UK - Green arts organisation Julie's Bicycle has launched its new UK-wide Better Batteries campaign at PLASA 2011. The campaign aims to bring together the music and theatre industries in a drive to switch over to rechargeable battery systems, particularly for portable sound equipment, and increase the rate of recycling for both disposable and rechargeable batteries. Focused on venues and individual productions the campaign is backed by scientific research and case studies from commercial theatre productions which prove the reliability of the technology, environmental benefits and cash savings available.

The environmental benefits associated with using rechargeable batteries and recycling after use include less pressure on natural resources, less pollution from the manufacturing process, less waste created and less carbon emissions resulting from transport and distribution, due t

Finland - The Kylpylähotelli Levitunturi spa - hotel boasts 220 guest rooms spread across 10 hotel buildings, a generous selection of restaurants, cafes, and clubs, plus a world-class spa and bowling facilities. It also features a new sound reinforcement system drawn from the catalogue of D.A.S. Audio.

Jyti Ålander is the sales director for Espoo, Finland-based Electro Waves Oy, a leading Finnish company with expertise in the fields of sound systems, lighting, and water technology. A provider of innovative AV solutions, Electro Waves, in a cooperative effort with some partner companies, played an integral role in the deployment of the lavish Aqua Theatres for Royal Caribbean International's flagship vessels Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. As the designer of the new sound system at Kylpylähotelli Levitunturi, he discussed the challenges of the project and the decisio

UK - It emerged yesterday that the company appointed by Ofcom to make way for new 4G services in the 800MHz band is selling equipment into the spectrum which taxpayers paid them to clear.

In 2009 Ofcom announced that wireless microphone users would be evicted from the 800MHz band to make way for new mobile broadband services. Following an industry campaign, Save Our Sound UK, which pointed out the damage being done to the British entertainment industry, the UK Government agreed to fund part of the clearance of the band. To qualify for taxpayer funding, Channel 69 equipment had to be surrendered.

This equipment is now being resold back into the band which taxpayers paid to remove it from, by the scheme's administrator - Equiniti. A significant amount of equipment has already been sold, and Equiniti is now gearing up its operations to release up to 80,000 channels for use in UK

UK - L-Acoustics introduced its new ARCS II constant curvature line source at PLASA 2011.

The ARCS II benefits from a design exploiting L-Acoustics' Wavefront Sculpture Technology in a constant curvature line source solution. Intended for medium to large rental productions, it delivers remarkable power, bandwidth and coherence, along with flexible and predictable coverage. It also offers the audience an incomparable listening experience featuring clarity, precision and impact, says the company.

The bi-amplified ARCS II enclosure is based on a two-way active design. It offers a number of improvements over the previous generation, primarily L-Acostics' K1 grade transducers for increased SPL (140 dB) and lower weight (50kg). It also features a new front grill for enhanced durability and appearance, and is driven by a single factory preset to efficiently accommodate any applicatio

USA - Award winning country music artist Clay Walker is now an official endorser of microphones from Audio-Technica. Since the beginning of this year, Walker and his backing vocalists have used A-T microphones during their touring performances across the US and Canada. He favours the A-T 5000 Series Frequency-agile True Diversity UHF Wireless system and AEW-T5400a handheld transmitter. And the A-T Artist Elite AE4100 Cardioid Dynamic Handheld Microphones are used to the same great effect by Walker's backup singers.

"Clay is a very dynamic singer, and he needs a microphone that he feels he can control easily, that makes the best use of his vocal dynamics," says Curt Walsh, Walker's bassist for the last 15 years and Bike Team Coordinator for Walker's personal non-profit charity, Band Against MS. "The Audio-Technica microphone gives Clay exactly that - total control.

Peru - This summer, a spectacular celebration at Peru's Machu Picchu commemorated American explorer Hiram Bingham's rediscovery of this awe-inspiring lost city 100 years ago. The ancient Inca citadel was sonically illuminated - for the first time ever - by a Meyer Sound reinforcement system that carried traditional, symphonic, and popular music to spectators gathered on the verdant mountainside terraces.

Implementing world-class production technology at Machu Picchu's remote location required extensive logistical planning, according to Andres Cuadros of Lima, Peru-based systems supplier dB LUX SAC.

First, Cuadros and business partner Guillermo Riera arranged to transport the sizeable production inventory - including 24 Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers, a DiGiCo SD8 digital console, more than 100 lighting instruments, two lighting consoles, and four 200 kW generators - by

USA - The bird calls, primate howls and other noises coming from the Philips Park Zoo in Aurora, Illinois, are balanced with a new audio system that delivers news, exhibit information, and background music to some 200,000 visitors each year.

Chicago-based systems integration firm AST (Advanced Systems & Technologies) installed a 70-volt system with eight weatherproof Technomad advanced audio loudspeakers to provide intelligible voice and high-quality musical reproduction throughout all seven acres of the zoo. Seven Technomad Vernal loudspeakers discreetly cover the grounds, providing audio to visitors nearby the animal exhibits. One Technomad Vienna loudspeaker provides long-distance audio projection to patrons at the main entrance gate and visitor centre.

The compact Vernal and Vienna loudspeakers, mounted on various building eves, light poles, and fences, are part of a custo

UAE - Melody House, distributors of Primacoustic is hosting two seminars on 15 September in Dubai. Conducted by Peter Janis, the president of Radial Engineering who also manufacture and sell Primacoustic products across the globe, the seminar will revolve around solving acoustic problems in studios, how to tune a room and remove excessive bass, how to deal with primary reflections, flutter echo and standing waves.

The first presentation will be held at the main office of Melody House in the morning and is open to consultants and integrators. While in the afternoon, home recording and production companies are invited to attend a second presentation at the School of Audio Engineering (SAE) in Knowledge Village.

"We look forward to welcoming Peter for the first time in the Middle East," commented Simon Short, Acoustics Specialist at Melody House. "This will be a gr

USA - Founded by renowned audio inventor Bob Carver and home automation pioneer Bob Farinelli, Bob Carver LLC "combines unconventional thinking with precision engineering to create innovative audio products that set new benchmarks in style and performance at affordable price points".

After working closely together for over five years at Sunfire, both gentlemen came out of retirement to join forces and found this new business in 2011.

"We are American Inventors with 75 years of design experience and 51 patents between us. We are committed to building the highest quality audio products in the USA. These products will deliver years of listening enjoyment and stand among the few of the greatest amplifiers ever designed." says Carver.

"I am thrilled to be partnering with Bob Carver on this new adventure. He continues to amaze me with his vast knowledge of

UK - With preliminary visitor figures of over 12,000, showing a marginal increase over 2010 and strong international engagement from across the world, organisers PLASA Events are "delighted" with the positive feedback to this year's PLASA 2011, which has just closed its doors at Earls Court after a vibrant four days.

This year's event sets the scene for a strong return to Earls Court in 2012. Events Manager Sophie Atkinson commented: "Exhibitors have been enthusing about the high quality of visitors and the rate of sales enquiries, and with hundreds of new products being launched, there has been a great return on investment for them. We expect to see many back here at Earls Court next year."

Visitors also relished being first to get their hands on some of the industry's hottest new products. Over 500 products were launched at the show, including major new d

Croatia - Whole Nine Yards Productions were contracted in May to provide production & overlay services to Europe's premier bass music festival. The Outlook festival is geographically split between Fort Punta Christo (a 19th Century abandoned fort) and a working harbour that was especially cleared for the festival. Playing host to nine principal music stages and over 400 appearing artists the design, planning and coordination of the festival was a complex endeavour.

Technical director Ben Price was responsible for a crew of over 200 and charged with the planning, design, procurement and coordination of all overlay and technical infrastructure. The festival required technical equipment from over six different European counties and the impressive supplier roster included some of the industry's leading companies including NUSSLI, Aggreko, RG Jones and HSL.

Planning commenced in Ma

USA - Sensaphonics recently held its third Golden Circle seminar of 2011, teaching audiologists the specific skills and knowledge needed to work with musicians and audio engineers. The two-day, hands-on course is taught by Sensaphonics founder and president, Dr. Michael Santucci, and sound engineering consultant Thom Fiegle.

"Musicians are totally different from any other client an audiologist is likely to see," notes Santucci, "and they deserve more than just a 'goop shooter' to take ear impressions. Sensaphonics Golden Circle members are among the few who have the specialised expertise to serve these clients properly, combining their knowledge of safe listening and the requirements of live performance."

Those gaining their Golden Circle certification at the Golden Circle seminar in September include: Dr. Judith A. Curtin and Francis H. Curtin, BSEE, of AB

UK - Yamaha PM5Ds are a familiar sight on UK festival stages, nowhere more so than with Adlib Audio, long-term users who continue to invest in this digital mixing console. The company recently purchased two more for this year's summer season.

Liverpool-based Adlib invested in the PM5D shortly after its introduction and the console remains in the front line of the company's rental stock, with a number of LS9s also available for smaller shows.

"Nowadays the PM5D is very much a standard package for festival monitors," says Adlib hire manager Phil Stoker. "It is the ideal console for that role, being very popular with monitor engineers and very quick to change over from one artist to another. The high pressure environment of festivals needs equipment that users can work with quickly and intuitively. ThePM5D completely fulfils that need."

As usual, in 2011 Adl

Germany - K.M.E. reports a highly successful summer season for the K.M.E. Pano Line Array system. Rock am Denkmal (Rock at the Monument) in Hötensleben near Magdeburg featured Maggie Reilly, the Electric Light Orchestra performed by Phil Bates and the German rock band Bell, Book & Candle. Showtechnik from Magdeburg deployed the Pano system.

The arrays consisting of line source units QL 906 and down-fills QL 1215 were installed. The QCB 318 subs delivered silence behind the stage and powerful rock sound in front of the stage. The amplification was realised by digital amplifiers DA 428 and DA 230. Although the Showtechnik team is an experienced Pano user they were once again very satisfied with the system.

Company Dorn and Kannegießer Showtechnik GbR equipped a number of events in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia - including Goitzsche in Flames, Sea in Flames and Classic Picnic - w

Japan / China - Martin Audio's new Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) has enjoyed instant success in the Far East - thanks to two large orders placed by newly-appointed distributors.

Both Beijing Pacific Budee Technology and Audio Brains, part of MSI Japan Holdings, were welcomed into the Martin Audio family at the recent Prolight&Sound exhibition in Frankfurt.

Their response has been immediate, with Budee ordering a 36-enclosure MLA/MLX system to fulfil an order from Hong Kong rental company, Max Production Ltd. The system was immediately pressed into service at Hong Kong's AsiaWorld-Expo for the Japanese singer-songwriter, YUI, who was playing her first overseas live concert in front of 14,000 fans in the AsiaWorld-Arena.

MSI, Martin Audio's distributor in Japan, was the contractor for this event, and Max Production Ltd was the audio equipment supplier for the venue. &

UK - Tannoy, Lab.gruppen, Lake and White Acoustics have announced changes to the organisational structure within marketing and product management across the brands, as well as the formation of a new department to application assistance and education for all brands.

Michael Munch has been appointed to the role of VP of product management across the installation, touring, and residential market verticals. Munch joined TC Electronic in 2004, before moving to Lab.gruppen in 2006 where he enjoyed success as head of product management at Lab.gruppen and Lake.

Elsewhere, Tim Chapman has been appointed VP of marketing across all the installation and touring brands, covering the management of all marketing functions and personnel based in Coatbridge for the Tannoy, Lab.gruppen, Lake and White Acoustics brands. With a long career in audio including marketing roles at Meyer Sound, Crest

UK - With preliminary visitor figures of over 12,000, showing a marginal increase over 2010 and strong international engagement from across the world, organisers PLASA Events are "delighted" with the positive feedback to this year's PLASA 2011, which last week closed its doors at Earls Court after a vibrant four days.

This year's event sets the scene for a strong return to Earls Court in 2012. Events manager Sophie Atkinson commented: "Exhibitors have been enthusing about the high quality of visitors and the rate of sales enquiries, and with hundreds of new products being launched, there has been a great return on investment for them. We expect to see many back here at Earls Court next year."

Visitors also relished being first to get their hands on some of the industry's hottest new products. Over 500 products were launched at the show, including major new

Canada - Adamson Systems Engineering has announced the commencement of the much anticipated Project Energia. The project was conceived after years of analysing the inefficiencies found in sound reinforcement and with performance venue optimization.

The key components of Energia, include a series of new loudspeaker systems, with networkable Class D amplifier modules, DSP, cable and power distribution, AVB network hardware with software integration of control, three-dimensional simulation and diagnostics. To ensure reliability and a smooth integration of Adamson's technology, there are three phases involved in the release of the first loudspeaker system in Project Energia.

These are: Phase 1 - Mechanical Field Testing; Phase 2 - Class D Amplifier, Power Distribution and Ground Control Field Testing and Phase 3 - Network and Network hardware Field Testing. In July of 2011, Phase

UK - Formula Sound has announced the appointment of CUK Audio as exclusive distributor of Formula Sound products in the UK and Eire. CUK Audio will be an integral part of the brand development programme recently put in place by the management of Formula Sound with new product releases, a new marketing and PR package and an expansion of their international business.

Stuart Thomson, MD of CUK Audio commented, "Formula Sound is a highly respected, technically innovative brand which complements our existing portfolio and expands our capability as a complete system provider in the market sectors we serve. The products are well known for their outstanding audio quality and reliability and we believe that we can add value and enhance sales by providing the first class technical back up and support that is the foundation of CUK Audio's business."

Devshi Gami from Formula Sou

UAE - Ferry Corsten, voted as one of the top 10 DJs in the world over the past decade, recently played live at the Dubai World Trade Centre to an audience of thousands with a set of Sennheiser HD 25 Originals at his side.

"Ferry Corsten treated music fans to an enthralling set. The HD 25 Originals were a perfect match for the event, proving once again that they are a real standard for professional DJs with their mix of high SPL, excellent sound quality, superb noise-isolation and unrivalled comfort, ensuring that Ferry Corsten's show was not only flawless, but truly mesmerizing," commented Mig Cardamone, business area manager at Sennheiser Middle East.

Supporting the techno-house DJ at the event were Radio 1's Greg Stainer and Real Events' Marky Marc. As well as supporting the DJ's at the event, Sennheiser had some active listening stations for the revellers who atte

UK - Midas digital fan Ian Bond, owner of Midas PRO6 serial number 007, has become one of the first clients to purchase both a PRO2 and a PRO2C live audio system.

Bond has purchased one each of the new Midas digital models for his rental company, IPB Audio. "I initially saw some drawings, and as usual, gave my feedback to (designer) Alex Cooper," he says. "One of the great things about Midas is that they always listen to people's opinions. The price of the PRO2 means that there's going to be a lot of people who can afford to have a Midas digital console and, importantly for me, people who can now afford to rent it. They can now have the same sound as an XL8 for a lot less money. It's going to shake things up a bit."

Bond has used his PRO6 extensively on FOH for Porcupine Tree, so it's fitting that the first job for the PRO2 is a solo tour with the band's gu

Poll Toppers - Coldplay have been voted the best festival headliner of 2011, in an online poll conducted by BBC 6 Music. The band - who headlined Glastonbury and T In The Park - topped the survey with 22.7% of votes cast, breakfast show host Shaun Keaveny announced. US rock band The National came in second with 14.2%, while Muse were third with 13.9%.

Coldplay's drummer Will Champion told 6 Music playing festivals gave the band "a chance to win people over". He added, "There's also a strong possibility that people have already made their mind up about you - and no matter how well you play they're not going to be happy about it." Glastonbury, which also saw U2 and Beyonce play headline slots in June, is taking a fallow year in 2012.

In The Saleroom - The Beatles showed their support for the US civil rights movement by refusing to play in front of segr

France - In a transaction made official on 5 September 2011, Digigram has formally acquired Ecrin Video & Broadcast, a division of Ecrin Systems based in Crolles near Grenoble, France. The move heralds Digigram's entry into the video market with the acquisition of Ecrin V&B's product portfolio and the specialized team behind it, who will be integrated into the Digigram team at Digigram's HQ in Montbonnot, also near Grenoble.

Ecrin Video & Broadcast is a designer and manufacturer of professional video compression solutions to transport video content over IP. Supporting all standards for broadcast, IPTV, WebTV and Telco operations, from HD to low bit rate formats, Ecrin V&B's streaming encoder, decoder, transcoder and archiving systems are designed to be the bridge between video media and the IP world.

"The acquisition of Ecrin Video & Broadcast which opens the door for Dig

UK - Professional loudspeaker company, EM Acoustics has appointed Dave Kelland to the position of UK sales manager. A highly experienced audio professional and already very familiar with EM Acoustics, Kelland's appointment heralds an exciting period of growth for EM Acoustics, says the company.

Kelland will be responsible for establishing, developing and maintaining EM Acoustics' growing UK business, in particular strengthening the company's dealer network as well as increasing penetration into the rental market.

"We are thrilled to have David come on board with us," says Mike Wheeler, operations director for EM Acoustics. "David has been a firm supporter of EM Acoustics since the beginning - in fact, his company, Kelco, was our very first UK dealer in 2003. We were very fortunate in that David was in a position to join us at the time we were looking for a sales

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