UK - The latest addition to the DiGiCo product line is the D5 RE (Redundant Engine), a stand-alone outboard engine system that provides total audio engine redundancy through a few simple connections to any DiGiCo D5 Live console. The RE is daisy-chained to the main console and stage racks via standard D5 optical fibre cables and additionally connected from MADI port 2 on the RE to the auxiliary MADI port on the D5 local rack with two 5m BNC MADI cables (supplied). A crossed Ethernet networking cable is then connected between the Cat 5 ports on console engine and RE, so sessions can be synced to enable the RE to mirror the D5 console.
This means that, in the very unlikely event of the master audio engine developing a problem, audio is automatically and transparently switched to the RE without any interruption in programme material. Audio processing can be switched back to the main console work surface at any time with the press of a single screen button. The D5 RE is flightcased, contains a complete D5 engine assembly, two PSUs and trackball keyboard for set-up procedure. An external monitor is required for console visuals.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Fuzion plc has appointed Emma Houlden as its new marketing manager. Working closely with sales and marketing director, Paul Ward, she has been brought in specifically to help develop Fuzion's continued expansion.Houlden previously worked in the marketing department of event technology providers, Creative Technology. "Having been involved in one area of entertainment technology I am looking forward to the challenges and extra responsibility presented by this new position," she says.
(Lee Baldock)
Italy - Designed specifically to complement RCF's Installed Sound Division's ranges of speaker systems, the new RCF HC Series provides leading edge audio quality with three compact models, say the company. The three models in the line are the HC3200 - which offers up to 1600W per channel into 2 ohms (700W per channel into 8 ohms); the HC2000, which provides 1000W per channel into 2 ohms (500W per channel into 8 ohms) and the HC 1600, which gives 800W per channel into 2 ohms (350W per channel into 8 ohms).
According to RCF, these professional stereo power amplifiers are designed using ultra-high efficiency class-H mode topology, providing from 2 x 800W up to 1 x 3200W, at an efficiency of around 85%. A powerful transformer-based power supply and hand-selected components make these power ratings possible with exceptional audio quality and absolute reliability, even in 2 ohm mode, say the company. The PA output stages are fully protected against over-temperature, short circuit and RFI and are equipped with soft start circuit and temperature-controlled fan cooling.
The integral soft clip limiter protects against damage to the connected loudspeakers. The activity of a protective circuit, signal and limiter is shown for each channel by LEDs. Input connections are via two XLR and 2 parallel quarter-inch jacks. Speaker outputs are provided on two Speakon 4-out terminations.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - According to the latest industry analysis from Plimsoll Publishing Ltd, 26 of the UK sound equipment industry's leading 236 companies are losing the battle against rising costs and stagnant sales.Plimsoll's findings suggest that for the right buyers, these companies represent highly attractive acquisition prospects. The Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis - Sound Equipment also identifies 20 companies as aggressively chasing market share. Each has the cash resources and the motive to capitalize on the failures of the 26 exposed companies.
David Pattison, senior analyst at Plimsoll Publishing Ltd, says: "Any company that is not increasing sales is always going to struggle as rising costs restrict margins. For these 26 companies, 'selling up' would represent a viable solution to their problems. By absorbing costs and eliminating inefficiencies, new owners could turn these struggling companies around. It's a win-win situation. Potential acquirers should be rubbing their hands together at the chance of buying one of these companies. Firstly, it is likely that any one of them could be bought cheaply. Secondly, acquiring companies can expect high returns. By reducing costs, new owners will be able to add the extra sales to their gross margin."
Copies of the 440-page analysis can be obtained for £305 by calling Plimsoll on 01642 626400 or by visiting the web address below. Readers of L&SI and LSIOnline wishing to place an order can receive a 5% discount.
(Lee Baldock)
Germany - Behringer has launched a number of new products. First up is the first model from its new range of Europower powered mixers - the Europower PMX3000 - a compact and lightweight powered mixer that incorporates Coolaudio, a new amplification technology which the company says delivers high power and sonic performance at nearly half the depth and weight of conventional powered mixers. The table-top PMX3000 offers flexible I/O options suitable for most live applications and features studio-grade IMP 'Invisible' Mic Preamps on all or most mono channels. The powered mixer's 24-bit stereo FX processor with 99 Virtualizer presets features reverb, delay, chorus, flanger and more. Behringer's proprietary FBQ Feedback Detection System instantly reveals critical frequencies on the EQ's fader LEDs, making easy feedback removal possible without using external equipment. The unit also features 3-band channel EQs, a stereo 7-band graphic EQ for precise frequency correction of monitor and main outputs and switchable pad and clip LEDs on all mono channels.
Behringer has also announced shipping of its new line of professional reference studio monitors with four active and passive models: the Truth B2030A, Truth B2030P, and Truth B2031P, while the new Truth B2031A will be available in the summer. The new Truth monitors are available as matched pairs only and stand tall as high-resolution, 2-way nearfield systems with ultra-linear frequency response, high-resolution and ferrofluid-cooled tweeters.
Finally, Behringer has announced immediate availability of the Eurodesk SL244
UK - Kelsey Acoustics have taken on the experienced Jez Hunter as product specialist. He joins as a video/audio consultant, having previously worked with Gearhouse, and later Promedia in the UK. Hunter's pedigree as a complete systems installer in clubs, cinemas and commercial buildings will stand him in good stead for his new role. "I was looking for a new challenge at a time when Kelsey had just taken on distribution of the Furman range," he said.
Hunter's mission will not only be to boost Kelsey's video cabling offer but to look for synergies afforded by the large Furman range of devices, including voltage stabilizers and sequential switchers. He will also work with other Fuzion-distributed products, including SymNet.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Turbosound, the British-based manufacturer of live performance and installed-sound loudspeakers, announced with immediate effect the appointment of Rik Kirby as the company's new sales director. Kirby takes to Turbosound his lengthy experience of the sound reinforcement industry, including several commercial positions at executive level. He is responsible for the company's global sales, working closely with Turbosound's established network of international distributors, while targeting key accounts in selected territories.
Previously, Kirby spent two years in California as US national sales manager for Renkus-Heinz Inc, and five years at BSS Audio, latterly as sales manager. At BSS, Kirby worked alongside Turbosound's European sales manager, Dominic Harter, and UK and Asia sales manager, Tim McCall. This new position reunites the old team. Kirby's long-standing career in the industry includes due-paying time on the road with rental companies, and he steps into the role at Turbosound vacated by Bill Woods, following Woods' departure to New York a few months ago.
Kirby commented: "I've known and respected Turbosound for many years, having been closely involved with the company's earlier technology while working for rental companies in the past - I've lifted it, lugged it and rigged it! Having known both Dominic and Tim previously, this is a very comfortable and natural transition for me - a bit like coming home. Turbosound is at an extremely exciting point in its development, and the sheer enthusiasm that pervades the whole company made this new role an i
Germany - HK Audio has just hosted the first of an ongoing series of training seminars for its Cohedra Coherent Dynamic Response Array system. A total of 14 students from Germany, Switzerland and Austria attended the three-day operator seminar held in May at the company's premises in St. Wendel, Germany. The students then sat a two-hour examination in order to qualify for a Cohedra operator's certificate. Twelve of the students were successful and are now fully-qualified Cohedra operators. Top of the class was Udo Treimetten from Evented-Triacs in Föhren, Germany, who scored 27 of a possible 30 points in the test.
"I'm really proud of the success of the COHEDRA operators," says HK Audio's musicologist Thomas Adt, who ran the seminars. "They worked very hard during the three days, and were still asking lots of very intelligent questions late into the night. I enjoyed the time I spent with our students, and got some good ideas for the future, for which I would like to thank them."
Apart from learning the acoustical properties of Cohedra, the students were also taught about rigging and handling the system in addition to Caps Cohedra Acoustic Prediction Software DFC controller software. They also benefited from Adt's experience as a graduate of musicology by learning about the musical psychology of listening to line array systems.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Switzerland / Europe - The First Final Farewell Tour, which has just finished rehearsals in Neuchatel, Switzerland and started on 1 June in Milan, will be travelling throughout Europe and the USA this summer and the rest of the globe by the end of the year (with potentially more dates in 2005).
L-Acoustics was proud to announce that its sound reinforcement systems have been exclusively chosen for this prestigious tour - especially since Phil Collins has not toured in seven years. A wide variety of L-Acoustics products including 112XT, V-Dosc, dV-Dosc, dV-SUB and SB218 enclosures have been specified and the newly-launched 115XT HiQ premieres as the stage monitor of choice.
L-Acoustics' recently-released 3D modelling software - SoundVision - was employed to perform 3D simulations for the majority of stadia and arenas where the tour will play. It proved to be invaluable in optimizing the system coverage on a venue-by-venue basis and being able to precisely predetermine all the installation parameters will provide better results plus save time on tour.
The full L-Acoustics system is comprised of 32 V-Dosc, 24 dV-Dosc, 28 SB218, six dV-SUB, eight 112XT and eight 115XT HiQ - all powered by L-Acoustics LA48a and LA24a amplifiers - and supplied by Swiss V-Dosc Partner, Hyperson. The basic system consists of main L/R V-Dosc arrays with dV-Dosc downfill enclosures (15+3 per side) accompanied by flown SB218 subwoofer arrays (eight per side) with offstage coverage provided by two flown LL/RR arrays of dV-Dosc (9-12 per side).
To make the 112XTs as visually discre
USA - After serving the high-end audio community with an enviable array of blue chip product lines, Transamerica Audio Group has changed its name to better reflect its corporate mission and organization. The company is now called TransAudio Group.
"As a name, TransAudio Group better implies our day-to-day operations and customer service when it comes to finding, selecting and implementing the finest audio products anywhere," notes Brad Lunde, TransAudio Group president. "Because our product lines are so diverse and target a number of segments in the pro audio arena, we wanted to ensure the name itself reflected our commitment to finding the right products for our customers."
At the same time, the organizational structure of TransAudio Group has been streamlined into three divisions: TransAudio Broadcast, TransAudio Recording and TransAudio Live. These three divisions correlate to the three markets with which the company has been synonymous since 1997.
TransAudio Broadcast will serve the needs of broadcast studios and facilities. Product lines include GML, Geoff Daking, Brauner and Soundfield. TransAudio Recording's main emphasis is on the recording studio, with manufacturer brands like AEA, Apex, Daking, Drawmer, Soundelux and ATC. TransAudio Live provides audio tools for large and small venues, as well as for portable use. Manufacturers' brands include Apex, Daking, Drawmer, GML, Mission Pro and Metric Halo.
A newly updated website (www.transaudiogroup.com) provides a comprehensive overview, offering both professionals and the casual visi
UK - Fane Acoustics, manufacturer of professional audio components, has launched the first range of high power, ready to install, portable Distributed Mode Loudspeakers (DML) - MiniPro. The flat panel speakers are manufactured using second-generation, high-output, grounded transducers and are ideal for use in visually sensitive architectural situations.
MiniPro can deliver 114dB at peak output, handling up to 80W. Suitable for almost any type of program, the operating range spans from 60Hz to 21kHz. The product is extremely lightweight at just 3.6Kg.
DML technology has reached a stage where high power transducers can produce significant sound output levels with a full spectrum frequency response. MiniPro will fill unusually large spaces with clean and clear non-directional sound due to its unusual and diffuse dispersion characteristics. Beaming is eliminated and adverse room effects are thereby substantially reduced.
MiniPro is suitable for a variety of applications such as: Multimedia and high intelligibility speech, acoustic musical instruments, schools and places of worship, retail spaces, restaurants and bars and as a highly portable P.A. system.
To tackle the problems that often cause poor sound quality such as high or unusual ceilings, wide stage areas, absorption panels etc, MiniPro units can be teamed with conventional loudspeaker installations in an application called Layered Sound. The result is a significant improvement in diffusion, clarity and frequency response and the creation of the correct balance between direct and reflected sound, for in
Netherlands - One of the Netherlands' most prestigious conference venues has installed a Nexo Geo S sound reinforcement system in its main auditorium, which regularly hosts events and meetings for the Dutch government and European authorities.
The venue is the largest of the halls in the World Trade Center Rotterdam, measuring 35m x 26m, with a capacity for about 1000 delegates. It has always been regarded as a difficult acoustic environment, being a very reverberant hall with marble floors. The installation was carried out in cooperation with Dutch Television Services by Frits Baan, owner of the in Huizen-based company STB, and supported by Iemke Roos, Nexo's distributor in the Netherlands. Bert Koenders of Iemke Roos explains how Geo S was snapped up: "Together with Frits Baan, we prepared a quotation using Nexo's Geo Soft package, and then did a demo on-site; the system was sold that same day." The nearest competitive quotation for the project was twice the price of STB's tender.
Two clusters of Geo S, each featuring five S805 and one S830 have been fixed at the back of the hall. "The Geo S modules have such good projection and such tight dispersion that the reflections could be kept to a minimum," explains Koenders. "Even with relatively few speaker cabinets, the coverage is even and clear across a large audience area."
Just just one Camco Vortex 6 digital amplifier amplifies the system and two Nexo PS8s are used on stage as floor monitors. Making up the smallest and lightest arrays available today, the S805 and S830 are com
USA - A little bit of echo goes a long way in helping vocal performers sound more polished and professional at the microphone. American Audio has therefore designed its new WR 90E Single Channel Wireless Microphone System with a digital echo feature built into it.
Suitable for all wireless mic users - whether they're singers, DJs, karaoke enthusiasts or emcees - the WR 90E system gives performers a clean vocal sound and lets them dial up the exact amount of echo they desire without having to purchase and hook up a separate effects unit. A dual-diversity receiver with two antennas ensures that the vocal signal will always be strong and clear, even in the most challenging wireless environments say the manufacturers.
"The WR 90E Single Channel Wireless Microphone System makes it easier than ever for performers who are venturing out into the wireless world to sound great right out of the box," said Tom Freret, national sales manager for American Audio. "And with such a quality wireless microphone and receiver available together for under $130, it represents the kind of value that American Audio strives to offer its customers."
Freret goes on to say: "Wireless is a hot trend right now, and since many of today's performers use more than one mic, it makes perfect sense to offer the WR 90E system in a variety of frequencies. With the added convenience of colour-coding, you can tell the four different mics apart at a glance, grab the right one - and never experience the frustration of frequency-jam again."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Switzerland - Outline's Swiss distributor, Stefano Trevisan of Musik Produktiv PA Licht, personally handled the installation of the first Butterfly Outline-array in the country, in Zurich's prestigious Icf-Celebration Hall, a modern recently inaugurated place of worship.
The Butterfly system installed is made up of two flown vertical line arrays, each with eight Hi-Pack C.D.H. 483 and four Low-Pack C.D.L. 1815 enclosures, featuring cardioid dispersion. There are also 2+2 floor-mounted Victor Live enclosures for the ultra-low frequencies. 2+2 Omnia Plus are used to cover the tiered side seating, whereas the stage monitoring is handled by two Bomber systems and six H.A.R.D. 212.
Head of audio at the Icf-Celebration Hall is Christof Mäder, known among local trade members for his 'golden ears' commented: "Honestly, I took it almost for granted that the system would have a very powerful, clean sound but, after having used it for some time, the aspect of Butterfly I appreciate most is the effective 90° horizontal dispersion at frequencies considerably higher than 10kHz. I was surprised to hear - and measure - that even the front rows of seats, which are just four metres from the stage, are perfectly covered by the Hi-Pack unit's horn - so much so that there's no need to use front fill enclosures. In short, what I see is what I hear: when I can see the throat of the waveguide, even from a seat off to one side, this means I'll hear everything, down to the last Hertz."
He continued: "For me, this is what counts in a line-array. I almost forgot another
UK - London-based contracting and installation specialists, Sound Division, has recently installed a Crown-driven Turbosound TXD system into what was one of East London's most notorious watering holes, the Royal Oak in Shoreditch. Originally made famous by the fact that the legendary Kray brothers used to drink there, the venue is now owned by independent entrepreneur Robbie O'Neill, who also owns three more music pub/bars across south and east London.
Of the four venues owned by O'Neill, Sound Division has installed systems into three of them, the other two being 19/20 in EC1 and The Bell in Wandsworth. O'Neill explained: "We're not a massive operator in this industry; we own four modestly sized bars, but the music element is an important part of their identity. I think one of Sound Division's strengths, and the reason we've used them across virtually all our venues, is that they understand the meaning the of the word budget. In other words, if we give them a budget, they'll do their very best to stick to it. They won't try and push me into upgrading to something they know full well is beyond the means we've allowed for the job. Just as importantly, I also know that I can rely on them to do an excellent job. The service I receive from Sound Division is always timely and personal. It's a great company to work with, and I wouldn't consider going anywhere else for all my AV requirements."
Sound Division managing director, David Graham, is convinced that the key to success lies principally in two things: understanding the relationship between value for mon
USA - The Philadelphia Orchestra has chosen to install an Audient ASP8024 analog console in its new home in Verizon Hall. The 36-input, in-line recording desk is the centrepiece of the audio control room at the 2,547-seat concert hall, which was designed specifically for the orchestra and is located within the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the internationally acclaimed performing arts complex in the heart of Philadelphia.
The Audient was chosen after a lengthy evaluation of analog and digital mixing console options side-by-side in the control room. "Whilst we were seduced by the recall and ease-of-use of the digital solutions, the sound of the Audient was a clear winner," offers Simon Woods, a former producer at Abbey Road Studios in London, and until recently, The Philadelphia Orchestra's vice president of artistic planning and operations.
"It was open, natural, three-dimensional, and gloriously warm," continues Woods, who is now president and CEO of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. "You felt a remarkable sense of space in the hall, and it just felt real rather than processed. It was a huge quantum leap of quality over the digital desks.
George Blood, of George Blood Audio and the Safe Sound Archives, and the Philadelphia Orchestra's long time recording engineer, is overseeing technical design for the new control room, with acoustical design provided by Doug Jones. Blood and Woods co-produced the Philadelphia Orchestra's first in-house release, a three-disc set of orchestral works by Robert Schumann, which attracted two Gram
Romania - The Sala Palatului in Bucharest has a capacity of around 3,000 seats and a history that includes some of the most illustrious names in 20th century music. Architecturally the Sala Palatului harks back to the days of Communism, but the managers of Romania's largest concert hall are now looking only to the future. To that end they have chosen a COBRA-4 line array from Dynacord. Gerom International - supported by EVI Audio partners HSA Audio S.R.C. - was responsible for the installation with the acoustic upgrade including the following components: two hangs consisting of six Dynacord COBRA-4 top/far units per side, two X 4 Dynacord COBRA PWH subs per side, eight Dynacord MX12 front fills, 10 x Dynacord L2400 power amps, three Dynacord DSP-244 processors, two Dynacord AM-12 monitors, two Dynacord V12-60P central clusters plus a variety of Electro-Voice microphones
The first concerts in the newly equipped Sala Palatului, including highlights of the world famous George Enescu Festival, George Cristea, head of HSA Audio S.R.C. commented: "The system previously installed was not only inadequate to the acoustic demands of such a major venue but also far too cumbersome and unsightly. The COBRA, with its compact dimensions allows everyone a perfect view of the stage as well as delivering unbeatable sound. Many people came up to me after the première and told me they'd never known the sound in the hall to be even remotely as good."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
USA - When Ford Motor Company revealed its 2005 Mustang at Ford Division's Spring Dealer Meeting in Las Vegas during the week of 26 April, a herd of Mustang horses galloped around the audience on giant video screens. PRG helped immerse the audience in the experience by using the TiMax system to synchronize the movement of sound with the images. The result was a wild rush of excitement befitting the car's namesake!
PRG helped the audience experience another rush of excitement as Ford's new super car, the Ford GT, was revealed. After providing dramatic audio support for the car's entrance onto the stage, PRG used speakers under the seating area to shake the audience as the Ford GT's engine was "revved".
Other support provided by PRG for the event included supplemental lighting and full sound reinforcement for the event's receptions, speaker presentations, and Q&A sessions with company executives. The event was Ford Division's largest dealer meeting in history, with over 7,000 people in attendance over four waves. PRG provided its services under the direction of Imagination's sound designer John Del Nero and production manager Victoria James. Imagination (USA) Inc. produced the event.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - Birmingham-based SSE Hire has carried out an installation at the Oakengates Theatre, Telford, upgrading the equipment it supplied six or seven years ago with a Nexo GEO-S tangent array system.
The new PA will service the 600-capacity, multipurpose (and reconfigurable) venue, in which the bleacher seating folds back to allow it to operate as a dancefloor. The set-up comprises five S-805's and a single S-830 enclosure each side of the proscenium arch, with four groundstacked CD12 cardioid subs positioned under the hangs.
The GEO S-8 Series speakers are processed with the Nexo NX241 controller - which includes GEO settings - and powered by three Camco Vortex 4 (2 x 920W/8 ohms) amplifiers. The original speakers have been redeployed as stage monitors. The new Nexo/Camco combination was part of a full audio integration, including playback, processing, mixing desk, and radio mic system, recommended by SSE's sales manager, Dave Phillips, and installation specialist, Mark Bromfield.
Said Phillips: "We turned this around in rapid time, delivering the system from order to first show in under two weeks." Commented the venue's sound technician, Gary Parton: "After listening to many different loudspeaker systems brought into the auditorium by an array of artists and theatre companies, choosing a new FOH system was not an easy decision to make! We required a system that was small and unobtrusive, but needed to be powerful and of good clarity. After months of research the Nexo GEO-S was chosen, and it has proved to be absolutely astounding; whether you sit
Japan - Allen & Heath has appointed a new distributor in Japan for its award winning range of Xone DJ and club mixers. Tokyo-based High Resolution Co. Ltd has been established since March 2001, dealing with all major MI chain and DJ stores across the country.
"We have been distributing Ableton Live for three years now and are very excited about being the distributor for the A&H Xone series. We strongly feel Xone - especially the new Xone:92 - and Ableton Live are the perfect combination for electro DJ performance, which is growing fast in this country," comments High Resolution's MD, Tatsuya Nishikawa.
Bob Goleniowski, Allen & Heath's Sales Director added: "Allen & Heath is very pleased with the appointment of High Resolution as the new Japanese representative for the Xone Series. We wanted to join forces with a distributor that caters for high-tech performance DJs and High Resolution already offers software products for this market. We are sure the alliance will build on the success of the Xone range in Japan."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
China - Being the first, independent school specializing in sports to be built under the auspices of the Ministry of Community Development and Sports, the Singapore Sports School aims to cater to student athletes who want to excel both in sports and studies. The seven-hectare school is a co-educational and residential boarding school that offers top-class facilities, training and full sports science support.
AUP Consultants were appointed to design the new sound reinforcement needed for the 700-seater indoor auditorium and Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd (E&E Pte Ltd) was awarded the tender to install the system based on a design-build specification. Aside from the general use of the facility for indoor games such as basketball and badminton, the hall is also used for musical performance as it features a large theatrical stage with proscenium, curtains and lighting. A grandstand ring balcony also has to be adequately covered. The limitations posed to E&E Pte Ltd with installing the auditorium's sound reinforcement system were to take into consideration its size, architectural restrictions and surrounding walls.
As such, the project team of E&E Pte Ltd designed the installation by dividing the system into three JBL Application Engineered (AE) speaker clusters for the front-of-house system, with a delay ring for the balcony. The centre cluster is mounted inside the proscenium behind an acoustic scrim, and consist of two JBL AM4215/64 two way 15" top-fill and two AM4215/95 down-fill, whereas the left and right clusters suspended side of stage, comprise of two
UK - Many of this summer's largest outdoor music events the UK has to offer, including Glastonbury, V and Reading will feature a rack of Focusrite outboard on the mix tower of the main stages. Numerous Platinum Compounders will be used for compression and gating whilst Focusrite's latest offering, the ISA 430 MKII Producer Pack is primed for each and every lead vocal.
Currently, F.O.H. engineers for a variety of acts, such as Moby, Pink, Jools Holland and Pavarotti, all insist on Focusrite channel strips for signal processing throughout their live work. A fine example is Tori Amos, who is permanently accompanied by a full rack of Red Range processors at every concert. However, such an immense rack of Red Range processors is rarely an option for the average live engineer, with many having to settle for onboard processing alone. Focusrite will be loaning sixteen Compounders (1U dual mono compressor and gate) and four MKII's to SSE, the company behind the key rigs at all of the major festivals, therefore Focusrite have become unofficial audio sponsors for this summer's events.
The first on the list was 'Homelands', one of the UK's biggest dance events, which took place over the bank holiday weekend at the end of May. Focusrite enriched bass-lines for the Freestylers, whilst strengthening and securing the lead vocals for the Scissor Sisters and Faithless. Also on the bill was Lamb - already keen users of Focusrite in their studio work - who played a fantastic set of their classic tracks to promote the imminent release of a 'best of' album.
Martin Hildred, F.O.H. en
Italy - A location sound recordist with a passionate, audiophile approach to his craft, Maurizio Argentieri, found the audio interface of his dreams two years ago when he read about Metric Halo's Mobile I/O 2882+DSP on the Internet. An audio engineer in the Italian film industry for over 15 years, the Rome native's recent English language work can be heard in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ as well as Mike Barker's upcoming A Good Woman and Michael Apted's much anticipated HBO series, Rome.
Argentieri uses Metric Halo's MIO 2882+DSP and SpectraFoo metering software with MOTU's Digital Performer as the host application on his Powerbook G4. He commented: "I chose the Metric Halo interface because it was the only one to use Firewire bus power. In my application this is a very important characteristic, because we do not always have electrical power. My approach to audio recording is much closer to audiophile people than the professional category of audio engineers. In my opinion, the MIO has the best sounding converters of the category. That is the main reason that gave me the push to buy it."
Using his high-end, Metric Halo-based recording setup, says Argentieri, he can hand the film editor a 16-bit CD of the rough dialog mix at the end of each workday. He continued: "I've always dreamed of an instrument capable of recording ready-to-use audio files on the set. I know there are machines on the market capable of recording audio files, but if I have to use a hard disc recorder I prefer to do so using a computer with a host ap
UK - Harman Pro UK, a subsidiary of Harman International Industries, will exhibit at ABTT for the first time, reflecting the growing importance of the theatre market for Harman brands.
Harman Pro UK is the UK and Ireland's exclusive distributor for JBL, AKG and dbx products, and offer full technical and service support along with acoustic design assistance to its approved dealer and installer network.
The following JBL products will be shown: JBL VerTec Line Array speakers, JBL Control Contractor Speaker and from AKG the WMS4000 wireless microphones, the installed discreet microphones and the Performance microphones.
From dbx the Zone Pro 640 and the Dbx 260 DriveRack speaker management solutions. Harman Pro UK staff will be on hand to assist with all visitors enquiries on stand 26 in the Lindley Hall.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)