USA - Audio-Technica debuts a new range of professional in-ear monitor (IEM) headphones at NAMM 2016 this week. Bringing the critically-acclaimed sonic signature of the M-Series to an in-ear design, the three models have been designed to fully answer the needs of demanding sound professionals and musicians from the studio, to the stage, to the DJ booth, says the company.

The headphones are compatible with Audio-Technica's popular M3 in-ear monitor wireless systems - together offering a comprehensive in-ear monitoring solution from Audio-Technica. They offer a solution for use in any application requiring the use of in-ear monitoring.

The ATH-E70 is the flagship in-ear monitor of the new range. Its accuracy and detail allow precise balancing of the mix, making it a suitable choice for monitoring on stage and ENG mixing in the studio.

The ATH-E50 features "excellent is

USA - Clair Global listened to their clients and is now offering their new flagship system: The Cohesion Series. The philosophy that inspired The Cohesion is centred on creating the highest quality and most efficient speaker system. The Cohesion's design allows for exceptionally smooth horizontal pattern control throughout its' entire range in a very compact package. The series consists of five speaker enclosures that provide high output reference-quality sound within a smaller footprint in both truck space and in the air.

"The Cohesion combines the best possible sound quality, highest maximum SPL capability, and incredible efficiency. We reduced the weight and size of the PA considerably, while improving virtually all aspects of its acoustic behaviour," said Jim Bowersox, Clair Global design engineer.

"The new Cohesion Series is going to give other manufactur

Iberia - In January and February, audio engineers in Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands can take advantage of advanced tuition on Yamaha's CL and QL series digital mixing consoles and Dante networking, as the company runs a series of free, day-long seminars.

Taking place in Madrid (27 January), Santiago de Compostela (2 February), Barcelona (10 February), Lisbon (1 March), Porto (3 March) and Tenerife (9 March), the training is part of the Yamaha Commercial Audio Training Seminar (YCATS) programme, which provides free, advanced training for sound engineers who already have a good working knowledge of digital audio mixing.

The major topics of each day will be: General overview of the Yamaha CL and QL consoles; System Configuration; Using two consoles (FOH and Monitors); Working with Gain Compensation; Live multitrack recording with Nuendo Live; Advanced Memory Management

UK - Following last year's successful launch of White Light's audio department, the company will continue building its audio expertise and equipment catalogue all throughout 2016. With a commitment to offering the very latest technology within the audio industry, this has seen a host of prolific clients use the company solely for its audio services. The company's reputation as a leading audio supplier has now been further enhanced by its latest investment in the highly-acclaimed DPA d:screet 4080 and DPA d:vote 4099 microphones.

WL has already invested in the DPA range, with its existing hire stock including DPA d:fine headsets, DPA d:screet 4060s along with the Podium microphones. This latest investment includes a large quantity of DPA d:screet 4080s and DPA d:vote 4099s; all of which will be available for hire.

Marcus Wadland, WL's audio project manager, comments, "It

USA - At the 2016 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, Shure unveiled the KSM8 Dualdyne Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone. The KSM8 is billed as the world's first dual-diaphragm dynamic handheld microphone for revolutionary vocal reproduction and accurate sound-reinforcement and control. The KSM8 extends the company's wired microphone line - which includes numerous products of significance and enduring legacy - such as the Unidyne 55 and the SM58 Microphone.

Designed for live sound performances where vocal clarity and sound quality are absolutely critical, the KSM8 not only meets the most discerning quality and reliability standards, it also has the versatility to adapt to changing environments without impacting performance.

"It's a hit!" stated Chris Pollard, FOH Mumford & Sons. "Marcus really enjoyed the KSM8 on his first gig with it last night at Rock in Roma. As d

USA - Avid and Focusrite have a history of industry-shaping collaborations, from the world's first plug-ins to feature a fully skeuomorphic GUI (D2 and D3), to the original Focusrite-designed Mbox interface that brought Avid Pro Tools software to the masses, and Control|24TM, Avid's first mid-format console. Twenty-one years after that first collaboration, Avid and Focusrite are "in deep discussions once more, the results of which they look forward to announcing soon".

Dave Froker, CEO of Focusrite PLC, comments, "We want to make the experience of using Focusrite hardware and Pro Tools software together the best possible experience for all our customers. Avid recognises Focusrite as an ideal companion to Pro Tools and Focusrite recognise Pro Tools as the most mature professional recording platform for new Focusrite customers to adopt.

"Focusrite are the l

USA - Electro-Voice announced the global launch of the ND Series of wired vocal and instrument microphones at NAMM 2016. The successor to the N/Dym Series, the new ND Series expands the previous product offering with four vocal and four instrument models for live performance and studio applications.

Each ND Series model is equipped with features that are unique to both its price point and its particular application - all designed to offer superior sound quality, acoustic control and robustness. At the heart of the new dynamic models is a new large-diaphragm capsule design which takes the technology of the original N/Dym capsule to new levels of sonic performance.

Vocalists can select a specific ND Series model to provide optimal results according to venue size and/or stage volume. Sound engineers and musicians will benefit from an easy set-up due to innovative mechanical sol

USA - Pure Groove Sound Systems has announced it has joined forces with Danley Sound Labs to produce a series of professional audio systems, specifically catered to the nightclub and dance music festival markets

Designed by Tom Danley, known for his patented work on loudspeaker designs in world-class facilities globally, the Pure Groove by Danley PGD series was created as "an unrivalled alternative to the industry standard sound systems currently used by large venues and music festivals".

The PG-J94 and the PG-96 are the first models in a new series exclusively designed and developed by Danley Sound Labs for Pure Groove Sound Systems. Danley's patented point source technology enables the new PGD series to provide an immersive musical experience that is pure, more powerful and better defined than their bulky counterpoints, says the company. Additional models will be

UK - Adlib has supplied a Coda TiRAY sound system to Liverpool Philharmonic's new venue, Music Room, a completely flexible space accommodating between 160 to 250 people depending on a cabaret, theatre or standing configuration. The venue, which opened in October 2015, has been built as part of the £14.5m refurbishment of the 1939 Grade II*listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Liverpool Philharmonic is one of the UK's most progressive music organisations, home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, presenting more than 250 concerts and events annually including classical rock, folk, roots, music, festivals, film and comedy at its popular city centre hub on Hope Street, and delivering over 3,000 music education sessions each year for communities throughout Liverpool.

Adlib has been involved with supplying equipment and technical expertise to the in-house Production

Croatia -Although Croatian distribution company, Sunflower d.o.o. set up back in 1996, it was only after 2010 that the country's infrastructure had professionalised itself sufficiently to support brands of the calibre of Powersoft.

This year the Italian manufacturer, through its regional account manager (EMEA), Stefano Previtali, did a deal with the Rijeka based company, appointing them as their new distributor for the territory. This enabled the brand to join other high prestige names like d&b audiotechnik, XTA and DiGiCo in the top tier distribution portfolio.

According to Sunflower's Tomislav 'Kuki' Koran the new alliance will do much to raise the profile of both companies, as previously Sunflower had only represented a small and virtually unknown OEM Chinese amplifier manufacturer. "Powersoft will certainly be used for high performance applications," he said.

Russia - Allen & Heath's GLD digital mixing system has been installed in the concert and cinema hall of the System Operator of the Unified Energy System's head office in Moscow, Russia.

As part of an audio refurbishment, the GLD system was selected by installer, Audio Video Solutions, the system comprised a GLD-80 console installed in the control room, with AR2412 and AR84 remote I/O racks located at the surface providing 32 local analogue inputs and 16 local analogue outputs. The GLD is complemented by a QSC speaker system.

System Operator of the Unified Energy System is a state-owned organisation providing operational and centralised control of Russia's unified power system. The head office occupies a large building in the historical centre of Moscow, and the 500-capacity hall is used to hold a variety of events, from management and staff meetings to musical performances a

UK - Lee Valley Leisure Trust came into operation in April 2015 to run 14 of the major sports venues and other sites owned by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Last summer Martin Audio partner, Old Barn Audio (OBA) undertook a sound system upgrade at the £31m Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross, one of the host venues for the 2012 London Olympics, using the manufacturer's new CDD range. Such was the level of satisfaction that the integrators were immediately asked to provide a similar Martin Audio solution at another Group venue, Lee Valley Ice Centre in Leytonstone.

Within this cavernous space, the operators host a range of learn-to-skate and public skating sessions, while the international sized ice rink is also home to the Lee Valley Lions and London Raiders Ice Hockey teams and the Lee Valley London Skating Club.

But the 15-year-old system was start

The Netherlands - ESP/SurgeX will showcase Envision, a power diagnostics system that measures and records power conditions and presents detailed data in live or date-stamped reports at ISE 2016.

Envision provides energy data that can be used to accurately identify the source of common electrical issues the first time around, saving money for the consumer as well as time and resources for the integrator and electrician by preventing unnecessary services or repairs.

Available in both a 230 volt / 10 amp (EV-23010 IC) and 230 volt / 16 amp (EV-23016 IC) configuration, Envision features real-time diagnostic software and an integrated scope meter to better aid integrators on site.

The ESP/SurgeX Envision is a practical, powerful solution that integrators can deploy in both proactive and reactive scenarios. Envision can be used during pre-installation as an "electricity he

The Netherlands - The latest system from Ateis - the Boutique is a PA/VA system for small to medium size installations that offers a lot of sophistication in a deceptively easy to set-up system.

For installers less familiar with DSP programming, the Boutique offers an Auto Setup Wizard coupled with pre-recorded messages that can easily be selected depending on the situation. All pre-recorded messages as well as the GUI are available in multiple languages allowing the installer to be guided through the set-up process in his/her pre-selected language.

The Boutique system is built on a low-cost switchable amplifier solution where one amplifier can be shared for up to 8 zones. Several systems can also be networked to provide supervised zone coverage for up to 8,000 zones.

For more distributed applications, a built-in SIP client allows for audio streaming and monitoring of the

USA - Industry professionals have voted Meyer Sound's Leopard linear sound reinforcement system as the winner of the NAMM TEC Award for Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers.

Presented in Anaheim, Calif. in conjunction with the 2016 NAMM Show, this is the sixth industry accolade for Leopard since its debut in 2015, and the 11th TEC Award win for Meyer Sound.

"Leopard had already received a number of other awards, but this one is particularly significant because the TEC Awards' open voting means that Leopard's exceptional quality is widely recognized throughout the pro audio and music communities," says Antonio Zacarias, Meyer Sound's vice president of worldwide sales. "We're thrilled that the Leopard team's dedication has earned such overwhelming industry approval."

(Jim Evans)

Independents' Days - This week, the UK music industry celebrates the third Independent Venue Week (IVW) with a week-long series of gigs all across the country. Led by London-based agency I Like The Sound of That, the seven-day long campaign is supported by the Arts Council through its Grants for the Arts funding programme. Its reach is expanding with 120 venues now taking part, from Aberdeen to Exeter and Belfast to Norwich. Among venues joining this year are Quay Arts (Isle of Wight), The Soundhouse (Leicester) and Nambucca (north London).

Helen Sprott, director of music at Arts Council England, says, "Arts Council England is pleased to be supporting I Like The Sound of That and their brilliant Independent Venue Week project for the second year running. It is vital that independent venues are recognised for the value they bring both to their local communities and the nati

Qatar - During Qatar National Day in December 2015, Creative Communication Group (CCG) was the company responsible for the sound through the whole Corniche area that included five different locations including the fireworks show. In order to cover the whole area with audio, CCG incorporated Xirium system, purchased from local distributor Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises (NMK), to ease the set up on areas where cable crossings were difficult and extended more than 100m.

The purchase of Xirium system for the event included four transmitters and 20 receivers. One of the challenges of whole project was to get signal across roads and extended it more than 300m. Xirium was used in the repeater mode and thanks to the system's software technicians were able to see the signal strength in different areas and plan accordingly.

CCG was established in 1998 in GCC as a full serv

UAE - Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises (NMK), distributor of Clear-Com in the United Arab Emirates for the live sound market segment, has recently supplied eclipse Staging Services with FreeSpeak II and HelixNet Partyline.

eclipse has purchased two HMS-4X HelixNet digital four channel headset/speaker main stations, 30 HelixNet digital two channel dual listen monaural beltpacks together with four dual channel 4-wire interfaces, two FreeSpeak II base stations and thirty FreeSpeak II digital wireless beltpacks.

Both FreeSpeak II and HelixNet were used at the third annual Internet of Things World Forum (IoTWF) that hosted over 2000 attendees in Dubai World Trade Centre. 24 wired stations of HelixNet and 16 wireless stations of FreeSpeak II covered intercommunication between the production and technical teams.

"The system was very easy to set up and operate. I w

Europe - After completing a successful sold-out tour of the US and Canada for much of last year, with a Martin Audio MLA PA provided by Showtime Sound LLC, popular actor-comedian, Kevin Hart, and his production manager, Scott Tydings, ensured they maintained continuity by asking Capital Sound to provide a similar rig when the What Now? tour arrived in Europe.

One of America's fastest rising comedy talents, Hart has released four comedy DVDs and appeared on numerous TV shows and in blockbuster films; he has over 20m worldwide followers each on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

As for Tydings he had clearly enjoyed the MLA experience both with Kevin Hart and fellow comedienne Amy Schumer. The fit with Capital Sound, who also specialise in providing sound reinforcement for top-drawer stand-up comedians was an obvious one - although as general manager Paul Timmins explained, the

Switzerland - The last day of March 2016 marks the end of the 25th year of operation for Merging Technologies. Claude Cellier founded the company in 1990 after his departure from Nagra and immediately embarked on a journey involving many ground-breaking innovations.

If Pyramix is the best known, the more recent introduction of RAVENNA/AES67 Networked Audio Interfaces, Horus and Hapi, is no less significant. In fact, these converters very quickly established themselves as the pinnacle of audio excellence as witnessed by the vast majority of Grammy nominations for classical recording using either or both converters. Networking has introduced many benefits and has revolutionized the facilities using this technology and with the industry approval of AES67, the options dramatically expand. Merging recognized the importance of allowing the maximum number of devices to connect to its

The Netherlands - A Meyer Sound team of acousticians will demonstrate the flexibility of the Constellation acoustic system at this year's ISE in Amsterdam. Integrators and design consultants seeking solutions for corporate offices and meeting rooms, university classrooms, and restaurants can demo the product every 30 minutes while asking questions of Meyer Sound's expert staff.

"The acoustics of a space define the critical baseline for sound in any AV installation," says John McMahon, Meyer Sound's vice-president of solutions and strategy. "With Constellation and complementary passive acoustical treatment, the design consultant and systems integrator can precisely define the acoustical character of a space to fully optimize the effect of music performance or voice communication. In addition, Constellation often reduces or even eliminates the need for direct ampli

UK - Tape London, situated just off Regent Street in London's Hanover Square, describes itself as, "an exclusive nightclub offering an elegant party experience for an elite, global crowd, attracting influential members of the music industry and music fans alike."

The venue, which opened in Autumn 2015, is a nightclub, recording studio and members lounge that aims to become the "home" of London's music industry. The nightclub offers an elegant and exclusive party experience, with sets from internationally renowned DJs attracting members of the music industry and music lovers. It is a unique, fresh and exciting new concept inspired by Grammy award winning producer Dallas Austin. The 250-capacity nightclub also has a full-sized stage for live performances.

The design brief for SSE Audio Group was to install a high quality audio system throughout the main bar

UK - With an increase of 26% of floorspace, the second edition of PLASA Focus Glasgow has been hailed a success with 50% more brands showcasing the latest in live entertainment technology and attendees increased by 32% since the inaugural show in 2014.

Cementing itself as the industry's essential meeting place for the region, the show - which opened its doors at the SECC from 20-21 January - offered live product demonstrations, two days of high quality seminar sessions and over 75 brands in an environment ideal for networking and generating business face-to-face. Attracting visitors with a combined spending power of £130m, the development of the show reflects the continued expansion of the industry in the region.

David Steedsy Stevenson from Ward Steedsy Audio, distributor of Funktion-One in Scotland comments: "It's the first time we've had a trade stand at a PLAS

USA - Shure Incorporated announced yesterday with great sadness the passing of their chairman, Rose L. Shure. Mrs. Shure passed away peacefully at her home.

A company statement said, "For more than 60 years, Mrs. Shure has served as an inspiration to all Shure Associates, past and present. She was a role model for Shure's Core Values and basic principles, created by her husband and company founder, Sidney N. Shure, that have guided the company.

"The welfare of Shure and its associates was her highest priority. Business integrity, respect, and fair treatment for all were her motivators. She provided a work environment that inspired creativity, fostered pride in making products of the highest quality, and encouraged all Shure associates to reach their personal potential."

Sandy LaMantia, Shure's Chief Executive Officer stated, "We have had the privilege

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