBT was overwhelming. In contrast to the audio hall, the lighting and staging exhibits in Halls 12.0/12.1 were generally busy and vibrant. Exhibitors included ADJ, Ayrton, Chauvet, Claypaky, Elation, ETC, Eurotruss, GLP, MA Lighting, Robe and SGM. It felt like the exhibition of yesteryear during the first two days as new fixtures beckoned, with greener energy savings and IP65 themes in vogue. Echoing Pietschmann, this exhibition needs to reinvent itself, but would be wise to first consult with its exhibitors, past and present. Prolight + Sound returns from 25–28 April 2023.

“The NAB Show is pivotal in ushering in the latest innovations, propelling content forwards and leading our community into new territory,” said Chris Brown, NAB executive vice president. “We are excited for attendees and exhibitors to experience the curated journeys available on our reimagined convention floor as we get back to doing business face to face.” The show footprint was reduced this year and, compared to April 2019, exhibitors were down from around 1,600 to around 1,000, while attendance had almost halved, from 91,460 to 52,468. To the surprise of many, overseas visitors were very much in attendance, with representation from 155 countries compared to 2019’s 160. And with masks not required, and a minority of people wearing them, NAB 2022 felt in many ways like a tradeshow of old. “We’ve seen visitors from Bangkok and Taipei, yet in terms of market segments,

it is still mostly people from AV and broadcast,” confirmed Chris Black from Vizrt. “It has been fantastic to build up these relationships again. Products are displayed, yet meeting people is more important.” Absen was showing products that had evolved since 2019 due to changes in the market. “We’re showing a virtual production solution, whereas in 2019 we did not have this,” said James Liu, who added that traffic was better than expected. “Our big announcement at NAB 2022 is Dante Studio, a software video platform,” added Audinate’s Patrick Prothe. “What caught my eye was how big and futuristic the new West Hall is for NAB, where all the Artificial Intelligence and automation solutions are being shown.” Clear-Com’s Bob Boster said: “We’ve seen people from Australia and Vietnam, but it’s quieter internationally, with nobody from China. We’ll still look to tradeshows to connect with people, yet we now have to incorporate new marketing approaches with the same limited resources.” Blackmagic Design’s Bob Caniglia had sent out pre-announcements to visitors. “This helped people show up to our booth with good questions, rather than discovering the products at the show and then coming back with questions, and that helped us have a better show,” he said. “We normally bring big transistors to NAB, but we scaled down and now have kiosks to provide information,” said Keyur Parikh from GatesAir. “For the future, we are looking at supplementing the kiosks with virtual reality goggles to give customers a 3D look inside a transmitter.” “From a marketing perspective, we evolved due to the pandemic, and what we started will not go away,” said Andreas Hilmer at Lawo, showing the .edge video infrastructure platform. “We will come back to tradeshows because you can gather information on the internet, but the psychological aspect of meeting people is missing.” The NAB Show 2023 will be held from 16–19 April. www.nabshow.com

MRMC’s robotic camera system drew a lot of attention www.prolight-sound.com

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NEWS: SPECIAL REPORT

Simply STAGENET STAGENET has been created to challenge the status quo of existing solutions by setting the standard for a new IP user experience

Stefan Ledergerber

Any of the supported devices can be connected anywhere in the system and they will automatically pop up on the STAGENET web UI Just as an expert develops an increasing knowledge base of a narrower subject field, developers of ease-of-use technology are required to exponentially expand their knowledge base. With a goal to provide professional audio and video operators with simple user interfaces, Stefan Ledergerber delicately intertwines an extensive networking knowledge of computers and industry relationships. From 1997, the technical executive spent two decades climbing the corporate ladder, firstly at Studer and then at Lawo, culminating with the role of R&D director at both console manufacturers. Describing himself as an outof-the-box thinker with a vision, Ledergerber’s knack of translating customer feedback into real-world solutions resulted in with him going solo in 2016. Consulting for manufacturers with regards the User Interface Concepts and accompanying end users in their IP projects, Simplexity aims to make the operator’s task – simple. Behind the scenes, however, the software specialist is pioneering new grounds in audio, video and networking technology. “As I became more involved with largescale IP projects, I realised that these complex systems were neither flexible nor dynamic,” explains Ledergerber. “From my perspective, this is what networking should be about. However, my experience of working with broadcasters taught me that qualified

technicians prefer a bespoke setup and would not accept a simplified system with no ability for customisation. On the other hand, media production is changing, so between a YouTuber with his mobile phone and a high-end broadcaster, there is a broad spectrum in between that required further analysis.” A meeting in 2020 with the current Stagetec managing director Wolfgang Salzbrenner proved to be a catalyst moment. “Wolfgang wanted to know what the equivalent of a Nexus audio matrix in the new age would be. As this is an almost 30-year-old, industry-standard router, I was candid in my assessment that all the current systems available on the market are hard to understand as they are neither flexible nor dynamic. We agreed to update Nexus for operators lacking technical expertise to gain more confidence configuring the router. At the same time, we wanted to add flexibility by connecting more devices or changing them at any time.” By focusing on the end user, the resultant STAGENET was conceptualised to be an easy-to-use, reliable and flexible AV-over-IP signal management. Formally released at ISE 2022, its entry onto the market will challenge the status quo of existing solutions by setting the standard for a new IP user experience. The focus may be on the drag-and-drop web interface but, behind the scenes, STAGENET is automatically configuring both the end

devices and switches, monitoring their status and displaying possible sources of error with clarity. “The software is very flexible and is based on a Micro service-based platform that allows

for highly portable workloads. It is made from scratch, and it is scalable because the technologies we adopt under the hood can be scaled. For now, we’ve stuck with signal management carrying signals from A to B. For the end user, STAGENET is simple, but the reality is the software incorporates a lot under the hood. It’s like an iceberg because the operator only sees the tip of it.” Currently, STAGENET combines the expertise of Arista, Matrox, Merging Technologies, Simplexity and Stagetec. “Manufacturers who wish to join and become part of the family need to bring something to the table – such as a product that makes sense in this ecosystem – and with the design premise that we can make its setup and signal management simple to use while keeping it dynamic. The product must integrate technical parameters that allow it to be integrated in this way and that includes providing monitoring capabilities so that we can communicate with the product.”

By default, STAGENET will make groups of inputs and outputs of the connected devices but can change these groups according to user situations

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NEWS: SPECIAL REPORT Operable via a drag-and-drop web interface, STAGENET configures both the end devices such as audio and video IP gateways, loudspeaker controllers and the Nexus audio routing matrix automatically with the network switches. The software also monitors status and presents possible errors to the user in an understandable way. To improve the user experience, each product is carefully analysed together with the manufacturer before a decision is taken on whether and how it may be integrated into STAGENET. “STAGENET controls the whole network, including the switches. When you unpack a Merging HAPI Mk II audio interface, for example, you connect it to the switch, and it will be detected on the network. STAGENET understands this all the way to the XLRs and we don’t stop at the modules or the IP side. The switch puts that Merging device into quarantine status, and this is depicted with a “Q”-mark on the network GUI. It requires the user’s approval before being admitted onto the signal network. Once approved, the user can work with it immediately as the IP addresses and VLAN get set up automatically.” Stagetec has dedicated the Avatus IP mixing console and Nexus routing to STAGENET. Canadian brand Matrox has created a series of infrastructure products supported by STAGENET for transforming baseband video to IP formats. By adopting the SMPTE ST 2110 and the IPMX standard, the ConvertIP series inputs SDI or HDMI signals and converts them with zero latency to an IP format that satisfies demanding workflows. In addition, Merging Projet1_Mise page 1 07/04/2022 Technologies hasen made Anubis and Hapi 09:53

Connections can be made across the network or a conventional crosspoint matrix system; on the connection page, it’s possible to search content available for the platform as a start. As an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large data centre, campus and routing applications, Arista Networks delivers reliable networking and proves that even enterprise-grade switches can be easy to set up. Ledergerber realises that many end users may be confused that another AV-over-IP control protocol has come of age but offers Page words 1of reassurance. “We don’t concern

ourselves over the standards too much, as our focus is wholly on the user experience – everything else must follow. However, we love using standards wherever we can, since they make our job of integrating more products easier. Therefore, we like NMOS, SMPTE ST 2110 and IMPX to start with. But if Dante or NDI enables us to provide the user experience or the technical depth we need, we will adopt them as well to make signal connections. We want to avoid the discussion of which standard

is best. Rather than being drawn into a debate centring on bits and bytes, we prefer to focus on the user experience. And in order to achieve our high-set goal there, we need to integrate the whole product, not just its IP modules. And for that we didn’t find any established standard yet.” When applying the signal management software to the real world, Ledergerber is realistic. “For a theatre, conference centre or a hotel, the operators managing these systems usually lack IT experience, yet they probably want to change the configuration and infrastructure regularly. STAGENET is designed for them – no writing configurations or studying manuals. We simply want the operators to participate within our community of users and provide feedback.” Reverse engineered by focusing on the operator, STAGENET sets the standard for the IP user experience – one that enables the benefits of IP signal management without requiring the experience of a network engineer. The iceberg may be vast and mysterious below the waterline, but the surface is smooth and navigable. STAGENET has been developed as a team effort by five industry leaders – initiated by STAGETEC – with STAGETEC as the first point of contact for all distribution activities. www.aristanetworks.com www.matrox.com www.merging.com www.simplexity.ch www.stagenet.com www.stagetec.com

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

NEXO chooses Delphine Hannotin WORLD

NEXO has announced the appointment of Delphine Hannotin as manager of its rapidly expanding Engineering Support Team. She is widely respected throughout Europe for her work in live and broadcast sound mixing. Based at the company’s Plailly campus northeast of Paris, the NEXO Engineering Support Team supports production service providers, integrators and consultants with system designs and commissioning for live events

Holoplot has marketing and sales covered

Holoplot has recently selected Tom Barker-Harrold as head of marketing and Ryan Penny as head of sales, EMEA. These hires follow what the company feels is a substantial period of growth and product commercialisation. Barker-Harrold joins the Holoplot leadership team following a 15-year marketing career, working with pro audio brands such as Audio-Technica and d&b audiotechnik. In his new role, Barker-Harrold will cover brand and product marketing strategy, performance marketing and communications. After a decade of diverse roles within the pro audio industry, Penny has held previous roles at RH Consulting, Vanguardia and

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Harman International. He will lead Holoplot’s commercial expansion across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, drawing on his experience as project leader for some of the world’s most iconic events and venues. Barker-Harrold commented on his appointment: “From my first conversations with the Holoplot team, I was inspired by the company’s mission to radically transform the audio industry, and completely convinced by the technological development already in place to deliver on that goal. It’s a unique and compelling opportunity to drive the continued growth of the Holoplot brand.” Holoplot CEO Roman Sick added: “I am very excited about Tom and Ryan joining our

L–R: Ryan Penny and Tom Barker-Harrold team. Both their reputations have preceded them in the industry and they share our hunger for innovation and transformation.” www.holoplot.com

Analog Way appoints new CEO WORLD

Eric Delmas will now serve as the new chief executive officer to lead Analog Way. Prior to joining the company, he held multiple general management positions both in large semiconductor companies and, more recently, in an international SME in the field of microelectronics. “I am energised to join Analog Way,” said Delmas. “I am honoured to lead such an incredible team whose multiple award-winning products have been selected by the most prestigious

Delphine Hannotin and fixed installations. Hannotin will focus on delivering technical support for the group’s AFC sound solutions, from project design through to system calibration. Drawing on 20 years of experience as a trainer at France’s Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA), Hannotin will also bring her commitment and know-how to the partnerships implemented by NEXO and its parent company Yamaha Corporation with leading universities and to the group’s Audioversity training programme. Commenting on the appointment, NEXO director of engineering support, François Deffarges, said: “Delphine’s skills, energy and personality will be important assets for our user clients, and her arrival in our division will further strengthen the ties with Yamaha Corporation.” “Having joined the Yamaha Group in 2019, I’m looking forward to working with the team at NEXO in a function that will combine a lot of contact with both customers and R&D teams,” commented Hannotin. “I’m passionate about sharing knowledge and providing support and advice, and the international dimension of my new role at NEXO is particularly exciting.” www.nexo-sa.com

companies worldwide to drive the most demanding live events and power the largest permanent AV installations.” Analog Way president and co-founder, Marc Loret, added: “I am delighted to welcome Eric Delmas as the new CEO of Analog Way. His outstanding international experience and passion for innovation will help take the company to new heights.” Eric Delmas

WORLD

Max Kopsho The appointment of Kopsho sees him joining Christie’s executive leadership working alongside EVP Clark Williams to focus on driving business and building

key partnerships as Christie’s advanced video processing, network-based and non-networked content distribution technologies continue to evolve. Kopsho brings 35 years of experience in electro-optics, electronics and information technology to Christie. His previous roles include the development of Christie’s network solutions as a product manager, and successive market development roles in the pro AV industry. “Max’s appointment is a pivotal step in our planned strategic growth in content distribution and video processing,” said Zoran Veselic, president and CTO, Christie. “He will be a great addition to the leadership team.” “This opportunity allows me to leverage my unique expertise and continue to grow my career at the company I have always thought of as home,” insisted Kopsho. “The entire Christie team shares the same passion and purpose for service in the AV/IT industry, and I look forward to working with Clark and his incredible team and being a part of the legacy of inspiration and innovation that is Christie.”

Jacob Barfoed EMEA

Having recently announced the creation of a team dedicated to the Asia Pacific region, L-Acoustics has announced that it has appointed Jacob Barfoed as sales director for EMEA. Based in Copenhagen, Barfoed is a new hire to the company. He came to the manufacturer from Sony Professional, where he spent nearly two decades in various leadership capacities, the latest being head of European sales.

www.christiedigital.com www.l-acoustics.com

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www.analogway.com

L-Acoustics Max Kopsho joins Christie as executive VP introduces EMEA sales director Christie has appointed industry veteran Maxwell Kopsho to executive vice president (EVP) of business development, now responsible for supporting the commercialisation and sales of Christie’s video processing and networkable content distribution solutions.

27/06/2022 14:50

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

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Absen welcomes Jaswinder Guleria MEA

Absen has appointed Jaswinder Guleria as its new industry development director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Bringing two decades of experience within the AV industry, Guleria will expand and strengthen the company’s business alliances throughout the MEA region, to bolster Absen’s global network. Guleria’s primary objectives will be identifying and introducing Absen to potential clients, consultants and distributors in the region and to forge new business associates and partners in Absen’s global network. He has previously worked alongside brands such as Philips, Samsung, LG and Epson. “Display technology is currently experiencing a great shift in terms of visual communication,” commented Guleria.

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“Knowledge is the key to success. My extensive background in visual displays is

MEA

Stagetec has appointed MEA business consultant, Mohamed Ali, with the company vowing to strengthen its position in the region. Ali has served as project manager, sales manager and sales director in the pro audio

www.absen.com

d&b selects Lamport for MEA EMEA

Kirsty Lamport has been appointed d&b audiotechnik’s marketing manager for EMEA, working with the head of the EMEA

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Jaswinder Guleria

something I can share with Absen to add value to its already renowned reputation.” Guleria is looking forward to what he can deliver to the future of the company. “It feels great to be part of an incredibly talented and professional team,” he said. “I firmly believe Absen will further strengthen this leadership, so it’s a very exciting team to be a part of.” Ruben Rengel, senior vice president of global business development at Absen, concluded: “We are thrilled to welcome Jaswinder to the team, his wealth of industry knowledge will be an invaluable asset in growing our network further, as well as strengthening the relationships Absen already has in this region.”

Stagetec appoints MEA business consultant

Kirsty Lamport

region and the wider global marketing team. Lamport has more than 15 years of marketing experience and has held senior positions at Shure UK, more recently as head of marketing UK and pro audio EMEA. She will be based in the UK and will focus on the continued development of d&b’s marketing strategy across EMEA. Lamport’s appointment to the EMEA management team provides additional international experience and a greater depth of EMEA expertise to support d&b with its post-pandemic growth plan. “I am delighted to be joining such an established and reputable brand. In my role as marketing manager, I will endeavour to maintain and build on the

leadership position d&b has established in the mobile and install markets in EMEA. d&b is recognised in the wider industry for offering expert, high-quality audio solutions and I will be focusing on expanding on the huge potential of flagship products such as the d&b Soundscape and the SL-Series line arrays, as well as forthcoming innovative d&b solutions,” commented Lamport. Phill Coe, head of the EMEA region, commented: “I am thrilled to be welcoming Kirsty to the team. Her prior pro audio marketing experience will be invaluable in advancing the strategy and market expansion plans for the EMEA territories.”

Mohamed Ali industry, having worked at Studer Professional Audio within the Harman Mixer Group. Commenting on the new appointment, Norbert Bau, sales director APAC at Stagetec, said: “Adding Mohamed Ali to our team is a fantastic move towards a trustworthy and competent improvement of our MEA business. I’m extremely happy to have him on board.” Ali added: “Stagetec is a well-respected company worldwide and especially in the MEA region. I am excited to be part of the team and contributing to grow Stagetec’s success with bringing in my network and many years of experience with projects in the region.”

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION

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Diplomatic discussions Asimetrik and Televic deliver a long-awaited conferencing upgrade to the Ankara Parliament HAVING SUPPLIED A CONFIDEA DISCUSSION SYSTEM into Ankara’s Council Room in 2012, Televic has grown familiar with the Turkish capital. In return, the Turkish government has developed an admiration for the Belgian manufacturer with its delegates having accustomed themselves to the intuitive, userfriendly and reliable system over the years that followed. So, when the Turkish Parliament’s discussion and voting system was cited for an upgrade, the parliament’s IT department had the confidence to request Televic’s Turkish distributor, Asimetrik, to take the lead in designing and installing a unique and individual solution. Having operated for over 20 years, the analogue conferencing equipment within the Turkish Parliament’s main plenary hall was marked for replacement and decommissioning in 2019. In addition to user friendliness, the IT department demanded security, privacy and redundancy as paramount features to be integrated within the new digital design. Challenge accepted and armed with an extensive client brief, Asimetrik embarked on an 18-month mission working closely with the Televic R&D team over the course of the pandemic. The Belgian manufacturer was required to customise its existing solution for the bespoke software requirements outlined by the IT department of the parliament in Ankara. “The UniCos multimedia solution required the integration of a fingerprint-activated 10-inch touchscreen,” explains Asimetrik project manager, Mehmet Erman. Working closely with Televic’s R&D project technical lead Frederik Naessens, the project was successfully carried out remotely. “We commenced at the onset of the pandemic, so all discussions with the Belgian development team took place online,”

Each seat is furnished with a dedicated 18-inch gooseneck mic embedded into the furniture adds Erman. “Only after installation could Frederik visit the parliament building to fully commission it.” Working closely with its Turkish partner for software development, Asimetrik developed the user application program interface (API) in accordance with the demands of the parliamentary IT division. With the 18-inch gooseneck microphones embedded separately into furniture for each seat, the unit’s aesthetic appearance has been maintained and is only interrupted with the inclusion of a 3.5mm earphone output. Following many rounds of modifications over the course of 12 months, Asimetrik was eventually provided with 20 units for

The u inter earp

testing onsite. During that interim period, Asimetrik AV project/ site support engineer Sinan Ca Salman was required to travel extensively throughout Turkey to digitally record all individual fingerprints of the 600 politicians for storing onto PCs. “Some of the politicians had damaged surface areas on their fingers, so we had to create an RFID badge reader for them,” furthers Salman. “Although we added a card option, the parliament relies almost solely on fingerprints today. Fingerprint entry to the system stands at 98%, which is almost unprecedented for the system and has led to several upgrades and optimisations.” The 20 delegate units were extensively tested in a small demo room. “As the software must work fluently, a lot of debugging was required,” explains Salman. “Each port requires a data transfer speed of 1MB/s, so the amount of data on the network had to be decreased. This ultimately led to the elimination of the Multicast platform and the removal of broadcast packages. By adopting a one-to-one transmission with Unicast and identifying the individual conferencing units with individual, dedicated IP addresses, the system stabilised and is both reliable and secure. Parliament challenged us throughout, but our collaboration with Televic and 4D Systems ensured we delivered.” At this point of the upgrade, the politicians had returned to parliament and were in full session, leaving Salman and his team with only two weeks to complete the project. Their efforts were concentrated over long hours onsite from Friday to Sunday, when parliament was not in session. No strangers to a ticking clock, Salman and his team fully committed themselves to completing their works within the condensed deadline period. “When demanded, added features had to be developed onsite,” adds Asimetrik VP, Görkem Çelikbilek. “To fulfil the project’s tight timeline, the 4D and Asimetrik teams established satellite offices within the IT department. Owing to the by-laws of the General Assembly, parliament demanded a

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The unit’s aesthetic appearance is only interrupted with the inclusion of an earphone output highly customised system including provision for voting during sessions. We duly delivered a customised and easy-to-use, yet highly secure, system that has operated without any failures since day one.” The 655 units are daisy-chained in 11 loops from 17 racked power supplies to a 19-inch Plixus multimedia engine. Connected to two Dell PCs securely containing the politicians’ data, this rack-mounted engine contains all the processing and signal handling. Each loop comes with a network extender, while a further 11 loops, 17 power supplies, two Dell PCs and another Plixus engine have been added for full redundancy. For translations and broadcasts, a Klark Teknik DN1248 microphone splitter has been added to the rack. From the chairman’s unit, all of the connected politicians’ numbers can be monitored during a parliamentary session. Should a politician wish to address the parliament, a push button request is made on this same unit. Once admitted, an allocated countdown of time remaining is displayed on two HD screens fixed on the stage behind the chairman. Voting results can also be shared visually. “From his screen, the chairman has an overview of requests to speak lined up,” furthers Çelikbilek. “Should any delegate log off after making a request, an alert is sent. The sensitive process of queueing up requests during sessions presented a specific challenge in terms of possible network traffic issues. The team overcame this with mock-up sessions and in turn has futureproofed the system.” Having been contracted to provide discussion and voting systems for the European Parliament, NATO and UNESCO, to name but

a few, Televic is, however, reluctant to reflect on past achievements. “In terms of quantity, complexity and customisation, we have raised the bar once again with the Turkish National Parliament,” confirms Televic sales manager, Didier Daene. “Asimetrik and Televic continue to benefit from the long-term collaboration and loyal partnership that has existed over many years. Asimetrik and Televic are currently the only companies capable of providing such customised solutions for such prestigious references in Turkey.” To date, the international team effort has resulted in this project becoming one of Televic’s largest deployments of conferencing technology in the world. Designed and installed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the

Plixus Next extenders are daisychained to deploy large installations of connected devices completed installation is a powerful argument against those employers who still doubt that working from home can be as effective as hybrid and remote working. Perhaps there can be no further doubt that technological collaborations and innovations can be confidently staged remotely. www.asimetrik.com.tr www.televic-conference.com

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FEATURES: HOSPITALITY

An oasis of calm Global consultancy WSDG has ensured the acoustics are up to spec at one of the most audacious constructions to take place in Qatar in recent times: Doha’s Oasis

DODEC omni-directional speakers were used to perform the measurements A CITY-WITHIN-A-CITY BUILT IN THE HEART OF Musheireb. The 37,000m2 Doha Oasis complex comprises two ultra-luxury, 20-storey elliptical glass residential buildings each with nine floors of duplex apartments, in addition to a 29-storey, seven-star hotel with seven restaurants and a business centre. The plan for establishing Doha Oasis stems from Qatar’s National Vision 2030 which aims to transform the nation into an epicentre for tourism and business. The jewel in the crown of the mammoth complex is a 72,000m2 Themed Experience Centre (TEC) featuring 26 next-generation, selfcontained experiential attractions, with two glass towers rising from a landscaped courtyard housing two of the development’s major theme park rides. The development also houses a premium retail component, the Doha Oasis Boutique, which boasts uninterrupted views of the TEC and also features a state-of-the-art cinema with two VIP theatres. With the works ongoing for several years, general contractor RedcoConstruction ALMANA, working under the ARUP Group, called upon the services of the Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) to address a plethora of latent acoustic issues that emerged in the later stages of construction. WSDG is a leading global acoustic and electroacoustics systems integration consulting and design firm. Although based

WSDG Middle East representative Marc Viadiu

Project manager and acoustic engineer David Molho testing one of the complex’s VIP theatres in the US, the company has regional staff around the world and handles a large amount of international projects. To ensure complete sound isolation throughout the Doha Oasis complex, the global WSDG acoustic team engaged its arsenal of acoustic measurement, testing and analysis protocols, as well as critical isolation and design services, to help identify and eliminate all potential sound isolation issues at the site. With the complex comprising of a mixture of commercial and residential spaces, sound isolation between the different areas had to be tightly controlled. WSDG Middle East representative Marc Viadiu was engaged in a large studio project when he first became involved in the inner workings of the Doha Oasis and realised that the team’s services would be of assistance. “We were involved in one of the largest recording studios in the Middle East at the time, and one of the contractors was also the subcontractor from RedcoCon ALMANA,” he recalls. “They decided to bring us on board at Doha Oasis as they needed someone to certify that every acoustic partition had been installed according to proper designs. You don’t want to get to the end of the construction

before you find out that noise pollution can be heard from bedroom to bedroom, for example. This was our job: to design the partitions and supervise the drywall contractor, Emaar Trading and Contracting, to install everything correctly.” The WSDG acoustic measurement team consisted of Viadiu and Miami-based project manager and acoustic engineer, David Molho. Together, they performed a full week of comprehensive acoustic analysis and modelling tests in Doha for a critical peer review testing mission of the whole complex using B&K 2250 measurement microphones and DODEC omni-directional speakers. “We went back to site again at the end to certify that everything designed was installed according to the specification,” explains Viadiu. “We stayed almost five days from 8am to 8pm performing all the measurements required throughout the various buildings and checking all the partitions. In total, there were something like 70 different kinds of partitions and they all have been checked.” The result of the team’s week-long effort identified that approximately 90% of the space met acoustic requirements. “Most, if any, of the failure points were because of the doors,” explains Viadiu. “The bottom seal was missing on most of the doors throughout the space, so the contractors had to go back and redesign them. We stayed there onsite for another five days adjusting the seals and taking measurements before we were happy that everything was according to the specification. Sometimes it happens in the Middle East that you have to work things through in real time as our base is a long way away, but we left the project knowing that everything had been completed correctly.” “In total, we performed over 1,000 individual area STC and reverb time measurements for this assignment, and our comprehensive analysis confirmed the quality of ARUP Group’s work,” concludes Molho. “The Doha Oasis complex is magnificent and we look forward to our next round of testing in this extraordinary, multifaceted environment.” The multi-year Doha Oasis construction is due to officially open later this year in conjunction with the Qatar World Cup being held in the city, where, among other firsts, it will set a record for being the largest indoor theme park in Qatar. www.wsdg.com

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FEATURES: RECORDING

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An exploration of immersion A chance encounter in London has opened doors for immersive audio specialist Sonosphere in Saudi’s fledgling music scene

L–R: Jamie Gosney, BluePaper, Phil Wright and Duncan Bell MUSIC IN SAUDI ARABIA IS A HOTBED OF NEW TALENT and raw enthusiasm. The rapid breakdown of restrictions in the country that govern the dissemination of music heading towards the 2030 Vision has created an incredibly vibrant local music scene, full of experimentation and exploration. It’s something that MDLBEAST Records, as one of just a small handful of serious labels in the territory, is eager to cultivate.

Following the roaring success in late 2019 of the country’s first-ever EDM music festival, MDLBEAST Soundstorm, combined with some unintended downtime in live events brought on by the pandemic, MDLBEAST has taken on responsibility for helping to develop artists and promote new talent for this expanding environment through its record label. This culminated in late 2021 with the launch of Saudi producer BluePaper’s latest EP, Elephant Rock. In such a brand-new

landscape, everything is somewhat experimental, and this spirit bleeds through to the music in nearly all aspects. “The label has really been a product of what happened at that time,” explains Munira Al Muammar, project manager at MDLBEAST, referring to the event. “We decided in 2019 to host the first-ever electronic festival in Saudi and the biggest in the region, which ultimately more than half a million people came to. We were in disbelief that something like that could happen here, but this is where the whole creative movement in Saudi started. We really did not have that ecosystem or the tools in the country beforehand to support any creative output in that sense, and so that’s where our initial focus began.” BluePaper’s first performance was at XP, the MDLBEAST annual music conference, and the label has been supporting his development ever since. It wasn’t long after Soundstorm that BluePaper was back exploring new creative directions for his music. This led Matthew Dicks, executive director for music and talent at MDLBEAST, to a chance encounter with the team at UK-based company Sonosphere. “We try to identify what is the unique opportunity for each artist and, in this case, there’s a very atmospheric side to BluePaper’s music,” explains Dicks. “Separately, I’d been introduced to the Sonosphere crew as we were discussing their involvement in our XP Music Conference programme, and I was intrigued at the possibilities they could offer BluePaper. It was a perfect opportunity to bundle everything together as five tracks and hopefully give people that full-on spatial audio experience across the whole EP.” Sonosphere has built an impressive reputation for turning static stereo soundscapes into fully immersive moving mixes, and Dicks was keen to find out what the Dolby Atmos treatment could bring to the BluePaper EP. “Matt came to us with five tracks that he was keen to get mixed in Dolby Atmos, but was under the impression that additional tweaking would likely be needed to make them work,” recalls Sonosphere’s creative director, Jamie Gosney. “It sounded like he wasn’t too confident that these tracks had enough content in them for this purpose.

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FEATURES: RECORDING He sent them over to Phil Wright, our senior engineer who runs the studio at Metropolis for us, and it turned out they were just amazing. “It became apparent that we had all the elements to enable us to go really over the top with the spatialisation using the movement processor within the Dolby Atmos spatialisation suite. Nothing new was added. Phil worked his magic and I went in and heard the results – I was so blown away with what he’d achieved. I quickly called Matt up and I said, ‘you’ve got to come to the studio and listen to this’.” The MDLBEAST executive director and BluePaper soon headed back to Sonosphere’s base at London’s Metropolis Studios, eager to hear the result. “BluePaper sat there with myself, Phil, Matt and Duncan Bell, my partner at Sonosphere,” continues Gosney. “He was sitting there with his head in his hands and we were all thinking, ‘oh no, he hates it’. But he looked up after the first track and there was a tear rolling down his cheek. He said, ‘I can never go back to stereo now, it just doesn’t make sense anymore’.” While the project has been a match made in heaven for Sonosphere and BluePaper, it’s also had the knock-on effect of opening up new doors for the British company in the Middle East. “We now are quite serious about looking to start Sonosphere Middle East, because Saudi is a blank canvas when it comes to music and they have no preconceived ideas,” notes Gosney. “One of the battles we’ve had here in the UK, particularly being based in Metropolis Studios which is known for being an old school analogue studio, is that not everyone understands where we clearly see the industry is heading. People we’ve met from Saudi don’t have those same preconceived ideas about how everything’s got to be created in stereo first before we can then mix it. One of the things we want to do in Saudi is help them build studios with end-to-end workflows where they don’t even need to think about stereo anymore. Everything gets miked, with the end result being mixed in Doby Atmos or any other spatial format.”

Spatial mixes are but part of the equation though; for the immersive audio market to really take off for EDM, a lot more development is necessary in the live events market globally. “We’ve got a lot of work coming in and a lot of new artists in a region where there were only two other labels before MDLBEAST came along,” says Dicks. “We hope that clubs adopt this technology – it has to be the case. In fact, I saw a quote the other day from François Kevorkian, the legendary New York producer, DJ and former session drummer, who had recently DJ’d with spatial audio. He said this is going to be the future and can’t understand why more people aren’t doing it. I completely agree.” “We just know there’s a tipping point coming,” adds the Sonosphere creative director. “We are talking with a fairly large

company about a strategic partnership, which is going to push the whole spatial audio thing into the live environment. Without there being systems in clubs, theatres and concert halls, what we do doesn’t really make much sense. But with people like Apple, Amazon and, soon we hope, Spotify bringing spatial audio to the streaming market, that is going to be the beginning of the floodgates opening and people will then need to put these systems into clubs. We’re already talking to a couple about creating immersive live systems for them. It’s not a case of if it happens, it’s just when.” www.mdlbeast.com www.sonosphere.co.uk

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Broadcasting party lines Prosistem was called on by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to provide AV within its Istanbul headquarters, reports Richard Lawn

JBL Control 28 enclosures in the media briefing room

CHP’s Istanbul headquarters AS THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY IN TURKEY, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) successfully communicates its social democratic policies both internally and externally. Ensuring its party members, the media and its voters stay on the same page, CHP’s Istanbul headquarters recently called upon leading systems integrator Prosistem to design, supply and install the AV connectivity within. Prosistem technical manager, Bahattin Aktas, led the team of technicians to route a Cat6 infrastructure that provides control functionality in the main rooms from the sub-basement to the third level. Bidirectional HDMI video signals can be transmitted between the rooms together with audio and data via the AMX NetLink control network. Capable of accepting analogue and digital formats, each programmable network unit can provide secure control and monitoring, including HVAC, lights, security and power management settings. Enabled by AMX transmitters and receivers, ease-of-use operations are performed on AMX Modero 7-inch wall-mounted touchscreens and sevenbutton keypads. An Audac MTX88 eight-zone digital audio matrix lies at the core of audio paging and BGM functionality. Announcements are made from two MPX88 paging mics and BGM is sourced from a CMP30 MP3 player. The resultant audio signals are output to 75 CENA 506 5-inch and NELO 706 6.5-inch 100V line ceiling speakers powered by two Audac CAP412 amplifiers. The audio message switches to JBL outputs in the media briefing and conference rooms in the basement levels. Powered by Crown XLi 1500 2x 450W amplifiers, wallmounted 8-inch Control 28 enclosures provide 90° x 90° dispersion with a sensitivity of 92dB SPL, with the 130seat conference room augmented in the lower frequencies with a JBL SB-2 10-inch subwoofer. Prosistem supplied AKG WMS470 UHF wireless systems including HT470 handheld mics into both venues in addition to wired AKG CGN321STS gooseneck mics mounted on podiums. Audio

An AMX NetLink system manages party meetings in the basement boardroom

The DTDZ conference microphone system is controlled from the chairman’s panel mixing is performed on Behringer X32 Producer 32-channel consoles. For visual outputs, Vissonic CDC-S PTZ HDMI cameras and HDBaseT extenders have been installed, together with Woxcon AV and IP 1080P streaming matrix units. Lighting control operations are conducted from the surfaces of Code Electronic Gobo 200 12 DMX-channel controls. Managed via the AMX NetLink system, party meetings are scheduled in a basement boardroom. Documents and visual content can be shared on 1.5m x 2.5m and 2m x 3.4m LED displays, with L-R JBL Control 25 enclosures and six AXIR 2-inch columns providing audio output respectively. Room echo cancellation and other EQ parameters have been managed and stored within a Tendzone Solon 8A four-in/fourout signal processor. Kramer wall panels and power supplies together with a Woxcon 17.3-inch document projector lift provide the necessary links. Up to 24 party members can assemble and contribute towards discussions over the DTDZ microphone

conference system controlled from a chairman’s panel comprising dual Cat6, dual power, dual USB and single android connectivity. The Prosistem technicians extended the AV functionality by adding a Konftel C50300 PTZ camera, ATEN UCE260 USB extender and AKG gooseneck microphone to the mix. A third-floor meeting room combines similar components as further down the buidling, including Audac Kyra12 12x 2-inch column speakers, a Tendzone Solon 8A four-in/fourout networked signal processor and an AMX wall-mounted touchscreen. Receiving their audio signals from a Denon AVR-S650 4K network receiver, the provincial president room on the same level incorporates JBL Control 12C/T 3-inch speakers and a 9CS 8-inch ceiling subwoofer. Floor box panels outfitted with Triax and fibre connections together with a network infrastructure including Neutrik, Fischer and Canare cabling and connectors provide full broadcast capabilities. The TV studio is equipped with a Behringer QX1202USB mixer, AKG P120 condenser diaphragm, Behringer HA400 four-channel stereo headphone amplifier and Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro HDMI livestream switcher. Having successfully extended the AV broadcasting capabilities for these CHP headquarters, Prosistem has also ensured that future extensions or changes can be easily updated. Politically correct, Aktas and his colleagues declined to make further comment, but the fact that the installation was commissioned within the allocated time frame and on budget speaks for itself. www.prosistem.com.tr

30 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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09.06.2022 10:38:56 28/06/2022 10:07

Proco single music some The e perfe the si from new 2 As t as we lightin also b audio custo venue The a swi servic to em “The have large Schro aware we co of SĀ cover listen venue

Leading the way A beachclub development in Dubai has given Procom the opportunity to deploy K-array’s latest audio solutions, reports Simon Luckhurst PROCOM MIDDLE EAST IS NO STRANGER TO THE audio and lighting refits that an evolving hospitality sector requires, but the company never quite knows what to expect at the outset of a project. However, there was no ambiguity about what was required for SĀN Beach, which opened its doors on the Palm Jumeirah in late April 2022. A new top-tier development launched by property developer Nakheel, SĀN Beach offers guests both a high-end restaurant and a beach retreat, with sunbeds surrounding an infinity pool, luxury cabanas and views of Dubai’s skyline. SĀN Beach is one of nine venues to be opened on this site by Nakheel that will ultimately form The Club.

The chic design of SĀN Beach, which features exotic planting indoors and out, art and sculptures throughout the dining area and a large open kitchen, strives to provide guests with a tranquil experience, and was conceptualised by South African interior designer Tristan Du Plessis and his studio. Du Plessis terms his style “African luxe”: a high-end finish created with raw materials and textures. Procom Middle East was brought on board to support Du Plessis’ artistic vision in its design of audio and lighting systems throughout the entire venue. “It’s a top-tier space designed all the way from the restaurant down to the beach. Everything is made from premium materials and there’s a detailed story behind its creation,” explains

SĀN Beach offers a restaurant and beach retreat with sunbeds surrounding an infinity pool

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The r relax

FEATURES: HOSPITALITY Procom’s technical sales manager, Anro Schroeder. “Every single aspect, from the food to the wine, the DJ and the music, works in tandem with the theme. The venue required something high end for the audio and so K-array was selected. The entire system has been custom-coloured to blend in perfectly with the design, décor and surroundings. Furthermore, the site-wide amplification comprises all the new amplifiers from the K-array 2022 range, while the subs are also from the new 2022 Thunder series.” As the venue promotes a relaxing dining environment as well as an upbeat beachclub vibe, both the sound and lighting systems needed to adapt to both modes while also blending into the clean visual aesthetic. The Italian audio brand was chosen as its premium materials and customisable finishes could be easily integrated into the venue design. The venue has two beachside pools, a covered one with a swim-up bar and another overlooking the ocean. Two serviced cabanas with a lounge, dining area and mini-bar aim to emulate luxurious hotel rooms, right on the beach. “The other six spaces that will eventually form The Club have been leased to various operators, but there’s one large pool that connects them all together,” explains Schroeder. “When we started the project we were very much aware of the proximity of the neighbours, and ensuring that we could contain audio reinforcement within the boundaries of SĀN Beach was crucial. We paid a lot of attention to the coverage, and we worked carefully on it across the entire listening area to ensure it stays concentrated within the venue while remaining homogeneous in all areas.”

The restaurant features exotic planting to create a relaxing vibe

K-array Dragon-KX12s were chosen to blend with the venue’s décor

K-array’s Thunder subwoofers provide the low-end reinforcement Various product lines from K-array were integrated to achieve this, primarily 12 KX12 coaxial speakers from the Dragon series which have been installed throughout the main areas of the venue both indoors and out, together with six KS1 and six KS2 Thunder subwoofers, all supplied in stainless steel chassis. “The Dragon line is a powerful point source speaker that can provide high pressure in the nearfield and was ideal for this project,” adds Schroeder. “Its compact shape and different accessories allow it to perform as a powerful source or as part of a line array.” SĀN Beach is the first venue in the Gulf Cooperation Council to deploy the new K-array KS1P and KS2P Thunder subwoofers, along with the new amplifier series, and Schroeder explains that the new models extend sound reproduction in the low frequencies, providing an increase in SPL capabilities compared to previous models. Along with the KX12 coaxials, cabinets from K-array’s Python and Domino lines have been deployed in additional areas. Ten Python-KP52 (where are these installed?) passive speakers provide a vertical dispersion pattern that can be switched for wide or narrow coverage, with six closely spaced cone drivers

providing line array characteristics including phase coherence, low distortion and focused listening in both the nearfield and at a distance. For the outdoor dining and terrace spaces, as well as for stereo systems in the beach cabanas, KF26 passive speakers – the smallest of the full-range Domino series – have been installed. The entire system is powered by the new KA68 and KA208 models from the Italian manufacturer’s Kommander amplifier series, which are Dante-enabled to allow the amps to be integrated into the venue-wide network. The Class-D amp modules are managed by integrated DSP processors, equipped with optical limiters and various protections such as signal overcurrent, short circuit and system temperature. Additional audio reinforcement has been provided in common areas such as the corridors, changing rooms and washrooms using DAS Audio CL8T ceiling speakers powered by DAS Audio PA-500 amplifiers. The entire audio solution is controlled by a Symetrix Prism 8 server, routed using Blustream’s DA11ADE Dante audio analogue decoders. With the audio challenges dealt with, Procom turned its attention to the entertainment lighting system. A total of 36 Cyclops CPX 354 RGB LED Linear wash bars have been installed outdoors throughout the pergola canopy, adding accent lighting. A further 12 Cyclops Aquaray 500 SBW outdoor moving heads are deployed throughout the outdoor areas, casting a beam light coupled with various lighting and colour mixing effects. Customised Cyclops Lighting gobos project SĀN Beach logos around the venue as well as inside the pool area. A Madrix Luna 4 lighting controller uses the Art-Net protocol to distribute lighting signals and is connected to an Avolites T2 Titan dongle USB interface. User-friendly control of the venue’s entire audio and lighting systems can be carried out on a single iPad. “K-array systems have a clear sound and their subs provide smooth low frequencies, and that’s something I had never experienced before,” concludes Ioannis Efthymiou, the group’s music and entertainment director. “As a music producer, I test the sound system with my own music, and I can clearly hear even the small details in the sound. The important thing is that when you are in the venue and the music is turned up, it’s not annoying at all. The entire sound system’s quality is very smooth, even if you’re sitting close to a speaker. Furthermore, the K-array support team in UAE is extremely helpful and qualified in explaining everything in great detail when it comes to a new concept and design. I highly recommend the brand for both big and small venues.” www.k-array.com www.procom-me.com

July–August 2022 PRO AVL MEA 33

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BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America Dan Daley places a bet on the future of AV in the sports industry IN THE 1967 FILM THE GRADUATE, ONE MR MAGUIRE leans over and gives young Ben Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, a word of career advice. Literally, one word. “Plastics.” If that scene were to play out today, it could still be boiled down to single word: “Sports.” It’s where the money is at the moment – as an industry it’s expected to grow from nearly US$354b in 2021 to over $501b this year – and it’s where the money is going to be for the foreseeable future. Eric Hutto, the newly named CEO of Diversified, one of the world’s largest systems integrators and a force in sports AV technology, noted that there’s at least $10b planned for expenditures in stadiums alone by 2030, and probably far more than that. As a rule of thumb, the AV budgets for commercial projects can be fairly predictably estimated at about 10% of a project’s overall cost. Use that calculation with any of the preceding numbers and you’ve got a healthy business in any industry. Much, if not most, of the money is going into venues and supporting broadcast investment. That portion is likely only going to get larger as the line between AV and IT continues to blur. Those d&b and L-Acoustics PA systems we used to only see on high-end music tours

have now carved out their place in stadiums and arenas, and the video screens are reaching towards the limits of their physical possibilities. Not to burst anyone’s balloon when it comes to music, but the career opportunities that this sports/AV juggernaut is creating are very real and attractive. In the US, broadcasters are starting to panic about where the next generation of broadcast audio mix engineers for sport are going to come from, as the current generation of A1s – most of whom are in their 50s and 60s – age out. That’s on top of what music touring is also discovering, to its horror: now that shows are ready to go out on the road again, they can’t find the technical personnel needed to keep them rolling. Music and sport – both of which use a ton of audio, video, lighting and stagecraft – will be competing for a shrinking pool of those people. Music’s advantage is its innate coolness, while sport, in the bowl or on the air, offers better and more consistent compensation. Just look at the long-range numbers: sport is poised to top the half-trillion-dollar mark while the global music business was just happy to get to $26b in 2021, its best number since the CD-fueled year of 1990. Twentysomethings aren’t noted for their rigourous analysis of

future earnings potential; they’ll go with what’s cool. But as soon as the first baby comes along, there will be pressure for something that pays consistently and well, and keeps you closer to home. Advantage: sports. Meanwhile, the opportunities that come from designing, installing and integrating all the AV that the next generation of sports venues will need could meet all those criteria for a lot of people with the right skills. It takes 2–3 years to build the average major-league stadium. The next wave is already here. In the US, the NFL’s Buffalo Bills are seeking a new $1.3b stadium and Tennessee is debating who’ll pay for most of the Titans’ new $2b stadium in Nashville. In baseball, the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays all want new parks. In the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers have already started to build their new $1.2b arena while the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks are angling for funds. Unlike music touring, sports rarely stopped during the pandemic; games and matches went on even with no one in the stands. If you’re looking to place a wager on the future, Ladbrokes might be happy to place your wager on how AV and sports will continue to go together.

A letter from Europe Phil Ward ponders a new Cold War within pro AVL since the invasion of Ukraine ACCORDING TO SOURCES IN DUBAI, THE RUSSIANS and the Ukrainians within the pro AVL community out there have stopped talking to each other. If you want somebody’s phone number, you’re asked not to reveal who gave it to you. In a few weeks, a fraternity that typified the global village of entertainment technology and its enviable hands-across-the-water ethos has descended into a Franz Kafka novel. Kafka, in case it’s been a while, specialised in the dark recesses of existential paranoia, largely inspired, if that’s the word, by the Cold War. The Western consensus is to block trade with Russia, and to apply economic sanctions supposed to put pressure on its economy. More than that, it seems, it’s a natural reaction of moral indignation equally designed to cleanse the souls of those caught in business-tobusiness compromises, rather than to scare Putin into changing course. All the signs are that the industry has spontaneously applied its own sanctions across the board, leaving Russian traders back in the dark ages of the Iron Curtain or, in the words of one contact: “like 1976 again”. From the 1960s onwards, the curtain wasn’t quite as iron for some canny entertainment entrepreneurs as it was for

others, and it progressively rusted as we approached the end of the Soviet Union in 1992. By that time, many of the major players in the industry were already deep into long-term accounts with old friends, the invoices flowing with the vodka that sealed the deal. Soon after a new generation of Russians was allowed to travel they were, effectively, being allowed to set up offshore bank accounts all over the place. Many of those still exist, if under the radar that’s currently chasing the assets of only the most visible oligarchs, so that the exclusion of Russia from the international banking mechanism SWIFT does not provide a complete shutting of the door. Just like the good old days, there are ways and means of doing trade if you feel you should, and you have a good roadmap of Finland. Some artists in Russia would like to protest against what’s happening, just as we did in the 1960s, and are dismayed when orders for new equipment intended to amplify that protest are cancelled. It would be like the Grateful Dead being rendered silent because their PA system came from China, when China supported Nixon. Equally absent from the chorus of disapproval, by the way,

is any sign of Geldof-style fundraising for Ukraine in the hands of all those Western artists who have not previously hesitated to sing for Africa or, earlier, howl for Vietnam. If it’s just that they’re too old, then we have bequeathed a generation that is happy to let that symbiosis die out. Isolating Russia can be self-defeating in many ways, given how it grinds down the flow of cash and goods and abrades the channels just as we also face supply chain issues from chip shortages and shipping restrictions to protectionist policies and the disintegration of bonding initiatives such as the EU. Unfortunately, it won’t be the same Russia when the time comes that sanctions can be lifted without anybody feeling guilty. It’s a country divided in two: if you thought Vietnam created a generation gap, Russia has an even bigger one. Putin’s generation and above are Soviet thinkers and mistrust the West instinctively. Their children have enjoyed rock and roll, hamburgers and overseas travel for 30 years, and the hunger for guitars, amps, line arrays, DSP and in-ear monitoring is very real and won’t just disappear. In-ear monitoring. Kafka would have had a field day with that stuff.

34 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

1979 Made in South Africa As it approaches a landmark milestone, Prosound reflects on its journey as one of South Africa’s oldest audiovisual companies

COMPANIES ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE AUDIO industry for longer than half a century belong to an elite and exclusive group. It’s even rarer to find one that has crossed such a milestone at a local level. Changes in technology keep upping the pace and staying relevant requires an appreciation of the subtle evolution an industry is going through. As the oldest AV specialist in South Africa, Prosound understands this dilemma well. Its growth has been closely linked with both establishing and then helping to develop and mature the country’s events industry over the last five decades. But a challenging landscape, economically and technologically, has seen the company pulled in various directions over the years. Prosound’s roots date back to the mid-1970s when it was established by Terry Acres and Denis Feldman. “Terry, as a youngster, wanted to mix bands,” recalls technical director Mark Malherbe, who has been similarly instrumental to the company’s success ever since. “Terry met up with somebody that owned a music shop, and together they formed a company called MSC – Musician Sound Centre. That was the early origins of Prosound, and the PA that we were using in those days included bits of the Woodstock PA that had been imported to South Africa by folk singer Dave Marks, and was being used on all the township gigs that we covered. As much as the money was elsewhere, we were focused on the townships, doing music festivals and fostering that entire environment when it was less than politically correct to do so.” Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, pro audio in South Africa went through a period of fundamental growth that saw Prosound take the lead in the event technology industry. “We’d become quite well known as this rental company, but at the same time the contracting market had started to open up in South Africa,” explains Malherbe. “Prior to that, anything of a certain level of technology was imported. There were a couple of projects that suddenly came up where we were given opportunities; however, in that first year we really didn’t stand a chance. We bid on Sun City when they opened their first section of the Sun City Hotel complex, but we just didn’t have a clue how to bid at the time. Nevertheless, we continued trying and eventually we won a couple of smaller projects.”

1981

1981 – 1982 Ellis Park Stadium installation

Ellis Park Stadium was the precursor to Prosound’s World Cup ambitions

36 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

1985

Playhouse theatre (Durban) installation

1987 Presidential inauguration

Paul Simon concert, Harare

1994

The company’s fortunes quickly changed when it won the bid to outfit Ellis Park Stadium in 1981, leading Prosound down a path that would ultimately see it securing nine of the 10 stadium audio integration projects for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. “The big turning point for us was Ellis Park Stadium – it was the first time the South African Rugby Football Union turned around and said: ‘we need to give South Africa a chance’,” says Malherbe. “At the time it was classified as the world’s largest hi-fi system. From then on, we started to bid on other projects and actually win them. Not too long after, we outfitted the Durban Theatre complex with new communications, sound, CCTV, back of house, paging and everything.” Prosound’s extensive involvement with stadiums established the company as a specialist in the field. “We won the stadiums, plus a couple of the practice stadiums, the new Durban International Airport, all the comms for the opening and closing ceremonies, the host broadcast auditorium and all the screens in the fan parks,” Malherbe says proudly. The company’s extensive involvement, however, was by no means accidental. “South Africa bid for the FIFA World Cup for 2006, which is the one that ended up going to Germany,” continues Malherbe. “However, during that period, we started talking to the consultants and helped put together the bid documents that went to FIFA to try and secure the tournament for South Africa. Although the country didn’t get to host the 2006 event, it became quite apparent in our mind that we stood a really good chance for the next one. We carried on working from 2006 with all the consultants and so by the time South Africa was awarded the World Cup for 2010, we were so well placed. “As a learning curve, it was phenomenal, and we already had a solid reputation, even internationally. But suddenly everybody knew us and that kicked us into a stratosphere

that we weren’t ready for. All of a sudden, we had all of these other people coming to us from different companies asking for assistance.” This led the team onto some highly prestigious projects elsewhere around the world, with a particular highlight being the integration of a new Electro-Voice line array system for the 60,000-capacity Philippines Arena in Manila. “We managed the entire project from SA,” says Malherbe. “I was flying out to Manila once a month, but we built all the steel work and equipment racks in SA and shipped them out. If anybody had said a few years before that that was what we’d be doing, I just wouldn’t have bought into it.” Despite everything, when bidding came around for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, Prosound wasn’t initially expecting much. “We tried to get in and we were basically told, ‘don’t worry, we’ve got everything under control’,” explains Malherbe. “Then the embargo came in between Qatar and the rest of the Middle East, and all the expertise that was going to come out of Dubai could no longer be accessed. People started to talk about us, saying: ‘if you need to be rescued, these boys down south know how to do it’.” This ended up with Prosound taking over the design and build for one of the Qatari World Cup stadiums using EV products. “We installed Bosch equipment for the back of house and other areas,” notes Prosound director, Justin Acres. “It was a dead project that we resurrected and literally saw it all the way through to the end.” After its involvement with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Prosound officially separated its systems integrations and distribution arms so its vast experience in the former wouldn’t be hindered by the latter. “The one thing that was becoming really apparent was that Prosound had built a great reputation as an integrator, but we also represented product and we were losing work because not everybody wanted to use a certain product in their venues,” explains Acres. “We created ApexPro to handle distribution. It’s been a seven-year process to get to this point, but Prosound is now what we like to refer to as a product-agnostic, integration solutions company.” In early 2020, the onset of the pandemic threw the global entertainment industry into disarray, and Africa was no exception. However, Prosound has remained resilient, quickly adapting to the changing environment. “A beautiful thing has happened during our restructuring,” continues Acres. “We’ve come out the other side with this young, talented, aggressive, very enthusiast pan-African sales force. We are now lean, mean, more efficient and cost-effective; it’s incredibly exciting.”

With Malherbe and Acres at the helm, together with the new sales force and the return of another notable figure in the company’s history, technical sales director Brendan Venter, Prosound is enthusiastic about its next steps. “Brendan worked for us during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa early in his career, leaving to grow his expertise in the broader industry,” notes Malherbe. “He recently returned to us and brings a vast amount of experience, knowledge and structure back to the team.” As part of the leaner, meaner Prosound machine, the company consolidated its warehouse operations in 2021. This move to a new home offered increased warehouse and space for an all-encompassing experience centre which serves as a venue to host buyers and train operational staff across the industry, while also giving it the space to highlight its history with a museum displaying gear used for some of South Africa’s most iconic events. Moving forwards, the wider African continent has become a natural target for Prosound, aided greatly by its previous successes. “We’ve built up an excellent reputation across Africa in terms of our installations and distribution. Our reach seems to be moving out further and further into the continent,” says Venter. Prosound continues to chart its own highly successful path, with dedicated team members covering not just the African continent but well beyond. After an impressive halfcentury of unparalleled South African-bred success, there’s good reason to believe that we’ll be hearing Prosound’s name for many more years to come. www.prosound.co.za

The new office

2022

to the future...

38 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

decis such and s Sepa produ the je engin before assem cham custo As w 2008 growt intern the Sp

A 72m depa

Family values Family values – Juan Amate (centre) with his sons Joan (left) and Jordi

After 50 years of quiet success and innovation, brothers Joan and Jordi are charting the course for Amate Audio’s next half-century, writes Richard Lawn AMATE ELECTROACÚSTICA AND ITS MASTER AUDIO trading brand had quietly gone about its business of crafting innovative electroacoustics for some four decades. Perhaps too quietly, preferring users to proselytise innovative designs rather than sing its own praises. A 2015 decision to rebrand as Amate Audio not only confirmed a desire to be recognised by the name of founder Juan Amate, it also marked a significant turning point. The younger Amate generation has imposed its presence on the company and is pioneering future fortunes as the manufacturer, based in Terrassa, just north of Barcelona, enters its sixth decade. “We have always enjoyed pioneering the use of new technologies in professional sound,” explains Juan Amate from the demo room of his headquarters. “Many of our designs and engineering firsts seemed crazy at the time, but they have gone on to become industry standards.” A backwards glance confirms this bold statement. In 1985, a world-first was rolled out as the AD Series amplifiers integrated clip limiters into their circuit boards. Four years later, the first ever three-channel power amplifier with integrated active signal processing and crossover, the TP-700, launched. The first three-way parametric fully configurable analogue processor – the VP3 – arrived in 1990, followed by DPU signal processing amplifiers including electronic mains over-voltage protection with interchangeable analogic processing cards that allowed the same amplifier to be used with different active loudspeakers. “While we were initially reluctant to enter the line array market, when we did release the MA210 in 2005 it was the first to have a built-in DSP system with computer control via RS-485 and mains over-voltage protection,” continues

Juan Amate with longtime Korean distributor, Daelim Musical, in 1997

Juan. The 35kg, 1.5kW line array module sparked a wave of development over the following 10 years. However, the continued creation of unique products and ground-breaking technologies is only half the tale. Juan’s sons, Joan and Jordi, entered the family business in the respective roles of chief technical officer and sales manager. Their introductions, in 2003 and 2012, added energy, vigour and a sense of purpose. Having graduated in telecommunications from Catalonia Polytechnic University in 2000 and gaining a diploma in Aachen, Germany, Joan took a leading role at Philips as part of a team that developed voice recognition technology in mobile telephony. “I learnt about complex processing, programming and business management, but I really wanted to return to the family business,” he recalls. Working alongside chief R&D engineer Avelino Costa before he retired, Joan now oversees the technicians in his department, including some on university placements. Starting out on the production and assembly lines while studying marketing, younger brother Jordi followed Joan. “I realised that the company had limited resources and asked my father why we weren’t promoting our successes on the website and social media,” says Jordi. “There had been a staff change and there was no one marketing the company, so I took responsibility for this. It was obvious that we weren’t communicating effectively with our customers or the market.” The company’s origins were linked to the boom in Spanish tourism that spawned nightclubs, hotels, restaurants and entertainment complexes. In 1972, Juan set up a workshop in his parent’s garage, creating his first amplifiers, mixers and speaker systems for a domestic market protected by import duties. “It started in my youth when I began modifying old radios, trying to improve the power output and achieve a better sound,” he recalls. “I was both passionate and, I suppose, obsessed with doing something to enable the power and nuance of a musical performance to be heard in a more perfect, natural way.” With Spanish EU membership in 1986, Amate Audio started to develop exports, moving to a larger 700m2 facility before relocating to its current, spacious headquarters in 1998. The

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE decision to outsource time-consuming manufacturing processes such as cabinet building and painting gave more focus to R&D and streamlined manufacturing assembly. Separated by a corridor where the warehouse, spare parts and production is based, a 72m2 fully lined anechoic chamber is the jewel of the R&D department. The company’s long-serving engineers assemble the amplifier and DSP module electronics before burn-in, packaging and shipping. The loudspeaker assembly line in an adjacent room with its own anechoic testing chamber produces made-to-order products which can be customised to specific requirements. As with other Spanish producers, the after-effects of the 2008–9 recession affected what should have been a period of growth. Fortunately, Amate Audio could rely upon a network of international distributors, many of whom have grown to respect the Spanish brand’s honest endeavours and engineering-focused

Inside the Terrassa headquarters

Juan Amate (centre) with distributors from over 20 countries at Amate Audio’s 2015 distributor summit

A 72m2 anechoic chamber is the pride of the R&D department ethos. Company expansion was aided by the Joker and Xcellence loudspeaker series. Launched in 2009, the premium Xcellence series was created for the fixed installation market as well as small-to-medium rental companies. “In developing new line array designs for the Xcellence series, we continued to offer something unique to the market,” says Juan, dismissing any notion of me-too product development. “With the X210 and X208, we further developed the compact self-powered concept, doubling the power output and adding capacitive keypad control for the DSP, along with powerful factory system presets, as well as Ethernet connectivity. Rental companies like our loudspeakers because they are flexible, easy to set up and highly scalable for all manner of events. They really do offer significant return on investment.” Joan acknowledges that there was limited software and firmware development when he joined the company 20 years ago. “My university education focused on signal processing and from there I started to embed firmware.” Amate released the first DSP-embedded platform in 2005 followed by a second generation in 2010. Amate became an Audinate licensee in 2016 and a third-generation DSP platform, Active+ with Dante audio networking, FIR filtering and colour touchscreen user interface, launched in 2018. The third-generation DSP debuted with the Xcellence 212AF three-way double 12-inch line array. “Younger technicians understand the importance of connectivity and existing on the network, so software development shapes the user interface and determines how the loudspeaker performs,” continues Joan. “We have two in-house programmers and two programmers working externally on embedded firmware development and software programming. With increasing demand of audio networking, particularly in the installation sector, we must offer traditional analogue and Dante digital connectivity, where remote monitoring and control are required.” Further customer feedback spurred Joan on to develop the dual 10-inch Xcellence X102FD, a powerful, compact point source speaker for smaller and medium-size events and venues which launched during the pandemic; advantageous when only small events were being staged. “The roots of our success lie with smaller rental companies who are reluctant to start off with a line array but feel confident using our systems to get bigger gigs,” says Joan. “As they grow, they add on more and more inventory from our catalogue.” Joan acknowledges that the company’s electronic heritage has served them well over the years. “In the 1990s, we were manufacturing power amplifiers with analogue processing cards

for each channel. Customers still use these, and sometimes contact us for repairs and servicing. The electrolytic capacitors are almost at the end of their life, but customers want to stick with them because these amps have performed well and have been reliable as we integrated a voltage protection circuit. Today we integrate that same type of over-voltage protection in all our Xcellence powered loudspeakers.” Younger brother Jordi’s digital sales and marketing expertise in promoting the brand complements Joan’s engineering prowess. “There was a big gap that needed to be filled, so I came at the right time,” he says. “During a meeting with a Spanish competitor, my father was complimented for the 200K followers we had on Facebook. Up until that point, my father hadn’t realised how what I was doing in the background was benefitting the company.” Jordi was promoted to export manager on his 24th birthday following the retirement of a sales director and credits the assistance of his team when assuming the new role. “Working

Joan Amate with the latest XCellence 212AF line array module as a team in any company is crucial, from initial product design to marketing,” he explains. “It’s hard to align everyone when you start to create a design. For example, the acoustics R&D team that determines the electronics requires marketing to provide feedback on the presets and amplifier, because there’s no point designing something there’s no demand for. The user continues to demand ease of use, which for us means adding complexity and technology to a design.” Asia Pacific has always been an important market for Amate Audio, with large house of worship installations and fountain displays in South Korea and live concerts across Vietnam. Although sales in the region fell during the pandemic, Jordi expects them to return to previous levels. “We hosted a demo of the Xcellence 212 line array to a large audience in 2019. Everything went according to plan and the listeners were overcome by the audio fidelity. Those customers will place orders as events pick up again.” Having focused on quality engineering and manufacturing for most of the half-century, marketing the brand has sometimes been secondary. “We are raising the brand awareness a lot more nowadays,” asserts Jordi. “There was a time when marketing wasn’t deemed to be as important, but we are putting in a more concerted effort to raise our profile and highlight our achievements.” Led by long-term staff including chief acoustics engineer, Natàlia Milán, Amate Audio continues on a course of engineering excellence, research and development. By designing, manufacturing and sourcing the best components, it has created some of the most efficient, powerful and cost-effective systems on the market. Having quietly gone about its business for the past five decades, Amate Audio continues to move forwards via continuing word of mouth referrals, impressive live demonstrations and increasing marketing visibility.

The Joker series parameters can be managed via DSP Studio Control software

www.amateaudio.com

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

ISE 2022

After years of planning and the disappointment of last year’s cancellation, ISE finally made it to its new home in Barcelona PRODUCTS COULD BE SAID TO HAVE TAKEN SECOND place to people at ISE 2022 in its long-awaited move to the Fira de Barcelona which, after a frustrating spell of cancellations and rescheduling, finally opened its doors to the global AV community on 10 May. New technology and upgrades developed during the past two years were very much in evidence, but official press launches were in much shorter supply than pre-Covid, and while visitors were engaging with on-stand demos and presentations, most seemed more interested in engaging with friends and colleagues they hadn’t seen for several years. Masks and fistbumps had largely been replaced by smiles, handshakes and hugs, and the overall mood was upbeat and positive. ISE’s audio contingent could be found in Hall 7, the furthest from the main entrance, and most stands were alive with deals and discussions throughout the four-day show. Despite most manufacturers reporting full order books, however, the frustration of supply chain problems was very much apparent. Some stands were showing notably less products than previously, but others had as much technology as in bygone years. While there was a distinct absence of anyone from China, some visitors from Asia and the Middle East had made it to Barcelona, with delegations from India particularly in evidence. Aside from this, the halls were packed with exhibitors and visitors from Europe and America who evidently couldn’t wait to get back to an in-person event. Each morning occasioned a rush of people racing to the main entrance to join lengthy queues, and the frantic pace was kept up inside as 43,691 unique attendees from 151 countries made 90,372 visits to the show floor. The long walkway connecting six Technology Zones within the Fira made the exhibition simple to navigate, though once inside the halls, stand numbers could be tricky to find. When it

came to onsite facilities, WiFi was available, seating areas had been provided between halls and F&B outlets were abundant. Leaving the show was another matter, however, with crowds gathering at the single taxi rank from late afternoon for a long wait. The airconditioned metro station in the basement of the Fira was a more practical transport solution and didn’t involve waiting in the heat, but not many seemed to be using it, or were even aware of its presence. These are all teething problems, however; the unanimous consensus was that the move to Barcelona has been extremely positive for ISE and the inaugural event a resounding success. And it does seem that the tradeshow is back.

2022 Dates:

10 – 13 May

2023 Dates:

31 January – 3 February

Venue:

Fira de Barcelona

Total exhibitors:

834

Attendance:

43,691

Contact:

www.iseurope.org

From the show floor

Craig Newbury, Lawo: “We’re concentrating less on product demos and more on networking. Telling our customers what we’ve been doing over the past couple of years, and the solutions we’ve brought to market, presenting our products in a solutionsorientated way that solves problems. Product demos at tradeshows can be limiting to a certain extent, as our solutions are very versatile and can achieve many different things. We developed our ‘presentation pod’ over the pandemic which presents our entire portfolio in a few screens, plus our Lawo Experience tool which gives customers an insight into what their peers are doing with our solutions, giving context to our products.” Highlights: mc236 all-in-one production console

Brad Kautzer, Williams AV (pictured left with Nancy Crowe): “I joined as CEO at the height of the pandemic, coming out of a different industry, but a show is a show and it’s great to be out again. I’ve been impressed with the number of systems integrators, distributors and consultants, and we’ve had a steady stream of channel partners bringing in their customers. The company has evolved from assisted listening; our mission is broader, it’s systems communications, audio and video. So it’s exciting to get out and tell that story in a more intimate way. You can only do some much in an online environment.” Highlights: Convey Video AI-powered translation system

Cecilia Wilde, Matrox: “Usually, we would have had a big videowall, a control room desk and more screens and technology for operators, but we weren’t sure where this show was going, so decided to construct a glass ‘room’ on the stand that we call our video lab. We set this up in the Munich office during the pandemic using all our own technology for virtual demos, and during ISE we have two colleagues based in the video lab in Munich giving demos to visitors. It’s a bit of a strange concept as we’re in a live demo scenario but it’s worked out really well. It feels like we’re back to where we were before the pandemic in terms of footfall and leads.” Highlights: ConvertIP encoder/decoder; IPMX open standards products

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor Håkan Sjöö, Audiofocus: “I started at Audiofocus during the pandemic so it’s fantastic to be back at a tradeshow and meeting people in person who I’ve already made contact with digitally.” Highlights: Carys C6 and C15LS column solutions

Jason Kelly, L-Acoustics: “Covid has taught us that social connectivity is way more important than product launches. People can be informed about products in so many different ways now, but tradeshows are really important for bringing people together and keeping relationships going. The amount of floorspace we’ve given to tables for people to meet compared to how much product space we’ve got is an indication of where we think things are going.” Highlights: LA7.16i amplified controller; Soka colinear source loudspeaker and SB6i subwoofer; L-ISA Ambiance

Jason Schwartz, Hall Technologies: “Following the change of company name in 2021, ISE 2022 marks the first occasion that Hall Technologies has exhibited in Europe. If the reaction is anything to judge, our debut was long overdue. Nothing beats a demo or in-person conversation. We presented two live demos focusing on the management of AV signals in today’s work environments. The AV community has certainly returned and is making up for lost time.” Highlights: Thirteen new products including Apollo Technology room kit for 4K smart classrooms; HD and 4K cameras

Simon Curtis, Cloud Electronics: “My expectation of visitor numbers has been exceeded and there’s been a great turnout of attendees from MEA. I’m sure many Asians will return next year once they gain more confidence in travelling. In comparison to the RAI in Amsterdam, the halls of the Fira are much easier to navigate.” Highlights: MA40 and MA80 Series mini amplifiers

Kevin Shove, Lavoce: “It’s been a great show and what’s really made a difference is having visitors come to the booth who aren’t our typical customers – it’s made for a really positive experience.” Highlights: SAN184.50iP and SAN216.00iP aluminium subwoofers

Daniel González, Ecler: “We are happy to be here in our home city, and the ambience and facilities are great. It’s the first time ISE has been here, but my perception is that in two years’ time, ISE will be bigger than the Mobile World Congress, which is currently the biggest show here in Barcelona.” Highlights: Vida-24Q digital amplifier

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor Tom Van de Sande, Audac: “My favourite part has been everyone coming back together, and we dedicated more space on our booth to let people do just that. We have fewer products with us than usual. It would be great to have booth numbers displayed – a frustration mentioned by other people. I would also like more focus on dedicated areas. Hall 7 next year will be shared by lighting and staging but, for audio, keeping all these companies together is crucial.” Highlights: Viro5 and Vexo 110A loudspeakers; SCP amplifier series

Colin Farquhar, Vitec: “I came to the show with relatively low expectations and high aspirations. I’m pleased to say that my high aspirations have been met; it’s been good. The lack of travel restrictions has made everyone much more willing to get out.” Highlights: Avedia IPTV platform; ArtioSign digital signage application; ArtioView interactive viewing portal; ChannelLink IP distribution gateway

Mark Breakspear, Interprefy (pictured left with Richard Roocroft): “As a first-time exhibitor, we were dipping our toe in the water, and the Discovery Zone is very reasonable, plus there’s been great footfall. Our location is right on the main thoroughfare and lots of clients have passed by which has been great for brand recognition, and nice after not meeting many of them for so long.” Highlights: Remote Simultaneous Interpretation platform

Marc Wilson, Glensound: This is our fourth post-Covid show and they’ve all followed the same trend: quieter than would be expected, but a great quality of attendees, all here to do business. I don’t think we’re quite at normal ISE numbers yet, but the show has been busy and exceeded many people’s expectations.” Highlights: GTM eSports audio management tool

George Tennet, Blaze Audio (pictured right with Thomas Marcher and Niels Lorentzen): “ISE 2022 marks the first showing of our brand and digital amplifier catalogue, so it was important to make a statement and we invested in a large two-tier booth. We’ve networked with many interesting visitors from across the globe, particularly Europe. Barcelona was the perfect stage for our debut and I am anticipating further developments following the conversations we have enjoyed.” Highlights: PowerZone Connect DSP amplifiers; PowerZone Control App

Mig Cardamone, Sennheiser: “The people that have come onto the booth have been exactly the type of customer we want and the enthusiasm for being back face-to-face has been really refreshing. If I had to mention any negatives, the taxis are not very plentiful. I really like the hall and the layout is easy to navigate.” Highlights: TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) and Intelligent Speaker (TC ISP)

Amy Harvey, Void (pictured right with Callum Bowran): “ISE 2022 was a huge success; we couldn’t have asked for more after a two-and-ahalf-year hiatus away from European tradeshows. The team were thrilled to be back and to see the excitement on peoples’ faces.” Highlights: Cyclone 4 speaker; Venu 208 subwoofer; Bias Q3 amp

Andy Cooper, Yamaha (pictured left with Karl Christmas): “Like every other manufacturer, Yamaha has been affected by supplies of parts over the past 12 months. We set aside a large space for networking, which was vindicated as the first two days of the show have been packed. What we didn’t anticipate however, was running out of soft drinks on day one!” Highlights: RM-W wireless conferencing mics, VST plugin Dante interface; VC ceiling speakers and DHR cabinets

Hannah Libby, Bose: “We have fewer products than we’ve had at previous shows. At ISE 2020 we had a vast booth, and we weren’t sure what would happen with this show, so we’re taking baby steps back. But it’s been really successful and we’ll absolutely be back next year.” Marty Bodley, Bose: “It’s great that we could just turn things back on again; it seems that everyone’s come back without skipping a beat.” Highlights: Bose meeting room solutions

Kim Franklin, Listen Technologies: “One thing the organisers did well was providing a venue and an opportunity for people to meet up face-to-face, but they’ve struggled with the logistics. It’s hard to get around Barcelona, and next year I hope they can give people different transportation options. But there’s room for growth; more visitors and exhibitors can be accommodated.” Highlights: Listen Everywhere Dante-enabled server; Listen Everywhere Private Channels feature; firmware upgrades to ListenTalk neck loop

Simon Godfrey, Wharfedale Pro (pictured right with Alex Lane): “Since ISE 2019, we’ve redesigned a new catalogue of speakers and DSP amps which we’ve launched here. We were hoping to meet prospective sales partners and customers from live rental and installation verticals. It’s been a resounding success for us, and will allow us to create strategic partnerships beyond our traditional portable and residential networks.” Highlights: GPL, WLA-1, WLA-28A and Sigma-X Series loudspeakers; DP-F and DP-4030 amplifiers; IS-48 entertainment system; Diamond studio monitors; SC-48 FIR

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Untitled-1 4

28/06/2022 10:14

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

NAMM 2022

The NAMM Show returns but not as we know it

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MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO THE ANAHEIM CONVENTION Centre after a prolonged two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the NAMM Show 2022’s shift in the calendar to June was the topic of conversation on many lips. And walking through the various halls of the exhibition, nowhere was that chat more prevalent than in the ACC North Hall’s more “Pro Audio” focused hub. It was a NAMM show full of enthusiasm for most, but it wasn’t a typical NAMM in any sense of the word. By moving the show to June, one of the main attractions for pro audio manufacturers targeting the live sound and touring sectors was removed as most engineers were already out on the road. This missing visitor segment created a stark difference between the second floor of the ACC North, which served as their base, and the lower level where audio production and content creation convened. Additionally, with InfoComm Las Vegas beginning just a few days later, some prominent exhibitors were forced to choose which one they would support. Down in the music halls, a more intimate floorplan with much smaller aisles gave a contrasting impression, with the

typical cacophony of sound greeting you upon arrival and keeping energy levels high and the atmosphere engaging. While there were few standout product launches, there was of course a healthy showing of new technology whose development has been ongoing through the absence of in-person exhibitions. And while many had reduced their show footprint, manufacturers provided attendees with a valuable and welcome first-hand experience to get up close and personal with solutions they’ve become accustomed to in a purely digital realm. But like other industry shows that preceded it, this aspect often played second place to people. NAMM provided the first opportunity for many old friends and colleagues to rekindle old relationships. Despite heralding representation from 111 countries, this year’s NAMM was largely a domestic affair. Naturally, a few newly liberated Australians and southeast Asians in addition to a smattering of Europeans attended the exhibition, but the visitor demographics were heavily North American. Even Latin American representation was thin on the ground. Despite the lower visitor numbers and scaled-down footprint, the exhibitors are determined for NAMM to succeed. The

overwhelming assumption is that once NAMM returns to its usual January slot in 2024, there will be a return to some sort of normality. Whether exhibitors will return to display their wares on large-format booths is another matter as some clearly prefer the downsized networking format. Mixed feedback as the show came to an end seemed to be ultimately down to where exhibitors were located and who they were looking to interface with.

Mark Evans (left), Prism Sound: “I didn’t really come with any expectations, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. It’s been a really good experience and I think this show has proven that there is still a healthy audio industry out there. People now seem to want equipment that’s going to last them, that’s got longevity and quality, and they’re prepared to pay for it. So in our position, that’s a great opportunity for us. The fact that we can deliver products at the moment because we had foresight to stock a lot of component parts is really swinging in our favour.”

Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe (right), NUGEN Audio: “I was expecting it to be a lot more different than it is. I’ve heard some people saying it seems quieter but, but for me personally, it’s felt like a pretty busy show so far. I’ve been having a lot of really good conversations, making good connections and I think there’s been a very nice energy because so many people are seeing each other again for the first time in two-and-a-half years. We’ve been to a couple of other shows this year already, but this is the one that felt like a real return.”

2022 Dates:

3 – 5 June

2023 Dates:

13 – 15 April

Venue:

Anaheim Convention Centre

Total exhibitors:

1,000+

Attendance:

46,627

Contact:

www.namm.org

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From the show floor

Anne Berggrein and team, DPA Microphones: “We felt it was important to be here at NAMM for several reasons: we have a campaign called We Love Life and I think after Covid it’s been important for us to show the love and the passion that we have for the live segment. Also we have a new mic, the 4055 kick drum mic, that we wanted to show to everyone and I think it’s been a great reception. We’ve had a lot of people coming here asking about the new mic, so it’s been a good success for us.”

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Rob with In a as M num colu Infin yea tran

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor

Mark Leah and Joe Heaton, AMS Neve: “The show’s been incredibly successful for the whole Neve team. Our booth has been almost the star of the show and we walked away with the Tec Award in the large-format console category. We were a little worried coming in as we had heard about other brands pulling out. The rumour mill started in the dealer network that the show was going to be very quiet and be a bit of a waste of time. It’s not only been very busy for us, but probably as busy as it ever has been. The show itself is a little smaller, but the crowd’s the same size.”

Tom Back, Alcons: “I’m very happy to be back. Our way of being present at NAMM is not with a booth but by participating in the demo system showcase. We were in the arena back in 2020 and it was a very successful show for us and we left on a high. Unfortunately, this year there are only four participants but we went ahead and it’s actually been really good – as it’s on the show floor and not in the separate arena, you get a lot more inflow from people walking the show. As a concept we’re very positive about it.”

Gary Boss, Audio-Technica: “I noticed that everyone had a slightly more realistic footprint this time, and I think that worked out in everyone’s best interest where they balanced both their costs and their exposure. The quality of people we had was really solid with very few tyre kickers and a lot of good questions. People typically did not want to handle things. So QR codes were a great alternative and whoever invented the QR code, we thank you. If I had to nitpick I would say there could be better communication with manufacturers to more clearly say who’s coming to the show. Is this a dealer show? Is this an end-user show? How can we make that a little more clear?”

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Andres Franco, d&b: “I think coming into NAMM this year, we underestimated thinking that we wouldn’t get as many clients, but actually doing it this way, in a more relaxed setting with the demo room, has worked really well. We’ve had lots of visitors coming in and I think it’s been more beneficial for us. We’ve definitely seen some new people and overall it’s been very good but we’ve not seen as many engineers as we would do normally.”

Roberto Mataloni, (left) FBT: “It feels good to be back with our US partner LSI and see our customers again. In addition to some of our renowned loudspeakers such as Mitus, Myra, Muse and Ventis, we’re showcasing a number of new products including the CLA203 and 204 column speakers, the Miura multichannel amplifiers and Infinito software. We knew NAMM would be different this year, but we were happy to support the show while they transition back to normal.”

Anders Jovaag, Focusrite Group: “We want to network with media, buyers and customers in a professional environment in which we can properly demonstrate our brands. The newly launched Adam Audio A series of monitors and the Focusrite Clarett+ range of USB audio interfaces have been particularly well received. Our underlying message, however, is to demonstrate the various products within ecosystems, including our Novation, Oberheim and Sequential brands.”

Patrick Almond, Studiomaster: “We’re happier being up here in the pro audio hall due to the direction that our brands are going in this year. Previously, Carlsboro has been the focus but Studiomaster is the one we’re wanting to push this year, so being in this hall even though it’s smaller has still been good.”

Nigel Wood (right), Celestion: “We had limited expectations for this year’s NAMM, but the meeting quality was much better than we expected. Quantity was down but quality was up.”

Austin Freshwater, DiGiCo: “Unfortunately, it’s been what we expected it to be. The timing isn’t great for the live market, as thankfully all the engineers are on the road which is a good thing. The reason we’re here is primarily to support the show organisation and we’re looking forward to it getting back to its traditional January slot.”

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

InfoComm 2022

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InfoComm’s new West Hall debuts amid a busy return to Las Vegas FROM THE MOMENT THE CEREMONIAL SCISSORS cut the ribbon to signify the start of InfoComm 2022, a tidal wave of hope, positivity and enthusiasm flooded into the newly constructed West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). That deluge of almost 20,000 visitors may represent a poor vintage compared to the 44,000 who attended InfoComm 2018 in the same Nevada location, but this was not a time to make comparisons. Like ISE before it, exhibitor expectations were somewhat low, staking the need to host an in-person event, although the success of ISE in Barcelona had set a benchmark for InfoComm. Despite there being an overdue desire to return to the bright LED screens and audio innovations, it was the Unified Communications and conferencing exhibits including Biamp, Q-SYS, Sennheiser and Shure that seemed to warrant most attention in the West Hall. New product launches remained thin on the ground. However, Adamson Systems premiered its Fletcher immersive processor on the eve of the show, Sennheiser unveiled its latest ew-DX wireless platform and Peavey Commercial revealed extensive updates to its MediaMatrix catalogue. If the AV world was not already aware of supply chain shortages, then a press conference by Audinate helped to explain how the combination of increased demand, semiconductor plant fires and component shortages had created the perfect storm. Consequently, the final furlong of the product road map for many manufacturers was seemingly halted at InfoComm 2022. It’s one thing to launch and quite another to mass produce, so many manufacturers were not in the mood to create a demand that cannot be supplied. For those exhibitors that could supply, InfoComm felt like a return to those halcyon days of the 1990s with business deals being confirmed with purchase orders on the booth. With just 10 demonstration rooms on offer on the second level, the visitor was not as spoilt for choice as in previous years and so the staged sessions were generally packed for all four days. Across the North and West Halls of the LVCC, 70 new exhibitors were vying for attention among the 522 who were present. One of those was Berlin-based audio specialist Holoplot. In addition to being kept busy on the booth, Holoplot transported visitors to

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an offsite location to better understand its wave field synthesis breakthroughs with demonstrations of its Hybrid X-1 design. The 10-minute walking distance between the sleekly designed West Hall and the older North Hall deterred frequent LVCC migrations. Despite hosting visual giants such as Christie, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony, the North was no busier than the more audio-centric West. Only towards the rear of the West did InfoComm appear to be sparsely populated, with exhibitors greeting dedicated visitors rather than passing traffic. On the final day of the show, Clark County issued a high level Covid-19 notification for the LVCC, recommending the use of masks. Even though all attendees had to produce a certificate of vaccination or a negative test, the Covid genie had once again been let out of the bottle. There can be no doubt that the virus had gained momentum by hitching a ride with those visitors who had attended the NAMM Show just a few days earlier. Judging by the scale of post-InfoComm social media comments and the

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2022 Dates:

8 – 10 June

2023 Dates:

14 – 16 June

Venue:

Las Vegas Convention Centre

Total exhibitors:

522

Attendance:

19,681

Contact:

www.infocommshow.org

largely unpopulated booths of many exhibitors on day three, a superspreader event had occurred. The wave of optimism that had entered the halls just two days earlier now ebbed away as infection spikes mounted. InfoComm 2023 will be staged at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center from 14–16 June.

From the show floor

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Dean Standing, AtlasIED: “It feels good to be back at tradeshows once again after such a long layoff. As much as AtlasIED is enjoying showcasing the latest collection of Dante-networkable and Strategic Head speakers, HPA amplifiers and Atmosphere processing wall interfaces, InfoComm is simply a great place to meet old friends and new customers alike.”

Richard Fleming, XTA: “It’s similar in hindsight to previous years in that it takes so long for the audio visitors to get to this hall; I thought it would be easier this time. I reckon it’s three hours before the serious people get to you but, when they do, they’re of a really good quality and I think we could be writing business in 4–6 weeks off the back of this show.”

Tom Barker-Harrold, Holoplot: “In terms of visitors, it’s been varied to be honest because of where we are on our journey. We’ve seen lots of American distributors, integrators and some engineers, so a nice mix. Word of mouth has proved to be very effective, hence why we’ve been doing the demos offsite – the momentum is insane and we’ve sold out the demos each day. There’s been some interesting reactions to the demos, lots of headshakes, jaw drops and confusion.”

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor Jason Polk, Absen: “We have been extremely busy this time around and the quality has been amazing. I would say one thing that would help the organisers in the future is making sure that everyone has a fair shot of knowing what’s in their new space. When you’re planning to have one design and then you realise you can’t do it because of space limitations, that is a frustration.” Marc Bertrand, Adamson Systems Engineering: “Having already exhibited at ISE last month, we knew what to expect for InfoComm 2022. The traffic was not overwhelming, but it was a much better quality. There’s a great deal of optimism around, despite the problems that 2022 is throwing at the industry, and end users fully understand the long lead time wait on products.”

Jason Polk

Marc Bertrand

Scott Freshman

Robert Moreau, Clockaudio USA: “There’s more people than I expected, but we’re happy to be here but it’s all about the people. We’ve got some interesting new products which people have only been able to see on video but now we can show the diagnostic modes we have; it’s a very tactile presentation and it’s important to see the reaction.”

Robert Moreau

Hans Christian Stucken

Scott Freshman, Visionary Solutions: “We’ve been super busy, we were at ISE but it feels like this is busier. Although there has been some spillover as we’re right next to QSC, a lot of the people we’ve met have come specifically to see us. We have inventory and can shift product and people are now looking for alternatives. We’ve seen a few overseas visitors to the booth but, compared to a normal InfoComm, it’s probably 10%.”

Hans Christian Stucken, AV Stumpfl: “The visitor numbers are smaller than previous years, but we have been vindicated in our decision to exhibit as we are meeting quality attendees. It’s almost a return to those good old days of the 1990s when we were writing out purchase orders on the booth.” Tom Riby, K-array: “It’s been fascinating as 60% of the visitors to the booth haven’t heard of K-array. We’ve had a lot of fun introducing the brand but also introducing K-gear and K-scape for the first time. There has been more focus this time on the installed side so we’ve seen a lot of systems integrators and consultants, live will come back but, in the meantime, on the booth there’s been a lot of interest in the new Vypers and their new form factor as well as Rail.”

Tom Riby

Rob Fowler

Rob Fowler, Brompton Technology: “It’s nice to be back, the vibe is here but a little less busy. I feel a bit sorry for InfoComm because the other shows landed before and have perhaps stolen its thunder, even though InfoComm is in the correct time slot. In terms of the visitors, it’s been a bit of both – a lot of vendors here have problems with lead times and equipment so there’s obviously new business to develop but there’s also a lot of relationships to manage so it’s great to have those conversations.”

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Jorge Castañeda, ATEN: “Although the numbers are lower compared to 2019, we are meeting prolific visitors from the house of worship and educational sectors, in addition to prominent YouTubers.”

Spencer McEvoy

Jorge Castañeda

Spencer McEvoy, Jabra: “This is my first time at InfoComm, and there are so many people here. I was at CES at this same convention centre in January and, if I’m comparing InfoComm to that, I would say it’s double if not triple the size. We have personally had more meetings than we have ever done at a show. This show was bigger than ISE and that was the biggest shock to everyone, because ISE was loaded.” Bradley Watson, Martin Audio: “Our demo room has been really busy, I think we will have seen 650 through the door which considering it’s a smaller demo room than normal is a good result. It’s been the first international showing for Optimal and we’ve seen some interesting people. It’s been well attended from LatAm and quite a number from Asia on the booth so overall very positive for us.”

Bradley Watson

Lou Mannarino, 1 Sound: “1 Sound used to be a distributor for some established brands in the US, but we switched our business model to manufacturing our own loudspeakers in recent years. We first exhibited at InfoComm 2019, but we decided to take an additional demo room at this year’s show to demonstrate and explain the rationale behind the cannon coaxials, MS34 mono plus stereo enclosure and LCC84 low column cardioid. We’re a relatively small company, so having to drop all our other commitments was a risk. However, the investment has paid off.” David Griffiths, Datapath: “We’re delighted to be back in Las Vegas for InfoComm as we’ve not been able to be here for two years as a complete international crew. We did exhibit last year in Orlando, which had obviously reduced attendance with all the things that were going on, but this year is the full coming-out party effectively for Atrium. It’s given us the opportunity to show it to a much wider audience and to be around so many other exhibitors in this brand-new exhibition hall.”

Lou Mannarino

David Griffiths

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

MEES rebound reflects industry resilience The Middle East Event Show (MEES) returned to the region for the first time in three years

Falcon’s James Glanville

Sole Agency MD Adam Long

Informa Connect commercial and strategy director Alan Kelly

GES Exhibition Services general manager Donna Hyland

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With a focus on “resilience, innovation and creativity”, The Middle East Event Show (MEES) once again drew leading individuals and companies from the region’s MICE industry. Staged at Dubai’s Madinat Arena in Jumeirah on 15 and 16 June, professionals were enticed to an exhibition with over 100 booths, 40 free seminars and an awards ceremony that recognised achievements among peers. The Covid-19 pandemic caused unexpected challenges which in turn led to seismic changes for the local events industry. Making up for lost time, the talent comprising this community was keen to demonstrate how they have adapted during this testing period in addition to what they have learned. However, the focus seemed to be more on looking ahead to a more optimistic future full of renewed strategies, innovation and more sustainable ways to run world-class events across the region. Informa Connect commercial and strategy director Alan Kelly was full of praise for his team who had finally staged the long overdue event. “This is the first show since March 2019, and we are busier than ever. Not only have a lot of the stands changed their appearance, post-Covid, but we’re also witnessing an increased level of engagement with regards to the technology on the stands that just didn’t exist before. Our industry has changed forever, and you can really see that here in terms of what’s on display on the show floor.” Global Experience Specialists (GES) Exhibition Services was one of the key build and engagement partners for the two-day event. General manager Donna Hyland has headed up operations in the region since 2018. “Like everyone else in the industry, we did not know what was going to happen postCovid. However, it’s bounced back much quicker than what we expected. A lot of the initial shows that we thought would be very small grew to between three and five exhibition halls in size.” According to Hyland, the rapid growth is being generated from beyond the UAE. “As soon as the borders reopened, I set up a trade licence in Saudi Arabia and we are already contracted to conduct eight shows in 2022 so far.” Music agent Adam Long established Sole Agency following his relocation from London to Dubai in 2008. “Sole Agency

works in numerous sectors including hospitality and F&B, which have been strong post-Covid. What I am witnessing is a growing number of hotels that previously did not offer entertainment are now wanting to bring it in-house, because their competitors have the edge. As a result, we are assisting a few new venues with their entertainment requirements. Saudi is achieving a lot of its goals in

TerraTech’s Stu Kennedy

James Mistry of JAM

line with the 2030 vision through hosting live events, conferences and exhibitions – so it’s a great time to be involved in regional events. This region has a lot to offer both to the industry and to the wider community in terms of growth. We’re going to be working with the sports body and Formula One in Saudi this September and, of course, a lot of companies will be flat out with the World Cup in Qatar later this year.” This is echoed by the growth identified by Hyland at GES. “Events in Dubai are picking up slowly, but Saudi has been particularly strong for us since the start of the year. They are specifying larger production rollouts such as orchestras and big bands. With Saudi exerting a greater demand on talent, crews and equipment from Dubai, it is starting to create a vacuum here in the UAE as more gear is sent there.”

As the founder and MD at JAM Event Services, James Mistry continued the Saudi Arabia theme. “JAM specialises in events safety and crowd management with a full-time team of in-house professionals. Although our HQ has been based in Dubai for five years, we have another office in Riyadh, and we now have staff based in Jeddah as the Saudi market is really picking up.” Despite this being a time when the traditional summer slowdown kicks in, Mistry is running at full speed with a packed diary ahead. “Qatar is a busy hub for us, and the circus [FIFA 2022 World Cup] will be there for the next six months. Like the rest of the industry, we’re bracing ourselves for the silly season in September and there is a lot to set up in advance. We need to be ready and have both the resources and the solutions for our clients.” Having earned a reputation as an entertainer for over 30 years, Stuart Kennedy took on the role of operations director for Dubai-based events management company TerraTech during the pandemic. “TerraTech has bounced back strongly with an increasing demand for pontoon work in addition to trackways and roadways in Saudi Arabia. Most of the work we are engaged in is for cultural events on behalf of the Saudi government. Fortunately, we are not alone as we find ourselves working with other UAE partners out there, which is a bonus as we all know how to work with one another in terms of, for example, health and safety measures.” For an industry that was recently stranded in the doldrums, this year’s long overdue MEES proved to be a great networking event and demonstrated how quickly it has rebounded. Just as the talented individuals that constitute this community have changed and learnt new skill sets over the past two years, the exhibits mirrored a huge transformation in how events are being staged. As Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha and the other GCC cities continue to impose increasing demands on the UAE’s MICE suppliers and talent, MEES may need to expand its sphere of influence beyond the UAE. www.informaconnect.com/middle-east-event-show

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

Getting on board with LED

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Chip-on-Board technology has the potential to revolutionise the LED sector once current hurdles are overcome IN THE FIELD OF PROFESSIONAL VIDEO DISPLAYS, there are currently two main manufacturing methods that account for nearly all LEDs, yet it’s typically the move towards smaller and smaller pixels that steal the tech headlines as opposed to the underlying construction of those pixels. Traditionally, LEDs – whether used for lighting or assembled into an LED videowall to create a visual display – have been Surface Mount Devices (SMD). More recently, a lesser-known technology called Chip-on-Board (COB) has created a number of distinct advantages for LEDs over their SMD counterparts, and adoption in the professional video market is therefore set to rise.

L–R: from

Schematic diagram of an SMD chip

L–R: SiliconCore’s Jim Wickenhiser and Eric Li SMDs are created by being packaged together and soldered onto a silicon surface or PCB using wires. Although complex, this process has been majorly refined over time. In contrast, COB sees uncoated semiconductor elements (dice, die, chip) mounted directly onto a PCB or substrate. COB LEDs are basically multiple LED chips (typically nine or more) bonded directly to a substrate by the manufacturer to form a single module. Since the individual LEDs used in a COB are chips and are not traditionally packaged in the same way that SMDs are, the LED chips can be mounted to take up less space, allowing more potential to be obtained from them. “Right now, SMD LEDs are manufactured – literally grown – and assembled together in a package,” explains Jim Wickenhiser, SiliconCore SVP of strategic initiatives. “Those packages then get put onto a PCB. With COB, the promise is that we won’t need to package the LED anymore, and therefore can achieve substantial cost savings.”

“With COB, the diodes are actually inside the board, in contrast to SMD where they’re on top of the board,” adds VOD Visual CEO, Robert Bint. “When you put the diode in the board, you can get rid of a lot of the diode package, so it allows you to make them smaller and get them closer together. Because it’s inside the board itself, you get much better heat dissipation and you’ve also got far fewer contact points, so there are less points of failure. The end result is that the boards are just much lighter and thinner.” Flip chip describes a method of electrically connecting the die to the package carrier. Flip-chip COB moves the process along one step further by die-bonding the chip directly onto the PCB board without the need for any wire bonding. This greatly simplifies parts of the manufacturing process and lowers the number of potential defects (lower failure rate), enhancing reliability. The simplified structure of COB LEDs also increases heat dissipation, making them more electrically efficient. Compared to SMD, COB offers several distinct advantages. The first is higher reliability. The death rate of LED display screens with COB packaging technology is far less than industry-standard SMDs. What’s more, COB adopts coating technology to prevent

LED failure caused by water, moisture, UV and other damage and can support all-weather operation. The second advantage is that it is easier to realise mini LED display screens in small point spacing. COB is no longer limited by bracket size when designing lamp bead diameter. As a result, the technology can be used to cover the market below P1.0mm that SMD technology cannot reach, yet users are increasingly striving for. Furthermore, the modules encapsulated with COB are not only lighter than those with SMD but also have a larger viewing angle. COB can also be bent at will, unlike SMD modules, which are generally flexible to around 125°. You might be wondering why the market isn’t already brimming with new COB-based LED displays; there are some drawbacks in the manufacturing of COB chips that have prevented their widespread development until recently. “There’s an inherent advantage to having the LEDs directly on the board, which is that you don’t have to pay for the packaging,” notes Wickenhiser. “While there are cost savings that can be achieved with COBs, the problem is there are still several innovations that need to take place on the manufacturing side to fully realise those savings.”

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY “Firstly, it’s very hard to solder onto the aluminium substrates that are used with COB,” continues Bint. “And because there are not so many people making COB LEDs, it’s also harder to bin batch them. You have to buy LEDs in bin batches otherwise they won’t all match and you’ll suffer uniformity issues. This can be standardised through a calibration process but it’s very timeintensive and has to be done in the factory.” Once these manufacturing glitches are overcome, and as the industry seeks ever smaller pixels in a bid to improve visual fidelity, it seems logical that COB will one day win over SMD. “The industry is already starting to get there and the more people that make it, the more the hurdles will be further reduced,” says Larry Zoll, director of global operations for The LED Studio. Once traditional SMD architectures get down below 1mm pitch, soldering becomes tricky. Although production faults can be fixed there is a cost, and pixels can fail because of the delicate solder. COB suffers no such issue. Another advantage of COB is that the surface of the display can be made completely flat, making it suitable for touch applications. In the past, the non-flat surface of LEDs has meant that they were very hard to keep clean, or needed a glass overlay to protect the LED that adversely Schematic diagram of a flip-chip COB chip

L–R: Larry Zoll from The LED Studio and Robert Bint from VOD Visual

affected brightness and visual fidelity. That won’t be needed using COB; the displays are more rugged and can be sealed for weatherproofing to IP67 standards. The use of COB LEDs in professional applications is increasing as the benefits over traditional LED options are realised. With an ability to pack more LED sources into a smaller space for increased output, as well as to transfer heat more effectively to a heatsink, lower failure rates due to simplified design, lighter and thinner construction, lower light loss, greater efficiency and increased viewing angle, it’s not hard to see why. The recent introduction of commercial COB displays demonstrates how the technology has matured and is now on the cusp of revolutionising the LED display market.

“The 1.25mm wall that we’re showing off currently, which basically everyone expects at this point, was cutting-edge only two or three years ago,” concludes Zoll. “We’re at that same point right now with COB, it’s just progressing so fast. If you’re not innovating and not figuring out how to differentiate yourself in this new market, you’re going to get left behind very quickly. Do our customers today care about the difference? That’s up for debate. But in two years, when the price of COB is the same as SMD, a lot of people are going to care. It’s important to know where the industry is heading.” www.silicon-core.com www.vod-visual.co.uk

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NEWPRODUCTS

INSTALLATION • AV • LIVE SOUND • BROADCAST • POSTPRODUCTION • RECORDING • LIGHTING

A–ZCONTENTS

MAILA marks next milestone for LD Systems The scalable sound reinforcement system aims to set new standards in user-friendliness and flexibility in the professional rental market WITH THE introduction of the Modular All-Round Intelligent Line Array – MAILA – LD Systems is heralding a new chapter in the German pro audio manufacturer’s history. By combining the MAILA SAT satellite module, the MAILA COL column module, the MAILA SPA amplifier module and the MAILA SUB subwoofer, MAILA enables scalable, flexible system configurations from speech reinforcement without subwoofers to larger conferences and flown line array systems. Five years in the making, MAILA incorporates new technologies. SmartLink+ enables wireless power and signal connection in addition to automatic detection of the individual modules via aluminium rails, while the hidden LogoLink antennas offer wireless connection with ranges of up to 30m. A MAILA app promotes quick and easy configuration including the calculation of SAT angles and wireless system updates. With the EasySplay mechanism, the tilt of each satellite can be adjusted between 0° and 8° with just one hand via a rotary handle on the rear side of the housing for adapting the sound coverage to any application. Housed in a unibody aluminium 8.5kg enclosure, the MAILA SAT satellite speaker is a line array element. Arranged in a coaxial design based on Advanced WaveAhead technology, MAILA SAT incorporates five 1-inch tweeters in front of a 6.5-inch midrange driver. Via the two combined SonicGuide waveguides, the speakers in the MAILA SAT are brought together with virtually no interference. The MAILA COL full-range column module includes a four-channel DSP 2,500W amplifier to drive the four internal 6.5-inch

MAILA SAT active woofers in addition to the MAILA SAT satellites. The column module can be used as a ground-stack variant or as a flown array consisting of MAILA COL and up to eight MAILA SAT units. On the ground, the interposed column module allows ground-stack sound reinforcement to be implemented up to 3.2m higher than conventional systems for generating a more uniform coverage across the listening plain. Distinguished by its sleek unibody aluminium design, the MAILA SPA amplifier module features an internal 1,250W power amplifier with SysCore DSP for driving up to eight MAILA SAT satellites that can be wirelessly connected with audio and power. In addition, SmartLink+ technology allows independent determination of the installed satellites for optional automatic or manual DSP processing. Incorporating dual 15-inch woofers in a bandpass design, 2,500W amplification and SysCore DSP, the MAILA SUB forms the basis of every MAILA system. Conceived

MAILA COL on a planar wave bandpass design with a quarter wave horn and symmetrical driver design, the opposing dual 15-inch woofer arrangement allows for impulse compensation and precise low-frequency output. LD Systems offers MAILA in five sets, each with customised basic configurations and accessories: MAILA S, MAILA M, MAILA L, MAILA XL and MAILA XXL.

ADAM Audio A Series ADJ Encore Lime Par Series AJA Ki Pro GO v4.0 Alcons Audio LR18i Amate Audio IP44 certification for G7 Arthur Holm DynamicMC AtlasIED Atmosphere update Atlona AT-CAP-SP100 Audinate Dante Studio/Dante Ready Austrian Audio OC7/OD5 AV Stumpfl PIXERA four/AnyShape Avid Subscription model for Pro Tools Avolites Titan 15.1 Ayrton Domino LT Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Extreme 4K HDR Brompton Technology Tessera update Cameo OTOS H5/P2 Series Canare 32MCKA Celestion CF0820BMB/CF0820M Chauvet WELL STX Clear-Com Eclipse HX version 13 Cloud Microphones Cloud 44 Cobalt Digital +UDX-Dante-16x16 Crest Audio CPX 1, 2, 3 and 4 Crestron VC-4/DM NVX Firmware 7 DAS Audio LARA/Integral Series/ALMA Datapath Aetria update Elation Fuze Max Spot and Profile ETC Eos Apex/Cyberlight LED Extron USBC Pro 8K GatesAir Maxiva GNSS-PTP Genelec RAW 8331/RAW 8341 High End Systems Talen Hitachi Kokusai SK-UHD7000 Imagine Communications Imagine Aviator JVC KY-PZ510 Key Digital KD-MLV4x4Pro Kling & Freitag PIA M Klotz AIS superflex VDU042L 12G UHD Lawo .edge/Radio software 7.0 LD Systems MAILA Lectrosonics DSR/DSR5P/DSR4 LYNX Technik IDC 1411 Magewell USB Fusion Marshall Electronics CV566/CV366 Martin Professional Martin ERA 150 Wash Neutrik powerCON True1 Top-L NEXT Audiocom T Series Nugen Audio Halo Vision Outline Newton update Panasonic PT-MZ20K Peavey Electronics LN1063 Powersoft ArmoníaPlus v2.3 PreSonus Eris E5 BT QSC Q-SYS Control update RCF NXL MK2 Series RF Venue Wireless Upgrade Packs Robe PAINTE/iBeam 250 RØDE NTH-100 ROE Visual Graphite Ross Video Furio update RTW TouchControl 5 Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM Sony URX-P41D/SRG-X40UH Stagetec Nexus compact TrueMatch Tasker TSK201/TSK202/TSK203 TSL Products SAM-Q-NET/SAM-Q-EDIT VuWall PAK/Application Server Waves Audio Clarity Vx Pro/Clarity Vx Wheatstone MP-532 Wohler iVAM1-12G WyreStorm SW-220-TX-W/APO-VX20-UC Yamaha RM-TT/RM-CG/RM-W

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PRODUCTS

ADAM Audio updates the A Series GERMAN MANUFACTURER ADAM Audio has introduced the new A Series as the successor to its popular AX Series of studio monitors. Comprising five models – the A4V, A7V, A44H, A77H and A8H – the series promises to deliver “highly accurate, transparent sound that can be controlled remotely and in real time”. The addition of rotatable HPS waveguide technology and DSP-based room correction and voicings enable users to tune speakers for their room and ears, making them suitable for broadcast, fixedinstallation, immersive and home audio environments. The compact A4V is best suited to smaller studio environments, while the A7V serves as a replacement for ADAM’s

most well-known monitor, the A7X. The A44H offers a low-profile alternative to the A7V while delivering similar performance characteristics. With a 19-inch width, the horizontally oriented A44H can sit in a standard rack shelf or be mounted above or below a screen. A successor to the A77X, the three-way A77H is a loudspeaker that capitalises on the latest ADAM Audio technologies to deliver spacious sound. The pinnacle of the A Series, the A8H, is also a three-way design with a different form factor which is said to deliver the extremely accurate and analytical sound required for criticallistening environments.

Alcons unveils installationspecific line array

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ALCONS AUDIO has launched its first installation-specific line array in the form of the LR18i. The Dutch manufacturer claims that by implementing its pro-ribbon technology for mid and high frequencies, a very fast impulse response with up to 90% less distortion is achieved, which enables the LR18i to offer a linear response, with optimal intelligibility and non-compressed identical tonal balance at any SPL. The three-way, compact format line array features a cylindrical wavefront of the patented Alcons RBN702rs 7-inch pro-ribbon transducer. The pro-ribbon’s power handling of 1,500W is said to provide enough headroom for even the most dynamic source material. The RBN702 is coupled to a highefficiency, horn-loaded 6.5-inch

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midrange transducer, coaxially mounted behind the HF driver. The LF section consists of two reflex-loaded 8-inch woofers with an oversized 3-inch voice coil neodymium motor structure. The LR18i is controlled by the Alcons Sentinel amplified loudspeaker controller with system-specific drive processing, including VHIR processing which offers phase matching with any Alcons system, and Signal Integrity Sensing which dynamically compensates cable length and amplifier impedance effects. To provide the sound designer with the right tools, the LR18i is available with a 90° (LR18/90i) or 120° (LR18/120i) horizontal dispersion. It can be combined with the LR18B fly/stack 18-inch subwoofer. www.alconsaudio.com

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DAS Audio introduces LARA DAS AUDIO has launched a self-powered, cardioid line array system for largescale events. With a symmetric design and 6,000W RMS power rating, LARA aims to mark a milestone for the Spanish brand. LARA is capable of 146dB linear SPL (maximum) output within a wide dynamic range, yet the cardioid rear attenuation of the system can record –15dB within the 63–200Hz range. The four-way LARA cabinet incorporates two 12-inch LF woofers with 4-inch voice coils, two 8-inch transducers in cardioid configuration and two 8-inch transducers for the midrange with 2.5-inch voice coils. The HF section consists of two DAS M-78N compression drivers with 3-inch voice coils and a waveguide with 100° horizontal dispersion. The Integral Series is a complete range of audio sources, power amplifiers, microphones, wall amplifiers, matrixes and matrix amplifiers for commercial and professional installations. Designed to provide maximum control with ease-of-

use functionality, the audio devices including the Integral M-88 matrix and MA series amplifiers offer varying features and power ratings to meet specific installation requirements. Control, configuration and management of the devices are performed using the ALMA software via IP or from a mobile device via Open Sound Control (OSC). Bypassing the requirement for an external switch, it also integrates an Ethernet switch for daisy-chain connections and features analogue, AES67 and Dante connectivity. Among its functionalities, the Integral Series shares music in a commercial installation from a mobile device or from a computer, notifies the client when their order is available or outputs an emergency voice notification in a specific zone or in all zones at the same time.

compatible media player. A headphone jack has been front mounted into the cabinet and a ⅛-inch stereo Aux In accepts signals from non-Bluetooth audio devices. The E5 BT is the first in the Eris family to offer a ¼-inch TRS Sub Out should a subwoofer be added, such as the PreSonus Eris Sub8. The addition of High and Low Acoustic Tuning controls enables adjustments to the E5 BT within the listening environment.

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Game on for PreSonus’ latest Eris Monitor

EQUIPPED WITH 50W of Class-D power together with Bluetooth and wired connectivity, PreSonus Audio Electronics has extended the Eris family of Active Media Reference Monitors with the Eris E5 BT model. Incorporating a 5.25-inch woven-glass composite woofer and a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter, the Eris E5 BT monitor features a combination of ¼-inch TRS balanced inputs, unbalanced RCA inputs and a standard Bluetooth 5.0 input for connection to an audio interface, gaming system, computer or Bluetooth-

ALMA Focusing on streamlining processes and providing intuitive access to tools, the ALMA software provides control and monitoring of the systems via an advanced GUI. Intelligent programming helps manage and optimise the systems quickly and easily, making setup times considerably shorter for major applications, such as concerts, installations or corporate events. Features include online and offline project creation, Link Manager and Master Control, integration of the DASaim optimisation tool, EQ Control, “Config Mode” and “Show Mode”, notification centre and Night Mode/ Day Mode view. www.dasaudio.com

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Amate Audio’s G7 adds further Peavey stacks up colour and IP44 credentials latest column array FOLLOWING THE launch of the G7 commercial loudspeaker in 2021, Amate Audio has received IP44 certification to extend its use in a wide variety of outdoor applications. The IP44 certification signifies that intrusion by objects larger than 1mm in size cannot penetrate the moulded ABS plastic cabinet or aluminium speaker grille and that the spraying or splashing of water will have no harmful effect on the loudspeaker functioning. The current line-up of white, black and titanium finishes has been extended with anthracite. The burnished grey colour is intended to complement minimalist chic environments in contrast to the urban aesthetic of the titanium model. Housing a 6.5-inch carbon-fibre woofer and 1-inch neodymium tweeter, the two-way G7 hexagonal-form enclosure is EN54-24 certified. Continuous program power handling and output capabilities are respectively rated at 120W and 112dB SPL. Integrated mounts

for the U-Bracket wall mount and a recessed connector plate with protective cover facilitate ease of installation. Swappable rear connector plates enable optional use of the G7 in 100V line operation, with the T-G7 plate providing switchable 5W, 10W, 20W and 40W operation.

WITH THE introduction of the LN1063 column array, Peavey Electronics has designed a compact, portable loudspeaker system for one-man setups. Weighing 9.3kg, the low-profile system integrates a 500W amplifier that powers six 2.75-inch MF/HF drivers in the column array and an 8-inch subwoofer. Operating within a frequency range of 55Hz–18kHz (–10dB), the LN1063 can deliver a maximum SPL of 120dB. A four-channel mixer built into the subwoofer module features EQ and channel gain controls. Channels 1 and 2 inputs are XLR/ 1 ⁄4 -inch combos, which can be switched between mic/guitar/line and include a reverb send, whereas channels 3 and 4 offer ¼-inch line inputs. In addition to providing a 3.5mm aux input for use with a portable playback source, channels 5 and 6 include a volume control that can be switched between aux and Bluetooth. An XLR output is available to pass the mix output to an additional speaker. www.peavey.com

www.amateaudio.com

Kling & Freitag NEXT Audiocom introduces T Series unveils PIA M line source speaker GERMAN BRAND Kling & Freitag has debuted a passive three-way line source solution that can be operated using its PLM, D and IPX series amplifiers. PIA M is a column loudspeaker whose vertical opening angle of the tweeter array can be adjusted mechanically, with the angles becoming larger as you move further down. This results in the classic J-shape of a line array system, meaning that the level distribution on the listening area can be made more homogeneous. The midrange enclosure has a cardioid design. The woofer housing can be switched between cardioid and bass reflex using a smart mechanism, so that the cabinet can be adapted to any conceivable application. It is stated to be ideal both for installation projects in architecturally demanding environments and for mobile applications in acoustically challenging rooms.

PORTUGUESE MANUFACTURER NEXT Audiocom has unveiled the IP65-rated T Series, two-way loudspeakers with a built-in 100V transformer and 8Ω power tap said to be “perfect” for both distributed and near-field applications in environments such as houses of worship, retail stores, restaurants, bar terraces or malls. The T Series speakers are housed in a weatherproof cabinet capable of architectural integration, indoors and outdoors. The range consists of three models: the T4, which offers a 4-inch low-frequency transducer and a 0.8-inch dome tweeter; the T6, which has a 6-inch LF driver with a 1-inch HF driver; and the T8, which is composed of an 8-inch LF transducer and 1-inch HF driver.

All three models are equipped with a four-position (in+/in- and link+/link-) Phoenix connector located on the back plate. The screw connector is said to provide a faster and easier way to wire the system, allowing the speaker to perfectly fit the wall shape while keeping the cables invisible. The speaker includes a back cover that allows it to be exposed to rain or highly humid environments. All the T Series models are available in black and white to match an installation’s décor. They also ship with a U-Bracket included. Other wall brackets, with pan and tilt capabilities, are available.

www.nextaudiocom.com

Celestion promotes retail therapy

CELESTION HAS made two of its 8-inch ferrite magnet LF loudspeakers available for dealers and distributors as individually packaged retail items. Manufactured in the UK, the two models incorporate the specialist FEA (Finite Element Analysis) modelling techniques for enhanced performance, including greater efficiency and low distortion. Designed for bass and mid-bass applications in two-way systems, the CF0820BMB features a 2-inch multi-layer voice coil providing 250W RMS (AES) power handling and 93dB sensitivity with an output frequency range of 50Hz–6kHz. The half roll elastomer surround adds greater stability at extremes of excursion, along with improved modal distribution for reduced distortion. Balanced Airflow Venting (BAV) increases airflow around the coil and inner magnet assembly to provide enhanced cooling, preventing sensitivity loss through thermal compression.

improved HF performance. The low-profile aluminium chassis enables close packing in applications where multiple drivers are required and an inverted dust cap enables the close positioning of a phase plug where horn-loading is required. www.celestion.com

CF0820M The CF0820M is a dedicated midrange driver designed for straightforward threeway systems, horn-loaded or line array applications. Delivering 250W RMS (AES) power handling and 98dB sensitivity, with an output frequency range of 150Hz– 6kHz, the CF0820M features a copper sleeved pole to reduce inductive rise for

CF08208BMB

www.kling-freitag.com

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PRODUCTS

Genelec debuts RAW 8331 and 8341 GENELEC HAS expanded its range of RAW aluminium speakers to include the 8331 and 8341 three-way coaxial studio monitors from The Ones series. Additionally, a proportion of each sale will be donated to the Audio Engineering Society (AES) throughout 2022, as a result of the manufacturer’s longstanding role as a Sustaining Member of the Society. The Genelec RAW versions require no painting and less finishing material than standard

painted models, creating an even more environmentally friendly loudspeaker and giving each individual unit a unique look and feel. All RAW models feature the Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) design developed by Genelec in close collaboration with industrial designer, Harri Koskinen. www.genelec.com

The next generation of sound RCF HAS redesigned its NXL Series with MK2 versions. The NXL 24-A MK2 and NXL 44-A MK2 are line array column speakers designed for bands, DJs, clubs and rental companies. The combination of RCF transducers and a 2,100W two-channel amplifier produce coherent 100° x 30°

NXL 24-A MK2

coverage (25° for the NXL 44-A MK2) for the listening area up to 132dB SPL (135dB for the NXL 44-A MK2). The two-way design of the NXL 24-A MK2 features four 6-inch neodymium woofers and a 3-inch driver on an asymmetrical waveguide, while the NXL 44-A MK2 comes with three 10-inch neodymium woofers and a 3-inch driver. The horn’s design is said to deliver accurate sound to the coverage area without tilting the enclosure. The speaker delivers an extended frequency range down to 60Hz (45Hz for the NXL 44-A MK2) and can be used as a standalone speaker, flown or coupled with the same unit for extended coverage. Pairing the speaker with subwoofers delivers full-range power for medium-sized concerts and DJ systems. Blending RCF proprietary FiRPHASE and Bass Motion Control DSP processing, the NXL 24-A MK2 speaker is tuned for sound clarity and a deep bass response. The rugged, tourready, high-quality baltic birch plywood cabinet is easy to carry and install using the dedicated rigging points. The Italian manufacturer has also released the SUB 8004-AS featuring a high-power, hypervented 18-inch woofer and 4-inch inside/ outside voice coils. The cabinet has been specifically designed for the low frequencies and is powered by a 1,250W digital amplifier module. The input board includes volume control, deep/punch switch, high pass switch, phase switch, cardioid and time delay. www.rcf.it

Crest adds to CPX Series PEAVEY COMMERCIAL Audio brand, Crest Audio, has announced a continuation of the CPX Series of professional power amps to include the CPX 1, CPX 2 Class A-B, CPX 3 and CPX 4 Class H. With power ranging from 480W to 1,600W per channel, the amplifiers are designed to operate at line voltages as low as 50% of nominal and can drive loudspeaker circuits as low as 2Ω per channel or 4Ω when set to bridge mode.

while the filter cuts at 40Hz to prevent low-end rumble. The crossovers have direct outputs via heavy-duty, industrystandard connectors with THRU/LOW out and HIGH out TRS jacks. Channel output sections feature dual shock-proof binding posts (CPX 1/2/3) and four-conductor twist-lock connectors. For inputs, the CPX Series features combination XLR/¼-inch connectors with an added barrier strip for permanent installations (CPX 1/2/3).

An exclusive feature of the CPX Series is Crest’s GCL (gain comparator limiting) system with a rear panel defeat switch. The GCL monitors input/output gain, reduces the signal when distortion or excessive high current conditions occur and protects the loudspeakers from dangerous transients and unexpected level changes. Beyond GCL, the amps offer audio processing capabilities, including two channel independent crossovers and a subsonic filter. The crossover frequencies are fixed at 150Hz (CPX 1/2/3) or 100Hz (CPX 4), allowing loudspeaker subwoofers to be driven at high sound pressure levels

The front panel provides calibrated gain controls and LED indicators for power, signal presence, thermal protection and distortion detection activation on each channel. A front panel rocker switch controls the mains power. The rear panel contains an IEC power connector, line voltage selector switch, dual primary fuses and a two-speed DC cooling fan opening. There is also a mode selector switch for stereo and bridge-mono operation, a toroidal power transformer and a line voltage selector switch for 115V or 220V to 240VAC operation. www.peaveycommercialaudio.com

Stagetec reveals Nexus compact TrueMatch DEVELOPED AS a compact IP-based standalone system that can be extended to existing Nexus networks, Stagetec has unveiled the Nexus compact TrueMatch. Primarily designed for remote production and recording studios, stageboxes, workstations with local audio sources and camera-mounted microphones, TrueMatch includes a low channel count with basic audio processing. TrueMatch features minimal transducer errors, low distortion and improved aliasing suppression, while achieving a dynamic range of 158dB. A four-stage operation of TrueMatch converters cuts out the need for analogue preamplification and eliminates analogue overload or component noise. The

compact TrueMatch supports established standards and protocols, including EmBER+, NMOS IS-04/05, SMPTE 2110-30, SMPTE 2110-31 and SMPTE 2022-7.

The German manufacturer claims that the decoupled Nexus I/O board technologies and circuit designs integrated into the Nexus system offer high operational

reliability and quality. Optionally available as an AES67 device for integration into an SMPTE 2110 and NMOS environment, TrueMatch can be equipped with a Dante interface and connected with the Dante ecosystem with up to 64 Dante/AES67 I/Os. Connections include eight TrueMatch mic inputs with four splits each, four AES3 stereo inputs, four AES3 stereo outputs, eight analogue outputs, stereo headphones and six GPIs/five GPOs. Basic DSP product functionality (MixMatrix, In/Out-Channel: Exp/EQ/ Comp/Lim/Delay) will be made available later this year. www.stagetec.com

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Lectrosonics introduces next-gen receivers SAM-Q-NET

TSL extends networking appeal of SAM-Q platform ADDING IP network functionality to the SAM-Q audio monitoring platform, TSL has introduced the SAM-Q-NET and SAM-QEDIT tools. With support for ST 2110-30, ST 2022-7 and multiple control options, redundant 1G Ethernet connectivity reduces the cost of deployment for audio monitoring where a 10G connection is not required. Operations can be tailored to different environments including studio facilities, OB trucks, master control positions and playout facilities. Supporting several operational modes, which can be enabled and disabled as required, SAM-Q can be configured to meet the usage requirements and skill level of its location, before menu access is locked.

SAM-Q-NET is equipped with both in-band and out-of-band control options, including NMOS support and a TSL RESTful API. Available as part of the SAM-Q platform, MADI and loudness software options can add functionality or repurpose the units as and when those features are required. The offline editing tool allows systems designers to build configurations, apply modes, map sources and loudness probes, enter source names and control front panel interface settings in transit. In addition to providing a readout of SAM-Q unit information for imported files, a visual display of all unit parameters allows the editing of configuration files created on the audio monitor. www.tslproducts.com

It’s all about the timing DEVELOPED FOR broadcast and telecom facilities, GatesAir has created a timing and signal reference solution that can communicate with modern navigation technologies used in secondgeneration Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

The Maxiva GNSS-PTP is equipped with an advanced switching algorithm that assures precision 10MHz and 1 PPS reference signals to missioncritical components in the signal chain, including transmitters, networking and studio equipment. Removing the need to integrate a standalone timing source in each component, each standalone 1U device feeds up to 12 10MHz and 1 PPS references in the technology infrastructure. The product design includes redundant AC power supplies with built-in battery backup for added protection, together with diverse timing sources, including redundant GNSS receivers. The GNSS receivers include

OCXO temperature control to prevent frequency changes and support all major global satellite constellations, such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS. Timing sources also include a hardware-based PTP module and an external 10MHz and 1 PPS reference.

Incorporating a built-in switching control logic, the GNSS-PTP supports the Precision Time Protocol v2 to add further reliability and flexibility. Available as a modular option, users can prioritise PTP as a facility’s primary source or configure PTP as a backup to one of the GNSS receivers. The PTP module can function as a master or slave and, like the unit’s GNSS receivers, provide reliable timing and frequency reference to 12 external devices. An integrated web interface provides ease-of-use selection of the frequency bands for each GNSS system and configuration of the timing source selection in automatic and manual modes. www.gatesair.com

PRIMARILY DESIGNED for ENG (Electronic News Gathering), field and location production, Lectrosonics has introduced nextgeneration dual- and quad-channel digital slot receivers. The DSR and DSR5P receivers provide two independent receiver channels and the DSR4 provides four independent receiver channels in Unislot and Superslot form factors. Compatible with all the current mono and stereo digital transmitters, the receivers are also backwards compatible with any of the Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters made in the past 20 years. Both receivers are offered in several tuning ranges. Ideal for use in portable bag systems, mounted in or on cameras and on sound carts, settings can be adjusted from the front panels featuring high-resolution displays. An RF spectrum analyser and SmartTune are integrated into the receivers to alleviate interference problems in an increasingly congested RF spectrum. The Superslot interface also includes a USB jack and data connection for compatibility with Lectrosonics Wireless Designer frequency coordination and system management software. The two-way IR sync promotes a quick setup when matching transmitters. The RF gain stages in the front end of the DSR and DSR4 provide low

The DSR, DSR5P and DSR4 noise RF amplification, sensitivity and low susceptibility to intermodulation and de-sensitisation. Sharing the same dimensions, screw mounting holes and rear connectors as previous Lectrosonics SR series models, the DSR and DSR5P dual-channel units can utilise existing, compatible accessories for powering, audio outputs and slot mounting. Incorporating four audio outputs, the DSR4 cannot adopt the same legacy accessories owing to its slightly longer length and therefore operates with new accessories for mounting, powering and audio outputs.

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www.lectrosonics.com

Wheatstone widens its appeal CREATED FOR FM, AM, FM HD, AM HD, HD-only or streaming broadcast processing applications, Wheatstone has launched the MP-532 multipurpose audio processor. The single-space rack unit introduces new algorithms together with a built-in RDS encoder and a WheatNet-IP audio network

Smart Stereo Enhancement provides a wide but stable “on-air” stereo image, while fourband parametric EQ offers customisation. A new algorithm featured in the Bass Management System removes bass-related distortion to enhance the clarity of bass detail.

interface for triggering presets remotely. Meeting the ITU-R BS.412-7 modulation requirements for reducing adjacent channel interference, a multiplex power controller is included. Unique to Wheatstone processors, the MP-532 includes intelligent five-band iAGC technology coupled to a five-band limiter and stereo generator. The combination provides automatic and real-time program density control for a consistent audio quality, regardless of density variations in incoming source material. The MP-532’s

The unit is equipped with two analogue composite outputs, two SCA inputs, balanced analogue L-R outputs and an AES digital output which may be switched to deliver either discrete L-R or a baseband192 digital multiplex signal. 192kHz digital MPX connectivity to the transmitter is included for end-to-end native IP audio quality. For local or remote control, a full GUI allows every function of the MP-532 to be accessed and tailored. www.wheatstone.com

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RTW Audio returns to Monitor Control with TouchControl 5 WITH TOUCHCONTROL 5, RTW is expanding its focus from visualising audio to comprising monitor control. Equipped with an intuitive user interface and a small footprint, TouchControl 5 is a monitor controller and audio meter that includes a 5-inch touchscreen and a rotary knob that also functions as a push button for easy access to dim or mute functions. The screen layout can be customised via a browser-based application and, with an ability to control up to 32 AoIP audio channels, TouchControl 5 is compatible with a wide range of audio formats from mono to immersive within a Dante audio network. On the rear panel, a single Ethernet port provides both AoIP connection, as well as PoE (Power over Ethernet). In addition, a studiograde microphone input with phantom power and headphones output is available. The mic input can be utilised as a dedicated talkback microphone, although TouchControl 5 also features a built-in microphone. An analogue line out connection allows a pair of external speakers to be added should they not be connected via AoIP. TouchControl 5 comes with basic 4x4 Level Control, Simple Fader, 2x2 or

4x1 Control and, on the metering side, Basic PPM with True Peak and Phase. An optional licence structure provides flexibility and scalability. As an example, for dedicated monitor control features, the monitoring licence features downmix, source select with A/B comparison, speaker select, calibrated monitoring, SPL readout, solo, cut, swap, phase, mono, dim, mute, test tone generator, talkback, presets and headphones, and line out enabling. The TouchControl 5 feature set can be expanded with the addition of the Premium Metering licence, which includes PPM and true peak metering, PPM scales, VU meters and British PPM. More licences will become available over time.

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ITALIAN CABLE manufacturer Tasker has carried out all the necessary tests with certified third-party bodies and has obtained CPR approval for all of its EVAC and fire detection cables in the Cca – s1a – d0 – a1 medium risk class, without compromising the flexibility of the products. This means that the cables are resistant to direct flames for up to 2 hours at a temperature of 850°C and, if they burn, they will only release a small amount of clear smoke without dripping. The approval involves the manufacturer’s unshielded cables with a purple sheath that are designed for voice evacuation and PA systems (EVAC), namely the TSK201, TSK202

www.rtw.com

VDU042LP

DESIGNED FOR mobile outdoor use, Klotz AIS has created a flexible video cable that is characterised by its 2.9mm diameter and black PUR jacket. The superflex VDU042L 12G UHD comprises a stranded inner conductor of silver-plated, copper-clad steel wires and a very dense, tinned copper braid with 95% coverage. For transmission distances up to 20m for 12G video signals, the temperature-resistant outer sheath ensures operation between –40°C and +70°C. In addition, the outer sheath is abrasion- and notch-resistant and the cable meets the requirements of the SMPTE ST 2082 standard. Assembled with Damar & Hagen connectors of the BNCpro, BNCslim, BNCmicro and DIN 1.0/2.3 series ensures reliable transmission in critical situations.

Additionally, the German brand has extended the range of SMPTE/ ARIB camera cables with the Dragonfly connector. Compared to classic physicalcontact connectors, the Dragonfly SMPTE camera lens connector is described as easy to clean without any special tools and offers a strong signal stability. Suited towards studio applications, the IP68 rating promotes its use in challenging outdoor applications, in OB vans or at large sporting events. All

and TSK203 with 1mm2, 1.5mm2 and 2.5mm2 sections respectively. Also affected are the company’s shielded cables with a red sheath for fire detection alarm systems, namely

the TSK301, TSK302 and TSK303 with respective sections of 1mm2, 1.5mm2 and 2.5mm². Following the strict regulations concerning the installation sector, all of these cables can also be used as audio, video or data cables in any fixed installation, even if they’re not directly linked to fire security. www.tasker.it

Klotz flexes its credentials

Tasker gains CPR approval

cables are assembled ready for connection with the Klotz CAM311P SMPTE camera cables. Designed to distribute 16A loads for live sound applications, the PowerLink Power Distribution Rack (PDR) incorporates Socapex-compatible RMP power multicore and powerCON TRUE1 connectors.

Six discrete 16A circuits of a Socapexcompatible load multicore can be distributed to one powerCON TRUE1 socket each or individually supplied via a powerCON TRUE1 power cable and bundled into one Socapex-compatible six-channel power multicore. Available with either six or 12 channels, the PDR12N-SOC receives up to 12 discrete 16A circuits for distribution or bundling from one to two Socapexcompatible load multicores. Housed in aluminium with a powder coat finish and laser engraving, the inclusion of PT1 and PT2 series connection cables extends use to outdoor applications. Fitted with lockable powerCON TRUE1 or PowerTwist TR1 connectors, the cables are dust- and water-protected to an IP65 standard. A conductor cross-section of up to 3x2.5mm² provides a high-current carrying capacity, while the outer sheath is made of crosslinked elastomer for flame retardancy, oil and ozone resistance and operation over a –50°C/+90°C temperature range.

Dragonfly

www.klotz-ais.com

Extron drawn by the power of USB-C EXTRON HAS made available a series of active, hybrid, optical-copper USB-C cables that are capable of transmitting 8K/30 DisplayPort AV, USB 2.0 data and power signals simultaneously up to a 9.1m distance. Designed for USB-C-enabled devices that support video and audio over four DisplayPort lanes, the USBC Pro 8K video optical cables streamline

USBC Pro 8K

integration and support power delivery of up to 60W from either the USB host or peripheral device. Incorporating glass, multimode optical fibre for transmitting 8K/30 DisplayPort video and embedded audio signals, the 6.5mm-diameter cables come with a narrow bend radius for incorporation into tight spaces. Other non-bandwidth intensive or low-speed signals are carried

on the integrated copper wires, including EDID, HDCP and power. In brief, an upgrade to LinkLicense now enables SMP 300 Series devices to ingest recording and livestreaming schedules for publishing to the YuJa video management platform. www.extron.com

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Google meets Q-SYS Control TO SUPPORT the demands of hybrid work, Google Meet has certified the Q-SYS Control platform as the first integrated audio, video and control solution. With third-party control integration, the Q-SYS Control engine can deliver the Q-SYS user control interface (UCI) on Google Meet-supported controller consoles. In addition, Google Cloud has certified Q-SYS video capabilities, allowing Google Meet to support the integration of

multiple Q-SYS conference cameras with automatic switching capabilities. The video and control capabilities come in addition to existing audio support that Q-SYS provides for Google Meet. By utilising a Q-SYS Core or USB bridging endpoint for audio processing, a portfolio of Q-SYS amplifiers, network I/O devices and QSC loudspeakers can be selected. www.qsc.com

44 passive ribbon blends RCA past with Cloud present

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CLOUD MICROPHONES has expanded its microphone family with a passive version of the 44-A. Resurrecting the iconic RCA Type 44 ribbon mic, the ribbon motor design is handcrafted to the exact specifications first prescribed in the 1930s by RCA but with the latest materials. Finished in an all-black midnight finish, the passive Cloud 44 marries past heritage with clarity expected from today’s recording tasks. For added flexibility, each Cloud 44 ships with a shock mount and its own Cloudlifter CL-1 mic activator, in a matching black finish, for converting an active ribbon when desired. www.cloudmicrophones.com

Yamaha adds a boost to Adecia Latest Austrian Audio mics swivel into place BOTH HANDMADE in Vienna and in lower sensitivity by reducing the capsule optimised for use on instruments, new voltage, allows it to be used in front active dynamic and true condenser of loud sound sources. With an microphones have been unveiled 154dB SPL (>160dB SPL with by Austrian Audio. Most pad), the OC7 is reportedly noticeable on the two models extremely resistant to is the inclusion of the “Swivel overload. Joint” mechanism intended to The OD5 features help solve the familiar problem the active dynamic for musicians and sound techs circuit – the same one of making fine adjustments to featured in the OD505 vocal microphone angles by a few degrees microphone. This ensures after being screwed on too tightly to that even long cable runs have the stand. The swivel system for the no negative effect on the signal. microphone basket allows a 220° In addition, the active dynamic rotation of the field, meaning that the design allows the integration of a mic can be easily aligned precisely proper high-pass filter. In the OD5, to the sound source or according to a CAB (Cut & Boost) filter is applied personal sound preferences, without at 80Hz, which is particularly well having to awkwardly adjust or loosen suited for use with guitar amplifiers. the microphone stand. This filter removes the unusable The OC7 true condenser low-frequency sound and, at OC7 and the OD5 active the same time, increases dynamic microphones use pressure in the bass range. Austrian Audio’s Open Acoustics The second position at 120Hz technology. The “linear cardioid” is a common second-order polar pattern captures high-pass filter. undistorted sound not only Another feature of from the front, but also from the OD5 instrument the rear or side. This reportedly microphone is the ensures that even the, pad switch. In the sometimes unavoidable, crosstalk zero position, the active from other instruments is unaffected. dynamic microphone has In addition to their shared attributes, a sensitivity usually found in the OC7 and the OD5 each have unique condenser microphones and, at features. The OC7’s true condenser the same time, it’s reportedly capsule is protected by the microphone almost impossible to get the OD5 basket and can therefore be positioned to overdrive. The –10dB pad is without hesitation even in places where ideal for protecting downstream the microphone might be subjected mic preamps from clipping when to knocks. It is also equipped with a they have no pad capability second-order high-pass filter with an themselves. operating frequency of 40Hz or www.austrian.audio 80Hz. A –10dB pad, which results OD5

BUILDING ON the success of its Adecia series, Yamaha has released a new range of tabletop microphones for the conferencing market designed around Dante. The RM-TT tabletop and RM-CG ceiling-mount microphones are standalone mics incorporating automatic voice tracking, auto gain control, adaptive echo cancellation, noise reduction and reverberation suppression to aid seamless collaboration.

RM-TT The tabletop model’s voice tracking function automatically selects the microphone closest to the person speaking to aid voice capture, and its human voice activity detection technology anticipates additional voice locations to aid conversation pickup. It also includes six additional directional modes – omnidirectional, bidirectional, unidirectional, super-cardioid, hyper-cardioid and toroidal – which installers can set for customised room capture. The RM-CG features Yamaha’s dynamic beam tracking, which utilises multiple beams to automatically track voices within the room

simultaneously. This eliminates the need to program fixed lobes, which can often lead to dead spots within the meeting space. Design or room setup changes can also be made without the need to reprogram microphones. The ceiling microphone array supports ceilingmount, wire-mount or pole-mount options. An RM-W wireless microphone option has also joined Yamaha’s Adecia series, joining the existing RM-CR remote conferencing processor, VXL-16P PoE column array and SWR Series PoE network switch. Using automatic setup guides, Adecia Wireless automatically recognises components, pairs microphones and configures them according to the room’s environment to ensure high-quality audio while reducing setup time and complexities. Organisations can customise Adecia Wireless to best fit their space and use case with 6-inch gooseneck, 12-inch gooseneck, omnidirectional boundary or directional boundary tabletop microphone options. In addition to being utilised in Adecia Wireless, the RM-W microphones are available as standalone options alongside the newly announced RM-TT tabletop and RM-CG ceiling-mount microphones. Yamaha’s audio processing technologies like adaptive AEC reside within the microphone’s wireless access point to allow for expandability of existing DSPs and reduction of postprocessing setup resources and costs. uc.yamaha.com

RM-CG

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PRODUCTS

Sony 4G receiver syncs with all productions DESIGNED FOR use with XDCAM camcorders and Alpha interchangeable lens cameras in broadcast and news productions ranging from run-and-gun style interviews to documentaries and series productions, Sony has launched its fourth Generation of UWP-D Series wireless microphones. The URX-P41D two-channel portable receiver includes Sony’s digital audio processing, NFC Sync for a quick setup from receiver to transmitter, in addition to Auto Gain mode and Output level control. The receiver’s NFC Sync button automatically scans the appropriate frequency, after which the transmitter syncs the channel by touch. Enhancing the reproduction of audio accuracy, digital companding optimises a time-constant range

between the transmitter and receiver and an enhanced transient response performance for clear interview recordings. Backwards compatible with previous generations, the URX-P41D pairs with all UWP-D transmitters and is available as a standalone receiver or as a part of the UWP-D27 kit, including two UTX-B40 bodypack transmitters. The inclusion of a SMAD-P5 MI shoe adaptor enables direct digital audio recording by bypassing the D/A and A/D process. The audio interface integrates seamlessly with Sony’s camcorders and displays audio information on the viewfinder. Having reduced the size of the receiver, the URX-P41D can sit on top of the camera or ILC attached to the MI shoe or cold shoe.

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RF Venue eliminates dropouts INTENDED TO deal with interference by effectively eliminating wireless signal dropouts, RF Venue has released its Wireless Upgrade Packs. Including all the cables and hardware necessary for wireless mic and in-ear monitor systems with no tuning or adjustments, RF Venue’s Wireless Microphone and In-Ear Monitor Upgrade Packs provide a complete wireless reliability system. Designed to be simple to implement, the packs operate with all wireless mic and monitor systems, regardless of brand. For combating high interference levels, users can plug in a pair of Bandpass Interference Filters to mitigate interference from LED lighting, videowalls and 5G cell phones. Engineered as a complete system with DISTRO4 and DISTRO9 HDR RF distribution amplifiers, RF Venue’s Diversity antennas and cabling, the upgrade packs can be ordered with multiple types of antennas to fit any specific requirement. For a wireless system using up to five wireless microphones, the 4 Channel Wireless Microphone Upgrade Pack can connect five wireless receivers with its four diversity output connections and a cascade output pair. When more channels of wireless microphones are requested, RF Venue offers the 9 Channel Wireless Microphone Upgrade Pack featuring the DISTRO9 HDR Antenna Distribution system for connection to nine wireless microphones. With the DISTRO9’s higher dynamic range, wireless

is futureproofed as increasing wireless devices compete for less RF spectrum. When larger systems are needed, additional DISTRO4s or DISTRO9s can be cascaded. Covering large areas, multiple rooms, or indoor and outdoor areas, the DISTRO9 HDR can create multi-zone installations by providing two separate zone antenna inputs.

An external microphone input is included for an additional wired microphone, with three-channel audio recording promoted by adopting a lavalier microphone. Ensuring correct audio levels in the field and the prevention of any unwanted distortion, auto gain mode and output level control are included. Sony has also added to its PTZ camera line-up with the SRG-X40UH, an affordable 4K camera boasting zoom capability, a wide viewing angle and UVC and HDMI connectivity. The SRG series is currently used in established healthcare facilities to remotely monitor patients and equipment to ensure optimum settings for patient care, even under low light conditions. The SRG-X40UH features a 4K Exmor R CMOS image sensor capable of producing high-quality images suitable for remote communication and monitoring in corporate, education and healthcare markets. A zoom up to 40x in Full HD and 30x in 4K with Clear Image Zoom technology, combined with an approximately 70° wide viewing angle and rapid PTZ movement, means that this camera can capture important scenes in range of different locations, from small conference rooms to large auditoriums. Its UVC and HDMI connections and PoE+ support can be integrated into existing systems with minimum cabling and remotely controlled through a VISCA/VISC-over-IP command.

Sennheiser launches XS Wireless IEM PROMISING A big leap in performance quality for up-and-coming bands and singer-songwriters, Sennheiser has introduced the XS Wireless IEM in-ear monitoring system. The solution is a complete starter kit intended to help artists progress from floor wedges to IEMs and professionalise their performances.

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For wireless in-ear monitor systems, RF Venue offers both four-channel and eightchannel upgrade packs to avoid dropouts and static noises. IEM upgrade packs feature the CP Beam Antenna, including the COMBINE4 and COMBINE8 IEM combiners with cabling for the transmitters and antenna.

XS Wireless IEM enables users to quickly establish an easy-to-manage wireless connection in the professional UHF range. Aligned and pre-calculated frequency presets get musicians started quickly. If desired, transmission frequencies can also be selected manually. Backlit displays on both the receiver bodypack and the rackmount transmitter help to clearly see settings, even in poor lighting conditions. In addition, the system offers a limiter to protect the user’s hearing and a highfrequency boost increases detail and intelligibility. For their monitor sound, users can opt for a mono mix (one mix and the pan control adjusts the volume for the left and right ear) or a stereo mix. The latter provides two options – with Focus mode switched off, the pan control will change the left/right volume; with Focus mode switched on, it will determine which of the two input signals will be heard louder, creating a personal mono mix tailored to the musician’s needs. An infrared sensor is used to sync multiple bodypack receivers to one transmitter. The packaged solution includes a stereo bodypack receiver complete with in-ears and batteries and a stereo transmitter with antenna, rack-mount kit and a power supply with various country adapters. It is available in five UHF frequency ranges (which are aligned with the XSW family of wireless microphones and instrument transmitters). www.sennheiser.com

www.rfvenue.com

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PRODUCTS

Neutrik extends its true connectors

COMPATIBLE WITH the largest diameter power cables required for outdoor event applications, Neutrik has added the powerCON True1 Top-L to its family of sealed power connectors. Capable of accepting cable from 10–16mm in diameter, features include a breaking capability of CBC @ 16A

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250VAC VDE (20A 250VAC). Specifically designed for use with these connectors, the HTLACA and HTLACB assembly and disassembly tools facilitate faster disassembly for periodic safety testing. www.neutrik.com

RØDE enters professional headphone market with NTH-100 RØDE HAS made its entrance into the professional headphone market with the introduction of the NTH-100 over-ear headphones. The Australian manufacturer says that the headphones blend exceptional sonic performance with superior comfort that “inspires creativity”. Designed and manufactured at RØDE’s facilities in Sydney, the NTH-100 headphones are suitable for all types of content creation at home, in the studio or in the field, including music production, podcasting and livestreaming, location recording and video production. From a technical standpoint, the NTH100 offers custom-matched 40mm dynamic drivers that promise low distortion and an accurate frequency

response. Their design is based around a custom voice coil with a four-layer, high-tension aluminium alloy as its core, which is coupled to a stiff triple-layer Mylar diaphragm. Together with a neodymium magnet, these components ensure optimal acoustic and electrical performance. These characteristics are further enhanced by the contoured earcup construction,

which has been precisionengineered not only for comfort but also for optimal acoustic performance, eliminating standing modes and frequency resonances to reportedly deliver a more immersive listening experience. The earcups also feature high-density memory foam for noise isolation. The NTH-100s include cable attachments on both earcups so the cable can be positioned

where is most convenient, a high-quality locking connector for each attachment for security if the cable is tugged or pulled, and easy left and right earcup identification with luminous letters, colour-coding and braille. Each pair comes with a high-quality 2.4m straight black cable, with 1.2m and coloured variants – pink, green, orange and blue – available separately. Also included is a storage pouch, a 3.5mm to 1⁄4 -inch adaptor for use with professional audio equipment and a set of coloured ID rings for cable identification matched to the channel colours of the RØDECaster Pro and RØDE Connect. www.rode.com

Avid announces subscription model for Pro Tools

AVID HAS announced a subscription model for Pro Tools that comprises three levels: Pro Tools Artist for aspiring music creators; Pro Tools Studio for serious audio engineers and music producers; and Pro Tools Flex, a

subscription bundle for professional audio post and music facilities. All current Pro Tools and Pro Tools Ultimate customers with active plans will gain the software enhancements introduced with these new products.

A SOFTWARE-BASED control solution, VC-4 from Crestron, has been released to complement its hardware-based control systems by offering a more scalable alternative with the same functionality. Capable of supporting up to 500 spaces on a single server, the VC-4 enables mass deployment of customised or standardised configurations with the press of a button, providing savings of time and labour costs while increasing the overall control platform lifecycle. The explosion of hybrid work and the proliferating need for additional collaboration spaces have forced enterprise IT teams to configure more rooms than ever before. The VC-4 software-based solution helps accelerate

deployment for this ever-expanding array of rooms. The solution enables IT specialists to design and configure a room’s UC, AV and control solutions, save those configurations and then automate them in a fraction of the time. Since it is integrated with standard programming languages, including C# for IT and SIMPL for AV professionals, it won’t require any new training to execute. Native SIMPL integration brings parity to certified Crestron programmers. The standards-based, service-oriented architecture of the VC-4 also enables IT teams to leverage existing IT infrastructure for redundancy and fault tolerance and, as an on-premises solution, it supports enterprise-

Pro Tools Artist is specifically designed for next-gen music creators, and includes everything needed to make beats, write, record and mix studio-quality music. The Artist tier includes instrument sounds and loops and over 100 plugins, as well as MIDI tools and Pro Tools editing and mixing workflows. Pro Tools Studio enables music creators, producers and engineers to create large projects, and builds on the current Pro Tools offering with numerous enhancements such as increased track counts, surround and support for Dolby Atmos mixing, and advanced automation features (both previously only available in Pro Tools Ultimate). Current Pro Tools subscribers and perpetual licence customers with active plans will automatically transition to Pro Tools

Crestron’s VC-4 streamlines enterprise spaces

Studio and receive all of the software enhancements, enabling them to create spatial mixes and bigger productions than before. Pro Tools Flex is Avid’s solution for highend music professionals, as well as audio post and music facilities that require the full power and advanced workflows of Pro Tools. Pro Tools Flex includes an enhanced version of Pro Tools Ultimate software, plus additional content and third-party software. Active Pro Tools Ultimate subscribers will receive the full Pro Tools Flex subscription bundle, including the latest version of Pro Tools Ultimate, while Pro Tools Ultimate perpetual licence customers with active plans will receive the Pro Tools Ultimate software enhancements. www.avid.com

grade security protocols. All functionality on the VC-4 is executed from the server and not in the public cloud, which enables local data storage and greater control over security patches and server maintenance with cloud-based firmware updates as well. In brief, Crestron’s DM NVX Firmware 7 offers faster refresh rates up to 240Hz at 1080p; variable Bit Rate (VBR) encoding which optimises network bandwidth consumption across a multitude of spaces; and custom hotkey shortcuts from the keyboard which are said to provide extra convenience and quick access to common or critical commands. VC-4

www.crestron.com

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PRODUCTS

AtlasIED creates a higher Atmosphere

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WITH THE introduction of new firmware updates, third-party control modules and accessory options, AtlasIED has extended the capabilities of its Atmosphere audio processing and control platform. By adopting touchless control, automation and artificial intelligence, the US producer aims to simplify the installation, customisation and operation of digital audio systems. The firmware update for the Atmosphere platform includes an open API for facilitating third-party control support for Crestron, AMX, Extron and other manufacturers. By developing native drivers that meet compatibility demands, AtlasIED technology aims to create a unified system for integration into a wider variety of audio, video and network devices. Available for download on the AXM4 and AZM8 product

Atmosphere accessory wall plates pages, the modules will allow the Atmosphere API to be natively controlled within each brand’s programming environment. Atmosphere’s noise detection sensors have been upgraded so that rules and thresholds can be set for automatically adjusting the level according to the detected ambient noise. Alerts

Nugen Audio shines a light on Halo Vision DESIGNED FOR 3D, surround and immersive audio workflows, Halo Vision is a customisable, real-time visual analysis suite operating in up to 7.1.2 channels for the AAX, VST3 and AU formats. Inspired by Nugen Audio’s Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix solutions, Halo Vision features a variety of modules that have a clearer understanding of the audio nuances. The modules highlight problem areas that may be missed during monitoring sessions. Tools include Correlation Matrix, Correlation Web and Spectrum in addition to an expanded version of Nugen’s Frequency Haze and Location Haze functions, and a True Peak meter for each channel. The Correlation Matrix displays colour-coded phase relationships between every channel and features a larger arched meter for more detailed analysis and anti-correlation alerts at a user-defined threshold. Additionally, the

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Correlation Web module depicts a network of channels with an interconnecting line between each pair, which illuminates when the phase relationship between the two channels becomes anti-correlated. With low frequencies at the centre and high frequencies on the outer edge, the circular Frequency Haze displays frequency content across the surround field, with channel labels in typical speaker positions. The Location Haze tool provides a visualisation of the perceived location of the audio, showing energy distribution across the surround field, with brighter sections indicating increases in the strength. When set to “combined” mode, the Spectrum view displays a level-againstfrequency graph for all channels in one spectrum, while the “groups” mode groups channels into separate overlayed spectrums. www.nugenaudio.com

can be triggered when an unexpected loud noise is detected, a crowd-generated noise becomes excessive or when the ambient noise falls below a predetermined threshold. Currently available on six design models, a range of accessory wall plates including ambient noise sensors, advanced multi-

zone and volume controllers together with Bluetooth, XLR and RCA audio inputs now come in a black option. The firmware update also adds an integrated help section, including troubleshooting videos.

AUDINATE HAS introduced the Dante Studio platform solution for advancing AV production capabilities and streamlining workflows. Resident on this platform, apps from Audinate will provide integrators with professional-grade tools for improved, specialised video networks. As the first tool on Dante Studio, Dante Video RX enables Windows PCs to receive video simply and seamlessly from any Dante AVenabled source. Dante Studio comprises an array of software solutions that bring Dante video features to PCs. Integrating within Dante-based environments that operate on standard 1Gb Ethernet networks, computers loaded with Dante Video RX can receive a video signal from Dante AV transmitters or Dante AV cameras. Supporting 1080p resolution, 60fps and synchronisation together with separate routing of video and audio elements, Dante Video RX will soon support 4K video. By downloading the Dante Studio installer, the Dante Video RX trial licence is activated and the system can then be configured using standard Dante Controller software. Aimed at conferencing, houses of worship and educational applications, Dante Video RX can facilitate the use of video streams from anywhere on the network. Video feeds from a legacy camera may be fed through a Dante AV encoder before being patched to Dante Video RX for conferencing, streaming and recording applications. Dante Video RX can also be used with OBS software or with platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Skype,

Zoom, vMix or Panopto to provide a cinematic look to presentations, lectures and lessons. New tools within Dante Studio, including Dante Video TX, a virtual transmitter and the Dante Video Viewer virtual monitor, are currently in development for late 2022 release. Audinate has also announced the availabillity of a new licensing programme that gives customers the ability to purchase and add channels of Dante audio to supported products in the field. Dante Ready allows makers to lower costs at the time of manufacture and gives customers the ability to purchase only the channels that are required for an application. Available for devices using a Dante Embedded Platform, Dante Ready is activated as software online while devices are in the field. Once activated, the product licence never expires and can be expanded as needed through later purchases. The Dante Virtual Soundcard software has been optimised for Apple M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max as well as Microsoft Windows 11 operating systems. By transforming a Mac or Windows computer into a Dante workstation, the soundcard connects Dante audio devices on an Ethernet-based network for recording, processing and playout of up to 64x64 channels using any combination of Dante-enabled devices. Dante Virtual Soundcard 4.2 supports Windows 11 and Apple Silicon-based macOS computers, while Dante Virtual Soundcard 4.1.2 is recommended for Intel-based macOS computers.

www.atlasied.com

Audinate reveals Dante Studio

www.audinate.com

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PRODUCTS

Noise reduction Clear-Com’s Eclipse HX gets greater redundancy VERSION 13 of the Clear-Com Eclipse HX Digital Matrix Intercom EHX firewire includes N+1 IP card redundancy and network redundancy, as well as the addition of Layer 3 support for AES67 endpoints. The manufacturer has also stated the upcoming v13/1 release will bring with it role management advancements for a streamlined configuration process and an improved user experience. Proper redundancy is critical to ensuring that the Eclipse-based system will remain functional, even if there is a potential network failure. The N+1 card redundancy feature allows a single, or set of, E-IPA cards to function as a backup if a primary card fails. In the event of a card failure, the card’s

With dynamic routing capabilities embedded on its amplifier platforms, Dynamic Music Distribution routes music and other signal sources. In addition, the solution controls signal paths between different zones and across multiple amplifiers independently of source location and without the need for a centralised DSP. Groups of loudspeakers can be selected within a zone to create sub-zones with their own audio level controls. While the audio source is common for all, the audio level of

V13 includes updated versions of several SoundGrid applications, including the eMotion LV1 live mixer, SuperRack live plugin rack, MyMon personal monitor mixing app, SoundGrid QRec app for live recording and playback, and SoundGrid Studio.

full configuration is transferred to the backup card with a “virtually seamless” transition. Users can vary the N+1 ratio – one card can back up one card or one card can back up three – ensuring a cost-effective deployment. The new LAN connection network redundancy feature allows E-IPA cards to have two network ports configured to separate networks and means that if the card senses a network failure, it will immediately switch communication to the second network. This solution can support a fully or partially redundant network, providing the user with the flexibility to place key devices on a partially redundant network. www.clearcom.com

Powersoft ArmoníaPlus update delivers full control PROVIDING IMPROVED granular control of its Dynamic Music Distribution solution, Powersoft has released version 2.3 of ArmoníaPlus to systems designers and integrators.

WAVES AUDIO has unveiled its Clarity Vx Pro and Clarity Vx real-time noise removal plugins for voice and dialogue, powered by Waves’ AI audio technology, Waves Neural Networks. The plugins remove noise from voice recordings and dialogue at the highest audio fidelity, with no artefacts – and in a

each sub-zone can be individually adjusted via the Powersoft control interfaces including the WM Touch and Sys Control App. An update for the WM Touch includes an option that allows the zonal configuration

of mute and level controls, without users having access to mute it. A revamp of the Sys Control App adds new features that fine-tune the running system and create an improved user interface. Other innovations in the v2.3 upgrade include the creation of sub-zones for DMD systems that define the permissible audio levels for a given zone or sub-zone. A DMD system on/off mechanism can be triggered via GPI. www.powersoft.com

Clarity Vx Pro fraction of the time. Both plugins work in real time and are fully automatable. According to the manufacturer, postproduction engineers and re-recording mixers can now hear clean results immediately, non-destructively, within their DAW and in the context of their full video or audio session – without having to render, bounce, duplicate or consolidate tracks. Clarity Vx Pro is the more advanced of the two plugins. Both feature the same Waves Neural Networks engine, but Clarity Vx Pro adds more features with a higher level of surgical control. Waves has also released the free COSMOS AI-Powered Sample Finder, also included in the Waves CR8 Creative Sampler. Waves COSMOS solves the common issue musicians or producers face of finding the right sample. Using The Neural Networks technology, the COSMOS analyses, auto-tags and sorts a sample collection into one unified database. COSMOS allows a user to see samples laid out in three accessible views: Waveform, List and Cosmos. Users can filter and search by instrument, BPM, key and even sonic characteristics such as brightness, saturation and dynamics. Users can listen to samples from within COSMOS, then drag-and-drop the sample straight into their sampler or DAW. COSMOS can be used via the app or via the Waves CR8 Creative Sampler plugin. The sample finder also comes pre-packed with over 2,500 royalty-free one-shots and loops. The manufacturer has updated its plugins line-up to version 13 and at the same time introduced two brand-new applications – Waves MyFOH, a tablet app for remote control of the Waves eMotion LV1 live mixer; and Waves mRecall, a mobile app for remote snapshot/scene recall of Waves eMotion LV1 and SuperRack and Waves Commercial Audio systems. Additionally,

COSMOS MyFOH allows FOH engineers to control the LV1 over Wi-Fi from any iPad or Android tablet, and shape the live mix from any location in the venue. Engineers can evaluate their mix from the vantage point of the audience and adjust levels, panning and more for individual channels as well as groups, auxes, effects groups, DCAs and matrixes. The app also allows users to correct levels for front fills and delays, which are almost impossible to judge confidently from the static FOH position. If you are handling both FOH and monitor duties at the same show, you can also use MyFOH next to the musicians onstage to aid communication. mRecall is an iOS/Android app for quickly recalling scenes and snapshots created on Waves live systems and Commercial Audio systems. In live shows, mRecall allows users to remotely recall snapshots created on the Waves eMotion LV1 live mixer or the Waves SuperRack live plugin rack. On installed Waves Commercial Audio systems, mRecall allows end users to recall preprogrammed snapshots, without needing access to the equipment rack. www.waves.com

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sounds as good as it looks

DQOR SERIES TWO-WAY INDOOR/OUTDOOR INSTALL LOUDSPEAKERS ®

Encourage your customers and guests to linger for longer with great sound. Thanks to their wide coverage angle and balanced sound, DQOR speakers provide an inviting ambience whether indoors or outdoors. These modern and dynamic looking installation speakers are available as 3”, 5” and 8” versions in black or white and respectively with two connection variants: low impedance (8 Ohm), or high impedance (70V/100V/16 Ohm) with multiple power taps.

ld-systems.com/dqor

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DESIGNED & ENGINEERED IN GERMANY LD Systems® is a registered brand of the Adam Hall Group.

28/06/2022 10:32

PRODUCTS

Wohler adds 12G AV product

Outline adds Newton enhancements OUTLINE HAS extended Newton’s signal processing capabilities, compatibility and control options with an update to the Dashboard application (software v1.9.4 and firmware v0.97). Enhancements include Warped Finite Impulse Response (WFIR) filters functionality, the addition of GPIO port control and extended compatibility for the latest Apple Mac computers. By adopting the Equalisation Coefficient Synthesis Algorithm (EQ-CSA), existing Newton users can take advantage of the WFIR filters, which accelerate the group EQ speed functionality and extend the filter resolution. These enhancements apply not only within a single Newton but also when

several units are networked together. The multi-unit control capability delivers an increased level of EQ options that can be simultaneously deployed across multiple festival stages. Now supporting the Big Sur and Monterey operating systems, compatibility with Apple Mac computers has also been further developed. Additionally, Dashboard is now fully compatible with latest-generation Macs using the M1 chip. The update also introduces the option of using Newton’s GPIO capability to manage some internal functions for safety and evacuation purposes. www.outline.it

Imagine Aviator maximises revenue potential WITH THE introduction of Imagine Aviator, Imagine Communications has created the first cloud-native unified platform for broadcasters and digital-first providers wishing to plan, make and monetise premiumquality linear and OTT content.

Aviator combines the critical capabilities of scheduling, rights management, channel origination, live events, video on demand (VOD), ad sales, ad placement, ad serving and campaign management into a single cloud platform. The converged solution delivers linear programming including VOD content with ads and triggers for local and dynamic ad insertion. Providing fully automated operation of thematic channels, the new platform also promotes high audio and video quality on all outlets and supports the demands of premium services. As a cloud-based design, Aviator offers flexible subscription and SaaS purchase options. Running in the public cloud,

Aviator requires only a web browser and internet connection for securely operating and remotely accessing all aspects of the platform. It can run either in a media company’s own cloud account or in Imagine’s SaaS environment, where it is

monitored, managed and maintained by Imagine. Delivering linear channels with unified origination, Aviator integrates broadcast and OTT linear streams from a single playlist that supports ad insertion. The ability to take content from livestreams and file sources including video clips, audio and captions will benefit live sports and news, together with scheduled and unscheduled live event workflows. Imagine’s audience-first ad placement engine allows media companies to sell inventory by audience, regardless of the platform or delivery mechanism. www.imaginecommunications.com

BASED ON its existing iVAM 3G products, the iVAM1-12G offers a 1U option to the flagship 2U iAM-12G-SDI. Designed for 12G processing without the need for Dolby Atmos decoding, the latest addition offers all the options that are available on the current iVAM-3G models. Built to a depth of 137.5mm, the iVAM1-12G includes 12G/3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs with selected SDI outputs, a pair

output routing feature is available and processing options include Dolby decoding for SDI and AES3 in addition to 2110. The iVAM1-12G features space for any one of three option cards, including the SFP that adds two additional 3G inputs to 3G products or two 12G inputs to 12G products. Other option cards provide audio-over-IP in either Dante or Ravenna formats and include 2110-30 primary and

of analogue inputs and outputs, an HDMI output, loudness measurement and phase indication. Network capabilities allow viewing meters and other information to be managed remotely. Additional signal options include AES3 inputs, MADI, ST 2110, ST-2022-6 and audio-over-IP. An upgraded

secondary RJ-45 Ethernet ports enabling redundant 2022-7 monitoring. An analogue option card with a TOSLINK connector offers a further eight balanced inputs and outputs on DB-25 connectors. www.wohler.com

WyreStorm extends Synergy series DESIGNED FOR huddle spaces and small meeting rooms, WyreStorm has unveiled the SW-220-TX-W Dual-View Presentation Switcher. Forming part of the Synergy product series, the switcher is equipped with a choice of wired or wireless inputs, including USB-C and HDMI local inputs for sharing content to a display. In addition to the 4K wired inputs, the SW-220TX-W also supports 1080p native wireless casting via Airplay and Miracast so content can be shared from a tablet or smartphone. The inclusion of USB 3.0 device ports promotes USB-C power for connection to a 4K camera or other highspeed USB device. With the switcher’s BYOD and Dual-View feature, ad-hoc presentations can display up to two source devices simultaneously. With a minimal power consumption of 12W, the switcher is also compatible with the Apollo APO-DG1 casting dongle via a laptop USB-C port. When connected to the USB-C input, the dual input USB 3.0 hub on the switcher allows local connection of peripheral devices, such as a conference speakerphone or 4K camera. Designed for meeting spaces, WyreStorm has also released the APO-VX20-UC Apollo Video Bar as a component of the Unified Communication Apollo Solutions family. Integrating a video switcher, speakerphone and camera, the VX20 incorporates HDMI and USB-C local inputs. With the capability of wireless casting from any Airplay- and Miracast-capable devices, BYOD options are extended. For video, a 4K camera provides

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SW-220-TX-W enhanced features including presenter tracking and AI assisted lighting, whereas for audio, 8W dual stereo speakers deliver intelligible audio. By incorporating four MEMS microphones in a beamforming array with Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), the VX20 can cater for 10 participants up to 8m away. With the availability of an add-on APO-COM-MIC USB microphone, expanded pickup range can be added to any meeting space. The microphone features an omni 360° pickup angle at a distance up to 5m, plus up to three microphones can be cascaded for greater coverage. For simplified plug-and-play setups, an APO-DG1 dongle can be connected to a USB-C port for sharing from a desktop. www.wyrestorm.com

68 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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PRODUCTS

CV updates for Marshall BUILT AROUND the Sony 1/2.8-inch CMOS “rolling shutter” image sensor, Marshall Electronics has launched the CV566 and CV366 Genlock POV cameras. The image sensor in both micro-sized models incorporates 2.2 Megapixels and a Tri-Level (Genlock) Sync feature. With an ability to switch to night mode (0.005 lux) where IR light wavelengths can be captured, HD video images are captured through 3G-SDI and HDMI. A choice of HD resolutions up to 1920x1080p (progressive), 1280x720p (progressive) and 1920x1080i (interlaced) with a wide selection of frame rates – including 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60fps – cater for a variety of applications. Rolling shutter sensors scan through an image in sequence (usually top to bottom). The CV-PT-Head Micro Pan/Tilt Mount Head has been developed for the miniature camera line. Compatible with all CV500 series cameras in addition to the CV344, CV346, CV366, CV368 and CV355-10X models, the CVPT-HEAD body measures 85mm high and less than 50mm wide. With an IP65 weatherproof rating, built-in camera power supply delivers a constant 12V to the camera socket, as well as camera control data.

Comprising two simultaneous SDI (BNC) outputs with genlockable 12G-SDI and 3G-SDI, as well as HDMI and USB 3.0 options, the US manufacturer has also developed the CV730BHN high-bandwidth NDI PTZ camera. The 4K robotic PTZ camera features fast and lossless high bandwidth NDI streaming referred to as Full-NDI together with NDI|HX 3 for slightly less bandwidth network infrastructures. The NDI|HX 3 requires slightly higher bandwidth than previous NDI|HX but less than that required for High Bandwidth NDI. Available in black and white and featuring a Sony 1/1.8-inch 4K sensor with 9 million pixels and a square pixel array behind a 30x optical zoom range (6.5–202mm), the CV730-BHN is Full-NDI compatible and comes with PoE++ for one-cable to camera setup for video, audio, control, power and tally. www.marshall-usa.com

The CV566 and CV366

AV Stumpfl meets the demands of live events AV STUMPFL has released its PIXERA four media server, while also taking the wraps off the AnyShape projection screen system.

said to offer a greater variety of hardware options depending on a customer’s specific project needs.

Hitachi 4K Ultra HD camera widens the spectrum AS A follow-up to the SK-UHD4000 4K studio and field production camera, Hitachi has developed the SK-UHD7000 live production and broadcast model for the creation of 3840x2160 Ultra

HD video. Retaining compatibility with existing Hitachi control panels and third-party control systems, the second-generation 4K Ultra HD model incorporates three 2⁄3 -inch global shutter CMOS image sensors with native 4K resolution. Complying with all international colourimetry specifications, the prism design incorporates an expanded spectral range. The sensors and prism combine to enable full-range BT.2020 UHD Wide Colour Gamut (WCG) capture. A dual 4K and HDTV workflow supports separate controls for Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), High Dynamic Range (HDR) and standard dynamic range (SDR). A sensitivity of F11 at 59.94fps enables enhanced acquisition with limited lighting, while a signal-to-noise ratio of 62dB provides quiet images. Operational features including focus assist and viewfinder zoom simplify critical focus at 4K resolution. The SK-UHD7000’s streamlined camera chassis has a low centre of gravity presenting a light load on the camera operator’s shoulder for handheld

video assignments. Other features include an integrated prompter power, video monitoring and intercom connectivity at the camera body, together with a motorised, optical ND filter turret and a lens mount

that does not require a mechanical or optical adapter for standard B4 interchangeable lenses. Full-bandwidth, uncompressed, native 4K signals are transported from the SK-UHD7000 camera head to the new CU-UHD7000 camera control unit (CCU) via SMPTE 311M hybrid fibre-optic cable over distances up to 2km. Single-link, 12G-SDI connectivity also provides 4K output directly from the camera head, while integrated HD down-conversion offers 1080p, 1080i or 720p output for multi-format production applications. Embedded audio is available on all SDI outputs and as listenchannels on the intercom connections. A trunk data interface supports video transport and control of TCP/IP-capable devices connected directly to the SK-UHD7000 camera head, enabling applications ranging from robotic movement and IP-based prompting to VR/AR 3D space positioning. www.hitachi-kokusai.co.jp

Ross widens lens options on Furio systems BY INTEGRATING the Chrosziel MagNum lens control system (LCS), Ross Furio users can now manage a range of lenses ranging from a broadcast lens that does not have full servo control to a cine lens that would otherwise not be controllable

from the Furio system. By presenting a compatible serial lens control interface, it enables full control of zoom, focus and iris from any Furio robotic camera system. www.rossvideo.com

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PIXERA four PIXERA four is the latest addition to the PIXERA product portfolio media server and is intended for highly demanding live event real-time graphics applications and XR/AR broadcast setups. The system offers flexible and reliable playback options for real-time compositing, and includes 12G-SDI I/O support, a 10GB/s default data read rate and five PCI 4.0 slots. The recent integration of important real-time tools like Unreal and Notch on the PIXERA software side led the manufacturer to offer its customers even more powerful and flexible hardware to deal with 4K and 8K content. PIXERA four completes AV Stumpfl’s product portfolio at the top end and is

An AMD Performance CPU with 128GB RAM is part of the new PIXERA four hardware, which reportedly allows PIXERA users to flexibly use 8K 10-bit content at 60fps without any hassle. AnyShape allows for the custom production of mobile projection screens with non-standard frame shapes, such as circles, rounded edges and semi-circles. Until now, customers needed to use masking if they wanted to only use a particular part of a rectangular projection screen’s surface. AnyShape offers a way of ordering a custom-built projection screen with a variety of different frame shapes, straight from the factory. www.avstumpfl.com

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PRODUCTS

Datapath extends control room capabilities DATAPATH HAS announced further functionality to its Aetria solution. The multi-point video management and control now supports videowalls driven directly by its Aligo receivers. These receivers are installed directly behind the videowall, with each receiver driving a single 4K screen or four HD screens. With Aligo walls, content is displayed on a source-per-screen basis and controlled using Aetria Command Center or Aetria Workstation in the same way as videowalls driven by VSN controllers.

components, this redundancy complements the existing support for automated failover for the central Aetria Network Manager appliance. Available on Aetria’s Workstation, the Premium Graphics Package (PGP) is a collection of features that add enhanced window capabilities to content, including cropping, borders, onscreen display (OSD) and banners. The capability adds a further layer of information to camera feeds with the ability to activate emergency protocols where required. PGP assets are saved once layout files have been created and information stored in a layout can be re-used and shared across any workstation or videowall.

This allows a combination of VSN and Aligo sources in addition to providing KVM capability to an AVoIP solution and access to VSN sources located further away without extenders. If a VSN videowall controller becomes unreachable on the network, loses power or a graphics card becomes unresponsive, it is automatically switched to a standby replica system. Ensuring the control room remains operational in the event of multiple connectivity issues across different

VuWall’s PAK connects to the network

VUWALL HAS begun to ship its PAK solution for managing the deployment of modular videowalls in AV-over-IP environments. The solution is a networked, multi-decode node that can operate as a standalone device or be stitched with other PAK nodes to build an IPbased videowall that is infinitely scalable. The PAK device features four HDp60 outputs or one 4Kp60 output and multiformat decoding of up to 32 HD streams per device, including H.264, NDI and remote desktops or virtualised browsers using VNC. As part of the VuWall ecosystem, PAK is managed by the company’s TRx centralised management software platform, which provides multi-room visualisation and situational awareness for control rooms and corporate workspaces. It’s also small enough to be mounted behind monitors, saving rack space and reducing extended video cable runs. Described as a cost-effective appliance for streaming, sharing, controlling and visualising websites and applications across AV/IT networks, the VuWall Application Server is a scalable solution that simplifies videowall deployments by providing quick access to websites, dashboards and applications from a single, centralised source.

PAK Centralising web browser and application deployments in a single appliance eliminates loading times and alleviates processing power from the videowall itself. The Application Server also increases security by isolating browsers and applications into one secure virtual machine architecture, preventing unwanted access and intrusions. It features multi-platform compatibility, making it possible to open applications and web browsers on any underlying operating system, whether Windows or Linux. It also provides a way to access and interact with an unlimited number of websites and applications from anywhere on the network. The Application Server delivers a scalable

JVC Professional connects with PTZ cameras DESIGNED FOR a large variety of venues including houses of worship, JVC has unveiled the KY-PZ510 series of PTZ cameras. Available in black and white finishes, the KY-PZ510 and KY-PZ510N (with NDI 5 support) models offer enhanced SMART autotracking for automatically following one person within its field of view. The inclusion of Vertical Interval Time Code (VITC) technology with Network Time Protocol (NTP) promotes multicamera synchronisation for seamless live event production. The four models incorporate 4K60P HEVC SRT streaming with multislice encoding technology to reduce latency. As the latest addition

to the Connected Cam remote production solutions, the cameras support H.264 encoding for increased compatibility with a variety of hardware and software applications. The cameras’ 80° horizontal angle of view and focal length of 21.8–261.8mm promote their use in live events. All models support Secure Reliable Transport (SRT), which is resilient to bandwidth fluctuations, data loss and intermittent connectivity. The KY-PZ510N can simultaneously output NDI, SRT and RTMPS for hybrid local and remote workflows for distribution to the most popular CDNs.

design that can grow to accommodate the number of sources needed without affecting other devices on the network. It also facilitates

www.datapath.co.uk

maintenance of certificates, licences and plugins for IT professionals. The Application Server is compatible with the company’s TRx software platform and is designed to work with VuWall’s PAK videowall nodes and VuScape videowall controllers for multi-room visualisation, situational awareness, control room operations and corporate applications. In brief, TRx version 3.2 boasts improved UI reactivity and performance that enable it to handle thousands of devices and perform multiple tasks simultaneously without slowing down. www.vuwall.com

Application Server

Cobalt Digital licenses 12G-SDI bridge to Dante WITH THE +UDXDante-16x16, Cobalt Digital has developed the industry’s first licencebased 12G-SDI bridge to Dante audio. By incorporating the functionality into the 9904-UDX processing card, Dante’s IP-based audio networking solution is available to users on a licence basis. Field upgradable, the +UDX-Dante-16x16 supports embedding and de-embedding up to 12G with full audio routing capabilities between SDI, MADI and Dante – both input and output – adding up to 32 channels to existing 9904 cards without the need for additional hardware. The solution can ingest and process up to

16 audio channels from the network with an ability to output up to 16 channels back into the network using Dante and the Ethernet port. By inserting a licensed 9904 card into Cobalt’s BBG-1300 portable frame, a standalone chassis is created. In addition to accessing Dante on Cobalt’s 9904 cards, access to the card’s other functions such as UDX, colour correction, 3D-LUT, frame-sync and audio mixing remains available, along with embedding and de-embedding to and from SDI. www.cobaltdigital.com

pro.jvc.com

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PRODUCTS

DynamicMC is Arthur Holm’s smooth operator

Atlona prepares to Captivate its UC audience

DEVELOPED AS a videoconferencing and broadcast solution, Arthur Holm has released the DynamicMC. Created for furniture integration, the high-resolution, motorised video camera and microphone can operate in a wide variety of meeting spaces. A discreet camera and microphone can elevate from their stored position inside the furniture to capture the optimum image and voice audio, by rising smoothly from the interior of the furniture, covering one person at a time. The conference camera and microphone are positioned at a height, distance and viewing angle that allows remote participants to see everyone in the room. Remote meeting participants can see everyone in the same way as those physically

WITH THE introduction of the AT-CAPSP100 USB and Bluetooth speakerphone, Atlona is rolling out the Captivate family of videoconferencing solutions. Designed for use with conferencing and unified communications (UC) platforms including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and GoToMeeting, the CAPSP100 provides microphone and speaker audio in a single enclosure. Capable of capturing voices within a 5m radius, the speakerphone provides 360° coverage. Providing enhanced intelligibility for individual meeting participants, a sixelement microphone array focuses audio pickup while suppressing background noises. The integration of acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and noise reduction eliminates unwanted sounds.

present without favouring any specific seats. A 360° horizontal halo LED indicates active camera and microphone. Available with either an HD-SDI or a USB camera, the DynamicMC is equipped with an omnidirectional microphone with balanced analogue XLR and USB audio outputs that work simultaneously. Finished in a black non-reflective matt finish, the camera housing includes a top that functions as a lid with an easy operation touch sensor when stored. A circular cover plate is available to close the gap between the surface cutout and the camera housing. The DynamicMC can be remotely controlled via AHNet/RS-422 or GPI and all the units can be daisy-chained using Cat6 cables for control. www.arthurholm.com

Designed to complement Atlona’s HDVS-CAM PTZ cameras and the Omega Series of switchers, extenders and video processors, the solution provides USB audio and video in addition to USB and AV extension for small- and mediumsized rooms. The CAP-SP100’s USB, Bluetooth and analogue audio connectivity are compatible with a wide range of computers and mobile devices. The internal battery allows the CAPSP100 to operate for up to eight hours and can be charged wirelessly or via USB. For larger meeting spaces requiring additional coverage, two CAP-SP100 speakerphones can be connected using a cascade cable. An optional mount is available for attaching the unit to a flat surface. www.atlona.com

4055

Kick Drum Mic

dpamicrophones.com/4055

Unavngivet 1 1

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Transparent – picks up the true sound of the drum Versatile – allows you to shape the sound you want Tough – withstands rough use on the live stage Flexible – effortless placement inside or outside

19.05.2022 08.57

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PRODUCTS

Tessera integrates with Bitfocus Companion

Blackmagic brings H.265 to BLACKMAGIC DESIGN has announced HyperDeck Extreme 4K HDR, a new broadcast deck with advanced H.265 4K recording that features a touchscreen user interface with built-in scopes and an HDR screen. The device combines the reliability of HyperDeck with new features such as

space-saving H.265 files, optional internal cache, 3D LUTs and HDR support. With the ability to record up to 4K in H.265, users benefit from reduced storage costs and improved image quality. The large touchscreen reportedly ensures a view of the recording as well as control over

Lawo takes video routing over the .edge FOLLOWING CUSTOMER requests, Brompton Technology has created a new device profile for its Tessera LED video processor that is fully integrated into the Bitfocus Companion application. This means that Tessera SX40 and Tessera S8 users can now control multiple Tessera functions as part of their Companion and Elgato Stream Deck video workflows. Bitfocus Companion is an open-source software that turns an Elgato Stream Deck into a professional shotbox surface to trigger a variety of AV devices, such as media servers,

video decks, matrix switchers, scan converters and vision mixers. Following the release of an IP control API in recent versions of its Tessera software, Brompton had multiple users asking about the possibility of integrating with Companion, which was made possible thanks to the company’s software team who created a device profile for the Tessera LED video processor that was compatible with the Companion application.

LAWO HAS taken the wraps off .edge, a hyper-density SDI/IP conversion and routing platform. Software-defined by nature, .edge can be used as a featureladen replacement for traditional SDI routers and expanded with flexible software licences to provide a mix of advanced features. Its compact 2U housing accommodates up to four 25/100 GbE processing blades and rear I/O plates with best-in-class signal conversion density, resulting in up to 192 HD-BNC

available for 288x288, 576x576 and 1152x1152 matrix capacities, complete with the customer’s choice of network switches and a fully clustered HOME licence. To broadcast control systems, the .edge/HOME bundle behaves like a traditional SDI router, meaning there are no changes to users’ UIs or workflows. This allows broadcasters to keep all their existing SDI gear in operation. New software has also been released by Lawo for users of its radio mixing

www.bromptontech.com

The KD-MLV4x4 offers seamless switching for uninterrupted screen transitions from any of the four HDMI inputs to feed any of the four HDMI outputs while in full-screen mode. Image layering allows stacked images with customisable priority settings per output. The four inputs can also be tiled in one of five preset layouts and fed to any output set to multi-view mode. Custom-matrixed outputs can be created, allowing picture-in-picture display and user-mapped combinations of live content and graphics with selectable bezel size on each window. Where onscreen source identification is desired, each source can be overlaid with up to 16 characters of text with variable sizing and on-screen location settings. The KD-MLV4x4Pro natively accommodates 4K inputs and outputs

together with selectable output downconversion to 1080p and 720p for support of legacy displays and projectors. The four HDMI outputs are mirrored to RJ45 ports for signal extension up to 40m using Ultra High Definition over Twisted Pair (UHDoTP) technology. The HDMI and UHDoTP outputs

can be used simultaneously to feed up to eight displays. To feed displays at a distance, four KD-EXMLVRx UHDoTP receivers are included with the KD-MLV4x4Pro with Power over Cat (PoC). In addition to front panel buttons, the KD-MLV4x4Pro can be controlled from the Key Digital iOS app and Key Digital Management Software Pro (KDMS Pro) from TCP/IP control systems via open API and its integrated web UI. Audio output ports may be routed separately from the HDMI and UHDoTP ports, while audio from any source may be selected while in multi-view mode. Audio can be de-embedded with twochannel analogue audio output on a six-pin balanced/unbalanced output connector and two-channel to 5.1 digital output. www.keydigital.com

connectors (48 HD-BNC connectors for SD/HD/3G/UHD-SDI interfacing per I/O blade) and can be clustered to provide matrixes beyond 1152x1152 crosspoints. The platform also provides full support for the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards with ST 2022-7 redundancy built in, providing not only advanced essence-based handling but also ensuring seamless protection switching of audio, video and ancillary data streams in both local and wide-area network operations. Without a TDM bus or video matrix, video is switched on the IP packet level, in one of two ways: “make before break” (MBB) and “break before make” (BBM). Audio signals are switched in MBB mode using a V-fade curve for quiet transitions. .edge’s local loop support allows users to route local inputs to local outputs while the packet replication capability allows a packet received once to be used many times without additional stream management or logic operations – packets in the packet buffer are available to any SDI output. To serve as a simple drop-in SDI router replacement, all-in .edge bundles are

consoles, Power Core mixing engines and On-Air Designer configuration software. This release coincides with that of diamond, the German manufacturer’s newest mixing console for on-air radio, production, MCR, remote-control and OB applications. Lawo Radio software 7.0 updates On-Air Designer, the configuration software used to program the functions of Lawo radio mixing consoles and audio cores, allowing the programming and recall of saved parameters and settings including motorised fader settings, programmable context-sensitive user keys and select source icons to be shown on diamond’s fader-adjacent displays, and also to configure support for the new diamond Virtual Extension modules. The release also introduces a new graphical look, incorporating elements from Lawo’s LUX design system into the diamond GUI, and within VisTool. Another important part of the upgrade makes it possible for VisTool to be an Ember+ provider, adding control of routing matrixes via Ember+ as an integral part of its control suite. www.lawo.com

72 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2022

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Key Digital makes the switch KEY DIGITAL has developed the KD-MLV4x4Pro 4x4 4K UHD HDMI multiview tiling processor with seamless matrix switching. Integrating HDMI signal extension and control options, the KD-MLV4x4Pro is a complete solution for multi-source, multi-screen applications.

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PRODUCTS

HyperDeck Extreme 4K HDR

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all deck settings. Users can then add HyperDeck Extreme Control to transform it into a traditional broadcast deck. HyperDeck Extreme also includes two media slots, 12G-SDI, analogue connections for archiving, USB-C external disk recording, plus a front panel speaker

VERSION 4.0 firmware for AJA Video Systems’ Ki Pro GO multichannel H.264 recorder brings enhanced playback and control functionality to increase flexibility in the field. The free update introduces third-party file playback support alongside a host of new settings and improvements to help provide more seamless setups and operation across production, post and pro AV environments. Highlights of the new firmware include the playback of mp4 files originating from supported third-party applications, including

MAGEWELL IS looking to create more engaging online presentations with its latest multi-input USB video capture device. Building on the ease-of-use credentials of the company’s other capture devices, USB Fusion features two HDMI inputs and one USB webcam input, letting users switch between 1080p60 HD sources or combine two inputs into one output in either a picture-in-picture or side-by-side view before being brought into software via the USB 3.0 interface.

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Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer and Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve, as well as the ability to set each device to generate zero, one, two, three or four B-frames individually on each channel for smaller file sizes. New alarm functionality reportedly makes it easy to clear outdated alerts after errors are corrected and an updated REST API enables remote device shut-off.

Two become one with Magewell’s USB Fusion

www.blackmagicdesign.com

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and headphone jack. There’s also an optional cache that eliminates dropped frames if media becomes full or is too slow. Both AC and DC power connections are also included for studio or on-location use.

The device is said to be ideal for users who wish to combine a camera signal with supporting visuals – such as lyrics displayed from a separate laptop – into a single livestream. On-device buttons allow users to switch between full-screen sources or select a combined scene layout, while a browser-based web interface offers scene switching, volume adjustments and device configuration. The full presentation power of the device is unlocked through the third control option – the free USB Fusion companion app for iOS and Android tablets – which provides expanded layout controls for combining any two of the three input sources and lets users add pictures, video clips, background music and handwritten notes into their presentations. Presenters can set up playlists incorporating live video and other media in advance, and record or take screenshots of the combined output onto the hardware’s built-in storage. Annotations can also be exported to files for archiving or subsequent sharing. www.magewell.com

www.aja.com

LYNX Technik employs AI technology for an instant clean

DESIGNED TO isolate speech and dialogue in live broadcasts as well as recorded audio, LYNX Technik has launched the Instant Dialog Cleaner yellobrik module. The IDC 1411 incorporates Deep Neural Networks (DNN) AI technology from Audionamix for the removal of complex background noises that commonly arise in broadcast and professional AV environments. With this technology, the Instant Dialog Cleaner analyses audio and removes background noises such as road and air traffic, music and other ambient noises in real time. The audio cleaning process separates the dialogue and speech from the noises, providing an audio signal containing the spoken word. Unlike other available noise reduction tools, the AI technology automatically detects the voice regardless of the surrounding noises to preserve the real integrity of the dialogue. This tool is especially useful for live broadcasts, recording, editing and mixing audio within noisy broadcast and AV

Canare’s 32MCKA gets bigger and better SAID TO be ideal for broadcast studios, rental facilities and OB trucks, Canare Corporation of America has unveiled 1.5U and 2U 32MCKA ultra-high-definition micro video patchbay solutions that provide the same performance as the 1U variant but in a larger housing, with high-visibility designation strips that are easier to label and quickly identifiable. The 32MCKA patchbays were developed to meet the needs of the growing trend towards 12G production. All three 32MCKA models feature upgraded staggered dual video jacks

and exceed the SMTPE ST 2081-1 standard with low return loss. The solutions are also SMPTE ST

environments, such as sports commentary in a full stadium. Like many other yellobriks, the IDC 1411 is supported by the new yellobrik RCT 1012 rack controller, enabling monitoring, parameter adjustment and thirdparty automation via an Ethernet network or VPN, from any workstation. Providing advanced settings for yellobriks and other LYNX Technik products, the IDC 1411 is compatible with the LynxCentraal and yelloGUI software applications. www.lynx-technik.com

sheet of channel designators for quick identification, along with the option to add accessories. Additionally, each unit features staggered BNC rear jacks with vertical stud position and improved visibility of the position mark on the BNC plug body. It is possible to recess the 1.5U/2U options up to 25mm, while the 1U version can be recessed by 50mm or 75mm by changing the mounting brackets to the Canare M-MA1U02A(2). 2082-1 compliant and include dust-proof shutters and a

www.canare.com

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PRODUCTS

ROE removes the weight with Graphite ROE VISUAL has announced the release of its latest LED panel targeting the indoor event market. Graphite offers a durable yet lightweight LED solution that promises quick installation via its smart-lock system. The manufacturer states that Graphite is ideal for building large LED walls and ceilings fast and efficiently for any indoor event space. Weighing less than 17kg/m2, Graphite is described as durable yet lightweight, with installation achieved through Graphite’s intuitive panel design. The smart-lock system is said to save up to 40% of the assembly time compared to standard LED panels. Graphite allows for various installation options and configurations, including the choice of building an LED wall, ceiling or curved LED displays. Its 1,500 nits panel, fitted with fine pitch, black-body LEDs, offers

Avolites adds fixed install capabilities to Titan control AVOLITES HAS released an incremental software update to its Titan lighting and integrated media control. Designed to accelerate the programming process of a time-coded show, Titan’s Timeline has proved successful in both live production and fixed installation settings. Offering a visual approach to programming, users quickly capture their actions manually via the UI or by using the live record feature. With Titan 15.1, a Venue Mode Workspace allows users to choose a workspace that will display on the screen when the console is

locked. This can be used to display selected playbacks on the lock screen, allowing for basic control by venue staff when the lighting operator is not present with password control enabled in publicly accessible places. Additionally, the console can now be configured to start in different lock modes, protecting the show from accidental editing. Other new features in Titan 15.1 include the merging of Titan Mobile into the Titan Go application and the ability to put Titan Go into full screen mode. www.avolites.com

16-bit greyscales that translate into an accurate colour representation. Graphite is available in a 2.6 as well as a 3.1 pixel pitch. www.roevisual.com

Panasonic quietly but brightly blends in DESIGNED TO provide “impressive image quality” in well-lit rooms and over-IP cameras to remote viewers, Panasonic has launched the PT-MZ20K LCD projector. Heralded as the world’s smallest, lightest and quietest

20,000-lumen projector, the compact 22.3kg chassis blends into corporate meetings, lecture theatres and hybrid environments. Compatible with a wide range of optional Panasonic lenses, the PT-MZ20K can be applied for digital signage or in museums and entertainment venues. Capable of operating down to 36dB, the PT-MZ20K has a tuned optical engine featuring 1-inch LCD panels. Pure White Generator draws added light to improve colour accuracy and Dynamic Contrast analyses video before adjusting light output to suit contrast requirements. Two 4K input-signal and CEC command-compatible

HDMI inputs provide on/off control of the source device or Panasonic’s PressIT wireless presentation system. Features include the NFC function that supports IP setup without power, an information

monitor that displays status on standby and the Smart Projector Control app with auto-focus via a smartphone camera. A multi-laser drive engine together with unique sealed liquid-cooling and phosphor-wheel cooling systems enhance reliability. Failover Circuitry prevents brightness loss from diode failure, while Backup Input prevents screen-blanking to provide greater peace of mind in missioncritical situations. The reusable air filter and laser light source are maintenance free for 20,000 hours. www.panasonic.com

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Ro Ayrton launches long-throw series with Domino LT

Domino LT

THE DOMINO LT is the first longthrow, IP65 -rated fixture in Ayrton’s 9 Series and forms part of the manufacturer’s LT (long-throw) range. The fixture is described as an all-terrain LED for long-distance applications where high precision is required. Its reportedly also able to cope also able to cope with the most extreme conditions and acclimatise to and endure rapid climate changes. It

combines the minimalist design of the Domino Profile with the colour-mixing capabilities of the Huracán Profile and the IP65 weather-proofing of the Perseo. Equipped with a high-efficiency 1,000W LED module, the Domino LT delivers a luminous flux of 51,000 lumens at a colour temperature of 6,700K. The fixture’s colour-mixing system offers a double level of CMY saturation that can obtain 281 trillion colours (patent pending) and a triple corrector for variable colour temperature that allows adjustment from 2,700K to 15,000K as well as a “significant” CRI improvement. Outfitted with multiple optical tools for shaping light, the Domino LT is factoryequipped with a linear progressive frost system, a lightweight frost filter and two image-multiplying rotating prisms: one linear with four facets and the other circular with five facets. The framing section enables positioning of each shutter blade on a 100% surface area. The effects section includes two superimposed rotating gobo wheels, each with seven gobos, a 15-blade iris diaphragm, a monochromatic multiposition effects wheel and an RGB and CMY effects wheel for multicolour effects.

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www.ayrton.eu

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The Rush is over as Martin Professional heralds a new ERA WITH THE Martin ERA 150 Wash moving head and Martin ELP PAR static LED wash, Martin Professional testifies to have developed next-generation lighting fixtures for rentals, installations and touring. As the successor to the Martin Rush MH 6 moving head LED, the Martin ERA 150 Wash delivers 3,900 lumens from its seven 40W RGBW light engine and optical system. Ideal for covering larger stages that require long throw distances, the ELP PAR succeeds the Rush PAR 2 static LED. Capable of outputting twice the output of the previous model, the ELP PAR incorporates the same RGBW light engine and optical system. Supporting a dedicated colour temperature control channel for adjusting the colour space from the desired colour temperature, the ERA 150 Wash and ELP PAR feature full-gamut colour calibration systems for producing consistent colour reproduction from fixture to fixture. With a zoom range of 4.2–58°, the ERA 150 Wash and ELP PAR produce broad washes and high-intensity mid-air effects. Streamline setup is included with the ELP PAR’s smart rigging and control features, including omega bracket connectivity and

clear angle-projection indicators. Projection and focus can be instantly confirmed at the touch of a button by temporarily switching from full-power to open-white to adjustablezoom settings. Both lights feature a low-noise Theatre mode operating at 33dB.

An ELP PAR IP sealed design variant will be in production later in 2022 for deployment in IP65-rated outdoor settings. A free software update for Martin P3 System Controllers has introduced a number of features and improvements that benefit both

new and old models in the line-up. The main highlights of software version 5.3.0 include the fact that the P3-PC System Controller now supports the NDI protocol, allowing P3-PC to receive video-over-IP from various sources, such as media servers, webcams and media players, and also that sACN has been added as an input protocol on all P3 System Controllers, alongside DMX and Art-Net. Support for multi-universe Art-Net Sync and sACN Sync has been added as well. Other notable enhancements include the fact that Background Image Opacity Control, New Tools Menu, Workspace Size Tooltips, the Renumber Tool and Quick Addressing Tool have been updated to improve workflows, and support for the Active PDE Junction Box is added. Enable Magnified Fixtures now supports MAC Aura PXL, MAC Ultra and VDO Atomic Bold fixtures. DMX and Motion View now includes a re-patch functionality and incoming universe status window. Additionally, it is now possible to run fixtures in “pure video mode”, not requiring any DMX controls to be patched. www.martin.com

Robe reignites the stage ROBE HAS announced the addition of five products to its catalogue. PAINTE is a compact moving light that delivers a quiet profile solution for short- and medium-throw scenarios. The 12,000-lumen fixture output is said to have a sparkling, clear white light, with “boundless” colours via the advanced CMY colour-mixing system. Designed for noise-sensitive environments, PAINTE features a TE 310W HP White LED engine from Robe’s Transferable Engine technology range and a motorised 8–48° zoom. The iBeam 250 is the latest addition to the manufacturer’s IP65 iSeries. Suitable for outdoor events or unpredictable weather scenarios, the iBeam 250 also has all the features of its indoor relative, the LEDBeam 150. Ingress protection is specifically designed and developed to ensure the fixture is completely sealed and IP65 compliant. An aluminium housing provides a dust-free environment for the optics, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning, routine maintenance and UV

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iBeam 250

Anolis Calumma PAINTE damage to plastic parts. NFC (NearField Communication) technology, setup, diagnostic and performance features can be accessed directly from a mobile device, even when the fixture is not powered via the Robe Com app. Developed following the success of the Tetra1 and Tetra2 products, the TetraX comes with a dynamic pan movement and an extremely high-speed continuous rotation, increasing the sweep-effect possibilities of the fixture. Each of the nine evenly spaced pixels generates an ultra-tight 4° beam and these combine to produce a bright, defined “sheet” of light. The homogenised beams and smooth 11:1 motorised zoom provide ultra-smooth washes out to 45°. The TetraX comes with three patented MCFEs – MultiColoured Flower Effects – emitting sharp, multi-coloured spikes of light, with variable speed and rotation direction control to further boost the impact of in-air animations.

Retaining the fast-moving, compact design of the original, the Spikie+ reportedly generates 25% more lumens from its single 60W RGBW source. The fixture has a specifically designed 110mm front lens and a moving zoom that produces beams from a tight 4° to a soft and wide 28° wash. The Spikie+ also incorporates the MCFEs to create sharp multicoloured

spikes of light, rotating bidirectionally with variable speed. The Beam Effects Engine transforms the output into three piercing rays of narrow beams, while continuous pan and tilt movement are said to add a further layer of dynamism. Colour management includes CMY or RGBW mixing modes. Small and compact, weighing just 7.3kg, the Spikie+ can be rigged at any angle. Finally, the Calumma Series has been designed to continue the success of the Anolis ArcSource family. The floodlights are described as powerful, efficient and well rounded and are suitable for a variety of applications. Calumma luminaires provide durability in harsh outdoor environments as well as a pleasing design to complement indoor applications.

TetraX

www.robe.cz

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PRODUCTS

Cameo lights the way with the OTOS H5 CAMEO HAS unveiled several fixtures, with the new OTOS H5 hybrid moving head for outdoor use taking the lead. With the OTOS H5, the German brand is targeting the needs of professional lighting designers and rental companies who are looking for a fully road and rider-ready hybrid fixture for both indoor and outdoor use. The OTOS H5 combines a high light output of 19,000 lumens, with IP65 certification, three-in-one hybrid flexibility and a low weight of 33kg, reportedly making it the lightest product in its performance class. Coupled with a large zoom range of 2–42°, continuous CMY colour mixing and flexible control options based on the integrated W-DMX transceiver, the fixture can be deployed creatively in almost any application. In addition, Cameo has also introduced the P2 Series, its first profilers for the events sector, LUXIS FC and a secondgeneration Studio PAR G2. The P2 Series includes LED profile spotlights in Tungsten (3,200K), Daylight (5,600K) and Full Colour

OTOS H5 (RGBAL) versions, and boasts high CRI (96) and TLCI values for true-to-life colour rendering. With a light output of up to 15,000 lumens, the P2 models have been

ADJ adds a dash of lime THE ENCORE Lime Par Series of IP65-rated LED wash fixtures from ADJ features quad colour (RGB + lime) LEDs that offer a very high CRI. Three models are available – the Encore LP7IP, Encore LP12IP and Encore LP18IP – with seven, 12 and 18 LEDs respectively. Each LED is rated at 20W and, combined in multiples, generate an even, soft-edged beam. Through precise dimming control over the four primary LED colours, the fixtures are able to generate a large gamut of colours and hues. The inclusion of the lime LED chip is said to help certain colours appear more vivid and boost the CRI to 86.2. In addition to full RGBL colour-mixing control, the fixtures feature 64 built-in colour macros, five preset white colour temperatures and linear colour temperature control (between 2,700K and 6,500K) to aid with quick setup and programming. They also offer an adjustable refresh rate (14 presets between 900Hz and 25kHz) for flicker-free operation when used for video recording and broadcast, as well as six selectable dimming modes (Standard, Stage, TV, Architectural, Theatre and Stage 2) and four selectable dimming curves (Linear, Square, Inverse Square and S-Curve). ADJ has also expanded its portfolio of stage lighting fixtures with the addition of the Encore

Encore Lime Par Series

FR Pro Color. Combining motorised focus with a potent LED light engine that offers enhanced colour-mixing potential and a high CRI, the Fresnel fixture is designed to illuminate various stages, including theatres, houses of worship and concert venues. Positioned behind a 7-inch Fresnel lens, the 9.45kg unit’s 400W LED light source delivers a maximum output of 9,237 lumens. Combining red, green, blue, amber, cyan and lime LED chips in addition to white light with a variable colour temperature of between 2,400K and 8,500K, the unit’s light source offers an average life expectancy of 50,000 hours. To aid with programming in varied situations, a virtual CMY colour-mixing mode allows control using CMY colour palette tools alongside native CMY fixtures. It also features a tunable white colour temperature control, allowing a single DMX channel to be used to fade through the fixture’s white light colour temperature range. Featuring 62 preset white colour temperatures, 60 virtual colour wheel presets and 64 RGBA colour macros, the fixture also offers independent colour-mixing control over the LED source’s six primary colours. www.adj.com

designed as a replacement for conventional 1kW profile spotlights. In addition to their selectable pulse width modulation of up to 25kHz for flicker-free operation, the RDMcapable profilers can be flexibly adjusted in their beam angle (15–50°) via optional interchangeable lenses. For wireless control via W-DMX, the P2 profilers can be equipped with a Cameo iDMX stick. The LUXIS FC is equipped with a 200W RGBALC six-in-one COB LED and combines colour rendering (CRI > 92) and a high light output (7,750 lumens). Thanks to the QuickChange mechanism – for fast and easy lens changes – the beam angle of the LED spotlight can be adjusted without separate tools. For wireless DMX control, the LUXIS FC can also be equipped with the optional Cameo iDMX stick. The patented SPIN16 technology also enables flexible mounting based on the 16mm TV spigot integrated in the mounting bracket. Second-generation models in the P2 Series include the STUDIO PAR 4 G2, STUDIO PAR 6

Studio PAR G2 G2 and STUDIO PAR TW G2 models, and have been designed as versatile all-round LED PAR spotlights. Even with the smallest model, the STUDIO PAR 4 G2, includes integrated full colour mixing, while the STUDIO PAR 6 G2 extends the possibilities further with amber and UV colour and light variants. The series is rounded off by the STUDIO PAR TW G2 tunable white variant, which features 12 white light LEDs. In addition to optional wireless DMX control via the Cameo iDMX stick, the new G2 Series is compatible with the patented SPIN16 technology. www.cameolight.com

Chauvet adds to all-weather line-up CHAUVET PROFESSIONAL is continuing to broaden its weatherproof line-up of battery-powered lighting fixtures with the addition of WELL STX, a pair of IP65-rated LED tubes intended to serve as decoration both around stages and to stages and in corporate and broadcast applications, indoors or outside. Available in two models, the RGBWW fixture produces either 360° (WELL STX 360) or 180° (WELL STX 180) of bright, even, pixel-mappable illumination which is capable of being oriented in multiple directions, mounted on floor stands or flown from different hanging points. Adding to the visual capabilities are the fixture’s 16 zones of control, which can be run wirelessly to create chase sequences. WELL STX fixtures are controllable via W-DMX, which can be used with nearly all standard lighting controllers, including the WELL COM with its built-in W-DMX receiver. Both fixtures use the same DMX personalities for control, which makes it simple to change them out for one another to meet the needs of different applications without reprogramming. Measuring 1.5m in length, the WELL STX 360 tubes are sold in sets of four and include four eyebolts for hanging options and four folding floor stands, as well as one remote and one charging flightcase. Its filter can be removed from the 360° option to reveal its individual LEDs if desired. The smaller, 1m-long WELL STX 180 is packaged as part of complete kit that includes six fixtures. Each kit also features 12 magnetic brackets for attaching to metal surfaces, six eyebolts for hanging options, six folding floor stands, one remote and one ABS plastic charging case. A stealth black diffuse filter ships with the product that helps “hide” the fixture when it’s not activated.

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www.chauvetprofessional.com

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ETC offers complete control with Eos Apex

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Elation hits a new high with Fuze Max AVAILABLE IN Spot and Profile framing versions, the Fuze Max has been designed for precision lighting applications. The automated LED moving heads offer full-spectrum performance from a 92 CRI engine that draws upon an 800W five-colour homogenised LED array of red, green, blue, mint and amber sources. Delivering an output of 21,000 total fixture lumens, the RGBMA LED engine produces fully blended colours across a wide spectrum with pure dynamic whites that are tunable from 2,400–8,500K. The addition of amber and mint emitters extends the range of colours, including warmer tones, theatrical whites and pastels that blend quickly yet smoothly with natural transitions. Control over green and magenta enhances colour accuracy. Virtual colour temperature and CMY emulation provide immediate access to the LED colour array, while a variety of premixed shades can be recalled from a virtual gel library.

Dimming of the LED engine is smooth and stepless with variable 16-bit dimming curve modes available to suit any application. Incorporating advanced optics for sharp, crisp projections, both the Spot and the Profile LEDs house a motorised zoom for beam angle adjustment from 7–53° wide. The Profile is equipped with a full blackout framing system with four rotating blades and ±60° indexing for full control of the beam shape when required. The FX package includes 19 gobos across three gobo wheels in the Fuze Max Spot and 13 gobos across two gobo wheels in the Fuze Max Profile. Ideal for aerials, textures or breakups, both fixtures offer rotating and fixed glass gobos together with an animation wheel to bring graphics to life. Effects can be multiplied via dual prisms and a dual variable frost filter can be employed to diffuse the light for softer gobo or wash effects. www.elationlighting.com

Talen brings flexibility to the rig HIGH END Systems has introduced Talen, an automated luminaire that adds “visual excitement and big looks to any show”. The fixture’s high-intensity beams are created with full additive colour RGBW emitters and a large front aperture, resulting in an extremely narrow 3° beam with high centre beam candlepower. With infinite pan and tilt movement, Talen is said to move beyond the positioning limitations of other luminaires – its footprint is small enough to fit anywhere in a lighting rig but it can also be used in

creative hanging positions. The fixtures can be easily configured and addressed through ETC’s Set Light App. The luminaire can be used to add movement to conventional rigs and supplement bigger rigs, expanding the lighting designer’s toolbox. Additional features include a TIR lens for producing a tight beam of light, wireless fixture configuration via iPhone and Android devices and a versatile hinge. www.etcconnect.com

WITH THREE sizes to choose from – the Eos Apex 5, 10 and 20 – the latest lighting control desk from ETC is said to prioritise the user experience for long hours behind the desk. The multitouch displays offer “generous screen real estate” for Magic Sheets, Direct Selects and Augment3d models, and feature eye-strain-reducing 4K resolution. The displays articulate on a dual axis and feature a 160° viewing angle, so users can see all tools and data from anywhere

already in the works as the next phase of Eos development. ETC has also unveiled the Cyberlight LED, a moving mirror fixture created as a result of industry feedback. Manufactured in the US, Cyberlight LED is said to surpass moving head luminaires in several respects, including its high-speed pan/tilt movement and the ability to hide lighting fixtures in permanent installations. Furthermore, customers with existing mirror fixtures can retrofit those products with Cyberlight LED for more energy-efficient

Eos Apex 5, 10 and 20 along the programming surface. Additional features include an ergonomically redesigned wrist-rest, book lights built into the sides of the desk, hand-holds for easy carrying, and drawers and charging ports for accessories. On the programming surface, programmers have access to their most-used tools, right on the face panel. The familiar Eos Family programming keypad has been enhanced with a touchscreen that thumps with haptic feedback when you press your soft keys or mapped content. Eos Apex also introduces customisable Target Keys for Direct Selects, which boast individual OLED displays that can be customised with images, icons and text. The encoder area from the Eos Ti console has been expanded to include eight mini-encoders and a navigation dial to easily switch between parameters. The five, 10 and 20 motorised Playbacks on each Apex console respectively now boast an additional, separately mappable scroll wheel for on-the-fly programming. The Eos Apex Processor provides the power of an Eos Apex console in a portable, rackmountable box which can be used as a primary or backup controller or remote programming station. When a portal into a lighting system is needed but not the processing power, the new Eos Remote Interface lets users view and edit systems from anywhere in the venue. It’s also possible to mix and match DMX and show control ports on a per-show basis using customisable widgets. In addition to standard etherCON Gigabit connections, all Apex-class controllers also feature SFP+ ports that are compatible with the latest high-speed copper and fibre networks. Eos Apex consoles and processors provide 24K output, allowing them to control complex rigs with ease. And because shows keep getting bigger and bigger, expansion processing options are

CyberLight LED operation and servicing. The 470W bright white LED engine combines with a high-quality optical system to deliver 12,750 field lumens with 90+ CRI signifying its colour-rendering capabilities. A full complement of features include colour mixing plus colour wheel, dual rotating pattern wheels, zoom, focus, iris, prism and diffusion. www.etcconnect.com

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BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Chain reaction The blockchain is all the rage right now, but what does it mean for pro AV? In the first of a two-part series, Simon Luckhurst looks at blockchain’s short history and potential future implications and benefits for the industry

SEVERAL NEW TECHNOLOGY-INDUCED WORDS HAVE entered the lexicon in recent years that shine a light on where the future of the audiovisual industry – and many others – could be heading. With growth in the cryptocurrency sectors evolving well beyond Bitcoin and branching into a dizzying array of different niche applications and protocols, the future of the blockchain and the impact it could have on traditional supply models has become an enticing topic. Some have termed this transition Web3 – the third evolution of the world wide web, marking it as a distinct period from the internet’s early origins and the later rise of Web2 apps such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The first commercial Web1 applications emerged in the early 1990s. At that time, “The Internet” consisted of purely static web pages. It was “read-only” internet in that users could only consume information. Popular platforms today such as Facebook or Netflix were yet to emerge, and the internet giants of this age were sites like Britannica Online and Yahoo. IP, HTTP, URI and HTML provided the technological infrastructure. Innovations such as JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3 spawned the gradual rise of Web2. While Web1 enabled the transmission of information, Web2 focused on interaction, with users typically making their data voluntarily available to services such as social media, e-commerce and payment providers in order to enable these apps to function. In other

words, Web2 users were no longer just consumers, they had also become the product. And we’re all aware of the issues that this dichotomy has since created. Web3 seeks to turn that paradigm back around by providing the latest-generation of internet applications in a more decentralised way, replacing server-client infrastructure with distributed ledgers, of which the most common type is the blockchain. Instead of all data being stored on a centralised server, it will instead be scattered across a decentralised computer network and not susceptible to corruption by any one party. That’s the theory, anyway. For the time being, this technology has been limited primarily to the financial domain, but interesting prospects lay on the horizon. What could the implications be for the professional audiovisual industry, which has come to rely on successful Web2 video streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube and Teams for entertainment, and where videoconferencing has become king in the workplace? Livepeer is a video streaming network built on the Ethereum blockchain that aims to provide decentralised video encoding to help companies lower the cost of livestreaming. Today, this process typically costs around US$3 per stream, per hour to a cloud service such as Amazon, up to US$4,500 per month for one media server and up to US$1,500 per month for enough

bandwidth to host a content delivery network. Livepeer is a protocol for developers who want to add live or on-demand video to their projects and aims to increase the reliability of video streaming while reducing the costs associated with it by up to 50 times. In a similar vein, Render Network provides decentralised GPU (graphics processing unit)-based rendering solutions in a bid to “democratise GPU cloud rendering”. It works by connecting users looking to perform render jobs with people who have idle GPUs available to process them, with the renderer being “paid” in the chain’s native cryptocurrency token, RNDR. Having recently been acquired by Activision, there are clearly major interested players that see the benefits of such a transition, yet it’s still very early days. It’s also easy to see the potential security benefits for certain sectors of our industry. Videoconferencing is increasingly becoming the most genuine way of communicating between trusted parties but, due to potential vulnerabilities in between entities, exchanging information in a Videoconferencing system could lead to catastrophe. Ideally, companies and users want to remain in charge of their data rather than entrust a third-party to keep their word. There was no shortage of headlines in 2020 when the world overnight moved to Zoom, a company that hosts the livestream

and, if so desired, has complete access to the “private” conversation. A decentralised videoconferencing system can lay the framework to establish permissionless trusted communication between users of the system and to enhance the integrity protection of stored information by utilising blockchain technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a fast-evolving industry that could also benefit hugely from a decentralised infrastructure in ensuring privacy as data is shared publicly. Security is a major concern with IoT that has hindered its large-scale deployment, as IoT devices often suffer security vulnerabilities that make them an easy target for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Another issue is that of scalability. As the number of devices connected through an IoT network grows, current centralised systems to authenticate, authorise and connect different nodes in a network turn into a bottleneck. Blockchain technology presents solutions to all these challenges. While many turn off at the topic of cryptocurrencies, the underlying distributed ledger technology powering the sector has potentially far-reaching implications (and benefits) for our industry. In the next issue of Pro AVL MEA, we’ll delve one step deeper, into the brave new digital world of the Metaverse, asking if NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are simply the latest crypto-inspired trend or whether this, too, is something for AV to take note of.

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L A7.16 i AMPLIFY DIFFERENTLY Think differently about how amplifiers should work: Explicitly designed for installation environments, LA7.16i is a multitasker with 16 output channels, each able to produce 1300w at 8 ohms. Multi-Channel, Multi-Type, Multi-Time, Multi-Signal.

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