Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024

Sound

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USA - Behind the Scenes has announced that AC Power Distribution (ACPD), a brand of ACT Entertainment, has joined the Pledge-of-Support Programme. ACPD will contribute a portion of the profits from their new LunchBoxPD data and power distribution system to the charity.
ACT Entertainment is a leading supplier of entertainment industry products across six different end markets, including professional lighting and control equipment; audio, video, fibre and power distribution; cables; connectivity; metalwork; custom manufacturing; and design.
ACPD’s LunchBoxPD integrates power and data distribution into one device without compromising either. The LunchBoxPD nodes offer four DMX ports to break out from an Ethernet data network, while still allowing data to pass through. In doing so, it delivers CRMX wireless DMX data directly to a traditional lunchbox power solution, pro

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Italy - Pliant Technologies has announced a distribution partnership with MediaPower, expanding its reach to the Italian market. For 30 years, MediaPower has provided its clients with design, distribution, and the implementation of AV services and IT workflows. MediaPower will now offer Pliant Technologies’ wireless intercom solutions throughout Italy.
"Pliant's product range has a long history of providing intercom solutions for both the broadcast and production markets,” says Gary Rosen, vice president of global sales at Pliant Technologies. “This new partnership with the renowned MediaPower in Italy will enable us to expand into very promising markets, given its strong presence and experience with major broadcasters, regional media, digital media, and the entertainment industry, areas where our wireless intercommunication technologies are crucial for professionals.

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UK - Shure has joined the Q-SYS Technology Partner Programme. This programme enables software and hardware technology partners to create market-ready solutions that integrate seamlessly with Q-SYS, a cloud-manageable audio, video, and control platform.
As part of the programme, Shure has worked closely with Q-SYS, which has fully vetted and endorsed Shure’s MXA920 Ceiling Array Microphone Plugin integration with a Q-SYS certified badge (developed with Q-SYS and supported by Shure and Q-SYS).
“Joining the Q-SYS Technology Partner Programme is a phenomenal milestone that ensures AV integrators and IT professionals benefit from streamlined deployment and scalability, making it easier than ever to deliver outstanding performance in collaborative, modern conferencing environments,” said Jose Rivas, VP global sales at Shure. “Moreover, this certification enables easi

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UK - Global investment group CDPQ has acquired a minority stake in Solotech. The goal of this transaction, which represents the largest investment in the company since 2013, is to support Solotech’s acquisition and organic growth strategy to expand its presence in various markets and create more value for its customers.
“With this investment - the largest in the last decade for Solotech - CDPQ will support the company in its next growth stage. Aligned with CDPQ’s priorities, this means not only shifting activities into high gear, but also facilitating the company’s global expansion and promoting its audiovisual and technological know-how,” said Kim Thomassin, executive vice-president and head of Québec at CDPQ.
“CDPQ’s commitment is a gauge of confidence in our business model, and their financial investment will allow us to seize new business

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Singapore - Clear-Com has appointed Dennis Low to its Singapore-based team as a technical support associate.
Over the past two decades, Dennis has worked in a wide variety of roles in the audio industry, as a sales engineer/technical support for SMX Electronics, an entrepreneur and distributor (as co-founder of Big Knob, Malaysia), and as a House of Worship AV technician at St Andrew's Cathedral, and the Full Gospel Assembly in Singapore.
“Having taken on the role of AV department head and leading teams of volunteers in my previous roles, I believe in empowering people with the right skill sets so they do not feel overwhelmed by the technicalities of a product. That allows them to focus on what’s important, which is to use the tools necessary to support their business goals. Intercom is a powerful tool when properly implemented, and I look forward to sharing my kn

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Italy - Eat. Drink. Party. Repeat. That’s the advice from Circle, a bar and restaurant space in Milan’s fashionable Tortona area, where guests can enjoy hospitality in an urban-chic environment, from the first coffee in the morning until the last dance at night.
When it comes to the party element, it’s all about good tunes and quality sound, delivered at Circle by a Nexo ePS system, designed and installed by Vigolzone-based AV solutions providers Ligra.
“The client and manager of the venue is also a DJ and expert audiophile who already knows the Nexo brand and appreciates its products,” reports Francesco Pino, Ligra systems engineer.
“The brief was to design and install a new, reliable and high-performing system for a venue that hosts a lot of social events and, above all, club nights where DJs perform with audiences of up to 600 people.”
Usi

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Qatar - UK manufacturer Optimal Audio has announced the appointment of MDC as its exclusive distributor in Qatar.
Based in Doha, MDC offers comprehensive on-site training for its customers and end-users as part of its after-sales service. Optimal Audio’s emphasis on simplifying commercial audio systems without compromising on quality struck a powerful chord with Rajesh Kunnath at MDC:
“The Optimal Audio ecosystem perfectly aligns with the market’s requirement for commercial audio solutions that, whilst technologically advanced, are competitively priced and easy to operate and install. We’re delighted to have added Optimal Audio to our portfolio and are confident that it will prove hugely popular with our customers.”
Alex Barrand, EMEA sales manager of Optimal Audio adds: “MDC’s vastly experienced team have an eye for quality, and pride themselves on

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USA - Audinate Group Limited, developer of the Dante AV-over-IP solution, has announced a refreshed brand identity for both Audinate and Dante, including a new logo, tagline, colour palette and narratives that capture the essence of Audinate and the Dante platform.
Audinate will emphasise the Dante brand more in the market, given the strong connection and recognition with customers. The Dante AV-over-IP platform enables communication, experiences, inspiration and collaboration to be shared between people and spaces using one connection. This spirit is captured in the new Dante tagline, ‘One Connection. Endless Possibilities’. The new Dante logo also captures this concept, taking one connection into multiple possible directions.
“Long the de facto standard in networked audio with more than 550 manufacturers producing over 3,800 products, adding video, control and

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USA - L-Acoustics hosted a destruction event to mark the disposal of counterfeit speakers recently seized following a judgment by the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, which ordered Se7ven Sounds Music to pay damages of $5m US dollars to L-Acoustics and granted L-Acoustics the right to destroy the 136 counterfeit professional speakers confiscated during the investigation.
During the afternoon, covered by Tampa Bay Fox News and NBC News, L-Acoustics invited local rental partners to destroy several counterfeit speakers, subwoofers, and amplified controllers before delivering them to an independent sustainability firm that will recover and repurpose the fake products’ raw materials. The wood used in the cabinets will be repurposed for new wood products or renewable energy production. Metal will go toward creating home appliances, while

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Turkey - Established in 1993, Istanbul-based By Sound Creative Technics provides technical production rental services throughout Turkey and neighbouring regions, supplying sound, lighting and stage equipment for a diverse range of events.
Recently, the company made a substantial investment in Outline's flagship loudspeaker system. The acquisition includes 24 GTO line-array elements, 24 DBS 18-2 subwoofers, 24 Mantas compact line-array enclosures, a Newton FPGA processor and a complete, ready-racked power, rigging, accessory and cabling solution.
Company director and partner Sarper Ulusel comments: “Our goal in choosing a new audio equipment brand was to find something unique and impactful for the Turkish market, not just another popular name. We spent about a year evaluating different brands, looking for one that offered us more than just market presence.
“Ou

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UK - The fifth Treetop Golf venue - newly arrived in Gateshead’s Metrocentre shopping precinct - represents an acceleration in theatrical vision for the themed leisure brand. The recently completed installation was carried out by Reading-based Full Production - with audio by Dan Roncoroni of RavenAV - and features two 18-hole family-focused golf courses: one a Tropical Trail and the other an Ancient Explorer Trail.
Both courses benefit from high resolution 3D, object-based immersive soundscape environments, as well as show-stopping automated moments, created by the show control capabilities of TiMax SoundHub.
One TiMax SoundHub-S32 with Dante networked I/O manages the three holes per course where the themed appeal is brought to life with lighting and animated immersive audio. On the Tropical Trail area, the scene is set with accurately localised audio objects such a

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UK - Packaging specialist Allpack recently transformed its digital capabilities with a video conferencing suite at its Staffordshire National Distribution Centre. Specialising in industry-focused packaging solutions, Allpack aimed to enhance its content offering, including professional client presentations, podcasts, product videos, and online training sessions.
Allpack approached audio experts Alchemy System Integration for the system design and supply, who worked closely with the fit-out company to ensure seamless installation of the equipment with the current IT setup, with hardware and cabling concealed within the fabric of the building.
Andrew Almond, marketing manager at Allpack, emphasised the need for a scalable and user-friendly interface, incorporating camera setups for flexible product demonstrations and sessions within the Sustainability Suite. Challenges r

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South Africa - Aaron King from Crotchet Music is an audio engineer renowned for his work in gospel music. He is now the owner of a DiGiCo Quantum 225 Digital Console, complete with a Waves upgrade purchased from DWR Distribution, with more upgrades in the pipeline.
"We've been discussing this investment for quite some time," says Kyle Robson from DWR Distribution. "When it comes to emerging technology, it's truly remarkable to witness Aaron enthusiastically embrace it. He's always on the lookout for the latest advancements, such as being the first in South Africa to purchase a KLANG:konductor earlier this year.”
Achieving success has been a slow but consistent journey. "My interest in audio dates back to high school," Aaron reflects, mentioning his upbringing in a church environment where he gained insights into the technical aspects. Despite studying accounting, he

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UK - Martin Audio partners, Sussex Events, recently fielded their Torus 8 constant curvature hybrid PA for the launch of this year’s Turner Prize.
The event took place at the Towner Eastbourne, as part of the art gallery’s centenary celebrations (Towner 100) and Turner Prize's four shortlisted artists were introduced. This was followed by a party, with local DJs pumping music out until well into the night.
This may not have chimed with local residents, nor with the organisers of the world’s leading prize for contemporary art, had it not been for the tight focus of the Torus 8, paired with the cardioid properties of the SXC118 subwoofers, and the expertise of Sussex Events, led by partners Bob Watson and Adam Briggs.
Set up in 2012, the production company supported Martin Audio solutions virtually from the get-go, working through successive generations of pr

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UK - A zactrack PRO system is integrated with the lighting and sound control for Nicholas Hytner’s acclaimed stage production of Guys and Dolls, currently running at the Bridge Theatre in London.
Bunny Christie’s innovative staging concept and Paule Constable’s provocative lighting has transformed the theatre’s auditorium into a promenade environment, complete with 14 stage lifts which are utilised throughout for the show to denote different locations - bars, clubs, lounges, street corners, etc. - as the cast conveys the serious 1950s New York hustle.
The audience is positioned in different positions surrounding all the action and Paule’s associate Rob Casey explained that to key light all these characters effectively in this created space, they needed around eight follow spots that could reach multiple positions. Given these circumstances and the exce

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UK – Berkshire-based Full Production provided the design and installation of the latest Treetop Golf destination. Sited at Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead, the new themed attraction includes over 400 luminaires and an immersive audio system with 140 loudspeakers.
The regular service supplier to Treetop since 2020, Full Production has lived up to its name by carrying out the design and installation of the audio, lighting, show control and visual infrastructure. Following Full Production’s work at its most recent site, in Birmingham, where its critically acclaimed design and installation significantly raised production values, Treetop was fully convinced to enhance the new Metrocentre site even further. As well as being able to run standalone for 14 hours a day, seven days a week – the multi-faceted system would also set a new bar for visitor experiences, employ

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France - Nikki Beach Saint Tropez is a restaurant and beach club located on the Pampelonne beach on France’s Côte d'Azur. Part of an international group, Nikki Beach Saint Tropez ‘attracts a celebrity crowd with laid-back poolside sets from leading international DJs’.
Local AV technology specialists Colorsonic have a long-established relationship with Nikki Beach and know the venue well. To achieve powerful, full-range sound for guests without disturbing neighbours, president and CEO Gérard Giraudon and technical director Christophe Orlando proposed a Nexo ID84 system to sound designer and acoustician Claudio Fabiani.
A total of 18 of Nexo’s ID84 column speakers are discreetly positioned around the venue, with bass extension provided by four ELS400 1x12-inch subs, in a design that achieves excellent coverage of the club, without bleeding into the surrounding

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UK - Polar recently enjoyed a successful demonstration of HK Audio products at Com Church in Dunstable. Visitors witnessed live demos of the HK Cosmo line array as well as the brand’s Linear 5 MKII and Linear 9 systems.
Polar’s dedicated Pro Audio division, led by Andy Plunkett, staged the event in conjunction with Remedy Sound Limited, who assisted with the setup. This well-received demo day follows on from Polar’s roadshow events earlier in the year, and according to Andy Plunkett will be the first of many more in 2024.
“One of the main reasons that we decided to form a dedicated Pro Audio division within Polar is to facilitate customer engagement with our premium brands,” says Plunkett. “It's obviously vital to demonstrate high-performance loudspeaker technology; now that we have more capacity to do this across the UK, we’re planning more organised eve

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UK - Nestled in the heart of East Belfast, Banana Block, a captivating community space, made its debut in October 2021 as a part of an extensive neighbourhood revitalisation initiative. A thriving ecosystem of local talents and diverse activities, this dynamic venue stands as a living testament to the area's storied past.
From hosting a plant shop and bakery to a record shop, mind hacks, mushroom growers, salsa classes and animal foods, Banana Block's day-to-day operations buzz with energy. However, its versatility goes beyond daily activities, as it plays a pivotal role in East Belfast's artistic and entertainment scene. The venue regularly welcomes various events, including art exhibitions, comedy nights, live performances and even parties that attract hundreds of people from near and far.
Conleth McGillan, production and programming manager behind Banana Block share

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France - K System beaconless 3D tracking system for live experiences earned positive reviews from performers, technical staff and visitors alike this summer at various festivals, and the popular Poupet Festival, with its 100,000 punters over 14 days was no exception.
Taking place in the idyllic surroundings of the Vallée de Poupet (in western France’s Vendée), Festival de Poupet launched in 1987 and has grown into one of France’s best-loved boutique festivals. The 2023 edition took place over June and July and featured performances from leading French and international acts, including American singer-songwriter and two-time Grammy Award winner Ben Harper, jazz trumpet prodigy Ibrahim Maalouf, and rap royalty Orelsan.
Thomas Maindron, director and programmer of Festival de Poupet, explains that he was first introduced to K System, developed by French start-up Naos

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France - Digigram has announced the release of a new Dante sound card as part of its ALP-X range. Available from Digigram’s network of distributors, ALP-Dante is the sixth addition to the fast-growing range of ALP-X sound cards launched in 2022.
ALP-Dante was developed using Digigram’s sturdy platform, which proven design powers all cards within the ALP-X range with ‘legendary reliability’. PCIe ALP-Dante puts forward many features that have been designed to empower professional audio users who operate Dante networks, paving the way to a large panel of critical audio applications.
New to the market is the card’s low-profile form factor, coupled to a fan-less design that provides compelling assets to address audio applications where space and reliability are at stake. In addition to the two Ethernet ports which secure a seamless Dante network redundancy for

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Finland - Genelec owners Juho, Maria and Mikko Martikainen have been selected as the 2023 Family Entrepreneurs of the Year by EY, the global accounting and advisory firm, in their annual Entrepreneur Of The Year competition in Finland.
Fifty-five Finnish growth companies participated this year, in a contest which rewards entrepreneurs who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievements.
Established nearly 40 years ago, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year operates in more than 60 countries and territories, and 145 cities around the world. In Finland, the competition is partnered by Danske Bank, Elo and Secto Automotive, and the winners were selected by an independent jury chaired by Leena Niemistö - a growth company investor and government professional - and announced at a gala event in Helsinki in October.
"I’d like to offer warm congratulations to Juho,

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USA - For touring and recording artists in the Los Angeles area, Third Encore Studios is a popular choice. Starting with a single practice room in 1989, Third Encore has become a premium rehearsal studio provider with seven fully equipped studio spaces. Among the many artists who rely on the company’s services and rehearsal rooms are high-profile musicians like Phoebe Bridgers, Blink-182 and Kendrick Lamar.
Third Encore has also grown into a full production campus with a rentals department, storage facility and cartage services. When artists put their shows together at Third Encore’s studios, they can sample the many audio and backline options available. From mixing boards and wireless audio systems to more than 90 vintage and modern production keyboards, along with a wide range of drum kits, Third Encore supplies a variety of high-end, quality gear.
For the micro

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China - Nanxun Ancient Town, one of China's six renowned ancient towns south of the Yangtze River, is a repository of cultural riches. Considered one of the best-preserved ancient towns in the region, Nanxun dates back to the South Song Dynasty and is home to over 750 years of history and architecture.
Both international and national tourists flock to Nanxun to experience the magic of yesteryear, and a recent night tour project aimed to elevate the visitor experience through the installation of a light and sound solution. Kgear, part of the Italian-based K-array group, was chosen to provide an audio solution that could deliver reliable, high-quality audio in an outdoor environment.
The project, led by leading culture and sports audio and video integrator, Dafeng, was multifaceted, demanding a comprehensive sound system to cover an extensive tourist route extending appr
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  3. Electro-Voice delivers for Glynn County
  4. Martin Audio CDD arrives at Sesame Place
  5. DiGiCo Quantum double for Ian Munsick
  6. Rycote and Southampton University look to the future
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