UK - With Phase 3 of its seminar sessions finalised, PLASA Show reveals content that is both informative and a little out of the ordinary. From audio as art and colour changing lights, to safety - both electrical and aural - and the importance of apprenticeships, PLASA continues to cover key issues for the entertainment technology industry.

"It's art, not plant hire." These words from Tony Andrews, founder of loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion One, will ring true with sound designers and engineers around the world. Having spent his life exploring the higher possibilities in audio, Tony is well placed to discuss his statement further in the 'audio moment', the chosen subject for his Audio and Consciousness session at this year's PLASA Show, where he will doubtless take an audio path less travelled while considering the difference between hearing and listening.

T

UK - West Midlands lighting and sound reinforcement company Pacific Sound & Light has been increasing its inventory of Shure equipment in recent months to supply a number of live music tours in the UK.

For the past few years, they have been using PSM900 in-ear monitoring on the live tours for the Drifters, and began working with the Ultimate Eagles tribute band two years ago (currently, the band are on a successful European tour). Now the company has also been asked to handle the forthcoming UK 2015 dates for the official Blues Brothers touring band. For this project, Pacific are turning to ULX-D wireless mics, and have expanded their existing complement of eight channels of ULX-D to 12.

"We've always used Shure mics, even before I set up Pacific," explains the company's managing director Paul Duffy. "With the arrival of in-ears, we began advocating their use to

UK - Britannia Row Productions Training has announced the launch of a brand new website detailing the range of courses it now offers from its base in Twickenham.

The new site offers a more visual and informative view of the activities of the Training operation, complete with testimonials from students of its intensive 12-week Live Sound Technology Course. To offer more flexibility in its training opportunities, Britannia Row has now developed some new courses for 2015 based on the core elements of its 12 week course.

Live Sound Basic PA Course: A 2-day course on the basics of setting up small PA systems. Taught over two consecutive weekends, the course covers a simple PA system from A-Z in the first day and a half, with the final afternoon spent hands-on, including mixing using multi-track playback machines. Live Sound Fundamentals: A 15 x 1-day modular course t

USA - Symetrix has launched three new products allowing integrators to quickly and easily add extra inputs and outputs to their SymNet DSP systems.

The first, Symetrix xIn 4, is an audio input expander for SymNet Dante-scalable systems featuring four mic/line inputs with +48 VDC phantom power. Likewise, Symetrix xOut 4 is an audio output expander featuring four line outputs, designed to capitalise on the surplus processing power of a SymNet Edge or Radius DSP to bring overall system costs down.

The third new device, Symetrix xIO 4x4, is an audio input/output expander for SymNet systems sporting four mic/line inputs, including +48 DVC phantom power, and four line outputs.

All three devices are configured using SymNet Composer software, thereby eliminating any requirement for hardware DIP switches, front panel menus or third-party software. Featuring the industry-leading perfo

UK - Adlib's working relationship with the touring version of multi award-winning mega-successful sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys hits the 15 year mark this year, with the Liverpool based company providing full technical production - sound, lighting and video - for the various legs of the 2015 arena tour, scheduled to conclude in December, plus a live DVD shoot in September.

Adlib also made a major investment in new Absen high definition LED screen, Sony broadcast cameras and Prolyte pre-rigged trussing in time for the first leg of the tour in the spring.

LED video screen has replaced the projection systems of previous tours this year taking everything up a level, complete with 252 panels of the new 3mm Absen A3 screen.

The lighting, sound and video production were all based around the new 2015 set designed by Frankie & Brian.

The entire production is tailor-made to suit ea

France - Honeywell has announced the availability of Fix-A-Fit, a comprehensive new guide to properly selecting, fitting and using industrial earplugs. The Fix-A-Fit guide is a free 12-page training resource that will help anyone responsible for safeguarding workers' hearing against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) which, according to the World Health Organisation, could affect as many as 1.1bn people under the age of 35 worldwide.

"Considering the popularity of earplugs as a form of hearing protection across many industries, it is surprising how many employers still believe that making two or three types of large earplugs available in different colours constitutes offering a variety of solutions," said Brad Witt, director of hearing conservation at Honeywell Safety Products. "One size does not fit all however, and failure to ensure a proper fit will not only giv

UK - Named in memory of Tony Gottelier, the renowned industry innovator and commentator who passed away in 2006, the annual Gottelier Award aims to recognise those product developers who have made significant long-term contributions to the advancement of entertainment, presentation or installation technology - whether in audio, lighting, rigging, staging, or any other related field.

Sadly, the 2014 Award was presented posthumously, by the unanimous agreement of his fellow nominees, to Pasquale Quadri, the founder of Clay Paky and an admired innovator for 40 years, who passed away shortly before the 2014 show. This year, his fellow nominees will again stand in the shortlist. The nominees for 2015 are:

Richard Belliveau

As one of the co-founders of Texas-based lighting manufacturer High End Systems, and still leading the company's product developments today, Belliveau h

UK - Cloud Electronics is now shipping its new CS-C Series of in-ceiling loudspeakers launched recently at Infocomm15 in Orlando.

The CS-C Series features 5-inch, 6-inch and 8-inch full-range models and an 8-inch subwoofer completes the range and is also shipping. The CS-C Series loudspeakers boast two-way coaxial drivers with soft dome tweeter providing consistent dispersion and broad frequency response. All models offer ZeroEdge magnetic grilles which remove to reveal high or low impedance switch settings for distributed audio systems.

The speakers, designed for Cloud Electronics in the USA are tuned to complement Cloud Electronics range of amplifiers and mixer amplifiers using premium quality components and electronics. A range of surface loudspeakers is also expected to be shipping very soon.

(Jim Evans)

UK / Poland - Cadac has announced the appointment of Tommex, among the oldest most established audio companies in Poland, as its exclusive distributor for that territory.

The distributor agreement was signed immediately following Cadac's launch of its new CDC six console; a product for which Tommex envisages significant demand on its installation projects and amongst its customer base.

Tommex can trace its origins back to the difficult, pioneering Communist era of the 1970s, when founder Jan Tomasz Zebrowski founded a workshop to distribute and service Dynacord equipment in Poland. By the time Poland became a democracy, the company was servicing many state theatres and concert venues, and had become a gateway for professional audio equipment into several Soviet bloc republics. With democratisation came the opportunity to expand and take on the distribution of many western audi

On The Fringe - The Edinburgh International and the Fringe festivals started together for the first time in 18 years. The festivals had been out of sync by one week since the fringe decided to begin a week earlier in 1998. Venues are reporting an increase in advance sales, with international festival sales up by 25%.

Number Crunching - The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in numbers: There will be 50,459 performances of 3,314 shows between 7 and 31 August; the number of shows is a 3.8% increase on last year's programme; acts from 49 countries are taking part in the festival, including Japan, South Korea, Russia, New Zealand and Finland; the majority of shows are billed as comedy - 34% - while theatre makes up 27%, music 14%, children's shows 5% and cabaret 4%; here are 807 free shows for audiences to try and 1,778 premieres. A total of 313 venues are being used, including 14 new

USA - After the success of its spring regional training events, Audinate has announced a fall schedule of Dante AV Networking World conferences throughout U.S., Europe, Middle East and Asia. These free all-day events are designed for anyone interested in audio networking, and will feature presentations, training workshops and interactive panel discussions led by industry experts.

The events are co-sponsored with 20 leading audio manufacturers, including Ashly, AtteroTech, Audinate, Audio Technica, Bose, ClearOne, Extron, Focusrite RedNet, Lectrosonics, NTP, RDL, Roland, Shure, SSL, Stewart Audio, Symetrix, Vue Audiotechnik, Williams Sound, Xilica and Yamaha Commercial Audio. Each event will feature Dante-enabled product demonstrations from the sponsors and will give attendees the opportunity learn about and see Dante-enabled products in action.

Agenda topics will include: an i

UK - Festival attraction the Tree Top Troubadour, otherwise known as Ben Trevor, has begun using a Shure QLX-D wireless microphone system for his guitar and vocals on his summer dates, most recently at July's Larmer Tree festival.

As his nickname suggests, Trevor - an arborist in his day job - is well-known for playing his concerts from the branches of trees, which somewhat limits his options for amplification to wireless-based systems. The QLX-D's extended battery life and efficient spectrum usage have proved a boon at his festival gigs, given the heavy usage of the RF spectrum at modern festivals, and the fact that replacement batteries and charging facilities are not readily available when you're performing high up in an oak with only a Chesterfield sofa and a glitterball for company, as Trevor was at Larmer.

Many musicians turn to charitable endeavours if they're lucky eno

Germany - For the 25th Anniversary of Audi's Summer Concert series inside its factory in Ingolstadt, Germany, Meyer Sound Leopard linear sound reinforcement and Constellation active acoustic systems formed the foundation of an extraordinary audio experience for both the audience and musicians. The combination transformed a cavernous space that normally stamps out steel side panels for the Audi A3 into a temporary concert hall worthy of hosting the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kent Nagano.

The concert was the first show where Constellation worked hand-in-glove with the new Meyer Sound Leopard line arrays. While Constellation provided a virtual orchestra shell to envelop musicians with the sonic environment of a concert hall, twin arrays of eight-each Leopard loudspeakers projected the performance to about 1,000 audience members.

"It was truly breathtaking the wa

Saudi Arabia - Masjid al-Haram, the holiest shrine in Islam, is now visited by over 3m Hajj pilgrims annually. In order to provide the best facilities to the legions of devout Muslims, The Custodian of Two Holy Mosques (the former King) Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz undertook the expansion of the Holy Mosque and associated elements. A part of this project has been the complete upgrade of the Mecca Mokabariah facility's microphones to the latest digital models from Sennheiser. These microphones are being used at all prayer locations around the Kaaba, and in the Mokabariah studios from where all audio content and prayers originating from Mecca are broadcast across the world.

The major advantage of the upgrade has been that though on-going construction relating to the expansion has required shifting of the microphones to locations that are large distances away from the studios, the qualit

UK - With branches in nine cities across the UK, Calvary Apostolic Assembly - founded in Birmingham in 2005 - is a thoroughly modern, multinational Pentecostal church.

A weekly programme that includes everything from daily early morning prayer meetings to a webcast Sunday morning service means the Birmingham church is a busy hub of activity. And given that the various gatherings all have their own distinct audio needs - from individual speakers to amplified instrumental groups and choirs - it's a church that's demanding of its in-house PA system.

That system is a PreSonus StudioLive 32.4.2AI digital mixing console and StudioLive RM32AI rack-mount digital mixer - networked over AVB with an SL-AVB-MIX card and Cat 5 digital multicore - that allows for real flexibility and, crucially, remarkable ease-of-use for church members.

Specified and installed by Ian Edwards of Gigs A

France - Leading French rental company Groupe Novelty has over 40 years experience in providing audio and visual solutions to a wide range of clients. A recent investment in 12 Yamaha QL1 digital consoles has helped to keep the company's audio rental stock right up to date.

Operating out of five French offices, one in London and one in Brussels, Groupe Novelty works on over 6000 projects every year. These include some of Europe's highest profile corporate events, fashion shows for leading designers and brands, car launches, exhibitions, awards shows and live music.

Many of the events Novelty works on need a high quality audio mixer in a compact format, which is one of several reasons why the company has invested in 12 Yamaha QL1s for its rental stock.

"The QL1 is the ideal size and format for many of the events we work on and it is an exceptionally cost-effective soluti

UK - HHB Communications has been appointed a value added reseller for Studio Network Solutions (SNS) shared media storage systems.

SNS has over 17 years of experience creating software and shared media storage SAN/NAS solutions for the post, TV and film markets. HHB and post production specialists Scrub have been chosen for their expertise to introduce the UK's leading post facilities to the benefits of the flagship EVO range.

President of Studio Network Solutions Ryan Stoutenborough comments: "I'm delighted to have HHB on board as a value added reseller for the UK post production market. Our partnership with HHB brings their complete understanding of new technology combined with a rich history in the post community and a strong passion for always helping the customer first. Our mutually aligned quality of service standards make this partnership a no brainer. It's hard to

UK - Tannoy has introduced new CMS and CVS Retrofit Adapter Kits that enable fast, secure installation of Tannoy ceiling loudspeakers inside existing back-cans from third party manufacturers or, in other scenarios, utilizing existing ceiling cutouts that were sized for other loudspeakers. By using the Retrofit Kits, installation contractors can upgrade to the premium quality sound of Tannoy while minimizing additional installation time and costs.

"We know of many instances where acoustical consultants or end users have wanted to replace existing loudspeakers with Tannoy ceiling products," says Stuart Archibald, product manager. "However, too often the added installation costs were prohibitive when the back-cans or ceiling tiles - or both - had to be replaced. With the Adapter Kits, in many cases new Tannoy units will fit neatly in place of the old units, using the

USA - The Public Theatre's Free Shakespeare in the Park series has been a storied New York City tradition since 1952. It offers free and open access to outdoor productions of Shakespeare in Manhattan's Central Park, and features world-class talent and Broadway calibre production and audiovisual design. Performances are well known for creating lines of air mattress and camp chair toting Shakespeare fans up to a mile long.

This year, Free Shakespeare in the Park opened in May with a six week run of The Tempest, starring Sam Waterston, and continues 23 July through 23 August with Cymbeline, featuring Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater.

Central Park's 1,800-seat outdoor Delacorte Theatre has been home to the Free Shakespeare series since 1962. The venue, while offering creative possibilities to directors, actors, and scenic designers that no other New York City theatre can matc

UAE - Pacha, the club chain that was established in 1967 in Sitges and first found fame in Ibiza, has successfully established itself in many different countries since, but its most recent opening is Pacha Ibiza Dubai.

Set over three floors, Pacha Ibiza Dubai comprises The Main Room, The Red Room and The Rooftop, all kitted out to the highest standard. The cylindrical building that houses the club has been completely refurbished, with a customised audio solution installed throughout.

The sound system is based around d&b audiotechnik V Series, Q Series and White Series speakers covering all the various zones from The Main Room's dance-floor to Pacha Ibiza Rooftop's terrace. Vital components in the system's operation are three Symetrix SymNet Radius AEC Dante-enabled DSPs and SymNet xOut 12s output expanders. "These are very powerful processors but in this project, their ma

UK / USA - British sound rental company, SSE Audio Group and California-based Sound Image have announced the launch of a transatlantic joint venture. Dubbed UAC (United Audio Companies), the venture has been designed to enable both firms to improve the international support they can offer to their clients on both sides of the Atlantic.

This new arrangement means clients touring in Europe and the USA will benefit from a common touring infrastructure and around-the-clock support, so acts can work seamlessly on either side of the Atlantic. "The arrangement works because it places the full resources of a national PA company at the disposal of the touring act in the locality, whether in the States or in Europe," the companies' statement says.

"It's not just a US Company operating via an EU satellite office or vice versa in the US," explained SSE Audio Group MD J

China - Allen & Heath's GLD digital system has been installed in the theatre of the new Oriental Media Centre building in Beijing.

Located in the heart of the CBD business district, the new skyscraper provides office space for the city's media companies, and the building's M Theatre is designed to host residents' conferences, events, live performances and banquets. The Theatre's seats can be fully retracted and the stage is expandable, enabling various configurations to be used for different events.

Sanecore supplied and installed a comprehensive audio system to meet the varied application needs of the venue.

At the heart of the sound system is a GLD-80 mixer with accompanying AR2412 positioned on stage, plus a Symetrix SymNet Solus 8 is employed as the audio processor.

"GLD not only features an intuitive control interface but also powerful processing. The ability to

Europe - German pro audio connectivity specialists DirectOut and networked audio specialists Merging, have announced high-performance interoperability of both their in-house developed RAVENNA cores.

DirectOut's MONTONE.42 supports low-latency streaming of 256 audio channels to and from Merging's Pyramix Virtual Studio DAW. This high capacity and low latency feature demonstrates the full benefit of RAVENNA. Other RAVENNA-compliant devices such as Merging's Horus and Hapi networked audio converters and DirectOut's PRODUCER.COM can simply be added to the network to provide additional features and functionality.

Merging will commence shipping of the new Pyramix 10 workstation at IBC 2015 whilst DirectOut says that MONTONE.42 is already shipping. The MADI (AES10) to Audio-over-IP bridge is based on RAVENNA audio networking technology and offers four MADI and two gigabit network por

Canada - A KV2 Audio ESR215 system was used at the recent AES Conference on Sound Reinforcement held at McGill University in Montreal.

Just two ESR215's were used for the event providing crystal clear reproduction of the speeches and discussions at McGills Theatre facility.

Prior to the closing ceremonies a concert was held with a band of local jazz musicians and mixed by the legendary George Massenburg who is a Professor at the Music Research Division of McGill University. George commented, "We simply don't realise what we are missing until we hear a system of this quality."

Six ESM26 stage monitors driven by ESP2000 amplifiers were used on for foldback by the band.

Numerous other accolades were received for the systems clarity throughout the conference. "This is the best sound we have had at an AES Conference in the last 25 years," said Peter Mapp, AE

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