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

Amongst these, improved room data input to define listening planes in three dimensions, the xC-Series column loudspeakers, as well as the D80 amplifier along with export functions into the new d&b R1 Remote control software V2; downloadable at www.dbaudio.com.

Now called Venue, the room input control enables the user to create a representation of the audience areas in a given venue in three dimensions. Since the world is round this includes typical listening planes, arenas, balcon

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

Bob Boster, president, Clear-Com, said, "ProGrid represents a major advancement for Clear-Com and its customers. As the trusted, go-to brand for voice communication systems, we can now go one step further and provide our customers with the distribution backbone for any kind of installation, from live events and theatrical presentations to broadcasts and sports events, with the additional benefit of the unrivalled global support network for which Clear-Com is renowned."

ProGrid i

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

Speaking on the company's stand at Prolight+Sound, Hughes said, "I am very excited to be joining such an iconic British brand as Cadac, with a great heritage of designing and manufacturing fantastic products over its long history. I am especially proud to be joining a fantastic team of people at the company, and am confident of their taking it forward and regaining its rightful place at the very top of the market. With that in mind, I am particularly looking forward to being involved with the success of the new range of digital products."

Hughes career began as a freelance FOH engineer, working for the likes of Tourco, and SSE on numerous t

Germany - Cerwin-Vega!, part of Gibson Brands unveiled its new P1000X 10-inch Powered Loudspeaker, the latest addition to its P-Series line, at Musikmesse/Prolight + Sound 2014 (Hall 5.1, Stand A82).

A more compact version of the original P1500X Loudspeaker, the P1000X is suited for a variety of sound reinforcement applications, from live concerts to public speaking. The company is also featuring the newest additions to its popular XD Powered Desktop speaker series, which comprises the XD4 and XD5 Speakers and accompanying XD8s Subwoofer.

Featuring many of the same controls as its predecessor, the P1000X Powered Loudspeaker is a two-way, bi-amped, full-range bass-reflex speaker that employs a 10-inch woofer and high-frequency compression driver. Powered by a custom 1000W Class-D amp, the P1000X has a proprietary hemi-conical horn that provides enhanced sound clarity over an ev

UK - Sound innovation companies Dolby Laboratories and Avid Technology have teamed up to celebrate excellence in sound post production and sound design in student films.

Dolby creates audio, video and voice technologies that transform entertainment and communications in the cinema, in mobile devices, at home and at work. The company is launching a new Dolby Award for Best Sound with the National Film and Television School (NFTS) to recognise excellence in sound mixing, sound editing and sound design in a student short film. The winner will have the opportunity to present their next feature film at Dolby's Dolby Atmos screening room in Soho where many established filmmakers showcase their movies.

The competition is open to the NFTS Sound Design students graduating in 2014, whose short films will be judged by a jury of Dolby's own sound consultants. All of the entered films will

UK - West London based lighting and sound rental and production specialist Entec Sound & Light supplied a full production package for the 2014 Bhangra Showdown event staged at London's Hammersmith Apollo venue by Imperial College's Punjabi Society.

The vibrant event is a full-on dance competition that showcases the colour, style and energy of Bhangra, with eight of the best university Bhangra dance teams in the UK battling for the title. Entec has been involved right since the start of the show in 2008.

This year, the organizers seriously upped the ante when it came to the production and profile of the event which was presented by BBC Radio's Sunny & Shay and also featured live performances from Jaz Dhami and 2010 Britain's Got Talent winners, Spelbound.

Entec asked Simon Tutchener to create a new and eye-catching lighting scheme for the show which included five columns of u

UK - Former Westlife front man Shane Filan is currently out on his debut solo tour, complete with another first - a sizeable touring speaker system from Flare Audio. This is the first major tour to use Flare Audio's X5 line array, configured with six X5As and four Q18 bass units aside, powered by Lab.gruppen PLM20000Q four channel DSP amplifiers. With industry veteran Steve Levitt at the production helm, Shane Filan is taking in 18 cities around the UK and Eire, finishing in the star's home city of Dublin on 14th March.

Supported by Orbital Sound, the Flare Audio rig represents an extremely compact system that is fully capable of handling the tour's diverse venues. Steve Levitt has been putting the X5A/Q18 rig through its paces, commenting:

"I am really excited by this Flare Audio system on several levels. Not only is it just about as pure a sound as you can get, but it a

Australia - The National Institute of Dramatic Arts has invested in Shure ULX-D digital wireless systems as well as Furman Power Conditioners, to ensure that their students have the latest and best in technology at their disposal.

"We're expanding our acting course to include a larger stream of musical theatre and so we knew we'd need some wireless headsets," commented Felix Kulakowski, audio & video supervisor at NIDA. "Jands allowed us to trial a unit of Shure ULX-D and the specs and cost, particularly for 24 channels, were great. Obviously being digital the wireless distribution is so much easier than analogue.

"For 24 channels of analogue wireless you'd need a hell of a lot of distribution and the Parade Theatre is appalling for RF. Wireless distribution has been a dream because you can theoretically have sixteen channels on one Shure wireless distribut

USA - Saint Louis University's newly opened Centre for Global Citizenship is both a practical initiative to bring several campus services under a single roof, and a strongly symbolic move that represents the school's commitment to its internationally diverse student body, drawn from 101 nations around the world.

When this wide-ranging group assembles in the new Centre, it needs powerful and highly intelligible sound, and that's exactly what is provided by RoomMatch loudspeakers and PowerMatch amplifiers from Bose Professional Systems.

TSI Technology Solutions, a division of TSI Global, the integrator used by the University to design and install the Centre's AV systems, assembled a system consisting of six RoomMatch loudspeakers (three RM9020 and three RM9010 modules) and two RMS215 subwoofers, all powered by three Bose PowerMatch PM8500N amplifiers.

The Centre for Global Cit

Germany - At ProLight+Sound, Dynaudio Professional unveiled a new AIR Control application for Mac and PC, allowing users to carry out advanced calibration and alignment of their AIR monitoring system. The software provides access to advanced tools and features inside AIR monitors and subwoofers including timing and SPL calibration and parametric EQs for each monitor. Air Control allows users to define and store custom setups and presets with selective parameter locking, and a special measurement mode provides EQ line signal out from selected monitors.

"AIR Control will be available as a free download, and we are very excited to offer our current and future AIR users the advantages of this intuitive software that easily and intuitively unlocks all the power of their AIR monitor systems." says Fred Speckeen, global business manager for Dynaudio Professional.

"AIR

Germany - At Prolight+Sound, Studiomaster featured its new Venture Series high performance ultra-compact professional reinforcement cabinets for the first time in Europe.

Available in both active and passive variants, and represents outstanding performance and value for money.

Director of R&D, Paul Belcher, states, "The performance and quality of the Venture Series matches any 1000 watt compact PA speaker currently available, and at a very competitive price. We engaged in a long testing programme in developing the final design, and the resultant performance of the range has far exceeded our original design objectives. The sound quality is exceptional for such a compact and light weight cabinet."

Venture comprises 12 inch and 15 inch 2-way cabinets, and a matched 18 inch sub; available in both 1000 watt active and passive models. The premium compact speaker series i

Germany - At ProLight+Sound, Dynaudio Professional unveiled a new AIR Control application for Mac and PC, allowing users to carry out advanced calibration and alignment of their AIR monitoring system. The software provides access to advanced tools and features inside AIR monitors and subwoofers including timing and SPL calibration and parametric EQs for each monitor. Air Control allows users to define and store custom setups and presets with selective parameter locking, and a special measurement mode provides EQ line signal out from selected monitors.

"AIR Control will be available as a free download, and we are very excited to offer our current and future AIR users the advantages of this intuitive software that easily and intuitively unlocks all the power of their AIR monitor systems." says Fred Speckeen, global business manager for Dynaudio Professional.

"AIR

UK - Adastras' new SC series of slimline column speakers is suitable for indoor applications, especially where discretion is a necessity, says the company. The speakers are made from extruded aluminium with a white protective finish, fitted with a white metal grille and white plastic end caps. The high quality speakers provide crisp, clear sound reproduction and come with a 100V line transformer.

The series is supplied with mounting brackets and adjustable volume tappings. Adastra has been supplying installers for over 60 years with recent installations including: Frankie & Bennies, Marks & Spencer, Costa Coffee, Sainsburys, Ikea, Tesco and more.

UK - Fran Healey, the lead singer of Travis, and Marti Pellow, the lead singer of Wet Wet Wet, are the latest in the growing list of vocalists to switch to DPA Microphones' d:facto Vocal Microphone. In both cases, the artists made the change on the recommendation of their live sound engineer, Tom Wiggans.

"I have no problem recommending DPA's new d:facto microphone because I'm so impressed with the results it has delivered for Fran and Marti - and for Dougie Payne, Travis' bass player, who is also using one for his backing vocals," says Wiggans. "Before I tried d:facto, I had tried quite a few vocal microphones that made big promises, but always ended up comparing to the microphone that people have been using for over 40 years.

"However, the d:facto's clarity and ability to capture the true sound source without extraneous background noise has made a real di

Germany - Since April 2013, several loudspeaker series from Electro-Voice have been certified compliant with EN 54-24, the section of the European standard for fire detection and voice alarm systems that applies specifically to loudspeakers. The following Electro-Voice loudspeakers systems are certified to conform with EN54-24: Sx600 series two-way loudspeakers; EVF-1122S front-loaded systems; EVH-1152D horn-loaded systems; and Zx1i series two-way loudspeakers.

Now, Bosch Communication Systems, owner of the Electro-Voice and Dynacord loudspeaker brands, has announced that it has further expanded its portfolio of EN54-certified equipment.

"We noted a trend in the market towards combined fire warning and voice alarm systems," says Oliver Sahm, director application design with Bosch Communications Systems. "With the certification of our Dynacord Promatrix 8000 syst

France - Following the worldwide success of its flagship K1 touring PA system, L-Acoustics has launched the new K2 system which, the company says, "offers K1 performance in a rescaled package". Pitched as a replacement for the company's successful V-DOSC system, the K2 system's flexibility makes it suited to both permanent installation and touring applications, from theatre to stadium productions. The main system components are the K2 full-range element, with Panflex horizontal steering, operating from 35Hz to 20kHz; the K1-SB low-frequency element, reinforcing LF contour down to 30Hz or LF throw down to 35Hz; the

SB28 low-frequency element, extending the operating bandwidth down to 25Hz; and the LA4X/LA8 amplified controllers or LA-RAK, touring rack fitted with three LA8s.

With its 3-way quad-amplified design, K2 has "an exceptional ability to perform in many a

Germany - Cadac launched its MegaCOMMS System Network at last week's Prolight+Sound exhibition in Frankfurt. Built on the company's proprietary digital audio protocol and based around the MC CDC Router, MegaCOMMS System Network incorporates the CDC I/O 6448 and CDC I/O 3216 stage boxes, and the MC MADI Bridge and MC Dante Bridge, allowing the configuration of large-scale digital audio networks of up to 3072 audio channels.

Cadac's proprietary protocol offers advanced performance advantages over current systems, with superior bandwidth and latency, supporting 256 bi-directional channels of 96kHz 24bit audio, along with all control data and clock synchronisation, on co-axial cable with runs of up to 150 meters (492 feet). MegaCOMMS networks have only 0.2 milliseconds of delay per link, so even after several links in the network there is negligible aggregated latency. An extensive

Germany - While the launch of the QL series digital mixing consoles was the headline event of Yamaha's presence at ProLight+Sound 2014, there were many more of the company's state of the art audio solutions on display.

Yamaha showcased the brand new R Remote, a software solution which allows engineers to control the head amps of R Series i/o units from a Windows PC. Already used on at least one touring production, R Remote opens up many new possibilities for audio engineers in both the touring and installation markets.

The full range of CL series digital mixing consoles was on show, including the Rio3224-D, Rio1608-D, and Ri8-D i/o units and a range of mini YGDAI interface cards. CL consoles also featured in a major Nexo, Audinate and Yamaha demonstration which took place throughout ProLight+Sound in the adjacent Frankfurt Festhalle.

Now featuring in many significant install

Italy - In a break from its traditional loudspeaker roots, RCF unveiled its new L-PAD range of high performance audio mixers this month at Frankfurt's Prolight+Sound exhibition.

RCF has been producing components such as compression drivers and woofers since 1949 and its own complete speaker systems for over 30 years, but has only now decided to move into the mixer market with the creation of a new dedicated division. The establishment of the 'RCF Mixer Division' represents an important strategic move and considerable investment in R&D. According to RCF chairman, Arturo Vicari, the models introduced in Frankfurt are just the first step in a much wider development plan, and the beginning of next year will herald the arrival of several innovative digital models, he promises.

"To successfully enter a crowded market it requires us to be able to offer advantages and a different

Germany - In Frankfurt, Lawo presented the mirroring of two mc² consoles - a requirement especially useful in theatre applications. This allows an mc² console to be located in the auditorium to prepare and fine-tune the mix during rehearsals.

This is the ideal position to do the mix since it is where the audience is sitting, and it enables the mix engineer to be in close contact with the actors. The console settings are mirrored to a console in the control room, where the show mix is handled without disturbing the audience - and with the first console removed, the seats in the auditorium can be taken by paying visitors.

(Jim Evans)

Europe - Nuage, the flagship integrated system from Yamaha and Steinberg, has brought a new and very welcome approach to audio post-production. Some of Europe's premier post-production studios have invested in it and are enjoying the many benefits that it brings.

"Nuage seamlessly marries dedicated Yamaha control and interface hardware with Steinberg's Nuendo 6 DAW software, delivering unprecedented creativity for professionals in the broadcast, advertising, film and games industries," says the company. "Combining cutting-edge technology from two of the professional sound industry's biggest hitters, Nuage signifies a radical re-defining of what is possible in audio post-production."

Studios which have recently invested in Nuage include The Soundshack in Hamburg, Germany; Stone Post production in Bratislava, Slovakia; Mediaset in Cologno Monzese, Italy; Temp

USA - Headquartered in the heart of the nation's capitol, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is committed to reducing poverty and inequality in Latin America and Caribbean countries by providing much needed loans, grants, technical assistance and research.

In 2005, when the organization first opened the IDB Conference Centre at 1330 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., its 500-seat Enrique V. Iglesias Auditorium was slated to host films, seminars, lectures, and town hall meetings, so the original PA system was primarily designed to accommodate spoken word and cinema playback.

In 2012, however, the decision was made to better utilise the facility for the presentation of concerts and other cultural events featuring live entertainment by Central and South American artists, musicians, and dancers.

Tasked with transforming an existing auditorium into a place for colorful li

UK - POLARaudio has launched a new website in keeping with its recent expansion. Having secured distribution for more major brands such as Mackie and Ampeg to complement existing giants like beyerdynamic and Biamp, this timely move reflects POLARaudio's determination to move forward on every front with the emphasis on quality, says the company.

With a completely fresh look, the new site offers a full online catalogue for both MI and installation product ranges. The catalogue offers detailed information and pricing and is browsable by product type, brand or application. This intuitive navigation characterises the user-friendliness of a site that possesses a high degree of functionality. Further to this, the site's advanced search facility ensures that every possible angle is covered in ensuring immediate access to specific information.

Fundamental to the core business is a full

UK - With the programme for Theatres Trust Conference 14: Community Theatres in place, and a strong line-up of contributors confirmed, including Stephen Williams MP, Peter Stark OBE, Chairman of Voluntary Arts Network, and Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chairman of Arts Council England, momentum is building as delegates take advantage of the generous Early Bird delegate rates.

This year the annual conference is taking place on Monday 28 April 2014 in Leeds, at the famous Grade II* listed City Varieties Music Hall. Early Bird delegate rate runs to Friday 28 March. The community theatres conference is co-locating alongside PLASA Focus: Leeds, the popular regional entertainment technology trade show that runs the following day at the Royal Armouries on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 April.

Mhora Samuel, Director of The Theatres Trust sa

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