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23 July 2024

Switzerland - Netherlands-based comms brand Green-GO has announced the appointment of Electric Claudio Merlo Lighting Equipment S.A. (ECMS.A.) as its new exclusive distributor for Switzerland. With this development, which follows the appointment last year of ECM S.A. as the Swiss distributor for Green-GO’s sister-brand ELC, both brands from ELC Lighting have now joined the sales portfolio of ECM S.A.

Based in the southern Swiss Canton of Ticino, ECM S.A. was founded in 1971 by Claudio Merlo. The company first established itself in the booming discotheque market as a supplier of popular lighting brands, including Coemar and Optikinetics. However, it later developed to serve Switzerland’s professional entertainment markets, particularly theatres and TV studios, providing world-renowned brands such as ETC, Arri, Claypaky, Robert Juliat and more recently, EL

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23 July 2024

Hungary - Two hundred and sixty Martin Audio loudspeakers were on duty for a series of concerts at the Puskas Arena in Budapest recently. Spread across three weekends, with three sets of artists, BG Event staged one of their biggest productions ever in the 67,000-cap multi-purpose stadium.

The first weekend saw 22-year-old singer songwriter Azahriah, the latest Hungarian sensation, playing three shows, such was the demand for tickets, to a total of 120,000 people. This was followed by long-serving band Hungaria with their 1950s rock and roll style, and the final band was Halott Pénz (Dead Money), celebrating their 20th anniversary with this show.

It was the first time the production company had worked at this venue. Closed from 2002-2019 for a complete rebuild, according to BG Event’s Gábor ‘Mazsi’ Bácskay, “The team of architects failed t

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23 July 2024

UK - Manchester Printworks is a hospitality hub in the heart of the north of the UK. Comprising bars, restaurants, leisure spaces and a cinema, the venue recently received a £27m refurbishment which included the integration of the largest digital ceiling in Europe – measuring a total of 1,000m². The screen utilises augmented reality technology to display CGI content day and night, and a sound system from Renkus-Heinz envelopes guests in a world of entertainment.    

CUK Group supported the project as technical distributor, working alongside integrators PAS Sound Engineering. The new PA system was required to support the video wall content, as well as events held in the centre, which range from yoga classes to festivals and parties. Renkus-Heinz’s beam-steered IC Live Gen5 Series and UBX Series loudspeakers delivered the appropriate audio solution.

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22 July 2024

USA - Dave Matthews Band (DMB) brings its fusion of rock, jazz, and folk to sheds and festivals across the US this summer, carrying a Meyer Sound Panther system provided by UltraSound, LLC. The 32-date tour marks nearly three decades of collaboration between DMB, Meyer Sound, and UltraSound, a relationship that began with the band’s first headline tour in 1995.

DMB is out with a Panther system for the third time; the current configuration is anchored by 16 Panther large-format linear array loudspeakers per side, supported by 14 Lyon out-fills per side, eight Leopard front-fills on the downstage edge, and CQ-1 and JM1-P loudspeaker-fills as needed, with 10 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements per side hung behind mains in a gradient array.

Panther offers numerous advantages, says UltraSound senior systems engineer Tom Lyon, who has been working w

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22 July 2024

UK - In collaboration with the Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Project, Shure has announced that the MV7+ is one of the first microphones to receive OBS certification. 

Certification from the OBS Project guarantees that the MV7+ microphone meets the criteria of functionality necessary to ensure users have a positive experience while using the microphone with OBS. The certification further indicates that Shure and the OBS Project will conduct ongoing testing to confirm the microphone continues to work seamlessly with OBS. 

“When you’re on stream, technology should help you to create and express yourself, not be a roadblock. Streamers deserve to know their audio gear will work seamlessly and simply with their broadcasting software,” shared Eduardo Valdes, associate vice president of global marketing and product management. “For this reason, w

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22 July 2024

USA/Europe - Icelandic singer Daði Freyr, has completed three tours using KLANG:vokal immersive technology. Used as a standalone unit, KLANG:vokal integrates into the monitor system to offer the artists an improved in-ear experience, allowing monitor engineer Sigri Hovde, to optimise her workflow and deliver superior results for the whole band.

Representing Iceland in the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest catapulted Daði Freyr to international fame, subsequently garnering over 200m streams and global tours. As well as recording and self-producing his debut album, the simply titled I Made an Album, Freyr is now looking forward to a summer of worldwide dates, having just completed a North American tour.

Hovde, has worked with many globally renowned artists over her career and is about to embark on a massive international tour with Norwegian star,

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22 July 2024

UK - When Vine Christian Centre in Bridgend decided to upgrade the audio system in their main venue, they turned to local integrator Spartan AV, who installed a high-quality solution in conjunction with technical distributor, CUK Audio.

The previous audio system had been in use for over 20 years, with recent temporary repairs made to prolong its life. Fundamentally, though, the system did not provide adequate coverage in a venue three times as wide as it is deep. Stand-mounted speakers had been added to improve coverage, at the expense of blocking site lines.

Sean Hales, Spartan AV operations director, reports: “The client was initially fairly set on a flown line-array system; however, after my initial site visit, I deemed that a correctly designed point-source system was the right way to tackle this project. Another consideration was loading on st

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22 July 2024

USA - AY Productions, a specialist in audio and intercoms, provides television networks with a team of communication engineers for the setup and operation of intercoms for a range of major sporting events.

Since AY Productions first started using Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom Wireless Intercom System, the company hasn’t looked back, deploying CrewCom for a range of live productions on major networks, such as the AFC Championships, the Super Bowl and the NFL Combine, among many other large-scale live sporting events.

As these types of productions have become more complex and technical, AY has expanded its CrewCom inventory, now carrying a total of 42 CrewCom CRP-44 Radio Packs (RPs) in addition to several CrewCom Radio Transceivers (RT), Control Units (CU) and SmartBoom headsets from Pliant Technologies.

Long-time Pliant users and AY Produc

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19 July 2024

UK - Part of the Insignis Academy Trust, Princes Risborough School in Buckinghamshire is a mixed-gender secondary school catering for children from the age of 11 to 18. The performing arts play an important role in the school’s curriculum, offering a route to qualifications, as well as the opportunity to participate in, and gain confidence from, being part of many productions run by the Performing Arts Department.

To support its dance, drama and music programmes, the school recently looked to enhance its audio provision by investing in a portable solution which could be easily operated in different areas of the school. The aim was to provide high quality background music reinforcement for dance classes, as well as a medium for small-scale spoken-word/music presentations and rehearsals. Flexibility was key, as was the need to stay within budget constraints.

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19 July 2024

UK - Focusrite has announced the release of RedNet Control v2.13. This software update enables RedNet PCIeNX card owners to expand audio channel capacity from 128x128 to 256x256 (up to 96kHz) by purchasing a one-time licence upgrade from Audinate.

This upgrade significantly enhances system capacity, enabling RedNet PCIeNX cards to simultaneously handle up to 256 inputs and outputs. This increased capacity allows for seamless audio reception from numerous sources and distribution to multiple destinations, such as large surround installations or live shows with extensive monitor mixes.

“Whether you're routing signals to a Dolby Atmos renderer, managing a multi-room studio setup, or handling complex live sound routing that includes recording, playback, and foldback to numerous locations simultaneously, the ability to manage all of this from a single R

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18 July 2024

Germany - PunQtum have released two new headsets to reinvent their current product line. The PunQtum Q915 and Q925 headsets have been designed to elevate the customer experience, delivering lightweight and comfortable wear combined with advanced audio technology.    

Optimised for speech, the headset’s dynamic microphone filters out environmental noise, leading to a disruption-free listening experience for the end user. Coupled with an adjustable boom that’s wearable on either side of the device, the Q915 and Q925 are comfortable and flexible headsets designed to deliver seamless communication.

The PunQtum Q915 is a one-ear headset and the PunQtum Q925 is its dual-ear counterpart. Both headsets come with a 4-pin XLR connector cable. PunQtum’s previous Q910 and Q920 headsets have now been discontinued with only a few items left in stock.  

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18 July 2024

Ireland - The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) based in Dublin, is a state agency which provides a range of professional services to the local government sector across Ireland. Working collaboratively with all of Ireland’s 31 local authorities, the LGMA supports the co-ordinated and cost-effective delivery of local government services and policy.

In a bid to improve the quality of communications in its boardroom, a multi-function space, LGMA recently set out to improve the audio element of its existing system with a new delegate wireless microphone solution, as well as adding further sound reinforcement to enhance the auditory experience of Teams meeting/conference participants.

An open government tender resulted in IT support and solutions specialists Bytek Office Solutions securing the contract for the work. With more than 35 years' expe

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17 July 2024

MENA - DirectOut has announced Beamcast as its official distributor for the broadcast market in the Middle East and North Africa.

“We have had excellent relationships with many system integrators in the region for years, yet we have consistently struggled to secure a permanent distributor capable of enhancing the region's knowledge of our audio solutions for broadcast,” states Lorenzo Sassi, business development manager at DirectOut. “With Beamcast, we now have a partner who not only understands the market, but also the technologies we support, and how to match them with the needs of the customers.”

Beamcast will now offer comprehensive support and training services. This includes seminars, provision of demo and loan equipment, and the ability to ship products directly from a regional warehouse in the Middle East. This will enable DirectOut t

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17 July 2024

Canada - Bluesound Professional has announced the addition of two new distribution partners in South America and Scandinavia. Joining the network are ZRS Distribuidora in Brazil and Exton in Iceland.

“We are thrilled to welcome ZRS Distibuidora and Exton to the Bluesound Professional team as industry leaders in their respective markets,” says Graeme Harrison, vice-president and general manager of Bluesound Professional. “Both of these strategic relationships will further help us to expand our innovative streaming audio solutions in new influential markets across the globe, while Bluesound Professional continues to gain a noteworthy reputation in commercial spaces.”

Since the brand’s launch at the Integrated Systems Europe 2019 trade show, Bluesound Professional has expanded to over 70 international markets and is looking to add further terr

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17 July 2024

Croatia - LAV Projekt has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Renkus-Heinz throughout Croatia with immediate effect.

LAV Projekt places particular emphasis on staying up to date with technological advancements and emerging trends to better serve their customers. In that light, Patricio Valenta, who heads up the audio department of LAV Projekt, comments, “In our endeavour to establish ourselves as a premier system integration company in Croatia, we place great emphasis on innovation and adaptability.

“We firmly believe that the groundbreaking technologies and integration ease offered by Renkus-Heinz will be pivotal in our success as distributors and system integrators.

“As we've been working on a lot of projects lately, we've come across spaces where it was very difficult to get adequate sound coverage and deliver audio excellen

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17 July 2024

UK - Located in the Cotswolds, Daylesford Organic Farm, founded by Carole Bamford, is home to the flagship Daylesford Organic Farm Shop, Bamford Wellness Spa, The Club by Bamford, Bamford Barn and Daylesford Stays.

Tateside, a London-based AV systems integrator, collaborated on the project through the integration of AV solutions throughout the estate. "We started working with Daylesford Organic around eight years ago, with our initial involvement in supplying and installing background audio in the brand’s London farm shops,” reflects Ben Landi, project manager at Tateside. “Over the years, we’ve gradually expanded our role to cover the technology integration across the entire collection, including the pubs, the Club by Bamford and Heritage House, their new event space."  

The project encompassed the integration of AV solutions into various

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17 July 2024

UK - System integrator Marquee AV took advantage of the discreetness and flexibility of Powersoft’s compact Mezzo amplifier platform for a new AV installation at Kings Place, a multifunctional conference and events venue in King’s Cross, London.

Located in the vibrant King’s Cross area, close to landmarks such as the British Library, Bloomsbury Theatre and St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Kings Place is a mixed-use development that includes an arts and creative hub, office space, events and conference rooms, and bars and dining areas, including a waterfront restaurant. The recently renovated Battlebridge Room is at the heart at the Kings Cross complex, its modularity, natural light and scenic views (overlooking Regent’s Canal) helping to make it one of the venue’s most popular spaces.

Kings Place is an existing client of Marquee AV, and when i

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16 July 2024

Portugal - Linea Research has announced a new distribution channel for Portugal, taking AV event production company, Sons do Marquês, as network partner in the region to extend the reach of Linea Research into that territory.

Based in Pombal, Sons do Marquês has supplied the audio products to the Portuguese rental and installation markets for over 20 years.

Sons do Marquês MD, Rogerio Lopes, said, “The Linea Research range of amplifiers will be a popular choice in Portugal and already there is interest from larger rental companies and for multi-zone installation project, in the 8-channel M- and C- series models. Linea Research enhances our offering to existing clients seeking an extensive preset library combined with a powerful range of amplification and DSP technology.”

Linea Research sales manager, Martin Hildred, added, “We are de

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16 July 2024

China - Located in the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China, Guangzhou Hertz Audio Co is a large-scale professional audio systems integrator and installer covering theatres, concert halls, TV studios, stadiums and convention centres, and with a particular focus on nightclubs and music venues.

By adhering to a business philosophy of ‘honesty, cooperation and win-win for customers, partners and employees’, the company has built a solid reputation for designing and installing sound systems that deliver an excellent return on investment for their clients. And central to that success is the consistent specifying of Nexo loudspeaker solutions.

“Nexo products deliver unrivalled power and coverage at a price point that really makes sense and we have made many successful Nexo installations in nightclubs in China,” reports H

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16 July 2024

UK - Although only a small, 220-cap venue, the Half Moon in Putney has hosted some of the biggest names in show business over the last 60-plus years. It was the venue for U2's first ever sell-out show, the place where Kate Bush first performed publicly, hosted KD Lang's debut, and has had the likes of Bo Diddley, The Who, and The Rolling Stones gracing its stage.

But its sound system had been installed almost a decade previously and was nearing end of life.

The venue’s head engineer James Beck has been working at the venue all of that time and more. It was when Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason came through back in 2018 carrying Martin Audio’s MLA Mini loudspeaker array that the vast improvement in sound quality arrested his attention.

“I was well aware of the Martin Audio brand, and when I heard this I was super-impressed. It had already b

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15 July 2024

Saudi Arabia - When facilitating a massive broadcast and live sporting event like the Next Gen ATP tennis finals, play cannot be interrupted for any reason. DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MP ensured that the event stayed on air, without the possibility of failure due to lost signal.

Marco Galizia, technical director for Next Gen ATP Finals, insists that DirectOut hardware and audio solutions are the only way to secure total peace of mind, as he discovered when utilising two PRODIGY.MP at the final of the tennis tournament for the superstars of tomorrow, held in Jeddah at the end of last year.

DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MP is designed to provide flexible I/O, dual network audio and sample rate conversions. The FPGA-based, low-latency processing provides Matrix Mixers, summing busses and channel processing. With its seamless I/O structure including network convergen

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15 July 2024

UK - Established for more than 15 years, Lancashire PA Hire is a supplier of audio systems for a wide range of events both locally and nationally. Festivals, gigs, weddings, corporates, parties, and mobile DJs are all catered for.

Over a year ago, Lancashire PA Hire took the decision to upgrade its large event system, and decided to invest in HK Audio products as owner Darryl Fraser explains:

“To begin we had invested in six HK Audio L4000 subs and four Linear 5 LTS tops. They proved to be a real success, taking us through 2023 and enabling us to comfortably cover shows of 800+ audiences. The only minor gripe we had with the system was a lack of control, but we got round this issue with our Allen & Heath SQ5 desk.

“Then at the end of 2023 we spoke to Andy Taylor from SoVeryAPT who mentioned that HK Audio were releasing MKII versions o

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15 July 2024

Albania - On 27 June, production house Kuadr Events hosted the highly anticipated Alpha Show III, the largest hip-hop event ever staged in Albania, at the newly upgraded Air Albania Stadium in Tirana.

The production featured a 360-degree stage design, offering an immersive experience with impressive audio and lighting that captivated the audience and set a new standard for live performances in the region.

Rental provider, ASLV [Albanian Sound, Lighting & Video], was behind the audio setup, deploying a comprehensive 360-degree stadium-filling system with 90 Outline GTO C-12, 16 Superfly, 28 Mantas 28, 12 GTO-SUBs, and 80 DBS 18-2 sub-bass enclosures.

The entire system was powered by Outline GTA-Series amplifiers, with part of the GTO-series loudspeakers supplied by Gigant Sound Letus through a collaboration within Outline’s rental networ

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12 July 2024

UK - XTA and MC² amplification, enjoyed a strong presence at Glastonbury 2024, with a number of audio suppliers choosing the brands’ robust and ultra-dependable units for what can be a challenging environment.

At the Glade Stage, which featured a lineup of high-profile artists, Stefan Imhof of Audio Plus deployed XTA’s DPA100 to power a Funktion One front of house system and monitors. A total of 17 DPA100 powered the Funktion One Vero, Vero VX, F124 subs, front-fills and side-fills, with a further 12 units powering the monitors, all controlled via Globcon XTA MC² Edition control software.

The West Holt Stage was a magnet for festival-goers seeking an eclectic array of sets from artists from around the globe. RG Jones in collaboration with 22live delivered all the audio for the stage, with Paul Hatt of CS audio providing 48 channels of splits vi