Canada - Located in the Canadian province of Quebec, l'Université de Sherbrooke is a French-speaking institution with over 40,000 students, who have at their disposal arts and entertainment facilities that include a 1,500 capacity theatre hosting national and international artists.

Recognized throughout the industry and named after the university's first secretary general, Maurice O'Bready, the venue recently underwent a complete aesthetic upgrade and technological overhaul, including the installation of a new sound system by Italian manufacturer Outline, which is attracting considerable attention in production circles.

Simon Lemieux, a consultant with Montreal's GO Multimédia, explained that the technical upgrade included a crossover to the digital world and when it came to the sound system the clients wanted some help to find what they needed, so GO arranged to

UK - One of the UK's most sought after session musicians, musical directors, programmers and educators, Donavan Hepburn has worked with Take That as live drummer on every tour, and has also played with Jeff Lynne (ELO), Tom Jones, Adele, and Olly Murs.

For a long time Donavan had been looking for an alternative device that would reliably play back high quality audio to replace his old and bulky units.

"I was looking for a compact, reliable, high quality recorder/player, and above all it had to be rock solid," says Donavan. "I'd tried other devices but they didn't quite have what I needed, working with various artists who use some pre-recorded tracks laid down in the studio, and then using these track alongside live performances, meant that the unit would have to be solid."

He continues, "Then in the summer of 2014, Karl Bates of JHS introduced me to

USA - Guitarist Al McKay and his band, the Al McKay Allstars, are travelling the world, performing with a collection of DPA Microphones' d:facto Vocal and d:vote 4099 Instrument Mics. Selected by the group's longtime FOH engineer, John A. Baker, the mics complement the funky style of music the group performs.

A five-time Grammy Award-winner, Al McKay is a guitarist, songwriter and producer. Best known as former lead guitarist for the American funk band Earth, Wind & Fire, McKay has writer and producer credits for the hit songs September and Boogie Wonderland.

As an ode to his earlier career, Al McKay Allstars is a 14-piece ensemble that performs a set dubbed The Earth Wind & Fire Experience at major jazz festivals throughout the world. Baker's first interaction with DPA Microphones was with the company's d:vote Instrument Mics, which are well-suited to the

UK - The Low Carbon Innovation Fund (LCIF) has backed temporary power specialist Midas Productions with a five-figure sum, accelerating the company's development programme.

Supported by the European Regional Development Fund and private sector investment, the LCIF provides equity finance for East of England SMEs contributing to the low carbon economy.

Sam Burton, project officer for Creative Industries, comments, "Midas ticked a lot of the boxes in way very few businesses in the region can. It's given recycled biodiesel a platform in number of sectors and a unique profile at events across the country.

"Typically, companies come to us, but I discovered Midas powering the production behind Grimes on the Beach in Aldeburgh, for the Benjamin Britten Centenary, and approached them, because we like what they do."

Midas' managing director, David Noble, said, "

UAE - Backed by a host of wireless microphone and in-ear monitor systems from Sennheiser, Robbie Williams successfully wooed over 20,000 fans during the Abu Dhabi leg of his Let Me Entertain You tour on Saturday 25 April 2015.

For its inaugural Robbie Williams experience, Abu Dhabi was treated to quality audio, courtesy of the entertainer's Sennheiser tour kit which primarily includes SKM5200 MkII handheld microphones with 5235-J Capsules and SR2050 Dual Channel In-Ear Transmitters.

Commenting on the performer's preferred choice of microphone, Joshua Lloyd, system engineer at Britannia Row Productions. Said, "Robbie spends a lot of time in front of the PA system and the 5235 Capsule has a modified low/mid presence in the upper mic which is very good at rejecting noise flow when he is in front. He also monitors his own voice and after testing lots of capsules, we fo

UK - Debuts are to the fore at this year's PLASA Focus: Leeds, with more and more exhibitors choosing it as the UK launch pad for new product releases, including Cadac's new CDC six and DiGiCo's S21 mixing consoles, Meyer Sound's Leopard loudspeaker system and Zero88's FLX lighting console.

At the entrance to New Dock Hall, Martin Professional is displaying its new VDO Sceptron indoor/outdoor LED strips, which come with a choice of diffusers, the 6mm Fenix panel video and Rush 650 and 850 smoke products. Also on show are the Quantum Wash and Quantum Profile, launched last year, as well as the Aura XB, which has 50 per cent more output than the standard Aura, plus extended colour mode.

"Out of all the shows we exhibit at, this is where you can spend proper time talking to people, so we've brought representative selection of our new and current ranges," says the compan

Switzerland - Derived from their successful Horus and Hapi family of RAVENNA-enabled networked audio interfaces, Merging Technologies has taken their expertise into the consumer market with the launch of their high-end audiophile D/A converter, NADAC.

NADAC, the first ever Network Attached Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC), is available in two versions - stereo or 8-channel - NADAC is the first device to bring the power of RAVENNA networking into the home, thus removing traditional limitations to boost performance to levels never yet experienced in a consumer setting.

So why a networked DAC, and why use RAVENNA? Merging's Chris Hollebone explains: "The modern world has become increasingly dependent on networks, both at home and in our professional environments. As network capacities have increased, more and more people are turning to IT networks for carrying both audio

USA - The New York State Department of Labour is responsible for enforcing labour laws and administering unemployment benefits in the Empire State. This is no small task, of course, and the department's huge team of lawyers, administrators, and investigators do their work in Building 12 at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus in Albany, New York.

Constructed in 1963, Building 12 shelters 675,000sq.ft spread over five floors plus a basement, and, until recently, its antiquated emergency paging system was failing in one way or another in most zones. Prime contractor SimplexGrinnell (Clifton Park, New York) subcontracted the design of a replacement emergency paging system to Pro Sound Associates (Guilderland, New York), and Pro Sound Associates owner Dominick Campana relied on Ashly Audio processing and multi-channel amplification to make the system reliable, powerf

USA - Sensaphonics has just completed its first two music industry audiology seminars of 2015 - one for new members, the other a refresher course for Gold Circle audiologists. The Gold Circle programme supplements traditional audiology teachings by addressing the specific needs of the music industry, specifically the need to preserve hearing through the proper use of in-ear monitors and hearing protection.

"Musicians are at high risk of hearing damage, and in-ear monitoring is the perfect opportunity for musicians to listen more safely while actually improving their stage experience," says Sensaphonics president Dr. Michael Santucci. "The Gold Circle programme teaches audiologists how a little knowledge, the right equipment choices, and smarter behavior can help musicians save their hearing."

Six Gold Circle audiologists returned to Chicago for a one-day re

Germany - Audinate, developers of the Dante Audio-over-IP technology, are partnering with leading audio manufacturers to present a day-long workshop dedicated to Audio-over-IP for the broadcast market in Germany. The event will take place on 3 June 2015 at the Senats Hotel in Cologne, and will feature the largest demonstration of interoperable AoIP Broadcast products available and shipping today.

This agenda features informative roundtable sessions covering the latest topics in Audio-over-IP, including WAN and geographical IPs, understanding AES67, the role of control standards, and the importance of network security in a broadcast environment. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from some of the leading audio manufacturers for the broadcast industry, and experience their Dante-enabled products first-hand through several interoperability sessions.

Represen

Tanzania - HK Audio is making sound reinforcement waves in Tanzania thanks to the ongoing work and commitment of the brand's French distributor, Algam.

Two years ago, Algam managing director Jean-Luc Dubois set up a new company - ECAM (East Coast Africa Music) - with the goal of improving the pro audio situation in the country.

Dubois said, "The pro audio market in Tanzania, like in many African countries, is complicated: there are only a few points of sale there, and they only supply extremely cheap products made in the Far East. This results in installations of generally poor quality.

"I created ECAM - which has just one supplier, Algam - with the hope of introducing high quality European products into the African pro audio sector. Even though budgets are much smaller in the African market, we want to make the people aware of the elevated European standards.

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USA - Willow Creek Community Church has recently expanded its arsenal of Meyer Sound systems with JM-1P arrayable loudspeakers and 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements for two of its facilities. Following these upgrades, every major venue on Willow Creek's main campus in South Barrington, Ill. and three of its regional campuses are now equipped with Meyer Sound.

On the church's DuPage campus, the JM-1P loudspeaker system supports contemporary worship music services in an 800-seat high school auditorium. "The quality and clarity of the JM-1P system is like night and day compared to our old setup," says Stephen Kendeigh, technical director for the DuPage campus in West Chicago. "I had heard the Meyer Sound system at our main campus and was impressed with the sound quality - I knew using Meyer Sound would be a positive experience."

The portable system compr

UK - The new Crestron AIR Landscape speakers (LS4T and LS6T) and in-ground subwoofer (IGS82T) offer flexible installation in a range of popular sizes for outdoor applications. Weatherized construction, versatile installation options, and selectable 8 Ohm, 70 Volt, or 100 Volt operation make AIR speakers an iappropriate choice for enjoying music out on the deck, around the campus grounds, or in the garden, says the company.

"These powerful speakers fill the outdoor space and surround you with audiophile sound as if you were indoors, and they blend in with the landscaping so you can't tell where the music is coming from," said Stijn Ooms, Crestron EMEA product manager. "The long stakes and optional tether ensure that the speaker stay exactly where you put them."

The new speakers can be attached to a post or wall, or secured directly into the landscape using t

Spain - D.A.S. has launched the Sound Force series of club systems, designed for today's high-level dance venues where exceptional sound, imposing power and impressive looks are key requisites. The new series presently offers four models comprising mid-high, mid bass, and subwoofer options.

The SF-112 is a powerful mid-high 3-way cabinet which allows for passive or bi-amp operation. The mid-range is handled by the new D.A.S. 12HQ loudspeaker. High frequency reproduction is trusted to the D.A.S. M-75N neodymium compression driver used by D.A.S. on a number of their high-profile systems. Both components are mounted to fibreglass horns with a quality "polished" finish. The ultra-high frequencies are handled by twin "bullet" type tweeters mounted on supports.

The SF-215 is a bass system comprising two DAS 15" loudspeakers in a fourth order bass-reflex conf

UK - Genelec 4000 series active loudspeakers feature prominently in the latest refurbishment project at the University of Derby. A total of 30 new classrooms and a courtroom have been upgraded at the university's impressive campus, with Genelec's installation-friendly speakers providing crystal clear sound to complement the new audio visual equipment installation, enabling cutting-edge collaborative teaching methods to be used.

The University of Derby is a modern education provider with more than 28,000 students attending a diverse range of courses. The main campus located in Derby city centre is accompanied by its Buxton and Chesterfield campuses. The upgraded classrooms at the main campus feature Genelec 4020 and 4030 Series speakers.

Scott Bradley, of the University of Derby's IT Networks team, first realised the benefits of Genelec speakers at the Integrated Systems Europe

UK - Illuminate Design has announced that from 15 May they have become dealers for the GaffGun range of products.

The GaffGun, launched in October 2014 has seen massive sales throughout the USA. Now with GaffTech the company behind it looking to branch out into overseas markets, Illuminate Design has been chosen to help this development.

The GaffGun (patent pending) is billed as "a great advancement in floor tape since gaffer tape was invented". Saving over 90% of the time to lay tape over cables or rope, The GaffGun simplifies your job while saving time, money, and your back. Cables don't even have to be straight-the GaffGun uses a funnelling system to straighten and centre your cables and then lay tape over them.

GaffTech developed the patent-pending CoreLok tape to work in unison with the GaffGun, ensuring a consistent result with every tape run. GaffGun CoreLok

UK - The latest product from the Flare Audio stable - the tiny R2 in-ear headphones - continues the application of the company's technologies, which have already made quite an impact in pro audio. Launched along with a Kickstarter campaign this month (see below), these new in-ears target the high-end consumer market primarily, but there is a top-of-the-range R2PRO version. Milled from a cylinder of grade 5 titanium, these represent the most rigid build and "the highest possible quality of sound" available from the R2 range, say Flare.

I won't go into the details of Flare Audio's Space and Vortex technologies (these have already been covered extensively in LSi here and here), but it is worth repeating the company's central claim - that these technologies enable pure, distortion-f

USA - Former Static-X bass player, Andy The Kid (ATK), is preparing to kick off his first solo tour using Allen & Heath's Qu-Pac digital mixer.

The Australian born bass player, who is also a part of the rock band We Are The Riot, knew he needed to upgrade his mixing equipment for his solo tour in order to travel internationally to promote his new album Linchpin. It is something he wasn't able to do when he was a band member of Static-X.

"With Static-X we just didn't have the budget to send a big monitoring rig to other countries. The weight and size of the equipment made it a huge barrier for us to get overseas. However, now on my solo tour, I will be travelling with my Qu-Pac that allows me to go anywhere on the planet because of how compact it is. It makes a world of difference," said ATK.

When touring begins ATK doesn't plan on bringing a bass or guitar r

UK - Leading pro audio provider The Warehouse Sound Services has been inundated with sales requests following this year's PLASA Focus Show in Leeds. The company showcased an exclusive range of products from d&b audiotechnik, Audio-Technica, Sound Devices, EM Acoustics, Midas, Shure and RCF. The event provided the organisation the opportunity to exhibit a number of new products.

At the event, The Warehouse showcased a range of quality audio products from d&b audiotechnik. The Warehouse is d&b audiotechnik's onlysales partner in Scotland and the North of England, so PLASA Leeds provided the opportunity to showcase the d&b's newest products including the four channel, two rack unit (2RU) amplifier: the D20 and the MAX2 wedge monitor.

The Warehouse also launched d&b's MAX2 wedge monitor. The MAX2 is a flexible 15" stage monitor, which can be pole mounted on a d&b subwoofer an

USA - Ever since the group's 2011 victory on NBC's The Sing-Off, Pentatonix has been making a name for itself. Now, with a 2015 Grammy Award and nearly a billion cumulative YouTube channel video views, the five-piece a cappella troupe also recently wrapped up a completely sold-out 21-date tour of North America.

California-based Sound Image served as the sound reinforcement provider for the trek and supplied an L-Acoustics K2 system at the request of Chris Aman, who did double-duty as both the group's FOH engineer and production manager.

Aman had his first opportunity to mix on K2 last year when Dispatch, the band he was touring with at the time, headlined the final night of Bridgeport, Connecticut's Gathering of the Vibes music festival. "I had heard good things about K2, but when I actually got the chance to turn it on for myself, my reaction was, 'wow . . . yes!'

USA - To outshine its competition with the most impeccable movie experience in Wyoming, Studio City Mesa in Casper has made technology the centrepiece of its beloved roadhouse theatre, the Cooper Auditorium. The theatre now boasts a 7.1 Meyer Sound cinema system, 4K projection, and a curved, 64ft premium large-format (PLF) screen which is the state's largest.

"With the Cooper, we decided to go beyond what anybody else was doing in our region," states Randy Pryde, president of Movie Palace, Inc., operator of Studio City Mesa. "When it came to audio, we didn't want to compromise. As one of my partners remarked, 'You never have to apologize for quality.' So we decided to move out in front of all the competition with Meyer Sound."

The auditorium's new system comprises three Acheron 100 screen channel loudspeakers, 16 HMS-10 surround loudspeakers, and six X-800C

Belgium - On Saturday 9 May, Belgium based ASL provided a Sound Projects Dreamline sound reinforcement system to the European Parliament and other Institutions who opened their doors to the general public to celebrate Europe Day in a festive way.

The day's main music performances and speeches were held at the main square in front of the entrance.

"These are the projects where the Dreamlines prove to be unbeatable," says Peter Ellegeest (engineer ASL). "Events like this are about many things but not about sound reinforcement. Intelligibility and HI fidelity music should simply be there. Inconspicuous, up and ready to play in minutes rather than hours, predictable coverage, predictable sound quality. It proved all easy work with the Dreamline."

The programme also included concerts, guided tours, exhibitions, debates, meetings with MEPs and EC Commissioners,

USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced the return of Frank Loyko as vice president of North American sales. Loyko began his career at EAW and was instrumental in establishing EAW as a world class brand. In addition to his time with EAW and then as vice president of worldwide sales for Loud Technologies, Loyko broadened his skills and accomplishments with similar roles at TC Group Americas and Digidesign/Avid Technologies.

On Loyko's appointment, president Jeff Rocha said: "To build on EAW's strong growth in the North American market, it is critical that we have someone of Frank's calibre and experience to lead our domestic sales team to the next level and support the broad adoption of our market leading technologies. Frank was at the core of EAW's original success. It is very exciting to have him back on-board now as EAW grows to the next level."

Commenting

Germany - Following its presentation of the world's first 1U Recorder with up to 194 input channels, XI-Machines has now announce its official certification from software company Steinberg.

Steinberg's professional audio software Nuendo Live is billed as the ideal complement to the innovative multitrack audio system Recorder.1 from XI-Machines, which allows simultaneous use of up to 390 I/O channels.

Recorder.1 was designed for professional use with MADI or Dante audio networks. Record-ready in 33 seconds, the rugged 19" 1U rack-mounted solution allows 24+ hour recording in EBU-compliant RIFF64 format, is easy to use and features rock solid reliability even under extreme recording conditions.

"We are very pleased about the Recorder.1 certification from Steinberg," says Patrick Strenge, CEO of XI-Machines. "This compact recording unit makes optimal use of

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