Events

PALME shines in Dubai

Details: 14 March 2016

UAE - The Middle East is an exciting market for lighting, sound, AV and systems integration providers. For example, the UAE is slated to invest $28billion in new architecturally-driven projects over the next five years. Across the Middle East region, research has indicated that the sound and lighting industry will be worth $2billion per year within five years.

This huge level of investment aims to open up massive new income streams to these previously oil-dependent states, with tourism and leisure on the grandest of scales being the big earner of the future. All good news for suppliers and installers of entertainment, presentation and communication systems.

Against this background, IIR Exhibitions has put the Pro Audio & Light Middle East - PALME - exhibition firmly on the international trade show calendar after just two events. This year's show, which took place in February,

Motoring with Barco

Details: 14 March 2016

Switzerland - L&SI was recently a guest at the Geneva Motor Show, courtesy of Barco's Media and Entertainment division. And not without good reason did Barco extend their largesse . . .

Inevitably there was good and bad at the Geneva Motor Show. Bad was the profusion of aggressive-looking cars - you know the type? The shape of car is all squat and muscle - something akin to an automotive Pit Bull Terrier. It's a sad day for western males when even an MG saloon appears obliged to prop up the failing ego . . . whatever happened to those sleek, rounded, curvaceous sports cars of the 60s?

The good news was presentation. Pal Expo Geneva is vast, with acres of floor space, typical of a truly international exhibition centre. But for the car show certain rules are in evidence, primarily one that limits stand design and floor usage. Stands, or at least their vertical scenic elements

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SIEL 2004 - Paris

Details: 14 March 2016

France - Early spring in Paris and the 22nd SIEL show opened its doors to what the organizers claimed were 25,893 visitors. Essentially a national show attracting a largely French audience, SIEL is unsurprisingly dominated by French Distributors. There were few international manufacturers exhibiting independently and those that were hailed mainly from the European mainland.

There was a very relaxed feel to the show with practically everyone stopping for a long lunch at around 1pm (how civilized!). This year the show was divided into two distinct areas with entertainment lighting and sound exhibitors on the upper floor and the rather livelier and more colourful nightlife and events show on the ground.

Siel was attended by many of the usual suspects along with a few interesting new faces showcasing some fascinating and innovative products. LED technology at last seems to be est

Frankfurt reports 30% visitor increase

Details: 14 March 2016

Germany - Frankfurt's ProLight&Sound exhibition closed its doors on 3 April after registering a 30 % increase in visitor numbers, say the organizers. This is the largest number of visitors ever recorded in the 10 years since it was launched. Over the four days of the fair, 26,735 trade visitors - including more than 9,000 industry professionals from outside Germany.

"The fair was very well attended, business people have been able to make the contacts they want and, with the innovative segments of media technology and systems integration, a new, future-oriented growth market is opening up for the sector," said Florian von Hofen, chief executive of Germany's Association for Professional Light, Sound and Event Technology (VPLT), summing up the fair.

The mood of the exhibition appeared to be indicative of a new upswing in the sector: according to the organizers' research

The Museum and Heritage Show

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - The Museum and Heritage Show (12-13 May) is set for its biggest and best show yet. Taking place from at its new home at Earls Court, London, the event brings together the world's leading suppliers and contractors to museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions, along with the latest services.

Supporting Museums & Galleries Month's objectives of attracting new visitors to the UK's wealth of museums, galleries, and visitor attractions, this year's show will see and extensive programme of seminars, showcases and technical presentations all designed to provide industry professionals with the information and inspiration needed to enhance their visitors' experience.

Andrew McIntyre, chair of the Visitor Studies Group, will offer an insight into the reasons visitors visit and, perhaps more importantly, why non-visitors stay away, whilst the Museum Trading Association will

Strong response for Entech

Details: 14 March 2016

Australia - The organizers of Entech 2004 (5-7 April 2004), Australia's biennial entertainment technology exhibition, have reported a successful show, which offered visitors access to over 500 of the latest brands in the professional audio, vision, lighting, and staging industries. The new demo rooms were well received and in full flight allowing audio companies to turn on and turn up their products. Visitors truly got a hands-on experience both in the demo rooms and on the show floor.

Says ULA's Con Biviano: "We expected a great response - it's been two years since the last Entech, and there is so much new technology and product to show - but this is fantastic. It's fantastic not only for ULA, but also for the industry to get hands-on with the products. Many people, especially end users don't normally have that opportunity to see it all in one place."

Exhibitors w

ABTT show update

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians' annual showcase - the ABTT Theatre Show, to be staged in London's Royal Horticultural Halls on 16 -17 June this year, is set to be bigger than ever, say the organizers. By encouraging new exhibitors from areas such as PA/VA, video and building services, alongside those from the more familiar lighting, rigging and audio sectors, the show has broadened its appeal and is already 95% sold out. Among the exhibitors will be VLPS Lighting Services, showing the new Virtuoso EX1 Media Server which brings a whole new dynamic to digital lighting by using a moving perspective camera and four-point lighting in a virtual 3D environment.

ETC will exhibit a selection of its lighting, control and dimming product such as The Source Four Revolution, which has already won the Best Debuting Product/Promising Prototype Award at LDI 2003. Also on sh

New products at A.C. North tradeshow

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - This year's A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow looks set to exceed all expectations for the event, say A.C. Lighting, with more exhibitors than ever before and a record number of visitor pre-registrations. If you haven't already registered for the event, there's still time to do so before the show takes place on 11-12 May at the Royal Armouries museum, Leeds.

Due to a significant increase in the level of interest from manufacturers to exhibit at this year's show, the event has been expanded to take in an additional Seminar Theatre - resulting in over 60 brands demonstrating hundreds of products. Highlights amongst the list of new products include important launches from Clay Paky, Martin Professional, Pulsar, Selecon, Zero 88, Avolites, Jands, Chroma-Q, Allen & Heath, beyerdynamic, Turbosound, Community, Sennheiser and Le Mark Group. Show visitors will be the first anywhere in t

Aviom

Details: 14 March 2016

This relatively young company was launching the new version of its popular A-16 personal mixer, which enables the performer to create a custom monitor mix tailored to his or her personal needs. The monitor enables control over channel volume, grouping, pan, stereo spread and master volume and can create a unique monitor mix for any individual performer.

Up to 16 personal mixes can be saved and recalled as presets and it can be used to drive either floor wedge monitors, in-ear monitors, headphones or spot monitors. Further recent developments have resulted in the Aviom16/o-Y1 output card for the Yamaha digital console. This is a mini-YGDAI format card that fits into an expansion slot in Yamaha digital consoles. It allows the FOH engineer to assign and send 16 mono or eight stereo channels of audio in the digital domain to each performer on stage or in the studio directly from the consol

beyerdynamic

Details: 14 March 2016

beyerdynamic (GB) announced it had taken on the distribution of two brands new to its distribution portfolio - Altec Lansing Professional and Powersoft - while at the same time showing some new developments from beyerdynamic itself. These included the first acoustical boundary microphone with USB connection - the MPC 70 USB - which features a low cut filter, adjustable gain and easily selectable operating modes such as Mic On/Off, PTT (Push-to-Talk) or PTM (Push-to-Mute). Also new from beyerdynamic and serving the conference market, is the SIS (Simultaneous Interpreting System) 1202 interpreter station - developed to allow two interpreters to work in the same booth, using either headsets or headphones and microphones.

MC2 Audio

Details: 14 March 2016

This year's show saw the launch of MC2 Audio's E45 power amplifier, the third in its E-Series of lightweight, touring/rental amplifiers. Aimed directly at the national and international touring market, it follows the successful introduction of the E25 and E15 last year. The E45 is rated at 2250W per channel into 4 ohms, built in a 2U chassis, and has all the sonic qualities and reliability of the MC and T Series amplifiers but without the physical weight, an advantage for touring. The switch-mode power supply is capable of delivering high peaks without any perceptible bass 'sag' at very low distortion and is kept within its safe operating area by the new, MC2 'intelligent' limiter, making it ideal for driving high power PA systems.

Main features include a digital power supply with a large power reservoir, proprietary-designed progressive switching rail output, proprietary current drive

Alcons Audio

Details: 14 March 2016

Alcons showed a range of new products, aimed at both touring and installation applications, including the LR16 line array module, featuring the RBN601 pro-ribbon HF driver on a 'morpher' waveguide. In addition to 'the Ribbon' system, the LR16Bass is a bass extension to the LR16, which can be flown or stacked.

Also new, the LR14, Alcons' ultra-compact line-array module, featuring the patented RBN401 pro-ribbon driver and double 6.5" cone transducers. Designed as either ultra-compact line-array system, or as an under-fill for the LR16, the LR14 has a dispersion pattern of 120° x 15°. The 800W peak power handling offers similar dynamic response as the LR16.

Renkus-Heinz

Details: 14 March 2016

Renkus-Heinz celebrated its 25th Anniversary on 1 April - and broke out the bubbly to mark a quarter century of audio innovation. They also unveiled a new three-way, high output line array combining - for the first time - the company's proprietary line array technology with its pioneering CoEntrant Waveguide Topology.

Ralph Heinz, VP of R&D, said: "We have had amazing reactions to the PN102/LA, our first foray into line array design. Based on that experience, and to meet customers' demands for a very high power but reference quality system, we developed a unique Renkus-Heinz solution, combining two technologies with lightweight, high power amplification to build a new standard in high performance line array design."Also from Renkus-Heinz, the STLA/9 is a lightweight, 'full-size' self-powered line array module (the STXLA/9 is the passive version). With 139dB peak SPL broadband

Outline

Details: 14 March 2016

Outline showed the new H.A.R.D. 115 SP. This self-powered, low-profile stage monitor employs a 15" woofer and a compression driver with a 2.56" diaphragm, loaded by the same parabolic acoustic reflector (patent pending) used on the H.A.R.D. 212 monitor, used on tour by Eric Clapton, Steve Howe and by top Italian artists such as Claudio Baglioni (see L&SI next month).

It's a two-way enclosure with a passive crossover and high-powered single-channel amplifier with DSP control. It offers high performance (135dB peak) and weighs just 25kg; it also has the same sound quality of H.A.R.D. 212, say Outline, with wide vertical and narrow horizontal dispersion, as well as the range's characteristic resistance to feedback. Just 39cm high - despite its components being vertically aligned, the unit offers a symmetrical horizontal dispersion, enabling artists to hear the same sound balance

Aeromic

Details: 14 March 2016

For the majority of us who sadly aren't part of the fitness community, the specialist audio needs of this group may not be immediately obvious. If you think that musical theatre performers are hard on their audio gear, imagine what kind of stress is placed on a microphone that's used all day for classes in a fitness centre. Sydney-based Aerobic Microphones (Aeromic) make waterproof microphones that are guaranteed to survive seven classes per day, every day, for their first year of use. Available in more than two dozen countries, in all regions, Aeromic also produce a variant for use in musical theatre.

RCF

Details: 14 March 2016

It's good to see the recently-reborn RCF back on the trade show circuit, and not just for the excellent Parmigiano Reggiano and San Giovese di Romagna which are so copiously dished out at its press gatherings.

Just three months on from his re-acquisition of the brand from Loud Technologies, RCF's Arturo Vicari was able to introduce new ranges of loudspeaker and amplification products for both commercial audio and pro audio applications. These include eight new compact speaker systems in the Art Series - a combination of both active and passive systems making for a flexible range of options for live, PA and band use, as well as AV applications and fixed installations. The R&D team has addressed the need for varying requirements for these applications: consequently, alternative full-grilled models are available for fixed installation, with the 'MI' versions offering pole-mount options, w

Tannoy

Details: 14 March 2016

Tannoy announced the set-up of its own dedicated sales team covering the pro audio (commercial products) and residential audio markets in Germany. Matthias Exner, formerly of Peter Strüven GmbH, will be responsible for sales and marketing of professional products for the sound reinforcement and installation markets.

Product-wise, the company showed the latest additions to its V-Series of installation speakers - the compact V6, which was first seen at PLASA last year, but is now in full production.

New at Frankfurt was the 5.1 Sub15 - a multi-purpose active subwoofer with five additional powered outputs which, depending on the application, can drive five single or five pairs of speakers such as Tannoy i5 or i6 installation models or Reveal monitors. The 5.1 Sub15 is an active150W RMS sub with a substantial 15" (380mm) bass unit with on-board 5-channel amplification (5 x 75W RMS)

Proel

Details: 14 March 2016

Previewed at SIB's Soundpower demo in Italy during March (see L&SI April), Proel's new Axiom vertical array system received its official launch at Frankfurt. The full-range AX 3210P cabinet is a passive, three-way, bi-amped system engineered for live concerts and fixed install sound reinforcement applications.

The cabinets feature two 10" woofers featuring ISV, or 'interleaved sandwiched voice coil' technology - and feature a die-cast aluminium basket with double ventilation for improved heat dissipation and reduced power compression. The HF section is internally divided into two sub-systems: an annular 4" film diaphragm handles the mid-range and a coaxially-mounted 2" diaphragm the high range. Frequency response is given as 63Hz to 20kHz. The cabinets measure in at 79.5cm in width, weigh 48kg each and feature a built-in flying system.

ALIA

Details: 14 March 2016

The Australasian Lighting Industry Association is a body formed barely two years ago with the aim of bringing together all the Australasian participants, in all aspects of lighting. Their tiny stand, donated by show organizers ETF, and fitted out with gear scrounged from more than a dozen member companies, served as a meeting point for members, and an information station for those interested in a career in lighting.

Logic System Pro Audio

Details: 14 March 2016

Logic has come a long way since first introducing its own-brand systems at PLASA 1997. Its CS Series speakers, for example, have seen success in both live music (recently serving Deacon Blue, The Levellers, The Stranglers, Bjorn Again, Van Morrison and Jools Holland) and larger install applications (football grounds such as Chelsea, Sunderland, Southampton, Newcastle and Manchester United, as well as Cardiff's Millennium Stadium). Logic's presence at Frankfurt this year, however, represents a new phase in the company's development, as it introduces an innovative, compact line array system - the Ethos - and looks to expand its export activity.

The Ethos is aimed at the live market primarily, although its compact size and ground-stacking flexibility will also suit it to other applications including houses of worship and corporate events. The system consists of the main Ethos VA (vertical

A.C. Lighting North show most successful ever

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - This year's A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow was well received by both visitors and exhibitors alike, with exhibitor stand numbers reaching the hall's maximum capacity and over 50% more visitors attending the show this year compared to 2003.

Feedback for the show has also been very positive from attendees, with visitors commenting on the high number and quality of manufacturers exhibiting, the range of new products showcased for the first time in the UK at the event, the choice and relevance of free guest speaker seminars and the overall professional organization of the show.

This year's show provided a platform for the UK launch or preview of over 30 new product innovations from major entertainment technology manufacturers, providing an indication of how important the show is becoming as a key launch event for companies wishing to reach buyers in the North of England, and r

K.M.E.

Details: 14 March 2016

Another German manufacturer KME was celebrating its recent expansion, which includes the construction of an anechoic chamber at its Klingenthal site. The company also announced new marketing partners in the Netherlands - Sound and Light Import in Maarsen, and in Southern Europe - Musicalbox srl, Verona. New products on the stand included the DAP26 digital audio processor, theSMA 2000 power amplifier with switched mode power supply, the QS 1082 multi-functional installation speaker and the DDM digital delay module for its range of speakers CSA 400 D, QSA 500 D and QSA 200.

TAG

Details: 14 March 2016

Technical Audio Group used Entech as opportunity to announce the sale of a further two Euphonix mixing consoles to that iconic Australian venue, the Sydney Opera House. Based on the success of the Euphonix System 5 console, installed in the Opera Theatre two years ago, the Concert Hall is also to get a System 5 console, whilst the Drama Theatre is to get Australia's first Euphonix Max Air.

Inter-M

Details: 14 March 2016

Korean manufacturer Inter-M staged its first ever press conference to announce the launch of its new products. These included two new graphic equalizers combining familiar analogue-type control features with the precision and quality of digital performance. Both are DSP-based units and feature analogue-style faders on the front panels providing users with a dynamic range greater than 100dB. Each is operable within an extended bandwidth of 10Hz - 30.5kHz, and is equipped with AD/DA converters, balanced XLR connectors, 24-bit/64kHz resolution, peak limiting, low and high-cut filters, and a full 31 bands of graphic equalization.

Also debuting were the company's L-Series of two-channel amplifiers, each occupying two rack-spaces. The four models in the series are ideally suited for any application where space is tight and a lightweight, powerful chassis makes sense. At four ohms in bridged-

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