UK - Castle Rent, which is owned by Castle Group Ltd, has launched its all-new on-line equipment hire service (www.castlerent.com). Dedicated to test and measurement instrumentation, this new website offers a wide range of products from numerous manufacturers and covering subjects from airflow to weighing scales and anemometers to vibration meters.

Simon Bull, managing director of Castle Group said, "Rental is more and more of a desired option these days with capital budgets being squeezed from all directions in the face of work that still needs to be done! We are delighted with

UK - Michael Grandage CBE, will open this year's TheatreCraft event by giving a welcome speech at 9am on Friday 30 November 2012, at the Royal Opera House.

TheatreCraft, which is now in its seventh year, is the essential free event for anyone aged 17 to 25 looking for a non-performance career in theatre. Participants can explore topics including producing, stage management, wig-making, lighting, marketing, theatre journalism, sound, directing, costume design, playwriting and designing.

The event on Friday 30 November at the Royal Opera House will welcome more than 1,000 young people

UK - Roland Systems Group has announced the release of the Mac/PC S-4000RCS Version 2.3 control software for the stand-alone Digital Snake and M-48 personal mixing system. The S-4000RCS is the setup and control software for the personal mixing and digital snake systems when a Roland V-Mixer is not part of the configuration. This software enables the M-48 personal mixers and other Digital Snake products to be used stand-alone or with any other console.

These software updates offer workflow improvements such as resizable windows that allow the user to simply drag the assignment window o

UK - Adlib's sales and installation division supplied an L-Acoustics Kara sound system to Scarborough Open Air Theatre, North Yorkshire, UK, which featured concerts by JLS, John Barrowman, Olly Murs, Alexandra Burke, Russell Watson and many more in its 2012 Summer Season.

Liverpool based Adlib were contacted by Scarborough based P&L Sound & Lighting to present a joint proposal to supply and service the venue with audio equipment, which was put out for tender by Scarborough Borough Council.

Once their bid was successful, the two companies also collaborated closely with L-ACOUSTICS an

UK - The British Olympic Association's (BOA) operational headquarters during London 2012 (Team GB House) was complete with private hospitality area, a special lounge designed to allow athletes to spend time with their family and friends, a press conference room, broadcast suites and back office operations centre for sports and news analysis.

Situated opposite both Olympic Park and Stratford Station - Team GB House was designed to provide a relaxing haven for nearly 550 athletes, who represented Great Britain at the Games, with secure access from the village.

The Centre benefited fro

USA - "A sound system at a church is really only a tool to help us do what we do. Sing. Pray. Teach. It's just that this new d&b audiotechnik sound system allows us to do all of that so much better than anything else we've used." For worship pastor David Lewis and the rest of Living Hope Church in Piperton, Tennessee, it was essential to create a worship space that would enhance their services and create an atmosphere for passionate praise, "This sound system uncompromisingly allows us to serve our community and focus on the ministry."

The congregation at Living Ho

South Korea - Dureraum, also known as the Busan Film Centre, is the dedicated theatre for the most renowned Korean Film festival - the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), and is used as the venue for both opening and closing ceremonies. It is located in Centum City in Haeundae District in South Korea. The newly constructed architectural wonder was built on a 32,137sq.m site, utilizing a design by Coop Himmelblau of Austria and Heerim Architects & Planners of Korea, both whom were selected in an open competition.

The centre is composed of three buildings - Cinema Mountain, PIFF H

Europe - Lawo console brand Innovason has just wrapped up a successful European seminar tour entitled The origin of sound. Driven by Lawo's Marcel Babazadeh, himself a tonmeister and accomplished classical musician, the aim of the tour was to explore the secrets of creating the best possible sound for classical music with a live PA system. Innovason and Lawo teamed up with Neumann and Sennheiser to present six workshops in six different venues across Europe.

"The 'origin of sound' can be interpreted in many different ways," explained Babazadeh. "On one side is th

USA - PLASA Events has announced the line-up for the next three editions of its North American regional trade show series. Following PLASA Focus: Stamford 2012, to be held on 12-13 November, 2012 at the Stamford Marriott in Connecticut, the new-style regional events will roll into Orlando on 15-16 May, 2013; Austin on 10-11 September, 2013; and Nashville on 5-6 February, 2014.

Having made a name for itself in its first year, the PLASA Focus series is committed to providing live production professionals that can't attend national shows with a chance to check out new technologies in the

USA - Audio-Technica supplied microphones used on both candidates, the moderator and audience participants at the third debate in the 2012 presidential campaign on 16 October at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Larry Estrin, of Best Audio in Studio City, CA, who serves as audio and production communications director for the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), chose A-T for each of the four debates in the series.

Products used included A-T's 5000 Series wireless with AEW-T5400a condenser handheld transmitters and AEW-R5200 receivers for President Obama and Governor Ro

USA - Producer/DJ Benny Benassi is about to embark on one of his most extensive North American tours to date and has buddied up with RCF.

Stemming from a mutual hometown in Italy, RCF and Benny Benassi share a distinct zeal for the highest standard of excellence within their own fields, making the collaboration a natural fit. RCF will not only be decking out Benny's tour bus with top of the range speakers but they will also be offering a pair of monitors AYRA 6 to win.

Benny comments, "As a DJ I am always around speakers and finding a good set is always a challenge. I genuinely

Germany - A card game based on Neumann's current and selected classic microphones is now available at the Apple App Store. The rules are similar to those of childhood card games. The winner is the player who knows which microphones can handle the highest sound pressure levels, have the lowest self-noise, have the greatest number of directional characteristics, or have been available on the market the longest.

The app for the iPhone, iPod and iPad -free of charge - has a single-player mode with two levels of difficulty, where players match their skill against the computer, and a multi-

UAE - With a focus firmly on the integration features of its product range, d&b audiotechnik GmbH along with its Sales partner Lightbox Professional has revisited exhibiting at InfoComm Dubai with considered determination.

Loudspeaker systems drawn from the dedicated installation White range were displayed, and demonstrations of the high quality sound achievable with these systems were made. The fully featured integration technology of their associated d&b amplifiers, with on-board control and processing, and network integration, was highlighted. Janko Ramuscak from the d&b Applicatio

UK - Allen & Heath recently conducted a series of GLD and iLive digital mixing desk training days; the latest of which being completed at Batmink Distribution in Glastonbury. The purpose of these days was twofold; firstly to enable potential purchasers to get hands on before they commit, and secondly to support existing owners and users.

Due to its popularity, the Batmink event was held over three days; with Allen & Heath trainer Stuart McKay on site for the duration of the training. "I was really pleased with how the three days of training went. Batmink provided a great location

UK - Orbital Sound has opened a new programming suite, providing sound designers, producers and engineers with a relaxed programming environment. The new room is part of Orbital's expanding studio complex, located at the company's extensive London headquarters.

Investing in new facilities is central to Orbital's philosophy, as MD Chris Headlam explains, "We originally created our studio complex with the aim of providing a fully equipped working environment for creating sound effects, click track and voiceovers, and it has been hugely popular since it opened. The new programming s

Kenya - Land Mawe Limited in Nairobi, Kenya, is a transport and logistics company specialising in transforming trucks into musical road show vehicles for brands such as Coca Cola and Vodafone. Each vehicle is installed with high quality stage, screen and sound system equipment, including an Allen & Heath ZED-10FX multi-purpose mixer.

The ZED mixers are supplied by Sound Creations, the Paxt Ltd appointed distributor for Allen & Heath in Kenya.

Amit Poonj Sharma, managing director of Land Mawe Ltd said, "The ZED-10FX mixers have stood up to the rigours of the tough roads and some

France - Adamson Europe GmbH and DV2, Adamson's exclusive distribution for France, joined forces to host a two-day Energia seminar for the French market. Additional guests travelled from the UK and technical presentations were provided by Guy Vignet, MD at DV2, Didier Dal Fitto, chief engineer at DV2, Jochen Sommer, MD of Adamson Europe GmbH and Jesse Adamson, director of marketing and sales at Adamson headquarters.

Guy Vignet, comments, "The Yaxis series was very successful in France and our network of users is strong. This seminar was designed to show existing and new clients t

Spain - This month, Duran Audio is holding two training events designed specifically for consultants, installers, integrators and AXYS business partners.

They will offer a thorough grounding not only on the AXYS products but also system design within difficult acoustic environments. This is your opportunity to learn more about the principals and techniques of probably the most profound audio technology of the 21st Century. It's also an opportunity to meet with and discuss issues arising from projects you are currently working on with the Duran Audio team.

Day one will start with a p

Denmark - As specialists in providing optimised conference room displays, dnp denmark have published a new 13-page step-by-step guide on their website, in the form of a sub-page in its Conference Room section.

The Guide answers the questions that any meeting convener, onsite AV/IT manager, systems integrator and supplier should be asking in order to get the maximum impact from each and every AV presentation. This includes type of screen, size and format (whether plain white or optical), the required projector brightness and lens - and image sources/presentation software.

The brochur

Germany - Fibre network specialists Optocore GmbH, have provided shirt sponsorship for a local Munich youth team.

The new kit will be worn by SV Waldeck's Under 13's, coached by Bernd Hochrein. The team, who play in Division 3 of the local youth league, have made a sensational start to the season, and presently sit in top position.

This is much to the delight of Optocore directors, Marc Brunke and Tine Helmle, whose son, Yorick Brunke, has played for the club for the past six years.

By way of thanks, club executive Herbert Bueser, presented Tine Helmle, with a jersey in the same n

USA - Less than an hour south of downtown Phoenix lies the Casa Grande Ruins, one of America's oldest prehistoric and cultural preserves. Built by the native peoples who farmed the Gila Valley in the early 13th century, the ruins include the remains of several ancient Hohokam structures, as well as elaborate irrigation systems. The largest of these structures is a massive four-story edifice whose adobe walls have withstood the harsh desert climate for more than 700 years.

Designated a national monument in 1918, the grounds are protected and preserved by the National Parks Service. In

Serbia - The success of Yamaha's CL series digital mixing consoles has seen the company invited to provide a series of interactive training seminars in many European countries. The latest was at Belgrade-based Light and Sound Design (LSD).

Run by Andy Cooper, manager at Yamaha Commercial Audio's European Support Centre, the seminars took place at the city's Dom Sindikata venue on the 10-11 October and proved extremely popular. A wide range of audio engineers attended, including studio, theatre and television technicians, front of house and monitor engineers who work with Serbia's high

UK - The build-up to PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013 launches today with free registration and a brand new website. The only event for entertainment technology in the north of England, PLASA Focus takes place on Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday 1 May 2013 at the Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock, only a short distance from the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire.

The fifth annual event looks set to continue its success story with over 91% of exhibition space already taken and only 15 stands available to book between now and December. PLASA members and previous exhibitors receive discounts on stand s

Record Royalties - Big hits from the likes of Adele and Calvin Harris helped British artists earn £188m in overseas royalties last year, according to PRS for Music. The organisation collects royalties from 150 countries on behalf of 90,000 UK songwriters, composers and music publishers.

During a "particularly strong" 2011, UK songwriters and composers earned £187.7m globally - up 10% on 2010. Income earned abroad has doubled in the last decade, the PRS added. Royalties are generated any time a song is played - whether it is on TV, radio, online or at a live event

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