Entertainment Technology Asia September-October 2011

Sep | Oct 2011

MICA (P) 045/09/2011 KDN: PPS 1663/08/2012 [022804]

GLP and Digi-Lite at the Peak Tower Philips Selecon powers QPAC

Robe stars in Sri Lanka

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FIRST WORDS

ntertainment technology asia

CONTENTS

VOL 12 ISSUE 5

MICA [P] 045/09/2011 KDN: PPS 1663/08/2012 [022804]

NEWS 10

Essential news from the industry

ENNOVATIONS 30

A round-up of new products in the market

IN PERSPECTIVE

The recent turmoil in the financial markets has been a cause of concern for many people. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to have had much of an effect on us in the Asian pro audio, lighting and AV industries yet. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that the weakening economies in the US and Europe will not have too drastic an impact on all of us.

The staff here at Entertainment Technology Asia Magazine have been working tirelessly to bring you the best news, innovations and installation projects to keep you up-to-date on everything that happens in the industry. Our ‘Install’ section in this issue features a couple of high profile projects. Read about how the staff at Digi-Lite Ltd and GLP Asia Ltd overcame formidable challenges as they sought to light up the roof of the Hong Kong Peak Tower Atrium and learn all about the turnkey solution for the VivoCity Sky Park Amphitheatre installed by the highly skilled and competent team at Synergy AVL.

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Soren Storm, Managing Director, Martin Professional Pte Ltd

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Ng Chee Soon, President & Managing Director, Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd

IN PROFILE 42

Italian Ingenuity

EXHIBITION PREVIEW 46

Prolight + Sound Shanghai 2011

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PALME Vietnam 2011

EXHIBITION REVIEW 51

Broadcast Asia 2011

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PALME Asia 2011

INSTALL 68

Sugoh Nursery School upgrades with Ashley pêma

In addition to this, we also bring you inspiring interviews with top managers from the industry in our ‘In Perspective’ section. The line up this issue includes Martin Professional Singapore’s Soren Storm, a champion sailor as a young man in Denmark who has brought his winning mentality to the Asian pro audio industry, and Sennheiser Asia’s Ng Chee Soon, a highly respected business leader who has served in senior positions at companies like Hewlett-Packard, Compaq and Lexmark. Also, don’t miss our profile of FBT Elettronica S.p.A. where you will learn about their strategy for dominating the Asian pro audio market.

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Cheonggyecheon Digital Garden – Cascading Art with a Newfound Style

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Jands at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia

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Sydney Opera House chooses d&b for their Drama Theatre

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Philips Selecon delivers lighting solution for QPAC

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Synergy AVL installs turnkey solution for VivoCity Sky Park Amphitheatre

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GLP and Digi-Lite light up the Peak Tower

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Bethlehem Baptist Church upgrades to iLive

We’re into the last third of 2011 but there are still several key events coming up that you shouldn’t miss. PLASA 2011 is almost upon us and this year’s event promises many new product launches. Prolight + Sound Shanghai takes centre-stage in October and it will definitely be an event with lots to offer. PALME Vietnam comes along in November and this exhibition is bound to attract plenty of interest with Hanoi’s exponential growth and strong government support. We hope to see you at all these events!

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Biloela Sporting Complex chooses One Systems

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Amika Dubai chooses Dynacord

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Melbourne’s Immigration Museum selects Philips Selecon

Happy Reading!

James Bose Editor james@spinworkz.com

LIVE 79

Kylie’s Aphrodite-Les Folies Tour 2011 features 202 Vari*Lites

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Jands Vista sends Campbells Cove up in flames

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W-DMX™ in 7th Asian Winter Games

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J Davis Prosound & Lighting powers Paul Wilbur Concert

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D.A.S. Audio drives Justin Bieber’s Jakarta Concert

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Robe stars in Sri Lanka

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Ruth Sahanaya’s 25th Anniversary Concert

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Clay Paky at Sydney’s Vivid Festival of Lights

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J Davis Prosound & Lighting rocks Submerge Supernova

Publisher/Editorial Director Thomas Richard : thomas@spinworkz.com | Editor James Bose : james@spinworkz.com | Admin & Circulation Julie Tan : admin@spinworkz.com | Contributing Consultant Pushpa Veerappan | Freelance Correspondent Clarence Anthony, Audrey Anne Felix | Design & Productions By Jimmy Chin : jimmy@spinworkz.com | Printed By : Print & Print Pte Ltd Published By SPINWORKZ PTE LTD 51 Bukit Batok Crescent #06-10 Unity Centre Singapore 658077 | Tel: (65) 6316 2716 | Fax: (65) 63162715 | www.spinworkz.com Disclaimer Entertainment Technology Asia is published 6 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies.

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Quad Professional receives Gold Edition of Clair Brothers monitor Singapore: At the recent PALME Asia exhibition, taking centre-stage at Quad Professional’s booth, with a spotlight shining on it was a Gold edition of the Clair Brothers 12AM active stage monitor. Making it even more special was Barry Clair’s autograph on the monitor. Barry, who was present at the exhibition, comments, “This is an award in appreciation of the excellent work put in by Quad Professional. The gold colour signifies excellence.”

Vincent of Quad Professional was very delighted with the special edition, “This monitor will take pride of place in our office

and will not be for sale. We are of course very happy with the recognition afforded by Clair Brothers.”

Since being appointed last September, Quad Professional has been actively selling Clair Brothers solutions. The speakers can already be found in the inventory of Resorts World Sentosa, at rental company Niche AV and even at a church - the City Harvest Church at Suntec Singapore, with more potential sales on the way. www.clairsystems.com www.quadpro.com.sg

Green Hippo appoints new Thai distributor

Thailand: Green Hippo have appointed Fuzion Far East Ltd (FFE) as their exclusive distributor in Thailand.

FFE have worked with Hippotizer media servers in the past and were involved in some high-profile events including the National University Games, the 2011 New Year’s Eve Party ‘Let’s Celebrate’ at Central Chidlom and 100 years of Wachiravudth School (King’s College).

and Cambodia. They are leaders in supplying professional distribution services and represent brands such as Digico, Nexo and Coemar amongst others. They also support systems integrators by providing solutions for extensive audio-visual set-ups.

FFE facilitate an extensive variety of projects and work within an array of different sectors, including nightclubs, theatres, houses of worship, general meeting facilities as well as bars and restaurants.

Green Hippo’s Samantha Bailey comments, “We are very pleased to be working with Fuzion. They have a great team of people who really understand the technology and are able to generate some exciting opportunities for Hippotizer in Thailand. We are confident that working together with Fuzion, Hippotizer’s market share can only grow.” www.green-hippo.com www.fuzion.co.th

FFE is based in Bangkok, geographically well placed to service Thailand, Laos, Myanmar

DiGiCo records Remotely Australia: Sydney-based Remote Recorders is a leader in location recording for radio, television, major music festivals and concerts. They have been working with the cream-of-the-crop that visits the country such as Muse, N.E.R.D. and Kanye West.

Remote Recorders are constantly trusted to deliver flawless recordings everytime while the event is happening live.

Remote Recorders recently decided to purchase a DiGiCo SD8 console complete with an SD-Rack. James Cadsky, one of their directors, explained the choice.

“We have the SD8 running with 2 MADI recorders and has proven itself to be a perfect solution for our live to air and live tracking projects. Building up a broadcast mix on the SD8 is very quick and easy.”

For Cadsky, the choice to go DiGiCo was clear. “Sound quality, sound quality, sound quality. And road worthiness.” Cadsky also felt a console that was intuitive and easy to use was crucial given the heavy use of any equipment they purchase. “Ease of use was key for us as the console is frequently used to do live mixes of festivals such as Big Day Out. Sometimes we hire a DiGi-Rack when we require more I\O.”

Cadsky summed up his thoughts and feelings about the SD8 quite succinctly, “Sounds like gold”. www.grouptechnologies.com.au

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MA Lighting conducts ‘a royal treat’

Audio-Technica S.E.A holds seminars in Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila.

Singapore: July had been a busy month for Audio-Technica S.E.A (AT-SEA). AT-SEA held its debut microphone seminar in Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila. The single-day seminar was attended by approximately 230 sound technicians, audio enthusiasts, practitioners and audio engineers. It focused on educating attendees about the ‘New Miking Techniques” for instruments, vocals and choirs. AT-SEA initiated this new approach after gathering feedback.

The seminar was conducted by Alexander Lepges, Product and Technical Support Manager, Audio-Technica Europe. He was one of the people who oversaw the wireless and wired microphone systems during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Singapore: While the Royal Wedding in London was probably most talked about event of the year, Singapore had a royal treat of another kind on offer.

Together with the support of several local rental companies, MA lighting conducted an advanced training course for their MA lighting desks.

On this occasion, Matt Peel from the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in London made his way to Singapore to show the attendees not only the latest tips and tricks on using the grandMA2 but also best practices in a theatrical environment.

The RSC, with their own dedicated theatres in Stratford-on-Avon, is also a touring company and a true heavyweight in the international theatre scene. At the beginning of the year, after a 2-year evaluation period, the RSC decided to convert their inventory to grandMA2 systems because of the unified control platform for all types of lighting.

With an expected lifetime (usage) of way beyond the next 10 years, it was important for them to rely on a fresh product with sufficient headroom in terms of capacity, flexibility, programmability and, most of all, functionality. There was no question of investing into a product that had seen the light several years ago and only undergone minor overhauls. Another point was that pricing had to be competitive without hidden costs for

backup software, additional connections and 3D visualisers for pre-programming.

Matt Peel, being no stranger to Singapore, acknowledged that there is a new theatre scene here. With the Integrated Resorts fully opened, Singapore is more prominent on the world map of first class venues than ever before. As it begins to stage more and more theatrical shows, Singapore will also need more experienced operators as well.

“Our quest is to help Singapore to put itself on the map for first class entertainment.

Our efforts of providing training on a consistent basis, covering a wide range of topics, have been recognised and honored by our clients,” confirmed Jens Poehlker, Sales Director of MA Lighting Asia Pacific.

During the seminar, Mr. Lepges gave each participant a chance to learn the “Miking Techniques”. He presented various installations done by Audio-Technica such as the Olympic Games as well as the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Through the seminar, attendees were able to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of using the right microphone in the right situation and providing proper advice to their customers.

This initiative was a joint effort between AT-SEA and its distributors. AT-SEA thanked everyone who worked to make this seminar a success. www.audio-technica.com.sg

“Our trainings in our new dedicated training room are always open to everyone, to the extent that even our competitors attend. We really don’t mind as we hope to help the industry and Singapore. Having Matt here for this very advanced training is, without a doubt, a royal treat that could very well become the most talked about (training) event of the year in Singapore”.

More information on training courses can be requested by contacting infoasia@ malighting.com. www.malighting.com

Alexander Lepges at the seminar in Manila.

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Electro-Voice 2011 Product Introduction Day Singapore: Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd held the Electro-Voice 2011 Product Introduction Day at the Beer Market Live Music and Sports Bar located at The Foundry Clarke Quay. The event, entitled ‘Electro-Voice: Serious Sound’, was attended by 80 professionals from the pro audio industry as well as members of the press and showcased three of Electro-Voice’s latest products; the Live X Loudspeaker Series, the R-300 Wireless Microphone System and the RE320 Live Performance Microphone.

The R300 presented by Dave Egenberger, the world wide Product Manager for wireless microphones, has features like One-Touch ClearScan and EZsync to make it quicker and easier to set-up and use than any other similarly priced wireless system. Its rackmountable metal receiver, sturdy metal bodypack and handheld transmitters, and remote-mountable antennas are of a build and performance quality usually found in higher-priced professional products.

The RE320 Live Performance Microphone – also presented by Dave - is the latest addition to the Electro-Voice RE Performance Group of wired microphones. It culls key features of the RE20 and RE27N/D Broadcast Group products into a versatile studio and live performance microphone. Some of these features include Electro-Voice’s Variable-D proximity control technology, their humbucking coil for noiseless operation and a high-output neodymium magnet structure capsule that delivers fast and accurate transient response and pronounced high-frequency detail. In

addition, the RE320 also has the new “dual personality” switch which essentially creates two mics in one.

The program continued with Patrick Hau, the Asia-Pacific Product Marketing Manager, and Ronnie Lai from Pro Sound Applications Support, presenting the Live X loudspeaker series. Consisting of three powered and four passive models, the Live X is made up of the latest Electro-Voice-engineered components.

It is also lightweight and priced affordably.

Three versatile powered Live X cabinets are available including two full-range loudspeakers and a matching subwoofer. Each selfcontained powered system features ElectroVoice-engineered components optimised for use with the integrated high-efficiency 1000-W and 700-W Class-D amplifiers. Both full-range systems may be pole-mounted or stacked with the series’ acoustically-matched powered subwoofer. The Live X Series also features four passive configurations, including a dual-15” system.

Johannes Huth addresses the crowd

Patrick and Ronnie’s presentations were accompanied by demos of the Live X loudspeakers including a male vocal, a female vocal and an instrumental. There were also live demos including a selection of songs from DJ Louis Quek and live band performances from Tirumisu, Jack & Rai and Toni Go utilising the Live X loudspeakers. Doing so, guests were able to experience the power and sound quality generated by these speakers. The clarity of the vocals and the separation of the instruments within the mix was outstanding.

After the presentation, Johannes Huth, Director Product Marketing APR, commented, “Electro-Voice did not just take products off the shelve. The serious sound is the result of great engineering efforts spent at our headquarters in the US. All the EV expertise went into this range of products. It is great to see our customers sharing our excitement about this new range of products now launched into APR region.”

The event was a great success and guests left the event fully convinced of the potential of the new speaker family and the new microphones, R300 and RE320. www.bosch.com.sg www.electrovoice.com www.beermarket.com.sg

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MA Lighting holds successful W-DMX seminar Following this, Darrington went on to discuss Wireless Solution’s award-winning W-DMX system as well as the advantages of its new Generation 4 (G4) line of products. Some of the features of the new G4 product line include Adaptive Frequency Hopping technology for peace of mind when using other radio products, W-DMX invisi-wire and data-safe technologies for unparalleled fidelity, and support of RDM so units can be configured remotely with no fuss or cables. W-DMX G4 is the only product on the market to support the 5.8GHz band, ensuring that even if the 2.4GHz band becomes too crowded with other users, user’s lighting control remains rock solid.

Jens Poehlker of MA Lighting (extreme left) and Ben Darrington of Wireless Solution (second from right) with the students.

Singapore: On 11 July 2011, MA Lighting conducted a W-DMX seminar at their office premises at Pearl’s Hill Terrace for professionals from the lighting industry.

The guest trainer for the seminar was Ben Darrington of Wireless Solution who was in Singapore for the PALME Asia Exhibition. The seminar was organised by Jens Poehlker, Sales Director of MA Lighting Asia Pacific.

Darrington began the seminar talking about the benefits of wireless systems such as time and cost savings as well as creative latitude.

He then went on to explain the properties of the ideal wireless system. Wireless systems, he explained, provided many advantages over traditional systems using wires and cables like long-term reliability, improved latency and ease of set-up.

In addition, Darrington also spoke about the various installation projects all over the world that Wireless Solution has been involved in and also provided some hands-on practical training on the new W-DMX G4 blackbox transmitters and receivers. Darrington ended the seminar by giving the participants an indepth introduction into the world of RDM and the possibilities that this technology will bring.

There was active participation in the seminar and Darrington answered many technical questions posed to him by the participants.

“We run these seminars worldwide with all our dealers because it is very important to have people that are confident and competent with our products,” he said. www.malighting.com www.wirelessdmx.com

Ten Thousand Things is Green Hippo’s Hong Kong distributor “We are delighted to be working with Ten Thousand Things as our distributor in Hong Kong. They are able to provide technical expertise and a real enthusiasm for Hippotizer products in this market,” stated Samantha Bailey, Sales Manager for Green Hippo.

Hong Kong: Hong Kong-based technical supply company Ten Thousand Things has been appointed as Green Hippo’s latest distributor in their Asian market expansion.

Ten Thousand Things had been newly created under the helm of Hong Kong’s longstanding integrator Ptarmigan Integration Ltd. Providing sales and support for an extensive product range, Ten Thousand Things is a specialist company supplying goods required

by Ptarmigan’s project clients.

With its eight year history, Ptarmigan has worked on some of the most high-profile projects providing lighting and video integration services, including Macau’s Bubble Theatre which makes use of Green Hippo’s Hippotizer servers within its set-up.

“As a long term user of Hippo products on Ptarmigan’s projects in Hong Kong and Macau, the logical next step was for our product sales company, Ten Thousand Things, to start working with these great products,” comments Ten Thousand Things’ Simon Fraser. www.10thousandthings.com www.ptarmiganintegration.com

Samantha Bailey is delighted to work with Ten Thousand Things

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Reaching for the Skies with E&E Singapore: Friends, business associates, clients, consultants, staff and, of course, the media were treated to a sumptuous buffet and free flow of drinks on 14 July 2011, as E&E held a networking event during PALME Asia. Held at Singapore’s highest entertainment venue 1-Altitude at Raffles Place, it was an evening of fun, laughter and merry-making within a 360 degrees scenic background of Singapore’s skyline. It was definitely a memorable evening. www.enepl.com.sg

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Robe in the Picture Everyone in the company, designers and technicians alike, were delighted with the purchase. They specifically liked the brightness and quality of light of the ColorSpot 2500E ATs. The designers were impressed with the additional creative scope that the fixtures brought to their work, and the technician’s loved the fact that the Colorspot 2500E ATs were reliable, strong and well engineered.

This meant they did not have to spend time repairing them!

Based on the positive response and the reactions of clients who saw what Robe products could bring to their shows, Picture Productions is planning to expand their inventory of ColourSpot 2500E ATs. Alfred (left) and Raymond Selvaraj of Picture Productions

India: Picture Productions, based in Chennai, made their first investment in new Robe moving lights with the purchase of 8 x ColorSpot 2500E AT fixtures, Robe’s highest powered current series.

The company is run by the father and son duo of Alfred and Raymond Selvaraj, and was founded by Alfred over 25 years ago. They are one of the leading lighting rental companies in Tamil Nadu and work extensively in and around Chennai as well as all over India. They work in all sectors; corporate events, live shows, concerts, theatre and TV productions.

Picture Productions is also known for its creative lighting design concepts as well as for supplying quality equipment. Raymond joined the company as a director about 20 months ago and designs, programmes and operates many of their lightshows.

“The level of service and support we’ve received from IES has also been excellent,” confirms Raymond. This is a major factor for any company thinking of making an investment.

One of the first shows for the newly delivered Robes was a cultural festival at IIT Saarang Collage in Chennai. This featured 5 different bands per day, all of whom needed to have a unique look onstage - a task made infinitely easier using the Robes!

One of the headliners, Pain of Salvation, brought their own LD. They were delighted to find premium brand moving lights on the rig, which they could really maximise! www.robe.cz

They had been interested in Robe products for some time before they made the purchase. “We were aware of the brand and had seen the products in action on several other shows,” explained Raymond.

He added that they were keen to expand the design division of the company quickly and realised that one way was to offer renowned international brands to clients in India who valued having this equipment on their shows.

They contacted Robe’s Indian distributor Integrated Entertainment Solutions (IES) in Mumbai and arranged to look at both the 1200 and the 2500E AT series. After a demo, they made their first purchase of the ColorSpot 2500E ATs.

Raymond Selvaraj

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Midas and Klark Teknik restructure management team

International: The departure of former Managing Director John Oakley at the beginning of June has resulted in Midas and Klark Teknik undergoing a restructuring of the management team to accommodate Oakley’s departure and allow for better integration within the shared services of the parent MUSIC Group. Newcomer Ian Riley, who joined Midas and Klark Teknik from Harman earlier this year, takes on the role of VP Operations and R&D, while Jonathan Chitty is VP Customer Support, a new division which handles day-to-day commercial and financial matters.

On the manufacturing side, the MUSIC Group has invested $10m in a dedicated manufacturing facility for the Midas and Klark Teknik brands, with another $10m in state-of-the-art SMT and optical inspection systems. Also driving the next phase of Midas and Klark Teknik’s development is

Uli Behringer

the expanding R&D “Centre of Excellence” in Manchester, established with significant investment from the MUSIC Group to recruit new R&D talent for the brands (http://midasconsoles.com/careers.php).

Alex Cooper remains as an R&D consultant to Midas and Klark Teknik to oversee ongoing and future products.

Uli Behringer, CEO of the MUSIC Group, said: “I am sad to see John leave the company after all he has done for Midas and Klark Teknik. We wish him all the best for the future. With the strong team we have in place now, Midas and Klark Teknik is already seeing a strong increase in revenue streams and the volume of products shipped such as the new Venice F which is in full mass production.” www.midasconsoles.com www.klarkteknik.com

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Fine Art shines at the 2011 MBC Concert South Korea: In July, 2011, Fine Art provided LS-Media with more than 100 units of Fine2000E series fixtures including the Fine2000 Spot, Fine2000 Wash and Fine2000 Beam. These fixtures were used in the “2011 MBC Dancing With The Stars” concert held in Seoul.

LS-Media is one of the most important of Fine Art’s business partners in South Korea. They are a large rental company of stage fixtures providing services for such applications as concerts, bars, clubs and discotheques.

Its business covers intelligent moving heads, laser light fixtures, and LED lights, etc. Early in 2006, they purchased 7 units of Fine2000 Spot as a trial order. LS-Media were impressed with the performance and reliability of the Fine Art fixtures as well as Fine Art’s friendly and prompt after-sales service. This enabled Fine Art to win the trust of the LS-Media management. From then on, LS-Media has placed more and more orders for Fine Art products.

The 100 units of Fine2000 fixtures ordered

by LS-Media for the ‘2011 MBC Dancing With The Stars’ concert were specially selected and made the effect of stage lighting fuller and more diverse with different layers of light. The show drew nearly 30,000 people including famous singers and stars such as Lee Hyo-lee, Rain, Wonder girls, Lee ChaeYeon, Lee Jung Hyun and TVXQ.

On stage, the stars sang and danced for the crowd. Lee Hyo-lee, dressed in a doublet and leather pants, received a warm welcome from the fans. She sang her classic songs ‘Stylish’, ‘Dark Angel’ and ‘It’s Hyorish’.

The ever-handsome ‘Rain’ appeared in a black jacket, colorful pants and sunglasses.

Suddenly, he jumped up onto the stage in a manner reminiscent of Michael Jackson.

This brought a rousing applause from the audience. ‘Rain’ performed three songs, ‘Eternal Rain’, ‘Rainy Day’ and ‘It’s Raining’.

He certainly earned his reputation as the King of Pop in Asia and Asia’s Michael Jackson. Next, the ‘Wonder Girls’ (a famous musical band in South Korea), came on-stage and performed the song ‘Nobody’.

Below the stage, the fans sang with the stars and danced along to the music. In addition to the South Korean fans, there were many fans from overseas who came to worship these Superstars.

This show was a success. LS-Media spoke highly of the performance of the Fine Art fixtures and felt very satisfied with them.

The concert has helped Fine Art to establish a good reputation and increase its market share in South Korea. Recently, Fine Art received a letter of acknowledgement from LS-Media as well as lots of photos from the concert. www.fineart-light.com

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Clay Paky lights Australian TV projects Australia: Renowned Australian lighting designer Rohan Thornton can’t stop grumbling about the Clay Paky Sharpy and the Alpha Spot 1500. “On all productions, I now instantly specify sixteen of each model – I would ask for more but that’s all there is available for hire!” he protested. “And on top of that, they are becoming so popular I can’t get hold of them.

Clay Paky is back with a vengeance.”

As Head of Lighting for Australian broadcaster GTV 9, Rohan has used the Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 1500 on such projects as ‘The Footy Show Grand Final Special’, ‘Carols By Candlelight’, ‘This Is Your Life’, ‘TV Week Logie Awards’ and ‘Million Dollar Drop’.

“The Alpha Spot HPE 1500s are a great light,” he said. “They are bright, but that’s not the most important thing. The optics are sensational, the zoom range is great and the colours are consistent. The CTO wheel is particularly good and manages to remove the ‘green’ spike that their competitors have been unable to achieve.”

Rohan recently used the Clay Paky Sharpy on ‘Million Dollar Drop’. Sixteen of the units

The Million Dollar Drop Show

were supplied through lighting hire company Resolution X and were used as a beam light that Rohan reports was able to cut through anything. “The Sharpy comes with a good selection of colours and gobos,” he added.

“Best of all they are unbelievably fast. They have a ‘mirror-like’ speed combined with the organic elements of a moving head!”

Launched in January 2011, the Sharpy has won international acclaim from lighting designers and has been rapidly adopted on shows including BBC’s ‘Let’s Dance’, ‘Blue Peter’, Channel 4’s ‘Alan Carr Chatty Man’, Sky TV’s ‘Oscars’ and the NME Music Awards. www.claypaky.it

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ETC and EAS host product launch and seminar

The GIO

Singapore: On Thursday, 18 August 2011, Electronic Theatre Controls Asia Limited (ETC Asia) and Electro-Acoustics Systems Pte Ltd (EAS) jointly held a product launch and seminar in Singapore at the Ocean 5 Ballroom of the Pan Pacific Hotel to announce the appointment of EAS as the distributor of ETC products in Singapore as well as to introduce the EOS GIO console and the Selador Desire family of luminaires.

Numerous industry professionals as well as members of the media were in attendance.

The event began with an address by Mr T.L. Lam, Managing Director of EAS, who announced the new distributorship of ETC and also informed the audience of the setting up of a new ETC Regional Support Centre in Singapore at the EAS office. “We are very excited about our partnership with ETC and with the new Regional Support Centre, we are pleased to bring training and service right to the doorstep of the customers in this region,” he said.

After the address, Ms Wynne Cheung, General Manager of ETC Asia, came on stage to deliver a presentation on the beliefs and ethics of the ETC organisation.

During the presentation, Ms Cheung talked about the history of ETC, showed pictures of the ETC’s 328,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin, USA, and explained the ETC ethic, ‘The Show Must Go On’.

Following this, the audience welcomed Ms Anne Valentino, ETC EOS Product Line Manager from Bandera, Texas, USA. Ms Valentino began her presentation by

giving some background information on the Eos family of consoles (namely the Eos, Ion and Element) before introducing the newest

The Desire Series

member of the family - the GIO. At just around 50 lbs, the GIO is expected to fill the slot between the Ion and the Eos. It has 10 motorised faders, master faders and two touchscreens that are familiar to Eos users.

Those two touch screens are housed in a thin section that will tilt flat for shipping, up for viewing, and can be locked at any position in between. One USB port is on the front with two Ethercon ports, two DMX ports, and three DVI ports on the back. GIO also has backlit keys. The finish of the console is highly scratch resistant.

The GIO will be officially launched this September.

After a short break, Ms Valentino introduced the Selador Desire

family of luminaires. As before, Ms Valentino began with some background information on the Selador Series and the Selador x7 Colour System. Later, she talked about the Selador ‘Classic’ line up before introducing the Desire Series. It is ETC’s belief that more colours means better light and the Selador x7 Colour System set the standard for quality LED lighting.

The Desire Series of luminaires are the evolution of those benefits. Ms Valentino ended the presentation by introducing the Desire Studio luminaires which feature natural-looking, white LED light to broadcast applications.

The event ended on a high note as participants were allowed to have a closer inspection of the GIO console and the Desire luminaires. Based on the feedback received, participants were impressed with the products and felt that the seminar was helpful in furthering their product knowledge. www.etcconnect.com www.easpl.com.sg

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LOUD makes APAC management changes

Davwinder Sheena

Singapore: LOUD Technologies Inc. (“LOUD”) have announced the elevation of Davwinder Sheena, formerly director of APAC sales, to the new position of APAC Managing Director, as part of the company’s increased investment in the APAC region. Sheena, based in Singapore, will manage all business interests, marketdevelopment strategy, and sales team and distributor relationships for all LOUD brands in the region. He will report to Mark Graham, LOUD CEO and be a member of the company’s Executive Team.

Patrick Lau, Martin Audio APAC sales manager based in Hong Kong, will now report to Sheena.

“The APAC region is the most vibrant economic environment in the world and Davwinder’s leadership has contributed substantially to LOUD’s solid growth over the last year,” explained LOUD CEO Mark Graham. “Through lock-step engagement with all three of LOUD’s business units and direct participation at the executive level, Davwinder and his expanded team will bring even greater focus and speed of execution to this critical region. I fully anticipate that all of our APAC constituents will be pleased with the growth and success that this move enables.”

And as evidence of the Company’s continued investment in the Chinese market, LOUD also announced the appointment of its first APAC-region country General Manager, Clifford Nathan.

Nathan will lead Chinese market development and strategy, as well as manage intellectual property for all LOUD brands. Nathan will be based in Dalian, China, and report to Sheena.

Clifford Nathan

www.loudtechinc.com

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NEWS

Hard Rock installs new EAW speakers Singapore: Earlier this year, Electroncis and Engineering Pte Ltd (E&E) installed two EAW LA215 loudspeakers at the Lion’s Den on the Mezzanine floor of the Hard Rock Cafe, located at Orchard Road, in time for a presentation by Kenton Forsythe, EVP and CoFounder of EAW. Mark Chan, the general manager at Hard Rock Cafe, had already indicated his approval of the EAW system and thus it comes as no surprise that the venue has now changed its front of house systems to EAW. Designed and installed by E&E, the front of house installation consists of three EAW JFL210, dual 10-inch, 2-way compact line array systems flown on each side of the stage with four JFL 118, 18inch sub-woofers ground-stacked two per side. Processing is done via a EAW UX8800 unit.

“Our installation of the EAW speakers at the Lion’s Den had a positive impact as the management was very happy with the sound quality and this led to their decision to replace their front of house systems,” said Ronald Goh of E&E. Mark Chan concurs, “The sound is more crisp and clear and there is definitely more punch to it then our previous FOH speakers. We believe our patrons will enjoy the experience as well.” www.enepl.com.sg

Strong demand for DYNACORD Academy in Dubai United Arab Emirates: The demand for the DYNACORD Academy programme in the Middle East is constantly on the rise. The most recent such event took place at Le Meridien Hotel, Dubai. It was organised by DYNACORD’s local distribution partner, AVL, and attended by over 50 pro audio specialists. The Academy offered an overview of the entire DYNACORD product range and included a presentation of Electro-Voice microphones. DYNACORD’s third generation PowerMate family, the new CMS mixing consoles and the Corus Evolution Series also drew plenty of interest.

“The Academy was no sooner over than requests began pouring in to attend the next,” said Klaus Seitz, Sales Director MEA, ProSound and CCS. “ Clearly we hit the bull’s-eye with this Academy. The demand is very real and we’re already planning the next event in the series.” www.dynacord.com www.electro-voice.com

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David Krall is Audinate’s Chairman of the Board

Australia: Audinate Pty Ltd, has elected David Krall as chairman of its board of directors. His election as chairman comes at a time of rapid growth for Audinate, completing its most recent fiscal year (ending June 30, 2011) with almost double its revenues from the prior year. Krall originally joined Audinate’s board of directors earlier this year. Krall also currently serves as Executive Chair of QSecure in addition to serving on the board of directors of Progress Software.

David Krall brings more than 20 years of experience in building successful technology businesses. David most recently served as President and COO of Roku, who provide streaming entertainment devices for TV. David has extensive AV industry experience as the former CEO of Avid Technology, Inc., a leading tools provider to the media and entertainment industries, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Under David’s leadership, Avid doubled its revenues to just under $1 billion annually, introduced groundbreaking new products in its core businesses, and expanded into new markets through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In addition to his board roles, David currently serves as a strategic advisor to a number of startups, including Roku, Universal Audio, and GrapeGenie.

“Audinate’s board of directors is integral to our ability to execute our growth strategy, and having someone with David’s industry background as our chair will be a tremendous asset,” said Lee Ellison, president and CEO of Audinate. “David Krall’s diverse background in developing companies who are in the start-up’s high-growth phase, as well as large publically traded companies, will be a major benefit for Audinate moving forward.”

“What first attracted me to Audinate was their advanced technology offering, allowing customers to send audio and video signals synchronously across standard IT networks,” said Krall. ”But what has impressed me most since joining the board has been the strength of the team behind this offering. Audinate definitely can compete at any weight class, and I think they have a tremendous opportunity to make a big contribution to this industry.” www.audinate.com

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High End Systems launches new Wholehog software v3.2.0 High End Systems, a Barco company, have released version 3.2.0 for the Wholehog software operating system. This software provides many enhancements and improvements to the popular platform, which includes the Wholehog 3, Road Hog Full Boar, Road Hog and Hog iPC consoles as well as Hog 3PC software.

The eagerly awaited v3.2.0 software’s main highlights include Network Tracking and Failover, Color Coding, Keystroke Macros and more. The new features - requested by programmers - have passed extensive industry

testing for stability and reliability.

“We are pleased to release v3.2.0 with a multitude of new features,” stated Robbie Bruce, High End Systems Director of Software Development. “This version not only adds features, but also strengthens our core system and allows us to develop at a faster pace. We included many under-the-hood enhancements that will aid in future software development.” www.highend.com

Chainmaster introduces XYZ wireless controller The Chainmaster XYZ wireless controller is a complete mobile auxiliary controller for the ChainMaster XYZ control system. It enables the EN61508 BGV-C1/SIL3 compliant multiuser operation of electrical chain hoists, trolleys, rope winches and stage machinery throughout the stage area. The controller is also ideal for programming complex sequences of movements in offline operation, making it an extraordinarily flexible interface between operators and stage hoists.

The compact plastic housing developed especially for mobile use is light yet robust thanks to the use of state-of-theart technology. Two pluggable lithium-ion rechargeable batteries with a capacity of 6,600mA/h each enable an operating time of up to six hours and up to twelve hours on

standby. The controller’s power management allows operation to reliably continue while the battery is being replaced.

The user interface and the clearly laid-out functions enable simple, intuitive operation while maximising safety and allowing continuous access to the hoists and stage machinery integrated into the system. A mobile docking station, a supporting arm system and a shoulder strap make using the XYZ wireless controller a breeze. Various USB devices and additional operating panels with hotkeys and signal lights are available as optional extras. The XYZ Wireless Controller comes with a plastic dust shield or on request a professional flight case. www.chainmaster.de

Powersoft debuts Ottocanali 1204 8-channel amplifier

Powersoft has announced the debut of the Ottocanali 1204 8-channel power amplifier designed to meet the demands of audio professionals working in fixed installation applications. At only a single rack space and regular depth, the Ottocanali 1204 provides an amazing 8 channels with 160 watts each at 4 ohms, and 80 watts each at 8 ohms, respectively.

BatFormers™ can be easily inserted through a dedicated lid in the amplifier chassis, converting any one, or all, of the 8 channels into a 70V or 100V constant voltage output providing 130 watts each. With this option and still at 130 watts per channel at 70/100V, the Ottocanali 1204 provides unheard of versatility and efficiency in both space and power.

Though space seems scarce, Powersoft has managed to also include optional plug-in output transformers. Specifically developed

Additionally, channel pairs can be monobridged for more power with lo-Z loads, or run in serial for higher output voltage when

equipped with BatFormers. Utilising Powersoft technologies such as the universal switch mode power supply including Power Factor Correction (PFC) and the fixed-frequency Class D output stages, results in outstandingly low power consumption and heat dissipation, making the Ottocanali 1204 truly ‘green’. www.powersoft-audio.com

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Cooper Controls release Version 7.0 ZerOS Software Cooper Controls have launched Version 7.0 ZerOS software for the Zero 88 Leap Frog 48, Leap Frog 96, Frog 2 and ORB Series consoles.

ZerOS 7.0 is the most substantial update to the ZerOS software platform to date, incorporating over 30 new features.

Some of the new features include a completely redesigned and enhanced userinterface, colour filter lookup, a new ‘Fixture Levels’ window to provide instant view and modification of tracking data for the entire cue stack, the ability to export show files to a comma separated file (CSV), a ‘Page Lock’ function and a major overhaul of the Macros system to allow it to store syntax commands or front panel button pushes.

Other improvements include an updated and integrated comprehensive online help for all desk types, built into the desk software for instant support on all desk features and an updated fixture library with over 2500 fixture types from 175 manufacturers.

“The launch of ZerOS 7.0 is a testament to the investment Cooper has made in Zero 88 over the last four years. During this time our

software capability has been growing and growing, and the launch of ZerOS 7.0 is the latest addition to this powerful platform” commented Peter Kirkup, Product Manager for Cooper Controls. “Aside from a visual face lift, users will see a host of new features which have been requested through our support

forum and feedback provided directly to our product management team. I’m excited to release this software and enable our users to try out the new features,” he continued. www.coopercontrol.com www.cooperindustries.com

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Powersoft patents new technology Powersoft has patented a new technology that incorporates solar power with bidirectional wireless A/V communications. The first product showing the potential of the concept is the DEVA 1S. The Deva 1S consists of a power/control module and an interface module.

The power/control module consists of a solar panel, batteries,

as well as processing, WiFi communication and amplification. The interface module consists of loudspeakers, light and optional devices such as a camera, a microphone and telemetric sensors.

“The DEVA technology has endless possibilities,” explains Thomas Mittelmann, Powersoft Business Development Manager.

“Theme parks, sports venues, corporate and public facilities, transport hubs, emergency/ rescue services and even shopping centers – they all have difficulties distributing sound and surveillance over large areas because of the infrastructure it demands. DEVA is a self-contained, completely independent concept providing everything needed and it is

wireless. It can be easily tailored to the exact requirements of an application and can be installed very easily.”

The DEVA 1S is extremely efficient for long periods of operation and stand-by use. The high-capacity battery, which is being charged through the solar panel even in low light conditions, offers approximately 30 days of stand-by. Due to its compact dimensions DEVA 1S can be installed permanently or temporarily. It can be mounted to walls or poles, allowing the power/control panel to be aimed at the sun and the interface module at the audience. www.powersoft-audio.com

Procella Audio P15 receives upgrade The Procella Audio P15 active subwoofer has been upgraded with new 15-inch speaker drivers, further improving the dual-driver subwoofer’s performance. The new pro-audio subwoofer driver enables the P15 to achieve improved low-frequency extension, higher continuous and peak output levels, and a greater level of articulation.

Manufactured for Procella by a leading Italian pro audio manufacturer, the new long-throw 15-inch woofer has a 3-inch voice coil and uses high-efficiency Neodymium magnets.

This produces a very high level of output with increased peak capability, in comparison to the original P15. The P15’s deep bass response extends well below 20 Hz and the speaker’s

maximum output is a remarkable 127 dB at 50 Hz. Designed for medium to large-sized rooms up to about 3,000 cubic feet, the P15 active subwoofer produces massive cinema impact from a remarkably compact heavily-braced, sealed-box cabinet design enclosure. Wide and shallow in design to allow for placement against walls or built into walls, its slim profile is only 8.7 inches / 220mm deep. Each of its dual 15 inch subwoofer drivers is driven by its own 350 watt onboard amplifier. Integral 28 bit/56 bit ADI Sigma DSP control tunes the subwoofer and optimises in-room response by compensating for room location boundary conditions. Four pre-sets are provided,

improving low frequency performance for free-standing placement, corner placement, location against a wall and mounting in a baffle wall. www.procella-audio.com

Studiomaster Professional unveils new products The SM600XLR is Studiomaster Professional latest addition to its versatile range of wired microphones. This microphone boasts of 3 unique operational modes for quick sound variations. The 3 modes include a Low Cut mode to reduce unwanted low frequencies, a Flat Mode for a natural and more fuller tone, and a -7dB mode which decreases the sensitivity of the microphone to minimise ‘proximity effect’ and unpleasant ‘pops’. A noticeable characteristic The SM600XLR of this microphone is the accuracy and the warm tone microphone

it reproduces, in spite of it being a dynamic microphone. It also has a wide frequency response of 30Hz - 16kHz. The microphone comes with a set of accessories consisting of a long XLR-XLR cable, plastic carry case, mic holder and leatherette bag for protection.

ideal for applications ranging from small PA set-ups to broadcasters and home studios. www.studiomaster.com

The Studiomaster Professional Air2 and AiR4 are professional compact mixers. They feature balanced mic/line inputs as well as dedicated stereo inputs, accurate 3 band EQ’s, on-board delay EFX, RCA CD in and rec out as well as headphone output with level control. These mixers are The SM Air2 and Air4 compact mixers

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PR Lighting unleashes PR-8800 and PR-8802 environmental brightness adjustment. It has already obtained an exterior design patent.

PR-8800

PR Lighting has intensified its penetration into the architectural lighting market with the release of the PR-8800 and PR-8802, which create vibrant outdoor colour changes with the added possibility of wireless DMX control.

The PR-8800’s design includes a true outdoor IP67 waterproof rating, an advanced RGB colour mixing system and automatic

Containing 108 x 3W LED’s (27 each RGBW) and linear colour temperature correction, it has a power consumption of 350W at 220V and LED lifetime of 50,000 hours. Other features include 0-100% linear adjustable dimmer, 0-20 fps strobe, field angle of 28° (with optional 26° and 56°) and beam angle of 14° (with optional 8° and 45°), DMX512 (and wireless) control with 16 recallable preset and 16 user memories. The DMX mode, setting status, operation mode and user’s memory data can be transmitted by synchronous control.

include barndoor, clamps and a safety cord.

The PR-8802 resembles the PR-8800 but has two stacked ‘heads’ containing a total of 216 x 3W LED’s (54 each RGBW) and double the power rating. It also boasts the same characteristics (including IP67 rating) but the lens angle is 14° (field angle 32°) while the fixture measures 726mm x 513mm x 666mm and weighs 27kg. www.pr-lighting.com

Housed in high strength cast aluminium chassis, the PR-8800 measures 706mm x 293mm x 339mm and weighs 17kg.

Other functions include control board temperature display, fixture service time display and timer control. Standard accessories PR-8802

Optocore launch groundbreaking transceiver party MADI link partners with the same multimode 50μm / 62,5μm cable. At the same time, this represents a substantial cost-saving for customers.

Optocore has introduced a groundbreaking transceiver for its DD2FR-FX optical MADI device which accepts both Multi-Mode and Single-Mode fiber signals. As a result of this unique feature, the transceivers can connect to both Single Mode and Multi-Mode third

This initiative is consistent with Optocore’s policy to introduce more efficient, versatile products with expanded capacity and reduced cost and carbon footprint. In the case of the new DD2FR-FX, this required a re-engineering of Optocore’s previous MADI network device in order to enable it to function within Optocore’s new Cat5-based SANE environment, with its more powerful 2Gbit fiber network.

Commented Optocore support engineer Maciej Janiszewski, “This new MADI transceiver provides our customers with more flexibility and means that they no longer need to order the DD2FR-FX with the appropriate MADI transceiver version to match their equipment. In other words, customers can now simply switch from multi-mode to singlemode MADI transmission without the need for expensive transceiver replacement.”

This latest breakthrough will see the transceiver incorporated as a standard feature in every DD2FR-FX device. www.optocore.com

PR Lighting expand range of LED PAR spots PR Lighting has launched two new additions to its range of LED PAR spots. The XPar 390 is brighter than the earlier XPar 348, while the XPar 390-W, which broadens the width of the beam, offers greater white light.

The key features of the new DMX-controllable XPar 390 are the 90 x 3W high quality LEDs (24 each of RGB and 18 white) rated at 50,000 hours. This offers full colour mixing and linear CTO with 0-100% linearly adjustable dimmer, 1-20 fps strobe, beam Angle of 14° (field angle 28°) and IP67 waterproof rating. Power

consumption is 300W@220V and the weight is just 14kg.

Contained in the same housing, the XPar 390W offers 66 x white 3W LED’s and 24 amber, with full colour mixing and linear CTO. It comes with standard 14° lens (8° and 45° optional) and beam angle of 32° (24° and 55° optional), with 0-100% linearly adjustable dimmer.

Other features include 0.3-20 fps strobe and IP 67 waterproof rating. Power consumption is 280W@220V, while the fixture weight is again 14kg.

www.pr-lighting.com

XPar 390

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Bosch extends Plena Easy Line with mixer amplifiers

Bosch Security Systems recently extended its Plena Easy Line range with three mixer amplifiers. Available in 60 watt, 120 watt and 240 watt versions, the new Plena Economy units feature five inputs, including four mic/ line inputs and one background music input, to provide a variety of easy solutions for broadcasting announcements and music.

variety of back panel connection points allow for true application flexibility.

which can be used as an additional third output.

The mixer section has integrated equalisers for regulating the treble and bass inputs that are easily adjusted with a simple turn of a dial. In addition, a built-in limiter prevents overload of the amplifier output signal.

The units are designed for straight-out-of-thebox use and feature a highly user-friendly user interface, preferred-setting indicator pins and standard labels for the inputs. Furthermore, a

The system can automatically take priority over other calls and music during announcements.

It also features a 100 volt call-only output

The functionality of the new Plena Economy mixer amplifiers can be extended by connecting Plena Solutions equipment such as a message manager, a DVD/CD-player and tuner, a timer unit, a feedback suppressor, as well as many other Bosch products. The Plena Economy comes with a three-year Bosch warranty. www.bosch.com

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Quest develops Quick Rig (QR) System for the HPI Series Most venues potentially degrade the performance of standard sound systems due to acoustic conflicts with interior and structural designs. The HPI-110 is a high-powered compact speaker system that has a number of key technical innovations to improve performance in real venue environments. It utilises a custom HF wave guide that directs sound away from the walls and ceiling to where it is needed, not to the reflective surfaces of the surrounding area. All HPI speaker systems in the range have been manufactured to have a very high “power to weight” ratio. An array of three HPI110 speakers has a combined weight of just 47 kg.

To get the best from the HPI-110 system, Quest developed a multipurpose light-weight flying/installation system. The rigging system is innovative in its approach, utilising a ‘top spine installation bracket’ (an i-Spine) system for single speaker systems. Additionally, various attachments can be connected to make up almost any type of pan/tilt wall mount, truss mount or multi-box hanging array.

These mounting systems are known as the Quick Rig (QR) System.

Adding the mass of the rigging to the HPI-110 system makes this one of the most light-weight high-powered systems in the world.

This is particularly important if the system has to be installed in

LightPack LED controller makes life easier A welcome addition to the Philips Entertainment LED lighting arsenal is the Philips Strand Lighting LightPack LED controller.

It makes setting up the Philips PLTR1 range (ColorKinetics Blast) of luminaires a whole lot easier.

Grant Bales Smith, sales manager for Philips Entertainment EMEA explains, “Smart addressing technology has simplified LED luminaire set-up by ensuring that end users can quickly address any luminaire in the Philips PLTR1 range. The range features three models - the PLTR1W (Tunable White Flood), the PLTR1RGB (RGB Colour Mixing) and the PLTR1RGBAW (Five Colour Unit). Each model has different channel requirements and differing features.

The LightPack LED controller can sense the model type and assigns the correct number of channels. The unit can even assign a virtual dimmer channel and is capable of setting the mode of a luminaire i.e. 8 or 16 bit. The LightPack LED controller’s functionality and small size means it’s now much neater and easier to integrate this excellent range of luminaires into entertainment and event lighting designs than ever before.”

Michael Goldberg, sales and marketing director for Philips Entertainment EMEA concludes, “We are delighted to be able to deliver the Strand Lighting Light Pack LED controller. This is a product that makes it so much easier for our dealers to offer the dynamic functionality and efficiencies the Philips Selecon PLTR1 range to a much wider spectrum of customers.” www.seleconlight.com

a heritage building or an existing space with strict weight restrictions for installed devices.

Eight QR-System kits are available, each addressing several possible installation options. In addition to these kits, extension components and single kit pieces are also available allowing for further configurability for installations with exceptionally unique attributes. www.grouptechnologies. com.au

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ARX introduces TAP-IT Transformer Isolated Audio Line Tapper

ARX, the Australian-based manufacturer of USB, digital and analogue interface and signal processors, have announced the release of their new TAP-IT Transformer Isolated Audio Line Tapper.

ARX Managing Director Colin Park said, “With the ongoing convergence of Audio, AV and IT systems, providing a clean audio feed to wireless and cabled transmission and recording systems has become a priority for systems designers, integrators and installers.”

“Hums and ground loops, problematic Y leads, the misuse of headphone outputs or jury rigged patch ups need no longer be tolerated because the ARX Design Team has developed the new TAP-IT Transformer Isolated Audio Line Tapper as the solution.

Main inputs and outputs are hardwired, so your signal integrity isn’t compromised, and the TAP-IT’s passive design eliminates the requirement for problematic external power supplies and ‘wall warts’.” www.arx.com.au

New EC-10™ LED Panels from Martin The EC-10 is a high performance, true 10 mm pixel pitch LED display panel from Martin Professional that is 100 percent compatible with the EC-20 in terms of colour, setup, curving, control and processing, even accessories, allowing for seamless, mixed resolution visuals in one system.

Using high efficiency Nichia LEDs, the EC10 offers visual performance at the highest level. Pinpoint 48-bit colour processing ensures uncompromised colour depth at any brightness setting. Each pixel is color and brightness calibrated for maximum colour and brightness uniformity and consistency from pixel to pixel and panel to panel. The EC-10 features 3000 nits of brightness, more than sufficient for any indoor use and bright enough for virtually any outdoor application, and operates completely flicker free thanks to a high 2250 Hz LED refresh rate.

A key feature of the modular EC Series system is its ease of set-up (and tear down) with no tools required. The EC-10 panels are low weight (13.2 kg) for easy one man handling and the user-friendly design requires no separate rental structure. Integrated power and signal connections eliminate the need for cables between panels.

The integrated c u r v i n g mechanics of the EC Series allow users to create curved screens while maintaining an accurate pixel pitch with no gaps between curved panels.

The EC-10 panels support stepless curving down to 15 degrees concave. A range of useful accessories is also available for even more creative layouts.

The EC-10 is driven by Martin’s innovative and award-winning family of P3 System Controllers, ultra robust units for advanced video signal processing and integration with lighting control. The P3 processing system makes setting up an LED screen a true “plug and play” experience. Based on Gigabit Ethernet and Cat5e wiring, P3 technology removes the limitations of video-type protocols for easy connectivity and speed of set-up. www.martin.com

Artistic Licence Engineering releases Art-Net 3

Artistic Licence Engineering has announced the release of Art-Net 3. Fully backwardcompatible with previous versions, this freeof-charge Ethernet protocol is now capable of handling a staggering 32,768 Universes (or 32 ‘Kiloverses’) of DMX lighting control.

Art-Net 3 retains all the hugely popular features of its predecessors (Art-Net I and Art-Net II), being simple to implement, highly efficient and available in the public domain.

Crucially, all existing Art-Net I and II devices will operate seamlessly with Art-Net 3.

The key difference of Art-Net 3 is its phenomenal data capacity — at least two orders of magnitude greater than the 256 Universe limit of Art-Net II. When Art-Net I was released about a decade ago, lighting control demands rarely exceeded a handful of Universes. By the time ArtNet II arrived in 2006, the benchmark had increased to a few dozen. Today, fuelled by the explosive growth in LED technology, the largest installations have already reached the 250 Universe mark.

“Given the rate at which the data volumes are increasing, the need for Art-Net 3 is absolute,” emphasises Artistic Licence Engineering Technical Director, Wayne Howell. “Already, numerous Kiloverse projects are under discussion worldwide. This will still seem inconceivable to many!”

With 200-plus international manufacturers currently supporting the protocol, Art-Net 3 opens the way to an even bigger future. www.ArtisticLicence.com

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Soren Storm

Managing Director Martin Professional Pte Ltd Soren Storm is a man with a winning mentality.

As a young man, Storm was a champion sailor in Denmark, sailing at the national team level for many years and winning top sailing races in Europe. In 1997, Storm took over the reins of Martin Professional Singapore and he has transferred his winning mentality to the company and to the team that he leads.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Technology Asia Magazine, Storm reflects on his goals for Martin Professional Pte Ltd and reveals the reason why Martin Professional’s products are so successful.

ETA: Was it difficult taking over Martin Professional Singapore in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis?

SS: Not really. It was a lot of work but not difficult. Martin Professional Singapore was started two years before I got to Singapore and already had a good team on board. A few of them are still working for us. I didn’t have to worry so much about the business aspects because the team knew what to do.

Due to the fact that the team was so good,

it took a lot of pressure off me. I just had to get the distribution organised in the new set-up. However, because of the financial crisis, things were a little shaky all around so I got a chance to change the structure of the company and how we did business. Instead of just looking after ASEAN and dealing directly from Singapore, I submitted a business plan where we took over the whole of the AsiaPacific region. Martin Professional Singapore would be like the regional headquarters and instead of having stock here and adding cost to the product, everyone would order directly from Denmark. Martin Professional Singapore would look after everything with regards to sales, service and training in the region from Singapore.

ETA: Do you feel that there are more challenges doing business in Asia than in Europe?

SS: Of course there are - but good ones.

There are a lot more cultural differences from country to country than there is in Europe.

Eventhough the countries are not the same

in Europe, the way of doing business is a lot more similar than they are in Asia from culture to culture. There is a big difference between Japanese and Chinese culture. There is a big difference between Indian and Indonesian culture. There is a big difference between Australian and Hong Kong people. Those cultural differences are a challenge but are also good because you can find out how to master them and get the most out of them.

ETA: What are your long-term goals for Martin Professional Singapore?

SS: We want to be one of the leading companies in the lighting industry and to maintain that position. On top of that, we would like to explore some new market segments where we can start developing new business. It could be video walls, for example.

It could be architectural lighting which we have built up from nothing since I’ve been out here. I would like to keep looking for new opportunities because the traditional moving head entertainment market is very saturated.

It is very hard to gain more market share. You

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are better off finding new segments and then see if you can achieve some new turnover. The new segments should be related to what we are doing so that there will be some synergy between them.

ETA: Martin Professional has a very extensive environmental policy. Some people feel that ‘green’ technology is being embraced very slowly is Asia. Do you agree?

SS: Yes. I think that LED technology is coming fast into the Asian market and you can say that LED technology is ‘green’ technology. In Asia, LED technology is being introduced not because it is ‘green’ technology. People are not very aware of ‘green’ technology and are not focussing on it. Very few companies have it as a business perspective to be ‘green’.

Obviously, power is a problem in Asia because it costs money and with the price of power going up, it is getting more interesting for the companies.

On top of that, LED technology requires less lamp replacement. Out here, LED technology is being used to lower running cost rather than for the sake of being ‘green’. If it doesn’t make financial sense to the companies in the short term, then they don’t care about the long-term effects as much as companies in Australia and Europe. Over there, being ‘green’ has a lot more presence in the market than over here. That said, LED technology is still the way forward for the ‘green’ thing in terms of what we are doing and it is also a light source for us and most of the others. LED lights make up a fair share of our turnover and it will definitely increase over the next couple of years.

ETA: Among all the products made by Martin Professional, is there one that you are particularly fond of?

SS: There is not one product in particular that I am fond of. Martin has a very strong and good product portfolio which I am proud of in general. The thing I am most proud of is definitely my team. They are very dedicated and loyal, not only to the company, but also to the clients and I think they have a very good mindset in terms of service and what to pursue.

ETA: Do you encounter problems with some companies making cheap copies of your products?

SS: I think we all face problems with copying and the most successful of us more so than others. If you take the top three moving head manufacturers, we will all see our products being copied because we are successful.

The more successful you are with a product,

Soren Storm poses with the Martin M1 Controller

the bigger a copying problem you have.

Unfortunately, there is no way around it.

Innovation is the only way you can deal with copying. You cannot take one product and sue people. You have to be innovative.

When you talk about products, you talk about the physical product. When I think about a product, I like to think it is more than just the physical product. I think a product is the whole package you deliver. It is not just the fixture itself. It is the sales process, it is the after-sales service, it is the warranty, it is the quality of the fixture, it’s the whole thing – that’s what I would call a product.

We have a big advantage over the people who try to copy our products. They don’t have the logistics, they don’t have the innovation, they don’t have the technical back-up and they don’t have the physical back-up of the products. If someone copies a product and sells it cheaper, very often it will end up being more expensive for the buyer than the original in the long term. This is why our organisation remains strong. We have good after-sales service, we have good sales people, we have a good delivery situation and our products are relatively cheap to maintain compared to many other products. www.martin.com.sg

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Ng Chee Soon

President and Managing Director Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd A seasoned and respected business leader in the Asia-Pacific Region, Ng Chee Soon possesses 18 years of experience in the IT industry and has served in senior management positions with global brands such as Hewlett-Packard, Compaq Computer and Lexmark. Having been appointed as President and Managing Director of Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd (Sennheiser Asia) in 1 May 2009, Mr Ng holds key responsibilities within the organisation such as developing a strong Sennheiser brand in Asia as well as to spearhead growth in all the Asian countries that Sennheiser Asia distributes and operates in.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Technology Asia Magazine, Mr Ng talks about the ambitious goals that he has set for Sennheiser Asia and explained how he intends to turn Sennheiser Asia into a total solutions provider for its customers.

ETA: What are your goals for Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd? NCS: My goal is to make Sennheiser Asia a shaper of the audio business across the territories we operate in – in the professional business space where we are already a leader and defacto brand for many professional applications; in the installed sound area

where we are now gaining traction with an expanded portfolio of product offerings; and in the consumer business where we expanded market share in all our markets.

Driving this goal is a promise to excel in our product and service delivery; and to take an active role in the development of Asia’s audio business. We want our end-user customers to have ease-of-mind and pride in owning a Sennheiser or Sennheiser distributed product.

We also want to be the preferred principal for partners and industry players to work with.

If our sales performance is to be a key indicator for our effort towards this goal, I think we have made significant progress. Over the last six quarters, including the latest one which ended June 2011, we have delivered high double-digit sales growth year-on-year.

The results not only show the strengths of our strategy, but also our ability to stay focused and consistent. I am confident we will gain more momentum as we move forward.

ETA: How do you intend to develop the Sennheiser brand in Asia? What are some of the challenges you face in developing the Sennheiser brand in Asia?

NCS: The development of the Sennheiser brand is an ongoing effort. Globally, we are a pioneering force in the audio world. In Asia, we have been around for the last 19 years.

The brand challenge now is to ensure that we stay relevant to the industry and to the customers.

In this direction, we believe we need to operate beyond our organisation to add value to our customers. In the pro audio industry, we invest heavily in industry technical workshops, expert seminars and partner trainings to stay connected. By increasing the technical knowledge of our industry’s end users, we become more relevant.

Another example of making our brand relevant is to work with like-minded partners to put products in action. In the last several months, we have had successes in live performing venues’ product sponsorships and demonstrations.

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We plan to continue our efforts in this area for the rest of the year. We are currently exploring tie ups with relevant industry players to consolidate the support of their sound engineers on our latest audio engineering.

In this ever changing competitive landscape, we need to continue to put effort in the Sennheiser brand to stay ahead. This is a thrill that I enjoy and I manage this with an equally dedicated core team that is competent, progressive, and flexible.

ETA: You have mentioned that your organisation will strive to become a total solutions provider for your customers. Could you explain how you intend to achieve this?

NCS: We have been focusing on two main areas:

Sound and Consumer. This ensures we have specialised resources within the organisation even though we represent a very broad range of products. This in turn strengthens our responsiveness to customer requirements and our ability to anticipate competitor and market changes.

Beyond these vertical specialisations, we have a strong depth of horizontal corporate services such as marketing, customer service and after-sales technical service that support our go-to-market strategies.

As a pioneer in developing these vertical and horizontal capabilities in Asia, I believe we have built a competitive strength and growth foundation which will support our goal to become the recognised leader in the audio industry.

First, expanding our product offerings. Sennheiser has been known to offer the highest quality products and customised solutions across all areas of sound recording, transmission and production. As an enhancement to this strong global position, we continue to invest to expand our product portfolio through innovative product development and partnership with leading third-party audio brands such as K-array, L-Acoustics, Rycote and Sound Devices. This continuing effort to strengthen our offering is the first key step towards our goal. The Neumann KH 120 studio monitors Second, developing strong and responsive partnerships. To ensure that our customers enjoy top quality products and an even more comprehensive solution offering service level, we need to continue to expand our distribution and service partnerships to provide a responsive interface with the customers. As such, we only work with progressive and committed partners who share the same Sennheiser ideologies.

Collectively, with a solid product portfolio and a dependable network of partners to cover the grounds, we believe we are well-positioned to become a total solution provider for our customers.

ETA: As President and Managing Director of Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd, what do you think are the strengths of your organisation?

NCS: Our sales force is structured in three vertical business units – Professional, Installed

ETA: Are there any Sennheiser products that you are particularly fond of? Which are your best-selling products currently? Are there any key products that you are planning to launch soon?

NCS: Amongst the myriad of audio products we have to offer, the Sennheiser Evolution Wireless G3 systems have been selling very well in many of our markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. These RF wireless systems are easy to set up and meet the needs of diverse user applications for vocals, instruments, and presentations.

We recently launched our new MK 4, a large diaphragm true condenser recording microphone, and the Neumann KH 120 studio monitors. In the coming months, we have plans to introduce new microphones, conference and speaker systems, and will definitely keep the industry informed in due course.

IN PERSPECTIVE

ETA: The market for microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems in Asia is very competitive. What do you think are the reasons why your customers choose Sennheiser products over those of the competition?

NCS: Our products have proven to be robust and reliable. Many of our customers use our products for years without them breaking down.

In the event that these products need servicing, we always ensure they receive prompt after-sales service and technical support. Customer convenience is a priority for us. In this aspect, we are investing to expand our regional technical service capability. In Seoul, we opened a new service centre recently. We also expanded our Jakarta service centre to better serve our customers. There are plans to further strengthen our after-sales support infrastructure.

Our track record speaks for itself.

Our products are powering major installations and projects in public and private sectors across the region – South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asia markets. Since the beginning of the year, we have also secured major projects worth several million dollars to add to our success stories.

ETA: Do you foresee any new trends or developments for microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems in the future? What are some of the new technologies that Sennheiser is currently exploring?

NCS: We have seen several new technological trends and advancements in recent years. Countries are selling spectrums and beginning to learn more about the RF technology’s importance in audio systems. We also see a growing trend in digitalisation of microphones, with many end users switching from analog to digital systems for their various audio applications. Sennheiser is a forerunner in these trends and you can expect to see many of our products incorporating the RF technology and going digital. www.sennheiserasia.com

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market to determine the latest trends and requirements. Baldoni and Tanoni were able to respond quickly and decisively to changes in the market while offering their customers products of quality and great service.

Today, FBT still operates out of Recanati but the ‘small’ workshop has grown into a 540,000 square-foot production facility. “Every FBT product is conceived, engineered and produced in our Recanati headquarters and factory. It has always been like that since Day One,” said Roberto Mataloni, FBT’s charismatic export manager. Every stage of the production cycle – the research and development, the plastic molding, the carpentry, the mechanical work, the painting and testing, even the aftersales service – is managed and carried out in their factory.

“The product has to deliver superb quality such as great SPL, dynamics, good sound, great features and maximum reliability,” Mataloni continues. ”Most importantly, in my opinion, it has to deliver value for the money.

That is our philosophy,” he adds thoughtfully.

Aerial view of the FBT factory in Recanati

Italian Ingenuity

by James Bose

Forty-eight years ago, in the little Italian town of Recanati, two good friends named Bruno Baldoni and Vinicio Tanoni decided to build a workspace to produce guitar amplifiers. From that humble genesis, the company FBT (named after Baldoni and Tanoni) has progressed to become a worldwide supplier of instrument amplifiers, loudspeakers, mixing consoles and microphones. They’ve accomplished this by staying true to their tradition of producing everything in-house at their factory in Recanati as well as adopting a corporate strategy of flexibility and adaptibility to changing market requirements.

Recanati is situated in the Marche region of Italy and was founded in 1150 AD. It is a charming little town where poetry and music has always accompanied its rich history. As such, it was the ideal location to set up a factory making musical products. The 1960s was the perfect time for Baldoni and Tanoni to set up their business as the music industry was booming and there was a strong demand for musical products of an electronic nature.

Although FBT began as an artisan workshop, over time Baldoni and Tanoni adopted a corporate policy of adaptability and paid close attention to changes in the audio

The speaker assembly line at the factory

FBT has gone from strength to strength on the national and international level. Although they are well-known as a manufacturer of audio equipment, they now also have a significant presence in the audio contractor and public address markets with brands like Cicognani, Qube and Kempton. In addition to this, they even have a distribution division focused on the marketing of top brands in the domestic market, such as Pearl, Sabian, JTS, Phonic, Hardcase and Crafter guitars. FBT’s myriad of excellent products and services have enabled them to capture a huge number of customers which in turn has led to impressive financial results year-on-year.

While FBT has a long history, its penetration

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in the Asian market, Mataloni does not foresee FBT establishing any manufacturing facilities in Asia. “We have investigated several production sites in different areas, not only China,” he reflected. “At the end of the day, you have to face the fact that if your goal is to deliver a product of value, skillfully manufactured, with the best components and attention-to-detail, it would be very hard if not impossible to replicate all this in another country where, maybe, the cost of labour is lower. Success has to be achieved day-byday, with hard work, and with a great team of people ready to play in the same orchestra with the same tune.”

Mataloni, however, felt that if the product was branded differently, FBT would be open to the possibility of manufacturing an entry-level pro audio range like Kempton, that was designed in Italy but made in China under their strict supervision. This would allow them to offer products at a lower price level but branded differently from FBT or QUBE to avoid any confusion about their origin.

Roberto Mataloni, FBT’s export manager

into the Asian market has been approached in a steady, step-by-step manner by establishing its brand image through business contacts and an effective marketing campaign. “Southeast Asia is a strategically important territory where FBT has cultivated a long presence,” remarks Mataloni. “We have established strong relationships and shared common goals with our distributors such as understanding the needs of the local markets and developing products that would meet the expectations of those clients.”

Mataloni is also confident that FBT can help their Asian distributors to better position their products in their respective markets by continuously educating their clients and by providing information. “We will invest more resources in activities like presentations and seminars in the future because they provide value by delivering more knowledge to our clients,” he said.

FBT has also done a great deal of installation work in Asia and Mataloni is especially pleased with how these installation projects have helped to enhance the image and branding of FBT products. “Every installation project

done by our distributors has always received our greatest attention and we value the importance of these activities since they truly help our brand awareness,” he commented.

“I have recently visited some of these installations such as the Seoul Marina Yacht Club and the Happy Valley Theme Park in Beijing. The customers are truly pleased with the quality and performance of our products and our distributors are happy to work with us as our products inspire confidence.” Mataloni also revealed that FBT will be involved in more installation projects at a number of holiday resorts in Korea in the future.

Although FBT has enjoyed much success in Asia, Mataloni admits that FBT does experience challenges when doing business in Asia.

“There are some difficulties mainly related to import procedures in some countries like Indonesia and Vietnam where high customs duties do not help the business to develop as much as one would like. Some clients adopt solutions like importing the goods through Singapore as this relieves the high duties of directly importing from Europe.”

Another problem currently faced by FBT as well as all European exporting nations is the weakening US dollar. European products are now not as competitively priced as those from the US. “Although this is a macro problem, we don’t have many options on how to deal with it. At FBT, we try to make our products more competitive by improving their quality and performance so that we can stay a step ahead of the competition. This policy has worked for us and we have never failed in achieving growth year after year.”

In spite of the challenges, Mataloni remains determined to expand FBT’s business throughout Asia. “We aim to open new distribution channels in countries like Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar where it is rather challenging to export to at the moment.

FBT is always happy to explore business opportunities in new markets,” he says with a smile. www.fbt.it

Intensive research and development work goes into the design of every FBT product

Despite a growing demand for their products

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Leading brands to participate at Prolight + Sound Shanghai 2011 More than 300 leading brands have confirmed their participation at Prolight + Sound Shanghai, Asia’s most important trade platform for the pro-audio, lighting and entertainment industry which takes place 11 – 14 October 2011 in Shanghai, China.

Confirmed brands include AKG, American Audio, American DJ, Barix AG, DTS, Dura Truss, Duran Audio, EM Acoustics, Hoellstern, JTS, K-array, Klippel, KV2 Audio, Leem, Mackie, Neumann, Pangolin, Peavey, Penn Elcom, Sennheiser, TW Audio, Verlinde, Vocopro and Wenger.

American DJ, an entertainment lighting specialist from the USA, will be introducing several new products at the show, including LED moving heads, video walls and lighting controllers. Mr Scott Davies, the company’s General Manager is enthusiastic about the Chinese market due to its abundance of colourful visual displays. “Many buildings in China are lighted with a colour wash effect so we believe the opportunities for entertainment lighting in China are very good,” he said.

Leading Chinese exhibitor LAX International is known for providing audio equipment to national events such as the Shanghai World Expo 2010, the 16th Asian Games held in Guangzhou in 2010 and the upcoming 26th Universiade event for international university athletes which will be held in

August this year. The company is also the official audio supplier for the 2011 World Tour of Chinese pop singer Mr Sun Nan. The company’s Marketing Executive, Mr Zhijie Li said: “Participating in national events has raised not only our brand image but also enhances our know-how to an international level.” During the show, LAX International will showcase their smallest coaxial speaker and line array series.

Fifth time exhibitor, Sennheiser has also been involved with the 16th Asian Games and Shanghai World Expo 2010. “We see the importance in developing business in China, so we don’t miss any chance to exhibit as it increases our brand image,” said Mr Marc Vincent, President for Sennheiser Greater China. “Sales in the Asia Pacific region had a sharp 35.6% increase last year to Euro 59.7 million.” Sennheiser will introduce their new gooseneck microphone, shotgun microphones, Neumann studio monitors and K-array’s amplifier at the show.

Prolight + Sound Shanghai will also feature leading brands in the German and Taiwan pavilions and two exhibitors are already optimistic about what they can achieve at the upcoming show.

German Pavilion exhibitor Klippel GmbH will display its loudspeaker measurement systems. Prof Wolfgang Klippel, the company’s President, remarked, “We believe that by

exhibiting in Prolight + Sound Shanghai we can meet potential cooperation partners and profit from their experience and expertise in order to establish new China contacts as well as meeting our existing customers.”

Taiwan Pavilion

Taiwan pavilion exhibitor Litz Technologies Company hopes to raise its brand awareness in the Chinese market. Mr Gilbert Tung, Managing Director of the company, commented, “Prolight + Sound Shanghai draws our target customers together, especially the Chinese manufacturers whom we hope to cooperate with for our franchised pro audio and broadcast equipment.”

In addition to its two established halls, this year’s show has a new outdoor exhibition area where the Shanghai Performance Trade Association Pavilion will make its debut. The pavilion will feature locally made OEM products, lighting effects and parts. www.prolightsound-shanghai.com

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Palme Vietnam 2011 set to shine with Top Manufacturers and New Exhibitors Coming off the back of the inaugural showcase last year in Ho Chi Minh City, PALME Vietnam returns once again. This year’s extravaganza, which will be held from 2-4 November 2011 at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Centre (VEFAC) in Hanoi, will feature many top international and local manufacturers, promising new entries and lots of innovative new products.

PALME Vietnam, which will be held concurrently with INSTALL Vietnam and Broadcast & Media Tech Vietnam, sets the stage for international manufacturers, decision makers, system integrators and professionals from the professional audio, lighting and AV industries to network and establish business contacts. Exhibitors can look forward to creating brand awareness and publicity for their businesses and products while visitors will have plenty of opportunity to source for products as well as gather, learn and share information.

With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam’s economy is the fastest-growing in Asia and their entertainment and media market is the fastest-growing in the world. Forty percent

of their population is below the age of 35.

This segment generates the greatest demand for the latest technologies providing a ready market for Entertainment and Media products and services. The country’s exponential growth in the entertainment industry is expected to surpass US$2.3 billion in 2013.

This swift development has brought about tremendous demand for Professional Audio, Lighting and Video equipment, technologies and services.

microphone, the BP4001 cardioid dynamic microphone, the AT846/O omnidirectional condenser boundary microphone and the AT846/C cardioid condenser boundary microphone.

Among the top manufacturers who will be present at the exhibition are Meyer Sound who will be displaying three key products in their booth. D-Mitri is a digital audio platform and has a powerful network-based system encompassing the entire audio chain. MINA is the smallest member of the Meyer Sound MILO family of self-powered line array loudspeakers and CAL is a series of self-powered steerable column array loudspeakers.

Audio-Technica will be showcasing their dazzling array of microphones including the AT2050 multi-pattern condenser microphone, the AT2035 cardioid condenser microphone, the BP4002 omnidirectional dynamic

Audio-Technica’s AT2050 multi-pattern condenser microphone

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Returning to PALME Vietnam for the second time is Penn Elcom, a leading manufacturer of flight case and speaker cabinet solutions, who will be releasing the 2011 version of its full line catalog at the exhibition. In addition to this, they will also be introducing their full line of wall mount and free standing 19” electronic rack mounting enclosures as well as relaunching the Fane brand of component speaker drivers.

System Integrators will be pleased to know that many international conference system manufacturers will be displaying their products at PALME Vietnam. Brähler ICS (Germany) will showcase DIGIMIC, its unique digitallycontrolled microphone management system.

TOA Electronics (Japan) will be displaying the M-633D Digital Stereo Mixer which features the Automatic Resonance Control (ARC), Feedback Suppressor (FBS) and Automatic Clipguard (ACG). The M-633D automatically eliminates unpleasant reverberation and feedback with just a touch of a button. Brahler ICS, TOA Electronics and Taiden (China) will all be located in close proximity to one another.

Singapore-based Synergy AVL will be making its debut at PALME Vietnam 2011. On display at their booth will be Italian manufacturer LDR (Luci della Ribalta)’s Canto 2000 MSR FF. This innovative product is efficacious, lightweight and extremely powerful. Ideal for all long

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throw applications, the Canto 2000 MSR FF features the patented FastFit rear load lamp base system, enabling easy lamp replacement from the rear in difficult stage conditions.

Though Canto 2000 MSR FF is a professional follow spot, its compact size makes it suitable for auditoriums and houses of worship.

New Zealand-based Gencom Technologies will be displaying its global expertise and innovative technology solutions for the broadcasting and multimedia industry at the show. Also from New Zealand, but making its second appearance at PALME Vietnam, is Theatrelight NZ who will be exhibiting popular products like the PID II Plug-in Dimmer system, and the new DMX over Ethernet transmitter/ receiver units, the DE2 and ED2.

Another top manufacturer who will be making its debut at PALME Vietnam is Community Professional, a leading supplier of professional sound systems since 1968.

Check out the LDR Canto 2000 MSR FF at the Synergy AVL booth

Also making its debut at PALME Vietnam is Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd, Singapore’s oldest professional A/V contracting, consulting and distribution company. The company celebrated its 60th anniversary this year and will be showcasing products from top brands like EAW, Shure, Mackie, Neutrik, Tascam, Furman, Symetrix and Powersoft.

Many prominent Vietnamese distribution companies will also be present at PALME Vietnam. Musicland will feature brands like Crest, Mipro, Peavey and RCF. Vistar will showcase its Yamaha products. TIEN PHONG TF, one of the leading suppliers of advanced information and communication solutions will feature industry-leading display wall technology, Jupiter Systems’ Fusion Catalyst™ 8000, and introduce the new Quad HD Decoder Card for its Fusion Catalyst™ and VizionPlus II™. www.palme-vietnam.com

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Blackmagic Designs engaging their customers at their booth

BroadcastAsia2011 delivers positive results BroadcastAsia has once again affirmed its reputation as Asia’s definitive launchpad for the broadcasting industry. From 21-24 June 2011, over 650 companies were represented in the 13,200 square metres of exhibition space at the Suntec Convention Centre, the venue for this year’s event, boasting a growth of seven percent compared to 2010. This year’s show showcased the latest products and solutions to visitors, from 3D and Hybrid TV to digital signage and professional audio technology.

zone that brought together a selection of production companies and industry players such as BlackMagic Designs, Canon, Cine Equipment, The Media Village and Quantel to showcase the latest inventions and technology upgrades in 3D, HD, motion/film production and post-production software that maximised production efficiency without compromising on quality.

Currently in its 16th edition, 86 percent of the exhibitors at BroadcastAsia2011 were from outside of Singapore. Forty-three countries and representatives from 12 group pavilions convened at the show. There was a strong European presence this year with group pavilions from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy (2), Spain and the United Kingdom.

“Just as the Asian broadcasting industry continues to enjoy success in the international arena, BroadcastAsia continues to deliver value to attendees with more facilities and opportunities to experience the latest broadcast technologies available in the industry today,” said Mr. Calvin Koh, Senior Project Manager of BroadcastAsia.

Among the highlights of the show was a brand new Cinematography/Film/Production

The French Pavilion

As a knowledge-centric event for professionals, the international conference also featured over 80 high-level, international speakers who made presentations on 3DTV, HybridTV, Connect TV, DVB and others. Companies represented included Reliance Broadcast Network, 3ality Digital, Motorola Mobility and Front Porch Digital.

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premiered two major additions to their product range, the Polecam Starter Pack rig and the GoalCam/StadiumCam compact sports OB support system. Visitors also witnessed the latest solutions from companies such as Dalet, Grass Valley, Harris, Harmonic, Media Village, Playbox and more first-hand.

On 21 June 2011, Pixel Power announced sales to both SingTel and Radio Television Malaysia (RTM). The company installed 10 LogoVision, a dedicated branding and graphics playout device designed for 24-hour operation in a transmission environment, for SingTel’s IPTV service Mio TV and supplied RTM with five high-specification Clarity 3000 units, including 3D, clips and audio capabilities.

Norbert Hilbich, Head of Application Engineering, Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co., talks about digital microphones.

This year’s Creative Content Production Conference featured an expanded agenda and was split into two days. The Big Screen Day (22 June) featured key stakeholders from the film industry and the Small Screen Day (23 June) which explored opportunities in TV and other media. This was followed by a fullday post-production workshop on using DSLR videography on 24 June.

Sony was present again to showcase new future-ready technologies for the first time in Asia. The company’s booth was a nextgeneration hub packed with revolutionary technologies in broadcast and content production. Among the products featured was Sony’s F65 CineAlta® camera. This camera was the result of 30 years of research and represents the industry’s first camera with an 8K 20 megapixel CMOS sensor. During a closed-door launch event, guests witnessed a visually stunning short film created by Curtis Clark using the F65 CineAlta® camera. They also learned more about the insights that led to the development of this breakthrough camera.

“As a launch pad for broadcast and production technology trends and innovations in the region, BroadcastAsia2011 is an ideal platform for Sony to introduce its latest products and solutions, as well as be present to understand and focus on value creation for customers,” said Chris Grey, Head of Content Creation Solutions, Professional Solutions Company (PSAP), Sony Electronics Asia Pacific.

“The industry has taken great strides in HD adoption but there is still a significant gap

to bridge between SD and HD. We believe consumers are ready. With larger screens and a great deal of HD quality content already available, it is now up to broadcasters to further extend their HD operations,” said Grey.

“The quality of the visitors to BroadcastAsia2011 surpassed previous years and we were kept busy meeting prospective customers throughout the four days. We applaud Singapore Exhibition Services for bringing in strong, serious buyers and for putting together yet another fantastic show,” said Ms. Joyce Quark, Channel & Marketing Manager, Harmonic. www.broadcast-asia.com

Supporting the industry’s transition to digital broadcast, Sony also introduced a series of new HD products including the HXC-D70 camera, the MCS-8M compact HD switcher and the MVS-7000X production switcher.

Other technologies showcased included the new BVM series OLED monitors as well as the first fully integrated 3D shoulder camcorder PMW-TD300 and 3D compact camcorder HXR-NX3D1P, new 3D switchers and 3D software applications.

Other launches at the show also included AV8 Media’s lightweight and affordable Genus Hurricane Camera 3D rig for Stereoscopic 3D production. Polecam The Sony booth was packed with revolutionary technologies.

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PALME Asia impresses visitors with three new ‘firsts’ Visitors to the 23rd edition of PALME Asia, held from 13-15 July 2011 at Marina Bay Sands, were treated to three new initiatives by the organisers. In addition to viewing the latest products and services from leading brands in the pro audio, lighting and AV industries, visitors were also able to shop for great ‘buys’ on pro audio, lighting and video products, seek employment opportunities in the Mice and entertainment industries as well as learn how to effectively use 3D LED technology in events.

The exhibition began in style as visitors, members of the press and industry professionals gathered outside Halls A and B at the first level of Marina Bay Sands on 13 July 2011 for the opening ceremony. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony by the dignitaries, the crowd was treated to a spectacular ‘Lion Dance’ following which visitors were allowed to enter the exhibition halls.

For the first time in PALME Asia history, visitors were able to shop for great deals in pro audio, lighting and AV products at the Great PALME Sale (GPS). GPS is a special feature introduced

for PALME Asia 2011 enabling visitors to purchase a variety of quality products at special discounted prices. Leading brands participating in the sale included Abtus, Audix Microphones, DTS Lighting, Fostex, Klotz Cables, Optoma, PR Lighting, SM Pro Audio, Zero88 and many others.

Those seeking for employment in the Entertainment and Mice industries were given a boost with the introduction of the Career Advancement Hub, a second ‘first’ at PALME Asia. Jointly organised by Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and IIR Exhibitions Pte Ltd, Career Advancement Hub presented Singaporeans and Singapore PRs with more than 100 stagehand vacancies and training opportunities available.

The 3D LED Showcase was the third ‘first’ to be introduced at PALME Asia 2011. Visitors to the showcase learned how to effectively employ 3D LED technology for various events from its presenter 3DIS. Other LED solution providers that participated in the showcase included Barco, Optotech, Radiant, Wilson Metals and others.

There were also many seminars held throughout the three days of the exhibition focussing on Houses of Worship and Digital Display Technology. There was also a ‘Technologies for Worship Pavilion’ within the exhibition floor that offered practical handson workshop and showcase solutions related to Houses of Worship.

Other activities at PALME Asia 2011 included a presentation on Classroom Technology

by Comm Products which showcased two different types of set-ups based on the American and Japanese education system.

Attendees were presented with the benefits and setbacks of each system. There were also two other workshops entitled “Constant Voltage Design” and the “Principles of Arrayed Loudspeakers” conducted by Jerrold Stevens, the newly appointed Director, EAW Application Support Group (ASG), who has an extensive background in audio systems. www.palme-asia.com

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3DIS Ltd and JM Rental Ltd

3DIS and JM Rental shared a booth which attracted a large crowd throughout the show due to two 3D LED displays. One of the displays, a 10 x 7 panel (6.4m x 3.8m) 3D R4 LED display was used for showing 3D content. The second display was a 3D interactive display made up of two side screens measuring 1.92m x 3.84m. Although the 10 x 7 panel looked impressive, Kenneth Yip, Head of JM Rental, revealed that JM Rental had also set up an even larger 600 panel screen for the Japan versus Netherlands match during the 2010 World Cup.

and end-users such as 3D video production for corporate videos and live-events. 3DIS Limited nurtures an experienced production team from Hong Kong consisting of leading cinematographers, former Hong Kong TV station producers and proficient computer graphic designers in order to fulfill market’s demand for quality and creativity. JM Rental supports 3DIS in introducing cutting-edge 3D technology to the region by presenting wide selections of 3D Video Production services on 3D R4 LED displays. www.3dis.com.hk www.joinmerit.com

3DIS Limited aims to provide 3D media and 3D video production solutions to the market

Acoustic & Lighting System Pte Ltd Kuala Lumpur-based Acoustic & Lighting System Pte Ltd has more than two decades of experience in distributing professional solutions for the entertainment, architectural and commercial sectors in the Southeast Asia region. The company has grown by leaps and bounds during this time.

Taking centre-stage in their booth was the Clay Paky Sharpy, a 189W moving beam light with unprecedented brightness.

Although it weighs just 16 kg, Sharpy produces a perfectly parallel, laser-like beam with an incredible output of 59,760 lx at 20m (5,100 footcandles at 65 ft). Since its debut last year, the Clay Paky Sharpy has won numerous awards throughout the world including the prestigious 2010 PLASA Award for Innovation. www.acousticlighting.com

Acoustic & Lighting General Manager Desmond Tan (left) and Clay Paky Sales Manager Alberico D’Amato pose with the Clay Paky Sharpy

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Audio Light Asia Pte Ltd Leading audio services and lighting company, Audio Light Asia Pte Ltd, attracted many visitors to their booth with their eye-catching MLCD Video Wall which was located behind the booth counter. Also drawing plenty of attention was the IKON P6 LED screen positioned above the booth and the IKON LED Flow, a floor LED that stretched from the entrance of the booth to the counter.

Managing Director Thomas Tan revealed that Audio Light Pte Ltd had recently acquired a new brand – Madrix LED Controls from Germany. Madrix has been involved in many high profile projects around the world including the Baiyoke Tower II in Bangkok. Audio Light has also established an agency with Orion for MultiLCD displays. www.audiolight.com.sg

IKON LED Flow and the MLCD Video wall behind the counter

Audio-Technica (SEA) Pte Ltd

A wide range of high-performance microphones, headphones, wireless systems, mixers and other audio products were on display at the Audio-Technica booth. These included the award-winning ribbon microphones such as AT4080 and AT4081, the Ultra Wideband (UWB) wireless microphone system Spectrapulse™ and the new smallest-ever head-worn microphone, the BP893 MicroEarset. Also on display was the versatile U843R condenser mic and

the critically-acclaimed ATH-M50 studio monitor headphones.

Audio-Technica also took the opportunity to introduce the new local pro audio team: (left to right) Business Development Executive Chen Jinfu, Senior Business Development Executive S.K. Teng, Customer Service Executive Dionna Neo and Audio Engineer Felix Wong. www.audio-technica.com.sg

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Consolidated Audio Networks Pte Ltd

Chad Batchelor (third from left) with his young team

An exhibitor making its debut at PALME Asia was Singapore-based Consolidated Audio Networks. Led by General Manager Chad Batchelor, a veteran of the pro audio industry, CAN was launched in March 2011 and is committed to providing system integrators, consultants and retail outlets with the most up-to-date products as well as to strive to educate and support them in engineering and training.

On display at their booth were products from brands like Turbosound, API, QSC, Ampeg, XC Lighting and Chromateq.

Although he realises that the pro audio industry is highly competitive, Batchelor is confident that his young team has all the tools to succeed. “I see the market improving and I see a lot of customers upgrading,” he said. “This is a good time for us to take the next step.” can.sg

d&b audiotechnik S.E.Asia Pte Ltd applications. The loudspeakers are spread over a broad range of sizes and output powers. Both cabinets and accessories are also available with either a weather resistant or special colour option. Rotatable horns deliver additional flexibility in terms of mounting options for the loudspeakers.

The xA-Series comprises four loudspeakers and two matching subwoofers that are mechanically arrayable and share the same Sebastian Song, Managing Director of d&b audiotechnik design. The cabinets are equipped S.E.Asia Pte Ltd, with the White range with an integrated rigging system.

Visitors to the d&b audiotechnik booth were Both cabinets and accessories are also intrigued by their White range of products available with either a weather resistant or which is designed for visual, physical, special colour option. acoustical and electrical integration. The range consists of two series, the xS-Series Both the xA and xS-Series not only maintain and xA-Series. Both series include compact the d&b System reality but also embody loudspeakers and matching subwoofers. the d&b holistic approach to sound Both series can also be driven by either the reinforcement solutions by integrating d&b audiotechnik D6 or D12 amplifiers. loudspeakers, electronics, mechanical deployment assemblies and remote control The xS-Series comprises seven loudspeakers functions. and three matching subwoofers which are designed for use in stand-alone www.dbaudio.com

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Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd

Celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year, E&E was present at the exhibition in grand style.

The E&E booth was one of the largest at the show and was among the most visited. www.enepl.com.sg Here are some of the brands that were represented at their booth:

Green Hippo

Samantha Bailey, Sales Manager for Green Hippo, and the Grasshopper

Green Hippo Ltd, formed in 1999, may best be known for their Hippotizer - the worlds first o-the-shelf realtime VJ console.

However, at PALME Asia, the Hippotizer Grasshopper, a new addition to the Green Hippo range, was on display.

GrassHopper shares all the software features of its close relative the Hippotizer HD. Its unrestricted output resolution allows

you to drive a single HD display or lets you get the best from output extenders such as Matrox multi-head adapters, the EMS-iVU4 or Datapath x4. It can be used as a standalone player, with VideoMapper, or as part of a UberPan rig to provide flexibility, ease of use and array of configuration options. www.green-hippo.com

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myMix

The myMix band in action

The myMix display garnered plenty of attention throughout the exhibition because of the live band that performed there everyday. Many of the onlookers were also interested in the impressivelooking myMix personal monitoring mixer and its functions. myMix is an intuitive, easy-to-use personal monitor mixing and multi-track recording system for musicians to use live on stage.

It can also be used for multi-channel audio

distribution and as a multi-track recorder. myMix allows you to create an unlimited number of independent stereo mixes with up to sixteen channels of audio controlled through an intuitive musician friendly interface. In addition, each channel can be muted or solo’d independently and a master Mute button is available to silence all channels at once. www.mymixaudio.com

EAW

Gary Goh (right) and Simon Wong display the EAW MicroWedge family.

EAW’s MicroWedge family of stage monitors and subwoofer were launched at the exhibition. All MicroWedge coaxial models (choice of 8-inch, 10-inch, 12inch, and 15-inch LF) feature incredible fidelity, power handling and reliability, all attained with an optimum blend of highlevel transducers and EAW’s hallmark crossover design techniques. Mechanical durability of the upgraded models has been advanced as well, joined by enhancements

in enclosure fabrication, ergonomics and interconnection, along with dramatic weight reduction.

Also on display at the EAW booth were the EAW QX Series of loudspeakers, the EAW UX 8800 Digital Signal Processor and the EAW KF Series which are among EAW’s most popular and well-known products. www.eaw.com

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SHURE

(L-R) Andy Chan, Shure Asia Product Manager, Eric Ong, E&E Shure Product Manager and Alan Chang, Director of Sales – Shure Asia

During the exhibition, seminars were conducted by the Shure Asia team to introduce the Shure Axient Wireless Microphone System which can automatically change frequencies, undetected by the user, to avoid interference. The Axient system employs several new innovative technologies that work together to deliver interference-free audio in the most critical live broadcast,

theater, music, and corporate events. The system on display consisted of the AXT 600 Spectrum Manager which continuously monitors the ‘healthiness’ of a frequency, the AXT 400 dual-channel receiver and the AXT 900 Lithium Battery Charger. The Shure Axient Wireless Microphone System will be ready for shipping at the end of the year. www.shureasia.com

Powersoft

The M-Series Amp Module

Taking centre-stage at the Powersoft display was the M-Series Amp Module. The M Series offers maximum efficiency with minimum power consumption thanks to its 1U standard size and reduced weight and depth. It also represents good value for money. The M Series allows great

flexibility thanks to 5 different 2-channel and 4-channel models, now available also in the DSP+ETH versions, offering remote control and advanced signal processing abilities thourgh Armonía Pro Audio Suite. www.powersoft-audio.com

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LBT PTE LTD Headquartered in Singapore, LBT Pte Ltd, performs all its research and development work in India and manufactures its products in China. They made a strong impression during the show with their LED CITYCYC/TZ fixture. This fixture is extremely bright and powerful enough to illuminate large architectural facades or entire stage areas. CITYCYC/TZ’s rugged design allows installation in any environment. With an output of over 18000lm and maximum projection distance of 300m, this powerful fixture can be used for entertainment or architectural applications of any scale. www.lbt.com

Chandan Mahtani (left) and Eshdeep Singh Bhasin of LBT with the LED CITYCYC/TZ

Lighting and Sound Distribution Pte Ltd There was a whole plethora of products on display at the Lighting & Sound Distribution booth including the Arkaos A30 Media Server, The TW Audio Vera Sys 1line array, the Antari IP 1500 fog machine, the Wireless Solution G4 RDM, the LSC Nexus and the SFAT CO2 Revolver. www.lsdsingapore.com

Robe lighting s.r.o Czech-based Robe lighting is well-known for their innovative, high quality moving lights and digital lighting products for the professional entertainment and leisure, architectural and themed environment industries. On display at the Robe booth was the Robin MMX Spot which provides a very powerful output of 1200W. It has two rotating gobo wheels, dual graphic wheel and rotating prism.

Also on display was the Robin 600 LED Wash, the best-selling Robe product ever.

It features 37 x 10 Watt RGBW multi-chip LEDs with colour output ranging from gentle pastels to the richest saturation.

Arranged in 3 concentric rings, these LEDs oer unique possibilities for creating stunning colour and patterns as well as for providing comprehensive and perfectly even wash coverage. www.robe.cz

Robin MMX Spot

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Lingtec Pte Ltd

System Integrators Lingtec Pte Ltd showcased the Rane Sixty-Eight, the first Scratch Live-compatible DJ mixer that allows two computers to be connected simultaneously. Using two USB ports, the new Rane Sixty-Eight mixer lets two DJs play Scratch Live at the same time, allowing seamless handover from one DJ to another.

DJs can also control up to four decks with

a single laptop. Armed with studio-grade phono preamps and S/PDIF inputs to provide a blend of analog and digital audio sources, the Rane Sixty-Eight features easy to use internal digital effects and direct control of over 30 Scratch Live library, cue and loop functions. www.rane.com

Mahajak SKM Electronics Pte Ltd

The Soundcraft Vi6 console

The Soundcraft Vi6 console was the centreof-attention at the booth of Thailand-based Mahajak SKM Electronics Pte Ltd. Eagerly awaited and now a reality, Soundcraft ’s first large-format digital live desk was created in a joint development with sister console company Studer. It is heralded as the first in a wide range of digital consoles to come from Soundcraft over the next two years.

The Soundcraft Vi6 console has been designed using the proven reliability of Studer’s Vista™ and On-Air 3000™ series of consoles which uses a derivation of the Vistonics™ user interface (Vistonics™ II) to allow the engineers to operate the desk intuitively. Vistonics II uses the same

type of touch-screen colour TFT monitor with integral rotary controls and switches mounted on the glass to provide a ‘where you look is where you control’ user interface.

Uniq Solutions, a Singapore-based full service technical and logistics integrator, were so convinced of the Vi6’s performance that they purchased a unit from Mahajak during the exhibition. Leman Ghani, Operations Manager for Uniq Solutions commented, ”The Soundcraft Vi6 has everything. It is easy to use, easy to set up and easy to transport.” www.mahajakskm.com

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MA Lighting

Jens Poehlker and the onPC software

Over at the MA Lighting booth, the grandMA onPC software was being showcased.

The grandMA onPC software is the same software that is used in the grandMA and grandMA2 controllers but adjusted for PC use. According to MA Lighting Asia Pacific Sales Director Jens Poehlker, the grandMA onPC software is becoming more popular because it is reliant on network cable which makes it cost-efficient for installers to use together with the MA Lighting 2 port node for events, small venues, museums and clubs. The grandMA onPC software has several advantages in that it

utilises a user-interface that is well-known to programmers and offers full software compatibility. The grandMA onPC for Windows® is available free of charge at www.malighting.com where you will also find the relevant system requirements.

The grandMA onPC software has been used in many installation projects in Singapore including the URA Building and the Marina Bay Art Museum as well as several clubs in Malaysia. www.malighting.com

Martin Professional Pte Ltd

Martin M1 Controller

Products from Martin Professional usually draw plenty of interest during exhibitions and PALME Asia 2011 was no exception.

Among the products on display was the Martin M1 Controller, an all-in-one lighting control unit that is powerful yet compact and affordable. Designed to deliver the highest ratio of features vs price on the market, it is built to endure the toughness of rental and touring. The Martin M1 is equipped with a fast dualcore processor that ensures that the userinterface remains fast and responsive, even if hundreds of playbacks and effects are activated simultaneously. The console is also designed to be easy to navigate.

Another product on display was the Martin MAC 101 Series LED lights, one of Martin Professionals latest LED moving lights and the smallest in the line up. It weighs just 8 pounds and is 1 foot high. Packed in the

7.5” diameter head are 36 Cree XP-E high Power LEDs, 12 Red, 12 Green and 12 Blue LEDs which have the ability to produce 2,000 lumens of output over the life expectancy of 50,000 hours while only consuming 123 watts of power. The Mac101 offers pan Martin MAC 101 Series of 540 degrees and LED light a tilt of 240 degrees.

The speed at which the Mac 101 can whip through it’s pan and tilt is nothing short of amazing. www.martin.com.sg

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Quad Professional Pte Ltd Launched in 2009, Quad Professional Pte Ltd has been making big strides recently.

In addition to holding brands like Midas, Klark Teknik and Clair Brothers, the team at Quad Professional announced that they had acquired the distributorship of the ICTC brand from China. ICTC’s truss was named as the Official Truss for the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhoa in 2010. www.quadpro.com.sg

Lionel Lim, Managing Director of Meditec Trader with the Mipro MTD-100 Digital Wireless Tour Guide/ Interpretation System

Meditec Trader is a significant player in the wholesale and distribution of consumer and pro-audio products in Singapore and Malaysia. The main attraction at its booth was the Mipro MTG-100 Digital Wireless Tour Guide/Interpretation System. It is designed for secured, crystal-clear and interference-free communication from proprietary encrypted digital technology and is shielded from interference from Bluetooth, WiFi and other 2.4Ghz transmissions. The system comprises

the compact MTG-100R portable receiver and MTG-100T portable transmitter. There is also a storage and charging case. www.audio.com.sg www.mipro.com.tw

Sennheiser Electronic Asia Pte Ltd The Sennheiser booth was a constant hive of activity throughout the exhibition. Visitors were attracted by their sensational wet bar and live band but were particularly interested in their awesome MK4 large diaphragm condenser microphone. This cardioid microphone, which is manufactured in Germany, is Sennheiser’s first large-diaphragm side-address microphone and focuses on giving the best possible sound quality. It provides a powerful yet warm sound that is both direct and tight with fine treble resolution.

The MK 4 with its nickel-coloured finish was developed for professional users in project studios, but is equally well suited for other recording environments and is tough enough for use on stage. It is also a microphone that is affordable for home recordists and musicians.

Also on display at the Sennheiser booth were the K-array loudspeakers and the eye-catching Tornado speakers. www.sennheiserasia.com

The MK4 microphone

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Showtec Group On display at the Showtec booth was the Nick LED 600 Wash Zoom Moving Head Projector from DTS lighting, a self-contained, compact, high-output LED wash with 13,5° 40° motorised zoom, and ultra-fast and silent Pan/Tilt. It is one of the brightest compact LED projectors on the market. Luminous flux is no less than 9.750 Lumens. The Nick 600 Wash Zoom moving heads are suitable for a variety of applications such as lighting shopping malls, libraries, museums, exhibitions, clubs, restaurants, buildings, monuments, as well as concerts, special events and fashion displays.

The group announced that they will be organising a seminar for Showtec staff and DTS users as well as clients at the Showtec Group premises focussed on technical maintenance and system information in the near future. www.showtec.com www.dts-lighting.com

Franco Zaghini of DTS Lighting (left) and Henry Ang of Showtec with the Nick LED 600 Wash Zoom Moving Head Projector

Sindo Exports Pte Ltd passive delay line which dramatically reduces feedback and the same 3” NVPD large format compression driver found in KV2’s flagship VHD products. The ESD 12M also features a sturdy steel grill, a specially designed acoustic fabric covering the compression driver and a “vocal-boost” switch to enhance critical vocal frequencies.

“The unique thing about all our passive speaker systems is that apart from having a state-of-the-art passive crossover network inside them, they also have a special analog delay line circuit to give you correct time alignment and phase correction on the components,” said Dave Croxton, Director of Sales & Marketing for KV2 Audio. “It is a very extensive electronic circuit within the boxes to give them their optimum frequency response,” he added. www.kv2audio.com www.sindoexport.com

Dave Croxton, Director of Sales & Marketing for KV2 Audio, with the ESD 6 Passive Speaker

Prominently displayed at the Sindo Exports booth was the ESD 6 Passive Speaker System and the ESD 12M Passive Monitoring System from KV2 Audio. The ESD 6 is a very high quality 2-way full-range compact passive loudspeaker solution with strong output and amazing clarity for speech and musical

reproduction. It is suitable for installations and AV presentations where sound quality is paramount but size also matters.

The ESD 12M Passive Monitoring System is a low profile 2-way, passive 12” full-range monitoring solution. It features a revolutionary

The ESD 12M Passive Monitoring System

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Synergy AVL www.synergyavl.com

LDR (Luci Della Ribalta) Italian lighting manufacturer LDR introduced the Oscura 19, a DMX512- and RDMcontrollable, motorised dimming shutter, designed to provide a smooth control of light intensity on all non-dimmable discharge fixtures. It features an extremely quiet and precise operation and ensures no alterations of the colour temperature. Oscura 19 is the first in line of a generation of mechanical dimming shutters specially designed for the professional theatre and the TV. Weighing only 5.5lbs and emitting less than 28db, the Oscura also has a user-friendly interface.

Also on display at the Synergy AVL booth was the LDR Canto 2000msr FF Followspot. It uses the 2000 MSR FastFit lamp with rear access lamp replacement, a spherical reflector and double condenser lens set. This produces crisp gobo images and a high-quality field similar to that of ellipsoidal reflector designs.

Throwing distances are from 50’ to more than 100’. Additional features include a compact package, quiet fan and user-friendly controls.

The beam angle varies from 8 to 22 degrees. www.ldr.it

Synergy AVL’s Henry (left) and Fabiano Besio from LDR with the Canto 2000 Followspot

Outline The Italian manufacturer of high-end loudspeaker systems for the concert and installation industry showcased its awardwinning Mini Compass i-Mode. iMode technology embeds a Linux-based CPU, with integrated DSP chip, parameter control software and Web server, right into the Mini Compass powered speaker system, thereby streamlining set-up and control by eliminating the outboard gear between the console and power amplifier. The new iMode Control App allows anyone with an iPad or iPad 2 to control the Mini Compass via the Web. www.outline.it

Outline’s Georgio Biffi (right) and Henry from Synergy AVL with the Mini Compass i-Mode

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Team 108 Technical Services Pte Ltd

purity of Stealth Digital Processing™ with the smoothness, accuracy and dynamic range of the latest generation Super FPGA technology with floating point processing. It also has other new options and an application-specific feature set that’s tailored to both front-ofhouse and monitor mixing. The optional broadcast-specific feature set allows users to convert the SD Ten into the SD Ten B, perfect for live to air broadcast.

The DiGiCo SD 10 display

Featured prominently at the Team 108 booth was the display for the DiGiCo SD Ten Live Digital Console with Stealth Digital Processing.

The DiGiCo SD Ten provides a blend of features,

performance, flexibility and sonic clarity at a level between the midrange SD8 and the industry-leading SD7. The SD Ten’s additional features and benefits include the power and

Another product featured was the DiGiCo SD 11 Rackmountable/ Tabletop Digital Console. The SD11 is two consoles in one – a rackmountable and a table top mixer with smart end cheeks and arm rest. The 15” full colour TFT LCD touch sensitive screen provides ease-of-use. Effects, dynamics and equalisation can be summoned up for each channel in a split second, with no hunting through multiple menus. A physical fader, knob or backlit, electronically labelled button is either provided as standard for every major mix function, or can be programmed onto one of the user macro buttons. The highly accurate, durable and user-assignable channel faders have touch-sensitive fader caps. The SD11 features the same A/D and D/A converters as every member of the SD Series, along with identical Stealth Digital Processing ™, now in its third generation, with Super FPGA technology incorporating floating point processing. www.team108.com www.digico.biz

Total Solution Holdings Pte Ltd The Total Solution booth was filled with many attractions and many visitors throughout the three days of the exhibition. Taking centrestage was undoubtedly the awesome coolux Pandoras Box display. The Pandoras Box Media Server features a wide range of features and tools for real-time video processing and projection. It offers a high performance link between projection and digital image compositing as well as real-time compositing in 3D and allows projections on any shape and any surface. Multiple projectors can create seamless soft edge-blended projections with user defined arbitrary combinations of horizontal and vertical blending.

Also displayed at the Total Solutions booth were many products from Robert Juliat including the Aledin LED Profile Framing Spotlight, the Aledin LED Wash, the Cyrano Follow Spot and the Victor Follow Spot. www.tsm-int.com www.coolux.de www.robert juliat.fr

The coolux Pandoras Box display

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Japan

Sugoh Nursery School upgrades to Ashley pêma Sugoh Nursery School in Himeji City, Japan, has a truly professional-grade sound reinforcement system centered on a costeffective Ashly pêma integrated processor and amplifier.

The stage and its sound reinforcement system are part of Sugoh’s brand new stateof-the-art building, which replaces its former residence of 34 years. “The old building had a sound reinforcement system too, but its speech intelligibility was very poor,” said pro audio veteran Masaki Morimoto, president of Tokyo’s A/V design and installation firm M&N. “Everyone at the school was excited to get a new stage with new sound reinforcement that would really convey the excitement and effort of the students.”

interface.” Rather than build something complicated, Morimoto used a simple Ashly RD-8C remote control, which provides eight faders with mutes and a master volume fader.

With it, the teachers can adjust the volumes of the microphones and input sources without training and without risk of fouling up other aspects of the system, such as equalisation or dynamics.

The tremendous success of this sort of sound reinforcement system is earning M&N a wealth of new jobs in a similar vein. “We

Sugoh’s new system begins with two wired microphones, four wireless microphones, and inputs for two auxiliary sources. The Ashly pêma 4125 provides almost everything else – microphone pre-amplification, matrix mixing, equalisation, dynamics and four amplifier channels at 125-watts each. A pair of One Systems 108IM loudspeakers provide the lion’s share of coverage, with six Tannoy CMS 601 & CMS 501 in-ceiling loudspeakers filling in the rest.

“The Ashly pêma is a cost-efficient solution that is very easy to work with for both the installer and the end user,” said Morimoto.

“Designing a system that was user-friendly was paramount, as the teachers cannot be expected to properly control a complicated

The new stage and sound system

installed Ashly systems in ten schools last year, and we already have thirteen similar requests for nursery schools in the coming year,” said Morimoto. “Most systems will use the Ashly pêma, but a few larger systems will require Ashly’s modular ne24.24M processor with dedicated Ashly amplifiers.” In addition, M&N is populating the churches, auditoriums, and ballrooms in and around Tokyo with reliable, easy-to-use Ashly processors and amplifiers. www.ashly.com

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South Korea

Cheonggyecheon Digital Garden – Cascading art with a newfound style

A visit to Seoul necessitates a quick jaunt to the Cheonggyecheon Stream, an 8.4 km long public recreation space with enchanting sights and sounds. Amidst the hustle-bustle of downtown Seoul, Cheonggyecheon is a sanctuary of delight and, with the coming of dusk, art.

Every evening between 6 and 8 p.m., art installations called “Fractal Flowers” light up the Cheonggyecheon Digital Garden on a 12m by 4m wall along the embankment of the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Provocative and playful, these three-dimensional computergenerated “flowers” and “plants” of different geometric shapes and colors proliferate on the stone surface and are like virtual seeds that sprout, shrivel and interact with passersby.

Choreographed by Mexican artist, Miguel Chevalier, this award-winning installation uses two Christie Roadster S+20K projectors to portray these moving murals. Stacked Christie Roadster S+20K projectors provide 40,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and DLP® technology ensures the colours, shapes and lines of the images are clearly defined.

The Christie Roadster S+20K Projector “Given that this is an outdoor display in the middle of downtown Seoul, we wanted high performance, high brightness projectors that aren’t affected by ambient lights such as streetlamps and headlights. The sealed

light engine is essential for an open-air event like the Cheonggyecheon Digital Garden,” explained Mr. Lim Byoung-Sam of Youngjin, Christie’s installation partner on the project.

“We needed an extremely high level of colour accuracy and depth because we are projecting digital media art. It has to capture the changing shapes, sizes and colour depths of the flowers and plants. For example, it is the artist’s intention to show the maturing stages of the different types of flowers and as these digital flowers grow and perish, their shapes, sizes and shades change, from radiant red to a passionate purple and then to a murky lilac to symbolise their final days.”

“The Christie Roadster S+20K is one of our top-end models in terms of performance and power,” said Henry Khang, general manager, Christie Korea. “Our Roadster series provides high brightness and the Roadster S+20K, with 20,000 ANSI lumens, is the definitive choice for this digital art show. The Xenon lamp and DLP 3-chip technology, gives us unparalleled colour performance best suited for a 120-minute long digital show that has to be simultaneously high-speed and eye-catching. ”Seoul experiences extreme temperature fluctuations each season. In winter, we grapple with freezing temperatures from 10 degrees Celsius to minus 10 degrees Celsius and use waterproof casing to protect the projectors from the snow, especially when it melts,” said Paul Lee, sales manager, Christie Business Products. During summer, with temperatures as high as 38 degrees Celsius, we need to fasten a heat-resistant box to shield the projectors from the sun. The Christie Roadster S+20K projector is a good choice because it can withstand these harsh outdoor conditions. After all, it wouldn’t be called a Roadster if it couldn’t live up to expectations in these rigorous outdoor conditions.

With the restoration, the Cheonggyecheon stream is no longer a vile riverbank, but a charming stream with clear waters springing over a terraced façade walled-in on both sides.

The once desolate zone has been turned into a popular gathering place for locals and visitors.

It is also a symbol of the city’s renewal.

Surrounded by distinctive structures such as the Seoul Plaza and Deoksugung Palace, and flanking Seoul’s Dongdaemun fashion district and arty Insa-dong, Cheonggyecheon is a haven of appeal, opportunely placed amid the buzz of city life.

“It is a rare case that the preservation of historical identity can be accomplished so closely with modernisation and urban renewal. This is a matchless case for us in Asia. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has done this very well. It is a challenging project for us at Christie because we were tasked with bringing this dream into reality. We had to change the perceptions that people had with regard to Cheonggyecheon and demonstrate that Cheonggyecheon is one destination for the art lover,” commented Lin Yu, Vice President of Christie Asia Pacific. www.christiedigital.com

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Australia

Jands at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia bars. Two camera feeds of the stage area use infra-red to keep the flying system visible during black-outs.

a very good moving light control interface which is unusual in a theatre board as usually the moving lights are an after thought. It’s just a really flexible and intuitive console.”

“The simplest way to describe the Nomad is that it is an amazing interface,” remarked Boyd Midgley, Head Flyman at the State Theatre Centre. “It’s a fantastic platform for making shows clean cut. In fact, the Nomad is a Flyman’s dream perfect every time. Through the Nomad’s technology, shows can have more versatility within the State Theatre Centre. Having the ability to move multiple bars safely and effectively is also a great attribute within shows.”

The profile spots in the lighting rig consist of eighty 15°-30°and twenty 25°50° ETC 750W Source Fours as well as seventy ETC 750W Source Four PARs.

Located on the corner of Roe and William Streets in Northbridge, the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia features the 575 seat Heath Ledger Theatre and the flexible performance space, Studio Underground, capable of seating over 200 people. Also included in The Centre is The Courtyard, a multi-purpose outdoor events space, two rehearsal rooms and two flexible use private suites.

Twenty metres overhead, ranged either side of the grid in separate winch rooms, are two banks of Jands SP650 hoists. A hyper-sensitive lanyard offers instant shutdown of the system should anything untoward happen in this area.

Designed by the award-winning Kerry Hill Architects, the design delivers a building which not only provides a functional and inspiring venue for performers and their audiences, but is also a defining architectural landmark for Perth.

“The hoists have been working really well since their installation and we’ve had no issues at all with them,” commented Graham Piper, Technical Manager at the State Theatre Centre.

“They really do everything that they should be doing and they do it well and quietly!”

Jands supplied and commissioned all the technical equipment throughout the venue except for the in-house audio installation, which was supplied by Jands, but installed by Perth-based Vizcom Technologies.

Lighting for the main stage comes from three FOH bridges and additional circuits on the circle rail and in the perches. Overhead the lighting bars are made up of twenty four Jands JLX PRO bars – these are 3.5m long sections with a dozen dimmer outlets on each and while a standard lighting rig is always in place, the JLX PRO allow for much more flexibility.

The Heath Ledger Theatre

The Heath Ledger Theatre is a traditional proscenium arch stage measuring 12m wide and 9m high. This space can be minimised with a false proscenium and borders. The stage measures 25m from wall-to-wall and 18m from the back wall to the front edge of the forestage. There are extra wing spaces due mostly to the lack of any manual flying system at stage level.

Above the stage, the fifty four onstage flylines and four full-length panorama bars are suspended on Jands electric drum hoists controlled by a Stage Technologies Nomad system that allows complete programming and automation of fly cues. The Nomad includes a proprietary console and display using Windows-based software. A 3D image of the stage and a colour-coded graphic of the flybar positions is a straightforward interface and by simply pressing command keys you can easily control the fly lines and

The theatre has 360 channels of Jands 2.5kW HPC12 dimmers and 48 channels of Jands 5kW HPD6 dimmers configured in a ‘dimmer per outlet’ set-up eliminating a load patch.

Graham admits that the HPC dimmers have been very popular and he describes the pure air gap contactor system as a wonderful feature.

Moving lights consists of six Vari*Lite VL3500Q and six VLX LED wash lights with the VLX chosen not only for its energy efficiency but also because of the long life offered by the LED light sources.

The main L/R FOH speakers in the Heath Ledger Theatre are the first installation in Western Australia of the new JBL VerTec 4886 array speakers, complete with a 4883 subwoofer on each side.

The Studio

The Studio is also home to the first ever installation of Slingco’s CableNet system in Australia. CableNet is a wire grid ‘virtual floor’ that provides standing access to your lighting fixtures above. It’s like a very tight, wire-mesh trampoline constructed from 3mm wire at 70mm centres.

The whole point of CableNet is to provide a work environment for lighting riggers high over the stage that doesn’t require ladders or scissorlifts, yet under recommended conditions, the mesh has only a negligible effect on the focus or intensity of the lights shining through it.

Lighting fixtures in the studio are rigged to either the handrails of the walkways or to sections of square truss spanning between them. Two more lengths of square truss are suspended from four intelligent ASM chain hoists.

The dimmers here are 180 channels of the 2.5kW Jands HPC12 and the lighting console is an ETC ION1500 which Graham again describes as a really intuitive console. www.jands.com.au

A Pathway Pathport DMX-over-Ethernet network handles DMX512 distribution, protocol conversion, merging and routing.

The lighting console chosen for the Heath Ledger Theatre was an ETC EOS 5000 which Graham thinks is a fantastic console.

“We’re still finding things that it is capable of which amaze us!” he declared. “It really is an amazing theatre console. It has a very intuitive programming set-up and it’s got

The ceiling of the Heath Ledger Theatre

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Australia

Sydney Opera House chooses d&b for their Drama Theatre Replacing old systems and improving capability through employment of new technology is all very well, but when the venue in question is a victim of its own success other considerations take precedence. “I’ve been doing this job for about a year,” said Jeremy Christian, Head of Sound and AV Services at the Sydney Opera House (SOH) and responsible for the Drama Theatre’s recent refit. “And I know d&b audiotechnik had a system design in the pending tray for about a year before that. Having waited that long, when two weeks of dark time unexpectedly surfaced in May, we had the opportunity to access funding and get the equipment in and fitted.”

The Drama Theatre is used mainly for spoken word, dance and musicals, with some concerts and occasional talks. A proscenium venue, it seats five hundred and forty four people on one level. “For spoken word, the acoustic works well unsupported by amplification” said Christian. “The main use for the new PA system in the Drama Theatre is sound effects and light amplification, although for music, the room handles high SPLs with no loss of control.”

Jeremy Christian (left) and Cameron O’Neil

What drove the desire to replace the old system embraced two imperatives, as Cameron O’Neil, the SOH Head of Technical Support added. “We wanted to expand the number of output feeds to the PA. Designs in the Drama Theatre can require upwards of thirty mixes. After a great deal of research, we settled on the Nexus router from Stagetec to perform the level of control and reliability required.”

The other factor was loudspeakers and their placement. The Drama Theatre, being so compact, offers few easy locations without blocking sightlines. d&b’s Australian Distributor, National Audio Systems (NAS), called in Ralf Zuleeg, head of d&b audiotechnik’s Application Support Team when the project was first mooted in 2009.

“We ended up following Ralf’s initial design in most areas,” said O’Neil. “There are now twenty two cabinets in the standard FOH rig, Q10s left/right with E12s for the orchestra fill and delay, whilst E8 loudspeakers deal with the surround. There are also J-INFRA subwoofers for low frequency reinforcement.

Everything is individually amplified. We use the d&b R1 remote control software for d&b’s amplifiers to calibrate all of the loudspeakers for time alignment, room EQ and gain. That means we can use the Nexus for the matrix and bussing controls, and it is now a relatively simple matter to link in a lot of channels to the Recording Studio when needed. We’ve also included a couple of Nexus XDSP cards to allow us to have EQ, delays and mixing within the router.”

The installation work was designed by the Sydney Opera House In-House Technical

The new loudspeakers in the Drama Theatre

Team. “That was one of our great wins,” said O’Neil. “The consultation, the DSP design and the project management was all by the Opera House, then tendered to an integrator, as opposed to contracting everything out. NAS responded quickly with the equipment when the window of opportunity presented itself and were very forgiving of our changes to the order.”

Christian confirmed the benefits of this approach. “The money saved doing so much in-house allowed us to budget for a portable stage system that augments concerts. The earlier Concert Hall installation and the amount of work that went into choosing that system meant we were committed to consistency across all our venues. That was a big influence in choosing d&b, but there was also its proven reliability, and everybody loves using the d&b products. This system should be able to service all our needs for performances in the space for years to come.” www.dbaudio.com www.nationalaudio.com.au www.sydneyoperahouse.com

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Australia

Philips Selecon delivers lighting solution for QPAC colour in the dim light while the patrons read.”

“The whole room can now be ‘flavoured’ not just at walk-in, interval and the end, but also during the performance,” he said. “Even with all the PL1 LED’s driven at full, the luminaire only uses 120 watts. Compared to the original 60 x 300W Pars and the redevelopment 500W halogens, we are seeing significant energy savings,” adds Brimblecombe. “QPAC’s Concert Hall is really hitting the highs with energy efficiencies thanks to Selecon.

The purchase of 96 x Selecon Pacific 80V Ellipsoidals in 2009 was the first energy saving initiative. It’ll be interesting to see what we do next!”

In 2008/2009 the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) underwent a $40 million refurbishment to enhance the visitor experience to the iconic Arts Centre and significantly improve disability access and facilities. This refurbishment included upgrades to the Centre’s 2000-seat Lyric Theatre, the 1600-seat Concert Hall, foyers and bars.

The Concert Hall received particular attention with a LED auditorium house lighting solution.

All walls are now grazed with coloured light by linear LED strips and the ceiling coloured by LED wash lights. In 2009, there were no LED products on the market to replace the many 300W Par56 down lights over the auditorium.

A reduced number of 500W halogen fittings were used but over time these were found to be unsuitable for the application due to lamp life, labour costs and design of the fitting.

“One of the main problems with finding a replacement for the 500W fitting was the size of the existing holes in the ceiling!” said Doug Brimblecombe QPAC’s Manager – Lighting. “During our initial search Graeme Hicks of The Production Shop mentioned a new product coming into the market that he thought might be suitable. This was a new LED powered device. The Production Shop, Philips Selecon and QPAC have had an excellent 25-year relationship and hearing that they had a theatrical luminaire that may work architecturally did not surprise me,” said Brimblecombe.

“When Peter McKenzie of Philips Selecon showed us the PL1 I knew straight away that it would work. Being a theatrical lighting company Philips Selecon understands the need for 0 to 100 % dimming as well as consistent colour output. After trials of the PL1’s dimming ability with all stakeholders

and devising a simple half coupler mounting solution, the choice was easy.”

“At this time, the PL1 had not yet been released to the market, so we had to work together to sort out typical ‘beta test’ type issues. The strong relationship meant that any teething issues were resolved quickly, resulting in positive outcomes for both QPAC and Philips Selecon.”

“Now installed and working, QPAC is very impressed with the amount of light from the LED luminaires. The ceiling is 19 meters high and the PL1’s deliver as much light as the original 300W Parcans. The 14–50 degree beam spread has allowed us to evenly wash the auditorium including the balcony which is only six meters from the ceiling. The consistency is excellent,” said Brimblecombe.

The result of the collaboration between QPAC, Philips Selecon and The Production Shop has attained a value-added solution because of the ability to colour the down lights.

“The primary reason for the lights was to supply white down light to the seating. With the additive LED colouring, it means that even in the deepest blue it’s bright, and what a lovely blue!”

Brimblecombe said. “During a concert QPAC is now able to reduce the intensity over the audience, so that patrons can read their programs, not only with light output, but also colour. For instance the Queensland Symphony Orchestra has colour branded their concerts such as red for Classics, blue for Maestro Series and so on. There is now a slight tinge of the branding

“Pivotal personnel on the decision making process for the project were Duncan Richards and designer Rick Morrison from AECOM. AECOM were appointed consultants to Arts Queensland for the upgrade process.

When initial designs were discussed, Duncan was fiercely orientated down the energy efficiency path and the need to future proof the Concert Hall with regards to control and client experience, as well as reducing the client’s cost of ownership over the life of the luminaire,” commented Graeme Hicks.

“The design criteria for the Concert Hall lighting meant that products that were still in Beta testing mode had to be finished and proven. With the addition of the Philips LED engine, the solution was produced and refined very quickly. The PL1 option has since been installed in Judith Wright Centre for houselights and St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane,” said Hicks. The PL1 installation was completed in April, 2011.

“The end result has produced a stunning result to the lighting capabilities available to clients at QPAC,” was Brimblecombe’s final comment! www.seleconlight.com

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Singapore

Synergy AVL installs turnkey solution for VivoCity Sky Park Amphitheatre foldback monitors on the front truss and angle them down towards the stage. Live mixing is from a Mackie ONYX 3208 32-channel desk with a Numark CDN-55 dual CD player for the playback tracks. For the theatre’s microphone requirements, Synergy chose the Shure SLX Wireless hand-held microphones with Shure UHF Active Directional Antenna system.

The lighting element follows in true theatre style. Synergy uses a combination of LDR Nota Profile and Nota Fresnel fixtures, Philips Lighting narrow spot and medium flood Parcans, and Macostar MARS3120 12-channel dimmers. All lighting fixtures are using Philips Lamps and operation is from the Daslight 1024 Gold DMX512 lighting controller. Klotz Cables was chosen for the power and control cables and for the lighting and the trussing system.

Both the loudspeakers and lighting are using the MILOS Structural M290 Truss system.

Designed by world-renowned architect Toyo Ito, VivoCity is Singapore’s largest and most diverse retail and lifestyle destination. With 1.5 million square feet of floor space, VivoCity houses over 300 retail shops, large event spaces and a Sky Park which has a splash pool, an outdoor amphitheatre, a 20,000 square foot open plaza and a 300 meter harbour front promenade.

nationally-televised events. For the sound reinforcement criteria, Synergy selected the DVS series of high efficiency wide-range loudspeaker enclosures from Italian pro audio manufacturer Outline. To ensure perfect

www.synergyavl.com www.idr.it www.outline.it www.daslight.com www.lighting.philips.com.sg www.klotz-ais.com www.macostar.com www.milosgroup.com

Since VivoCity’s grand opening in December 2006, the outdoor amphitheatre, which is an integral part of the building’s rooftop Sky Park venue, had been renting sound and lighting equipment for all the shows that were organised at the amphitheatre. In 2010, the management committee decided to look into a permanent installation to reduce setup time for shows. The investment would facilitate more events to be held at the venue.

Synergy AVL’s excellent track record of providing customised install and engineering services to their clients as well as high quality audio, visual and lighting solutions was well-known in Singapore. The Synergy team headed by Senior Project Manager Chip Chong was invited to survey the venue and propose a turnkey solution that would offer superior performance but be versatile enough to cover the various types of performances that the venue would hold. The solution also had to be easy to operate and maintained.

The Synergy team knew that amphitheatre would be a venue for music concerts and

Synergy successfully completed the handover to VivoCity in January 2011, with the system having been optimally tuned by experienced sound engineer Laz Harris. The new system was immediately put to the test for the month-long Chinese New Year show when a performance group from China performed at the amphitheatre.

support at large events, the FOH system is configured using Outline DVS15 SP enclosures which are self-powered, with low support from Outline SUBTECH 218 SP self-powered subwoofers for the left and right hangs, with Outline DVS15 SP enclosures as centre fill. FOH control is through an Outline Genius 26 DSP management system. Due to the high traffic on the stage, the team opted to mount the

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Hong Kong

GLP and Digi-Lite light up the Peak Tower

The Peak Tower

Situated on top of the Victoria Peak is the famous Peak Tower, one of the most breathtaking landmarks in Hong Kong. It possesses an avant-garde design that is modern and inspiring. The tower’s height, at 428 metres above sea level, allows it to blend smoothly with the natural landscape.

This spectacular tower has been featured in millions of photographs and postcards around the world.

The Peak Tower is also Hong Kong’s number one destination. Inside the Peak Tower, there is a dazzling array of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues set against the beautiful backdrop of the city.

The construction of the original Peak Tower began in 1971 and it has since gone through a number of reincarnations. In 1993, the Peak Tower underwent a HK$500million redevelopment into a new retail and entertainment complex, designed by renowned British architect Terry Farrell. It was officially opened to the public in May 1997 with a number of top attractions, including Ripley’s Odditorium and Mini Motion Theatre.

Work on the revitalisation of the Peak Tower again began in March 2005. This extensive programme has transformed the Peak Tower into an essential leisure destination offering a great variety of dining, specialty shopping and interactive entertainment for Hong Kong residents and tourists alike.

In

2006,

AWA

Lighting

Designers,

an

international firm headquartered in New York City, developed a lighting design to attract visitors to the Peak Tower. Upon arrival in the main Atrium, visitors can look up to view a massive field of 2×2’ convex panels, each illuminated by an individual LED lighting strip. The LED lighting strips were computerised and programmed to display sweeps of colour, pixilated fields of colour blocks, even messages, in a dynamic, eyecatching spectacle.

Although the LED lights produced a wonderful effect, as time passed, many of them failed.

Due to the high ceiling and the open Atrium, it was almost impossible to reach the lights for maintenance. A decision was made to switchoff the LED lights completely and look for something new to light up the ceiling from a more accessible place that could be reached later for maintenance.

The Peak Tower management contacted

The convex panels on the Atrium roof.

Digi-Lite Ltd, a Hong Kong-based installer, for a solution to the lighting problem. Finding a solution would not be easy as it would have to be meet several conditions. The ceiling would have to be illuminated from a fixture that shined upwards from below instead of downwards from the ceiling to ease maintenance. The surface of the roof was not smooth but covered with tiles in a wave-like pattern which made it difficult for the lighting fixture to wash. Eventually, it was decided that the fixtures would be placed on a beam underneath the roof.

The GLP Impression 240 XL LED Wash Light was chosen as the fixture to light the roof because of its unprecedented optical performance, both in terms of light output and the brightness of its colours. The fixture consists of 240 Luxeon K2 highpower LED lamps (78 red, 84 green and 78 blue LEDs per color) and the wave lengths are optimised for maximum visible colour gamut. The XL is perfect for longer throw applications and produces very little noise through GLP Impression 240 XL its integrated heat wash light

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sink. It weighs just 23.5 kgs and has no bulky base unit so would be perfect for installation on a crossbeam. It also has a comprehensive menu system that is easy to navigate.

Michael Muenz, General Manager, GLP German Light Products Asia Ltd, was pleased that the GLP Impression 240 XL LED Wash Light was chosen to light the atrium roof.

“GLP got involved in the project August 2010. We sent a fixture there first for demo.

Then, around December, we had to provide some visualisations to show the feasibility and calculate the required lens-arrays. The impression XL has a standard beam angle of 10° but the fixtures used at the Peak Tower are equipped with the optional 25° (10 pieces) and 40° (4 pieces) lens arrays. We delivered the fixtures around March 2011,” he said.

Digi-Lite Ltd was contracted to design, supply and install the entire solution. According to Andrew Kong, Marketing Manager for Martin Professional Hong Kong and Digi-Lite Ltd, one of the challenges faced by Digi-Lite was that the Peak Tower management insisted that there was to be no drilling on the crossbeam where the fixtures would be placed. This made the installation of the GLP fixtures more difficult. To overcome this restriction, Digi-Lite designed a custom-made base seat to encircle the crossbeam. The GLP fixtures could then be attached to the crossbeam without any drilling.

In order to control and program the GLP fixtures, a Martin LightJockey 2 Controller was selected to fulfill this requirement. The

The beautifully lit Atrium roof

LightJockey 2 is one of the most popular PCbased controllers because of its flexibility and ease-of-use. In fact, the Peak Tower already had a LightJockey 2 controlling another outdoor lighting effect and was pleased with its performance. The fixtures were connected to the controller and programmed to be turned on everyday at specific times. This eliminated the need for on-site control of the lighting fixtures.

The GLP Impression 240 XL wash lights are installed on the crossbeam.

After several design changes, coupled with on-site demonstration, the installation was completed smoothly in May. “The lighting effect on the roof of the Atrium is now

evenly bright throughout to attract the attention of all the Peak Tower guests,” Kong said enthusiastically. “The Peak Tower management felt very satisfied with the result as well,” he added.

Equipment List

14 x GLP impression 240XL RGB 1 x Martin LightJockey 2 www.digi-lite.com.hk www.glp.de

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New Zealand

Bethlehem Baptist Church upgrades to iLive

Bethlehem Baptist Church in Tauranga, New Zealand, recently decided to upgrade its FOH console from analog to digital, selecting Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing system as the replacement.

The church, which has capacity for approximately 1800 worshipers, is undergoing expansion, including the installation of new mixers and a speaker array system as part of the audio upgrade.

An iLive system, comprising an iDR-48 MixRack and iLive-T112 Control Surface, was supplied by Jansen Professional Audio & Lighting.

“Our volunteers find iLive logical and simple to use, yet it allows more technical users to dig into advanced features when needed,” explained Bethlehem Baptist Church’s technical co-ordinator, Caleb Fryett. “We have been so pleased with this purchase

Youth volunteer, Ryan Jones, mixing on the iLive-T112 surface

that we have since purchased a second.”

The second smaller iLive system, comprising an iDR-16 MixRack and iLive-R72 Control Surface, has been installed to manage events in the adjacent Youth Hall. The church also

has set up a total of 5 PL-10 remote rotary fader panels, which run off a PL-9 hub, to manage foldback personal mixing in both venues. www.allen-heath.com

Australia

Biloela Sporting Complex chooses One Systems pleasing sound for both vocal announcing and background music. This is a hard task for any speaker,” stated Sorrensen. “The One Systems 106m - 100v line speaker gives warm sounding reproduction as well as a wide dispersion. It also has the transformer option with long cable runs to speaker positions. They have a great sound compared to the standard reflex horn option,” he continued. There is plenty of room for expansion and options for zoning because the speakers are driven from a DSPPA MP-6250 6-channel head unit with 6 zones and joined up to a DSPPA MP-2000 amplifier. www.cmi.com.au

Biloela is rural town in Queensland with a growing population. It has a very diverse agricultural industry consisting of cotton, sorghum, wheat, herbs and spices. The cattle industry is thriving and has the largest number of cattle of any shire in Queensland. In 2009, the Rudd government decided to grant $2.3 millon dollars to Biloela for the Magavilis Sports Complex.

Within the new complex, a large outdoor area with netball and tennis courts was constructed

and this was the catalyst for a new outdoor speaker system. Since the speaker system was to be located outdoors, it was required to have all weather capabilities. Local installer Gary Sorrensen from Rifftone Music Supplies was brought in to supply the outdoor speaker system. He selected the One Systems 106IM’s.

“This is a new sporting complex with the need for an audio system with speakers that can cope with everything nature can throw at them. It is also required to have

Gary Sorrensen with the One Systems 1061M speakers

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United Arab Emirates

Amika Dubai chooses Dynacord Electronics LLC offers first-class after sales service. And thirdly, DYNACORD, by virtue of installations in the largest and best clubs in the world, such as Pasha in New York, enjoys a reputation nowhere short of outstanding within the industry.”

AVL Electronics conducted simulations to guide the design and configuration of the sound system. Their calculations were clearly spot-on. “As soon as they heard the system, our customers were not only astonished

DYNACORD provided the sound reinforcement for the Amika Dubai

Dubai’s latest hot spot is called the Amika, the “sister experience” of the exclusive club of the same name in London’s High Street Kensington.

In the Amika Dubai, nothing whatsoever has been left to chance. Everything – the decor, the ambience, the lighting and the sound – reflects the opulence and luxury that make Dubai one of the favourite destinations of the rich and famous. The planning and the search for just the right location for the Amika Dubai took a year and over two months were then devoted to the selection and installation of the sound system from DYNACORD. Installed by CEG Technologies of Dubai, the Amika sound system is based on the DYNACORD VariLine, with 19 VL-262, four Sub 18 and three Sub 115 enclosures underscoring a no-compromise approach to this outstanding club installation.

set by the London club should be maintained in every respect.” Sound quality was paramount which was why Amika Dubai conducted an ‘extremely meticulous’ examination of all the competing sound reinforcement systems on the market before the final choice was made.

Both the client and the installation company agreed that DYNACORD offered the best solution.

The Amika Dubai’s sound system is controlled by a DYNACORD P64

but captivated. They could see it was compact and elegant, but it also produced considerably higher sound pressure levels than they expected. After the very first sound check, their spontaneous reaction was to congratulate the entire CEG team on their choice of loudspeakers and to promise that for all their future projects, DYNACORD would be the proverbial ‘first name on the team sheet’,” Utukian concluded.

Equipment list (extract):

The Amika Dubai: Elegantly designed with an infusion of vigour

The core of the sound reinforcement system consists of VariLine loudspeakers from DYNACORD

“We were acutely aware of the extremely high hurdle we had to clear if the Dubai club was to live up to the very high reputation of its sister club in London,” recalls Chant Utukian, CEG Technologies’ Project Manager. “The directors of the Amika were adamant that the standards

Three considerations, aside from the sound performance, played a decisive role in this decision. “First of all, DYNACORD has a bureau in Dubai offering local support,” said Utukian. “Secondly, DYNACORD’s partner AVL

19 x DYNACORD VariLine VL- 262 4 x DYNACORD SUB 18 3 x DYNACORD SUB 115 6 x DYNACORD DSA 8410 plus RCM 810 module 2 x DYNACORD D Lite - 8 A 1 x DYNACORD PowerSub 212 1 x DYNACORD P64 1 x DYNACORD Ai 1 3 x DYNACORD Ao 1 www.dynacord.com www.clubamika.com www.ceginteriors.com

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Australia

Melbourne’s Immigration Museum selects Philips Selecon

Identity: Yours, Mine, Ours is a major new exhibition at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne. As the name suggests this exhibition is about the identity of Australians, all Australians – who they are, who others think they are and what it means to belong and not belong in their vast country.

Focusing on how cultural heritage, languages, beliefs and family connections influence self-perceptions and perceptions of other people – perceptions that can lead to discovery, confusion, prejudice and understanding, this thought-provoking exhibition is destined to engage and challenge local and international visitors for the next decade.

Museum Victoria sees a long future ahead for this culturally relevant exhibition and expects it to be on display for the next ten years, so ‘cost of life’ was high on the list of priorities for the collection of personal stories, intriguing objects, compelling images and interactive multimedia experiences to life with light.

The most obvious cost saving solution was the use of LEDs and the timing was perfect for Peter McKenzie, Australia Market Manager for Philips Selecon with the release of the Wing LED Wall Washer range of luminaires. “The Warm White model with its 2000/830 LED engine fit the lighting design requirements to a

‘t’. Although the initial purchase price was higher than other light source luminaires being considered, the fact that there are no replacement lamp costs combined with the reduced power consumption calculations which had been done proved that the higher outlay would have been accounted for after the first year of opening,” McKenzie explained.

“Plus, there’s the fact that it’s so easy to change out the LED engine once the next generation comes along.”

The consistency of the Philips Selecon design team’s aesthetics and their attention to precision beam quality means that these new Wing luminaires blend in extremely well (both in terms of their appearance and more importantly, in terms of the light output and colour rendering) with the Selecon Aureol BeamShaper projectors which illuminate the pods and other static displays within the exhibition.

The result is stunning, seamless lighting which silently directs the visual focus of the many visitors spending time affirming their own identities and celebrating diversity in their communities to the exhibits where it should be.

Equipment List:

36x Wing Warm White LED Wall Washers 40x Aureol BeamSpots with BeamShaper accessories And then there’s the astounding quality of the light output to consider. “The evenness of the light output is brilliant and to be honest even I was surprised by how bright the light actually is – even with the luminaires running at 20% intensity, and on top of that, I love the fact that the colour temperature doesn’t alter when the luminaires are dimmed,” said Peter following a recent visit to the exhibition. “I’m looking forward to future projects where I will be able to introduce the medium of colour through the other RGB/Tuneable White LED engine that the Wing range offers.’

Photo Credits

Copyright Statement - Copyright Museum Victoria 2011 Credits and acknowledgements - Source: Museum Victoria / Photographer: Benjamin Healley Content Description - Identity, Yours, Mine, Ours exhibition (IYMO) at the Immigration Museum. www.seleconlight.com

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Kylie’s Aphrodite-Les Folies Tour 2011 features 202 Vari*Lites With a production valued at over US$25 million, Kylie Minogue’s Aphrodite-Les Folies Tour 2011 features over a million moving parts, including thirty high impact water jets, rain curtains, fountains and nearly 600 light sources! The bespoke stage, alone costing over $10 million, is the most technically advanced, complex and precision stage ever created for an arena tour.

Lighting for the show, designed by Nick Whitehouse with Steven Douglas touring as lighting director, relies heavily on Vari*Lite fixtures: 84 x VL3500 Wash, 84 x VL3000 Spot, 4 x VL3500 FX and 30 x VL500.

The VL3500 Washes were chosen for their exceptional versatility and their extreme brightness.

“With the variety of lenses that we are using – both internal and clear external – we can get everything from two VL3500 Wash fixtures covering the whole stage to really narrow pin spots,” remarked Douglas. “The colours are also so rich. It’s pretty much the same with the VL 3000 which both Nick and I regard as the best profile fixture on the market. I know that Nick did a comparison with all the latest fixtures on the market, such as the Martin MACIII and the Clay Paky 1500, but at the end of the day we felt that the VL3000 was still the way to go. It has a great selection of gobos which is ideal for a show like this which is all about the big picture.”

The VL500 fixtures are mainly built into the set piece that resembles a Roman amphitheatre.

In between the columns are black projection screens and three VL500s inset into the header piece. A further twelve VL500s were situated on the floor.

“The VL500 fixtures were chosen for their beam angle, said Steven. “They have a low profile and are small, taking up the least amount of space in front of the projection screens.”

for special backlighting such as when Minogue appears on an upstage centre lift effectively giving her a ‘God silhouette’.

Douglas reports that all of the Vari*Lite models have been really reliable on the road with no major failings at all.

“If there has been a problem it’s usually something simple like they got bumped in the truck,” he said.

Photos: Troy Constable

The four VL3500 FX fixtures are housed in a custom-made rack which can be wheeled in

www.jands.com.au

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Jands Vista sends Campbells Cove up in flames One of the most popular events at this year’s Vivid Festival held in Sydney was FireDance, an incredible performance of dancing flames choreographed to music, the likes of which have never been seen in Australia before.

Using 40 jets of flame higher than a threestorey house, FireDance exploded several times a night every night of Vivid Sydney, making Campbells Cove in the Rocks the world’s biggest campfire!

hydrocarbon liquid in its FireJets, and its poetry and warmth could be felt literally tens of metres away.

Howard & Sons trialed a new method of flame delivery; ripping the optics out of some cheap moving head fixtures and mounting their flame heads in them!

“It was pretty challenging but now we’ve proved it can work we will probably do it with a better quality moving head,” explained Stuart Bensley, Designer and Project Manager of Fire Dance. “The Jands Vista was controlling all the flame heads and moving heads; about 160 channels of DMX to control 38 flame heads and 4 moving head fixtures. We had a Vista S1 connected to an iMac and also a full redundancy system too, both running off timecode so we could swap over if needed.”

Bensley further explains that timing is extremely intricate with the FireJets and that

The Jands Vista controlled all the flame and moving heads

Choreographed to music using the same technology that controls the Harbour Bridge fireworks every New Year’s Eve, FireDance featured two different shows, alternating between each other on the eighteen incendiary nights of Vivid Sydney.

One show was more pop music with the firejet flames dancing to the Katie Perry hit Firework, remixed by renowned artist Peewee Ferris, whilst the other show saw them in a choreographed balletic performance to the magic of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

FireDance was produced and created by Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics, a fourth generation family business and leading exponents of flame-projector technology.

FireDance uses a pressurised non-toxic

The FireDance set-up before the show

an on and off command 15/100th of a second apart produces a completely different effect.

“That’s why the Jands Vista is so good,” he remarked. “The way the timeline works is perfect for this as you can manipulate the FireJets very quickly and accurately. Each show has thousands of cues in it and is very complicated. I did discover that programming moving lights is a hell of a lot easier than programming the flames!”

The show proved so popular that more show times were announced throughout the festival and approximately 260 shows were successfully staged.

“We didn’t have one technical problem and didn’t miss one show due to weather,” said Bensley. www.jandsvista.com

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W-DMX™ in 7th Asian Winter Games Wireless Solution Sweden AB and Kvant Ltd of Bratislava, Slovakia, were recently involved in the Opening Ceremony of the 7th Asian Winter Games in Astana, Kazakhstan at Astana Arena. The Games began on January 30, 2011 and continued in Astana and sister city Almaty through February 6, 2011. This was the first time that Kazakhstan hosted such a large event since its independence from the Soviet Union. The event hosted 26 nations that competed in 69 events in 11 sports.

For the Opening Ceremony, Kvant did a breathtaking laser show using 34 8W output green lasers and 34 Flashbacks, with effects update on Flashback via LiveQuick. Martin Vozar created the design.

Shelly Li, Sales Manager for Wireless Solution said, “Kvant did a beautiful laser display for the Asian Olympics. I spoke with them during testing and they were very pleased with the stability of the W-DMX system. Everyone was very happy with the results.”

Andrej Lassak of Kvant said, “We use W-DMX on many shows and it is very reliable. It is a good choice for us to install into our lasers.” www.wirelessdmx.com www.lasershow.sk

J Davis Prosound & Lighting powers Paul Wilbur Concert Chennai recently experienced the resonant worship intervention of Paul Wilbur, an American singer-songwriter, worship leader and pastor in the Messianic music genre.

The “In Praise of The Messiah” concert was organised by Cornerstone and the Hindustan Academy on the 19 June 2011 at the St Georges grounds. This was the first visit to India by Wibur and his team.

J Davis Prosound & Lighting, Bangalore, was chosen to provide the sound for the event.

After the success of the Don Moen Event at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore, the organisers teamed up once again with the J Davis team for Wilbur’s concert.

The L-Acoustics V-DOSC system formed the main hangs with 10 boxes and 6 subs with 4

L-Acoustics Arcs for Centre Fills. The system was controlled by Dolby Lake Processor and LA 48a Amps.

Sennheiser G2 Series In-ear Monitors with Martin Audio LE 1500 Monitors were used.

The sound desks were Yamaha PM5DRH on the FOH and the Digidesign SC 48 Console on the MOH. “The sound is just fantastic. It was a pleasure working with a team like J Davis Prosound,” commented Andy Bussey, Sound Engineer for Paul Wilbur.

System & FOH Engineer: Santana Davis Monitor Engineer: Sudharshan www.jdavisprosound.com

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D.A.S. Audio drives Justin Bieber’s Jakarta Concert The Justin Bieber Concert was held on 23 April 2011 at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC) as part of the artist’s My World Tour. Jakarta-based DSS (Don Sistem Suara) Rental Company was contracted to provide sound reinforcement services. The SICC is Indonesia’s largest indoor concert facility and, to ensure the finest sound possible, DSS provided an impressive sound system drawn from the Aero and Aero Series 2 catalogs of Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio.

medium format line array elements. These enclosures were flown in four clusters, each with 8 line array elements. We had the left and right FOH (front of house) mains, which were augmented by two additional clusters, one cluster each on the extreme sides, or outfills. Due to the specific characteristics of this venue, we used outfield speakers to provide greater horizontal coverage to the width of the venue. This arrangement enabled us to accommodate the right/left outer wings of the audience.”

“We had plenty of low frequency support for this event as well as an impressive stage monitor set-up,” Hardono reports. “We used a total of 18 D.A.S. LX-218A powered subwoofers. These were ground stacked with 9 enclosures on the left and another 9 units on the right. For on-stage monitoring, we placed 12 D.A.S. Avant 12A powered, 2-way enclosures. To complete the monitoring set-up, we used two additional LX218A subwoofers for sidefills, with one enclosure per side.”

With the ability to accommodate as many as 11,000 people in its main hall, the SICC is a challenging environment for acoustics.

Berlian Entertainment was the promoter of the event and was also responsible for contracting DSS to handle the sound reinforcement system. DSS is well-known as a provider of sound reinforcement systems throughout the region. The firm previously handled the sound for Slash’s Indonesian tour and they also handled Kyle Minoque’s June concert appearance at the SICC - also with the rig from D.A.S. Audio. Donny Hardono, owner of DSS and a familiar figure in the region’s music industry, discussed the D.A.S. system setup for Justin Bieber’s performance.

For the left and right side fills, as well as the center fill, the DSS crew also flew a total of 18 D.A.S. Aero 12A powered, mid-high, line array elements. These loudspeakers were arranged in three clusters of 6 elements each.

For loudspeaker processing, two D.A.S. Audio DSP-4080 4 In/8 Out processors and one D.A.S. Audio DSP-2060 2 In/4 Out processors were used.

With a total of seven line array clusters (four 8-element Aero 38 hangs and three 6-element Aero 12A clusters), there was plenty of sound. This arrangement was a new experience for Bieber’s FOH Engineer Gordon Mack, who exclaimed after a walkaround, “We’re all ready to rock baby!”

“For this concert,” explained Hardono, “we deployed 32 D.A.S. Audio Aero-38, 3-way,

When the concert was over, customers, crew members, and others were all very impressed with the sound systems’ performance. “We’ve received compliments from everyone. The system performed perfectly and the result was one very satisfying concert,” said Hardono. www.dasaudio.com

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lighting rig to the President of Sri Lanka - an opportunity that does not occur every day!

Robe stars in Sri Lanka

Hussain and Maznavi were also extremely impressed with the “outstanding” after sales service and technical support from Robe, who ensured that all the new fixtures arrived in time to be used for the show. “Robe offered us some great deals and real solutions that enabled us to make a massive investment,” said Hussain. He added that in terms of exposure and future business opportunities, events did not come much better than this!

Nearly 170 Robe moving lights - including 64 of the new ROBIN 600 LEDWash ‘wonder’ lights - made their first ever appearance in Sri Lanka. They joined five contestants on centre stage in the grand finale of the ‘Ranaviru Real Star’ (RRS) TV show, staged in the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo, the second largest stadium in Sri Lanka.

The RRS TV show, which was televised live on national TV channel Rupavahini and beamed to 150 other countries, was attended by H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksha and many other VIPs. The hugely popular TV show selected 500 musically-talented hopefuls from 20,000 applicants from the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.

These 500 hopefuls were then whittled down to just the top five individuals, who battled it out onstage for the coveted title.

The RRS TV Show, organised by the Ministry of Defence, had a specific resonance as it offered the nation a chance to publically honour some of its Ranaviru (war heroes) who helped end the bitter and destructive 30-year conflict with separatist LTTE forces in May 2009.

Lighting for the finale event was designed by Mohamed Hussain and Mohamed Maznavi of Colombo-based rental company, MOS Sound & Light (PVT) Ltd, and it was Hussain and Maznavi who specified the Robe fixtures.

Hussain and Maznavi explained that any service provider in the country able to offer premium European brands would stand a better chance of winning high profile tenders, and that’s one of the reasons that initiated their first investments into Robe. When they submitted their documentation for the tender to light the RRS TV shows and the final, they stipulated that they would use a Robe only moving light rig.... and won the contract!

“Robe products were specified for their quality, reputation and the prestige they can bring to an event,” qualifies Hussain.

The fixture list included 64 x ROBIN 600 LEDWashes, 32 x ROBIN 600E Spots, 12 x ROBIN 600E Beams, 12 x ROBIN 300E Beams, 32 x ColorSpot 575E ATs and 12 ColorWash 575E ATs. They also used 6 Robe haze machines to enhance the atmosphere which was full of excitement and anticipation.

The fixtures were rigged on two 15 and 12 metre diameter circular trusses and a collection of straight trusses of various sizes, all above the stage. They were used for all the basic lighting tasks like washing the stage for camera and live audience, key lighting, special effects and beam work. The fixtures were also used for colouring and texturing the backdrop, set and stage floor. “We had a totally dynamic lighting rig which enabled us to cover a very wide range of different performances and styles,” enthused Maznavi.

Apart from that, they were able to show off their creative ideas and the capabilities of the

The LEDWash 600 is a completely new concept.

Sri Lanka and MOS is currently the only company to have them. “The most striking features are the intensity, the smooth colour mixing and the 15 - 60 degree zoom,” said Hussain. He also mentioned that the LEDWash 600’s light weight, portability and excellent build quality were also big plus points. In addition, the energy saving properties of LED sources in general, were a great asset in situations where power shortages were an issue.

MOS Sound & Light has been investing in Robe for a while. Their foresight to spend money on Robe products has payed off handsomely.

“Reliability is an absolute key to success,” states Maznavi.

Other recent high profile events for which Robe has been used include the IIFA Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) Awards.

“Time and again we will win projects because of our commitment to supplying Robe products which are well-respected in the industry. We feel we have started a trend in the local market for providing a truly intentional standard of lighting for major projects,” concludes Hussain. www.robe.cz

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Ruth Sahanaya’s 25th Anniversary Concert For over 20 years, multi award-winning singer Ruth Sahanaya has been carving out a well-deserved place for herself in the music scene of Indonesia. Now celebrating the 25th anniversary of her music career, she continues to charm audiences as one of Indonesia’s foremost pop divas.

Sahanaya is known affectionately to her friends and fans as “Uthe”. Her hit song, the poignant love ballad ‘Kaulah Segalanya’, released in 1992, is still a hot favourite today.

Her musical repertoire spans across 12 albums, which include the haunting ‘Memori’, and upbeat numbers such as ‘Astaga’ and ‘Ambaradul’.

Ruth Sahanaya captures the hearts of her audience.

Well-loved both at home and abroad, she is the proud recipient of multiple music awards, including the BASF Award for Best Recording Artiste in 1989 and the Grand Prix Winner award at the International Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland in 1992. Her journey as a musician has taken her on international tours and she has represented Indonesia at many music festivals, a career which can only be described as illustrious.

Eko Supryanata

Sumber Ria, a company from Indonesia specialising in sound system rental and live/ video integration, requested API Channel Strip 2500 to be the front end of Ruth Sahanaya’s main vocals. Eko and Andre Supryanata, both reputable engineers, commented that Sahanaya’s voice stood out of the mix tremendously. During the rehearsal, Sahanaya also commented that she sounded very different and she could totally hear herself very clearly through her in-ears. The most surprising aspect was that her EQ setting on her channel through the beautiful Digico was set to flat! Andre Supryanata was amazed with the API channel strip and commented that he had been mixing her for the last 15 years and this is the first time her EQ was flat!

Distributor Consolidated Audio Networks was very pleased that Ruth Sahanaya and Sumber Ria were satisfied with the API Channel Strip 2500 and is convinced that API gear puts the warmth in the front end of this digital age of live sound consoles. Chad Batchelor, Director of Consolidated Audio Networks, commented,” What we are trying to do is mix the best of the analog tone to today’s digital consoles. This is the sound that we have been missing for a long time in our music industry but I see a big come back to analog because we all know that analog does sound great.” www.sumber-ria.com www.can.sg

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Clay Paky at Sydney’s Vivid Festival of Lights For a couple of weeks every June, Sydney is transformed into a spectacular canvas of light and music as the Vivid Sydney Festival takes over the city after dark. The festival features a rich international program of music and arts events including a spectacular 3D illumination of the Sydney Opera House and an outdoor exhibition of interactive light sculptures.

This year also saw the launch of Skyscraper Illuminati, a theatrical transformation of Sydney’s Circular Quay, in which the district’s large facades are brought to life each night with choreographed light shows that play throughout the evening.

Behind the illuminations was Sydney-based 32 Hundred Lighting, one of Australia’s most innovative event lighting and audio companies.

For over twenty years the company has built an enviable reputation creating cutting-edge work integral to Australia’s most famous events.

When 32 Hundred’s managing director Iain Reed discovered that his company had won the tender to design, install and operate the production, he knew he had the right fixture necessary for such high-power projections – the Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500.

With its cutting-edge professional beamframing system and massive 1500 W power, the Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500 was the clear choice. It features an impressively rapid 1:9 ratio zoom that makes it suitable for both short and long distance applications.

“The Vivid Festival and the Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500 were the perfect match!” Reed declared. “They are very, very, very bright and I’m extremely happy with them. Their sheer intensity is brilliant and the classic Clay Paky eye for detail with the optics is amazing.

I love the auto focus, vast colour mixing, gobo selection – really they are the Ferrari of moving lights!”

The Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500 in action at the AMP building

For Skyscraper Illuminati, the Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500 fixtures were supported by forty-four LED fixtures used to wash three prominent city landmarks: the AMP Building, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Marriott Hotel. While the LEDs provide a general wash of colour, the Alpha 1500 fixtures provide

A close-up of a gobo.

texture and movement. Each of the twelve Alpha Profile 1500 fixtures is housed in a custom-made Perspex housing, designed and constructed by 32 Hundred Lighting.

The Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500 posseses a comprehensive range of graphic effects, an innovative Stay-Sharp-Zoom function allowing automatic focusing and also smart ZoomTracking-Diffuser for a linear beam softening – all features that make the Alpha Profile 1500 a valuable resource for designers working in demanding lighting environments.

Reed was delighted to report that there have been absolutely no problems with the Alpha Profile 1500 fixtures and that they have added an extra dynamic element to the lighting display.

“I have been blown away by their optics,” he added. “You can light a twenty-storey skyscraper with just four of them.” www.claypaky.it

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J Davis Prosound & Lighting Rocks Submerge Supernova The E-Zone Club in Bangalore and Submerge, an Indian promotions and events company for dance music, hosted India’s first-ever Summer Dance Festival entitled Submerge Supernova on 15 May 2011. The venue, which has hosted electronica giants like Armin van Buuren in the past, was the perfect location to host this Mega Dance Festival.

L-Acoustics V-DOSC with SB 218 Subs were used for Main Stage (This Stage), Pool Side (That Stage) and The Play (That Too). On the Lawn Area (The Other Stage) L-Acoustics Arcs was used. The system was controlled by a Dolby Lake Processor, BSS Omnidrive & LA 48a Amps.

The LED Mesh is a 15.24 pitch with 40% transparency. It has a brightness of 5500 Nits with viewing angle of 110 degrees. A Cree LED SMD 5050 chip encapsulation was selected, which made a big difference in the quality of the video or graphics played. The Mesh is ideal for backdrops and sets. Video content can be viewed clearly from a minimum distance of 50ft. Graphics can be viewed from 25ft to 30ft onwards. Rigging time for a screen of 33ft x 10ft is just two hours.

A talented line-up of artists was chosen for the event. International heavyweight DJ Markus Schulz, the 8th ranked DJ in the world, attracted the biggest audience during the festival. Playing after DJ Pearl, the German’s two-hour-long set included hits like ‘The New World’, ‘Do You Dream?’ and ended with his rendition of ‘Rapture’. Israeli duo Xerox & Illumination were up after Schulz and they played a set tinged with Middle-Eastern influences.

The event was hosted by Nikhil Chinapa along with RJ Rohit Barker. Some of the other top DJ’s who were at the event were DJ Swing, DJ Clitus, Vachan Chinapa, Arjun Vagale, Ma Faiza, Dale Anderson, Nawed Khan, Brute Force, DJ Ajit, Bl@nk, DJ Mash, Techno Tourettes, Milano, Vinod Kannan and Anish Sood. Visuals were handled by VJ Kaycee.

There were three different stages at the club and they were called ‘This Stage’, ‘That Stage’ and ‘Other Stage’. Two stages were set-up indoors, with the third set-up by the pool.

A small indoor venue was also set-up called ‘That Too’. The venue was swarming with people making it tough to navigate the threestage set-up.

J Davis Prosound & Lighting, Bangalore, was chosen to provide the sound, LED lighting and trussing for the event.

The highlight of the event was the new LED Mesh/Curtain that was recently purchased

by Graflex Inc, the AV division of J Davis Prosound & Lighting. “This was the first time that the LED Mesh was used for a dance event in Bangalore or probably all of South India,” commented Anil Kumar, Partner, Graflex Inc.

‘That Stage’

The lighting comprised of: 12 x PR Lighting Beam 300 12 x Claypaky Alpha Spot 1200 16 x LED Moving Head Washes 8 x Robe 575 Washes 8 x Cyberlight CX 1200 36 x 3 Watts LED Pars 8 x Coemar Versatiles Lights and 1 x 3.5 feet diameter Mirror Ball “It was an absolute delight for us to work with the Submerge crew for the Supernova Festival,” said Santana Davis, Chief Sound Engineer. “We are glad that Bangalore was chosen as the destination for this annual Summer Dance Festival of India.”

For Submerge Supernova, the team had fragmented the screens into six 1m x 3m strips flanking one 4m x 3m centre display.

This was done to create a depth in the screen.

If required, this screen could be fragmented into ten 1m x 3m strips.

Overall, the event was a big success.

According to Submerge, the second Submerge Supernova is already being planned and they intend to host this event not once but twice every year - a summer and a winter edition!

J Davis Prosound & Lighting – India Sound Engineers: Santana Davis & S. Kumar Lighting Engineer: P. Kumar Lighting Tech: Johnny & Shankar Trussing & AV: Anil B, Technical Head Trussing Tech: Suresh www.jdavisprosound.com