UK - The next generation of System reality from d&b audiotechnik has arrived from Stuttgart; there's simply no substitute for getting close up and familiar with these new arrivals at PLASA Focus, Leeds 29-30 April, held once again at The Royal Armouries.

First up on the who's who list of must-haves for all d&b users is Venue Editor in the d&b ArrayCalc simulation software. Responding to feedback, the new software update allows users to create virtual venues with astonishing accuracy: every curve and little nuance of a space can be reproduced along balconies or obstacles that need to b

Switzerland - Phoenix has released a new update for its Phoenix4 software with extended hardware support, major improvements and many new features.

Phoenix4 Showcontroller is a solution for professional control of lasers, lighting and special effects. The versions Phoenix LIVE (for live laser operation, Laser Jockey) and Phoenix PRO (for professional time line synchronous shows) have been updated to version 4.2 - a major update, that adds support for new hardware, like the MicroNET network laser control interface, and several new features.

There were also some improvements in terms

Germany - Ayrton delighted visitors to Prolight+Sound with the launch of several major new products: NandoBeamS6 and Ayrton's new range of lighting fixtures, the Radical Series (R Series).

NandoBeamS6, the Big Brother of the NandoBeamS3, received its official launch at the show. Twice as powerful as its little brother, NandoBeam S6 is a compact, ultra-fast moving head. Equipped with 37 RGBW LED emitters, NandoBeam S6 shares the S3's same lightweight optical system and ultra-fast 5:1 zoom.

Designed primarily for use on concert stages, events and in television production, NandoBeam S6

USA - Elation Professional's powerful Emulation DMX lighting control software has been updated with new features and software updates that make programming easier, more effective and more intuitive. Among the new features included in the new Emulation Pro are a Pixel Mapper engine, Timeline Editor, and user-friendly Command Line interface.

Emulation PRO is powerful DMX control software that runs on iOS (MAC), Windows or Linux operating system computers. Designed to control medium to large lighting installations in architectural and live-entertainment situations, it outputs control usi

UK - Orbital Sound will be showcasing its world-class portfolio of sound and communication systems on Stand No: RD14-15 at PLASA Focus, taking place at The Royal Armouries in Leeds, from 29-30 April. Among the "firsts" on show for 2014 will be Flare Audio's new SM15 Stage Monitor and X5 Vertical Point Source Array system, part of the company's innovative range of loudspeaker designs based on Waveform Integrity.

As a long-standing d&b audiotechnik UK Sales and Installation Partner, Orbital is spotlighting the new high-power high-density D80 amplifier, designed for both mobile

UK - The 5 Star Group will be exhibiting at PLASA Focus again this year showing a selection of its current products including flightcases and other solutions for the safe and convenient transportation of all types of equipment.

This year 5 Star will highlight its recently introduced Pro-Tect bags and covers.

Pro-Tect offers a range of standard and bespoke padded bags and covers. The products are manufactured in a separate new production unit based alongside 5 Star's existing case manufacturing plant in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Pro-Tect products are tough, hard-wearing and practica

Germany - Laserworld recently launched their new BeamNET series. Unlike previous show laser lights, the BeamNET are pure effect solutions without beam deflection, but as extra strong single beam units. Two models with single beam output and three bar-style models with 10 parallel beams each are available.

The BeamNET units are designed as easy-to-use solutions to provide additional effects to stages and big shows, without the need of complex control and setup: All BeamNET systems can easily be triggered through DMX/Artnet and allow easy control of every single laser source. The BeamNE

Italy - Now that Clay Paky has successfully lit the first Codega Award Ceremony (held in Venice last October), the Italian company's lighting systems are setting the scene for LedLab, a solid state lighting laboratory promoted by Assodel. The Codega Award is an international prize given to lighting professionals who have distinguished themselves for LED lighting projects and solutions

In cooperation with the Italian Lighting Designers Network, Clay Paky makes the Ventura Lambrate district shine during Milan Design Week (from 8 to 13 April at Milan Lambrate) with a series of temporary

Germany - The Pulsar speaker series, remarkably popular since its late 2013 release, has been extended with a compact variant called PL 110 FA. It is loaded with a 10" woofer.

Like its larger siblings, the PL 112 FA and PL 115 FA, this enclosures also houses a 1,000-watt, bi-amped power system that delivers 650 watts to the woofer and 350 watts to the tweeter. An intelligent multi-band limiter tames spiking bass signals to ensure the audio image remains stable even at high volumes. This unit also features four combinable filter settings that voice the speaker array's frequency re

UK - BSc (Hons) Lighting and Live Event Technology students from the University of South Wales have showcased their best work at the successful Innovation Expo 2014 event, held at the Wales Millennium Centre. The two-day event, held on Tuesday and Wednesday 1-2 April, saw 27 students present nine different products to industry employers.

Each group were tasked with developing and building a product prototype and creating their business model before marketing their product to potential buyers. This was a six-month process in their final year of study where students took their existing

USA - Following the extremely successful HedgeHog 4 launch at LDI 2013, High End Systems has further broadened its Hog 4 family with the addition of the HedgeHog 4N. This version adds the ability for the popular compact platform to network with other all other Hog 4 consoles and peripherals and will make it a perfect backup or dimmer city console.

Along with the RackHog 4, which was launched at Pro Light and Sound 2014, HedgeHog 4N will be shipping in Q2.

"We listened to our existing Hog customer base and HedgeHog 4N delivers exactly what they want," says Chris Ferrante, d

UK - The PLASA Focus: Leeds show (29-30 April, Leeds, UK) will see the UK and IE launch of the brand new and exclusive range of Infinity moving heads. There are seven products in the range - five are LED units and two are lamped units.

All the fixtures have a built in Gravity sensor, making it easy to use the menu in any position, all units have a built in battery allowing for setting up of your fixture without mains power, all units are fixed with Neutrik powercon connectors and also three pole and five-pole XLRs and all units are equipped with quick lock brackets, which can be mount

UK - Panasonic is set to launch a Full-HD, three-chip DLPTM projector to complement the award winning PT-DZ21K series.

The PT-DZ16K has been specifically designed to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for customers seeking a reliable, high brightness and low-maintenance product.

The projector features low power consumption and has a long lamp replacement cycle of up to 3,000 hours and an up to 12,000 hours maintenance free eco filter.

Tom Gibson, marketing manager of Panasonic, said, "With a highly efficient optical design using four lamps, liquid cooling system and a relay

Germany - ArKaos PRO reports that it is "extremely happy" with the exposure it received at the recent Prolight+Sound, Frankfurt. "The number and quality of the visitors to the stand was excellent and we couldn't have asked for a better reception of our new products," says ArKaos PRO's Toon Servaes.

ArKaos PRO presented two new products at the show: LEDMasterpper and MediaMaster 4.0.

LEDMasterpper is an all-in-one solution that delivers professional LED show control in three easy steps. "Simply map, programme and playback," says ArKaos.

LEDMaster uses

UK - SSL Live UK agent, HD Pro Audio, has two upcoming events where engineers can get to see and understand the new SSL Live console, with experienced advice on hand. The first is a demo session at the dBs Live venue in Plymouth on 23 April. Places are limited, so anyone interested in attending should contact HD Pro Audio's Andy Huffer or TomTurner on 01784 433687 or e-mail info@hdproaudio.co.uk

HD Pro is also exhibiting the SSL Live at PLASA Focus in Leeds on 29-30 April. The SSL console will take centre stage on the HD Pro stand, NA-26.

Andy Huffer comments, "The Live may be

UK - At this year's show, Highlite UK will unveil an era of new products from there Dap Audio range of products.

The first is the introduction of the CX range of amplifiers. This range adds affordable and reliable amplifiers to the catalogue. They are available in five outputs varying from two 150W @ 8 ohms to two 1250W @ 8 ohms and feature various safety mechanisms, Fixed clip limiter, Overheat protect, Overload protect, DC voltage & soft start to guarantee a long user life. The connections are comprised of XLR inputs (with interconnection function) and Speakon outputs. Due to the sm

UK - For both a wealth of industry knowledge, and a comprehensive portfolio of audio solutions, RW Salt are a company you cannot afford to miss at PLASA Focus. The audio division of the Midwich Group is renowned as being a leading force in the industry and this year they are joined on their stand by two brands who represent the breadth of their portfolio - Revolabs and Traction Sound.

Revolabs will be showcasing their range of collaborative office solutions, with Brighton-based speaker manufacturer Traction Sound displaying why they are one of the UK's premier entertainment audio spec

UK - Having been launched in Frankfurt just over a month ago, Yamaha's new QL series digital mixing consoles make their UK trade show debut at PLASA Focus, being held on 29-30 April at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds.

PLASA Focus will be the first opportunity for many UK sound engineers to get 'hands on' with the QL consoles, which are already shipping and have been used on their first shows in Europe.

"We were really pleased with the phenomenal interest shown in the QL series at ProLight+Sound and are looking forward to giving more sound engineers the hands-on opportunity at

UK - Out Board will be exhibiting at PLASA Focus: Leeds on Stand R-C06 and demonstrating the market-leading TiMax Tracker performer tracking automation alongside TiMax SoundHub audio matrix, playback server and showcontroller system. The last year has seen the company make significant inroads into new markets and territories with these ubiquitous products.

Launching at the show will be the first of a new suite of TiMax networking interfaces, dubbed Connectivity by the company. The new MADI-64 and Dante-64 Connectivity devices fit into the rear option slots of the TiMax2 SoundHub audio

UK - Baldwin Boxall's latest voice alarm development, VIGIL3 - will be previewing at this year's Firex International. This exhibition - part of the Protection & Management Series - will be held at The ExCeL London for the first time.

The new VIGIL3 will have many extra features and advantages with the same well-known quality and reliability expected from a Baldwin Boxall VIGIL voice alarm system. Benefits include: Ethernet backbone, IP interfacing, no traditional style routers, configuration options, limitless messages, inputs and outputs ... and more.

The Ethernet backbone network

UK - Elation Professional invites lighting professionals to PLASA Focus Leeds and Stand N-D32 for the opportunity to talk in depth with qualified Elation personnel and get an up-close look at Elation's line of versatile lighting solutions. Join the Elation team at the Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock in Leeds where the Elation staff will be happy to demo the latest products.

The EZ4 is a high-quality, 4mm pixel pitch LED video panel ideal when outstanding high-definition image quality is required. Colours display vivid, consistent and uniform, and a high density of blackface pixels en

UK - Audica Professional has announced the launch of its Median IC 125 and IC 165, two-way, full-range premium ceiling loudspeakers. The new loudspeakers are designed for applications where high fidelity audio quality is a primary requirement.

The open back design saves depth and weight for installations where a sealed enclosure (back-can) is not required. The 5-inch IC 125 and 6.5-inch IC165 have a sensitivity of 87dB/W/m, 40W power handling and their dispersion is 120 degrees -6dB at 6kHz. The IC 125 has a frequency response of 75Hz to 20kHz +/-3dB, with the larger IC 165 offering g

USA - Bold, animated washes of colour are being used to add visual excitement to an ever-growing array of events and venues -- from corporate meetings and mid-size productions, to neighbourhood taverns and restaurants. Now Chauvet Professional is answering the demand for a mid-range multi-purpose high-power colour-mixing luminaire that's as fast, bright and electrifying as it is versatile and value-driven.

The company has introduced the Q-Wash 419Z LED, a high-output RGBW moving head wash fixture that provides the power and design tools to adapt to a wide range of projects - including

UK - Avolites and Avolites Media have announced that teams from both brands will be demoing products being shown in the UK for the first time at PLASA Focus, Leeds, 29-30 April.

Avolites - on stand R-B10 - will be exhibiting the Sapphire Touch and new Wing, offering an additional 30 Motorised Faders and third hi res touch screen. The entire Titan range, two Titan Network Processor systems and the Tiger Touch II with Wireless Remote will also be available for demo and hands-on experience.

Avolites' Titan Mobile Fader Wing - which enables expansion of every Avolites Titan console, giv

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