China - PR Lighting will again present a dynamic display at the 24th annual PALM Expo in Beijing (19-22 August).

A number of new effects - some of which are being previewed or the first time - will dominate the China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC), where they line up alongside more than 1,000 other exhibitors.

The only products that will previously have been seen by visitors are the XR 330 Framing and XR 470 Beam - both previewed at the Chinese GET Show back in April.

The XR 330 Framing is the latest in the XR 330 family. This high output (12,300 lumens) moving head has adopted PR patented technology, combining advanced 330 watts lamp technology with superb optical system. The framing system consists of four framing blades that can all individually adjusted +30° while the entire system can rotate 90°. Lightweight (at just 22.5kg) it also has an impressively f

UK - Roland has announced the global launch of the O.H.R.C.A M-5000C Digital Mixing Console. This console closely follows the launch of the award winning O.H.R.C.A M-5000 console earlier this year. Measuring under 30 inches (74 cm) in width and weighing just 70 pounds (32kg), the compact M-5000C offers all the flexibility and power of the M-5000 console but in a smaller footprint - making it suitable for touring, broadcast, theatre and live performance. The M-5000C will make its debut to the European market at the forthcoming IBC Exhibition (Amsterdam RAI, 11-15 September 2015).

Using the same O.H.R.C.A (Open High Resolution Configurable Architecture) platform that has made the M-5000 so popular with engineers, the M-5000C brings a new dimension of user configurability to consoles of this size at an affordable price-point, says the company. The O.H.R.C.A. platform delivers 128 f

UK - Studiomaster has had its best consecutive sales months in more than three years, in June and July. Record sales, in particular for its latest PA speaker and compact mixing desk series - DRIVE, Venture and ClubXS - are on course to give the brand its record third quarter in recent times. The run of successful new products marks a return to form for Studiomaster, in conjunction with the re-establishment of its European self-distribution, its joint HQ, distribution and logistics centre with partner brand Carlsbro.

General manager Patrick Almond emphasizes it is the conjunction of both of these developments that has created the perfect storm. "Precisely when the benefits of re-establishing our own European distribution and logistics are coming to fruition, we have introduced a number of new products, at the most competitive end of the market, which have really hit the spot

USA - Community has added R Series to its growing library of manufacturer-authorized EASE Focus 2 GLL data files, allowing system designers to quickly create accurate 3D models of complex R Series arrays using the EASE Focus 2 software application from AFMG.

Dave Howden, Community's director of technical services, commented, "Because EASE Focus 2 makes it easy to see the direct-field coverage of a loudspeaker array, it's a great prototyping tool. Community is pleased to support system designers by providing manufacturer-authorized EASE Focus 2 GLL files for a wide range of our products."

EASE Focus 2 is a free application available directly from AFMG. Manufacturer-authorized EASE and EASE Focus 2 GLL files for Community loudspeakers may be downloaded from Community's website.

(Jim Evans)

UK - CIE-Group has announced the launch of the Inter-M AOE212N audio-over-IP distribution system. With its AoIP (Audio-overIP) capabilities, the AOE212N is designed for transmission of voice, music or audio advertising content, either throughout multi-zone buildings or across campus-wide, multi-sites, or globally.

Suitable for retail outlets, banks, university campuses and other large-scale PA / BGM applications, the system connects via standard TCP/IP to a LAN or WAN, and is simple to operate and offers compatibility with a wide range of audio sources.

"Being IP-enabled, the new AOE212N brings PA systems right up to date," comments Chris Edwards, marketing director of CIE-Group. "The AOE212N device can distribute content locally and globally, whatever the requirement. It is extremely versatile and can be used as a full-on Audio-over-IP public address system or

UK - Delivering a serious level of power and processing in an affordable package, Harman's Soundcraft and UK distributor Sound Technology has announced immediate UK shipping of the new Si Impact digital mixing console.

The Si Impact draws on Soundcraft's more than 40 years of excellence in live sound mixing, combining the latest digital innovations together with its unrivalled sound quality. The Si Impact is designed to be as simple as an analogue mixer, but with radical workflow enhancements and DSP power that make it a perfect tool for the stage and the recording studio.

The 40-input desk offers powerful live sound digital mixing with ViSi iPad control and built-in Stagebox connectivity for I/O expansion. In addition to its live sound components, the Si Impact has a 32-in/32-out USB recording and playback interface that provides easy multitrack recording and playback directl

USA - Over the last eight months, X-Laser USA has worked to engineer new products that make more possible with less. "Less," in this case, is the removal of vertical scanning via the Y-Axis in their newly released Aurora laser projectors.

Contrary to conventional thinking, removing vertical scanning actually creates the best, brightest and safest version of a "liquid sky machine", says the company. The new Aurora 4C and Aurora 4G models give users the ability to simply and easily make stunning "liquid sky" effects on a flat plane.

"These Aurora models look on the outside just like our regular quad-aperture lasers, but with removal of the Y-Axis, they're easier to use, safer to use and brighter than their predecessors," Dan Goldsmith, President of X-Laser USA, said. "Aurora keeps every photon headed toward the audience, so no light i

UK - Driven by a global social media campaign, female riggers from around the world recently took part in an open discussion to design and brand a new range of Dirty Rigger gloves which would be created from the ground up for women.

"Asking 'What do women want?' was key to the success," said Dirty Rigger designer Jess Morris. "It had been apparent for a while that the colour pink was by many deemed as stereotypical or even sexist, especially in such a male dominated industry. Another common issue of the traditionally bright ladies rigger gloves was their indiscreet nature, often standing out when working backstage where the idea is, of course, to be as unseen as possible during a performance. These issues meant many women were resorting to wearing men's gloves, often too long and too wide in the finger even in smaller sizes. These areas were all something we neede

UK - Lighting designer Andrew Voller has released a new update of his Moving Light Assistant software. Moving Light Assistant is an application designed to document both the physical setup and programming information for moving light rigs commonly used in the entertainment industry, and is used by lighting designers, associates, programmers, and lighting technicians.

The key feature additions and improvements that have been added in version 1.2 include:

- Reconciliation between Preset Documentation data and console data. This makes it easier to add only new presets (and also only if they are actually used), add channels added to a existing preset, show or remove deleted channels or presets and also indicate if a channel or preset is actually used.

- Preset Documentation Priorities. Presets can now be assigned a priority. It is then possible to sort and filter by priority.

Europe - The rise of LED luminaires is changing the way that lighting designers are able to think about colour. As Source Four LED Series 2 and other luminaires increasingly replace gelled incandescent lights, rigs may be streamlined, but design opportunities and complexities continue grow exponentially. When any hue can be mixed at any moment and different LED mixes of the same colour can achieve different onstage effects, designers and programmers may find themselves oversaturated with colour choices.

ETC's latest Eos family software update addresses these challenges head on, providing "unprecedented colour control options and a wide range of new features" that allow users to adapt their workflows for an evolving art form.

The new update provides an extensive toolbox for quick, easy colour mixing and selection. Want to adjust the colour of your sidelight? Use one o

Canada - For lighting designers looking to switch to wysiwyg lighting design and previsualization software for special projects, CAST Group has announced the introduction of wysiwyg Design and Perform three and six months leases.

Created specifically for production professionals wanting to use an all-inclusive production design tool, wysiwyg Design Suite offers a customized 3D CAD application with the most complete equipment libraries in the market, realtime lighting design simulation, rendering engines and an integrated paperwork database. wysiwyg Design allows users to explore their designs in a virtual environment and use the available tools to create lighting concepts and proposals

Taking the foundations of wysiwyg Design, wysiwyg Perform is an all-inclusive end-to-end solution that offers an additional simulation component. Console, media server or compatible offline edit

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

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 - 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 - PSCo, the trade only AV distributor and rental specialist, is showcasing the latest innovations from its leading manufacturer partners at the PLASA Show 2015 (London's Excel - 4-6 October). Visitors will be able to view PSCo's must-see 3-2-1mm LED line-up of Absen products on its 70m² stand, alongside innovative LCD displays including the new Samsung High Bright and video wall displays, and the stunning new Samsung 105" display - the largest professional display available in the world.

"Following the success of last year's PLASA, we are excited to be showcasing so many new technologies from our rental and sales portfolio for system integrators and live events partners," says Stuart Holmes, managing director of PSCo. "We will have new technologies across mu

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

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

UK - With LED lighting now becoming more and more common, LEE Filters has introduced Zircon - a new range of lighting filters that is designed to offer quality, consistency and, above all, durability.

It's no secret that conventional lighting filter struggles with fade times when used in conjunction with LED lighting set-ups. Zircon filters are able to circumvent this problem, thanks to a new technology that gives them an increased lifespan of up to 200 times longer than standard lighting filters.

It's not only their fade-resistant characteristics that distinguish Zircon filters from their more conventional counterparts. They are also easy to handle and fix in place, thanks to being produced on a 180-micron substrate that is more than double the thickness of standard filters.

With a selection of warming and diffusion filters in the range, Zircon filters provide a reliable an

Europe - Lab.gruppen has announced that the new version of its application browser configuration software for its Lucia range of compact power amplifiers is immediately available for free download on its website. Versions are downloadable for Mac or Windows.

With the new software, all six Lucia amplifiers including the two new 70 V models can access the full set of matrixing and DSP features, some of which were previously restricted to the premium M-suffix models that offer additional inputs and line level outputs.

The common harmonized feature set now includes custom EQ on inputs, custom EQ or preset recall for each discrete output, reconfigurable GPI ports, and Lab.gruppen's exclusive ADLC (Automatic Dynamic Loudness Contouring). Each model also offers matrix mixing of all inputs to all available outputs as determined by the model's available hardware I/O capability.

For u

UK - The newest RedNet devices announced last year - RedNet MP8R, RedNet D16R, RedNet HD32R and RedNet D64R - are now available, Focusrite has announced. All new models feature redundant power supplies, primary and secondary etherCON connections and occupy a single rack space. "Perfect for live sound and broadcast, this marks another forward step for the Focusrite brand into broader pro audio applications," the company says.

The four new models join the RedNet range of Dante-based interfaces, which offer a high quality audio-over-IP. In addition to a 1U form factor, they incorporate several features aimed squarely at the live sound market, including power- and network-redundancy.

The four new products are the MP8R 8-channel remote-controlled mic pre; D16R AES/EBU interface; HD32R Pro Tools bridge; and the D64R MADI bridge. Dual Ethernet ports, fitted with locking eth

USA - Following the launch of SymNet Composer 4.1, Symetrix has bolstered its control and command offering for SymNet open architecture Dante-scalable DSPs with the addition of three new control options.

The first of these options, the ARC-3 wall panel remote, was introduced to the systems integrator community at ISE 2015. Arriving in a single SKU with both surface- and flush-mount capabilities, ARC-3 incorporates a brand new capacitive touch interface with LED feedback, as well as a multi-lingual graphics-capable OLED display that is expected to resonate strongly with Symetrix' global customer base.

The second new option is the ARC-WEB browser-based dialler, which allows owners of iPhones, iPads, Android phones, tablets and network-enabled computers to control audio via embedded web servers running on SymNet Edge and SymNet Radius DSPs.

"With this option, end-users can

UK - A central feature of Focusrite's RedNet audio-over-IP interface system is the high-quality remote-controlled microphone preamplifiers included in the RedNet 4 and MP8R models. New firmware releases from Yamaha and Focusrite now make it possible for RedNet mic preamplifiers to be remote-controlled from Yamaha CL and QL mixing consoles, allowing significant additional interoperability between the two systems.

Yamaha's CL/QL version 3.1 firmware update, released this week, adds specific support for RedNet 4 and RedNet MP8R preamps. A firmware update to the RedNet units, also available immediately, is also required to enable the facility.

"RedNet units integrate into any Dante-based audio-over-IP network and have been steadily making a name for themselves with major broadcasting and live sound companies around the world," says RedNet product manager Will Hoult. &quo

The Netherlands - ETC is preparing for the next trade show in their busy calendar, with Amsterdam's IBC on 11-15 September, coming up soon.

The company's main draw for the show, which is geared towards professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content, are set to be the Source Four LED Series 2 Tungsten HD and Daylight HD fixtures. Specially designed to produce the best quality white light in cool (4000-6500K) or warm (2700-4500K) ranges, each is tuned for high definition use, eliminating any on-camera flicker. They have already been installed at a range of studios worldwide, including Israel's Channel 1 news studio in Jerusalem, where the technical staff and presenters were impressed by the flicker-free performance, low heat and impressive light output.

Alongside the two white light engines on the stand, the full-colour, high pow

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