UK A slice of 1950s Americana is currently rockin' and rollin' all week long throughout the UK and Ireland, as Happy Days, A New Musical brings The Fonz, Ritchie Cunningham and many other familiar characters from the television series to provincial stages. A Yamaha CL5 digital console is helping to deliver the c-o-o-o-l sound of the era.

Designed by Ben Harrison and supplied by Orbital Sound, the show's audio production features a Yamaha CL5 at front of house, with i/o from two Rio3224-D units. One of these is in the orchestra pit for the band inputs, a combination of microphon

UK - Allen & Heath has released V1.4 firmware for its GLD digital mixer range, introducing a suite of powerful dynamic processors and enhancements to scene management, including crossfading and embedded scene recalls.

V1.4 features two multiband compressors (three and four bands) and a four-band dynamic equaliser, recently developed for the latest update to the acclaimed iLive digital series. V1.4 also includes Transient Controller, an accurate model of the industry standard transient signal processor. These additions provide GLD users with crucial tools for dynamic control, such as t

Rich Pickings - Taylor Swift has returned to the top of Billboard's annual list of music money makers, a title she held in 2012 only to relinquish last year to Madonna. The 24-year-old earned $39.7m (£23.8m) in 2013 from a combination of music sales, royalties and touring, according to the trade publication. Country star Kenny Chesney rose three places to second place, while Justin Timberlake came third. Rock acts Bon Jovi and the Rolling Stones round out this year's top five.

Homecoming - Hit musical Book of Mormon is due to play Salt Lake City for the first time

Germany - DPA Microphones will focus attention on its range of high-quality microphones for the live stage at Prolight + Sound 2014 (Hall 8, Stand C71). Among the product updates on display are the company's award-winning d:facto Vocal Microphone, which will sport new grids with gold and nickel finishes. DPA will also showcase the Rock and Classic Tour Kits for its popular range of d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones. The company will enhance its show line-up by displaying its superior d:dicate recording microphone range, which delivers high-quality audio across many applications, includ

Germany - Work has scheduled two major product launches for ProLight & Sound 2014. One of the company's main products will be ARION 5, the new compact self-powered line array system that has recently joined the ARION 10 as part of the ARION Series. This new system, suitable for small and medium applications, is composed of four two-way satellites (SL 25), a self-powered tri-amplified subwoofer with built-in DSP (SL 115 SA) and a flying frame for rigging purpose. It gives high SPL and excellent frequency response.

ARION 5 includes a tri-amplified module that provides a complete control

Germany - It's going to be a very busy show for Outline, as they announce the launch of a whole raft of innovative new products at MusikMesse 2014 (stand J70, Hall 8.0).

The best-selling EIDOS range expands yet further with the addition of three new members, the X123W, the 6.5 and the 12 SP:

The EIDOS X123W is a classic multi-purpose problem-solver, combining high power with an asymmetric cabinet design allowing myriad applications. Its use of modern co-axial driver technology (12"/3" LF/HF) allows a very light and compact unit to deliver serious spl.

The EIDOS 6.5 is a

Germany - British pro-audio manufacturer, Audient will be using this year's Musikmesse to showcase ASP880, eight-channel microphone preamplifier and ADC, the first product to be released since Simon Blackwood's acquisition of the company at the end of 2013.

ASP880 features eight of Audient's renowned console mic pres, two JFET D.I instrument inputs, pristine converter technology, variable impedance and variable high pass filters, all part of a versatile feature set neatly packaged in a 1U rack mount unit.

Chief technical officer Tom Waterman explains, "Listening to feedback fro

UK - Three of Universal's newest signings, Sons & Lovers, Eliza & The Bear and Fred Page, have just completed The Satellite Tour with an SSL Live console, supplied by HD Pro Audio.

Production for the 14 date UK tour was handled by Cato Music. Cato's FOH engineer, Jim King, needed a console to meet the tours specific requirements, which included a large number of outputs. He discussed the options with HD Pro's Andy Huffer and decided the SSL Live more than met all the tour's needs. Although new, its ease of operation also required only half a day's training for King to operate with con

South Africa - Johnny Scholtz, has joined the DWR Distribution sales team. Johnny is a well known and respected lighting designer and has worked on various corporate events in Africa.

He initially joined the industry after completing a sound engineering course. "In fact, Peter Rieck, a friend of mine from high school, introduced me to the industry," recalls Johnny. Peter was working for MJ Event Gear at the time, and Johnny joined the company soon after. He stayed at MJ for 11 years, working himself up the corporate ladder and falling in love with lighting along the way. Joh

UK - HHB Communications has installed the UK's first 24-channel Avid S6 M40 control surface in its subsidiary Scrub's demo room in Soho, London.

Customers are invited to arrange an appointment to view the full features of the S6 with HHB's knowledgeable Avid specialists in a 5.1 equipped facility. The 24-fader M40 offers a unique advantage by showcasing the full range of modules available in a large format console. Pro Tools, Nuendo and Logic are installed and available for S6 demonstrations.

The S6 console has revolutionised the control of Pro Tools and other DAWs by providing exte

USA - Metallica will expand its touring inventory with 76 units of the new MJF-210 stage monitor from Meyer Sound. The lightest self-powered stage monitor in the company's product line, the MJF-210 was developed to the exacting demands presented by the Metallica production team. The band's new monitors will first be used on its South American tour this spring.

Bringing the sonic performance of the MJF-212A stage monitor to a more compact package, the MJF-210 is the direct result of a collaborative effort between Meyer Sound and its customers in the field. Looking for a new solution to

USA - Over the past 10 years on the road, touring sound engineer Sean Quackenbush has worked with such hard-touring bands as O.A.R. and Robert Randolph, along with a host of other groups. One of the biggest benefits of that experience has been the opportunity to use all the major brands of in-ear monitors. This has led him to the conclusion that for sound quality, comfort, and reliability, his clear preference is for Sensaphonics in-ear monitors (IEMs).

"I've had the chance to try them all, and there's really no comparison," he says. "It starts with sound quality. My jo

Australia - The heritage-listed Newstead Gas Ring is an iconic piece of Brisbane's historical industrial architecture that is now at the hub of a major urban regeneration project, Gasworks, a plan started over two decades ago to transform the formally derelict post-industrial wasteland into a busy and vibrant contemporary living, working and commercial environment.

The newly launched Gasworks Plaza element of this project stands below the superstructure of the former gas storage ring which still majestically towers above the land below ... and has now been illuminated with over 500 An

Germany - Solid State Logic is set to make several product announcements at Musikmesse/Prolight + Sound 2014. Located for the first time ever in Hall 8 at Stand L80, the company has announced the imminent release of new V2 Software for the SSL Live console, which introduces a substantial collection of significant new features. This includes enhancements to the Output Matrix, Effects Rack, User Interface, Routing, Solo System and Focus Channel, as well as a comprehensive Offline Setup application.

SSL is also presenting a trio of major new developments for its Duende Native range of pl

Canada - DPA Microphones has confirmed the appointment of GerrAudio as its Canadian distributor. GerrAudio is an established distributor of professional audio equipment for the live performance and broadcast industries across Canada. The company represents some of the industry's leading wired and wireless intercom, digital mixing console, signal processing and audio test and measurement equipment brands.

"We are very fortunate to be chosen to represent DPA Microphones in Canada," says Bob Snelgrove, president of GerrAudio. "The quality and performance of the company's m

Germany - Building on the legacy of their PRO3, PRO6 and PRO9 digital consoles, Midas announced at ProLight+Sound, Frankfurt, the new PRO X - billed as 'the touring engineer's dream console'. The Neutron engine is capable of up to 800 audio channels, which can be routed on a point-to-point basis - and that routing can be changed, even on individual automation scenes.

AES50 and HyperMAC audio networking combine deterministic and ultra-low latency performance with true 'Plug and Play' connectivity, minimising set-up and configuration times - essential when playing a different venue ever

Germany - Following the launch of the Xone:23 earlier this year, Allen & Heath has announced the introduction of a sister product, the Xone:23C. Also a two channel mixer, the Xone:23C features the same pro features as the Xone:23, with the addition of a four stereo channel internal soundcard, X:LINK to connect compatible Xone products, and ships with a copy of Mixvibes Cross LE software.

The 96kHz 24bit four stereo channel USB soundcard enables replay and recording from any chosen DJ software, offering users all the benefits of digital DJing using the controls of a "real" mi

UK - Bradford-based hire, sales and installation specialists Pro Audio Systems are the first member of Meyer Sound's UK family to take delivery of the manufacturer's brand new MJF-210 stage monitor.

Joining an extensive existing PAS inventory of Meyer Sound equipment which includes Milo, 700-HP subwoofers and quantities of Ultra-Series products as well as MSL-4s, Industrial Series products, Galileo controllers and much else, the new monitors are being immediately deployed on several hires. As with all Pro Audio Systems hire equipment they will be supplied to hirers in a fully road-rea

UK - Sennheiser UK is offering two, two hour, entry level RF training sessions in conjunction with suppliers of professional equipment to the touring industry, Tour Supply.

Taking place at Tour Supply's Manchester office at 10.30am and 2pm on 18 March, the sessions are open to technicians and anyone else interested in the topic. They will be run by Sennheiser UK's chief engineer Andrew Lillywhite and will deliver hints and tips on how to best set up and use wireless microphones, in-ear monitors, plus a round-up of Sennheiser's current RF products.

Tour Supply will also have a number

China - Allen & Heath's iLive digital products were selected to be installed in the new office building of Hebei Mobile Communications Co., Ltd, in Shijiazhuang, China.

The installation was managed by Sanecore, who decided to use an Allen & Heath digital mixer as the heart of the whole system, with the addition of multiple digital base stations, in order to satisfy the requirement of room combination and audio synchronization, while providing audio quality superior to any typical A/V matrix.

Four iDR-16 MixRacks were installed, one for an inspection room, one for the emergency comma

Germany - Dynaudio Professional is introducing four new near-field monitors, mounting solutions and two new precision subwoofers at the Musikmesse / ProLight+Sound 2014 this week. The new near-field monitors include BM Compact mkIII, BM5 mkIII, BM6 mkIII and BM12 mkIII and on the subwoofer side, BM9S II and BM14S II.

Still made in Denmark, Dynaudio Professional's BM range has become a pro audio industry standard since its introduction 15 years ago. Since then, continuous improvements to this series have been made to further support discerning professionals' needs for transparent, high

Germany - The d&b ArrayCalc simulation software is the planning tool for d&b systems; a comprehensive toolbox for all tasks associated with electroacoustic design, performance prediction, alignment, safety parameters and rigging plots. In the decade since ArrayCalc was first established, many significant improvements have been introduced; hosting numerous new features, ArrayCalc V7.6 is no exception.

Amongst these, improved room data input to define listening planes in three dimensions, the xC-Series column loudspeakers, as well as the D80 amplifier along with export functions into th

Germany - Clear-Com has announced today the launch of ProGrid, a fibre-based infrastructure system that will enable users to transport and distribute audio, intercom, video and control data. The introduction of the new products means that, in addition to its communications systems, Clear-Com can now provide end-to-end solutions for many types of installations that require signal distribution.

Bob Boster, president, Clear-Com, said, "ProGrid represents a major advancement for Clear-Com and its customers. As the trusted, go-to brand for voice communication systems, we can now go on

Germany - Cadac announced the appointment of Rob Hughes as UK sales manager, with immediate effect, at Prolight+Sound. At the same time the company revealed it was establishing its own UK distribution with a select dealer network.

Speaking on the company's stand at Prolight+Sound, Hughes said, "I am very excited to be joining such an iconic British brand as Cadac, with a great heritage of designing and manufacturing fantastic products over its long history. I am especially proud to be joining a fantastic team of people at the company, and am confident of their taking it forward a

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