USA - The Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College is a historic landmark in the heart of Boston's theatre district. Built as an opera house in 1903, this intimate venue serves student, community and professional theatrical productions.

In 1999, AV systems integrator Boston Light & Sound was brought in to design and install a PA system utilising a pair of EAW MQ1364 MF/HF Array Loudspeakers on either side of an MQTD412 LF Array Loudspeaker with a single MQ1394 below and JF290zs for L&R Orchestra-fill. At the time, with the theatre's balcony closed, the system provided complete coverage of the venue's main-floor and mezzanine seating areas. In 2003, when the balcony was reopened after extensive reconstruction as part of the theatre's 100th anniversary, additional EAW AS690e fill speakers were added for balcony coverage, based on a consultant's design.

Over the summer of 2011,

Qatar - Continuing its success with rental companies in the Middle East, Unique Sound based in Doha, Qatar has recently acquired an HK Audio Elements system from Melody House. Distributors for the Middle East, Melody House have sold two complete systems that include the EF435 Mid/Top, EP1 Poles and the EA600 Active Subwoofers.

"The Elements is very successful with rental firms as it is a compact system that is also versatile to meet various kind of applications without compromising on the quality of audio," commented Amrith Verghese, HK Audio product specialist at Melody House. "In addition, the fact that the system is scalable allows Unique Sound to grow the system ad their business grows making it a great return on investment."

(Jim Evans)

Spain - Lasting 1395 days, the siege of Sarajevo was one of the darkest episodes witnessed by mainland Europe since the Second World War. Revisited in a major exhibition at the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Yamaha audio technology is helping to bring a powerful depiction of the siege to life.

The exhibition comprises a film, 1395 Days Without Red, by Sarajevo-born artist Šejla Kameri? and his wife, Anri Sala. Designed to be shown in adjacent rooms, each version of the film features the same events and narrative, but shot from different camera angles.

Throughout every day the 1992-96 siege, thousands of citizens had to cross a myriad of streets threatened by snipers and mortar rounds. The films bring the past and present together by following a woman - played by Spanish actress Maribel Verdú - as she follows her daily route through Sarajevo to a rehear

China The hit musical Mamma Mia! has recently broken new ground as the first western musical to be performed in Mandarin with a Chinese cast. After runs in Shanghai and Beijing, the show is currently playing in Guangzhou, with a DiGiCo SD8 at the helm.

Although western musicals have previously toured China, this is the first time that one has been performed by a local cast, with a translated script.

Mamma Mia! in China is produced by United Asia Live Entertainment Co by arrangement with Judy Craymer, Richard East and Bjorn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal. Technically the approach for the audio was the same as it has been for all other recent productions of the show, including the DiGiCo SD8 mixing console. But a few hurdles had to be cleared regarding the supply of equipment.

"Because of China's import laws, we realised that it would b

UK / Spain - Cadac Holdings has announced the appointment of Adagio.pro as exclusive distributor of its new range of analogue and digital compact consoles in Spain and Portugal.

Headquartered outside of Barcelona, Adagio.pro is the pro-audio distribution arm of Grupo Adagio, which also incorporates an extensive MI distribution division and owns a chain of music and pro-audio stores throughout Spain and Portugal; including the Music Gallery stores within the leading El Corte Ingles chain of department stores in Spain. The company owns exclusive distribution rights to some of the leading pro audio brands in the region.

Commenting on the agreement, international sales development manager Vincenzo Borrelli stated, "Adagio.pro is an ideal distribution partner for our new line up of analogue and digital consoles, which are aimed at the general pro audio and live sound sectors,

Italy - Several years ago, the Amerigo Vespucci Airport's terminal building in Florence was equipped with an RCF sound system.

But by the time it came to equipping the new terminal earlier this year, new regulations for security and evacuation, coupled with an evolution in sound system technology, meant that while RCF was once again chosen as the preferred supplier, the company was now required to deliver a far superior solution, in keeping with the new regulations.

Work began on the project in mid-August 2011 under the supervision of RCF project manager, Aristodemo Preda, and the whole system became operational in mid-December.

At the submission stage, various acoustic simulations were carried out, necessary to determine the efficiency of the system and necessary compliances. In addition to meeting the normal requirements of speech intelligibility (public messaging), backgr

UK - The Institute of Professional Sound (IPS), formerly the Institute of Broadcast Sound, has announced details of its annual training weekend, which is being held on 4-5 February 2012 at the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

The weekend will be divided into two day-long workshops; on Saturday 4 the focus is on audio for outside broadcast at the London 2012 Games (comms and links), while Sunday's event will cover live music production and mixing, with a variety of live bands. Dinner will be available on Saturday evening at a modest additional cost.

On Day 2, Sunday 5 February, a number of live bands, each playing in a different musical style, will be present throughout the workshops, allowing those taking part to gain hands-on experience at producing and mixing a live sound event.

Seminars will include: An explanation of the different kinds

Germany - Installation experts Klartext have given The Evangelische Kirche (Lutheran Protestant Church) of the parish of Wahrenholz in northern Germany a new audio system featuring Tannoy loudspeakers, including their new VX Series.

When specifying the new system, the Klartext sound reinforcement engineers faced a number of challenges, in that the system had to be able to cope with all of the requirements of a modern and forward thinking house of worship. The services held here are beyond the 'conservative' type, and include many types of live music, even gospel, alongside spoken word sermons.

Due to its wooden construction, the room itself has good natural acoustics, with a warm reverb that sounds neutral over the acoustic spectrum. Because of this, the installation didn't require beam-steering or line-array speakers to achieve a clear speech reproduction, but it still requir

UK / USA - HHB Communications has announced the appointment of Burlington Audio as the new distributor of its Recording Media products in the US, Latin America, South America and the Caribbean, effective 1 January, 2012. HHB Canada, which has distributed HHB's products in Canada since 1997, will continue to do so in that territory.

The addition of HHB branded media products means that Burlington will now offer an even more diverse range of CDRs, DVDRs, ADAT and DTRS tapes and MiniDiscs.

HHB's international sales manager Matthew Fletcher comments, "We are very pleased to announce this new partnership with Burlington Audio. HHB Recording Media has always been particularly successful in the U.S., and Burlington's expertise and experience in recording media will only bolster the popularity of these products."

Jan Alan, President of Burlington Audio, states, "We al

Oman - Occupying an eight hectare site, the new Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM), built at the behest of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, was officially opened in October. The complex, consisting of a concert theatre, auditorium, formal landscaped gardens, cultural market with retail outlets and luxury restaurants, is an arts centre for musical, theatrical and operatic productions, and has been designed to reflect contemporary Omani architecture.

Despite being classified as an opera house, the main performance space converts from a theatre setting into a world class concert and organ recital hall.

The technical infrastructure of ROHM has now been further boosted with the delivery of an Optocore optical fibre network system which will enhance connectivity and route signals to the many different performance spaces within the complex. At the same time a MADI bridge will enable recording fr

The Netherlands - On display at Stand 1N28 at ISE 2012, d&b audiotechnik will give pride of place to elements of its xS and xA-Series of loudspeakers from their White product range. The 4S, 5S and 8S are designed specifically as stand-alone two-way full range loudspeakers for the permanent installation market and can be supported by the dedicated little 12S subwoofer which will also be on display.

All these loudspeakers were originally only available in black as standard or specially ordered coloured to match venue interiors, however being typically d&b, all these little White range cabinets are now also available in white as standard. Alongside these will be the larger 10S and 12S loudspeakers plus a three cabinet array of the 10A line array loudspeaker from the xA-Series.

For those who find hearing is believing, room E103 has been taken by d&b so that visitors can not only p

USA - Blue Microphones has announced "the world's first USB microphone that mimics the intelligence of human hearing by focusing on desired sounds, minimizing background noise and knowing when to mute altogether".

Combining proprietary noise-cancelling technology, Voice Isolation and Intelligent Mute, Tiki improves the intelligibility of communication in any environment. Tiki offers two modes that allow users to switch between Intelligent Speech Mode for communication and Natural Recording Mode for CD-quality recording of vocals, instruments or podcasts. Similar in size to a standard USB flash drive, Tiki's portable, cable-free design allows it to plug directly into your laptop's USB port.

"We are excited to introduce Tiki as the smartest, most compact USB mic on the market. Designed to mimic human hearing, Tiki brings the conversation into focus and attenuates

UAE - Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises, distributors of ClearCom in the United Arab Emirates for the Live Sound market segment have recently supplied Delta Sound with the new Tempest wireless intercom system.

Delta Sound has also invested in an Eclipse Median matrix frame, an array of the V Panels, in addition to an Encore Partyline Master Station, which were used at the recent official UAE National Day ceremonies held at the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

"Delta Sound have been involved in some of the most sophisticated and complex events in the UAE such as the opening of the Burj Khalifa, Atlantis at Palm Jumeirah, etc where communication is critical for the success of such high profile events," commented Chicco Hiranandani, business development manager at NMK.

"Their current ClearCom inventory gives them the option to communicate within the team both

The Netherlands - UK-based Clockaudio is launching the CW-200 dual channel wireless conferencing system at ISE. The company is showing the new system along with its current range of microphone and microphone management solutions, for conferencing and AV, at the forthcoming exhibition.

The CW-200 provides "an affordable, easy to deploy and operate solution for elementary, occasional or portable conferencing applications". The system comprises two boundary microphone transmitter units and a dual channel UHF receiver. Receiver and transmitter are operable over 32 selectable frequencies for each channel, and feature auto scan and lock to provide transmission on an available interference-free frequency. Adjustable 'Noise-Lock' squelch and RFI shielding technology negate environmental RF noise and signal interference.

The transmitter units are of die cast metal constructio

The Netherlands - Ibbenbüren-based t&mSystems will be exhibiting for the first time at ISE 2012. In addition to showing a selection of products from its range of electronics and loudspeaker s, the German manufacturer is launching a number of new competitively-priced audio electronic products for the installation market, including the ProjectMix818, ProjectMix241, Project1240Z, Project120MP and Project240MP.

The ProjectMix818 features 4 line and 4 mic/line inputs that can selectively be switched as the source for any of the output zones. A further mic input can also be sent, with level control, to any or all zones in addition to their selected source. The unit also has two inputs for t&m paging mics.

The ProjectMix241 is a stereo rack mixer with two microphone and four line inputs. The microphone inputs can be switched to line for maximum flexibility. The output section offers

Poland - Warsaw's Royal Castle is one of Poland's most famous and historic buildings, its 90m long façade and three spires leaving the city's residents in no doubt as to its importance. Nowadays a venue for major events like official visits, state meetings and concerts, the recent installation of a digital audio network has seen Yamaha equipment entrusted with audio mixing and system processing duties.

It took nearly 50 years for the building to be completely restored and nowadays its magnificent 300 seat ballroom is the setting for events of national importance, while a 180-seat concert hall hosts lectures, conferences and live music performances. In both venues, high speech intelligibility is an essential requirement. This is complicated by the ballroom's restored 18th-centurygrandeur featuring a polished wood floor, mirrored and marble surfaces and many windows.

Leading Po

Poland - Jagiellonian University in Kracow is Poland's largest university and one of the oldest and most celebrated academic institutions in the world. Founded in 1364 as Studium Generale, the university - named after Poland's Jagiellonian dynasty - numbers Nicolaus Copernicus and Pope John Paul II among its alumni. Since August, a number of new sound systems have been installed in a variety of the university's lecture and concert halls.

The Kracow and Wroclaw-based branches of Tommex Zebrowscy Sp. J. were responsible for the design of the sound systems. In the case of the Kotlownia lecture and exhibition hall, the firm's specialists attached particular importance to finding a loudspeaker system capable of delivering both a very high level of intelligibility and precise control. They opted for a solution featuring equipment from Dynacord.

VariLine VL 262W two-way loudspeakers

USA - The leafy green hills west of Baltimore are home to First Evangelical Lutheran, one of the area's oldest churches. Established in 1874, the church has grown steadily over the years, moving to its current site in the mid-1950s. The campus is home to several buildings, including the Ellicott City Children's House, Montessori School, and the current sanctuary, dedicated in 1996.

The octagonal-shaped sanctuary is acoustically challenging. Designed to feature the church's pipe organ and choir, the building's wood and glass ceiling, brick walls and rock and tile floor create a reflective environment that wreaks havoc with spoken word intelligibility. As senior pastor Eugene Kern explains, the issue was one that was initially not easy to discern.

"Since my arrival to First Lutheran in early 2009, there were complaints passed on to me about the sound system," says Kern

UK - The PLASA 2012 free registration website is now live. Show organiser PLASA Events expects around 6000 visitors to take advantage of the special free registration offer over the next 48 hours, with early bookers saving £20 on the standard ticket price for this year's PLASA Show, which takes place at London's Earls Court on 9 - 12 September 2012.

All previous PLASA Show visitors have been sent the special offer via email, and free registration for new visitors is now live at www.plasashow.com.

"We have been offering free registration for early bookers for the past three years and each year the number of registrations soars," comments events manager Sophie Atkinson.

"PLASA 2012 will be the first show to take place after the London Olympic and Paralympic Games and it will be a celebration of our industry's contribution to this summer's events. We'll be

USA - Electro-Voice's Jim Long retired in December 2011 after over 45 years with the company, during which time he became one of the pro audio industry's most familiar and respected personalities.

Long enjoyed a wide range of roles in EV marketing and sales over the years, most recently as a member of the product marketing management team, and contributed his technical know-how and communication skills to many aspects of the company's success, including the development of the 'PA Bible' - still a trusted reference guide today.

Long is well-known for his ability to relate engineering concepts in everyday terms, and his presentations educated hundreds of budding and seasoned professionals over the decades. For many, Jim's easygoing manner, tireless dedication to the industry and his customers, and attention to detail became synonymous with the Electro-Voice brand and its heritag

Poland - Getting 2012 off to a great start, the city of Wroclaw hosted the country's biggest celebration and featured no less than six Yamaha digital mixing consoles.

Together with Ukraine, Poland is co-hosting the Euro2012 international football championships, so its authorities are aware that much attention will be focused on it throughout the year. Wroclaw always hosts a New Year's Eve (Sylwester in Polish) celebration in its Market Square, so this year there was an added incentive to show the country's celebrations at their very best.

Wroclaw's Sylwester event was hosted by TV presenters Gra?yna Torbicka and Hubert Urba?ski and featured over 15 different live bands from across Europe, who played in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 220,000 and a televised audience of millions.

High profile Polish acts including Vavamuffin, Kayah, Zakopower, T. Love, LUC, Urszula Dud

USA - Escondido, California based Sound Image, a leading provider of audio systems for touring and installation applications globally, is the second American company to join Adamson's Project Energia.

The significant investment in Adamson's E15 system was no surprise to Sound Image president, David Shadoan who comments, "Adamson kept us closely informed as Energia was developing. As soon as beta testing began, we confirmed that we would join in Phase One. The Sound Image philosophy is to deliver leading technology and to stay ahead of the curve. Energia was a simple choice. This system is progressive and a very powerful solution. We look forward to getting it on the road."

Sound Image has carried Adamson Y-Axis and T21's in their inventory since 2007 and the move to the Energia series was a natural step forward. Adamson Systems Engineering, president, Brock Adamson c

Turkmenistan - An Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing system has been installed in the conference room of Turkmenistan's iconic new TV Tower located in the capital city of Ashgabad.

Opened in 2011, the 700ft Television Tower includes a TV and Radio studio complex catering for six channels, and houses an OB fleet. There is also a revolving restaurant and offices built in the shape of the national emblem - an octagonal star - which is registered with the Guinness World Records as the largest star in Turkmenistan.

The building's sole conference facility has a small control room, which required a similarly compact mixing console. Consequently, audio and lighting contractor, Asimetrik, selected an iLive-T80 Control Surface and iDR-48 MixRack system.

"The tiny control room now has a small mixing system but with enormous features," comments Mert Kiliccote from Asimetrik. &

Spain - Following its success on Broadway, in the West End and on tours in the US, Israel and Poland, a new Spanish-language version of Shrek The Musical is proving a sell-out success in Madrid, featuring a Yamaha PM5D-RH at front of house.

Running at the Teatro Nuevo Apolo (New Apollo Theatre), Shrek El Musical is keeping family audiences spellbound with its mixture of comedy, choreography, a wide range of new songs and heart-warming plot, all suitably adapted for the Spanish audience.

Production company Theatre Properties specialises in musicals and has a number of Yamaha digital consoles in its inventory. A Yamaha PM5D-RH was chosen to mix the FOH requirements of what is a fairly complex production.

"ThePM5D-RH was specified for a number of reasons," says Jacinto López of Yamaha Music Europe Ibérica. "A prime one was that the company's

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