UK - Late May sees the launch of the Platinum TwinTrak Pro, the latest member of the award-winning Focusrite Platinum range. Designed principally as an affordable, high-specification dual mono/stereo tracking device, TT Pro, (as it's known), also boasts comprehensive latency-free monitoring, high performance digital connectivity, and all within a sturdy 2U 19" rack-mount chassis.

Each channel features Focusrite's award-winning Platinum pre amp, embellished with the option of instant 'air' and variable input impedance for improved microphone performance and extended creativity. A Mid-scoop EQ follows, and provides variable frequency and depth of cut for vocal problem solving and miked-up cabinet ambience. In pride of place is TT Pro’s powerful dual mono/stereo optical compressor. This features Focusrite's custom fast-acting optos, alongside side-chain inputs and the a

USA - For several years now, designers have turned potential lighting slowdowns onsite into productive work time using Prelite’s Mobile visualization system - an interest which has led the company to launch Prelite Onsite.

Prelite Onsite systems are custom built CPUs configured specifically for the demands of 3D visualization. To optimize for speed, they have only the necessary software installed and large amounts of RAM, as well as state-of-the-art professional-grade graphics cards. Each system includes all necessary DMX interfaces and dual flat screen monitors, which can duplicate the same image on both screens - for local use by a programmer and remote use by a designer - or be placed in extended view, allowing a single view to span both displays.

Design teams can opt to have a Prelite system administrator onsite to handle every aspect of implementing this virtual sy

Austria - The new MAXmodular from AKG is a compact all-round loudspeaker designed specifically for setting up small, mobile sound systems. Ideal for seminars, exhibition booths, or vocalists and instrumentalists performing at small clubs, the 60W powered speaker features an integrated three-channel mixer and a built-in rechargeable battery for 10 to 14 hours of operation where no power outlet is available.

A half-rack size installation compartment lets you mount an optional AKG wireless receiver of your choice. In addition, you can also connect a hardwire microphone, instrument or external audio source such as a CD or cassette player, and a recording device. All inputs provide separate, independent volume controls.

(Lee Baldock)

Switchcraft has recently extended its range of right-angled cord connectors by adding heavy-duty 3.5mm stereo jack plugs to complement its popular 90° cord XLRs and phono connectors. The new range is available with nickel or black handles and nickel or gold-plated plug fingers. Ideal for applications where space is limited, the all-metal construction allows use in demanding environments where durability and/or shielding are important requirements.

(Lee Baldock)

Proel Sound Reinforcement, a division of Proel SpA, has made live tests of its new Edge Array System during a live presentation held in Italy by a major Italian dealer and rental company supplier. The Edge Array System is the first result of the joint collaboration announcedst year between Proel S.p.A. and LiSA Laboratories.

Pictured here is the Edge 212P - a two-way, horn-loaded, full-range system engineered for live concerts and fixed installations. The Edge 212P includes two parallel 16Ohm 12" woofers (with 3" voice coil) and one 2" compression driver (with 4" voice coil). The woofers feature the ISV (Interleaved Sandwich Voice Coil) system and a double-ventilated die-cast aluminium basket designed for improved heat dissipation and to reduce the power compression level. DDR (Double Demodulating Rings) provide improved control of the excursion and a reduction in d

UK - With an increasing number of installers and designers employing Mission’s discreet flat-panel FS2-PRO speaker in a wide range of installations, ranging from churches and corporate AV to shops, bars and restaurants, Mission is now offering the speaker and its matching FS-4P Bass Unit in a choice of colours. Initially only available in silver at the time of their launch last year, versions in black and white have now been added to the low impedance and 100 volt line versions of both products.

The FS2-PRO, which employs NXT’s Surface-Sound technology, provides installers and designers with a stylish and discreet solution for reverberant installations where very wide dispersion, reduced SPL drop-off with distance and good intelligibility are the main criteria. Now, with the added choice of colours, the FS2-PRO can be specified and used in most design critical projec

Australia - Australian lighting equipment manufacturer LSC Lighting Systems announced the shipment of their 1000th maXim lighting control desk. The lucky recipient was ADB S.A., LSC’s distributor for France. Alan Graham, LSC’s marketing director commented: "The success of the maXim has been beyond our expectations and can be directly contributed to the design team at LSC and our committed distributors worldwide. We feel the maXim is now the market leader in the low to mid range of our market and the recent release of the Effects Engine and Fan Generator software has culminated in an extremely powerful desk for its price. The fact that ADB has taken delivery of the 1000th maXim produced is rather appropriate, as they have now purchased over 20% of all maXims shipped - a tremendous effort in itself!"

(Lee Baldock)

Italy - Italian speaker manufacturer Outline has introduced Clarity 11, a high directivity speaker column, designed and built for accurate speech reproduction in environments with high reverberation levels, or where acoustics are critical for speech intelligibility.

In terms of construction, Clarity 11, is characterized by the fact that the loudspeakers are fitted in a special ‘box’ which, as well as using suitable absorption material, also gives the loudspeaker system installed a determinate acoustic resistance, which makes it ideal to deal with the frequency range of speech. This design, for which a patent has been applied for, offers the advantage of giving a continuous gradual attenuation to the system’s frequency response.

Clarity 11 also offers the possibility of adjusting the Q factor in an original, simple and economic manner, by fitting or removing (

The Netherlands - The latest technical innovation from Prolyte Products, ProTrac is designed as an upgraded fly-bar system for the theatre or related fields, with several extra options. Developments in theatre branch have led to new demands on the existing fly-bar systems: a combination of higher loading requirements, due to a growth in the size of productions, and the introduction of the mechanical operated fly-bar systems, have made the existing fly-bar system, in many cases, not suitable for the job. ProTrac has been developed to fill this gap, say Prolyte.

If the uniformly distributed load needs to be upgraded from 300 to 500kg and the point load from 40 to 150/200kg, a normal fly-bar will not have the required strength, and the single round tube is often replaced with ladder beams, usually made from steel. ProTrac offers an alternative to the steel ladder beams, specially d

UK - DHA Lighting has added an exciting and versatile new product to its gobo family. The new DHA Gobo Rotator Mk 2 range adds gobo rotation and gobo indexing - the ability to accurately set a gobo to a known alignment - to the world’s most popular theatrical spotlights. It is designed to be more versatile and easier to use than its predecessor - and the new belt-drive design makes it silent in operation. The new range also offers outstanding value for money, say the company.

The Gobo Rotator Mk 2 range includes three products: all can be fitted with glass or metal gobos, offer variable-speed rotation in either direction, and also a range of ‘stand-alone’ effects that do not require a lighting controller - including fire, water, tick-tock, shimmer, accelerate and shake-pause. The Junior Rotator is designed for the ETC Source Four Jr range. Designed primarily fo

USA - Shure has started to ship its new DFR22 audio processor, a powerful and affordable 2-in, 2-out DSP product featuring Shure’s patented automatic digital feedback reduction algorithm (DFR).

Primarily designed for the sound contracting market, the DFR22 also includes modules for equalization, dynamics processing, delay and matrix mixing and is easily configured through a flexible, drag-and-drop Windows software interface. "The DFR22 will give current users of our DFR11EQ and P4800 the best of both products in a new form. It will function as an out-of-the-box, two-channel feedback reducer or as a fully configurable 2 x 2 device with a full complement of software-configurable audio processors," said Bob Rieder, Shure category director of audio processing products. "It also answers the many requests we’ve received for a stereo version of our patented f

France - With the small cable size and with no audible electromagnetic interference, the use of Ethernet technology has many advantages in the audio word. It can often enable audio installation in areas where traditional methods would be difficult or impossible. Functioning as Ethernet audio bridges, Digigram’s EtherSound ES8in and EtherSound ES8out offer an easy and affordable way to install and distribute up to 64 channels of high-quality audio using standard Ethernet switches and Cat 5 cabling, and are the first off-the-shelf products to feature Digigram's EtherSound technology.

EtherSound ES8in injects eight analogue balanced audio signals into an EtherSound network, while the EtherSound ES8out extracts eight analogue audio signals out of an EtherSound network. System set-up, control and re-configuration are operated remotely via straightforward PC software, with no sp

USA - Stanton has announced what it calls ‘a revolution in DJ mixer design’ - SST f(Superior Sound Technology) is found in the latest crop of Stanton mixers including the new SA-5, SMX-401, SMX-301 and RM-22. This technology offers audio quality on a par with professional studio consoles, but at prices working DJs can afford, say Stanton. Features include ultra low-noise circuitry, transparent sound, no channel bleed and superior construction throughout.

SST is the result of a new strategic initiative at Stanton to bring pro audio specs to a more affordable price point, which the company has achieved by utilizing a new team of engineers from broadcast and recording mixer backgrounds - in conjunction with Stanton’s own DJ product managers.

All SST mixers boast a flat frequency response from 20Hz-20kHz +/-1.5dB and a dynamic range better than 110dB (noise and d

UK - British audio and speech technology company, NXT, has announced the launch, by 3M, of a rear projection screen using SoundVu technology. The ‘Vikuiti XRVS-120 extended resolution video screen with sound enhancement, which is part of 3M Optical Systems Division's suite of Vikuiti display enhancement products, was unveiled yesterday at the annual InfoComm exhibition in Florida.

The Vikuiti XRVS-120 is a result of a recently reached in-principle agreement for 3M to exclusively provide SoundVu technology to the professional rear projection screen market. NXT's SoundVu technology turns the projection screen itself into a Distributed Mode Loudspeaker (DML) by using actuators positioned at the 'invisible' edge to vibrate the screen, locking sound and vision as one. NXT's SoundVu technology works without adding depth or size to the unit and, by using the screen, eliminates th

The Netherlands - At the forthcoming Cinema Expo (23-26 June, Amsterdam), newly-founded Alcons Audio will make its first appearance with a complete line of cinema loudspeakers and amplifiers. Alcons Audio is a newly formed Dutch company, active in developing and manufacturing professional sound systems for quality-conscious clients in the cinema industry.

The company was set up by Tom Back in October last year, together with the former Stage Accompany R&D team, with a wide experience of transducer, acoustics and system design, as well as DSP and amplifier technology. The new Alcons cinema product range consists of two 3-way front systems, featuring Alcons’ patent-pending ribbon transducer technology; a radically different, but proven way of reproducing mid and high frequencies, resulting in hi-fi sound quality with truly unsurpassed clarity and intelligibility at full digi

Denmark - The new Imager from Martin Architectural is a high quality image projector with dynamic movement capability designed for high-resolution projection of patterns, images, logos and messages. Well suited to promotional applications such as retail, exhibitions, museums, clubs, restaurants, bars or any low-maintenance installation, the Imager is available as either a single image projector or in a four-image version. The Imager boasts a powerful luminous output, programmability and styling. In addition, a moving mirror option and a click-on accessory that offers the possibility of programmable movement, is available for roving logos or gliding messages.

A 250W highly efficient discharge lamp (included) combines with an exceptional optical design to maximize optical efficiency and provide designers with extremely high-resolution picture quality. Three available lens options

UK - Leading rental hose Aquarius Acoustics has recently acquired a contingent of Opus 87 drum mics from beyerdynamic. Since its inception in 1992, Aquarius Acoustics has gained a reputation as one of the primary sound hire companies in the north of England. The company caters for all sound reinforcement requirements and specializes in live performance applications from corporate events, festivals, and theatre.

Most recently handling the production sound for the recent UK tour for the legendary punk-rock band The Damned, Aquarius’s managing director Dave Pickering collaborated with the band’s FOH engineer Andy Hawkins. Together they decided to deploy Opus 87s on drums.

Dave Pickering explained: "This was the first time I’d ever used the Opus range. Thanks to Simon Druce from beyerdynamic, who recently introduced the line to me, I don’t think I&rsq

UK - Scene Change is offering true integration of visuals and music with the Hippotizer, which they say is the "ultimate club, bar and concert video-jockey hardware." The Hippotizer is a musical instrument for video, giving real-time control of video and video effects. As a digital media server for the live entertainment industry, the Hippotizer is pre-loaded with digital content. It offers on-the-fly playback of either pre-loaded content and effects, or specially created content which is loaded easily into the unit.

The Hippotizer can be played live, replay a preset sequence of effects, or, when given a sound source, left to create effects based on those selected. It is available in two versions: the Hippotizer Lite includes The Hippotizer Media Server, a 3U rack-mount unit with remote keypad allowing direct and immediate access to content. Hippotizer Pro builds on th

USA - Digigram, an innovator in digital audio network solutions, announced at the recent InfoComm exhibition a new licensing policy for its patent-pending EtherSound technology. The new licence makes it easier and more cost effective for pro audio manufacturers to integrate EtherSound technology in their products.

"We want to provide the licensees with more flexibility in implementing EtherSound," said Digigram managing director Philippe Delacroix. "Pro audio manufacturers can now optimize the dimensions and the components for their own specific needs. And at the same time, they have the possibility to integrate a proven design that has been extensively tested by Digigram, thus reducing their own design and testing costs."

Under the new licensing formula, access is given to reference design and manufacturing files for direct integration of EtherSound techno

UK / Canada - Release 5 of WYSIWYG lighting-design software is now available. This latest release features a large number of new library items, including 676 truss pieces, 182 conventional fixtures, accessories, 58 moving lights and 91 gobos.

Cast Software’s library-development team has been so busy that they already have a Library Update available for Release 5, including everything they finished since the final CD image was created. Release 5 also contains many useful new features, as well as a set of brand-new ‘Quick Start Tutorials.’ These multimedia tutorials will be helpful to users who are just getting started with WYSIWYG, as well as intermediate users who just want to refresh their skills.

In further WYG news, Cast Software and ETC hosted their first WYSIWYG ‘webinar’ on 23 April to help introduce schools and universities to WYSIWYG Learn

UK - In response to popular demand, PCM is re-launching its Leatherman Wave Supertool promotion - with a free rigger’s accessory Leatherman given away with every order of eight Lodestar hoists!

The Supertool is a multi-purpose accessory, similar to the famous Swiss Army Knife, offering a variety of appendages including screwdrivers, knives, pliers and a sharp saw. It also has everything you might need to disassemble and fix a Lodestar motor - all apart from a corkscrew -not necessary because it was designed in an era when ‘real’ roadies would not have been caught dead drinking wine!

"Hopefully, recipients of the PCM Leatherman will never have to use it in such extreme or dramatic circumstances as Aron Ralston, who amputated his own arm with a similar tool after becoming trapped under a boulder during a hike in the Canyonlands national park in Utah,"

Australia - The first orders for the new Minim lighting control desk from Australian lighting equipment manufacturer, LSC Lighting Systems, will leave the factory in June. The Minim has been specifically designed to compliment the maXim range, filling a void for the entry level user both in features and price. Attractively styled and utilising the familiar programming and playback system popular on all LSC desks, the Minim delivers a very easy to use platform with quick access buttons to all major functions - no menu driven systems.

Based on a typical theatrical style layout with 2 presets of 12 faders that can be used in a manual control level or a memory recall mode, the Minim comes into its own by switching the lower bank of preset faders between 'wide' preset - a further extension of the first 12 faders to a total of 24; and 'Playback' masters. The Playback masters can concu

USA - Mackie Designs Inc has announced the release of UAD-1 version 3.1 software, and the availability of a new powered plug-in, Cambridge EQ. Version 3.1 enables multi-card support on the Macintosh platform as well as compatibility for the Cambridge EQ on both Mac and Windows-based systems. Cambridge is a new a five-band, fully parametric EQ featuring high and low cuts with a wide variety of filter types and curves.

Version 3.1 software is a free download for registered UAD-1 owners available via the Universal Audio website at: www.uaudio.com/PPI/home.html or the Mackie website at: www.mackie.com/record/uad1/index.html. Cambridge EQ is available for sale online at www.mackie.com.

New features include

UK - OPTI is introducing DMX and Infra Red (IR) control for a number of effect accessories fitted to OPTI projectors. The DMX and Shutter board for the GoBo range of projectors, allows Autochangers and XY Mirrors to be controlled from a DMX lighting desk. Alternatively, the Shutter can be set (via the rear panel) to be controlled by signals from an Autochanger or XY Mirror. The XY Mirror, for the GoBo range of projectors, can be controlled via DMX or used in stand-alone mode, and projects images exactly when and where they are required, through 360° continuous motion. The IR handset, with a range of up to 30m, provides remote control of all functions of currently produced OPTI Autochangers and new Slow/Medium Variable Speed and Direction Wheel Rotators.

Also announced by OPTI is the introduction of their new Trilite 18+. A bigger, stronger 18" version of Trilite 200, the n

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