USA - Faith Fellowship Church has celebrated worship services in its "stressed membrane structure" since 1999 but the facility's dated audio system had always suffered from poor audio quality and uneven coverage.

In 2014 Faith Fellowship contacted All Pro Sound in Pensacola, Florida to help it upgrade its audio. All Pro had helped with previous upgrades, video projection and wireless microphones.

The church wanted consistent coverage throughout the worship space and a more exciting audio experience for their contemporary worship services which feature a full praise band and 15-person chorus. To meet these needs, All Pro's Jeff Knighten designed a new Community loudspeaker system that would cover the 88ft by 120ft space evenly and provide the kind of full-range audio quality the church desired.

Faith Fellowship's upgraded system uses three Community I Series IP8 -11

USA - With Alcons Audio establishing itself as a leading player in the US theatre market, this year the company is expanding its presence at the USITT Annual Stage Expo and Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. As well as presenting its latest products, Alcons will be providing audio systems for a number of the show's events.

USITT takes place at Cincinnati's Duke Energy Convention Centre from 18-21 March, with Alcons exhibiting at Booth 1104. Products on show will include the RR12 modular point-source array and QR24 pro-ribbon line-source column, as well as a selection from the company's pro-ribbon system portfolio.

Based on Alcons pro-ribbon cylindrical projection technology, RR12 features the company's new proprietary RBN602rsr, six-inch pro-ribbon driver, coupled to an asymmetric Morph-Max waveguide and a custom-designed 12" woofer with four-inch voice coil. Designed as 'bu

Germany - HK Audio has extended the variable curvature options available on its ConTour Array CTA 208s.

Every CTA 208 ordered from the beginning of 2015 onwards features curvature options of 0°, 3° 6° and 9°, giving far more flexibility to the end user. Previous CTA 208s feature only 0° and 9° options.

The special new rigging system facilitates deployment in both long-throw and near-field applications. When users opt for the 0° setting, the individual mid/high units are not articulated; instead they form a stable and remarkably coherent wave. This maximizes frequency bundling effects, thereby maximizing range.

The improved rigging system, which allows the tops to also be tilted at 9°, 6° and 3° angles, enables ConTour Array to deliver optimum sound dispersion over the entire audience area, whatever the size of the venue, says the compa

Europe - Electro pioneers, Kraftwerk, are currently touring the world with probably their most spectacular and innovative live show of their 45-year career - 3D concerts of their The Catalogue 12345678. Having received rave reviews across North America last year, Kraftwerk are now touring throughout Europe.

Production manager Winfried Blank made the decision in early 2014 to put DirectOut Andiamo 2.XT AES/MADI AD/DA converters on the tour. He asked for extended routing functionality to be included in the software for even greater flexibility. "We are working with digital audio signals from the source to the output," he said. "Our periphery is MADI and my idea was to travel via fibre from a couple of RME MADIface XTs to DirectOut's Andiamo 2.XT and from there via AES3 to the d&b amplifiers.

"The DirectOut Andiamo 2 series already supported MADI port r

Botswana - Officially opened at the end of November 2014, the outdoor live music venue at Molapo Crossing in Gaborone, Botswana features an L-Acoustics Arcs Wide and Focus system, installed to supply the coverage and sound quality demanded by the venue's owner, whilst ably addressing the restrictions of local noise regulations.

Situated within a shopping mall, the venue is the brainchild of Belgian-born managing director Luc Vandecasteele, who wanted to create an outdoor performance area that could predominantly host classical and jazz concerts.

L-Acoustics reseller for Botswana, Keyman Ventures, was employed to source technical equipment for the venue and called in Gauteng, South Africa-based L-Acoustics certified provider Sound Harmonics to take part in a three-system shoot out.

"Luc's vision was for the venue to be a cultural centre," explains Sound Harmonics' R

UK - Canford Audio has announced the introduction of Lusem OxLinx optical fibre HDMI range extending cables

OxLinx cables offer a considerably more elegant and cost-effective solution for long HDMI cable runs than Cat 5E cable with converter box systems.

They are intended for commercial AV installations and broadcast where longer cable run lengths than those obtainable with standard copper HDMI cables are required. Applications may include professional AV systems interconnection, digital signage (DOOH) and kiosks, plus home theatre systems in larger properties.

EMI and RFI immunity also makes them useful where the cable needs to pass through environments with high electrical interference.

OxLinx cables are HDMI 1.3 compliant and compatible with video resolutions up to and including 1080p full HD deep colour 48bit, 3D and multi-channel embedded audio to include PCM 8 channe

UK - Electrosonic is to host an 'Open Week' in March 2015 at its new office in Cults, just outside Aberdeen City Centre. This will be an opportunity to meet the new installation and service team, view the office and rack building facilities, and pick up a redeemable voucher for either an Audio-visual Systems Health Check or a Communications Technology Risk Assessment.

The open week will take place during 23-27 March. This is a free, drop-in event to both existing clients and new companies looking to find out how Electrosonic's service and installation teams can support their audio-visual and communications technology and systems.

The new Aberdeen office will serve the corporate, oil & gas and entertainment markets in and around Aberdeen. It has full workshop facilities, storage and a fabrication space. Services offered include systems integration, and support services such as

UK - PSCo is holding a 'personal preview event' from 16-27 March for rental partners, system integrators and consultants to visit the PSCo Assessment Centre, to experience the latest in display screen technology.

A new development is the installation of a new DigitalMedia control system from Crestron, to deliver seamless support for all demonstrations. Catering for all trade needs, the space features five individual zones, displaying an impressive selection of solutions - and is currently the only place in the UK for the industry to compare such technologies in an independent environment, says the company.

Stuart Holmes of PSCo explains, "This destination will give visitors a true insight into the breadth of technologies on offer. The five zones within the centre give our clients a clear understanding of the whole range of products and support services we offer to our cha

Australia - Since being founded in 1930, Temple Beth Israel (TBI) has been shaping Jewish life in Melbourne, and from a technological perspective has become the first synagogue in Australia to stream Shabbat services online.

However, its sound system had aged to the point where it was no longer meeting the expectations of its increasingly technology-savvy congregation. Aside from its poor directional control and inability to deliver sufficiently intelligible speech, the inflexibility of the system infrastructure was restricting the new clergy's creative development and exploration of new formats for services and events.

Thus the time was right to improve the usability of the synagogue's sanctuary spaces and provide the congregation with effortless listening conditions.

Rabbi Gersh Lazarow's vision for a modern, flexible worship space in combination with the strong musical as

Germany - The Roland O.H.R.C.A M-5000 live sound digital mixing console will be the star of the show for Roland at this year's Pro Light and Sound (stand 8.0 G54). With a number of M-5000 consoles setup in broadcast, theatre and touring configurations, ready to mix live performances on the stand throughout the show, visitors are encouraged to experience "the unbeatable functionality" of this new console for themselves

Based on a new operating platform from Roland, the O.H.R.C.A M-5000 provides more adaptability to individual workflow than any previous option. The platform, known as O.H.R.C.A, stands for three key concepts: Open; High Resolution; and Configurable Architecture. This combination adapts to

The basis of O.H.R.C.A is that the internal architecture is not fixed to any configuration and can therefore be freely defined within a range of up to 128 input or out

USA / Switzerland - IP audio and control specialist Barix has appointed LineQ as their distribution partner in the United States. For years, the company now known as LineQ operated under the name of Barix Technology in the U.S., exclusively distributing Barix devices and solutions to partners and end users in the broadcast, security, live entertainment, professional AV and digital signage industries.

Led by longtime Barix Technology president Andy Stadheim, LineQ is well-positioned to expand Barix's market share in the United States as the new company establishes partnerships with complementary hardware vendors, software companies, network operators and systems integrators.

"The appointment of LineQ as our US distributor reflects the global sales strategy of Barix through regional channels worldwide, where we commonly work with distributors who integrate Barix with comple

UK / Switzerland - In a joint statement, CEDAR Audio and Merging Technologies have announced that they have entered into a non-exclusive licence agreement that enables Merging Technologies to use IPR contained within CEDAR Audio's US Patent No. 7,978,862 'Method and Apparatus For Audio Signal Processing', often referred to as 'The Retouch patent'.

The patent refers to a method of displaying and editing audio content in a spectrogram, which can provide audio engineers with a means to find problems such as noise and other artefacts in recordings and remove them without affecting the wanted audio.

"Like CEDAR Audio, Merging Technologies has a proud legacy of innovation and technology. We have been working with them since the mid-1990s when we began developing the first CEDAR for Pyramix processes," said Gordon Reid, managing director of CEDAR Audio, "and this agree

UAE - At this week's CABSAT 2015 in Dubai, Sennheiser Middle East confirmed a new partnership with Rycote, the award winning U.K. manufacturer of microphone windshields and suspension systems. While the agreement makes Sennheiser the exclusive Middle East distributor for Rycote's entire range of microphone and camera accessories, the company's main focus will be on promoting the recently launched Rycote Cyclone Windshield System.

Sennheiser is ideally suited to this role having been the distributor for Rycote in the UK for a number of years. "We are looking to extend our partnership to include the Middle East where the combination of our market leading microphones with Rycote's innovative protection accessories will help address many of the challenges that field production teams face," ," said Mig Cardamone, director of sales and marketing at Sennheiser Middle Eas

Eurovision Electro-Swing - Britain's entrant at this year's Eurovision Song Contest will be Electro Velvet, the BBC has announced. Consisting of Alex Larke and Bianca Nicholas, the newly formed pop duo will perform Still in Love With You in Vienna on 23 May to an estimated global audience of more than 180m viewers, in what will be the 60th Eurovision.

Larke is currently lead singer of tribute act The Rollin' Clones. Nicholas appeared in the 1999 Johnny Depp adventure Sleepy Hollow before, at 15, deciding upon a career in music. She has since duetted with Will Young, performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and performed her debut solo single at the turning on of the 2011 Regent Street Christmas lights.

Described by the BBC as "an up-tempo electro-swing" track, Still in Love With You was chosen from hundreds of entries received by the BBC after

Germany - Fibre network solution specialists, Optocore, has increased the warranty cover on all devices - including those of sister company BroaMan - from three to five years.

Director, Tine Helmle comments: "Over recent years we have noticed a steadily diminishing number of returns. The proven reliability of our products has therefore given us the confidence to take this step - which will provide great reassurance for our customers.

"By extending the warranty period to five years, we're taking our mission statement - as being the pioneer in fibre network technology, and best provider of high quality fibre broadcast equipment - to an even higher level."

She believes that the reduction of returned products is the result of the enhanced quality control implemented by the company. "Since the very beginning we have set out to manufacture the highest quality d

USA - The recently opened Adoro Lei is a sophisticated lounge, restaurant, and pizzeria in the SoHo neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. NYC foodies will recognize its veteran owners and chef, who have gone to great lengths to give Adoro Lei - which means "I adore her" in Italian - a killer combination of irresistible food and a hip, but comfortable, vibe that will have customers bursting to tell friends how great the place is.

To that end, they imported a wood-fired pizza stove from Italy and hired New Jersey-based Essential Communications to design and install a music playback system that would avoid the indistinct mutterings typical of the average restaurant and replace them with solid, articulated sound that will set bodies in motion. Essential to Essential Communications' design are Ashly's new nX-8004 four-channel 800W amplifier and the four-channel nX

South Africa - Second year students from the Department of Performing Arts Technology at The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) visited DWR Distribution for an introduction to product training on 14 February 2015.

With a revamped syllabus, developed by Hardus Koekemoer (lighting lecturer at Department of Entertainment) and Wandile Mogodo (technical manager at the Breytenbach Theatre, the TUT training venue) this was the first time the 36 students were taken on a field trip, particularly to a lighting supplier to see the latest technology available.

"It's a matter of getting the students switched on," commented Hardus. Many students sign up for the three year diploma not fully aware of what the course entails. Some have never seen a live show before; others still have never stepped inside a theatre.

"That said, our retention rate is 99%, if not 100%,"

USA - At SoundBox, the Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system plays a keystone element in the San Francisco Symphony's radical new strategy for attracting younger audiences to diverse live music. The brainchild of symphony music director Michael Tilson Thomas, SoundBox has reshaped music discovery by removing the constraints of many typical classical music venues, including the acoustics.

"SoundBox is a new and experimental space for music of all kinds," Tilson Thomas explains. "Part of the experience of being in this space is to hear music of many different eras - from ninth century Gregorian chant to music composed today. Constellation from Meyer Sound provides the optimal acoustics for each genre and has helped us create a space where audience and musicians can explore a new kind of musical journey together."

SoundBox occupies Zellerbach A, a lofty, 7

Australia - Lawo's Australian partner Professional Audio & Television (PAT) has supplied, configured and commissioned a Lawo crystal system for Canberra-based community broadcaster 1CMS.

Having previously supplied a single 12-fader Lawo crystal console in 2013, PAT have now supplied further two 12-fader crystal consoles and a crystal base unit frame. The three consoles will be used in the two main on-air studios and one production studio. All three studios are connected to the main Lawo crystal base unit frame via MADI fiber for audio networkability, while the IP control network allows for logic control such as talkback and profanity delay.

PAT's Broadcast Technician Nick Brown was programming the system, "We wanted to provide the full Lawo flexibility while keeping the system easy to use. Lawo's zirkon configuration software was used to program all on-air delegation, tal

UK - Martin Audio has released details of a new book, The Martin Audio Experience. A glossy hardback book featuring nearly 150 photographs, it charts the history of Martin Audio, from its humble yet highly transformative Dave Martin origins right through to the modern day era of MLA.

It has been edited by James King, director of marketing, who said of the project, "It's been a labour of love over the last four months and we've been so lucky to have some really insightful interviews and amazing photographs from our partners covering the Dave Martin era, as well as leaning on some superb stories and photos for the current MLA success."

King continues, "We wanted to produce something for everyone in Martin Audio so they could always be connected to the company's roots, as well as a thank you to our long serving partners around the world, and of course our pe

USA - Belying its modest exterior, The Troubadour has featured prominently in the entertainment history of Los Angeles almost since the day it was opened in 1957 by the late Doug Weston.

Showing no signs of slowing down after nearly six decades, the legendary venue, which was named by Billboard in 2014 as one of the top five must-play clubs in the country and by Rolling Stone the year prior as the second best rock club in America, has just become even more attractive to touring artists with a major upgrade of its PA system to L-Acoustics components. Rat Sound Systems, Inc. of Camarillo served as the designer, supplier and installer of the venue's new house system.

Dave Rat, president of Rat Sound, and general manager Paul Freudenberg began discussing the upgrade - the first for over two decades at the club - with The Troubadour three years ago. "With the ven

UK - British alt.rock band Dry The River spent the second half of February on a UK tour to promote their latest album Alarms Of The Heart. With budget and space requirements at a premium, a Yamaha QL1 system was the ideal solution for engineer Lee McMahon to mix both front of house sound and monitors.

Last year, Lee and the band decided that the best way of getting consistency from show to show was to move from wedges to in-ear monitors, with touring a console making it possible for Lee to mix them as well as the house sound.

"I had to consider the logistics of carrying an audio control package in a splitter van alongside a full backline, so the QL1 and Rio3224-D combination was the ideal lightweight, powerful system," says Lee. "The tour took in venues where floor space was at a premium, so I wanted a solution that wouldn't eat up sellable areas. The siz

Ireland - High Kirk Presbyterian Church in Ballymena has upgraded its PA system with a Martin Audio MLA Mini Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array, supplied and supported by Ireland distributors, Rea Sound.

After two years of research - visiting trade shows and suppliers, reading specifications and reviews, and listening to systems - it was going to take something special in a speaker system to please the church's technical team; and they found what they wanted in Martin Audio's award-winning MLA platform.

The requirement had been for a complete replacement of the PA system in the 600-capacity church. According to Rea Sound's account manager, Roger McMullan. "Shifting emphasis to modern worship music meant that the old system, which was 20 years old, could no longer cope."

After extensive listening tests, the team came down unanimously in favour of the MLA Mini.

Restr

South Africa - Metric Halo, maker of high-end professional audio interfaces, plug-ins, and sound analysis software, has appointed Benjamin Pro Audio as its distributor in South Africa.

Based in the South African capital of Pretoria, Benjamin Pro Audio specializes high-end equipment for studios, acoustic consultation, and acoustic design. It will handle Metric Halo's entire product line, from its flagship eight-channel ULN-8 preamp/converter to its Production Bundle of plug-ins - and everything in between.

"Benjamin Pro Audio's extensive knowledge of the gear they sell for use in the studio and on location, as well as their commitment to finding the right solutions for their customers, will serve Metric Halo well," said Stu Buchalter, Metric Halo's vice president of worldwide sales

"They're passionate about audio, and they only sell equipment that they believe

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