Pro Sound News Europe

November 2008 � UK � £4 � €7 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com

The business of professional audio

If you’re reaching for this,you’re probably not mixing with Yamaha.

CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCE

In the heat of the moment, the last thing you need is your console cracking under pressure.Leading engineers don’t just choose Yamaha digital mixers for their superb sound and innovative

control surfaces, they choose the rock-solid reliability that guarantees peace of mind.

Avoid performance anxiety, visit www.yamahacommercialaudio.com or call us on 01908 366700.

WORLD

Mel LambertWith a new management team and revised corpo-rative focus for 2008, Avid Technology – parent ofDigidesign, M-Audio and Sibelius – has movedinto the next phase of restructuring its audio andvideo divisions. But recent financial results indi-cate a persistent slide in sales revenue; Q3 resultsreleased in late October show a 4% decline overthe previous quarter. Major job losses and the saleof two product lines have been announced; how-ever, company sources stress that R&D and cus-tomer support will not suffer from the plannedstaff reductions. Instead, economies will be madewithin duplicate sales operations and other areasthat will now operate with increased efficiency.

“We’ve made solid progress in transformingAvid by organising around our customers, delivering solutions that will help our customers

succeed and taking necessary steps to align ourcost structure to support our core product lines,”says Gary Greenfield, Avid’s chairman and CEO

who took up the post in December 2007. “We planto leverage Avid’s collective audio and videostrengths, from the consumer to the enterprise,in ways that will deliver sustainable value to customers and prospects.”

For the three-month period ending 30September, Avid reported revenue of $217.1 mil-lion, compared to Q3 2007’s $226.8 million. Theseresults follow a Q2 2008 revenue of $222.9 mil-lion. Also announced during a recent conferencecall were 500 staff losses – 18.5% of the company’sworkforce – the sale of its Softimage 3D productline to Autodesk for $35 million, and the sale ofthe Pinnacle PCTV line to Hauppauge Digital. ThePinnacle division and its line of products willremain in the Avid portfolio. Financial terms ofthe Pinnacle PCTV sale were not disclosed.

Avid/Digidesign’s launch of Pro Tools version 8

drew crowds at AES in San Francisco

Kevin HiltonIntercom manufacturer Clear-Com has boughtthe internet protocol technology that forms thebasis of its VoICE and Concert product rangesfor an undisclosed sum. IV-Core was developedby Montreal-based Talkdynamics Technologies,which will now operate as Clear-Com Research.The acquisition shows a strong commitment byClear-Com to this means of communicationsand underlines the growing importance of IP tothe market.

The two companies have been working toge-ther for the past four years and in June this yearagreed a strategic partnership under which IV-Corewould be embedded in Clear-Com’s hardware andsoftware intercom systems. Speaking exclusively toPSNE, Clear-Com’s managing director, MattDanilowicz, says VoICE had proved “quite popular”but the company wanted to go further with thetechnology and create a “native IP architecture”that would go direct into a matrix. “To do that wehad to buy the company,” he says of the decisionto acquire IV-Core.

"We've had an extremely good year, with sales of D Series

and SD7 being up on last year, and the order intake is

phenomenal on the SD8." So marketing director Dave

Webster told PSN-e, our email newsletter, last month. On a

recent visit to the factory near Edinburgh, Scotland, Webster

revealed to PSNE the full scope of that intake: 298 orders. He

demonstrated how DiGiCo has upscaled its production to

cope with demand, and stated that the first 75 desks (right)

were due to ship as PSNE went to press. “It’s surprised even

us,” he said. “It’s really great to have this many orders so

quickly, and to be able to continue to build the complete

range of DiGiCo console in the UK.” The SD8 made its

touring debut with Art Garfunkel, mixing monitors on a

European trek in venues with a capacity of circa 2,000.

www.digiconsoles.com

h See Mick Anderson feature, p42

Avid streamlines businessbut audio R&D is secure

Clear-Com IP buy willbring intercom strength

Matt Danilowicz, Clear-Com

US/EUROPE

UNITED KINGDOM

Digidesign parent sheds 500 jobs in order to support core product lines

story continued on page 24


PSNE Nov FC dr 30/10/08 12:52 Page 1

news & contents 3

BELGIUM

Marc MaesJet Studio, Belgium’s oldest recording facility was put up for sale on5 October by owner Staf Verbeeck. The decision to sell the facility, a musical monument in its own right, was taken due to droppingrevenues in the past three years.

Originally designed as a theatre in 1900, the building in Jette, anarea of Brussels, was transformed into a studio in 1942. BaronPelgrims, owner of record company Fonior (and distributor of theDecca label), bought the premises and built a studio, the Decca Studio,with artists such as Edith Piaf recording there.

In 1975, Italian/Belgian singer Salvatore Adamo took over thestudio after Decca went bankrupt in 1973. Eight years later, producer/engineer Erwin Vervaecke became the new owner, attracting artistslike Shirley Bassey, Alain Delon, Michael Nyman and domestic talent Will Tura and Vaya Con Dios.

Verbeeck entered the Jet Studio in partnership with financial groupPinguin Trust in 1997 – he assigned Roger Quested in reviewing theacoustics of the control room and studio. Three years later, Verbeeckbecame the full owner – he concluded a deal with music TV channelTMF to record live sessions for TV with bands like Manic StreetPreachers, Live, Zita Swoon and many others – the superb acousticsof the recording area resulted in fabulous recordings and TV-shows.

But now Verbeeck has been forced to sell up.“We had to negotiate over every booking, clients wanted to cut

expenses ad infinitum and asked for more extras. In addition, recordcompanies reduced their budgets for recording, while we were still

facing substantial overhead expenses,” he says. “Also, after 11 yearsof ownership, I wanted to broaden my horizons – my new assign-ment for Ancienne Belgique is exactly that (see page 60). I reallyhope that the studio will be sold to someone with an ear and heart formusic so that the building and its acoustics can be preserved.” Qwww.jetstudio.com

Edith Piaf recording studio for saleIn this issue...News4 InfoComm opens European HQ in the UK4 West End closures not due to credit crunch6 AES San Francisco review

Studio10 Tickle Music focusing on studio business12 Prism Sound grows its team13 eMerging enjoys HD boom14 Cardiff studio refit goes with a Bang16 At home with Paul van Dyk18 The key issues from the Develop Games Conference22 STUDIO BOOKINGS listing

Broadcast23 Channel 4 puts DAB adoption in doubt24 Final touches made to BBC Radio Theatre26 Development of surround sound continues28 Megahertz completes EPIC project

Live29 Flemish entertainment cluster formed30 K&F Sequenza 10 system in first Italian outing32 Sziget Festival goes from strength to strength36 PSNE revisits 18 Sound and finds automation is king38 ETA increases its VerTec inventory42 DiGiCo targets new users with entry-level SD843 Fatboy Slim takes to Brighton beach once more 46 Ron Vogel on running the Focus sales arm 48 JBL redefines the EON series52 LIVE EVENTS listing

Installation54 Riedel acquires RockNet developer55 National Theatre, Prague installs Lawo consoles56 Truro Town Hall modernises sound system58 Italy’s Exhibo celebrates 50 years in business60 Ancienne Belgique utilises the power of the web

Business62 Mainstream and niche brands make up the

Scandinavian market65 The intercoms market gets exciting 68 Online grows as a source of music royalties

Back pages72 Hither & Dither74 Interview: Rick Wakeman

Technology 69 New products71 ROR: Review of reviews:

Lexicon PCM96 digital reverb Universal Audio UAD-2 powered plug-insWaves JJP Collection plug-ins

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com

Staf Verbeeck in the historic Jet Studio

Producer Robin Millar could soon be appointed to the House ofLords as a cross-bench peer. Although best-known as a record producer with 150 platinum, gold and silver records to his credit,Millar is also active in numerous other roles, including as anHonorary Patron of the Music Producers Guild (MPG) and as aUNHCR music patron. Blind since the age of 16, Millar is also anoted fundraiser and champion for vulnerable people.

Millar was interviewedfor possible appointment tothe Lords earlier this year.His nomination was spon-sored by a variety of leadingindustry figures, includingSony Music WorldwideCEO Rob Stringer, JohnKennedy, John Deacon andGeorge Michael. In order tofurther Millar’s chances ofselection, the MPG is cur-rently collecting signatoriesand has already receivedmessages of support from

more than 200 people, including Harvey Goldsmith, Peter Jenner,Tom Robinson and Gail Colson.

Both MPG and non-MPG members are being asked to visit theMPG website (first link below), where they should look for the ‘RobinMillar in the House of Lords’ link that invites them to send an emailregistering their support.

“Robin is a lovely, cantankerous, sharp-witted man,” MPG chair-man Mike Howlett tells PSNE. “I have participated in a number ofmusic business forum events and he has a terrific style – he just sitsquietly until everyone has said their bit then puts his hand up and basi-cally blows all the bullshit away in a very non-offensive but firm way…It would be fantastic if he was to secure a place in the House of Lords.”

In other news, the MPG has opened the nomination process forits inaugural Awards event, set to take place on 19 February at theCafé de Paris in London. Anyone wanting to nominate a recordingprofessional for an award in any of the categories should visit thededicated Awards website (second link below) and follow the instruc-tions. Self-nomination is also an option.

The winner of the Music Producers Guild Producer of the YearAward will also receive the BRIT Award for Best Producer followinga recent arrangement with BRITs organiser The BPI. Qwww.mpg.org.uk

House of Lords role for Robin Millar?

Robin Millar has the support of the MPG

UNITED KINGDOM

PSNE Nov P3 Contents dr 30/10/08 14:28 Page 3

Rob SpeightIt has been much reported in recent weeks thatthe credit crunch and impending recession islaying waste to many a once successful show inLondon’s West End. If The Independent’s article:“Crash brings down curtain on West End shows”of the 20 October and a swathe of others

such as The London Paper’s: “Curtain to DropEarly in West End” are to be believed, then theearly closure of Avenue Q, Rifleman, Eurobeat,Never Forget and others are only the tip of the iceberg.

If this is the case, shouldn’t specialist theatresound companies be panicking, laying off staff

and shutting the doors, hiding and crying into abottle of Moët in the Green Room?

“My feeling is that it’s all a great media excuse. Idon’t believe things are closing because of the creditcrunch. If Avenue Q closes a month early it is becausea new show is due to go into the venue. The showhas been on for nearly three years, which has sur-passed everyone’s expectations,” said Duncan Bell,financial director at Autograph Sound.

Whereas The Independent screamed: “A spateof West End shows have issued closure noticesover the weekend, prompting caution in theatre-land as the credit crunch hits box office sales.”

However, Richard Pulford, chief executive ofSoLT (Society of London Theatres) told PSNE: “Itis correct that shows are closing, but there arealways shows closing. Some have come to the endof their run and for others it is quite right that theyshould close. The idea that Avenue Q’s closing inMarch instead of April is a result of the economicdownturn is absurd. In addition, advance salesacross the board are very strong indeed.”

Probably one of the highest profile shows toissue an early closure notice was Rifleman, direct-ed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at the TrafalgarStudios. The show, which only opened inSeptember, closed 10 weeks early on 25 October.Eurobeat, a spoof of the Eurovision Song Contestwill close early as will Never Forget, the Take That musical.

Chris Headlam from Orbital reinforced thecomments of others in the industry: “We all knowthere will eventually be a negative effect but weare not seeing it at this point. We don’t see anydecrease in box office at this stage and to date wehave not noticed any downturn in the theatre sideof the business.” Qwww.autograph.co.uk

www.orbitalsound.co.uk

www.solt.co.uk

Editor’s commentDave Robinson

SOMETIMES A WEEK is a long time inpro-audio, to paraphrase former UK primeminister Harold Wilson.

Last month, you may have read ourarticle on Fleetwood Mobiles. The mobilerecording venture was all a-glow aboutrecent developments: a joining of forceswith two other mobile operations, takingon new staff, bringing veteran engineerson-board as senior sound supervisors. Allgood stuff.

Then literally the day before we went topress with our October issue, we heard arumour that the company was in trouble. ‘Inliquidation’, the rumour suggested. Wecalled Fleetwood’s press officer; Fleetwooddenied such accusations. Some restructuring,but definitely not liquidation. So we wentahead with the story.

And then, while I’m at the AES show inSan Francisco four days later, I get anothermessage from the press officer. Yes,Fleetwood had gone into liquidation. PSNEOctober had already been printed by thattime, of course.

I thought – when my vexation hadsubsided – surely, when the rumoursstarted flying that very week, didn’tFleetwood really know that something wasup? Couldn’t they have asked me to holdoff publishing a story until the so-called‘restructuring’ matter was settled?

If there’s one thing this tightly-knit pro-audio community has taught me, it’sthis: where there’s smoke, there’s not justa fire, there’s a raging bloody inferno.

By the time you read this, MalcolmJackson will have already sold off theFleetwood kit, along with equipment fromformer post house Videosonics and, wehear just hours before press deadline,Mark Angelo studios. In a separatehappening, Jet Studios in Belgium is up forsale too, you will have read on p3.

There’s no hiding from the fact thatthese darkening winter days are bringingdarker economic times. Avid would be firstto confirm that, of course. But I’ve beenimpressed with the speed in which Avidhas reacted to our call for clarity on recentevents. And, despite the job losses, itseems the future is a little dimmer rightnow but bright for them in the long term:from conversations I had with Avid execsat IBC and AES (before the Q3 figures werein), a real push on interoperability andcompatibility issues is going to make post-production for Avid/Digi users a muchcomfier place. Though, you may seeDigidesign disappearing as a brand in alittle while…

Finally, round of applause for DiGiCowith their 298 orders for the SD8. Theremay be a lot of gloom around at the moment,but some businesses are still giving offlight, and we should celebrate that. Q

UNITED KINGDOM

David DaviesIn a move designed to boost the levels of supportfor its European membership, professional AVindustry trade association InfoComm Internationalhas established a new office in the UK. TheEuropean HQ is complemented by an existingoutlet in Germany, and will provide guidance andeducational materials to InfoComm membersacross the continent.

The inception of the European HQ, situatedin St Albans, coincides with the formation of anew-look team to serve the UK and Europe.Although he will continue to be involved on an occasional consultancy basis, long-servingEuropean regional director Geoff Turner retiredfrom full-time duties at the end of October.Accordingly, Christopher Lavelle has taken on theposition of UK regional manager, Sarah Carlesshas become European programme co-ordinator,and Godwin Demicoli has been promoted toregional director, Europe.

Lavelle expects the new HQ to strengthenInfoComm’s relationship with its existingEuropean members and encourage more com-panies to take an interest. “One of our main aimsfor 2009 is to get our members more involvedin InfoComm,” he says. “The organisation hasbeen very successful in terms of providing train-ing and education for audiovisual companies;now we want to find out more about the require-ments of the local market and encourage

members to talk to each other in a bid to strength-en the entire industry.”

“Opening a European headquarters sets the stagefor increased membership activities in Europe,” adds Terry Friesenborg, InfoComm’s senior vicepresident, international development. “Memberroundtables in cities across the continent will allowEuropean members to network and discuss emerg-ing industry issues. The office also provides an impor-

tant home base for activities to enhance InfoComm’seducation curricula with appropriate regional terminology and ways of doing business.”

The roundtables will begin in February with ses-sions in London, Birmingham, York, Edinburgh andDublin. In addition, two events organised in con-junction with the Royal Institute of British Architectsare being planned for April and September. Qwww.infocomm.org

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008news & welcome4

InfoComm selects UK forEuropean headquarters

West End closures not aresult of the credit crunch

Christophe Lavelle, UK regional manager Terry Friesenborg, senior VP international development

Don’t forget this: Take That show Never Forget, is closing early not because of financial conditions

Pict

ure

by Jo

hn T

uffe

n

UNITED KINGDOM

PSNE Nov P4 Editorial 30/10/08 16:26 Page 4

Project3 1/4/08 15:42 Page 1

fOutside the walls of the Moscone,global economic troubles deep-ened. Banks shut down and the

public shuddered. Nevertheless, this year’sUS AES maintained the same buoyancywe’ve seen since 9/11.

“Certainly everyone is concernedabout the economy,” said AES incom-ing president Jim Anderson, “but equip-ment was being bought; people weretaking advantage of Master Classes,Tutorials and other education oppor-tunities to improve their skills, and net-working was on overdrive. This was anextremely positive event.”

AES 125’s conference and presenta-tion programme included a keynoteaddress by Record Plant co-founder

Chris Stone concerning current musicindustry challenges and opportunities,and a presentation by Geoff Emerickabout the 40th anniversary cover version of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’sLonely Hearts Club Band.

“From a standing room only audiencefor Opening Day Ceremonies and ChrisStone’s keynote address, to packedhouses for most of our Platinum,Educational and Special Events… the125th Convention will stand as a water-mark against which future conventionswill be measured,” commentedConvention co-chair John Strawn.

So, to my seven products to watch.Front and centre – literally as visitors

entered the Expo space – was the much

anticipated unveiling of Digidesign ProTools 8, which now sports a completelyupdated user interface, more than 70plug-ins and virtual instruments, fully-integrated MIDI and score editors, plusmore editing features; the new releaseis compatible with HD, LE and M-Powered rigs. Obviously motivated byuser feedback and a long glance at thecompetition, PT8’s graphics are aremarkable development, combining auser-selectable colour palette, high-contrast text and imagery with a dockableEditor window and a configurable Editwindow toolbar. In addition to a numberof plug-ins, a very useful Elastic Pitchenables real-time transposition withinthe Edit window. For Pro Tools HD users,

a new Satellite Link option allows simul-taneous control of up to five systems.

(Recent news about downscaling atAvid should not overshadow the signif-icance of the new release, or the levelsof interoperability, compatibility and‘customer-centric’ delivery whichAvid/Digidesign is beginning to absorbunder the direction of its new board.There will be more on this in nextmonth’s PSNE.)

The fruits of an ongoing collabora-tion between Cakewalk and Roland(which owns a controlling stake inCakewalk) turned a number of headsin San Francisco. The new SONAR V-Studio 700 combines a Roland-developedcontroller with DSP-enhanced worksta-tion software; in essence it representsa one-stop music and post solution with processing power to spare. V-Studioincludes SONAR 8 Producer withRapture, VS-700C V-Studio Consoleand I/O, Fantom VS synthesiser, plusdirect control of EDIROL video editors.The USB 2.0-enabled I/O sports 24-bit/192kHz converters, while preampsare said to complement SONAR’s 64-bit data highways. Dedicated controllersextend the creativity of already power-ful DAWs. The US price is expected tobe close to $4,000; shipments beginFebruary 2009.

Turning to consoles, the newSoundcraft Si3 digital live-performance

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008show review6

With close to 18,000 attendees packed into the North Hall of the Moscone Center in San Francisco, there was a lot to see at the 125th AES Convention and Exposition. Mel Lambert presents ‘Seven from San Francisco’ – products that caught his eye, with atouch of analysis of their significance – while Dave Robinson and David Davies round upother debuts, developments and delights

Technology aplenty in the City by the BayUNITED STATES

The Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco was once again the venue for the AES Convention Photo: Merelyn Davis

SONAR V-Studio 700 was an important launch for Roland and Cakewalk

SSL E-Series EQ strip

PSNE Nov P6-8 AES 30/10/08 13:42 Page 6

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com show review 7

mixer, making its US debut, deliverswhat is says on the tin: a single-chassis,direct replacement for a conventional64-by-24 analogue desk, using conven-tional I/O and no central control screen.Instead, to streamline the analogue-to-digital transition – and take advantageof those very useful reset capabilities –the surface looks and behaves like a last-century design. Assignment is handledon each channel strip, for example,which means that the learning curve isnot an impediment for neophyte users– “Where you look is where you control”.The design includes four Lexicon proces-sors, 12 VCA groups and eight Mutegroups. Soundcraft’s Dave Neal said reac-tion to the Si3 had been “brilliant”. “Oneof the key things is that people are imme-diately grasping the concept that its an all-in-one box, you can take the old

analogue one out, put the digital one in.Everyone’s liking the concept and theoperating system. Both PLASA and AEShave been fantastic launches for it. Andwe’re hoping to ship early November.”

With large-format analogue consolesa thing of the past for a vast majority ofproduction facilities, a new pair of E-Series modules from Solid State Logic’sX-Rack/Mynx Series will allow users toachieve the EQ and dynamics sound ofthe famed SL-4000 E-Series channelstrip. The EQ Module also offers achoice of “Brown” and “Black” nuancesoffered during the E-Series’ lifetime inthe Eighties – the two were distin-guished by different coloured knobs onthe LF section – while the DynamicsModule mimics the circuitry and keycomponents of the original SL-611Estrip, including a remodeled VCA. SinceSSL’s director of engineering ChrisJenkins was with the firm all those yearsago when E Series was innovated, wecan expect these new offerings to beara remarkable similarity to the original.

Proving that there is indeed life left invintage microphone designs, AudioEngineering Associates unveiled theA440 Active Ribbon, which brings phan-tom power to the firm’s chunky trans-ducer that visually and sonically shares aclose kinship with the famed RCA R44.A number of circuit enhancementsensure a sensitivity of -32.5dBV per Pascal (94dB SPL) and an equivalentnoise level to 6dB SPL(A), enabling ribbon-mic users to enjoy a dynamic-range performance that matches dynamic andcondenser models. The A440 usesauthentic RCA ribbon material housedin a cast bronze yoke and machined brasshousing; the single diaphragm offers afamiliar figure-8 polar pattern with consistent horizontal polar response, on-and off-axis.

Fairlight brought a number of newinnovations to San Francisco, includingPyxis-MT, a much anticipated 192-trackversion of the firm’s video-equippedDAW, and the Connie II/two-bay and

Connie III/three-bay compact control sur-faces. The Connie Series are lower-costversions of the large-format DREAMConstellation console; both feature thenew XCS/Xynergi Centre Section thatadds powerful controller capabilities, andis driven by the Crystal Core/CC-1 engine,with features dramatically lower powerconsumption. The new XCS bringsoperator-pleasing Xynergi-based SLICKcontrol technology to all ConstellationSeries surfaces with centralised functions.Usefully, Pyxis-MT does not require aFairlight hardware controller – instead itoperates from a host PC with a customGUI optimised for touch-screen ormouse operation.

Finally, from the “I-wish-I-had-thought-of-that” department, a new SanFrancisco-based company is offering a

useful stereo-to-5.1-channel upmixingservice for producers, TV stations andpost houses. Send them a two- or three-channel track and for between$100 and $250 per minute, Penteo willprocess the material and deliver a stereo-compatible 5.1 result. Having accuratelychecked the azimuth of the source mate-rial – considered essential to extractingcentre-channel information – the firmapplies its DSP magic to the in-and out-of-phase content and delivers a trulystunning result. During demonstrations,Penteo’s inventor John Wheelersummed an original stereo track with aderived 5.1 mix that had been collapsedback to stereo and inverted. The resultwas virtual silence as the signals can-celled one another. Users are just anFTP transfer away!

��

� !��"#$�%#�&''#�'(((��)��*��*�+��,,,*��*��*�+

-�.��/��0��0��1

-�2��3��+��0��

-��1��0�� /��(#��

-��11��0��1��0��/��

-�(45�� 1��,��6��,��

��,�� *�7��8��0��+��+1��,��0��0��&��(%�� 1��*

��

Soundcraft’s Dave Neal experienced a very positive reaction to the new Si3

f

Neutrik’s USA best-selling XX series XLRs have officially been blinged out with

Swarovski crystals. According to Neutrik, this crystalCON-line is geared towards

“users looking for that extra sparkle on stage”. We say, it’s the connector for the

artist who has everything. Miley Cyrus is reported to be one of the first customers.

(Thanks to hand model Nicole Smith of D Pagan Communications!)

Fairlight’s DREAM Constellation ‘Connie III’ plus a touch of glamour

AEA’s Active Ribbon version of the A440


show review8

John and Helen Meyer appearedwith Pablo Espinosa who has just beenpromoted to vice president of researchand development. A long-time MeyerSound associate, he comes to the rolefrom his previous position as the company’s director of loudspeakerR&D. Meyer Sound was promoting the500-HP, the latest in the company/range of compact, high-output sub-woofer that “integrates smartly withother Meyer Sound loudspeakers”.

Following the launch of its UAD-2DSP card (see PSNE October 2008,p18), Universal Audio announced theshipment of the LA-610 Mk II ClassicTube Recording Channel, a “featureenhanced, second-generation” versionof its popular analogue product. Thepreamp and compressor use the samesignal path as the original LA-610, andfeatures the “legendary” 610 mic-preand EQ section combined with an LA-2A style T4 opto-compressor.

UA also showed off the MoogMultimode Filter, developed underlicence and endorsed by Moog Music,for the UAD-1 (UAD-2 version to follow).

Focusrite used AES 125 to launchthe latest addition to the Liquid range,Liquid Mix HD, which is designed todeliver the power of Liquid Mix exclu-sively to the Pro Tools HD market. Alsonew is multichannel FireWire audiointerface, the Focusrite Saffire PRO 40(pictured), which includes eight Focus-rite pre-amps, a host of I/O options, 10 analogue outputs, and two virtual‘loopback’ inputs for routing digitalaudio between software applications.

TC Electronic has turned the spotlight on a new addition to thePowerCore platform, PowerCore6000. Designed for serious studiosand professional applications,PowerCore 6000 incorporates eightFreeScale DSP engines, the sameDSPs used in System 6000, and an

SRAM memory design that supportshigh-performance reverbs and delays.It also features seven plug-in algo-rithms from System 6000, includingVSS3 Stereo Source Reverb, DVR 2Digital Vintage Reverb, MD3 StereoMastering and Brickwall Limiter.

On the heels of the IC Live DigitallyBeam Steerable Array, launched atInfocomm and PLASA08, AES sawRenkus-Heinz launch the installation-specific counterpart, the high-poweredIC Live-RF. Audio Precision unveiledtwo new four-channel models of itsaward-winning APx500 Series audio

analyser. The APx521 and APx526 offerthe same performance, high-speed andone-click measurements as theAPx520 and 525, but with four ana-logue input channels instead of two.Like the APx525, the APx526 includesa 192k digital I/O.

LaChapell Audio, appearing withdistributor Vintage King, launched theModel 583s vacuum tube preamp for the ‘500 Series’ format; meanwhile,Greg Gualtieri of PendulumAudio/Anamod, demonstrated hisAM660 “faithful recreation” of theFairchild 660 limiter (but for 1/20thof the original cost). Gualtieri quipped,“Bizarrely, I bought a Fairchild 660 soI could model a product that woulddevalue the money I spent on thatFairchild 600.”

sE Electronics’ Siwei Zou and MrRupert Neve unveiled the new Se RNR1active ribbon microphone at the show,the first of several mics being readiedfor production in the Rupert NeveSignature sE series. Elsewhere at theMoscone, Josephson Engineering cele-brated 20 years of mic manufacturing.

Sontronics’ Trevor Coley showedoff the SONORA two-channel solidstate mic pre/DI box, which is ship-ping now.

Bricasti Design demo’ed its Model10 remote Console for the M7 StereoReverb Processor. The company, start-ed in July of last year, has distributionin 23 countries is on course to havesold 1,000 systems by the end of 2008.

Michael Griffin of Essential SoundProducts was espousing the benefitsof the MusicCord Pro, “innovative ACpower cords designed specifically toenhance audio component perform-ance to a new level of truth”.

CharterOak Acoustics’ MichaelDeming proffered his Small StudioCollection, a “total microphone solu-tion for small recording studios with a

tight budget and large studios thatwould like to add the CharterOaksound to their existing microphone col-lection”. Consisting of the SA538 LargeDiaphragm Condenser, the E700 SolidState condenser and a sequentiallynumbered matched pair of M900s,“start-up and well established studioswill be able to tackle any recording sit-uation from vocals to orchestra to loudelectric guitars,” adds Deming.

AES was the first showing of MKSound: in effect, the essence of Miller& Kreisel reborn, following Denmarkaudio man Asger Bak’s purchase ofthe company’s IP last year. ChrisMinto, in charge of US sales, and Bakwere on hand to re-introduce peopleto the sound, and reported to have hadmany compliments from Miller &Kreisel users, including the engineerwho worked on Steely Dan’s PretzelLogic mix sessions.

And finally, outside the Moscone,Alan Parsons got to receive his SoundFellowship award from the APRS at theannual mixer party hosted by SPARSand APRS, with guests includingBeatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Q

Greg Gualtieri with his AM660 Fairchild-a-like

Trevor Coley and the SONORA mic pre/DI

Chris Minto (left) and Asger Bak of

MK Sound

CharterOak’s Michael Deming and his

Small Studio Collection

(L-R) John and Helen Meyer, the 500-HP and Pablo Espinosa

Michael Griffin and the MusicCord Pro

(L-R) Geoff Emerick, APRS executive director Peter Filleul, Alan Parsons, British

Trade & Industry Consul Jaclyn Mason and Maureen Droney (P&E Wing of NARAS)

Photo: John Medina, WireImage

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008

And elsewhere on the showfloor...f


PSNE Oct P000 30/10/08 11:16 Page 24

fIn a move described by thecompany’s directors as “thedeal of our lives”, Tickle Music

Hire has purchased the freehold of itsmain site, The Old Dairy, in Queen’sPark, west London. The news emergesshortly after the audio equipment rentalhouse and studio operator reopened itsBeethoven Street facility following theconstruction of a roof terrace.

Situated on Kilburn Lane, The OldDairy is home to numerous freelanceengineers, producers and songwriters,many of whom rent individual units onthe half-acre site. The facility also servesas Tickle Music Hire’s headquarters for itsequipment hire and studio businesses.

“It was gazillions, but a bargain allthe same,” says Tad Barker, co-director(alongside Jerry Evans) of Tickle MusicHire. “This deal secures the future ofall the producers, songwriters and othertenants here for many years to come.It’s also good security for us and means

that we are here to stay. We still can’tquite believe that we pulled it off!”

The Old Dairy is only a few minutes’walk from Beethoven Street, one of twoUK studio facilities owned and operatedby Tickle. Arguably best-known as thevenue for many of Seal’s most successfulrecordings, Beethoven Street fell intodecline prior to Tickle taking an involve-ment in 2006. Revamping the studioaround an SSL 4000E/G+ console orig-inally owned by Bowie/Bolan producerTony Visconti, Tickle also added classicoutboard equipment and vintage micro-phones from its extensive inventory.

Subsequent to this phase of work,Tickle has added a roof terrace, therecent completion of which was markedwith a party attended by the likes ofJohn Leckie and Phill Brown. “A roofterrace is a pretty unusual feature for aLondon studio, and it really gives theplace an attractive vibe,” reckons Barker.

Dave Eringa, Pete Wilkinson, ChrisSheldon and Baxter Dury are amongthose to have already made use ofBeethoven Street, which is also provingto be an ideal complement to Tickle’s boutique residential recording facility,Warren House Farm. Incorporating aconfiguration originally deployed as amobile set-up for the recording of albumsincluding Blur’s Think Tank, the studionow occupies a converted farmhouseeight miles outside of Scarborough.

“We’re finding that a lot of bandsrecord their material at Warren HouseFarm, then travel down to spend two orthree weeks mixing at BeethovenStreet,” says Barker.

As with Warren House Farm,Beethoven Street is being promoted andbooked by CEC Management’s JessGerry in conjunction with Emily Taylorfrom BrownPunk, the latest label proj-ect from Tricky and Island Recordsfounder Chris Blackwell.

“Having worked previously with otherrecording facilities, we were keen to finda studio set-up that could offer a uniqueand personal service that would cater forthe recording needs of discerning clients,”says Taylor. “We are so lucky to havefound just that. The combination of thetwo studios enables us to be hugely flex-ible, honestly priced and yet still able toprovide a superior level of facilities.”

Factor in the core rental operation andan event PA hire brand (Audio Hire) thatcontinues to do good business, and TickleMusic Hire appears to be the embodimentof the modern 360o business model.

“You have got to get as many bitesof the cherry as possible,” confirmsBarker. “It’s part and parcel of The OldDairy, really, where we have people inevery part of the business in the oneyard – and if they can’t do a particu-lar thing, they will know somebodywho can.” Qwww.audiohire.co.uk

www.beethovenstreet.com

www.brownpunk.tv

www.ticklemusichire.com

SOUND BITESf Arbiter Group hasannounced a new partnershipwith Berlin-based Magix todistribute the Samplitude andSequoia DAW programs in the UK and Ireland.Magix Samplitude is one of themost successful solutions foraudio and MIDI recording,editing and mastering for PC.Arbiter Group will commencedistribution immediately andwill offer Samplitude 10X and Samplitude 10 ProXeditions at £199.99 and£399.99 respectively for alimited period, a substantialsaving on the full SRP of these products.www.arbiter.co.uk

www.samplitude.com

f Originally scheduled tolaunch this autumn, theCelemony Melodyne DNA(Direct Note Access) plug-in isnow expected to beginshipping towards the end ofthe first quarter of 2009. Prior to launch, Celemony isplanning to inaugurate a PublicBeta phase in which allregistered Melodyne users –whether of Melodyne essential,Melodyne uno, Melodyneplugin, Melodyne cre8 orMelodyne studio – will beinvited to participate and putthe beta version through itspaces in their own facilities.www.celemony.com

f The winner of the 2008Nationwide Mercury Prize – an annual music prize awardedfor the best album of the year from the UK or Ireland –was mastered using PMCmonitoring equipment. Elbow’s The Seldom Seen Kidwas mastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering on aPMC BB5 XBD 5.1 system.Young’s other recent clientsinclude Van Morrison, Bjork,The Kooks, Amy Macdonald,Grinderman, Manic StreetPreachers and Babyshambles.www.pmc-speakers.com

www.metropolis-group.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

Roll on, Beethovenwww.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008studio10

Having finally succeeded in acquiringthe freehold of its west London site,Tickle Music Hire can focus anew on itsburgeoning studio business, writesDavid Davies

An SSL 4000E/G+ console takes centre stage at Beethoven Street

Inside Tickle’s residential recording facility, Warren House Farm

Tad Barker, co-director of Tickle Music

The reduction in workforce will com-prise 410 positions across the firm’s audioand video divisions, plus 90 withinSoftimage, based in Canada. No specificdetails were made available of wherethese staff losses will be concentrated;company sources indicate that the 400+job losses will be made equally acrosseach operational centre around the world,and will be mainly based around dupli-cate sales roles. Currently, professionalvideo accounts for 54% of company revenue, with professional audio offer-ing 33%. Reduced staff levels from thenew, lean-and-mean Avid will lowerworldwide staff levels to 2,200, downfrom a mid-year high of 2,700.

According to Tex Schenkkan, Avid’sVP and general manager, audio: “Theserecent changes are part of our long-termtransformation of the Avid operationfrom a group of [disparate brands] intoa single company with multiple

customer segments and product lines.”For audio brands under the Avidumbrella, Schenkkan adds that Avidplans to “maintain brand identities thatappeal to different groups of customers.We plan to leverage the Avid namemore strongly across all market seg-ments,” he concludes.

The shedding of Softimage and por-tions of the Pinnacle product line can beseen as further evidence of a streamlinedAvid business model, allowing the oper-ation to focus more closely on profession-al audio and professional video, whilecontinuing to develop integrated work-flows across these complementary areas.“As we transform Avid’s business,” con-siders Greenfield, “our strategy is to focuson software applications that not onlymeet consumer demand but also com-plement our broader portfolio of videoand audio solutions.” Avid/Digidesignsuccessfully launched the latest incarna-

tion of Pro Tools, version 8, at the AESshow in San Francisco in early October.

Paul Foeckler, Digidesign’s VP ofsales and marketing, echoes Greenfield’sassessment. “One of Avid’s strengths asa company,” Foeckler says, “is its abilityto provide creative tools for a broad mar-ket – from the enthusiast to the pro andenterprise customer. The company isgoing through a transformation to bet-ter align these customer segments andmore effectively address their needsacross the Avid portfolio.”

This holistic design approach andadded emphasis on integrated workfloware evidenced by the recent promotionof Dave Lebolt to Avid’s senior VP andchief technology officer; formerly he wasVP/general manager of Digidesign. “Thevision around Avid’s future is a renewedfocus on addressing customer needs,”Lebolt says, “especially delivering integrated, end-to-end workflows that letpeople create in a fluid and seamless way.We can and should do more aroundinteroperability between our audio and

video post products, and more, to tietogether entry-level video offerings withpro-video products.”

“Our challenge in working on Avid’srenewal,” concludes Lebolt, “is to bal-ance a newer, more open ecosystem forpeople to collaborate in post production,music and live performance, while del-ivering innovation that can inspire ourcustomers. It won’t be easy, and it’s atough economic climate, but Avid has alot of creative folks who are committed tomaking it happen.”

With revitalisations at Avid beginningto move ahead, and results of staff lay-offs and divisional sales still to impactthe bottom line, it is too early to predictwhat the full impact will be. In any othereconomic climate it might be judged as a safe and proven strategy. But withcredit restrictions and stock-marketimbalances, not to mention dramaticfluctuations in currencies, it might notbe plain sailing for the coming periodfor this international operation. Qwww.avid.com

Avid streamlines (from cover)

PSNE Nov P10-19 Studio 30/10/08 13:44 Page 10

MORE POWER. MORE PLUG-INS.UP TO 10 TIMES THE POWER OF UAD-1

Choose UAD-2 Solo, Duo or Quad cards for up to 10 times the processing power of UAD-1.

AN EVEN BIGGER CHOICE OF PLUG-INSNew plug-ins coming soon from Moog, Empirical Labs, Harrison, Valley People and Little Labs.

FANTASTIC UPGRADE OFFERSAll existing UAD-1 users can crossgrade all their authorised plug-ins to UAD-2 completely free of charge for a limited time.

And registered UAD-1 owners will also be rewarded with bonus UAD$ vouchers up to UAD$250 for each registration of a UAD-2 card before the end of 2008.

uad-2.com

UK distribution by Source • Find a dealer at www.sourcedistribution.co.uk/ua • T: 020 8962 5080

All trademarks recognised as the property of their respective owners.

INSTORES

NOW

24289 UAD2 Ad PSNE 19/9/08 10:39 Page 1

David DaviesSeven people who previously workedunder the SADiE banner have beenadded to the team at Prism Sound,which acquired the business and intel-lectual property rights of SADiE in Aprilthis year.

Among those to have joined fromSADiE are Steve Penn, who is handlingproduct support; Mark Overall, in chargeof SADiE production; Ed Tottenham,from the SADiE software team; MarkEvans, who looks after sales administra-tion and product support; David Cousins,

who is responsible for processing SADiEorders; Matt Mason, who works in theaccounts department; and Pete Nash,who is serving as a sales consultant.

The company has also added DanPoxton (software developer), TimReynolds (hardware engineer) andChristopher Bradbury (productionassistant) to its ranks.

“Despite the economic doom andgloom, we’ve had an exceptional year and this has led to the need foradditional staff,” commented PrismSound’s sales and marketing director,Graham Boswell. “Our existing prod-uct range is going from strength tostrength and we’re now developing newproducts that will combine PrismSound and SADiE technology in waysthat will be of real benefit to our cus-tomer base.” Qwww.prismsound.com

www.sadie.com

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008studio12

Installed Sound.Filling the gap.

IS speakers

KPA amplifier

K8 Ethersound bridge

K8 input and output units

Klein + Hummel is a brand in the Sennheiser group.

A complete audio network to suit every plan:The K8 family! K8 is the perfect audio distribution system if youwant to distribute many audio channels. That’s because we at K+Hdon’t do things half way! Instead, our KPA amplifiers, IS speakers anddigital K8 distribution components give you the following benefits:

(longer with optional distributor/repeater units)

K + H, the pro brand for Installed Sound. So your audio reallymakes impact.

www.klein-hummel.com

‘Exceptional year’ promptsPrism Sound to add extra staff

The new recruits

UNITED KINGDOMSOUND BITESf Acoustic solutionsmanufacturer Vicoustic hasappointed Systems WorkshopDistribution as its new distributorfor the UK and Ireland. TheShropshire-based company willadd Vicoustic’s product range toa portfolio of brands includingFohhn, Tube Tech, Schertler andPearl microphones.Vicoustic offers a comprehensiverange of Studio Line diffusion andabsorption panels, bass traps androom kits for use in a range ofvenues. The company’s PremiumLine products include theinnovative Wave Wood and FlexiWood panels.www.vicoustic.com

f Hard-drive manufacturerGlyph Technologies hasteamed up with sound effectspublisher Blastwave FX toproduce a range of drives pre-installed with HD sound effectslibraries and search software.The libraries included in the newrange are Sonopedia, TheBlastDrive and TitleWave – all ofwhich will be delivered on250GB and 500GB Glyph GT050Q drives. They will ship withBlastwave FX software, allowingusers to search, audition anddrag ’n’ drop files into most Macor PC applications. www.blastwavefx.com

www.glyphtech.com

David DaviesEngineer Chuck Ainlay used Royer Labsribbon microphones during productionof an innovative album project that findsElvis Presley duetting from beyond thegrave on assorted Christmas standards.

Pairing the King with leading contem-porary country performers includingCarrie Underwood and Martina McBride,Elvis Presley Christmas Duets was releasedlast month.

The album came together in twoNashville recording studios – RCARecords Studio B and Ainlay’s own facil-ity at Sound Stage Studios – and used aRoyer Labs R-121 ribbon microphone forambient room miking and electric gui-tars; an R-122 Active Ribbon mic foracoustic guitar; and an R-122V VacuumTube ribbon mic for capturing strings.

“I wanted this album to sound clas-sic but current, so I chose these Royer

mics because of their warmth along withtheir ability to capture rapid transients,”said Ainlay, whose engineering/produc-tion credits include albums for MarkKnopfler, Vince Gill and Steve Earle. “Onlower level instruments like acoustic gui-tars and stings, the 122s work really greatbecause their built-in preamp allows forsuitable gain without noise.”

Ainlay also praised the mics’ robustbuild quality. “With a little care, Royer mics

can withstand more rigorous treatmentthan other ribbon designs,” he said. Qwww.chuckainlay.com

www.royerlabs.com

Royer Labs help the King to ride againUNITED STATES

Chuck Ainlay setting up his Royer

R-122V for guitarist Jim Cooley


November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com studio 13

David DavieseMerging, the distribution and supportcompany for Merging Technologies inthe UK, has supplied major systems toLondon post-production house De LaneLea, the Liverpool Institute of theRecording Arts (LIPA) and, also inLiverpool, Lime Pictures.

For De Lane Lea, eMerging has pro-vided a Merging Technologies VCubeHD video playback system for installa-tion in the main dubbing theatre. Thesystem was purchased in response tothe ongoing shift towards HD workflowfor film production.

The facility has been using standarddefinition VCube for several years,although the selection of VCube HDwas by no means automatic. “We didlook closely at the competition, butVCube seemed to offer us the friend-liest user interface,” said Paul Jarvis, DeLane Lea’s technical manager. “Someof the competing systems were techni-cally impressive, but couldn’t offerjog/shuttle-type control, forcing you tojump through a video file in incrementsrather than rewinding or forwarding inthe traditional manner. We’re used tosystems that emulate tape machines –you can see what’s happening with theimage better. And the VCube seems toaccept the major file formats and codecswithout any trouble.”

Elsewhere, eMerging has played anintegral role in the design, constructionand installation of six new audio

dubbing suites at Lime Pictures. Eachfeatures Merging Pyramix audio post-production DAWs, VCube HD high-definition video playback systems,and Merging Ramses control surfaces.Alongside the equipment fromeMerging, Lime has also acquired newHD Sony HDC-1500 cameras, con-structed a new Central Apparatus Roomwith a 102TB Data Direct video produc-tion SAN, and developed six new-buildHD video editing suites based aroundApple’s Final Cut Pro.

Collectively, the project represents amajor facility upgrade for LimePictures, arguably best-known as the

company behind Channel 4 soapHollyoaks. The technical team’s deci-sion to go the Pyramix route dates backto 2006, since when the scope of theupgrade has expanded considerably.

“It’s all about integrating well withthe network, basically,” commentedLime’s head of dub, Chris Lovgreen.“We didn’t want work to tape at the dub-bing stage any more – we wanted tostream all the pictures straight from theproduction SAN and, put simply, theVCube HD is the high-definition videoplayback tool that integrates best withPyramix. Similarly, with Ramses, I likedthe integration with Pyramix.”

Also in Liverpool, eMerging has supplied a MassCore mix engine and version 6 software upgrade for thePyramix DAW at LIPA. Qwww.merginguk.com

UNITED KINGDOM

eMerging benefiting from the HD boom

UNITED KINGDOM

Audient warmsup Alaska

The surround suite at LIPA now features Pyramix DAWs

This easy-to-use commentator’s unit for two announcers plus guest has all you need for a

perfect production: three intercom channels, stable technology, transformer balanced inputs

and outputs, high-quality preamps and additional wide-ranging logic control interfaces. There

are countless possible configurations – all tucked away out of the operators’ sight, making it

impossible for them to do anything wrong. The Aircom Dual Commentator’s Unit from Zähl –

the perfect tool for the perfect show.

Showpiece.

Tel. +49 (0)89 419671-0 · www.sono.de

Bob Earland with the new

Audient console

A recent upgrade to Alaska Studios inLondon saw the installation of a 36-chan-nel Audient recording console alongsidethe studio’s collection of classic analogueoutboard gear. “We still use 2” and 0.5”mastering tape for the artists who loveto keep it old school and get that warmsound of analogue tape,” explains studioowner Beverley Lodge. “Saying that, mostof the recordings we do are to hard disc,using Logic Pro 7/8 and MOTU inter-faces. The Audient handles it all easily.”

Studio engineer, Bob Earland,agrees: “The Audient has excellent routing, a very useable mix buss com-pressor and nice clean, uncoloured signal path. Routing has sped up themixing process especially for the lay-ing down of stems.”

Alaska has just finished recordingRoots Manuva’s latest album, Slime andReason. “It was great to be part of that,”adds Lodge. “It’s a brilliant album!” Qwww.audient.com


Nigel LordBang Post Production in Cardiff hasundergone a £150,000 refurbishmentof its main dubbing theatre – said to beone of the biggest outside London. Themajor revamp – carried out by MunroAcoustics – took three weeks to com-plete and includes both acoustic andcosmetic improvements to the studiowhich has scored success on projectssuch as Abraham’s Point, Doctor Whoand Torchwood.

Theatre 1 has had its wall coverings,ceilings and lighting stripped out andreplaced, and received new acoustictreatments designed to accommodatemixes for larger cinemas. Two new 18”sub woofers have also been installed toprovide better low-end definition andthe mixing console has been upgraded

to a Digidesign D Control ES with mul-tiple Pro Tools systems controlled fromthe desk. “This gives us the capacity to playback more than 380 tracks of audioin the theatre,” explains Doug Sinclair,supervising sound editor and the man who founded/runs Bang with

business partnerPaul McFadden.

The revamp alsosaw the installationof a new high-defprojector and pic-ture playback hasbeen dramaticallyimproved with theincorporation ofAvid Media Station.Having secured afull Dolby DigitalLicence, Bang cannow mix Dolby

Cinema, full HD, Dolby E and DolbyDigital EX and plans to take on additionalfilm and TV post production work.

“Bang is a great example of a turn-around project where, with a lot of expe-rience and accurate data, we can create avery good dubbing theatre,” commentsMunro Acoustics’ director, Andy Munro.“A Dolby feature mixing theatre inCardiff is a great addition to the burgeon-ing range of facilities we have designedand built in Wales, and I am all for that.”

Bang’s team has won two BAFTACymru awards, three BAFTA Cymrunominations, two national BAFTAnominations, and a MPSE GoldenReel nomination for sound in a foreign feature.

The new facility was officiallyopened by Doctor Who revivalist andwriter Russell T Davies on 1 October…while being observed closely by a Cyberman. Qwww.bangpostproduction.com

SOUND BITESf The first AEA Big RibbonA440 microphone to be sold inEurope has been bought byproducer Steve Mac togetherwith an AEA R88 stereo ribbonmic and a TRP ribbon micpreamplifier. Audio consultantKMR Audio supplied the A440,which is said to be the quietestmicrophone currently made andmaintains a flat response andaccurate figure-of-eight polarpattern down to 20Hz.www.kmraudio.com

www.wesdooley.com

f This year’s ReproducedSound Conference retains itsfamiliar format in a hotelenvironment with paperscovering a wide range of issuesrelating to sound design fortheatres, concert halls and sportsvenues. Other topics for debateinclude immersive sound fieldsand wavefield synthesis, digitalaudio encoding for broadcastsound and audio distribution.Scheduled for 20-21 Novemberat the Barceló Old Ship Hotel inBrighton, the conference isorganised by the IOA’sElectroacoustics Group andsupported by the AES, theAssociation of British TheatreTechnicians, the APRS and theInstitute for Sound andCommunications Engineers.www.reproducedsound.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

Bang on target after major refurb


Doug Sinclair (left) and Paul McFadden,

owners of Bang Post Production

Russell T Davies open the studio, watched by a Cyberfriend

Stewart Copeland (The Police) and Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music) were the special

guests at a recent British Video Association Blu-ray music showcase at Metropolis

Studios in London. Providing surround sound for the event – which featured clips

from Blu-ray DVD releases The Police: Certifiable and Strat Pack – was a PMC IB1S

5.1 system with XB3 subwoofer. Recent albums mastered at Metropolis with PMC

equipment include The Verve’s Forth and Elbow’s Nationwide Mercury Music

Prize-winning The Seldom Seen Kid. Left to right are Mike Brown (BVA), Peter

Thomas (PMC), Manzanera and Copeland. Q

www.pmc-speakers.com www.metropolis-group.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM


The TL Audio VTC (Valve Technology Console) is simply without competition.

Nothing comes remotely close to providing the flexibility, the features and above all the impeccable sound that only real valves can create.

Use the desk clean for a low noise, high quality signal path or drive the valves harder to produce luscious warm tones and rich sounding even harmonic distortion.

But don’t just take our word for it, Producers, Artists and Engineers the world over refuse to track and mix on anything else.

Read more about the VTC and their comments at : www.tlaudio.co.uk

Prices start at just £9995 ex VAT

‘INSPIRING’.

VTC.

PASSIONATE ABOUT TUBES

TELEPHONE +44 (0)1462 492090 // EMAIL [email protected] // www.tlaudio.co.uk

“I was looking for a consolethat was not only functional, but

was inspirational as well.... I found it!”Richard McNamara - Embrace

“The desk is in use from 10 till 10 every day and the students can’t get

enough of it... [they] are all very impressed with the sound.”

Bruce - Head Lecturer - SAE Amsterdam

“I just fell in love with it - I’ve never achieved a sound as warm and luscious as I’m currently getting, and having this

vibe at the early stages of writing and recording is really spurring me on. The VTC is an absolutely inspiring desk to

work with!”Kipper - Producer, Sting

“When we saw the console we knew instantly that we had to have it. The EQ on the VTC is really detailed, making it

easy to pick out what you want… It really is a monster piece of kit.”

EMI Music Publishing

“The quality of preamps on the VTC really attracted us. We needed the highest

quality front end and wanted to keep the signal path as simple as possible with

only one A/D stage. The VTC allows us to do that and it gives us that high quality

valve sound.”Joe Bennett - Bath Spa University

“We were immediately impressed by the quiet noise floor of the VTC - and the

sound of the EQ is unreal. I only wish I could take it on tour with us!”

Rick Smith - Underworld

VTC ad PSN 23-8-06.indd 1 27/10/08 08:17:13

fIn a typically leafy suburb ofBerlin, one of the pretty yetunassuming houses guards a

secret. The cellar contains the private stu-dio of Paul van Dyk, the East Berlin-bornDJ who packs global dancefloors by nightand returns home to make recordsinspired by the experience.

Van Dyk is part of that generationwho turned DJs from people who playedrecords to people who made records.Embracing music technology, hebecame as much an electronic musicianas DJ, picking up essential pro-audioinsight along the way. Recently he procured a Euphonix System 5-MC tobecome the bridge of his mix Enterprise,

and has been using it on everythingfrom a compilation of Cream Ibizaanthems and third-party remixes to workon his own, sixth album.

“This is a very special set-up here,targeting exactly the way I work.Everything is mixed, finalised and pro-duced here,” he reveals, adding that thatthis is where you’ll usually find him inbetween the 110-120 gigs he racks upeach year. “I’m not a DJ in the commonsense of the word,” he continues. “I’mnot playing two records and mixingbetween them. Basically I have twocomputer set-ups on stage synchronisedwith each other, plus MIDI keyboardsand MIDI controller keyboards. I’m

playing a lot of live things. So when yousee something really taking off in frontof a live audience, why not take thatexperience and actually put it back intothe production in the studio?”

While it’s Ableton Live on stage,back home the System 5-MC is used topenetrate deeply into Logic Pro. “Thecomputers are so powerful now, itmakes sense to have a native systemwith a mixing desk that becomes anoversized remote control,” he says. “Youget the tactile interface, even though thecomputer enables you to do all the mix-ing within it.

The special set-up in this studio isthat every single channel has its ownD-A converter, so it goes out digitally,gets mixed in analogue and goes backin. That’s why this place has a certainpunch that would be missing if it waspurely digital.”

The tactile interface is crucial,whether musician or DJ… “I just don’tlike working with a mouse or track-ballall the time. We are talking about mak-ing music. When I mix a track I startwith the drums, laying them out in acertain set-up. If I imagine setting a levelwith a mouse, it just wouldn’t feel right.Music has a lot do with feel, and in orderto mix properly I need something likethis. It will actually let you do more thanthe software currently lets you, and thepotential is huge. For example, the joy-sticks are currently used for 5.1 mixing.But how cool would it be if they con-trolled filters, so you could use the X andY axes to do some crazy effects?

“What’s great about the console arethe possibilities it gives you. It even hasan input to the creativity that you putinto the production. Suddenly you’ll seesomething and you think, yes, let’s trythat. It doesn’t help with the generalidea – you have to be creative to havethat idea! But it helps you to nail it downright away. You can then enhance theidea and develop a full track. It givesyou a grip on creativity.”

Quite literally, in fact. Van Dyk makesfull manual use of the faders, notwith-standing their digital autonomy. “I ride

the faders, of course,” he says. “Thereare some short cuts when we’re track-ing, but when we do the proper mix-down we don’t use any automation atfirst. We lay the basic foundations byhand. Later in the mixdown we’ll startto use some automation and let thefaders move on their own, but it’s nevercompletely automated.”

Next on the agenda is Euphonix’sArtist Series. Van Dyk has just takendelivery of both an MC Mix and MCControl, but hasn’t had much time towork with them so far. The studio is ori-entated around the System 5-MC, sothey may well become part of the liveset-up. Meanwhile, van Dyk and hisengineer Jonas Zadow continue to pushthe boundaries between performance,composition and production. And theultimate aim? “As much as composingmusic, it is a question of how one thingsounds in relation to another, so obvi-ously you need to go into EQing andfind out if they work together. We doalways zero everything after the arrange-ment is done, so we can really begin toconstruct the sound properly. We’rethen aiming for a clean, full-on, bang-ing, punchy sound…” Qwww.euphonix.com

Paul van Dyk: Not a DJ in the usual sense of the word


Click van DykPhil Ward drops in on the world-beatingDJ who mixes with Euphonix

The home set-up features a System 5-MC

Multicore SystemsMade in GermanyMade in Germany

perfect transmission

www.klotz-ais.comklkl iiwwwwwwwwwww.klkklklklklklklklkl tttotototototzzzz-z- iiiiaiaaiaiaiaiaisssssss. KLOTZ Audio Interface Systems A.I.S. GmbH • Baldhamer Str. 39 • D-85591 Vaterstetten/Munich • +49 8106 308-100

GERMANY


Nigel LordRoland UK has expanded its MusicAcademy Programme with the launchof eight new academies at colleges inBoston, Carmarthenshire, Leicester,Northampton, Oxford and CherwellValley in Preston, south Devon andWorcester. The occasion was markedby a recent two-day conference inChepstow, where academy delegateshad an opportunity to meet, exchangeideas and discuss future training. Guestspeakers included Edirol’s Julien Tritschwho previewed the new Cakewalk/

V-Studio 700 with SONAR 8, and DrSimon Pitt of Rockschool (awardingbody for the Roland Certificate inEntrepreneurship).

“We are delighted with the responsefrom this first conference,” says DavidBarnard, Roland’s head of education.“Over the past two days we have seen areal sense of comradeship developing,combined with an excellent under-standing of the immense task aheadand a genuine desire to make this proj-ect a success.” Qwww.roland.co.uk


Conference marks launchof Roland Music Academies

New PD Series Location Recorders

www.fostex.jp

Audio acquisition that’s as versatile as you are.Designed from the ground up to excel in ‘real-world’ applications, wherever you happen to be in the

world. The new PD606 (8-track) and PD204 (2-track) location recorders both offer spectacular

audio quality, flexible recording to 12cm DVD-RAM, hard disc or a combination of both, rock solid

timecode implementation, extended battery life, loads of ‘instant access’ knobs, buttons and switches

plus a whole battery of interface options.

But impressive features are only part of the script. Fostex’s unrivalled pedigree in designing and

manufacturing world class location recorders for over 16 years and our unique understanding of the

broadcast, film, tv and audio acquisition environments means that these new recorders aren’t just the

best PD recorders ever, they’re simply the best professional location recorders available today.

Fostex Company, 3-2-35 Musashino,

Akishima, Tokyo, Japan 196-0021

Email: [email protected]

UNITED KINGDOM

Focusrite/Nova-tion’s royal rev-elry, followingthe company’sattainment ofthe Queen’sAward for Inn-ovation (seePSNE October),came to a closeon the 20 Oct-ober, with a visit to the High WycombeHQ by HRH The Duke Of Gloucester.

“Not all winners of this covetedaward are selected for further visitationby royalty!” says Focusrite/Novation’sSimon Halstead.

After shaking hands with companypresident Phil Dudderidge (left), theMayor, local councillors and theNovation team, the Duke was thenshown around the facilities, particular-ly the R&D department, where theaward-winning Automap technologywas conceived and implemented. Qwww.focusrite.com

Duke meets DuddUNITED KINGDOM

Roland Music Academy facilities at Walsall College

Photo: Lis McDermott Photography

SOUND BITEf Vienna-based recording studioTonzauber has taken delivery ofthe first SADiE LRX2 multitracklocation recording interface inAustria. Supplied by SADiE’sAustrian and German distributor,ForTune, the LRX2 is being usedas part of a mobile rig to recordlive classical and acousticperformances. Tonzauber alreadyowned SADiE PCM4 and PCM8systems, with studioowner/founder Georg Burdiceknoting that “given our goodexperiences with the SADiEbrand, it was a logical step tointroduce SADiE into our mobilerecording chain”.www.prismsound.com

www.sadie.com

(L-R): Phil Dudderidge

with the Duke

A recent refurbishment of the

Bournemouth & Poole College studios

at Knighton Heath included a new TL

Audio M4 32-channel analogue mixing

desk for Studio One plus new mixers

and bass amps for the five rehearsal

rooms. Martin Outhwaite, Academy

Manager for Music, comments:

“The new desk uses a more traditional

way of routing audio signals that

allows teaching in a more practical

and intuitive way. The facilities allow

our students to have access to a

professional workplace whilst studying

at the college.” Q

www.thecollege.co.uk

www.tlaudio.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM


fThis summer’s Develop GamesConference was the third suchevent. Held in Brighton, it fea-

tured speakers from several leadinggames production companies, whowent into detail about budgets and pro-duction techniques, audio teams, sounddesign and mixing styles.

“Given a £1 million game budget,most of this is allocated to coding anddesign, with between 5% and 10% –£100,000 at best – allocated to audio,”complained Ciaran Walsh, audio direc-tor at Zoë Mode. “This is not very muchwhen you have to pay a salary for an in-house sound designer for a year, thenpay for voice recording and localisation.After all these things, you might have£20,000-£30,000 left for the music.”Walsh spoke about how he had to go‘cap in hand’ to the publisher of a recentgames title, You’re in the Movies!, tomake a strong case for a significantbudget increase for the music. In this

game, the player carries out variousactions that are recorded and used tocreate movies, so you end up with a

whole bunch of movie genres – fromsilent era through to present day –requiring lots of different types of

music. Walsh realised that they wouldneed a very experienced composer tocreate music for all these genres, so they

decided to hire top games composerRichard Jacques, and use at least somelive music.

“Having convinced the producer thatthe music budget needed to beincreased significantly, we had to con-vince the publisher, demonstrating sam-pled and live versions of the score.”

To clinch the deal, Walsh gave thepublisher three budgetary options andended up with the audio budget morethan doubled, so they were able to uselive brass and a 32-piece string section.

Convincing decision makers to payfor ‘live’ musicians was one of the mainthemes of the day, with several speak-ers playing music scores created usingsamples and comparing these with thefinal versions recorded using realorchestras. Sound designer and com-poser Steve Burke from Rare spokeabout the budget for the score for Banjo-Kazooie, a game he originally composedwith samples using Cubase andGigastudio. “Three months before thegame came out we re-recorded the scoreusing an 80-piece orchestra and a 40-piece choir. It cost about £35,000 forthe orchestra and studio time. We alsohad to hire an orchestrator, so altogetherit cost about £45,000, but this gave usa soundtrack album as well.”

Garry Taylor, audio manager at SonyComputer Entertainment Europe(SCEE), also had plenty to say aboutbudgets and the problems that can ariseduring game production. “Previously,the problems were with limited audiomemory and limited bandwidth,” hesaid. “Today, the problems are with

WORLD

Raising the stakeswww.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008studio18

Increasing budgets for sound design, audio production and music scoring, more use of ‘live’ musicians, improved dialogue scripting, and more advanced mixingtechniques – these were some of the main topics during this year’s Audio Track sessions at the Develop Games Conference, writes Mike Collins

A game such as Battlefield: Bad Company can average 50 hours of audio



managing complexity, managing production, and creating increasinglycomplex toolsets.” According to Taylor,the fact that budgets are rising to six oreven seven figures introduces new chal-lenges – mistakes can be much morecostly, for example. Taylor revealed thata top-end title such as Heavenly Swordmight have a complete audio budget of£800,000-£900,000, while a mid-sized title might have a £300,000 budg-et and a smaller title’s budget might bearound £20,000.

Games producers are increasinglytaking note of how things are done infilm production – and not only as far asmusic scores are concerned. FormerSkywalker Sound re-recording mixerTom Johnson, now based at ArdmoreSound in Ireland, made the point thatsome of the best film sound is not necessarily the most technologicallyadvanced or the most overwhelming.According to Johnson, sound formovies used to cost much more whenmagnetic film tape was used – so it wasthought about much more carefullybefore it was used. “Now we have toomuch sound with digital – terabytes tochoose from!”

Of course, there can be a lot moredialogue, sound effects and music usedin today’s larger game productions. Forexample, Banjo-Kazooie required20,000 lines of dialogue, 5,000 soundeffects, and approximately two and ahalf hours of music. As Burke revealed:“We recorded all the speech in-houseoriginally, then got it outsourced andlocalised in seven different languages.”

Many games actually last muchlonger than films. Discussing the mix-ing techniques used in Battlefield: BadCompany, David Moellerstedt, head ofaudio at DICE, pointed out that a bat-tlefield game can average 50 hours ormore. “Music albums and movieshave a set structure and are muchshorter, so a game needs to be mixeddifferently from other media,” he said.“We mixed this game constantly –

probably for half a year – changingthings in small steps that became thefinal mix.”

Moellerstedt also described howDICE implemented real-time master-ing in-game, giving the user three choic-es: home cinema with little or noprocessing; hi-fi with some filtering andcompression; and TV with lots of com-pression and some limiting.

A new technique called dynamicmixing is increasingly being used in games to limit the different typesof sounds that are audible at any point. In older titles, car enginemodels have used dynamic mixingsystems so that recordings of differ-ent engine revs could be mixed up ordown accordingly.

SCEE’s Taylor spoke enthusiastic-ally about the latest capabilities: “Nowwe can save complete mixes and recallthese according to in-game triggers,changing the mix depending on in-game events.”

Illustrating how this might be done,Taylor explained: “With a compressoron every sub-group taking a key-inputfrom every other sub-group, controllingthe volume of one channel based on the

level of another, your mix can be ‘selfaware’. So everything ducks down whenthe dialogue comes in. Or if there’s lotsof gunfire going on, you could triggershouted dialogue and when it goes quietagain, go back to spoken dialogue.”

Sound effects have always beenimportant in games, but today there isa growing realisation that dialogue pro-duction is becoming more and moreimportant. SCEE is now recording dialogue on the motion-capture stageusing the actors instead of hiringvoiceover artists – which was previouslythe norm.

“Things have changed in big budgetcinematic productions,” Taylor told theaudience. “The actors on Getaway weredoing voices as well as motion, andhigh-profile games are now using high-profile actors.” Taylor also recom-mended using experienced directorswho would do whatever it takes tomake the talent comfortable, “which isthe only way to get best performanceout of them!”.

Adele Cutting from Electronic Artsagreed – having learnt a lesson by get-ting bad reviews for dialogue. “On theearly Harry Potter games we did notuse a trained scriptwriter, so all thedifferent lines were spoken with thesame voice. Each character shouldhave had a different way of speaking!”Once the penny had dropped, theyhired scriptwriters for subsequentepisodes and got good reviews for thespeech thereafter.

What emerged at the end of theseminars was a realisation that games

audio has reached a new level, andspecialists are increasingly beingemployed to get the dialogue, soundeffects and music to match, or evenbetter, that of the best feature films.Budgets are increasing, but this hasbrought new responsibilities andgreater risks of failure. Nevertheless,the overall feeling was of a new free-dom to create world-class dialogue,sound effects and music for the nextgeneration of games titles. Qwww.ardmoresound.ie

www.develop-conference.com

www.ea.com

www.rareware.com

www.scee.com

www.zoemode.comTop-end titles might have a complete

audio budget of up to £900,000

PROPRO THE headphone companyNatural Surround Sound headphones

www.ultrasone.com

Exquisitely faithful sound + Exclusive design + Latest proprietar y technologies

meet the most exacting needs of professionals

“Previously the problems were with limitedaudio memory and limited bandwith.Today, the problems are with managingcomplexity and production, and creatingincreasingly complex toolsets”

Zoë Mode’s Ciaron Walsh


www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008studio bookings20

IcelandTonaljos +354 892 9000Laddi Album Sena Halldorson TempoSteed Lord Album Tonaljos Music Steed Lord TempoBobo & Heartbreakers Tracks Tonaljos Music Bobo TempoHawks Tracks Tonaljos Music Hawks Various

ItalyArtesuono +39 0432 570 0754Anuar Brahem Album ECM Eicher AmerioFrank Harrison Album Frank Harrison Frank Harrison AmerioPaolo Fresu – Uri Caine Mixing EMI Verdearanciomusica Amerio

Fonoprint +39 51 585 254Alessandro Ribella CD Leo Z ZucchiniSkiantos CD CaratiZucchero CD/DVD Universal Music Biancani

OASI +39 06 3723312Ponentino Trio Album Artist Artist ModugnoRaffaello Simeoni Album Finisterre Treglia Modugno

Officine Meccaniche +39 2813 8593Cesare Picco New Album Blumargot Picco CupertinoCarnera New Album Officine Pan Idler Tommy Carnera GoharaDeasonika New Album Vertical Vision Deasonika Marco TrentacosteMinistri New Album Zumpapa srl Camagni Gohara

Pink House +39 3355 973004R Belelli/F Sardella Monster Allergy 2 Rainbow Animation Rainbow Animation SardellaLingaterre CD Agrosound Sardella SardellaRiciclato circo musicale CD/DVD Agrosound Sardella/Belelli SardellaVarious Kaulonia Taranta Eugenio Bennato Kaulonia/Bennato/ Sardella

Festival Sardella

SMC +39 1 254 8416Ballista-Lucchetti Album Discantica Bertodo CampajolaOSGP Album SMC Bertodo CampajolaEntracte Album Discantica Campajola Campajola

Spazi Sonori +39 586 504116Jerry Weldon Album Max Farao Farao BarbieriPaolo Migone Theater Music Dnart Studio Ciardulli Barbieri

Studio 52 +39 8 1579 2599Coro Del Conservatorio Demos Conservatorio Di Napoli Mormile RescignoLuigi Rubino Album Artist Artist RescignoDaniela Del Monaco- Album Ass Marco Mascagna Krauss Rescigno

Studiottanta +39 141 928174Southlands Mastering SFR Visentin-Southlands VisentinSalvo Buono Mastering Artist Artist VisentinOrchestra Orizzontale Album SFR Visentin Visentin

MaltaTemple +356 21 574 833Nudex Album Mix Artist Artist/Luuk Cox CoxPhillip Boa and the Voodooclub Album Rough Trade Boa/Vella VellaForsaken Album Mix I hate Vella Vella

BelgiumHype +32 0495 401 231After all New Album Dockyard 1 Djee Djee & XtofThe Sedan Vault Album Vanguard San Khepaw Recs Djee DjeeLoesh! Mastering Showarma Recs Pita VolckaertRauw en onbesproken Mastering Grafrede 9000 sessies Mellow P Volckaert

Studio La Chapelle +32 487 44 60 78Jef Neve Pre Production Jef NeveThe Chargers EP Recording Concours cour-circuitArcadius Pre Production Arcadius Verdonckt Verdonckt

DenmarkIRHOJ +45 563 81986Irwin Starr Tracks – Song Contest Irwin Starr Irhoj/Stavnstrup/Winther IrhojHelle Borgesen Album Helle Johnsen/Irhoj IrhojHumble Rats Tracks Artist Bogelund Irhoj

FranceBeneath the Underdog +33 6 2977 7477Lili Artist Arnold Arnold

GermanyBallsaal +49 30 8441 4960Keimzeit Album Artist Grau BlackPete/Simon

Peter Brandt Remote Recording GmbH +49 212 254 1225Queen & Paul Rodgers World Tour Queen Justin Shirley Smith Smith/BrandtJoja Wendt DVD Feschfilm Schuetrumpf Saueressig/BornLionel Richie SIR Entertainment Group Schwedt BrandtSimple Plan Streetgig T Mobile Schuetrumpf Carrol

Greece Athens Megaron +30 1 72 82 209En Chordais CD En Chordais Kalaintzidis MandopoulosM Tzouganakis Live Recording General Publishing Co M Tzouganakis Mandopoulos/

BlazoudakisMikis Theodorakis Symphonic Works Omma Omma Mandopoulos/

Live Rec BlazoudakisEstoudiantina Recording Estoudiantina Katsigiannis Mandopoulos

HungaryDigital Pro +36 1 383 2481MSO Filmusic Merlos Konzert May LizeSnetberger/Szakcsi Mastering Vox Arts Horvath MatokGTI Band Album Private Kovacs David

Origo Studio +36 70 518 0801Lord Bishop Album Lord Bishop Friedrich CsernySupernem Album 1G Records Jozsa Jozsa/Cserny

Soundmasters +36 1454 0200Depresszio Album HMR Music Erdelyi HidasiVarious Voiceovers Viasat Europe Erdelyi DunaiLB 27 EP MTV Erdelyi Dunai

Studio bookingsThe Studio Bookings listing is a free service. All information is provided by the companies listed andPSNE cannot be held responsible for any factual errors. To be included in the listings, please contactLianne Davey, studio bookings editor, on +44 20 7921 8401, or email [email protected]

ARTIST PROJECT CLIENT PRODUCER ENGINEER

ARTIST PROJECT CLIENT PRODUCER ENGINEER

If you want your web address to be included in the magazine AND in thedigital edition of Pro Sound News Europe for just £50 a year, please email

Lianne on [email protected] for an order form

www.remoterecording.net

www.artesuono.it

www.ballsaal-studios.com

RF signal to send frequency

PSNE Nov P20-22 Studio Bookings 30/10/08 13:48 Page 20

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008studio bookings22

Gemini +44 1473 272756Andre De Moiler Band Album Andre De Moller Grueber GrueberPaula Taylor Mixing Spall Grueber GrueberAndy Copping Tracks N/A Copping Grueber

Hear No Evil +44 20 7385 8244Wallander TV Drama BC Phipps ParrA Simple Man Ballet Threefold Davis ParrAbove Suspicion TV Drama Lynda La Plante Johnston ParrLark Rise TV Drama BBC Nott Parr

Hillview +44 781 2649056Brian Eastwood Album tracks Brian Eastwood Guitars Ben Egg Bojan MClaire Luxton Album tracks Cheap N Best Ben Egg Bojan MChantelle Writing Cheap N Best Ben Egg EggAdonis Tjourmas Album Tracks Hairy Dog Tjoumas Egg

Livingston +44 20 8889 6558Feeder New Tracks Feeder Norton MasseyKronos Quartet New Album Tracks Aga Khan Music Initiative Kronos Quartet FraserMongrel Album Mix On U Sound Sherwood BrendanTony Allen Album Mix World Circuit Ltd Nick Gold Sonny

M2 +44 1902 840 440Magnum Album Artist Clarkin StuartCJM Music EP CJM Music Ltd Stanley SearSoley Mourning Album Artist Mark & Sheena Sheena & MarkJim Lea Album Jim Lea Music Jim Lea Sear

Metropolis +44 20 8742 1111Hikaru Utada Album Mixes Undercover Goetz BJames Blunt Album Mixes Atlantic ElmhirstMika Mixing Live DVD Universal LawrenceBlack Eyed Peas Album Tracks Interscope Will I Am Tucker/Lawrence

Musikbox +44 20 7232 0008Sam Sparro Mixing Island JesseRogg Oli WrightBullet for my Valentine Mixing Sony/BMG Colin Richardson Hyde

Parkgate +44 1424 774 810The Cure Album Universal Smith Uddin

Pool +44 20 7232 0008Sam Sparro Recording Island RankinTravis b sides Red Telephone Box RankinBloc Party Filming & RecordingWichita Moulder Rankin

Sain +44 1286 831111Ysgol Glanaethwy Album Sain Evans Jones/DaviesGwyn Hughes Jones Album Sain Evans/Parri DaviesFflint Male Voice Choir Album Sain Evans Terry

Sawmills +44 1726 833 752Hey Molly Tracks Chris Wolstenholme Reeve JoyceThe Goodness Tracks The Goodness Cornfield

Smokehouse +44 20 7702 0789Pete Brown Tracks Dub Mix Pete Brown Pete Brown Madden

Sphere +44 20 7326 9450X Factor TV Tracks SMP Wright SellarsChristophe Williem Album Sony BMG France Martin/Harris-PampouneauMartinStereophonics Radio Tour Universal Jones BohannonNadiya Album Sony BMG France Nadiya Blair

Sofa Sound +44 20 7232 0008Doll House Recording & Mixing Z Management HallStereophonics Mixing Mercury Lowe

Southern Studios +44 20 8888 8949Danananaykroyd Album Best Before Machine Harvey BirrellYokozuna Tracks Artist Birrell BirrellCrass Re-Mastering Southern Records Rimboud BirrellWhite Magik Album Artist Birrell

Sprint +44 1458 851010The Mirettes Album Sprint Music Ratcliff ChamberlainMy Dazy Chain Album Sprint Music Ratcliff Chamberlain

Square +44 20 7232 0008Princess Superstar Writing Nutricious DringJamie T Recording Virgin Cox DringElvin Recording Demos Virigin Hoffer Rejmer

Strongroom +44 20 7426 5100Maps Mixing Mute HolmesRazorlight Mixing Mercury Crosey CervonaroLate of the Pier Mxing/Recording Parlophone Alkan RobertsonPlacebo Recording Riverman Management Bottrill Savours

The Way +44 20 7165 4756Arno Carstens Album Sony BMG Strange Buttery/StrangeDavid Waldner Album Client Buttery ButteryThe Long Good Fridays EP Client Buttery Buttery

Toyshop +44 20 7232 0008Kid British Mixing Mercury Jones Aldridge

Wolf +44 20 7733 8088Dana Gillespie Album Gillespie Gillespie/Cross BrethesMonsoon Mastering Malca BrethesKava Kava Mastering Chocolate Fireguard BrethesKat Vipers Mastering Vipers Brethes

Yard +44 20 7232 0008Out From Animals Mixing Incredible LewisAndy Clockwise Mix Ironbark Entertainment RejmerPepys Mixing EP Nitro Music Gore Gore

NetherlandsExcess +31 1 0201 2111The Comeback Album Artist Storm PietersDelain Drumtracks Roadrunner Artist PietersX-Tinxion Album Artist Pieters Pieters

PortugalEstudio Vale de Lobos +351 963 051270Zeca Medeiros Recording Borges GuerreiroClaud Recording Grilo Guerreiro

Mastermix +351 239 952 143Casino Royal Album Artez Janela Janela

SpainSonic Vista +34 627 151117Guru Josh Mixing SarmientoSeamless Recordings Mastering SarmientoWelt Recordings Mastering SarmientoNikki Squire Mastering Sarmiento

SwedenStudios 301 +46 8 730 0400Project X String Rec Lady of the Lake Quiz and Larossi Ian AgateAlain Clark Tracking Falk Falk Falk

SwitzerlandForces Motrices +41 22 800 3280Lutin Mixing PatateLane DaveID WeberCrash Single FM DaveID Weber

Sunhill Project Studio +41 56 631 0353Spaced Country Fries Demo Gassmann Artist/Schwitter SchwitterTontechnikschule Drums & Mix Gruber tts Schwitter

WorkshopTrial off Album Mix & Slamanig Artist/Schwitter Schwitter

MasteringFrontline Troop Album Mix Red Alert Ent Schwitter/Pathos Works SchwitterHenri Gloveller Live Artist Gloveller/Schwitter Schwitter

Taurus +41 22 796 5218KC/Ames Album Relsky Prods KC RudioCrescendo Classical Guitar Crescendo Crescendo/Lander Lander

AlbumSam Blunier Album Sabina Publishing Blunier/Lander LanderHyren Album Hyren Lander Lander

UKAir +44 20 7794 0660Just Jack Recording Mercury ReynoldsGeorge Michael Mixing/Recording Panayiotou NobleProject – The Road Recording Nick Cave Cave Jackson

Alpha Centauri Recording +44 20 7232 0008The Hours Mixing Is Good Ltd Flood Flood

Angel Recording +44 20 7354 2525Sarah Brightman Christmas Single Steve Sidwell Peterson AcottNine Pre Record Weinstein Sullivan WolfThe Feeling Christmas Single Rhythm & Bookings Ltd Perkins ThomasTodd Sharpvile Charity Record Steve Power Power Price

Assault & Battery 2 +44 20 7232 0008The Hours New Album Rec Is Good Ltd Flood Flood

Axis +44 130 276 9676Sub Nova Album Tracks Stunted Records Sub Nova/Elliss EllissAll at Stake EP AAS Elliss EllissChasing Amy EP Elliss EllissBlack Spiders Album Tracks Pete Spiby Mgmt Spiders Elliss

Britannia Row +44 20 7371 5872The Verve Recording Parlophone Bran MclarenHermione Ross Album Black & Blonde Ross PritchardDani Harmer Vocals Musik Nichols VesseyMP4 Tracking RIM Millar VesseyLeon Jackson Tracking Syco N/A Hall

Byre +44 1463 741829The Jack CD Big F Records Ramsey GraemeMood Bungalow CD Artist Reed Robertson

Classic T Stage +44 1932 592 016Rick Wakeman In Concert Rick Wakeman Lyn Beardsall Buckley

Deep +44 20 8964 8256NH Pro Tools Transfers DRC Rose Rose/McBride

Engine Room +44 20 7232 0008Razorlight Album Mercury Crossey CrosseyKid British Album Tracks Mercury Jones AldridgeMagistrates Rec New Tracks Machine Management Spencer Eiles

Fairlight +44 20 89770632Elize Single Spinnin’ Records bv Anning/Mullen AnningElize Tracks Spinnin’ Records bv Robbins RobbinsPaul Kelly & Sarah Kempe Celtic Manor/ PNC Publishing Robbins/Mullen Ott

Ryder Cup

Foel +44 1938 810758The Alarm Album/DVD 21 Century Peters FieldingThe Mutineers Album Tri-tone Duffy FieldingThe Groundhogs Album Artist Anderson Anderson/Fielding

Garden +44 20 7232 0008Razorlight Recording b sides Mercury Crossey CervonaroFlamboyant Bella Demo’s Big Life Brown BrownLate of the Pier Recording Parlophone Alkan Robertson

ARTIST PROJECT CLIENT PRODUCER ENGINEER ARTIST PROJECT CLIENT PRODUCER ENGINEER

www.estudiovaledelobos.com.pt

www.a-centauri.co.uk

www.spherestudios.com

www.livingstonstudios.co.uk

www.sainwales.com/services/studop.aspx

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

www.miloco.co.uk

PSNE Nov P20-22 Studio Bookings 30/10/08 13:49 Page 22

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com broadcast 23

SOUND BITESf Custom Consoles hasconfirmed three major ordersfor broadcast furniturefollowing its appearance at IBC 2008. Two of the orderscome from BBC divisions – BBCTraining has purchased a newversion of Media Desk with a13U pedestal for installation at Wood Norton, while BBCTelevision has ordered two new System 2 desks. Theremaining order, placed by the systems integration division of Shepperton-basedreseller Altered Images, is for a five-bay Module R desk,incorporating an 8U equipmentrack behind each of the five bays.www.customconsoles.co.uk

f Belfast-based audiocompression specialist APThas appeared in the DeloitteTechnology Fast 50 – a list of the50 fastest-growing technologycompanies in Ireland – for thesecond year in a row. Thecompany ranked number 28 inthis year’s list. “Receiving such a prestigious award for thesecond consecutive year is atestament to the fact that weare on track to achieve ourambitious goals and is a hugeendorsement of our success inan extremely competitivemarketplace,” said APT CEONoel McKenna.www.aptx.com

f Audio & Design Reading,a retailer for RTW Meters in theUK, has sold what it describesas “a significant amount” of10600 Surround Sound metersto broadcaster BSkyB. Specialsoftware changes were madeto the devices to include aBSkyB display page. Afterassessing all the major metersuppliers, Sky chose the RTW10600 because of its “intuitivedisplay information”, saysAudio & Design.www.adrl.co.uk

www.rtw.de

Kevin HiltonDAB suffered another blow duringOctober when Channel 4 Televisionabandoned its plans for digital radio.The broadcaster won the licence for thesecond national commercial DAB mul-tiplex last year as part of the 4 DigitalGroup, and had intended to launchthree stations.

The move was blamed on “a rapiddownturn” in C4’s core revenues andthe need to save £100 million on itsoperational costs.

C4’s chief executive, Andy Duncan,commented that the decision was taken“very reluctantly” and the broadcasterstill believed DAB “has a strong futureand that we could make a return fromradio in the medium term”. Duncanadded that, due to a drastic downturn inrevenues, “we can no longer afford theshort-term investment necessary giventhat we are having to cut so deeply acrossall parts of the organisation”. C4 is set tosave as much as £10 million during2009 after dropping its radio plans.

Systems integrator Oxford Sound &Media had begun technical design workon the radio studios for C4’s headquar-ters in the Victoria area of London, butthe project has been abandoned.Managing director Andrew Riley saidthe announcement came like a “boltfrom the blue”. He added that hiscompany had other contracts lined up, particularly in the theatre sector, but saidthe C4 situation showed there was a “big-ger problem for the whole industry”.

The UK regulatory and licensingbody, Ofcom, issued a statement saying it recognised that today’s economic environment is “very chal-lenging”. It was planning discussionswith the other members of the 4Digital Group to see how they pro-posed to move forward. Ofcom wasalso talking to other multiplex opera-tors and the BBC regarding “a viable

outcome that is in the interests ofradio listeners and the industry”.

The 4 Digital Group also comprisesBauer Radio, BSkyB, The CarphoneWarehouse Group, UBC Media and

UTV Radio. These partners had alreadydelayed the launch of their contribu-tions to the new multiplex, leaving C4to lead the way. C4 had intended to putentertainment station E4 Radio on airthis summer but, prior to this latestannouncement, it was postponed tonext year, with no dates for the othertwo services.

Bauer issued a statement saying:“We believe the future for radio is toprovide a multi-platform consumerexperience, and we remain committedto developing our digital radio presencewhen and where we are satisfied thatwe have the right brands on the rightplatforms at the right time.”

The Digital Radio DevelopmentBureau (DRDB) said it regretted C4’s

decision, but chief executive TonyMoretta added: “DAB remains a strongproposition with sales up 20% year-on-year. The medium has made good,steady progress without C4 and,although it is a shame that we will notbe able to enjoy E4 Radio, we will con-tinue to see new stations launching onDAB in the coming months.”

Despite this, and a 30% rise in dig-ital radio listening figures, the doubtswill remain over the future of DAB. But,as talk of a recession continues, thereshould be wider concerns for the radioindustry itself. Qwww.bauermedia.co.uk

www.channel4.com

www.drdb.org

www.ofcom.org.uk

Canned: Channel 4 has “very reluctantly” abandoned plans for three digital radio stations

UNITED KINGDOM

More doubts over DAB asChannel 4 pulls its radio plans

“We remain committedto developing our digital radio presencewhen and where weare satisfied that wehave the right brandson the right platformsat the right time”

PSNE Nov P23-28 Broadcast 30/10/08 13:51 Page 23

www.sommercable.comSOMMER CABLE GmbH

Audio � Video � Broadcast � Media Technology � [email protected]

ORDER YOUR

FREE CATALOG

– A M P L I F I E R S –

Bulk Cables Premade Cables Connectors

Headphones

Multicore Systems

Active Components

OEM Manufacturing

K I D B ROA D C A S T

Distribution Systems

Modular Systems

Sound_News_EU_b88x314_080407.indd 1 07.04.2008 17

fOne of the final componentsin an extensive technical refur-bishment of the BBC’s largest

radio studio, the M-400 V-MixingSystem from RSS by Roland, has been installed in the broadcaster’sfamous Radio Theatre in London’sBroadcasting House.

As part of a larger building pro-gramme, the Radio Theatre has beenrefurbished and fitted out for a widerange of audience shows, primarily butnot exclusively output to radio, includ-ing light entertainment productions,comedy, Christmas specials and one-off events.

Built in the 1930s when it wasknown as the BBC Concert Hall, it hasplayed host to Alfred Brendel, DanielBarenboim, Yehudi Menuhin, MstislavRostropovich, Janet Baker and Kiri TeKanawa. Since it became the 312-seatRadio Theatre in the mid-1990s, andfeatured a modern production galleryand a stage configured for a broader

range of programmes, more familiarnames including David Bowie, REM,Prince and Paul Weller have graced the facility.

The RSS M-400 digital mixing sys-tem, supplied by Total Audio Solutions,has the job of mixing the two PA sys-tems in the theatre, a d&b compact linearray and a distributed speech system.More than 100 mic inputs are sentfrom stage via MADI to the main con-trol console for the on-air broadcast mix.From the stagebox, a smaller selectionof 40 inputs is split to the RSS S-4000Digital Snake stage unit, travelling upCat5e digital multicore to the M-400console, where these inputs are usedfor the front-of-house sound mix, andproviding up to eight foldback mixes ifrequired. The system configurationpermits the use of a second M-400 asa monitor console, currently secondedfrom a BBC multimedia events team.

“The Roland M-400 was chosen forits powerful features and high-quality

mic pres,” explains Peter Knowles ofTotal Audio Solutions, who started hisown career at Broadcasting Housesome 25 years ago. “Digital consoles ofthis type are ever-flexible tool boxes thatcan recall complex set-ups in seconds.The Roland can distribute its remotemic pres many times over.”

With the M-400 halving the physi-cal footprint of the previous analogueconsole used in the theatre, and the RSSDigital Snake 32 x 8 stage unit and 8x32front-of-house unit fitting into a single12U rack, the system is suitably com-pact and portable for an environmentthat has limited space. “If necessary, wecan strike the system really quickly,”says events manager Mark Diamond, a contributor to Roland’s customerresearch on feature upgrades. “Withsome Radio OB vehicles using the sameSnakes and M-400 consoles, we canturn up at very short notice and providebroadcast splits fast.” Qwww.rolandsg.co.uk

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008broadcast24

UNITED KINGDOM

Curtain up on new V-Mixerat famous BBC Radio Theatre

All the greats, from Barenboim to Bowie, have played in this room

In reality, Clear-Com has bought thetechnology and hired all the originalTalkdynamics staff to continue theresearch and development work intovoice and data systems that began whenthe company was founded in 2004. IV-Core comprises Instant Voice Network(IV-N) and Instant Voice Router (IV-Router) and is based on routing, errorrecovery and noise suppression algo-rithms. Under the deal the lead devel-opers of IV-Core, Talkdynamics’president Stephane Menard and busi-ness development director PatrickMenard, join Clear-Com as director of

IP development and sales director ofClear-Com Concert respectively.

Clear-Com is part of the Vitec group.During the 1990s it was a market leaderin intercom, particularly across Europe.Vitec also owned Drake Electronics, a UKintercom manufacturer that had carvedout a niche for itself with its digital systems. Matt Danilowicz says Clear-Combegan to lose ground seven to eight yearsago when Vitec decided to integrate thetwo companies and their product linesunder a single banner.

Danilowicz was appointed in 2006 tooversee the last stages of the integration

and help push the ‘new’ Clear-Com backinto the market. This, he says, has beendone by strong engineering in the coretechnologies of TDM and two- and four-wire systems, as well as in wireless andIP. “The IV-Core technology will giveClear-Com a competitive edge,” Danil-owicz comments, “but for our customersit is important to show that IP is now readyfor mission-critical applications like liveproduction. We see IV-Core as the basisof our next generation of products butthese are still a few years away.” Qwww.clearcom.com

h See Intercom feature on p65

Clear-Com IP buy seeks intercom strength (from cover)


The latest software innovation comes from Rastatt/Germany:

The Real-Time Dolby®E Plugin from Lawo.

Lawo AG | Rastatt / Germany

Lawo brings you a genuine world’s first with the definitive real-time

plugin decoder for surround bundles. The advantage: Dolby® E data

can now be processed not only on a workstation in your edit studio but

also in a live situation. In combination with the Lawo Plugin Server you

will experience superb usability that sets new standards in your every-day

programme work. Simultaneous decoding of several data streams, the easy

porting of complete productions, and multiple use of your software licence

– only the new Dolby® E Plugin, developed in close cooperation with Dolby

Laboratories and Minnetonka, gives you these innovative features. More about

this real-time plugin – exclusively from Lawo – at www.lawo.de

PSNE Oct P000 30/10/08 11:39 Page 24

fNew products, new formats,new company structures and anew-found enthusiasm from

broadcasters have raised surroundsound’s stock and profile this year. Blu-ray Disc (BD) is pushing consumers upto 7.1, and major broadcasters acrossEurope are establishing and develop-ing 5.1 services, although many broad-cast organisations and platformoperators are still to decide how multi-channel will be implemented.

The leading manufacturers in thefield are exploring new opportunities aswell as consolidating in establishedareas. Dolby Laboratories introduced thefirst result of its acquisition of CodingTechnologies at IBC 2008, exploitingthe research and development special-ist’s work in MPEG4 and low bit-ratetechnology to produce Pulse.

This bit-stream format/encoder/decoder package uses High Efficiency

Advanced Audio Coding (HE-AAC)codecs. Jason Power, director of broad-cast systems at Dolby Labs, describes it as being for situations in which

“efficiency is king and there is pressureon the amount of bandwidth available”.This includes digital TV networks withrestricted space on the multiplexes,

IPTV, transmissions to mobile devicesand the internet, with interactiveview/listen-again services, such as BBCiPlayer, now a major consideration for broadcasters.

Through Coding Technologies,Dolby is now part of the consortiumbehind MPEG Surround, which isintended for bit rates even lower thanthose handled by HE-AAC. Applicationsinclude mobile, web audio, IPTV andinternet music delivery. For broadcast-ing, MPEG Surround can produce datarates on a par with stereo, doing awaywith the need to simulcast surroundsound and two-channel signals. Alsoinvolved in the development of this system are Philips, LSI and theFraunhofer Institute.

Power views now as a “critical time”in the development of surround sound,as many broadcasters and platformoperators are deciding what directionto take for high definition and othertransmission systems. Last year theEuropean Broadcasting Union namedthe Dolby range, primarily Dolby DigitalPlus, and HE-AAC as the audio formatsbest suited to work with digital TV

systems, giving broadcasters a choiceaccording to their circumstances.

Last year the industry was rife withspeculation about the future of DTS,which had worked closely with CodingTechnologies, basing its TV surroundoffering on HE-AAC. The initial con-clusion was that Dolby had effectivelycornered the broadcast market, a blowfor DTS, which was already trying tosell its digital cinema division.

That business was finally settled inMay this year when Beaufort Californiabought it for $3.3 million. In April DTSoff-loaded its Digital Images facility toReliance Big Entertainment for $7.5 mil-lion. During the summer DTS underwenta period of reorganisation, which saw theUS parent company retaining its corpo-rate headquarters in California. It nowtrades in Europe as DTS Licensing, witha new head office in Limerick, Ireland.The research and development and certi-fication centre in Bangor, Northern Irelandcontinues to operate as before.

Amid all this, the manufacturerlaunched version 1.6 of the DTS-HDMaster Audio Suite and moved furtherinto 7.1 loss-less coding. DTS is keen topromote the adoption of 7.1, which isbeing driven by the growth in BD. “Itis developing at a faster rate than DVD– it’s going to be a big, big format,” saysDTS Licensing’s recently appointeddirector of marketing for Europe,Anthony Wilkins.

DTS was involved in NBC’s 5.1 coverage of the Beijing Olympics, usingLinear Acoustic’s UPMAX:neo up-mixers. Wilkins comments that DTS’s


EUROPE

Surround sound surroundsmore as formats develop

MPEG Surround demo in an M35x Infiniti auto at AES San Francisco

5.1 and 7.1 are becoming commonplace but 22.2 is pushingboundaries, and even Ambisonics could make a comeback after abusy year for the surround sound market, writes Kevin Hilton


November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com broadcast 27

work in broadcast continues, with itssystem providing the audio componentfor the RiksTV digital terrestrial plat-form that is rolling out across Norway.Wilkins stresses that as the HE-AACalgorithm is an open standard, the take-over of Coding Technologies by Dolbydid not have a big effect on DTS.

Dolby is also benefiting from theonward march of BD, and Power says7.1 is beginning to move from disc toTV. “Those broadcasters that are mostinterested see it as a way to offer a Blu-ray experience. As sales of BD playersand discs increase, more consumerswill have expectations of what the addi-tional audio channels can do,” he says.

Eight separate audio channels mightseem more than enough, but future television systems could see a profu-sion of microphones and loudspeakers

as NHK pushes on with its Super Hi-Vision video system with 22.2 sur-round. The BBC and Italy’s RAI areassessing the technology in Europe.During IBC 2008 the UK public broad-caster organised a test transmissionfrom London to Amsterdam that alsoinvolved Siemens IT Solutions andServices, SIS Live (including what wasBBC OBs) and Cable & Wireless.

The audio side was not quite 22.2but sound supervisor Bill Whiston stillhad 18 mic inputs to handle for thebroadcast from City Hall on the banks ofthe River Thames. The concept behind22.2 is to provide something near 3Dsound, with height as well as width anddepth. A central array of eight micro-phones was augmented by another fourabove and three lower down.

The BBC is now using Dolby Digitalfor its HD transmissions, but BBC R&Iis continuing to assess other surroundsound formats, which might be usedfor future video systems. Among theformats being evaluated are HE-AAC,22.2 and Ambisonics, the surround sys-tem developed in the 1970s by MichaelGerzon. “We’re looking at the next gen-eration of audio,” explains researchengineer Andrew Mason. “One of theadvantages of Ambisonics is that it cantranscode to any number of loud-speakers, which helps with stereo andmono compatibility.”

Which goes to prove that technologyis always changing to meet new appli-cations and that no format should bewritten off completely – although don’tstart dusting off your old quad ELPalbums just yet. Qwww.bbc.co.uk/rd

www.dolby.com

www.dts.com

Anthony Wilkins, DTS’s new addition

BBC R&I’s Super Hi-Vision OB test

transmission, London Photo: BBC

www.studer.ch

Already the

choice of leading

broadcasters and

world-class concert

venues, Studer’s intuitive and

failsafe digital mixing technology

is now proven on the road.

The Vista 5 SR is a comprehensively

re-engineered version of the acclaimed

Vista system, incorporating revised

ergonomics for operating in a standing

position, and a unique temperature control

system in a robust package that’s already

delivering flexible,Vistonics™- powered

FOH and monitor mixing on some of 2008’s

biggest tours.

“We were looking for one console that could be

used for FOH and monitoring. The Vista 5 SR is

one of the best sounding consoles, and it has a

very small footprint and weighs just 30kg.”

Frankie Desjardins, FOH Engineer

On tour with Celine Dion

“This is the only digital console I’ve been willing

to tour with, so that says something. This one

desk is doing what three other desks were

doing...everything is one touch away.”

Stuart Delk, Monitor Engineer

On tour with Rascal Flatts

“Studer have got it exactly right. This is the

smallest footprint, lightest and easiest to use of

the lot — everything is where you want it to be and

all the parameters and displays just open up.”

Bill Fertig, FOH Engineer

On tour with Katie Melua

™

StuderDigital Mixing Technology

Sonifex Mixer and SOL-T12 at Radio

Lollipop launch: A Sonifex S2 mixer

has been installed at a new studio

for Radio Lollipop at the Evelina

Children’s Hospital in London. Set

in glass walls, underneath the

glass atrium of the hospital, the

new facility is complemented by

Sonifex’s S2 Solutions clear

perspex range of studio furniture.

“The Radio Lollipop Evelina project

was a lovely, positive project to be

involved with because of where it

was and also the enthusiasm of

the project team,” comments

Richard Butlin, technical sales

manager at Sonifex. “The design

of the studio is amazing and I’m

sure will bring a lot of happiness

to the children.”

www.sonifex.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM


fThe former Anglia TV studio,made famous by NicholasParsons’ famous catchphrase

“From Norwich, it’s the quiz of theweek!” every Sunday evening, has beenconverted to one of the most advancedindependent HD studio and post-production facilities in Europe.

Broadcast systems integratorMegahertz Broadcast Systems (MHz)

has now completed the design, con-struction and installation work at theEast of England Production InnovationCentre, or EPIC, a contract worth £1.3 million of the £1.5 million high-def refit of the centre’s production, edit-ing and play-out facilities. MHz’s rolein the refit included designing and real-ising high-definition production work-flows at EPIC, installing a fibre-optic

studio infrastructure, server-based pro-duction, playout and editing facilities,and constructing custom furniture forthe master production gallery.

EPIC occupies the main drama/lightentertainment studio and news facili-ties formerly owned by Anglia Tele-vision (and before that, a bowling alley!)and acquired by Norfolk CountyCouncil in 2006 when the televisioncompany sold it off. The Council’s aimwas to ensure that Norwich’s long his-tory as a centre of TV production skillsand training was maintained. With theaid of the East of England DevelopmentAgency (EEDA), the studios reopenedas EPIC, providing broadcast facilities toindependent production companies andtraining facilities for future broadcastprofessionals, including students fromNorwich’s School of Art & Design (now

the city’s University College of the Arts)using some of the old newsroom tech-nology left behind by Anglia Television– although since mid-2007, nearly allthat equipment, studio and post-production, has been entirely replaced.

David Hazel, EPIC’s head of engi-neering, says it was important to go fur-ther, and comprehensively refit EPIC sothat it could also offer state-of-the-artbroadcast and production facilities fordrama and light entertainment clients.“The idea was that EPIC would offerbroadcast professionals the facilities thatthey would expect to find in any main-stream broadcast studio,” explainsHazel. “And likewise, for the studentswe train, the idea was that we shouldfamiliarise them with the kind of kit thatthey might reasonably be expected toencounter when they joined the world

of work after college. We could meetthose twin demands – network produc-tion standards plus state-of-the-art edu-cation and training opportunities – onlyby going to high definition and a server-based workflow.”

Following a tendering process, MHzcame in with the most competitivequote for the job. “But more than that,”says Hazel, “we also felt that Megahertzfully understood what we needed. Withall the systems integrators that pitchedfor the upgrade work, we explained thetype of systems that we knew we wouldneed, but left it up to the SIs to shadein the finer details. MHz came up withdesigns we liked to fulfil our require-ments, and at a reasonable cost.”

Kit supplied includes six Sony HDC-1500 high-definition cameras withCanon lenses; Thomson Grass ValleyKayak HD-capable vision mixers; JVCflat-screen HD monitors and plasma displays; a station-wide Telex talkbacksystem; and a Thomson K2 server. MHzworked with Hazel and his team to integrate it with EPIC’s existing 60-terabyte SAN. Apple Macintoshes inthe three studios now have access to boththe SAN and the production K2, whichalso integrates with EPIC’s existing FinalCut Pro and Avid editing systems.

“It’s a well-thought-out system, aproper tapeless workflow. It’s good forour commercial broadcast clients,because we can more than hold our ownwith national broadcasters on a technicallevel. And the students will be learningon tomorrow’s systems, not yesterdays.

“EEDA is trying to kickstart creativeresources within this region, and we arenow perfectly placed to do that,” saysHazel proudly. “It’s going to be a veryinteresting 3-4 years as the buildingcomes back to life and the post side andeducation grows. I’m reluctant to usethese words, but the BBC and othersdon’t have anywhere near the kit that wehave. This will be the place to come.” Qwww.megahertz.co.uk


UNITED KINGDOM

Many years training, technical know-how, perfect preparation and a convincing audio performance to the ears of the world; after Vienna and Beijing, we are ready for the next big event.

T H E R E N TA L C O M P A N Y

www.audio-broadcast-services.de

Install of the week!

View of the new main production control

room at EPIC as constructed by MHz

(L-R): EPIC head of engineering

David Hazel and director Mark Wells

outside EPIC

Megahertz completes revamp atNorwich’s EPIC, finds Dave Robinson


November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com live 29

APPOINTMENTSf Crown Audio has appointedMatt Bush to the position of vice president of sales. Bushjoins Crown Audio from sister company, Harman MusicGroup, where he was vicepresident of operations. Hetakes the position previouslyheld by Scott Robbins who wasrecently promoted to vicepresident of sales for HarmanProfessional. In his new role,Bush will direct worldwide salesoperations from Crown Audio’sIndiana headquarters.www.harman.com

f B&C Speakers hasappointed Bai Sheng Audio asits distributor in China. Thisnewly created entity will bemanaged by Kevin Lin (pictured),who has been closely associatedwith B&C products in Chinasince 2002. The loudspeaker transducermanufacturer was previouslyrepresented in China by Yun Lin.www.bcspeakers.com

fEML Creative Audio & VisualSolutions (EML), ThePowershop and Stageco

Belgium have all relocated to the Belgiantown of Tildonk, on a site dubbed the‘Flemish Entertainment Valley’, in a movedesigned to create synergies as Europe’sbiggest (in terms of revenue and ‘weight’)entertainment cluster.

“The unique thing here is that threeindependent companies, two of themmajor league players in Europe, plusStageco leading the world list, are locatedon one site offering a complete solution:sound, light, production, staging andpower supplies. This is more than just a rental company expanding its cache,”says Jan Van Malder, CEO with EML.

The first company to build ware-houses on the new site, just a few kilo-metres away from the site of the RockWerchter festival stage, close to motor-ways and Brussels airport, was ThePowershop. The company, founded in1990, specialises in temporary mainssupplies for events, and employs some35 people, plus extra hands during the festival season. Although ThePowershop’s initial activities consistedof renting power equipment and relatedservices, the company also developedthe sales side of the business; with a

combined total revenue in 2007 of €9 million for the Belgian companyand Dutch subsidiary, sales nowaccount for 40% of activities. Headedby Jan De Meyer and Patrick Dams, thePowershop has a total output capacityof 25 megawatts; a shift into the designand sale of generators, distributionboxes and cables has seen investmentsof €1.5 million per annum.

Stage building company StagecoGroup serves a similar group ofclients (festivals, events, concert tours)and holds a world-leading position inits niche. Before it was launched in 1985 as Stageco Belgium, it hadbuilt stages for Rock Werchter sincethe festival started in 1975, as well as Genesis’ Abacab world tour andPink Floyd’s Momentary Lapse ofReason shows.

Today, the Stageco Group, with aturnover in 2007 of €24million, andsubsidiaries in Germany, France, theNetherlands, Austria and the US, enjoysinternational recognition, catering forinternational artist tours such as TinaTurner, U2, Bon Jovi, Robbie Williams,

Celine Dion, Metallica, Elton John,Ricky Martin, and more. According tofounder and group CEO Hedwig DeMeyer, the company’s future growth,alongside festivals and tours, lies in tailor-made supply for trade fairs, cor-porate events, TV production and sportsevents. “The new building in Tildonkwill serve a 25-strong team to concen-trate exactly on these new businessopportunities for Stageco, boosting thecompany’s share in the domestic mar-ket,” says De Meyer.

EML joined the Tildonk clusterwhen it invested €2.7 million in newheadquarters – the building was offi-cially inaugurated in September andincludes 5,000sqm of covered storagefacilities and 900sqm of office spaceon a total surface of 10,000sqm.

The company, a major player in theEuropean sound, light and productionmarkets, posted growth of 20% in2007 and a turnover of close to €22 million, through work in music-related projects, theatre, television andevents. EML has subsidiaries in theNetherlands and Spain.

“We opted for a completely newbuilding because the previous premiseswere too small and offered insufficientstorage capacity,” comments VanMalder. “The new site can be expandedto 20,000sqm, and the main buildinghas six loading docks, allowing maxi-mum efficiency in loading and unload-ing. The building also comprisescatering and lodging facilities.”

Van Malder is confident about thefuture, and sees a steady growth of theentertainment world and the increasedprofessionalism in the business – inthe new Tildonk building, EML has acrew of five constantly active in R&Dand designing new structures for trans-mission of sound and light, servingorganisers Europe-wide. “A continued‘Europeanisation’ of the sector willundoubtedly lead to more synergies –in this respect, a closer co-operationwith our neighbours The Powershopand Stageco will be regarded with good-will,” he adds. Qwww.eml-productions.com

www.stageco.com

www.thepowershop.eu

The industry standard. Raised.For years, our DP226 has been the industry’s favourite loudspeaker management processor, now it’s time to move it on.

Designed to meet the needs of larger and more complex systems, the DP448 is everything its predecessor is and more, with multiple I/O (inc. digital) and masses of DSP power for complete flexibility. Find out more about 4 Series processors at www.xta.co.uk

www.xta.co.uk

4 Series DP448 Audio Management System

Three leading players in the international entertainmentindustry havemoved their headquarters to anew site in Tildonk,Flemish Brabant,writes Marc Maes

(L-R): Jan Van Malder, CEO, EML; Patrick Dams, rental manager, The Powershop; Jan De Meyer, CEO, The Powershop;

Hedwig De Meyer, CEO, Stageco Photo: M Gorremans

Tales from the valleyBELGIUM

PSNE Nov P29-51 live 30/10/08 13:59 Page 29

fFollowing its launch at thisyear’s ProLight+Sound showin Frankfurt, Kling & Freitag’s

new Sequenza 10 line array systemrecently made its Italian debut at a high-profile event in Varese, where the town’sMapei Cycling Stadium was the focal(and finishing) point for the 75th RoadCycling World Championships, heldfrom 22-28 September.

After opening speeches by theauthorities, the chairman of theInternational Cycling Union declaredthe World Championships officiallyopen and the UCI flag was carried intothe stadium by six world champions:Vittorio Adorni, Francesco Moser, MarioCipollini, Gianni Bugno, FeliceGimondi and Ercole Baldini. Followinga parade of the national flags of the 58nations taking part, the thousands ofcycling fans at the stadium were treatedto a spectacular opening show by StudioFesti, whose extravagant productionswere also seen at Turin’s 2006 WinterOlympics ceremonies.

The systems installed for audio cov-erage for the main tiered seating at thefinishing line and for the Festi showcomprised two clusters, each with nineSequenza 10, plus six subwoofers,(three Access B10 and three SW215E).There was also a ground stack for theseating dedicated to disabled spectators,formed by three Sequenza 10 andanother SW215E sub.

The stage hosting musical entertain-ment and other events in the WorldVillage – situated in the centre of the

stadium during the races – also had aK&F set-up, with a hang of six Sequenza10 and four ground-stacked SW215Esubs with another Sequenza on top oneither side. These were controlled (aswere the other systems in the stadium)by Kling & Freitag CD44 units, and powered by Lab.gruppen FP10000Q 4-channel amps.

Another two smaller K&F systemswere also used in Varese: the podium for

the prize-giving ceremonies had a systemcomprising CA1215-6 SP enclosures andCA106 on monitor; and the large press-room had CA1001 SP systems andSW115E SP subs.

All the systems were designed,installed and manned for FrameCommunication, the championship’smain contractor, by audio rental firmCorsinotti of Grugliasco, near Turin.Corsinotti is one of two Italian compa-nies to have purchased Sequenza 10systems from Kling & Freitag’s Italiandistributor, Audio Sales.

The company’s founder, RinaldoCorsinotti, explains: “We heard theSequenza 10 systems in Germany –first in Hanover, at an open-air arenadedicated to shows and the screeningof European Football Championshipgames, then at a concert by ZZ Top atthe Singen Festival. We were struck bythe systems’ incredible sound pres-sure, quality, linearity and uniformity,all in an enclosure that weighs just32kg and has rapid, practical andsecure flying hardware. We decided to

buy 24 systems after seeing their greatflexibility – they can be used in sever-al clusters or ground stacks, accordingto application requirements, and soare ideal for a wide variety of events.”

Corsinotti supplied the SW214Esubs as well as the line arrays for theevent, supported directly by the Germanmanufacturer, who supplied theremaining systems and relative proces-sors for the key event and sent a tech-nician to assist the Italian audio crew.

Marco Alterini, sales manager withAudio Sales, confirmed that the otherrental company that has already boughtthe Sequenza 10 line arrays isVentilazione, based in Ancona.

Ventilazione owner GiuseppePettinari says: “We’ve been satisfiedusers of Kling & Freitag systems since2001. Before buying the Sequenza 10– which we heard at a demo inDusseldorf in May – we already had astock of their Access and Line systems.”

Ventilazione purchased 14 systems– Pettinari and his staff were impressedby the loudspeakers’ quality and versa-

tility. He concludes: “We’ll be usingthem indoors and out in a wide varietyof situations – from jazz, classical andoperatic music to rock and theatre pro-ductions. We were very impressed bythe speed and ease with which they canbe prepared and installed, thanks totheir integrated rigging system, with-out any need for additional kit.”

After the Cycling WorldChampionships, Corsinotti enthused:“We also have a considerable stock ofother top brands, so the Kling & Freitagsystems were chosen after listening tothem with a ‘critical ear’. My techniciansand I find them really exceptional –beautiful systems with an incrediblesound and great SPL!”

This year’s championship sawAlessandro Ballan push on to becomeworld champion. Qwww.kling-freitag.info

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008live30

Kling & Freitag linearray systems onfirst Italian outing,writes Mike Clark

Sequenza 10 saddles up forWorld Cycling Championship

ITALY

The World Village stage featured a hang of six Sequenza 10

A ground stack provided sound

coverage for disabled spectators

Alessandro Ballan celebrates becoming

the new world champion

Photo: Bettini

The opening ceremony featured parades and flying dancers Credit: Enzo Laiacona



fA formidable total of 433 loud-speakers and subwoofers fromMeyer Sound headlined the

sound specification at the 2008 SzigetFestival, held in the Hungarian capitalof Budapest during an extremely hotweekend in August.

From relatively humble origins inthe mid-1990s as a student event,Sziget has evolved over the ensuingdecade-and-a-half to become one ofEurope’s largest music and cultural fes-tivals. Staged on a landscaped island inthe Danube, the seven-day event hasattracted an annual total of more than350,000 visitors every year since 2001.

Inevitably, the event’s spiralling pop-ularity has paralleled its emergence asa regular fixture on the summer tour-

ing schedules of leading national andinternational acts. Radiohead, TheChemical Brothers and Nine Inch Nailsare just a few of the mega-unit-shiftingacts to have graced the main stage dur-ing the past few years, although Szigetis equally famed for its comprehensivecoverage of non-mainstream acts onstages dedicated to jazz, blues, metaland other genres.

In the same way that stories aboundof some Glastonbury aficionados goingdays without actually witnessing anymusical performances, Sziget alsooffers a variety of activities that havenothing whatsoever to do with music,ranging from alternative theatre tobungee-jumping. A no-frills rock festi-val it is not.

While such an eclectic remit is hardlyunheard of these days, Sziget has alsoforged an enviable reputation for itsoverwhelmingly easy-going atmos-phere. Maybe it’s the sprawling natureof the site, the island location or indeeda combination of other factors too neb-ulous to pinpoint – whatever the case,the festival has been impressively trou-ble-free throughout its 15-year history.

The relaxed ambience becameapparent almost as soon as PSNEarrived on-site, although there was nomistaking the ability of the festival’spowerful sound systems to disturb thepeace. Dominating the specification onmany of the stages were loudspeakersand subs from Meyer Sound, which hasbeen Sziget’s primary sound supplier

since 2003. The company’s Europeantechnical support representative, KárolyMolnár, is the linchpin and key enablerof a huge logistical operation that entails substantial equipment supplyby various regionally based companies(Expander 2000, Omega Sound,RenegatX, HG Events Team, ErlaSound, Amex Audio) and London-headquartered Capital Sound Hire,which brought two trucks of equipmentto the 2008 festival. Budapest-basedChromatica provided 24-hour on-sitetechnical support.

While Meyer equipment was alsoutilised on the iWiW World Music,Metal Hammer, Jazz, Blues, Gipsy,Open Music, Open Air Theatre andnew act-oriented Wan2 stages, it wasthe Main Stage that exemplified quitehow significant a showcase for thecompany’s technology this event hasbecome. Some 48 MILO and 16MICA line array loudspeakers, augmented by 40 700-HP and 30600-HP subwoofers, dominated thepowerful system, which was used inconjunction with three Galileo proces-sors and a variety of consoles, includ-ing DiGiCo D5s and Midas XL4s andHeritage 3000s.

Berteaut Fleming – better knownas ‘Mr Rude’ – was among the visitingengineers to find the Meyer system tohis satisfaction. Speaking after aribcage-rattling, bass-heavy set fromNetherlands-based reggae revivalistsZiggi & The Renaissance Band,Fleming – the band’s long-term FOHengineer and studio associate –

praised “the thump and clarity” of theMILO/MICA rig. “You want a heavybut mild sound for Ziggi’s music, andwe definitely got that with this sys-tem,” he added.

But with other acts including IronMaiden, The Killers, Sex Pistols and aback-to-guitar-rock-roots REM, the MainStage emphasis was on in-your-facerock ’n’ roll. If, in days gone by, MeyerSound might not always have been the first-call choice for such music, thecompany’s touring manager, PaulGiansante, believes that events such asSziget are helping to overturn any lin-gering misconceptions once and for all.“There are a few people who still don’tthink of Meyer as rock ’n’ roll, but onceyou’ve heard the main stage for your-self, you’ll know that it definitely is!”

48 MILO and 16 MICA line array loudspeakers, along with 40 700-HP and 30 600-HP

subwoofers, dominated the powerful Main Stage system

Trans-Global Underground featuring Natacha Atlas on the iWiW World Music Stage

Meyer line arrays featured heavily at

the event

Originally a low-key student event, the Sziget Festival is nowone of Europe’s largest and most highly rated summer gatherings. David Davies travelled to Budapest to sample anevent renowned for its relaxed ambience and eclectic line-up

Spirit of SzigetHUNGARY

f


PSNE Oct P000 22/10/08 10:50 Page 24


he told PSNE as an uncompromis-ingly fiercesome set by hotly tipped UKtrio The Cribs neared its climax.

“We received positive feedback aboutthe coverage and the power of the sys-tem,” noted Molnár a few hours later to

a sonic backdrop of the resurgent SexPistols. “Every year, we think ‘what canwe do better?’ Two years ago, we intro-duced the M3D full-range cardioid linearray loudspeakers as delays to provide afull spectrum for people standing furtherfrom the stage, and that has definitelymade a big difference. We have alsomoved towards full network-based con-trol of the system in both drive and mon-itoring. We can monitor the actual state ofthe system using RMS and see the trans-fer function of each processor channel.A SIM audio analyser at FOH was alsoconnected to the Galileos on stage.

“Another important factor in termsof the Main Stage – and this alsoapplies to the World Music stage – isthat everybody gets the opportunity tosoundcheck. That’s pretty rare atevents of this size and scale, and it’s

one of those factors that makes peo-ple want to come back and play thefestival again.”

Meanwhile, over on the iWiW WorldMusic stage, a system based aroundM3D line array loudspeakers and M3D-Subs was put through its paces by actsas diverse as Irish traditional music sex-tet Altan, Balkani dance music troupeFanfara Tirana and Jamaican dub leg-end Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. FOH-helminga set by Trans-Global Underground with special guest Natacha Atlas froma Yamaha PM5D, engineer DavidHendon said that he was “very pleasedto be using Meyer. There was a well-balanced sound across the audience, andeverybody seemed to be happy with it.”

Although, as mentioned above, thefestival has been admirably trouble-free down the years, there have been

recurrent complaints from local resi-dents about noise levels after dusk. Inresponse, the organisers decreed that,for the 2008 edition, the Main Stagewould shut down at 11pm, with levelson other stages also reduced at settimes. In addition, a new central con-trol point enabled organisers to moni-tor SPL levels across the site and takeaction if required.

In summary, then: forward-lookingin technological terms, but appealinglyold-fashioned when it comes to theemphasis on good vibes and good times.In an era of increasingly bland, corpo-ratised festivals, Sziget’s enduring suc-cess is not difficult to understand. Qwww.capital-sound.co.uk

www.expander.hu

www.meyersound.com

www.sziget.hu

(L-R): Jason Price of JAP Sound with

Greg Oliver RCF alongside the RCF TT+

UNITED KINGDOM

Bedford-based audio hire, install andsales company JAP Sound recently pur-chased an RCF TT+ TTL33-A line arraysystem along with a number of otherTT+ loudspeakers. The company hasbecome one of a carefully selected groupof dealers/distributors that make up theRCF TT+ Audio Partnership, set up by RCFto support its flagship range of products.

Jason Price MD of JAP Sound com-mented: “After using the system last yearon numerous events, it became clear thatit could certainly deliver a lot more thanexpected, the high SPL output along withcrystal clear dynamic audio quality madeit an easy choice”. JAP had ‘road tested’several alternative systems from othermanufacturers. Another deciding factorin the buying decision was the supportthey got from RCF, which proved veryimportant to them when investingmoney in a new system. Price again:“Having dealt with RCF’s Greg Oliverpreviously when he was with EAW, Iknew that the support would be excel-lent, and after a trip to RCF’s HQ [in Italy]I realised that the company was also fullybehind its staff and customers which wasvery re-assuring.”

JAP Sound immediately put the system into use on many of its largercorporate events.

Greg Oliver comments: “The TT+range has this year seen a huge rise insales mainly due to companies like JAPand our other Audio Partners who cansee the potential in the products. Theycan also see that as a product range it is asgood, if not better than a lot of the otherhigh-end systems on the market today,but from a business point of view it costless, making real commercial sense.” Qwww.japsound.co.uk

www.rcfaudio.com

JAP Sound progresswith RCF TT+

Meyer’s Károly Molnár, Expander engineer Pignon and Meyer’s Luke Jenks

f


BENCHMARK AMPLIFICATION.

MODEL Size / Weight

CC5200 2600 1900 1200 5200 2 RU / 23,0 Kg

CC4000 2000 1350 800 4000 2 RU / 19.6 Kg

CC2800 1400 965 595 2800 2 RU / 18,1 Kg

CC1800 900 700 450 1800 2 RU / 14,8 Kg

If you are in the market for a solid workhorse of an amplifier that you can put in your rack and rely on to do its job for ever, then look no further than the CC Series. CC Series amps deliver world-class power with exceptional sound quality at truly astonishing value for money. It is the ideal candidate for regional sound companies, club owners, mobile DJs, working bands, and more.

CC™ amps are based on powerful Crest Pro 200™ Series technology and utilize a linear power supply

CC5200 PSNE i dd 1 28/08/2008 13 29 56

PSNE Oct P000 22/10/08 10:48 Page 24

fSome loudspeaker manufactur-ers take pride in doing things thetraditional way; employing long

production lines of skilled workers,assembling their products largely byhand, listening carefully to each speakeras it emerges from the production line,and trusting the fault-finding capacity ofthe human ear above and beyond a mereoscillator. Then there’s 18 Sound, and itsdevotion to all things robotic.

The transducer manufacturer, basedin Italy’s industrial and culinary heart-land, Reggio Emilia, is fiercely proud ofthe technology it employs in its substan-tial factory. No visitor can help but bestruck by the sheer scale of the automa-

tion the company has developed. Fromconception to delivery, an 18 Sound loud-speaker will have passed through theclaws of robots varying between a newgiant picker selecting raw materials, anelegant gluing machine, and the robotwhose responsibility it is to place speak-ers in their packaging with perfect, metal-lic efficiency. Human beings also exist inthe 18 Sound warehouse, but it’s rare theyget their hands dirty.

Not that anyone who is familiar withthe 18 Sound business model should beparticularly surprised by any of this – theuse of automation is, after all, key to thesuccess of the relatively young brand.Conceived in 1997 by former RCF staffers

Giorgio Zucchi and Andrea Manzini, intandem with automotive componentmanufacturer AEB, 18 Sound started production two years later with a missionto use robotics as the foundation for itsentry into the market. Since then its faithin technology has turned into a kind ofreligious zeal, its enthusiasm spurred bythe success it has enjoyed.

“From the foundation of 18 Sound wefocused on having a product come out of our production line exactly as it wasdeveloped by R&D,” enthuses sales andmarketing manager Giacomo Previ. “It’sabout robots – automation in the pro-duction process being able to repeat exact-ly the same operations. The speakers are

always the speakers we originally intend-ed them to be. Automation is helping usto be competitive. Our strategy is to con-tinue producing in Italy but, with the helpof automation, keep the cost of manu-facturing as low as possible.”

During PSNE’s last visit, the 18 Soundphilosophy was already very much in evi-dence. A sister company had been estab-lished, AEB Robotics, to manufacture themachines that would go on to build loud-speakers. “The AEB Robotics businesswas born because we needed to have a

lot of automation and we were not ableto support the high cost of the very high-precision robots,” remembers Previ. Eventhen, it was obvious that the brand wasbecoming significant not only within the wider audio industry, but within itsparent company as well.

“In terms of numbers, the automo-tive division is number one because itis the market leader and expanding,”he explains. “But in terms of growth,18 Sound was number one from thebeginning. 18 Sound is a young com-pany that has grown three times in sizesince 2003.”

With numbers like that it’s no won-der that AEB is willing to give its younggun so much support. But even in thepast two years the world has changed,with the much-discussed global economicdownturn striking hard at many a man-ufacturing facility. Oil is becomingincreasingly expensive, raw materials are becoming scarcer, and new non-European competitors are emerging withmore strength than before. In the face of all these challenges, 18 Sound hasremained true to its principles. “We’reexpanding our manufacturing lines withnew robots,” Previ declares. “It meanswe’ll be offering better quality while keep-ing the pricing at an interesting point.”

The first example is already in place,and it’s mightily impressive. In the faceof rising costs, the manufacturer hasinvested in a huge new automated ware-house capable of holding four monthsworth of raw materials at any one time.Previ believes that the benefit is obvious.

“We’ve invested in the automatedwarehouse in order to be able to supplythe products with the lowest possible pric-ing to the final customer. We can’t affordan iron or neodymium price increaseunless we are working on a vision basedover two or three years. That’s the stan-dard in the automotive business, but notin the pro-audio industry. We try to applythe same principle.

“It’s being able to look to the short-term future in a better way. There is nowa shortage of raw materials, and this isbecoming more and more evident on aworldwide basis. But our warehouse is

giving us the possibility to have a longerbreath. Not just a one-month breath, buta four-month breath, which gives usgreater safety. Also, because we’re buy-ing on a worldwide basis, we have moretime for acquiring delivery terms.”

It’s certainly an impressive sight, withthick walls of stacked boxes rising up intothe rafters of the AEB warehouse,between which robots throw themselves,selecting the right components forwhichever 18 Sound products theirmechanic cousins are due to produce on

the production lines. Many of the loud-speakers that appear at the other end aredestined for the OEM market.

“Automation applied in our way givesus the flexibility to produce custom OEMproducts for other manufacturers that arenot always able to order in big numbers,”says Previ. “It means we are able to manage fragmentation in terms of pro-duction without losing quality. At themoment, 50% of 18 Sound’s business isdeveloped together with OEM partners.It’s a big proportion. But you can see inthe catalogue that a lot of our productshave been developed thanks to the effortwe put into OEM. So, in terms of purenumbers, it’s 50% today but we want toexpand. Our primary focus is OEM busi-ness. We believe that it’s the market that will tell you what it really needs, sowe don’t try to make a me-too productline. We want to support customers with exactly what they need.”

Some of those customers are sur-prising, as Previ explains: “I meet a lot ofpeople in China who need high-qualityproducts. They are looking around andbuying from European manufacturers,which is creating a difference betweentheir products and 100% Chinese prod-ucts. It’s okay to be 100% Chinese fortheir market, but if they want to be com-petitive with big brands then Europe iswhere they have to go.”

When PSNE last sat down with Previ,18 Sound’s growth in the audio market

i Robot(s)


Despite the high level of automation, people still have a role to play

Italian transducer manufacturer 18 Sound has grown since PSNElast visited, two years ago. But one thing remains the same – itsimpressive devotion to technology, as Barney Jameson discovers

ITALY

“It’s about robots –automation in theproduction processbeing able to repeatexactly the sameoperations. Thespeakers are alwaysthe speakers weoriginally intendedthem to be”



NEXO S.A.

Parc d’Activité

du Pré de la Dame Jeanne

B.P. 5

60128 PLAILLY

Tel: +33 (0) 3 44 99 00 70

Fax: +33 (0) 3 44 99 00 30

e-mail: [email protected]

NEXO LatAM

C.C. No 33. Suc 49

Caballito (1449)

Buenos Aires

Argentina

Tel: +54 114 432 1911

Fax: +54 114 431 1007


NEXO Asia

GPO Box 806

Hong Kong

SAR China

Tel: +852 9096 3472

Fax: +852 2104 3214


to see more configurations visit www.nexo.fr

An Endless Composition

Omni Mode (2xRS15 front)

Directional Mode (2xRS15 face to face – 50cm – 20”)

Directional Mode (2xRS15 back to back)

Directional Mode (2xRS15 alternate)

Directional Mode (2xRS15 side)

1215

1x S1230 horizontal on U Bracket

with pole/Tripod mount

2X S1230 on Truss Hook with U-Bracket

1x S1230 with Lift Ring 4x GEO S1210 vertical on Mini-XBOWs

Nexo-Partner Ad-FP_PSN.indd 1 19/5/08 12:46:25

Three separate orchestral units required three speaker systems

Looking to extend its rental fleet to pro-vide auxiliary sound reinforcement forshows at London’s O2 Arena and thesmaller Indigo2 venue, ETA Sound hasincreased its inventory of JBL VerTecspeakers and Soundcraft Vi6 and Vi4digital consoles. The North Wales-basedcompany has been contracted to providesystems and site-wide maintenance forthe O2 arena since its days as the Millen-nium Dome, relying heavily on HarmanPro systems operating on CobraNet.

“During the past 10 years I’ve got toknow the people at Harman Pro, andnow Sound Technology, very well,”explains company owner, EddieThomas. “I felt the time was right toinvest, and although I considered andreviewed other brands, we have such afantastic relationship with SoundTechnology that it was pointless look-ing elsewhere.”

Earlier this year, ETA purchased apair of Soundcraft MH2 analoguedesks and JBL 4887 VerTec line arrayswith 4881 sub-bass cabinets, poweredby Crown IT8000 amplifiers. The newadditions include 12 Crown-poweredVerTec 4888DP line arrays, whichallow the VT4887s to take on side fillduties, depending on the coverage pattern required.

Realising the importance of keep-ing abreast of developments in digitaltechnology, Thomas also decided to look into the new generationSoundcraft consoles with the StuderVistonics II interface… “I immediatelyliked the desk because it is so intuitive.You don’t have to scroll through numer-ous menus and pages. We can have oneat front-of-house and one on monitors,all linked by optical fibre.” Qwww.soundtech.co.uk


ETA expands to coverDocklands arenas

ETA’s Eddie Thomas at the O2 Arena

UNITED KINGDOM

GERMANY

Professional Optical Fibre Network System for

Fixed Installation, Live Sound and Broadcast

www.optocore.com

NEW!OPTOCORE offers:• Worldwide first and only

synchronous Fibre Optic

Network

• Extremely low overall

latency

• High quality word clock

with exceptionally low

jitter

• Transport up to 512 audio

channels simultaneous

with data and video

• All professional audio

standards, composite

video, DMX, Ethernet,

RS485, MIDI

• Redundancy due to dual

optical fibre and dual PSU

• Extreme low weight of

fibre cable – 150m cable

incl. reel only 5 kg

• Full remote access

with OPTOCORE CONTROL

software

• Gain-settings of mic

preamps directly from

digital consoles

(e.g. DiGiCo, Yamaha)

• Fully upgradeable

soft- and firmware

DD2FE• Network device with

optical MADI interface

• Dedicated Studer/

Soundcraft mode

• Up to 128 in- and

128 output channels

OPTOCORE GMBH · Lisbergstr. 7 · 81249 Munich · Germany · Phone +49 (0)89-89 99 64-0 · Fax +49 (0)89-89 99 64-55

OPTOCORE NA · 38 Thornmount Drive, Unit #1 · Scarborough, On M1B 5P2 · Canada · Phone +1 416 287 5723 · Fax +1 416 287 1204 · [email protected] · www.optocore.com

David DaviesA large L-Acoustics KIVA/KILO systemwas utilised for four performances ofKarlheinz Stockhausen’s Gruppen at therecent Musikfest Berlin. The concertstook place in a 1930s aircraft hangar atthe city’s Tempelhof Airport.

Composed between 1957 and 1959,Gruppen was written for 109 playersdivided into a trio of individually con-ducted orchestral units. The threegroups are deployed in a horseshoeshape to the left, front and right of theaudience, ensuring a clear distinctionbetween the simultaneous but con-trasting musical passages.

Responding to the requirement forthree discrete speaker systems atFOH, sound system designer Paulvan Baasbank specified eight KIVAsunder two KILOs per side for the cen-tre stage, augmented by a central clus-ter of six KIVAs. The left and rightstages each featured systems of sevenKIVAs and two KILOs, while twodelays of six KIVAs and two KILOsprovided a mono mix for the rear sec-tions of the auditorium.

The cabinets were provided andinstalled by German rental companyWilhelm and Wilhalm. Qwww.l-acoustics.com

Massive L-Acoustics systemfor Stockhausen epic

SOUND BITESf DiGiCo has moved its Greekdistribution channel to newlyestablished company DN’ASystems, which is set to focus itsattention on the digital sector ofthe Greek pro-audio market. Although DN’A Systems is a newenterprise, its founders – TakisTsonopoulos, Yannis Tatsis, ArisKoyntouris and Alexios Gkanas –are familiar figures in the industry. “DiGiCo is the top digital console,so this appointment is veryimportant for us,” explainsTsonopoulos. “We want to steerthe Greek pro-audio communitytowards the digital world andteach analogue users that DiGiCois a very friendly console.”www.digico.org

f Capital Sound Hire hasadded a KV2 Audio EX system toits inventory for use at corporateretail commitments andcombined services entertainment(CSE) shows. Supplied by LMCAudio, the system comprises two EX10 two-way, full-rangeactive cabinets, plus two EX12sand a pair of EX2.2 activesubwoofers. “We needed a verysmart system for our corporatework and the KV2 looks verygood,” commented Capital’s Ian Colville. “We also neededsome very lightweight butpowerful speakers to service ourCSE contract.”www.capital-sound.co.uk

www.kv2audio.com

was impressive, and it remains so. Butneither Previ nor the wider 18 Soundteam are fooling themselves as to whythe brand continues to flourish. Qualityis paramount within the AEB building,but pragmatism comes a close second.

“I think that the pro-audio market ingeneral terms is not growing, so ourgrowth is more because we are becom-ing increasingly respected in the pro-audio community,” he explains. “I thinkit’s also because we are still a youngcompany, even though we have investeda lot in technology, in R&D, materialsand in automation.”

However, to simply focus on thehigh-tech robotics is to miss the realreason for its continued success – ahealthy serving of very human fore-thought and planning.

“The original idea in 1997 was tomake not only a loudspeaker transducercompany but to deliver transducers at thetop of technology at a reasonable pricewithout compromising reliability. If youwant to take all of these steps in 11 years,you have to plan. We’re continuing toinvest and think into the future becauseif we make the proper pillars to supportour company structure, then this will helpa lot.” It hasn’t failed yet. Qwww.eighteensound.it

iRobot(s) (from page 36)


AKG SOUNDS BETTER

www.akg.com

PerceptionMusic is

Close your eyes and trust your ears: the new

line of Perception microphones from AKG

offers a range of solutions for anything from

vocals to instrument miking and ensemble

recording. AKG's signature "up-front" sound

quality brings out the best and lets you hear

all the nuances in any voice or instrument.

Now open your eyes: gorgeous, rock-solid,

die-cast chassis with gold-plated XLR outputs

ready for heavy studio sessions or life on the

road. Get blown away with Perception's

sound and build quality and be astounded at

how little they cost. For the price of

something ordinary, you can get an AKG.

ADV

670/

1/E

AKG_ADV_670/1/E_245x335:Layout 1 19.08.2008 13:43 Uhr Seite 1

fAs part of Belgium’s OpenMonuments Day, held inSeptember, the cultural organ-

isation Sacred Places, backed by audio

service company SELV and light artistTom Lagast, revisited the nostalgia of a former Stella Artois brewery.

The event took place in De Eenhoorn(the Unicorn)brewery inLouvain – homeof one of theworld’s leadingbrewery groups,Inbev. The build-ing was used tobrew beer until1976, and wasclassified as anational monu-ment in 1997.

“The idea wasto revive the

atmosphere of the late 1950s, when thebrewery was still being used,” explainsLudo Vleugels, audio engineer andmanager of SELV audio services. ”WithSELV, we were assigned to re-create thesound of a ‘brewery in motion’ around1958. The rumbles caused by themachines and valves spawning steamwere mixed with all kinds of industrialsounds and reproduced by speakersinvisibly mounted inside old machin-ery. The impression of a human pres-ence – workers walking through thehalls, talking, coughing, the sound ofbreaking glass – was reproduced byseparate speaker sets.”

SELV used JBL Control 5 andWharfedale Force 9 coaxial 12” speakers;Vleugels says that he picked older speak-

ers because of the possible contamina-tion by dirt or mechanical damage.

A Mackie 1402VLZ console controlledthe APart Audio and Chevin power amp-lifiers; each of the brewery halls had a different sound background. VRT Radioproducer Jan Sprengers compiled specialCDs featuring hits from the year 1958 andexperimental sounds of the same period.

“The result was quite astonishing,”says Vleugels. “Old workers from DeEenhoorn said that the impression wasvery realistic…

“[And] the overwhelming silencewhen we stopped the presentation atthe end of the day: everybody realisedthat we really had created the originalsound scenery of the brewery.” Qwww.selv.be

SOUND BITESf EAW has begun shipping thenew JFL210 Compact ConstantCurvature Line Array. Designedto satisfy a variety of small- andmedium-sized applications, theJFL210 modules are said to formeasily configured arrays withvery predictable output, andcoherence and coverage that isboth horizontally symmetric and consistent from short tolong throws. Suitable for bothflying and stacking, the two-way, full-range JFL210incorporates neodymiumdrivers, user-switchable single-and bi-amp modes, and EAW’sRoadCoat enclosure finish,among other features.www.eaw.com

f Two Irish rental companies areamong the first clients to placeorders for Midas’ new PRO6Live Audio System, which madeits debut at PLASA08. MG Audioand Murt Whelan Sound andLighting have each purchased aPRO6 system from distributorSound Communications.Whelan’s first major job for thePRO6 will be Sharon Shannon’sChristmas tour of Ireland, while MG Audio will put itsnewly purchased system on theroad for Liam Lawton’sUK/Ireland shows in Novemberand December.www.midasconsoles.com


The brewery became a national monument in 1997 SELV revealed the sound and feel of a working facility

Anyone fancy a pint?

With clever use ofsound effects andindustrial noises,sound companybrings the StellaArtois breweryback to life, Marc Maes finds

BELGIUM

A Stellar piece of entertainment


“In live TV there is nosecond chance, so we

stand behind Yamaha.’’

Stewart Chaney

Plus 4 Audio

CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCE

From Gladiators to Dancing On Ice, Children In Need to The Royal Variety Performance, Plus 4 Audio has

established itself as one of the primary choices for television studio sound in the UK.

In critical live-to-air environments, founder Stewart Chaney knows that reliability and service is paramount to the

ongoing success of his business. That’s why Plus 4 own every model of Yamaha console, from the LS9 to the PM1D.

Ready to make the switch to the world’s leading digital consoles? Visit www.yamahacommercialaudio.com or

call us on 01908 366700.

#24479 - PSNE Stew Chaney ad 24/10/08 11:54 Page 1

fIt’s a bit like the Queen at a carboot sale. She’d probably needsome help with interpreting the

sales lingo, and she definitely wouldn’tbe carrying the local currency. She mightwell turn to Mick Anderson Consulting,an experienced outfit when it comes toknowledge of different market conditions.A few wise words from Anderson him-self, and she’d have no bother at all shift-ing all those used corgi baskets.

UK console manufacturer DiGiCofound itself in a similar position whenthe decision was taken to build the SD8.

Even though the number is one higher,it’s actually a subset of the SD7launched last year amid techniques ofsuch stealth they made the CIA looklike San Francisco’s Love Parade. Inessence it aims lower than any previ-ous product in DiGiCo’s very high-endhistory, and the territory could looselybe described as virgin.

Earlier this summer, it wasannounced that DiGiCo had “shifted upa gear” with Mick Anderson Consulting(MAC). Soon after it became apparentthat the relationship predicated the adventof the SD8, and that MAC had been inti-mately involved in the positioning of theproduct, its pitch and its yaw.

“Obviously I’ve known the senior exec-utives at DiGiCo for many years, and [MD]

James Gordon got in touch at the begin-ning of 2008,” explains Anderson, whohad already brokered the successful dis-tribution deal DiGiCo now has with GroupTechnologies in Australia. “There was anew product coming up that was going tobe more volume-based, and he felt thecompany had little experience of that typeof output. Rather than go through the difficult process of headhunting a perma-nent member of staff, he decided to use aconsultancy that could handle exactly thiskind of business development on a month-by-month basis.

“So it’s not directly a sales or amarketing job; it takes an overview ofall commercial activities, includingsales and marketing, and tries to makethe synergies work. The SD8 is a high-specification product at a verycost-efficient price. The key thing isthat it’s not the result of R&D showingoff some new technology, it’s theresult of DiGiCo listening to the mar-ket and delivering what the market isasking for.”

According to Anderson, the marketis asking for more spec for less money– like markets do. He therefore had toline up DiGiCo with a different com-mercial template, with the aim of hav-ing most things in place by this year’sPLASA show.

Early indicators suggest DiGiCo andAnderson read the market correctly: asour cover caption story relates, ordersfor the SD8 are just shy of the 300 markand the first batch of 75 are almost readyto ship from DiGiCo’s Glenrothes fac-tory in Scotland.

The partnership continues. “Newdistribution is definitely within mycatchment area,” Anderson says, “soalong with the existing sales force atDiGiCo I am producing new contactsand very much deciding the right direc-tion to go in. No doubt in time the trendtowards volume will necessitate moresales facilities, although right now wehave a good handle on it.”

MAC is methodically compiling aportfolio of non-competing brands. The

briefs are so intense that no two com-petitors could sanction breaking the samebread at Anderson’s big, fluffy consult-ing table, so no further manufacturers ofdigital mixing consoles need apply. Forthe time being. “We have a speaker brand,an amplifier brand and a desk brand,”Anderson continues. “We work at sucha deep level that, even though we offerconfidentiality, there would eventually besome conflicts of interest. This is thefairest way to do our business, and thebest way to give confidence to our clients.”

Anderson describes the entry-levelmarket now targeted by DiGiCo as “vol-ume, but not consumables. It involvesagreed commitment by your sales part-ners around the world”. But, crucially, theSD8 is pitched as a product that will helpentry-level users move up-market, not aproduct that will send the manufacturer

down-market. It’s a subtle distinction, butmarketing is the discipline in which youtry to design people’s perceptions – andyou do it, in theory, for the benefit of abrand’s equity. Mick Anderson is the manto put that theory into practice.

“It moves away from an almost custom-build situation into larger pro-duction runs,” he says. “Some users willbe high-end, looking for a flexible add-

on, but all through the year there will bea steady match of supply and demandfrom a new customer base. And thesepeople will enter the DiGiCo fold, withits unrivalled expertise and experience,creating a core network of users on anupwardly mobile curve of excellent sup-port. That suits me: I don’t take peopledown; I carry them up.” Qwww.digico.org

UNITED KINGDOM


Mick Anderson Consulting has fashionedDiGiCo’s first ‘entry-level’ desk. Phil Wardfinds out which floor it’s on

Mick Anderson and the SD8 – ‘delivering what the market is asking for’

Assembly and quality checking of the

circuit boards

Meet some of the team who put the SD8 together

The up escalator

Tel. +

49

-71

91-

96

69

-0,

ww

w.d

ba

ud

io.c

om

And. But. Also. The new E-Series systems.


Jim EvansFatboy Slim aka Norman Cook broughthis Big Beach Boutique back to hishometown of Brighton at the end ofSeptember and attracted an all-ticketcrowd of some 22,000.

However, as on previous occasions,the event was not without controversy.The venue – a long and narrow stretchof esplanade nestling at sea levelbetween the beach and the upper prom-enade – is far from ideal. Fans com-

plained of dangerous overcrowding,especially during the build-up to FatboySlim’s scheduled appearance. Andsome of those furthest from the stagecomplained of poor sound quality.

Event manager Jim King of LoudSounds said: “It is clearly disappoint-ing to hear that some people had safetyconcerns and we take these very, veryseriously. But it must be noted that onlya few hundred people left before theend, with more than 21,000 peopleremaining until the end, enjoying agreat show.” Loud Sounds said theywould take all complaints on board forplanning any future event.

Central to the event’s sound systemwas a d&b J Series set-up, provided byEncore PA and co-ordinated by theBrighton-based H2 Organisation.“Because of the strict guidelinesimposed by the local authorities GarethHance of H2 was brought on board to

co-ordinate all sound issues,” said pro-duction manager Lee Charteris. “It wasa great opportunity to use the d&b sys-tem which we have used in Europe fora couple of Fatboy shows in the past.”

“In short, the d&b J-series rocks,”said Hance who also worked on therecent inaugural Beachdown festival onnearby Devil’s Dyke. “We selected d&bbecause it is one of the best soundingproducts available today and is uberrider friendly. It also has impeccablepattern control which is exactly whatwe needed for this gig.

“The Brighton & Hove Environ-mental Health people placed some seri-ously strict conditions on the licenceregarding noise schedule and levels. Inthe past, these off-site levels have beennear impossible to achieve without running a very quiet system on MadeiraDrive or causing a lot of complaints andpotential licence condition breaches.

The council were amazed at the direc-tionality of the system. We achievedover 110dB on the pit rail and 99dB at 200m which only raised the noiselevels by a mere 3dB above normal atlocal residences just 40m away fromthe stage.” Q


Superstar DJ Danny Tenaglia was one of the guests

A whale of a performance

Norman Cook having fun in his home town

Light, loud, compact and enclosed within robustpolyurethane cabinets: the modest d&b systemsE8, E12 and E12-D are upwardly mobile.

Fatboy Slim comes homeUNITED KINGDOM

Best known as the leader of eclectic blues band G. Love and Special Sauce, G. Love

(real name Garrett Dutton III) is a long-time user of Shure’s SM58 microphone,

although his devotion has led to the odd unscheduled trip to the dentist over the

years. “I’ve busted [one of my front teeth] on my mic a number of times,” he

admitted. “I’ll be rapping, or stomping my foot while playing guitar, and

accidentally stomp on the base of the mic stand. The mic, of course, comes straight

back at me and hits me square in the mouth.” Qwww.shure.com

UNITED STATES


Ohm is supplying a ready-to-go

package that packs a punch

Two prominent UK rental companieshave recently made major additions totheir L-Acoustics equipment invento-ries. Wigwam Hire has taken deliveryof 32 SB28 subwoofers and 24 LA8amplified controllers, while Skan Hirehas purchased 32 SB28s and 60 LA8s.The new SB28 features L-Acoustics’Laminar Airflow Vents – a new bassreflex vent design which, combinedwith high excursion components,yields a 5dB increase in dynamic range.

“I heard the new subs, thought theywere great and bought some to replace

some of our older stock,” explainsWigwam’s Chris Hill. “At the sametime, we thought we’d also dip our toesin the water with the new amps.” The

LA8 controller is said to offer “cutting-edge” speaker amplification, DSP, net-work control and comprehensiveprotection. Wigwam has been usingthe new SB28s and LA8s on tours withRadiohead, Human League and ShaneWard. Skan, which joined L-Acoustics’network in 2003, introduced the newsubs and racks on REM’s currentEuropean tour. Qwww.l-acoustics.com

The new D6: the little D12. Dual channel amplifier, the efficient solution with the d&b E-Series. Bye E-PAC. Buy D6.

www.dbaudio.com


DREAM CURVES

The KIVA system establishes a new reference in Line Source Array technology in a sleek and ultra-compact

design. Its integration with the LA4 amplified controller combines advanced filter topologies, L-DRIVE

power limiting, and an innovative enclosure voicing approach. Further, the incorporation of intuitive remote

control andmonitoring via LANETWORKMANAGER, the completeKIVASystemdelivers the full potential

of its DOSC® heritage for an incomparable listening experience.More on www.l-acoustics.com

Geoff Muir, Wigwam’s contracts manager (left) and Billy Ellison, Wigwam’s

warehouse manager, with the SB28 subs

Dave RobinsonA complete plug ’n’ play solution is now available from Ohm in the UK,including speakers, DSP amplifiers,patch panel, power distribution, flightcases and cabling.

The basic three-way system, consist-ing of three TRS-118H bass bins and twoTRS-112H mid/high cabinets per side,can all be powered using three light-weight DSP amplifiers housed in an 8Ucase with a patch panel that features rout-ing for signal inputs, speaker outputsand remote Ethernet DSP control.

Power distribution, housed in thematching 8U case, has a three-phaseinput with six C32 outputs, each hav-ing its own voltage and current meters.Trip switches are provided for the inputand each of the outputs along with UKand European mains outlets.

“The use of 8-ohm single driverspeakers considerably simplifies theamplifier requirements allowing thecomplete system to be powered fromthree amplifiers,” says Ohm’s sales man-ager Clive Kinton. “Skillful cabinet designensures that the sound pressure levelsare very similar to dual-speaker units.”

The bass cabinet is horn-loaded andthe mid/high utilises a single piecemolded horn mounted with a 12” midand a 1.5” compression driver provid-ing a long throw for outdoor events.

“[It’s] a small-box solution withresulting savings in transport and man-power,” summarises Kinton. Qwww.ohm.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

Wigwam andSkan take in new L-Acoustics gear

Plug ‘n’ play, allthe way Ohm

UNITED KINGDOM


PSNE Oct P000 30/10/08 11:34 Page 24


fIn the beginning was Thijs vanLeer and Jan Akkerman, and aprog rock phenomenon of

the 1970s hailing from Amsterdam. Atypical journey, really: band splits up,leaving high-quality PA system indemand and available. Engineer PietMeekel went on to run FocusShowequipment for 20 years, in theprocess adding sales and distributioninto the ever-expanding bargain.

Fellow engineer Ron Vogel joined thecompany at the start, and was still therewhen Meekel sold his business to privateinvestors 10 years ago. This planted theseeds of change: sales had been a suc-cessful spin-off from the core activity ofrental, having prospered in the hands ofVogel, a genial host for several brandsthat became associated with him acrossthe Dutch territories and beyond. ApogeeSound, White Instruments, CountrymanMicrophones… all enjoyed strong profilesas the events and installations grew innumber and status.

“It paid my wages,” recalls Vogel withtypical modesty, “but as it wasn’t the basisof the company it was never given theattention needed for real growth. Therewere periods when we were selling reallybig Apogee systems and the profits were good, but it was only ever a by-product. The new management felt thatthe sales effort was taking up too muchspace in the building, so we began look-ing at other possibilities.”

Approaching 60, Vogel didn’t relishat first the idea of starting afresh andfor a while took his portfolio to a thirdparty sound and lighting concern –handily located near both SchipolAirport and Vogel’s own home. Butthen a revelation: if Vogel’s working life

was to draw to a conclusion away fromits Focus origins, why not take it intohis own hands?

“I still had use of the name – FocusSales – so I was at liberty to take it wher-ever I wished,” he says. “It wasn’t work-ing out as a sales operation where I was,so I decided to create Ron Vogel Audio– that’s the concern that owns theinventory, now trading as Focus Salesbecause of the heritage and brand equitythat resides in the name. The DutchGovernment likes to support peoplestarting their own business, so thereare good tax incentives for the first cou-ple of years enabling you to invest well– so why not? These are my final work-ing years and I don’t want to spendthem in the wrong place.”

Ron Vogel Audio is now based inHaarlem, not far from a giant IKEA andwell within Schipol’s level hinterlandof calm polders and multinational light industry. The short drive intoAmsterdam actually takes in two or

three windmills – and they date fromthe 1600s, focusing the attention for amoment on a different kind of sails andan age of mercantile expansion longconsidered golden. One way or another,the wheels keep turning.

“The right premises were essential,and this is a good enterprise zone,”Vogel continues. “The city council ofHaarlem does a lot of investment in thisarea, improving access and even organ-ising drinks get-togethers for local business owners, to establish a senseof community. I get two invitations,because Ron Vogel Audio and FocusSales are both registered!”

More beer for the true entrepreneur,then, because at the moment Vogel isflying solo from his tidy lock-up on thepolder. “I like it that way,” he says,“because even at Focus in Amsterdam,which is a big place, I was mostly onmy own in the sales office. It’s also very important to note that I still have technical support from FocusShowequipment. If I need to serviceamplifiers, processors or speakers I cando a certain amount myself, but I’m notan electronics engineer. For more in-depth repairs I can turn to the Focusmaintenance workshop, and it’s all partof the deal by which I can continue touse the name.”

This comes in particularly handygiven the proportion of second-handsales that still forms a meaningful partof the sound reinforcement trade here.Meanwhile as a distributor Vogel stillrepresents both Apogee Sound andCountryman in the Netherlands, andsells Formula Sound (from the UK)alongside Real Sound Labs’ Coneq tech-nology from Latvia – another old tiewith Apogee Sound, the deal stemmingfrom erstwhile Coneq evangelist KenDeLoria. Then, of course, Vogel is astraightforward dealer, consulting andspecifying the right brand for each jobfrom the entire smorgasbord of mod-ern pro audio.

In syphoning off sales in this way,Vogel appears to be moving with theEuropean times – especially around

Benelux. Ampco Pro Rent, for exam-ple, saw fit to create TM Audio for justthat purpose.

“There’s always been the problemof competition when you have a salesdepartment within a rental company,”Vogel says. “Most other rental compa-nies don’t want to buy from a rival, evenif they have goods that they really needor want. There was always a few wholooked at us and said that they wouldnever buy from our inventory and sup-port us in that way, and that was one ofthe reasons why Ampco split into TMAudio when it did. That said, it’s oddreally because it’s still the same com-pany in the end!

“It’s the same with trying to avoidconflict of interest between brands. Asa distributor I could never representMeyer Sound, for example, next toApogee Sound, but some operationsjust start another company in a differ-ent name to handle overlapping brands– even though it’s ultimately the sameholding company that takes the profits.I might sell some Meyer Sound, or JBL,or Electro-Voice to a specific customerwho requests it, but I would alwaysquite genuinely prefer to sell ApogeeSound for certain purposes.

“The sales patterns vary. There arethose customers who know exactly whatthey want, or they have to complete aninstallation with specific products; andthere are those who come to me withno clue as to what they need – otherthan a reliable, good-sounding systemwithin their budget! I recently installedsome small Apogee models into a cou-ple of churches, they worked perfectlyand the client is very happy with them.That’s when it all comes together.”

Then there are those jobs that defydefinition. Sound reinforcement for sea-lions? “Amsterdam Zoo has askedme to put in a few different systems,actually,” reveals Vogel, “including thesea-lion enclosure and the reptile house.I did the dolphinarium a while ago…Most attractions nowadays require livecommentary for information and edu-cation, especially when animals areinvolved. The elephants are getting asound system next…”

At which point ‘sales’ becomes ananagram, and, in the capable hands ofRon Vogel, the yodelling of Thijs vanLeer lives on. Qwww.focus-sales.nl

In and out of Focus

Ron Vogel, focusing on sales

THE NETHERLANDSSOUND BITEf On Stage Audio supplied JBLloudspeakers for all of the recentUS presidential and vicepresidential debates. “Given thesignificant role they play in theelection, reliable, clear androbust audio was of the utmostimportance,” stresses LarryEstrin, audio and productioncommunications director for theCommission on PresidentialDebates. “The JBL loudspeakersperformed to our expectationsand enabled us to deliver high-quality sound to the liveaudience and to viewers acrossthe country.”www.osacorp.com

fThames Audio recentlyprovided full sound productionfor Ray Davies’ new musical,Come Dancing at the TheatreRoyal, Stratford East in London.The system, designed byThames’ James Tebb, includes a48 x 24 Digidesign Profileconsole which he describes as a“fantastic sounding” desk.“When you combine this with its flexibility and onboardprocessing power you haveeverything you need to handleall eventualities.”www.digidesign.com

www.thamesaudio.co.uk

f A.C. Audio, a division of A.C.Entertainment Technologies Ltd(formerly known as AC LightingLtd), has recently suppliedAberdeen Performing Arts with acompletely stand-alone, 12-wayAudio-Technica 5000 Serieswireless radio microphonesystem. Aberdeen PerformingArts has been investing in newequipment for its first evertouring production, SunsetSong. It approached AC Audiowith a requirement for a new,completely transportable androbust radio microphonesolution that would be put touse at all venues they tourthroughout Scotland in thecoming months. The 500 Seriesfitted the bill.www.ac-et.com

The successful sales arm has severed fromFocus Showequipment’s rental operation,and there was always only one man who could take on the job of running it.Phil Ward meets Ron Vogel


PSNE Oct P000 30/10/08 11:45 Page 24

fIt was a hard act to follow. JBL’sEON series more or lessdefined a generation of port-

able monitors, arriving in 1995 alldressed to kill in sleek, smooth, injection-moulded black. Estimates hover aroundthe figure of one million unit sales todate, during which time brand afterbrand has followed suit.

How do you re-define the definitive?At the AES in San Francisco last month,JBL presented the following: the EON10G2 compact powered speaker; theEONSub G2 powered subwoofer; andEON G2 Systems featuring the EON15G2 and EON10 G2 powered speakersand mixers. Clearly the EON line wasn’tbroke, so why has the company chosennow to start fixing it?

“That’s exactly it: the risks werehuge,” admits director of portable PAmarketing, Simon Jones. “The legacywas so great. But, in fact, we held backfrom messing with the formula too

much. You look at other advances andyou think: what would a new EON haveto include? And you assume new voicecoils, hard drives, wireless communi-cation, USB connectivity… But we did ahell of a lot of research. We went out tofocus groups, we put models togetherand did a lot of testing. And we discov-ered that when you prioritise what EONis, fundamentally, it’s a do-anything,workhorse loudspeaker system and weneeded to do that as best we could. Assoon as you start introducing other tech-

nology, there’s a certain risk to it. Itforces the product down a certain path.”

So: no HiQnet, then. In a way, suchsophistication can reduce a product’sflexibility; and it will certainly increaseits cost. The new EON thereforeattempts simply to set a new standardfor the old functions, and top of the listis portability. The temptation to showoff Harman Pro’s ubiquitous integra-tion was resisted. “There’s so muchtechnology out there,” Jones continues,“you can throw this or that in and… the

cost goes up. It becomes really good foronly a few people, and the rest don’twant to pay for it. All they want is some-thing they can put on a stick, put anXLR cable directly into it and go.”

The overall design hasn’t changed:there are still no hard edges to catchyour knees on when you’re carrying it;nothing to knock your head on once it’sup on a pole. It’s arguably even moredurable: the full grill covers the woofer,so it looks a little more advanced andprovides more protection. Even on theinside the tweaking has been minimal.

“The drivers have been fine-tuned,”says Jones, “but we’re still using this15” differential drive that was original-ly designed for EON, then it went allthe way up to VerTec and now it’s backin the EON. But we do have a brandnew 400W, 15” woofer that only ways4.5lbs [2kg]. So as it evolves we give itsmoother power response, less distor-tion, we squeeze the weight out, weunderstand the heat distribution on thevoice coils… we just get better. It repre-sents years of refinement. That’s whatallows us to have a 400W wooferunique to JBL – and that’s the heart andengine of the loudspeaker. And you alsoget these Class D amplifiers…”

Class D has only come to the foreduring the life of EON, and is onerefinement that could threaten to shed

UNITED STATES


Eon and on and on...

Director of portable PA marketing Simon Jones with the new EON design

SOUND BITESf Loudspeaker system andcomponent manufacturerRadian Audio Engineeringhas revamped its website. The new-look site brings togethercomprehensive descriptions andtechnical specifications for abroad range of Professional,Contractor and Apex monitorspeaker systems, coaxial ceilingspeakers, proprietary speakercomponents and replacementdiaphragms. Specific featuresinclude easy-access productdatasheets, featured installations,and a ‘Where to Buy’ section that enables prospectivepurchases to locate regionaldistributors or dealers.www.radianaudio.com

f The audio set-up at the recentSurfstock festival in Cornwallincluded four Allen & HeathiLive digital systems. Deployedacross three performance areas,the iLive systems comprised twoiDR10 stage racks with iLive-144control surfaces on the main stage;an iDR10 and iLive-112 surface onthe Local Heroes stage; and aniDR10 and iLive-80 surface in theRabbit Hole tent. The recentlyreleased v1.3 iLive software wasinstalled in all of the systems. PArequirements for the two-day eventwere managed by SPS Systems.www.allen-heath.com

www.ilive-digital.com

Phil Ward discoverswhat it took todeliver the newgeneration of JBL’shit monitor line


a different light on the existing range.How does JBL intend to migrate fromthe huge legacy of stock to distributionof the new output?

“The previous generation will stillbe good for a long time,” replies Jones.“The very original 15P is still selling.It’s found its price-point, and we’restill making it. At the moment we’resupplying the current product whilestocks last. And then, I believe, themarket will define where the existingproduct moves forward. It could wellbe that we make the original for another10 years, based on demand. Whywouldn’t we, if there’s a market for theproduct? It’s successful now, and if itcontinues to be successful, and every-thing can co-exist, then it makes senseto stick with it.”

If the only way that EON needs toadapt to today’s world is by being allthe more itself, maybe that’s becausethere is simply a bigger world for it

to fall into. Have iPod, have EON, will travel…

“I think the user profile has expand-ed,” observes Jones. “The amount ofmedia delivery mechanisms is huge,and the number of people who speakout and spread their message hasgrown – whether it’s a band or a pres-idential campaign, whatever it is thatdemand is getting higher and higher.Above all the EON range is accessible.At only 17lbs [7.7kg], it provides every-one with something that they can movearound. You don’t have all this inte-grated wiring and other extras. Youdon’t need to worry ‘which way do Ipoint it?’ It’s obviously a loudspeakerwith great utility. It’s balanced in size.If a musician wants to record in the stu-dio and then perform somewhere, hecan definitely take this with him.”

Or if a presidential candidate wantsto change the world. Qwww.jbl.com

The EON range has sold nearly one million units to date


SOUND BITESfA Midas XL8 console fromNew York theatre soundspecialist Sound Associates is making its Broadway debutin a musical version of CharlesDickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.Sound Associates’ WallaceFlores worked with the Midasdesign team to develop the XL8for ‘real-world’ applications:“The XL8 offers a range ofunique features to design showsound in ways that streamlineoperations and hardwarelogistics while offering the veryhighest audio quality andsignal processing flexibility.”www.midasconsoles.com

fAshcroft Services ofCroydon, UK has recentlylaunched a brand new onlineshop selling “a wide range ofsound, lighting and effectsequipment suitable for use inpubs, clubs and performing artsvenues”. Pro-audio productsnow available include completePA systems by Ecler and JBL,mixers by Soundcraft andBeyerdynamic and microphonesby Shure, AKG and Crown.“There’s also a full range ofstage and DJ lighting, as well as stands, flightcases,lamps, filters, gaffer tape and batteries,” says Ashcroft’sLaura Roberts.www.ashcroftservices.com

Orbital Sound created the sound relay infrastructure at each location on the five-

event 2008 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series. Enlisted by OC Events, Orbital

had to ensure unimpeded ship-to-shore communication, UHF radio commentary

and video feeds to the VIP suites, among other responsibilities. Equipment

selected for the demanding project included Sennheiser SK50 body pack

transmitters, Shure UR2 handheld radios and Motorola GP340 VHF two-way radios.

“Despite the variable wind and weather conditions there were no comms or sound

issues, and the client was delighted with the coverage we provided,” said Orbital

Sound’s Tim Sherratt. Q

www.orbitalsound.co.uk

EUROPE


A Yamaha PM1D console was chosen to providethe central hub in an ambitious project by Austrian artist Matthias Loibner to bringtogether performers from north, south, east andwest Europe. As its name implies, the pan-European Timeproject addresses the passageof time through music played at a tempo of60bpm and live performances each lastingexactly 60 minutes.

Timeproject takes place on four stages set upin a circle with an audience space in the centre.Starting with the North stage, the bands play indi-

vidually, gradually working their way clockwisearound the stages, with each performance seguedinto the next and the musicians adding accentsto the performances by the other bands.

“Matthias contacted me and fellow sound engi-neer Stefan Bauer to ask how he could get thisidea off the ground from a technical perspective,and which equipment we would recommend,”says Joseph Jabbour, who shares technical dutieswith Bauer. “The first answer was that we need adigital desk and two sound engineers! We chosethe PM1D because we needed a console that isflexible, reliable, has a significant number of out-puts and is easily available worldwide – as theshow is planned to visit different festivals through-out Europe and possibly further afield.”

Each of the four stages had its own PA systemand multicore carrying 16 inputs, stereo PA out-puts and two stereo monitor returns. Twelve fur-ther inputs came from four mono click tracks andfour stereo loop tracks, making a total of 60 inputsand 24 outputs on the console. With space at apremium, the PM1D’s onboard effects proved par-ticularly useful – as did the console’s save andrecall facilities when setting up the system forsubsequent performances. “The PM1D isabsolutely the right tool for the job,” says Jabbour.“We needed a lot of busses and outputs, the soundquality is very good and I really like the reverbs.Overall, it was remarkably smooth. We are look-ing forward to hopefully taking Timeproject tomore countries in 2009.” Qwww.yamahacommercialaudio.com

D.A.S. Audio continues to push its profile on theglobal level with the next instalment of its seriesof worldwide seminars. Ireland recently receiveda visit from D.A.S. Audio engineer Joan La Roda,who boasts ample experience in the preparationand development of seminars throughout theworld. “His seminars have been widely acceptedby audio professionals, increasing their trainingand bringing D.A.S. Audio and its products clos-er to the worldwide professional audio commu-nity,” says a D.A.S. spokesperson.

The two-day seminar took place in centralIreland from 6-7 October at the Hodson Bay Hotelin the city of Athlon, an hour away from Dublin.The event was organised by D.A.S. distributorReynolds of Raphoe and was attended by some25 D.A.S. customers and prospective clients.

The seminar’s main focus was ‘Line Arrays:How They Work’ detailing the technical featuresand applications of line array systems as well as anexplanation about subwoofer characteristics andconfiguration entitled “Subwoofer Configurationsand Time Alignment”. The theoretical section

was followed by Arco, DR, Reference, Artec,Variant112A and Variant 18A product demos.Brian McGrath of Reynolds of Raphoe personallytook charge of the demos and the D.A.S. systems presentation. Qwww.dasaudio.com


EUROPE

Yamaha desk provides hub forpan-European Timeproject

IRELAND

D.A.S. seminars reach the Emerald Isle

In planning: the idea on paper…

A large complement of D.A.S. speakers were

available for the sessions

…and in reality: four stages with a central audience space


fJust a few days after being con-signed, two of the first fourDiGiCo SD7 consoles delivered

to Italy were used by audio contractorNuovo Service of Toscanella di Dozzafor a series of concerts staged atVerona’s marvellous Roman arena bytop Italian rocker Luciano Ligabue.

On his last show at the VeronaArena (a shrine for opera fans world-wide), the Warner Music Italy record-ing artist had his line arrays flown inover the wall from two huge truckcranes outside. This time, apart fromthe technical ‘first’, Ligabue per-formed for no fewer than sevennights, accompanied by his hard-hitting band and the 70-strong VeronaPhilharmonic Orchestra.

The FOH mix fed out through theL-Acoustics rig (featuring a total of 42 V-DOSC, 24 dV-DOSC and 32 SB 218subs) was handled by an SD7 and a D5Live FOH, with another identical set-up on monitor chores. For well-knownsound designer Daniele Tramontani,

manning the FOH SD7 was a return tohis roots as a sound engineer. Heexplained: “I used about 110 channelsfor the orchestra – the band was loud,so we had to use almost 40 bugs on thestrings as well as the Schoeps spot mics.I gave Alberto Butturini (at the FOHD5) two sub-mixes – one with thestrings, the other with everything else.”

Butturini, who’d used the D5 on many top Italian tours, had 60 chan-nels from the band to look after. He continued: “As well as the actual instru-ments, there were four channels ofSMPTE, Pro Tools sequences, sparesand click tracks, and the show’s high-profile video content was latched on toour time codes, so we were kept on ourtoes. We managed to get 98/99dB oforchestra, which was quite a feat for a70-piece acoustic line-up!”

On stage, another veteran DiGiCouser, Stevan Martinovic, was assisted byUmberto Polidori. He added: “I had thesame set-up, with a feed from the band’sD5 being mixed with the orchestra –which I divided into 14 sections – beforebeing sent to the musicians’ cans, witheach musician’s section slightly higherthan the rest. Some sections had partic-ular requirements – for example, thetrombone players wanted to hear thebasses more than the other instruments.They also got a click track and the voice

of conductor Marco Sabiu, who had apedal to enable his mic when he need-ed to give them instructions. I fed theSD7’s orchestra mix to the D5 to bemixed with the band, then on to theartist, band and conductor, all on IEM.”

After the highly successful shows,Tramontani (also responsible for thedesign and set-up of the audio system)enthused: “The SD7 is really fantasticand sounds great! I definitely like its filters in general – particularly the hi-pass and lo-pass.”

Martinovic, who made more in-depth use of the new console, wasimpressed and highlighted several fea-tures that had immediately struck him.“Apart from its incredible potential asfar as number of inputs and outputs areconcerned, channel patching is great,as it enables to patch from 1 to 100 byjust patching the first one – the othersfollow on. The 12-channel bays are alsoa great improvement, as is the fact thatdata on units connected to inputs andoutputs are stored automatically witheach session in a ‘socket file’ that engi-neers can name as they please, greatlyfacilitating what was previously a rathertime-consuming procedure. Anotheradvantage is being able to decide if youwant to use a compressor or gate pre-or post-EQ.” Qwww.digico.org


Orchestral manoeuvres in the Arena

Luciano Ligabue played seven nights at the arena

Stevan Martinovic (front) at the D5 and Umberto Polidori at the SD7

ITALY

Two DiGiCo SD7on Italian star’soriginal shows,writes Mike Clark


DWA +44 1883 373503British Insurance Awards UK Yamaha, Yamaha M Hyde Alcons AlconsBritish Mortgage Awards UK Yamaha, Yamaha D Woodman Alcons AlconsFund Manager Awards UK Yamaha, Yamaha M Dinlay Alcons AlconsEuropean Pensions UK Yamaha, - D Woodman Alcons AlconsCharity Times UK Yamaha, - J Landen Alcons AlconsMarketing Week UK Yamaha, Yamaha A Kerslake Alcons Alcons

EARS & EYES AB +46 8592 590 70Ale Moller Band Sweden Yamaha LS9, - F Persson d&b D12 d&b Q7/QsubWildbirds Sweden Yamaha LS9, - H Persson d&b D12 d&b Q7/QsubPinton Quintet Sweden Yamaha LS9, - M Persson d&b D12 d&b Q7/Qsub

ELECTROTECH SOLUTIONS SL +34 96 1220357Revolver Tour Spain DiGiCo D1, DiGiCo D1 M Sena - Meyer Sound MICAGreenspace Spain H2000, H3000 - - Meyer Sound MICAMirror Spain Yamaha M7CL, M7CL - - Lynx

EML PRODUCTIONS NV +32 16617110Nick Cave & The Bad SeedsUK Midas XL4, Yamaha PM5D M Crosbie Lab.gruppen Adamson Y-18Simple Minds UK DiGiCo D5, Midas H3000 J Lemon Lab.gruppen Adamson Y-18Night Of The Proms Europe DiGiCo SD7, DiGiCo SD7 P Demoustier Lab.gruppen Adamson Y-18

ESS +44 1623 647291The Feeling UK Vi6, Vi4 J Sword MC2 Turbosound Aspect 890John Martyn UK PM5D-RH, M7CL L Hunt MC2 Turbosound AspectRazorlight UK Profile, M7CL I Laughton MC2 Turbosound Aspect 890Max Boyle UK M7CL, LS9 B Keown Amcron Turbosound TQ440Tony Hadley UK PM50-RH, M7CL L Hunt MC2 Turbosound Aspect 890From The Jam UK A&H i-Live, M7CL E Hidon MC2 Turbosound Aspect 890

EUROPEAN TOUR PRODUCTION APS +45 36307080The True Award 2008 Denmark Yamaha LS9, - J Nakel QSC Martin Audio W8LMSos & Kirsten Denmark A&H, - F Pedersen QSC Tarp1Jonathan Spang Tour Denmark - , - M. Lykke Hansen - -

EXCESS BV +31 1020 12111Gala WTC Holland Soundcraft MH3, - M Ros Crest JBL SRX

GOETTE SOUND +49 341 422 4220Goa Party Dream Germany A&H GL4, - E Voigt Lab.gruppen fP6400 T CustomBurning Rage Festival Germany Midas XL200, DDA QII Mon G Goette Lab,gruppen fP6400 T CustomDie Schabe Germany Midas XL200, DDA QII Mon E Voigt Lab.gruppen fP6400 T CustomChristmas Festival Germany Midas XL200, DDA QII Mon G Goette Lab.gruppen fP6400 T CustomX-Max Festival Germany Midas XL200, DDA QII Mon G Goette Lab.gruppen fP6400 T Custom

HOF +31 505346980Andrae Crouch & Band Holland Midas XL8, Yamaha PM5D - - Alcons/MB AudiosystemsRadio2 – Top 2000 Holland Midas XL8, Midas XL8 - - Alcons/MB Audiosystemsin ConcertDvhN Live! Holland Midas XL8, Yamaha PM5D - - Alcons/MB AudiosystemsHour of Power-Xmas Tour Holland Yamaha PM5D, - - - Alcons/MB Audiosystems

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008live events52

Live eventsThe Live Events listing is a free service. All information is provided by the companies listed andPSNE cannot be help responsible for any factual errors. To be included in the listings, please emailLinda Frost at [email protected]

BAND COUNTRY MIXERS ENGINEER AMP SPEAKERS

If you want your web address to be included in themagazine AND in the digital edition of Pro Sound

News Europe for just £50 a year, please emailLianne on [email protected]

for an order form


ARTO +32 10401305Hooverphonic Europe Profile, SY48 O Gerard Camco Nexo GEO DAdamo Belgium SY48, SY80 H Vandendriesh Crown Nexo GEO S

ASP BLUE-SQUARES +32 67895000Lorie Tour Europe PM5D-RH, PM1D B Viricel LA-48a V-DOSCBharati Europe PM1D, - P v Cau LA-48a dV-DOSCRob De Nijs Europe D1, D1 - LA-48a dV-DOSCJe Me Voyais Deja France PM5D-RH, M7CL JJ Dialo LA-48a Mtd

AUDIO INDUSTRIES SCANDINAVIA +46 87477910Ulf Lundell Scandinavia Yamaha PM5000, PM5D-RH H Johansson Crown EAW 750

BRITANNIA ROW +44 20 8877 3949Cliff Richard UK - , - - Lab.gruppen V-DOSCOasis UK Midas XL4, Midas XL8 B Johnston Outline T Series Outline ButterflyWill Young UK & Eire DiGiCo D5, DiGiCo D5 G Bradshaw Outline T-Series Outline ButterflyJamiroquai Germany/ Yamaha PM5D, PM5D R Pope - Turbosound TFM

KoreaGoldfrapp US/Australia Digidesign Profile, PM1D B Findlay Stage Box/In Ear -MTV Euro Music Awards UK - , - - - -Bryan Adams UK Midas H3000, H3000 J Perpick Lab.gruppen L-Acoustics

CAPITAL SOUND HIRE +44 20 8944 6777 Lee Evans UK Midas XL3, Yamaha M7CL P Tame Martin Audio Martin Audio W8L/LCKatie Melua Europe DiGiCo D5, DiGiCo D5 B Fertigs Meyer Sound Meyer SoundKylie World DiGiCo SD7, DiGiCo D5 C Pyne - -Hard Rock Hell UK Yamaha PM5D, PM5D - Martin Audio Martin Audio W8L/LCAll Tomorrows Parties UK Yamaha PM5D, PM5D - Martin Audio Martin Audio W8L/LC

CHATTERBOX SOUND & LIGHTING +61 7 5529 9969Forever Everly Australia & NZ Soundcraft, A&H S Lorraine Crest/QSC Martin Audio Australian Elton John ShowAustralia Soundcraft, Soundcraft S Lorraine Crest/QSC Martin AudioElton-Joel Australia Soundcraft, Soundcraft S Lorraine Crest/QSC Martin AudioSend In The Clones Australia Soundcraft, - D Lee-Jay Crest/QSC Martin Audio

CRAFTMAN +48 22 849 1878Rene Marie Poland MH3, SM12 G Karasinski - Meyer SoundRoisin Murphy Poland Five, SM20 T Dudar Crown JBL VerTec

DEE SOUND & LIGHT +32 3844 0192Victoria Europe DM2000 , - - Crest/Martin Audio Synco STSNeedcompany Europe D-Show , - - Crest/Martin Audio Synco STS

Oasis have played dates in the UK using Outline’s Butterfly array and T-Series amps

PSNE Nov P52-53 Live events 30/10/08 14:49 Page 52

NewWebsite

Advertise yourequipment andservices to the

live/touring marketby contacting

Lianne Davey on0207 921 8401 or

[email protected]

live events/on the road 53

JOHN HENRY’S LTD +44 207 609 9818BBC TV Come Dancing UK Yamaha PM5D, A Gregory QSC EAW/Clair/HK

Soundcraft Vi6BBC TV Later with Jools UK Yamaha LS9/32, S Panos QSC EAW/Clair

PM5D/Vi6BBC TV Sound UK -, Yamaha M7CL R Tombs QSC RadianCH4 T4 Music UK -, Yamaha PM5D R Tombs QSC EAW/ClairWarner Music ShowcaseUK Yamaha PM5D, PM5D C Roberts QSC F1/EAW/Clair

LIVE SOUND HIRE LTD 01483 22 30 50Andy Abraham UK Yamaha M7CL M Bamber QSC EM Acoustics

MAC SOUND +44 161 969 8311Gotta Sing Gotta Dance UK A&H, - C Rawling QSC Martin AudioAnnie UK A&H C Whelan QSC Martin AudioCinderella UK Midas Heritage, - M Dando QSC MartinAudioLineArray

MAR AUDIO +46 707 271 007Amanda Jenssen Sweden DiGiCo D1, Aviom Pro II L Nyberg - -Anna Ternheim Sweden DiGiCo D1, Aviom Pro II L Nyberg - -

MPM +33 387 343 232Nancy Jazz Pulsations France Heritage 3000, Heritage 4000 - Lab.gruppen Adamson Y10BB Brunes France Midas XL4, Midas XL3 W Simean Lab.gruppen Adamson Y18, T21Franck Dubosc France DiGiCo SD8, - F Perrin Lab.gruppen Adamson Y10

MUSIC & LIGHTS AB +4621 359300Elvis Forever Sweden Digidesign Venue, PM5D M Andersson Camco Nexo GEO-TAbba Forever Sweden Yamaha M7CL, M7CL P Olsson Camco Nexo GEO-TSixties Show Sweden Yamaha M7CL, M7CL D Jansson Camco d&b Q1

NEOMY SOUND AND LIGHT +49 7808 084333Chrysanthema Lahr Germany Midas Venice Mackie SR24 Camco Nexo GEO S

PRODUCTION HOUSE +44 2890 79 8999Robin Mark Canada DiGiDesign, H3000 J Willis Lab.gruppen L-AcousticsChildren In Need – N. Ireland Digidesign Venue/Profile, T Dougherty Meyer Sound Meyer Sound MILOBelfast H3000Mandate Conferences N. Ireland H3000, Roland M4000 N Lewis Lab.gruppen L-Acoustics/LogicBBC Television UK Digidesign, Digidesign J Willis Lab.gruppen Meyer Sound MILOYoung Voices N. Ireland H3000, H3000 - Meyer Sound Meyer Sound MILONew Irish Orchestra UK PM5D, Yamaha M7 P Beattie Lab.gruppen L-Acoustics

RIDER AUDIO AND MEDIA +31 786742919Jerry Lee Lewis Tour Europe Yamaha PM5DRH, M7CL-48 P v Baasbank LA48 L-Acoustics KUDODance Tour Holland Yamaha M7CL-48, - F den Dulk LA48 L-Acoustics KUDOTurbulent Festivals Holland Yamaha PM5DRH, M7CL-48 - LA48 L-Acoustics KUDODJ Clinics Holland Mackie/Pioneer, - S Groeneveld - RCFPraise Tours Holland/ Yamaha PM3500/32, J v Loo LA48 L-Acoustics KUDO

Belgium M7CL-48

SELV GELUIDSTECHNIEK +32 16 44 33 3330CC Belgium Midas, Midas V Deboes Coda Audio Coda AudioBoB Boon Singers Belgium Midas, Midas M Deboes Coda Audio Coda AudioKifKif Belgium Midas, Midas V Deboes Coda Audio Coda AudioTrinid Singers Belgium Midas, Midas V Deboes Coda Audio Coda AudioSacred Places Belgium Midas, Midas L Vleugels Coda Audio Coda Audio

SKAN PA HIRE +44 1635 521010James Blunt Europe Heritage 3000, XL4 M Hornby LA48/D12 V-DOSC/J SubCeltic Thunder US PM5D, PM5D M Jones LA8 dV-DOSC/SB218Feeder UK Vi6, D-Show Y Levy D12 J8/J12/J-SubSigur Ros Europe Profile, D-Show J Kuiper D12 J8/J12/J-Sub

ULTRASONICS AUDIO SERVICES +44 1472 200015Maximum Rhythm & BluesUK ML3000, Yamaha K Watson d&b d&bMick Fleetwood Blues BandUK ML3000, Yamaha A Brown d&b d&bBill Nelson UK Midas, A&H I Thorpe d&b d&b

UNITED AUDIO STARLIGHT AB SWEDEN +46 8 775 08 30The Battle of The Bands Sweden M7CL, LS9 - Lab.gruppen dV-DOSCMonster Magnet Sweden - , - - Lab.gruppen V-DOSCAl Fakir Sweden PM1D, PM1D B Lehnberg Lab.gruppen dV-DOSC

VIKING SOUND & LIGHT +44 1609 780 190Illegal Eagles UK Midas H1000, Sienna SD Williams MC2 Turbosound FlexArrraySlade T-Rextasy Mud II UK Midas Verona, Sienna SD Williams MC2 Turbosound FloodlightThe Blockheads UK Midas H1000, Sienna SD Williams MC2 Turbosound FlexArray

YORKSHIRE AUDIO +44 113 277 0952LMUSU UK Midas Heritage, M7CL A Dunbar Crown EAW KF850Freddie Starr UK ML5000, ML3000 B Collinson d&b D12 d&b C4Roy Wood UK M7CL, M7CL K Birtwhistle d&b D12 d&b C4Festival of Light UK M7CL, M7CL S Brown d&b D12 d&b C4

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com

Razorlight are touring the UK with Turbosound speakers and MC2 amps


PSNE Nov P52-53 Live events 30/10/08 16:51 Page 53

� Custom design for audio and lighting cables

� Faster, cleaner, easier set up and tear down

� Stackable for efficient storage and transport

YouCan’tBuyABetterReel.

Download or call for your FREE Audio/Video Reels cataloghttp:///go.hannay.com/R45

518-797-3791

Cable Reels for Audio/Video Equipment�

�

�

�

�

�

� Extra rugged steel construction for long life

� Designed with ergonomic handles and non-reflective black matte finish

�

�

�

�

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008installation54

David DaviesRiedel Communications has acquiredMedia Numerics, developer of theRockNet networking technology.Headquartered in Hanau, Germany,Media Numerics is best-known for itsdevelopment of RockNet, billed as areal-time, low-latency audio distribu-tion network suitable for installed andtour sound applications. The techno-logy is currently centred on the RockNet300 product which began shipping earlier this year.

“We’re a flexible company, so [theacquisition came together] very quickly,”says Thomas Riedel, managing directorof Riedel Communications.

Following the acquisition ofMediornet in 2007, the latest deal islikely to further enhance RiedelCommunications’ credentials as a back-bone provider.

“With RockNet we now have anoth-er ingenious network technology which,in particular, will allow us to target thelive sound markets,” says Riedel.

Regarding the long-term prospectsfor RockNet, Riedel says he is “pretty-sure” that it will “establish itself as anew standard for audio networking.

“The RockNet technology in combi-nation with our other activities will pushthis. At first sight, RockNet seems to be just another audio network, but if you look deeper you will realise that it is unique in quite a few aspects.So I anticipate a long and eventful lifefor RockNet.”

Matthias Knoth, managing direc-tor of Media Numerics, adds: “Withthe integration of Media Numericsinto the Riedel family this will allowus to focus 100% on the developmentof further innovative features for RockNet. Tasks such as sales and order management, whichincreasingly absorbed our resources,can now be handled more efficientlywithin an international organisationsuch as Riedel.” Qwww.medianumerics.com

www.riedel.net

The RockNet 300 is the latest product from Media Numerics

Riedel acquires RockNet developerGERMANY

Dave RobinsonThe Icelandic banks have taken a knockin recent weeks, but the cultural face ofthe country seems intact. Now local salesand integration company, Exton ehf, hasbeen contracted to provide all sound,communication and production lightingsystems in the Icelandic National Concertand Conference Centre. The project is byfar the largest sound and light installa-tion in Iceland to date and covers all four

halls of the centre. Scheduled to open onReykjavik’s East Harbour in December2009, the building will house a centrefor music, culture and tourism in a primelocation in Iceland’s capital, as well asbecoming the new home of the IcelandSymphony Orchestra.

“The tender for these systems, basedon the design by US consultants firmArtec, was very ambitious,” says Exton’sCEO, Sverrir Hrei∂arsson. “The Centre

will be equipped with state-of-the-arttechnology and solutions.” The soundsystem is mainly comprised of Yamahamixing consoles and Meyer Soundspeakers. “The set up is comparablewith Copenhagen’s new Opera and theBarbican Centre in London.”

“This is a large scale project for ourcountry of just over 300,000 inhabi-tants,” he adds, “so I think we can saywith some certainty that we are hiring.”

During the signing of the contractsExton presented the owners, Portus hf,with a symbolic piece of art. This work

“Traps” by Finnbogi Petursson, one ofIceland’s most acclaimed contemporaryartists, consists of two wall-mounted sculp-tures. Each sculpture responds to a cer-tain frequency in the room. Between thetwo segments lies a narrow gap. Viewersdiscover that, by pressing their ear againstthe gaps, they perceive a barely audible tonesimilar to that gleaned from a seashell.“We found this particular piece quite fitting. The Centre itself can be perceived as a seashell at its striking water-front site,” Hreidarsson concludes. Qwww.exton.is

Cultural gift for ExtonICELAND

SOUND BITESf After 20 years based inBredbury, near Stockport,Formula Sound has moved tonew premises in Oldham andsimultaneously opened a newLondon office. “When welooked at moving it seemedthere was an opportunity notjust move to another location,but also to open an office inthe south to improve our UKcoverage,” explained generalmanager Barry Penaligon. Oneof the few professional audiocompanies still manufacturingin the UK, Formula Sound hasalso announced a newtechnical helpline number: +44 (0)161 688 0020.www.formula-sound.co.uk

f The Helsinki City Theatrecelebrated its recent 100thanniversary with theinstallation of a Meyer Sound System. The A/Bdistributed system – providedby Espoo-based Studiotech Oy– doubles up the speakers toprovide a mix of vocals and asecond mix of the band ororchestra. The system is alsosaid to be useful when two singers work in closeproximity; using different mixes to help avoid problemscaused by leakage betweenlavalier mics.www.meyersound.com

f Les Planches, a nightclublocated in the glamorousNormandy resort of Deauville,has purchased a new APGsound system based on SMX15monitors – a first for anightclub – plus DS8, DS12Sand TB215S boxes.DJ stars such as David Guetta,Chris Willis and Martin Solveighave played at this prestigiousvenue. The installation wascarried by the Elecson companybased in Rouen. In other news,APG has released newlydeveloped presets for itsDMS26 digital processor.www.apg.tm.fr

Exton and Portus seal the deal

The centre will house the Iceland Symphony Orchestra

PSNE Nov P54-60 Install 30/10/08 14:12 Page 54

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com installation 55

Acoustic perfection as a holistic sensory expe-rience – the union of aesthetics, technology,and economics. The new Line Array SystemK&F Sequenza 10 opens doors to unexploredsound spaces and a new dimen-sion of sound enjoyment.

IN TUNEIN TUNE

Kling & Freitag GmbH · Phone + 49 (0)511- 96 99 [email protected] · www.kling-freitag.de

APPOINTMENTf Barix AG has named Marcelvan der Meijs as its new VP ofsales and marketing. He comesto Barix with more than 20 yearsof experience in internationalsales and marketing in thesecurity and network industry,including high-ranking positionsat Lantronix International andHID Corporation. Based in theNetherlands, he will focus onincreasing “sales-drivenactivities” for Barix worldwide.

David DaviesThe National Theatre (Národní divadlo)in Prague has been provided with twoLawo mc2 66 consoles as part of a com-prehensive audio networking project.

Occupying a neo-renaissance struc-ture that was rebuilt in 1883 after theoriginal theatre was destroyed by fire,the National Theatre has recentlyundertaken a five-year refurbishmentprogramme encompassing its entiresound system.

In conjunction with Czech partnerMediatech, Lawo has supplied an audiocontrol network based on the Nova73 HDcentral routing system and four DALLISI/O systems. A 16-8-8 frame mc2 66 hasbeen situated in the FOH control room ofthe main auditorium, while a mobile 8-8-8 frame mc266 is available for avariety of applications, includingstage monitoring and recordingin a separate studio.

Serving as the central hub forthe system, the Nova73 HD pro-vides both consoles with accessto all audio signals at any time.Access rights managementallows all input signals to beshared between both consoles,although one acts as the mainconsole for controlling I/Oparameters and important func-tions. Responsibility can beswitched between the two con-soles via User Keys or the GUI.

The ability to include an element ofcustomisation reportedly played amajor role in the venue’s decision tospecify a Lawo solution. Accordingly,the consoles allow control of ProToolsdigital workstations via GPC faders orMackie HUI.

The installation – led by Mediatech’sRoman Kasnik – was completed in timefor the beginning of the venue’s2008/9 season. While Czech filmdirector Milos Forman used one of theLawo consoles to record a live DVD dur-ing the summer, the new equipmentmade its official debut with productionsof the Bizet opera Carmen and Rock ’n’ Roll, the most recent play by Tom Stoppard, who was born in the for-mer Czechoslovakia. Qwww.lawo.de

CZECH REPUBLIC

Prague picks LawoThe Brighton Centre, the south coast’spremier conference venue, has revitalisedits long-serving Electro-Voice PA systemby replacing all the existing amplifierswith EV’s latest DSP-controlled P1200RL Precision Series amplifiers, runningIRIS-Net remote control and systemsupervision software.

Known to many in the UK as thevenue for high-profile conferencing, asused by the Conservative Party and the Trades Union Congress, the MainHall of the Brighton Centre routinelyaccommodates prestigious exhibitions,banquets and leisure events. With itsflexible seating, it can accommodate4,500 delegates.

The Main Hall’s house PA wasinstalled in the 1980s, a centrally-flowncluster of Electro-Voice loudspeakerswhich has worked impeccably for over20 years. Brighton-based specialists MBISound & Light have maintained theCentre’s facilities since that time.

“With the important TUC conferencelooming, we wanted to rule out anypotential reliability issues caused by age-ing amplifiers,” explains MBI’s DaveRudge. “We’d previously installed EV’sP1200RL remote amplifiers in the PalaceTheatre in Southend, where they havemet with great success. That was the cat-alyst for our thought process here and

they quickly became the obvious choice,especially as we could put the whole sys-tem under the control of IRIS-Net.”

The Brighton Centre is the first permanently installed system to testShuttlesound’s IRIS-Net product specialistDavid Howe’s new software configura-tion tool, a specially written project gen-erator for IRIS-Net. “It can take severalhours to configure a control package likeIRIS-Net; this new software offers a sig-nificant shortcut for tasks like importingpresets, applying speaker settings andbuilding the user control pages. For anengineer, it means he can now start get-ting sound out of the speakers in just acouple of minutes rather than hours.”

Howe’s project generator has alreadybeen used extensively by touring engineersfrom Britannia Row, APR Audio and otherleading EV rental companies. Qwww.shuttlesound.com

UNITED KINGDOM

Brighton Centre upsante with IRIS-Net

Product specialist Dave Howe tries out

his new configuration tool in the

Brighton Centre

One of two Lawo mc266 consoles


fLike many a municipal building in themodern era Truro City Council’s Town Hall,in the centre of the Cornish town, faced the

task of reconciling historic architecture with con-temporary and commercial needs. With the help ofAV integrator AV Concepts, it has found the solutionto dealing with challenging acoustics using Renkus-Heinz Iconyx digital loudspeaker technology.

Truro’s grand City Council Chamber, whereportraits of mayors going back to the 19th centuryadorn the walls, can be hired out for public andcommercial functions, as well as being the seatof local government.

But the chamber’s grandeur was also a curse,as the high stone walls, wooden floor and tall win-dows made speech intelligibility so poor that fewpotential hirers were keen to use it.

Town Clerk Russell Holden appreciated thetime had come to bring the facility into the 21stcentury and called in West Country-based AVConcepts, active members of InfoComm, CAI andCEDIA and an accredited Gold CAVSP provider.

James Friendship, managing director of AVConcepts, says: “The room is quite high and has atremendous reverberation time of around eight sec-onds. If you stand across the room from someoneelse you can’t understand what they’re saying. So weneeded a system that would minimise the reverber-ant field, which their existing system failed to do.”

A demonstration on site with beyerdynamic UK(now Polar Audio) of an Iconyx digitally steerablearray provided the answer, he says: “everyonethought the demo was awesome; you could heareverybody speak clearly from wherever you stoodor sat. Speech intelligibility throughout the roomwas completely transformed.”

The client suitably impressed, the system waspermanently installed during the summer, comprising two active Iconyx IC8 steerable arraymodules, a Biamp Nexia CS fully automated audiocontroller, Volume 8 rotary encoder, three beyer-dynamic MTS67/5 and MPC 67 desktop micunits, a Sennheiser EW152 headset mic andSennheiser EW122 G2 UHF lapel system.

Delicate lath-and-plaster walls prevented directmounting of the IC8s, so the AV Concepts team, ledby project manager Steve Marks, fabricated projector-style mounts, while beyerdynamic UK’s Jon Stanleyworked with Friendship to fine-tune the Iconyx arraysusing the system’s dedicated BeamWare software.

Among the first users of the room, aside fromregular council business, have been local groupsranging from dance classes to meetings and apresentation by opposition leader David Cameron.

Friendship adds: “In a demanding room, whenwe turn the sound system on everyone can nowhear perfectly. Since the new system has beeninstalled the council has been able to use the roomto raise revenue, adding value to the facility.” Qwww.renkus-heinz.com


UNITED KINGDOM

Iconyx brings trueclass to Truro

Truro Town Hall moved into the 21st Century

Renkus-Heinz’s Iconyx ‘transformed speech intelligibility’

Although grand, Truro’sTown Hall was beingoverlooked as acorporate venue due topoor acoustics. A newsound system changedall this

Celebrity Solstice, the

biggest cruise liner ever

built in Germany, has just

been launched with no

fewer than four Dynacord

ProMatrix 4000 systems

onboard delivering a

combined power of 53kW.

The 350m long ship

accommodates 2,852

passengers served by over

8,000 speakers, including

350 EV 309-8As, 520 EVID

C4.2s, 30 EVID C8.2s and 70 Sx80PIXs. Celebrity Solstice is one of over 25 cruise liners built since 1985 in the

Meyer Werft shipyard and fitted with Dynacord/Electro-Voice systems. Qwww.dynacord.com www.electrovoice.com

GERMANY


PSNE Oct P000 28/10/08 15:23 Page 24

fThis year, Exhibo, one of Italy’soldest pro-audio distributors(brands include Sennheiser,

Neumann, Ecler, AEQ, EAW, Tascam,Vestax and Teac), celebrates 50 years’trading. Founder and chairmanFerrante Anguissola d’Altoé gives PSNEan authoritative insight into the market and shares how his firm hasmanaged to distribute a key brand likeSennheiser for half a century.

There’s no doubt in Anguissola’smind as to the most dynamic marketarea at present. “The permanent instal-lation market is constantly growingand this is closely linked with thespread of multimedia technology invarious environments, from homes toindustry,” he says.

Although stressing that a few rentalfirms are investing in new technology,he adds, “They’re exceptions, as theoverall is situation is critical as far asthis market is concerned. Nowadays,dealing with rental companies cansometimes resemble barter rather thanbusiness. As well as being smaller thanother European countries’, our liveindustry is also suffering from the dif-ficult overall economic situation andlacks ideas and – above all – support.”

In spite of this, Exhibo’s founder isoptimistic as far as the industry’s futureis concerned, as highlighted by thefirm’s move into new premises a cou-ple of years ago. Since he set up busi-ness in Florence with two partners andwas the firm’s only salesman, to thedefinitive move to northern Italy (ini-tially Milan, then Monza), Anguissolahas gradually added staff and brands –AEQ from Spain and Neumann areother long-standing partners. The company’s premises (which at onepoint included a castle!) have grown toaccommodate the expansion. The lat-est move brought together Exhibo’sthree Monza facilities under one roof, in

a 5,000sqm site divided into a largewarehouse, offices, meeting rooms,workshops, demo rooms and lecturerooms. Anguissola continues: “Themanufacturers of the brands we distribute are always working on thedevelopment of products that areincreasingly sophisticated from a tech-nical point of view and able to respondto market requirements.”

As well as a staff of 70 employees,Exhibo now also has a network of 150agents, reps and 38 authorised labora-tory staff countrywide. “This enables usto handle the various markets we areinvolved in: not only pro audio, but alsocommunications, security and con-sumer electronics.”

With distribution changes frequentlyin the trade press headlines, many

industry members would probably liketo know the secret behind managing todistribute a brand like Sennheiser for50 years. The reply is typically frank.“The brotherly friendship betweenmyself, Fritz Sennheiser, the founderof the German company, and his sonJörg was built up through the years,working with competence, punctuality,transparency and close collaboration.The relationship formed betweenExhibo and Sennheiser is so close thatmany of my staff consider themselves‘Sennheiser men’ to all effects. This hasobviously helped us become one of themanufacturer’s top distributors.”

Regarding the current economic sit-uation, things have been worse in thepast, as the industry veteran explains.“When I founded Exhibo, there was anatmosphere of great enthusiasm world-wide and the economic boom wasbeginning. The first energy crises camein the late 1960s and early 1970s, fol-

lowed by another period of reprise andgeneral affluence. In the 1990s, we hadmonetary problems due to the devalu-ation of the lira, but we overcame thatcrisis too, and today’s issues seem tome to be a situation that, as in the past,will put the solidity of a lot of companiesinvolved in all branches of commerceto the test.”

Anguissola’s career has, of course,seen many groundbreaking changes. Heexplains: “One of the first was the adventof wireless technology in the microphoneindustry, then – around the late 1970s –the introduction of IR transmission forsimultaneous translation. The effects ofthe quality leap to digital technology arestill being felt to this day, with the inte-gration of IP and AV technology. Themost recent was the adoption of signal

transmission networks, with brands suchas NetCIRA (which Exhibo distributes)enabling up to 64 channels of digitalaudio to be transmitted in real time totens of thousand of devices using simple off-the-shelf Cat5 cable, greatlyfacilitating new installations and retrofitwork. The type of system is also ideal forlive, recording and broadcast applications,thanks to its extremely low latency.”

On the subject of how to let the tradeknow about new technology, and, fol-lowing the recent fragmentation of theItalian trade expo market, with firmsexhibiting at new Milan and Bergamoexpos rather than Rimini’s long-standingSIB event, Anguissola concludes by offer-ing this: “With the endless amount ofinformation provided by the internet,even if not superfluous, expos have atleast changed their aim, as they’re nolonger the only opportunity for present-ing new products,” he says.

“Nowadays, clients visit expos becausethey want to contact an experienced tech-nician personally. In Italy, these eventsshould be connected with initiatives ofan educational nature, as market growthdepends to a great extent on profession-al training. This is why we take part and sponsor events such as the recentSIB Forum in Rimini. Unfortunately,although rental firms are on the wholemore ‘receptive’ as far as this aspect goes,a lot of installation technicians think theycan still rely on just a screwdriver to getthe job done!” Qwww.exhibo.it


The transmitter for the first Sennheiser

wireless mic, showing the thermionic

valve (the ‘heart’ of the circuit)

The founder of Italy’s Exhibo talks toMike Clark about 50 years in the trade

“Today’s issues seem to me to be a situation that, as in the past, will put thesolidity of a lot of companies involved in allbranches of commerce to the test”

Half a century, not outITALY

Exhibo’s stand at the Milan Fair in 1959

(L-R): Uwe Marks, Sennheiser sales manager; Ferrante Anguissola D’Altoè with his

award for best sales; Jörg Sennheiser

EvenTech Ireland opens its doors onthe 18-19 November – the first timethe regional business networkingforum has visited the Republic.EvenTech organisers – ScatteredMedia – already have two successfulevents under their belt, in Scotlandand Singapore… “The EvenTech brandis just in its first year and alreadywe’ve had two very successful showsin two very different regions,”explains director, Iain McLean.EvenTech Ireland has been our fastestsell out to date and all exhibitors arevery optimistic about the success theywill see.

Companies such as Ard Soilse and Dublin-based AVL Systems arefirmly committed to the event – as isRCF whose Phil Price explains itsappeal… “The EvenTech shows arelike a breath of fresh air and havealready proven their importance andvalidity to us. There is much moreemphasis on dealing with locally-based companies and from the manu-facturers’ point of view it’s going togive them an opportunity to meetsome of the local companies that canactually help them.” Qwww.eventech-ireland.com

www.scattered-media.com

EvenTech Ireland confirmssupport for regional shows

IRELAND

The town of Albaida, located in theprovince of Valencia, recently hostedthe third round of qualifying tests forthe 50th edition of the Motocross MXElite Championship. The “La Vega” circuit’s recently redesigned installa-tions were used for the first time. Theremodelling work consisted of pavingthe paddock area (16,000sqm) andplanting trees to provide shade for themany different areas of the track. Theinstallation has also been equipped witha brand new PA system using theD.A.S. Audio BiDriver systems.

The Valencian firm Betadreams, S.L,run by Francisco Bosch, supplied andinstalled the full PA system with a totalof 11 D.A.S. BiDriver units distributed

in four stacks throughout the circuit.The main stack, comprised of sixBiDriver units, was installed in the cen-

tral area covering the different spectatorsections. The three remaining stacks,with five BiDriver units, were placedlengthwise in the paddock area.

BiDriver units are specificallydesigned for outdoor use and complywith the strict IP54 regulation, refer-ring to the resistance of the system tomoisture and dust penetration.

The installation was topped off withwireless microphones, preamp andamplifiers, a CD player and a digital sig-nal processing unit.

The renovation project was possi-ble thanks to the efforts of the AlbaidaCity hall and the “Ciutat D’Albaida”Moto-Club. Qwww.dasaudio.com

Bikers feel BiDriver benefitSPAIN

“La Vega” motocross circuit in Albaida

has improved its facilities


PSNE Oct P000 30/10/08 11:51 Page 24

fWebsites are now an essentialelement when it comes to pro-moting concerts or events –

and this has not gone unnoticed by thecreative team at Ancienne Belgique inBrussels. The venue has completelyrefurbished and expanded its webpagesoffering more and better information,concert pre- and reviews, and, on theABtv section of the site, exclusive back-stage footage, sessions and concerts.

“ABtv kicked off as part of the website in March 2006,” says DavidZegers, director of communicationand development at AncienneBelgique. “It has become a well-documented element of the AB site:with an archive of over 250 concerts,mostly by local artists, available ‘ondemand’, we wanted to create aninternational platform for domestictalent and promote them abroad.”

The second element highlighted onthe new website is the concert livestreams – these have also been featuredon the site since 2006 but Zegersexpects them to receive a boost now thatAncienne Belgique has become the firstBelgian venue to stream a concert live

and direct in HD quality. “The Calexicoshow was sold out weeks in advanceand we were granted permission tostream the concert through ABtv, whichwill be a huge promotion for the site,”adds Zegers.

Ancienne Belgique’s recording studiois equipped with a Euphonix CS3000 104-channel digitally controlled analogue mix-ing console, Digidesign Pro Tools HDAccel3 24-bit/192k hard-disk recorder andGenelec monitors (1038B and 1031A). Awide inventory of effects, EQs and dynam-ic processors provide yet another bonusfor the new website. Since 1997, thevenue’s in-house studio has recorded over1,000 concerts through its direct link witheither the 2,000-capacity main hall (fea-turing d&b J-Series line array, EAW fillsand Midas Heritage desks) or the smaller,250-person ABclub. The studio wasdesigned to record and mix live concertswithout losing quality or time, and it willnow play a crucial role in the further devel-opment of the online offering.

“Apart from five-minute ‘behind thescenes’ reports offering exclusive con-tent, we launched the AB Sessions proj-ect. Alongside the studio control room,we installed an intimate room, withmicrophones, one camera and a lightswitch button. The idea is that we ask

artists who come and play the venue toperform in that room – they switch onthe lights, play the song in one take,turn the lights out – that’s it. Needless

to say this will add up to an archive ofsuper exclusive material, and we planto take this to an international level,”Zegers explains.

The first artist to perform in the ABSessions was Zita Swoon’s frontmanStef Kamil Carlens. This was followedby Steve Wynn and the Dragon BridgeOrchestra in early October.

Following the one-year sabbatical ofin-house recording engineer Stef VanAlsenoy, Ancienne Belgique appointedJet Studio owner and engineer StafVerbeeck. “My name was on their list ofengineers working with Euphonix con-soles, and I already worked as replace-ment engineer at the studio,” explainsVerbeeck, “so the link was alreadythere… and it allowed me to rethink thefuture of Jet Studio.” (See story, p3.)

Verbeeck, who has more than 18years of studio experience, says theEuphonix CS3000 is the best consolefor both the live recordings and the ABSessions. “Not every artist that plays theAncienne Belgique wants to play theAB Sessions, but if they do, we manageto get the recording and live mix onABtv in fewer than 15 minutes, so actu-ally before the venue doors open to thepublic,” says Verbeeck.

“And with 320 concert days peryear, we gather that the AB Sessionswill soon make an ideal promotiontool, offering unique footage,” adds Zegers. Qwww.abconcerts.be


Ancienne Belgique’s recording studio control room used for recording concerts and AB Sessions

Concert venueAncienne Belgiquehas launched itsnew website – interactivity,information andunique concertfootage are the keyelements, writesMarc Maes

“Alongside the studiocontrol toom, weinstalled an intimateroom. The idea isthat we ask artistswho come and playthe venue to per-form in that room –they switch on thelights, play the songin one take, turn thelights out – that’s it”

Ancienne Belgique venueamplifies online output

Daniel Libeskind’s landmark

shopping and leisure centre,

Westside, has opened, just

outside Berne, Switzerland.

Music distribution is provided

by an IP streaming system from

Barix, which divides the

building into several zones

according to function. Each is

covered by an Exstreamer

receiving an audio stream via

the internet, which is converted

into music and fed to individual

audio systems on site. Ten

channel feeds are available

allowing each zone to ‘tune’

into the most appropriate

programme material. Qwww.barix.com

SWITZERLAND

BELGIUM


LONGBOW DOMINATES THE FIELD

THE MARTIN EXPERIENCE

Tel: +44 (0)1494 535312 Fax: +44 (0)1494 438669 Web: www.martin-audio.com E-mail: [email protected] © 2

008.

Mar

tin A

udio

Ltd

.

GLASTONBURY 2008

PYRAMID STAGE

7008-LongbowGlastonbury_PSNE:- 23/09/2008 13:08 Page 1

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008business feature62

fScandinavia – strictly speakingan unofficial subset of Europe’sofficial Nordic Region, com-

prising Denmark, Norway and Sweden– is, unsurprisingly, not the place to gofor cheap speakers. There’s plenty ofwood and water (two of the prime ingre-dients for making and shipping suchproducts) but there’s also a low-density,high-earning population, low unem-ployment and high taxation. Those conditions favour high-end, high-valueproducts. Outside a couple of bignames, the majority of Scandinavianpro-audio manufacturers are targetingniche business, along with specialityservices such as acoustic measurementand design.

But there are some brands that gen-uinely count as mainstream, and global.One is microphone manufacturer DPA(once Danish Pro Audio), formed in1992 when Brüel & Kjaer, which spe-cialises in measuring equipment, spunoff sales and service of its B&K4006microphones. Two former employees,

Morten Støve and Ole BrøstedSørensen, combined service and repairswith developing their own DPA-brandedproducts (and duly bought out therights to the 4000 series in 1998).

Since then, DPA Microphones hasnot only established itself in recordingstudios, particularly for classical music,but has made inroads into the theatreand the house of worship markets withits miniature 4060-series, but intobroadcast and post-production with itslarger format mics. Its latest productrelease (at IBC 2008) was a mobile micsystem for 5.1 recording, the appro-priately named 5100. Prior to that, atPLASA 2008, came the launch of the4099 instrument mic line. These clipmicrophones have specifically designedmountings to suit particular instru-ments – guitar, sax, trumpet and violin– without risking damage to the musi-cian’s pride and joy. “The goal has beento set a new standard for sound qualityand functionality in this product cate-gory,” explains DPA’s sales and mar-

keting director, Poul Koza. “We see this product equally suited for the PA/liveindustry as for the high-end retail MImarket,” she says, adding that responseso far has been “overwhelming”.

DPA’s growth in overseas businesswon it an export award from the DanishChamber of Commerce in 2007, andthough Koza acknowledges that theNordic region still accounts for a fairchunk of its total turnover, the US, UK,Germany and Japan occupy the first four slots in DPA’s sales-by-territory chart. That will have beenhelped by the establishment of a dedi-cated sales subsidiary in the US backin 2003. DPA is now looking to rep-licate the formula in the Asia-Pacificregion with the announcement of aShanghai office to cater for this area.

For its part, Sweden has a pair ofniche microphone manufacturers (plus,from distributor Mikrofonen Sverige, aSwedish made popscreen). Based inÅstorp, in southern Sweden, Pearl (PearlMikrofonlaboratorium) has been going

since 1941, starting off with crystal micsbefore moving into dynamics and con-densers in the 1950s. Bernt Malmqvist,whose family now owns the company,joined in 1954, and oversaw develop-ments such as the stereo mics that Pearlbegan building in the 1980s, and whichstill form a large part of the catalogue.

Although the majority of Pearl’sproducts are designed for studio andbroadcast recording, there are alsodynamics for vocals, conferencing andtalkback. And along with standardmono and stereo condensers, there isthe ELM series of linear (using linearray principles) condensers and arange of tube mics. The latest releaseis the CB22, which (together with theCC22 and CO22) makes up a family ofthree large-membrane condensers withdifferent patterns.

Malmqvist reckons to sell around halfhis products in his domestic (Swedish)market, with the rest of the output splitbetween Europe and the US – thoughhe wryly observes that “we might havehad better sales in the US if the currencyrate was more in our favour”.

A few miles down the road fromÅstorp, is Helsingborg, and Milab. ThatMilab, like Pearl, has rectangular capsuleproducts is no accident, resulting fromPearl’s split into two companies in 1978.Milab (Microphone Laboratories) wasformed after that split became perma-nent, with Hans Rosander, whose fatherfounded Pearl, as managing director.

Its range of condensers, including asurround sound system, sells well inGermany, the UK and Sweden, saysMilab’s Mattias Strömberg, and he isnow looking to ramp up sales in theUS with the appointment of three newdistributors, in Wisconsin, Californiaand Connecticut.

Moving down the signal chain,Denmark has a couple of niche com-panies in the signal processing market,such as the relative newcomer, KjaerhusAudio, a web-based developer of plug-ins. Rather more established, and bridg-ing the gap between digital andanalogue, Digital Audio Denmark has arange of A-D/D-A converters and otherinputs devices.

Meanwhile, on a more traditionalkick, Tube-Tech was founded in 1977and has been marketing its range ofvalve mic preamps, compressors,equalisers and the like since 1984. Buteven though the first of the company’sfive axioms is ‘We shall only allow tubes

SCANDINAVIA

Scandinavia is not known for its big-name pro-audio manufacturers, and many domestic companies make upmost of their sales abroad, but niche players ensure that themarket remains strong, writes Gez Kahan

Raw materials are in abundance in the region

Benum and friends: (L-R) Erik Ostby (Benum Norway), Mats Mattsson (Benum Sweden), Jörgen Christensen (Benum Sweden), Klaus

Hansen (Benum Denmark), Bob Goleniowski (D&M Europe), Ronald Hernes (Benum Norway) and Norbert Perstinger (Allen & Heath)

Fjord fiesta

“Big distributionplayers seem tohave foundScandinavia as amarket and want to win marketimpact here”

PSNE Nov P62-64 Scandinavia 30/10/08 14:53 Page 62

to be used in the audio path’, Tube-Techis pragmatic enough to recognise theway the world is going, and has recentlylaunched a plug-in version of its CL 1Bcompressor. This, available in TCPowerCore and Pro Tools versions, wasproduced in collaboration with Softubeand TC Electronic, and TC is also han-dling sales and support.

TC Electronic is, of course, anythingbut a niche company, and is Denmark’s– and Scandinavia’s – outstanding exam-ple not just of a global professional audiobrand, but of a global professional audiocorporation. The company has beenaround for 32 years, concentrating atfirst on guitar effects pedals, but it wasits move into pro-audio processing thatset it on the way to being a corporation.Signal processing in its wider sense –as exemplified these days by its System6000 – has enabled TC to gain afoothold in every sector from recordingto post, from broadcast to sound rein-forcement, and that has also served asa springboard for a series of acquisitions.

Not every one of TC’s acquisitionsand mergers has gone entirely to plan.Martin Audio was in and out of the TCGroup in short order, and the bombshellpartnership with Gibson Corporationbombed, equally unexpectedly, beforethe ink was dry. But along with its TC-branded lines, including TC Heliconand TC Applied Technologies, the groupcontains a couple of big names inTannoy and Lab.gruppen.

Lab.gruppen is Sweden’s big pro-audio success. As is often the case, itwas formed by a pair of enthusiastswho simply wanted to make good prod-ucts: Kenneth Andersson and DanBävholm, who started the company in1979, made mixers and guitar amps,and serviced consumer hi-fi equipmentto help make ends meet. But it soonbecame obvious that power amps werethe company’s future.

The growth of Lab.gruppen’s range,and a series of innovations such as theIntercooler heat sink and a solution tothe problem of how to design a work-

able switch mode power supply forhigh-power pro-audio use, helped thebusiness expand well beyond Sweden.Lab.gruppen’s biggest territory is therest of Europe, followed by NorthAmerica, with Scandinavia in fourthplace. And power is still the watchword.The latest in its C series of installationamplifiers, announced in October,offers 8,800W of total output power.

But the market no longer wants poweralone. The trend over the past few yearshas been to incorporate managementfunctions, and that has seen a series ofalliances with control software and signal processing specialists. In Lab.gruppen’s case, a notable, and success-ful, partnership with Dolby seemed tohave been an ideal solution, until Dolbydecided to quit the live sound market.

Lab.gruppen is not unduly con-cerned. “One of the main reasons Dolbycites for this move is the success of ourPLM Series of Powered LoudspeakerManagement systems with integratedDolby Lake Processor (DLP) tech-nology,” points out Tim Chapmen,Lab.gruppen’s head of marketing,promising that it will continue to use(and develop) DLP technology. In fact,because that processing is now onlyavailable as an integrated element with-in its PLM series, Lab.gruppen expectsthis to result in greater demand.

The search for integrated power andprocessing, Lab.gruppen notes, appliesto its domestic market as much as any-where, and in installation as well as tour-ing. “We can see an increasing demandfor more intelligent installation ampli-fiers, even in smaller [Scandinavian] venues,” adds Chapman. “A small venuethat would previously have been sup-plied with a couple of 2-channel amps,now requires much more complex, mul-tifunctional systems employing morechannels and more zones.”

In terms of technology, Scandinaviais basically in line with global trends.“Line arrays and digital consoles” – nei-ther of which are available from domes-tic manufacturers – “are still top on the

gear lists”, reports Anders Molund ofEtech (Event Technologies Scandinavia),which offers rental services along withsales and installations. And that marketseems to be expanding. “We’re also see-ing a higher demand for highly quali-fied all-round personnel, which is farharder to source,” adds Molund. “We tryto cater for this by providing in- and out-of-house education for our employees.”

DPA’s Koza, likewise, has noticed that:“Big distribution players seem to havefound Scandinavia as a market and wantto win market impact here.”

One indication is the level of invest-ment within Scandinavia from externalcompanies. UK-based Profusion, forexample, which specialises in audiosemiconductors, has opened a newDanish sales office near Copenhagen,citing the Nordic region’s “very strongand cutting-edge audio sector to whichour specialised semiconductors are well

suited”. The office is headed by BjarneVonger-Lorenzen, who is targeting “awide range of applications, anythingfrom high-power amplifiers to ultra lownoise microphone preamps”.

Such moves may have been helpedby attempts over the past few years tofree up the burden of regulation andtaxation – although the climate for over-seas investors could change again inline with the recent coolness towardsfree market economics. One thing thatwon’t change in a hurry, though, is thegeographical obstacles.

Though all three countries are pros-perous and well developed, the combinedpopulation is relatively small and spreadout, especially in the north. That has ledmany of the pro-audio service companiesto diversify rather than specialise – likeEtech, other distributors also offer suchservices as consultancy, installation andrental. And relationships count for a lot.

“Personal contact is still – and hope-fully will remain – the prime decisionparameter when budgets are spent, inwhatever way,” comments Molund.“Even though these countries seemsmall, the distance and logistical obsta-cles require good service partners onhand around the corner, so to speak.”

It’s the same story for Benum Nordic,which has offices in Copenhagen,Stockholm and Oslo, and has just wonAllen & Heath’s agency for the whole ofScandinavia. Benum’s activities combineMI distribution from Ampeg to Zoomwith multi-sector pro-audio lines asdiverse as CEDAR, Digidesign, Digigram,Genelec, Renkus-Heinz, SSL and Shure.Its services are equally eclectic, runningfrom pro-audio equipment sales and sys-tem solutions to industrial sales and pro-duction of cabling, panelling and the like.

“You would have to look hard to find a company that survives in one

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com business feature 63

The C884 – Lab.gruppen’s latest in its successful series of installation amplifier

Profusion’s Bjarne Vonger-LorenzenPoul Koza, DPA

f



business area only,” adds Chapman.“Working with pro audio in small coun-tries like this and being so far north,restricting gigs to indoor jobs in the win-ters, there is not enough business for mostcompanies to focus on just one marketsector. Most do both installation and tour-ing, and quite often they act as a dealerand sometimes distributor as well.However, as the audio business maturesand increases in professionalism, it is start-ing to change and a clearer picture is tak-ing shape that allows some separation andspecialisation in the business areas.”

Only one of those we spoke to hadseen great benefits from the post-Sovietera opening up of the neighbouring BalticStates, however. “We have been able toestablish a distribution network in the

Baltic region,” Koza admits, “but as ahigh-end manufacturer, we have felt thissegment is limited so far.” The exceptionis Lab.gruppen. Chapman says: “Sincethe Baltic States joined the EU in 2004,our sales have grown exponentially.”

And there was not a single concernabout China.

“We experience some competitionfrom Far Eastern manufacturers in all mar-kets, but primarily these products appealwhen very low cost presides over qualityand features,” says Chapman. “Our focushas always been to provide true value formoney products for professional touring and installation applications wheresonic quality and reliability is key.”

“High-end products like Pearl micro-phones,” adds Malmqvist, “are not

affected by cheap Far Eastern imports.However, people who buy those cheapmicrophones will sooner or later comeback for higher quality products fromus or others in the high-end division.”

“There have been no dramaticchanges,” agrees Koza. “DPA is a qual-ity player in the business. Fortunately,quality still has its legitimacy andScandinavia is a quality-demanding andrich market.”

But there is one Scandinavian manu-facturer actually welcoming Chinesemanufacture. Per Lundahl of LundahlTransformers manufacturers pro-audioand audiophile transformers in Norrtälje,central Sweden, with around 90% of his output going to export (although he considers the 10% of his sales that gointo the domestic market is more thancreditable “given Scandinavia’s popula-tion and industrial structure”).

Far Eastern manufacture hasn’t hurthim, but “for one major Europeancustomer we ship directly to China.”

Scandinavia may not be the place to go to for cheap speakers, but it’s evidently an excellent place to go for quality transformers. Qwww.dpamicrophones.com

www.eventech.se

www.labgruppen.com

www.pearl.se

www.tube-tech.com

f

Listen…Feel..Solve.That’s what we do. That’s our business.

Our unique measurement technologies offer you:• 160dB dynamic range• DC to 204kHz input channels• DC to 100kHz generator channels• 0.07Hz to 140kHz precision microphones• Binaural heads measurement• Comprehensive analysis software

We are the acknowledged global experts for sound andvibration measurement.

www.bksv.com

BN

0438

-11

Brüel & Kjaer, Odeon & DIRACAlong with giving birth to (and sub-sequently cutting the apron strings of)DPA Microphones, Brüel & Kjaer –now a subsidiary of Spectris plc, whichmakes instruments and controls to aidproductivity – has developed its ownspecialist place as a manufacturer andsupplier of sound and vibration solu-tions. It started with the launch of theworld’s first Charge Accelerometer (tomeasure vibration) 65 years ago, andcontinued with its range of measure-ment microphones in the 1950s. Sincethen it has designed a series of othermeasuring devices, including soundlevel meters, frequency analysers anda series of software-based methods tocalculate vibration, shock and SPL.

Obvious applications are in roomacoustics, though B&K’s expertiseruns from aerospace (aircraft noise isa problem internally and externally)to structural dynamics. Besides itsown products, the company is alsothe exclusive worldwide distributorfor Odeon, a prediction software toolsfor indoor acoustics.

Odeon, established in 1984, start-ed as a co-operative venture betweenthe Technical University of Denmark

and industry consultants, aiming tohelp solve problems with theacoustics in opera houses and con-cert halls. The applications have sinceexpanded to include houses of wor-ship, studios and even industrial sites.The application is available in threeversions –Auditorium Edition (whichincludes a reflectogram, a 3D reflec-tion path display and reverberationcurve displays, plus built-in auralisa-tion features), Industrial Edition (forcomplex areas which may have pointsources, line sources and surfacesources) and a Combined Edition.

Brüel & Kjaer also distributesDIRAC room acoustics software whichconforms to ISO3382 (room acoustics)and IEC 60268–16 (speech intelligi-bility) standards. Troubleshooting awk-ward rooms is an obvious applicationfor sound engineers, as is measure-ment of the speech intelligibility of asound system. Other uses includecharacterisation of room acousticsbefore and after modification and com-parison of acoustical quality of differ-ent rooms. It is even able to modelroom acoustics using measurementstaken in a scale model.

DPA’s 4099 clip microphones have been designed to suit instruments such as trumpets


fEquipment can be taken forgranted because it is so famil-iar and trusted. Once it is pre-

sented using a different technology itsimportance in getting the job done isappreciated all over again. That’s cer-tainly happening with intercom. Evenbefore the Clear-Com acquisition ofTalkdynamics Technologies’ IP tech-nology the whole business of keepingin touch around a broadcasting centre,theatre, live sound venue or at a bigsporting event had taken on a newurgency because of the sheer scale ofwhat is done these days, something that was summed up this year by theBeijing Olympics.

The Summer Games are some-thing unto themselves due to theirsize, complexity and the number des-tinations for intercom and broadcastsignals involved; but they do representa general shift towards bigger net-works. This is being seen in the stag-ing of massive live shows, which areoften broadcast or recorded as well,and the new breed of television andradio centre that not only takes in sev-eral hundred square metres of floorspace itself but also needs to connectto regional centres, OB vans and localcorrespondents.

The Olympics was the epitome ofboth. Equipment and facilities came into the Chinese capital from around theworld, and among the mix of generalsystems was a variety of intercoms. But

the host broadcaster, Beijing OlympicsBroadcasting (BOB), chose specificbrands for specific jobs and this, com-bined with the choices by national andregional Chinese broadcasters and theirinternational counterparts, meant thatthe big proportion of intercom provi-sion was split between Riedel Commu-nications, Clear-Com CommunicationSystems and Telex/RTS.

The creation of such huge intercomnetworks as seen at the Olympics havebeen made possible largely due to wire-less and digital technologies, with thetwo usually working together, but nowvoice over internet protocol (VoIP) isseen as the core technology on whichbigger and bigger systems can be built.The link provided by Clear-Combetween the International BroadcastCentre in Beijing and Chinese statebroadcaster CCTV’s existing and newbroadcast centres was based on opticalfibre with a redundant E1 (the ITU-TSdigital transmission format that carriesdata at a rate of 2.048Mb/s with up to 32-channels of 64kbps each) andVoIP connection.

Matt Danilowicz, managing direc-tor of Clear-Com, says the holy grailfor intercom manufacturers is to havea battery of products based on differenttechnologies available to its customersso they can select the most appropri-ate for their needs. This includes goodold two- and four-wire systems, digi-tal, wireless and, now, IP.

“The best system will use a com-bination of all the tools,” he says. “Andwe want to make our IP the best con-nection and more robust than any-thing that has been seen before.”

This ambition is behind Clear-Com’s take-over of Canadian IP tech-nologies developer TalkdynamicsTechnologies. The company hadalready been supplying its IV-Coreproducts, the Instant Voice Network(IV-N) and Instant Voice Router (IV-Router), for the manufacturer’s VoICErange. The two companies have beenworking together for most of

Talkdynamics’ existence, since beingfounded in 2004.

Danilowicz says VoICE has proved“quite popular” with users as a bridgebetween other systems, but Clear-Com

wanted to move beyond that and createa “native IP architecture”, which woulddo away with the need for intermediaryboxes and go direct into a matrix. TheTalkdynamics toolset has three ele-ments: a routing algorithm to analyseand maximise the efficiency of the avail-able bandwidth of whatever connectionis being used for the IP signals, anderror recovery and noise suppressionalgorithms. The technology produces abandwidth of 7.1kHz, twice that ofmany other connections, whichDanilowicz says is necessary to providegood audio quality.

Clear-Com has also introduced IPoptions for some of its other products,and earlier this year launched theConcert Series, a software intercomproduct that runs on PCs, laptops andPDAs, Danilowicz describes it as“Skype on steroids”. The company isnow looking to expand the work of itsacquisition to develop new systems.“We see IV-Core as the basis of our nextgeneration of products and into thefuture,” says Danilowicz, adding thatthese were still a “few years away”.

Many of the major manufacturersnow offer some form of VoIP for theirproducts, but this embracing of IP forintercom applications is something of anabout-face. This is because when the con-cept was first proposed the general viewwas that the technology was neitherrobust nor reliable enough for suchimportant communications work. Thatwas certainly the reaction when TrilogyCommunications announced an IP-basedsystem in 2001. But seven years later, withthe product range, Mercury, now estab-lished and the technology on which it isbased being widely adopted, sales direc-tor Barry Spencer says the company feelsjustified in its pioneering decision.

“Other companies said IP couldn’t beused because of the delay introduced byIT technology but now they’re comingon board with their own offerings,” hesays. “It’s been a progression from the


WORLD

Once a necessary but slightly dull part ofany installation or outside broadcast, intercom has become a vital part of pro audiothanks to new media and some marketmanoeuvring. Kevin Hilton talks back

An RTS Cronus Digital Matrix system was installed in Glyndebourne earlier this year

Intercom sees the partybattle lines being drawn

f

Curious? Please visit our website www.riedel.net

PERFORMER DIGITAL PARTYLINE INTERCOMThe Solution for World Class Events.

“We support any interoperability and standards for connecting intercom matrixes.We don’t think any proprietary protocolswill have success in the future. That’s onlykeeping a company’s market to itself”

PSNE Nov P65-67 Comms 30/10/08 14:15 Page 65


days when people used phone linesas the basis of an intercom and thenmoved on to four-wire and then ISDNcame along in the 1990s. Now that hasbeen overtaken by IP, which has beengreat for us. Where we’re seeing majorgrowth is in the requirement for broad-casters and other organisations to com-municate between sites that are hundredsof miles apart, such as Mumbai and Delhiin India or broadcast centres in the northand south of England.”

With this widespread adoption of IP,the EBU issued guidelines in April thisyear, laying down minimum require-ments to guarantee interoperabilitybetween equipment used in VoIP net-works carrying contribution qualityaudio. These cover the transport proto-cols sitting on the IP carrier, whichinclude ways of defining ports andmethods to recover packet loss; theaudio coding algorithms to be used;audio frame encapsulation, describingthe means of framing and encapsulat-ing audio frames into transport layerframes; and signalling, covering settingup and terminating connections andsignal parameters for the receiver.

While unidirectional signalling isconsidered in the document, the EBU

has made the Session Initiation Protocol(SIP) mandatory as the signallingmethod for bidirectional links. Developedby the IETF (Internet Engineering TaskForce) and published as RFC 3261, SIPis an internet protocol for live commu-nications used in establishing and end-ing voice or video calls. A session can bea conventional two-way phone call or amultimedia conference session withmany people involved.

Spencer says SIP provides an inter-national standard for IP-based audiosystems for the first time and sees theopportunities in connecting intercomsto IP phones. Riedel, which is active inboth live sound and broadcast, is nowmoving into VoIP and it views SIP asan important step towards global stan-dardisation. “We support any interop-erability and standards for connectingintercom matrixes,” says Riedel’s prod-uct manager for intercom products,Jochen Wainwright.

Riedel’s IP offering incorporatesanother telephony technology that was dismissed by the broadcast sectorwhen it first appeared, DECT (DigitalEnhanced Cordless Telecommu-nications). Confidence in DECT is stillnot absolute so the Acrobat digital wire-

less intercom uses the format only atthe base level, with new technologiesbuilt on top. Acrobat is not limited inthe number of belt packs that can beconnected, due to Enhanced ChannelAgility (ECA), which detects availableRX and TX space, and so exploits all the

DECT frequency and channel spec-trum. Also launched at IBC 2008 werethe IP panel interface and VoIP matrixcard for Riedel’s Artist digital matrix.

Riedel is keen on the concept ofopen platforms as IP moves forward,which would, conceivably, allow greaterinterconnection between systems fromdifferent manufacturers. “We don’tthink any proprietary protocols will havesuccess in the future,” says Wainwright.“That’s only keeping a company’s markets to itself. With these new tech-nologies the markets should be openedup to create competition.”

RTS is also exploring VoIP, intro-ducing the RVON-16 card for its ADAMmodular intercom system, but it is notusing SIP. Instead the company’s IP-based products run on a private, pro-prietary protocol. “We do look at newtechnologies to see where they aregoing,” says Adrian Richmond, salesmanager for UK and Ireland. “If some-thing proves to be an area that helpswith our products and market then wewill move into it. Up to now we’ve beenusing proprietary technology becausewe’ve got older products in the field andwe’re still supporting them. But if anopen standard proved interesting wewould look at it seriously.”

The RVON-16 card allows cus-tomised key panels to be linked to themain matrix using conventional IP con-

nections. Telex Intelligent Trunking forIP is also available, allowing the leastnumber of audio paths to be used forhigh numbers of users. “Connectingover IP for such systems is now verysimple and cost effective,” saysRichmond. “Major broadcasters are set-ting up large IP highways, typicallybetween the broadcast centre and OBsites, and being able to communicatewith the home base in this way is a greatadvantage. In effect, it is treating theOB like a remote studio. We’ve certainlyseen that revolution in sports OBs.There’s also the ability to interface withmobile phones, which would allowreporters in the field to call in and beconnected to different areas – such asthe MCR or newsroom – by pressingdifferent numbers.”

A relative newcomer to the Euro-pean intercom market is HM Electro-nics (HME), which started to makemoves outside its home market of theUS in 2004 with the DX digital wire-less system. Wireless, digital or other-wise, remains the focus for thecompany but pro-audio sales directorJohn Kowalski says HME is looking atall emerging technologies, including IP.“It offers benefits that are not compa-rable to wireless systems,” he says, “butwe do not see a lot of it in theatre, it willbe more for broadcast applications.”

HME sells into both the theatre and

Riedel’s Artist was the most used intercom system in Beijing during this summer’s Olympic Games

The VoIP matrix card for Riedel’s Artist digital matrix was launched at this year’s IBC‘Skype on steroids’: a screenshot of

Clear-Com’s Concert Series

f

EVI AUDIO GmbH · Headquarter Europe, Africa & Middle-East · EVI Audio GmbH, Hirschberger Ring 45, 94315, Straubing, Germany · UK: Telex Communications (UK) Ltd, Phone: +44 1603 454555, Cell: +44 7798 651442, Fax: +44 1603 458374

© E

VI AU

DIO

GmbH

KP32CLD Ad_85x228.indd 1 29.10.2008 16:43:29 Uhr


broadcast markets in North Americaand is beginning to do the same in Asiaand Europe. Kowalski comments thatbecause of changes in the way liveevent, entertainment and broadcastingtechnicians work, intercom is no longer

a specialised area. “People are dealingwith more technologies today,” he says,“and wireless intercom shouldn’t besomething a person has to learn. Theremay be just one person in a technicaldepartment now, with freelancers coming in and out, so a technology cannot be challenging.”

Both HME and Riedel have embracedthe newer intercom carriers, notably dig-ital and wireless, but their competitorscontinue to see all technologies, two- andfour-wire among them, as viable in a mar-ket that continues to have a wide varietyof users and applications. “Wireless hasbeen a large growth market for us,”observes Adrian Richmond at Telex.“Radio intercom allows people to moveabout totally unimpeded and up to nowthey have only been impeded by cost.These systems are becoming more costeffective and reliable.”

Despite the proliferation of wire-less devices in just about every walk oflife, there is certainly still a place forwired systems, Richmond says. “Theyare more reliable in some cases,” hecomments, “but the two go hand-in-hand. New technology does not alwaysprovide the answer and sometimes it

can bring more problems. Two- andfour-wire systems have not been super-seded and there is a place for every-thing in our portfolio. Two-wiresystems can be perfect when used atsmall theatres and there’s the capa-

bility for wireless systems to confer-ence with them.” The US is still a bigmarket for Telex, which is also activein Europe, the Middle East and Africa,with a strong presence in Australia.

A company that remains wholly inthe traditional four-wire domain is CTPSystems, founded by former OB engi-neer Chris Thorpe. Growing beyond itsbespoke panel beginnings, but still aspecialist despite a wider range of prod-ucts, CTP produces simple equipmentthat is able to connect easily to othersystems. “Our camera talkback can linkto whatever system happens to bearound,” Thorpe says. “And we do sellan awful lot of six-way four-wire boxes.”At one time, CTP was very UK-orientedbut Thorpe is seeing a wider audiencefor his products, including Sweden andthe Netherlands.

Trilogy has become less reliant onbusiness from western and northernEurope than it was 10 years ago, largelybecause major broadcasters such as Sky have completed major building orrefurbishment projects or, like ITV, havereduced and consolidated their opera-tions. However, Trilogy did recently pickup a contract it had been after for some

time, replacing the ITV Red Phone inter-com system connecting its central play-out centre, at Technicolor NetworkServices’ facility in west London, to thefive regional centres.

Spencer says there is good growthin Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania andHungary, while the Middle East andIndia are proving fertile new markets.“There’s a lot of upgrading going onover there and a great deal of new build-ing, like Media City in Dubai,” he says.He adds that another reason for look-ing further afield during the 1990s wasbecause at the time “Clear-Com had theEuropean market sown up”.

That situation changed into the 21stcentury and Danilowicz is candidabout the reasons why. “We lost a lotof ground in the last seven to eightyears,” he says, “partly because wewere trying to integrate the two inter-com businesses within the VitecGroup, Clear-Com and Drake Electro-nics. That was trickier than Vitecthought it would be, merging the liveevents business of Clear-Com withDrake’s broadcast operations.”

Danilowicz says the hope was themerger would produce the best of the twocompanies but, in some respects, whatresulted was the worst of the two. Thisloss of direction gave Clear-Com’s competitors, particularly Telex and Riedel,

the opportunity to move into some of itsformer markets. After experience inincorporating different companies into a whole at Avid, Danilowicz wasbrought in by Vitec two years ago tocomplete the integration between Clear-Com and Drake.

He now feels that Clear-Com as it istoday offers the best of its live products,with two- and four-wire still strong, andwhat he calls the “ubiquitous commu-nications” of Drake, benefiting frompresence aware technologies so every-one using an intercom knows wherecolleagues are at all times. There is nodoubt that intercom is a competitivemarket, and as technologies and therequirements of end users change therewill be even greater competitionbetween the top five companies.

Certainly Clear-Com is looking to takethe fight back to its rivals and feels someof that work was done in the past twoyears. “We’ve got our core TDM prod-ucts and we’ve been regaining some ofour former position already with somestrong engineering,” he says. “But wewon’t be satisfied to get back to wherewe were, we want to be far beyond that.”

All businesses move in cycles, withone company gaining the advantageand coming to prominence for a timeand then, for whatever reason, losingground to competitors that have set out

to get them. National preference andloyalty has played a part in delineatingthe intercom market but as manufac-turers look to expand beyond estab-lished territories, they may be genuinelymoving into uncharted territory. Andwith technology changing the rulesintercom could be about to become ascutthroat as any sector of business. Qwww.clearcom.com

www.ctpsystems.co.uk

www.hme.com

www.riedel.net

www.rtsintercoms.com

www.telexwireless.com

www.trilogycomms.com


MTV Europe are using RTS gear

Clear-Com Eclipse panels were used by Shanghai TV during the Olympics.

RTS’s RVON-16 card for the ADAM modukar intercom system

“IP offers benefits that are not comparableto wireless systems, but it will be more forbroadcast applications than theatres”

Curious? Please visit our website www.riedel.net

ACROBAT DIGITAL WIRELESS INTERCOMThe Solution for World Class Events.NEW


www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008data68

ANALYSIS: MUSIC ROYALTIES

A market in transition

The MCPS-PRS Alliance, which collectsand pays music royalties, has announcedrecord results for 2007 worth £500 million

in royalties to songwriters, composers and musicpublishers. The Alliance collected over £562 mil-lion for music creators from its customers,including broadcasters, online service providersand record companies.

For the first time, income from broadcastingand online out-performed that of recorded physi-cal product. Online royalties, although still a smallproportion of the overall whole (at £10 million),grew significantly – by 54% – year-on-year, largelydue to the growth in the legal online music marketled by iTunes.

Public performance income – the licensing ofpremises playing music – was driven by an increasein live pop concerts (delivering revenue up 20%)and improved licensing activity among leisure andindustrial premises (up 13% and 20%, respectively).

The recognised downturn in worldwide CD sales(revenues from the CD market were down 13%) wasmitigated in part in the UK by improvements inlicensing new formats, including pre-loaded USBsticks and musical novelties.

The cost of processing the money collected andof distributing it was pegged at just over 10% of totalrevenues – one of the lowest in the world – in spiteof a 40% increase in the number of transactionsprocessed (due in part to the millions of music tracksincluded on new licensed services such as YouTube).

Chief executive of the Alliance, Steve Porter,said: “Much is written about the state of the musicindustry, but these results show a healthy storyabout the increased use of music in almost allareas of our business. The downturn of 11.1% inphysical product was more than compensated byinnovation and growth in licensing in other areas ofthe business.

“Further overall growth is expected for 2008,which is fantastic news for the creators of musiceverywhere and helps fuel the long-term future ofgreat music for all.”

End-of-year forecastAnticipated revenue from sales of physical productis expected to amount to £131 million this year, sig-nificantly less than revenues from broadcast andonline (£173 million), public performance (£143million), and international (£135 million) sources.The Q3 figures show that these forecast figures arewell on their way to being achieved: physical prod-uct had brought in £108 million by the end of Q3.This was less than broadcast and online, which hadbrought in £123 million (up 20%), and public per-formance, with £110 million (up 10%), but morethan the £94 million from international sources.These are clearly encouraging results for the Alliancein what is acknowledged to be a challenging marketfor any kind of business.

Income from the licensing of CDs continues tofall, in line with the downturn in worldwide sales.Revenues from all physical products, however, wereahead of budget in the first half of 2008 due to effec-tive licensing of other physical formats.

A strong performance from international rev-enues has delivered gains from most countries.The PRS collects money from bars, hotels, TV, cin-emas, websites and live concerts in over 170 coun-

tries, from the Ascension Islands to Zambia. Topcountries using UK music in the first half of 2008were the US, Germany, France and Japan.

The MCPS-PRS forecasts that 2008 will seeUK songwriters earn more from their musicbeing broadcast or performed overseas than theydo from UK physical product, including, for thefirst time, CD sales.

Income from broadcasting and online sourcescontinues to outperform that of recorded physi-cal product. Online royalties, although still a smallproportion of the overall whole, grew significant-ly, largely due to the continued growth in thelicensed online music market.

Porter said: “We continue to improve our licens-ing effectiveness in both established areas and innew and emerging business models in order toensure that all uses of music are accurately and fair-ly licensed for the benefit of music creators every-where. We are making inroads into the onlinemarket with our groundbreaking licensing dealswith iTunes, YouTube and Bebo, with further gainsanticipated in the year.”

PPL revenuesPPL, which collects income for performers andsound recording copyright owners when soundrecordings are played publicly, has also releasedits financial results for 2007. These figures revealanother year of strong growth with income exceed-ing the £100 million mark for the first time.

The total license fee income, amounting to £115million in 2007, is up from £97.9 million in 2006.This represents the money collected from broad-casters and the various licensed businesses that usesound recordings in public. The distributable net rev-enue grew to an impressive £99.5 million repre-senting an 18% increase on the prior year’s income.This figure is the money actually paid out to recordcompanies and performers by PPL for the use ofsound recordings. Being a not-for-profit company,PPL looks to keep running costs as low as possible –this year’s cost-to-income ratio remained low at 14.6%.

The total income was made up from threemain sources: international, public performance& dubbing, and broadcast.

International income reached £9.1 million in2007, a 52% growth from last year, reflecting anincreased number of reciprocal agreements (nowup to 41), a focus on maximising returns from eachof our existing reciprocal agreements, and contin-ued growth in the amount of repertoire PPL con-trols internationally.

Public performance & dubbing revenues camein at £49 million, an 11% growth over 2006. Alsoin 2007 PPL launched its new Oracle-based pub-lic performance licensing system, which willenable the company to drive forward its publicperformance licensing, using all the capabilitiesthe new system provides.

Broadcast revenue grew by 20% in 2007 to£56.8 million, reflecting an increasing number ofmusic users in the broadcast media, a wider scopeof rights licensed by PPL and the re-negotiationof license arrangements with a number of exist-ing major customers including the agreementwith the BBC. Qwww.mcs-prs-alliance.co.uk

www.ppluk.com

Although the value of royalties paid hit a recordhigh in 2007, this was the first year that broadcast and online outperformed the physicalproduct, writes Mike Collins

And from the Pro Sound News Europe website...

This month’s PSNE poll asks “Should Dolby have stopped making the Dolby Lake Processor?” A majority

of 72% of respondents answered ‘No’, with just 27.8% agreeing that Dolby made the correct decision

What the MCPS-PRS Alliance earned for music creators for the use of their music in 2007 – Revenues from

physical products were down by 11% in 2007 compared with 2006. However, revenues from all other

sources were up, providing an overall increase of 3% Source: MCPS-PRS Alliance

MCPS-PRS Q3 results and 2008 end-of-year forecast – Songwriters are expected to earn less from physical

product than from other revenue streams in future Source: MCPS-PRS Alliance

PPL growth in income from 2006 to 2007 – This graph shows the income from the various PPL revenue streams

in 2006 and 2007, revealing increases in licence fee income that led to an 18% increase in distributable net

revenue. This income was made up from three main sources: international income, public performance &

dubbing revenues, and broadcast revenue Source: PPL

f

PSNE Nov P68 Data 30/10/08 14:17 Page 68

November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com technology 69

New products Nigel Lord compiles this month’s list of hot new products

What is it? A compact rack-mount memory card stereorecorder.

Details Offering 16/24-bit recordingof mono or stereo WAV files to SD cards and USB pen drives, the UR-2 is designed to adapt to a wide variety of playbackrequirements. It includes two SD card slots plus a USB host connector for alternate recording/playback between differentmedia, and offers high-speed file transfer to PCs via USB 2.0. Up to 99 cue points may be added (with locate function)using the waveform display in scrub mode to provide easy, visual cue point setting. Other features include mic input withphantom power, analogue I/O and remote control via footswitch and external keyboard.

And another thing… A future software update will add MP3 playback/recording to the UR-2’s feature set.www.fostex.com

UR-2

FOSTEX

What is it? A new rack-mountpower mixer that can also be used without rack ears as a table-top device.

Details The GPX2500 includes two microphone inputs with 48V phantom power,plus two line-level jacks – one providing a stereo input for external devices such asCD/MP3 players. A source switch is used to select one of five stereo auxiliaryinputs and the design features 3-band EQ for each input plus additional 7-bandEQ for the output mix. The four built-in power amplifiers deliver 100W into 4 ohms – two for the stereo output and two more for the mono zone outputs.

And another thing… The GPX2500 includes a built-in multi-band limiter madeby THAT Corp and capable of reducing output levels by up to 30dB. www.axxent.de

SX Series

GPX2500

AXXENT

What is it? An upgrade of the Decenniummixing console for 5.1 surround applications in

TV, video and radio productions.

Details The new Decennium 5.1 allows surround sources to be assignedeither as single audio channels on separate faders or as a combined 6-channel

block to any single fader, allowing easy cross fades. The control surface retains its familiarflat-panel design. It combines fader modules and a monitor/DSP/master module comprising

monitoring section with three independent channels, including mono, stereo, and surround monitor features, and acentral surround pan. Decennium 5.1 is also fitted with a central DSP and control section, programmable function keys,and master fader.

And another thing… Decennium 5.1 incorporates a new fader module with motorised faders and new functions such asvirtual multi-layers, source-related signal indicators and improved access to busses.www.klotzdigital.com

Decennium 5.1

KLOTZ DIGITAL

AUDIO ESSENTIAL

Audio over IP - Transport Messengers from Barix:

“They want every news online, instantly:be it about Amy Winehouse

or why the train's running late.”

For more about information, security and comfort in the transport sector,

visit www.barix.com

InfoComm Asia 08

Stand A1-04 | Hall 7

Are you launching anew product in 2009?

Do you have a productthat is an essential to

the industry?

Advertise it in Audioessentials. Call Lianne

Davey on 0207 9218401 or email:

[email protected]

What is it? A range of analoguemixing consoles for recording and

small to mid-sized live mixing.

Details The first two models in the SX range – the SX2442FX and SX3242FX – are24-channel and 32-channel 4-bus designs incorporating ultra-low noise, high-head-room XENYX microphone preamps with 3-band, semi-parametric, mid-range EQ.The stereo channels provide precise 4-band EQ and four aux sends for each input,with two sends switchable pre/post fader for a mix of monitor and effects. Bothmodels feature stereo 9-band graphic EQ and two processors offering 100 24-bit/96kHz effects presets.

And another thing... An internal auto-ranging power supply (100V-240V), gold-plated XLR output connectors and steel chassis make it suitable for live work.www.behringer.com

BEHRINGER

PSNE Nov P69-70 Products 30/10/08 16:18 Page 69

What is it? A compact,1bit/5.6MHz rack-mountmaster recorder designedfor studio applications.

Details Offering simultaneous 2-track 5.6MHz or 2.8MHz 1-bit recording, or up to 24-bit 192kHz PCM recording andplayback, the MR-2000S supports 1-bit DSDIFF, WSD, and DSF file formats as well as BWF (Broadcast WAV) and MP3playback. A built-in 80GB hard drive provides up to 120 hours of 44.1kHz/16-bit 2-track recording or over 14 hours of topquality 5.6 MHz/1-bit recording, while word clock I/O allows synchronization with other devices or a second MR-2000Sunit. Coaxial digital I/O (S/P DIF) is also included to integrate PCM sources into existing production environments.

And another thing… The MR-2000S includes AudioGate v1.5 audio file converter software designed to support readingand conversion of MR project files and provide basic editing as well as adding support for file formats such as AAC, MP3and WMA.www.korg.com

KORG

What is it? A set of weatherproof covers for the EX Series active speakers.

Details Initially produced for the most popular EX12 models in the range, thenew covers use Saatifil Acoustex fabric for the front section of the cabinets,allowing them to be left in place while the speakers are in use. Designed forapplications such as microphone pop filters, speakers and headphones, SaatifilAcoustex fabrics use a Hyphobe treatment offering advanced moisture-repellingcharacteristics. They are woven with polyester monofilament fibres to createuniform mesh openings in acoustical applications requiring consistentperformance and high sound pressure levels.

And another thing… All stitching on the covers is waterproofed, and the designincludes rain hoods for the two cable inlets.www.kv2audio.co.uk

EX Series covers

KV2 AUDIO

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008technology70

StudioPatch Standard and Pro audio splitters

SWITCHCRAFT

What is it? A pair of rack-mounted audiosplitters offering eight inputs and 24

dual transformer isolated outputs.

Details Both Standard and Pro splitters feature front-panel inputs (via XLRconnectors) and line-level pads on each channel. Two ground lift switches arealso included on each channel – one for each transformer-isolated output. Onthe rear panel, four DB25 connectors wired to Tascam DTRS standard pin-outsaccommodate all inputs and outputs. On the Pro model, Jensen magneticallyshielded (MU metal) transformers and Phoenix terminal blocks are fitted.

And another thing… Connections to and from all StudioPatch modules areeasily made using DB25 terminated breakout cables.www.switchcraft.com

What is it? An MP3 playbackand recording system for music playback and security applications.

Details Taking some of its design from Technomad’s SuperConductorplayer/recorder, Schedulon provides instant playback of up to 99 user-loadedaudio files and allows automatic playback on a user-defined schedule based onan internal clock or synchronised network time server. Operators can interruptautomatic messages and play an emergency siren from an internal soundlibrary in critical situations. It can also function as the audio source for a PAsystem or be used to feed audio to large-scale paging/BGM systems. It canintegrate with speakers for indoor/outdoor playback of voice, sound effects andbackground music.

And another thing… Scheduling can be as straightforward or as complex asdesired, down to the exact time of day; operators can also use the Schedulon torecord field audio for instant or future playback via the user-defined schedule.www.technomad.com

TECHNOMAD ASSOCIATES

MR-2000S

What is it? An upgrade to PrismSound’s MEA-2 stereo analogueequaliser and MLA-2 stereocompressor, offering improvedperformance and appearance.

Details Updated by the original designer –engineer/producer Leif Mases – the MEA-2 (pictured) is a stereo

(or 2-channel), 4-band analogue equaliser with stepped Q/shelf, frequency andcut/boost controls on each band. The new design incorporates faster amplifiers with wider

bandwidth and improved low frequency EQ filters. The individual EQ sections are now completely switched off when thegain controls are set to 0dB and the unit also goes into full bypass when the power is switched off. Similar updates havebeen applied to the MLA-2 – a stereo or 2-channel compressor with stepped drive (input gain), ratio, attack and releasetime and output gain controls.

And another thing… The exterior on both modules has been updated to include metal knobs and a thicker front panel.www.prismsound.com

PRISM SOUND

Maselec MEA-2 and MLA-2 Schedulon

What is it? A 4-channel mic preampdesigned to complement SoundField’sSPS200 software-controlled microphone.

Details The four-capsule SPS200 offers software-based decoding and processing,rather than shipping with a hardware processor and control unit like all the otherproducts in the SoundField range. For preamplification purposes, the SPS200can be used with any multichannel mic pre or digital interface with onboardpreamps. However, the output of the SPS200’s capsules still needs to be gain-matched, and the SMP200 is designed as a one-box solution to address this need.

And another thing… The SMP200 offers a ganged master gain control, 48Vphantom power and a low-pass filter that can be applied simultaneously acrossall four channels.www.soundfield.com

SOUNDFIELD

SMP200

PSNE Nov P69-70 Products 30/10/08 14:57 Page 70

Following in the tradition of the PCM60and PCM70 signal processors, thePCM96 offers a comprehensive selectionof “legendary” Lexicon reverbs andeffects, including the return of theConcert Hall reverb. Appearing for thefirst time are new Room and Hallalgorithms, plus an assortment of newmono reverbs and effects. Selectable,reversible reflection patterns, multimodefilters, and “infinity switches” provideadditional new capabilities. It isdesigned for studio or live use.

Writing in Mix, Barry Rudolph observes:“Lexicon has been making high-quality

audio effects processors for 35 years. Itslatest release, the PCM96 effects proces-sor delivers great performance. Althoughnot a convolution-based reverb, all roompresets use early-reflection impulsesfrom well-known rooms as startingpoints for creating reverb. This hybridapproach retains the inherent realism ofa convolution reverb but allows the pre-cise control and manipulation possibleonly with reverb synthesisers. ThePCM96 uses 32-bit floating-point pro-cessing, works at sample rates up to96kHz, and is HiQnet-compatible.”

Rudolph concludes: “I’ve just start-ed to scratch the surface, exploring all

the capabilities of the PCM96. Its ver-satility goes way beyond any plug-inreverb and most hardware units cost-ing many times as much. Like the 480Land 960L before it, the PCM96 is ahuge winner and future studio stalwart.It carries on the Lexicon legacy with itswonderful sound, simple operation yetdeep programmability, malleable inter-facing and flexible control.”

Resolution’s Jon Thornton suggests:“As a stand-alone box, the PCM96 ismore than worthy of its illustrious badgein terms of its sound and performance,and marks a huge step forward in gen-eral user friendliness and flexibility. For

anybody wanting that big Lexicon soundfor significantly less money than a 960L,the PCM96 is an excellent choice. On theother hand, using it in conjunction witha DAW lacks a little in stability – it’s cer-tainly not the best of both worlds yet. Thegood news is that software is software,and I’m sure that the remaining stabilityissues can and will be sorted out in thenear future. And you can, of courseignore that layer of functionality in themeantime and enjoy what is a simplylovely sounding stereo reverb.”

In Future Music, Stuart Bruce sumsup: “That Lexicon has been at the topof the digital reverb market for 30 yearsshould tell you something about thequality of the algorithms they use. Thisis a very fine unit that stands prettymuch alone. My gripes about the instal-lation process will probably be redun-dant by the time you read this, so theonly criteria you need to decide on are

the sound of the reverbs themselves andwhether or not it suits the way that youwork. As with the SSL Matrix, this unitmarks the beginning of manufacturersbringing the advantage of the analogueand digital worlds ever closer, and assuch can only be a good thing.” Qwww.lexiconpro.com

Waves’ new collection of plug-ins is basedon vintage pieces of gear owned byGrammy award-winning producer/mixengineer Jack Joseph Puig. The JackJoseph Puig Collection is the culminationof Waves’ ongoing research anddevelopment project that has lasted formore than three years. The new collectiondebuts following the June introduction offree downloadable Waves presets fromPuig. The plug-ins are based on fourhardware processors: the Fairchild 660and 670 compressors, and the PultecEQP-1A and MEQ-5 equalisers.

MusicTech’s Mark Cousins reports:“The Pultec EQP-1A equaliser andFairchild 670 compressor are two ofthe most revered pieces of studio hard-ware in existence. On the face of it,they certainly look the part, appearingnot entirely unlike two dusty pieces of

radar equipment you might expect tofind in a military surplus store. Butwith good-condition original versionsof the Fairchild compressor still com-manding sums in excess of £10,000,you can see that there’s a great dealmore to these signal processors thanlooks alone.

“Although we were unable to test theJJP collection alongside the originalunits, we can still vouch that the per-formance and sound quality felt suit-ably similar to comparable hardwareprocessors. If anything, the releasetimes on the PuigChild 670 felt slightlysnappier than the UAD-1’s Fairchild670 – a point that Waves highlights instating that the measured release timesdidn’t align with the documented val-ues from Fairchild.

“Given the range of vintage plug-insWaves has developed, it’s clear to see thatthe company is giving Universal Audioa run for its money, providing classic soft-ware-based studio tools but withoutbeing tied to additional DSP processing.”

Over at Computer Music, the reviewerstates: “Waves has done a good job withthe JJP Collection, but it has to be saidthat there are already other plug-ins that

emulate this type of gear, and we’re surethere must be even more esoteric itemsto covet at JJP’s studio. Whether the factthat Puig’s own units have been mod-elled here makes any additional differ-ence is impossible to say. What’s more,the presets, although they’re a usefulstarting point, aren’t quite as many or asvaried as they could be. Still, the classicflavours of Fairchild and Pultec process-ing are very well represented, makingthis a desirable bundle.”

Future Music’s Stuart Bruce com-ments: “I’ve looked for criticisms but tobe honest, I can’t really find any. Wavesplugs are never cheap and these are noexception, but at the very high standardsthat they set for themselves, and achieve,they justify the price. In 27 years, I’veused a lot of Fairchilds and Pultecs, andno two are ever the same. The charac-teristics are always similar and you get

to know the good ones from the bad, butif I came across units sounding like thesein a studio I would use them every day.Now there’s no need to raid Jack JosephPuig’s rack with a screwdriver.” Qwww.waves.com

The UAD-2 is, as its name suggests, thesuccessor to the UAD-1, and putsconsiderably more lead in its pencil.Three cards are available: Solo, Duo andQuad. The Solo card boasts performanceat 2.5 times the level of the original, theDuo at five times and the Quad at anastonishing 10 times.

Future Music’s Jono Buchanan was firstout of the blocks, declaring: “If you’re afully paid-up UAD devotee, the switchto UAD-2 can only be exciting. Yes, it’s anoutlay for a card, with the all-guns-blaz-ing Quad a serious investment, but thisswitch will ensure the future of the UADplatform for the foreseeable future.

“It’s now possible to turn your DAWinto a full Neve console, for a fraction of thecost of a real desk. Performance is morethan impressive, and the preparation workUA has done to ensure the install and cross-grade is smooth and error-free is com-

mendable. The UAD-2 is perfect for power-hungry plug-in users, particularly the Quadversion. It might just rule the world.”

In MusicTech, Mark Cousins writes:“Where once the UAD card looked likeit was holding back the full-scale suc-cess of Universal’s Audio’s softwaremixing solution, it now looks set to pro-pel it forward to the next generation ofplug-ins and users. Once the completeline-up of UAD-1 plug-ins has migratedto the UAD-2 platform, the UAD-2 willundoubtedly offer the most compre-hensive and powerful DSP-accelerationsystem available. Whether you want tofully load your workstation with fourQuad cards or augment your existingcapabilities with the Solo card, theUAD-2 has to be considered an essen-tial upgrade for anyone who’s seriousabout mixing on their computer.”

Resolution’s Rob James comments:“I consider these devices to be a perfectly

reasonable compromise between some-what soulless plug-ins and expensive,bulky hardware boxes, analogue or dig-ital. They have more character thanmany native or TDM plug-ins whilebeing a great deal more affordable andpractical for many of us than a roomfull of hardware. If you haven’t alreadyheard Universal Audio processors, hard-ware and software, you really shouldmake the effort to do so.”

After thorough testing, reported indetail over four pages, Sound On Sound’sMike Senior concludes: “Despite someof my concerns with latency and CPUdrain, this in no way detracts from thefact that the UAD-2 is an enormous leapforward from the UAD-1. Existing usershappy with the latency limitations of theearlier card are entitled to froth withanticipation at the prospect of so muchmore of the same. There is also no doubtthat Universal Audio is a force to be

reckoned with in terms of the quality ofits audio processing, and the morepowerful card will doubtless entice manynew users to dip a toe into the water... I have considerable confidence that the company will throw its weight intodealing with the early driver issues andplug-in omissions.” Qwww.uaudio.com

Review of reviewsJim Evans’ monthly digest of product reviews from other pro-audio publications and online media

Universal Audio UAD-2 powered plug-ins

f High-bandwidth x1 PCI Express (PCIe)card (can be used in x1/x4/x8 and x16slots, PCIe 2.0 compatible) f L.O.D.E. (Live Optimizing DSP Engine)the UAD-2’s DSP engine automaticallybalances resources to maximise yourplug-in instantiationsf One, two or four Analog DevicesSHARC 21369 floating-point processors f Multi-card support for up to eight cards– mix and match up to four UAD-2s and fourUAD-1/1e/Xpanders in one system/group f Cross-platform for Mac OS X Tiger(10.4) or Leopard (10.5), and WindowsXP/x64 or Vista 32/64 f 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHzsample rate support f LiveTrack (low-latency mode) allowsUAD-2 plug-ins to behave like host plug-ins with no additional latency added

Reviews sampled:Future Music, Autumn 2008, www.futuremusic.co.ukMusicTech, November 2008,www.musictechmag.co.ukResolution, October 2008, www.resolutionmag.comSound On Sound, November 2008, www.soundonsound.com

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Waves JJP Collection plug-insf PuigChild 660/670 compressor/limiter– lateral vertical mode (MS compression)for optimal stereo imaging, linked andunlinked modes f PuigTec EQP-1A programme equaliser– resonant low shelf boost f PuigTec MEQ-5 midrange equaliser –midrange complement to EQP-1A f Digidesign Icon support f Up to 24-bit, 96kHz resolution f Mono and stereo components f Supports TDM, RTAS, VST, AU f PC and Mac compatible

Reviews sampled:Computer Music, October 2008, www.computermusic.co.ukFuture Music, Autumn 2008, www.futuremusic.co.ukMusicTech, September 2008,www.musictechmag.co.uk


Lexicon PCM96 digital reverbf 28 Lexicon reverbs, modulation anddelay effectsf New mono reverbs and effects,including Chamber, Hall and Platef Hardware plug-in feature with MacVST and Audio Units softwaref DAW automation through plug-in format f FireWire streaming through plug-in formatf Two channels XLR balanced 24-bit I/O f Two channels AES/EBU digital I/Of Multiple sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2and 96kHzf 32-bit floating-point processing

Reviews sampled:Future Music, Autumn 2008, www.futuremusic.co.ukMix, September 2008, www.mixonline.comResolution, October 2008, www.resolutionmag.com


November 2008 � www.prosoundnewseurope.com technology 71

PSNE Nov P71 ReviewOR 30/10/08 14:17 Page 71

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008hither & dither72

EXPOS & EVENTS2008MTV Europe6 NovemberLiverpool, UKwww.mtv.com

SBES 5-6 November Birmingham, UKwww.sbes2008.org

VDT Tonmeistertagung13-16 NovemberLeipzig, Germanyhttp://www.tonmeister.de

EvenTech Ireland18-19 NovemberDublin, Irelandwww.eventech-ireland.com

Reproduced Sound 24 20-21 NovemberBrighton, UKwww.ioa.org.uk

2009Winter NAMM 2009 15-18 JanuaryCalifornia, USwww.namm.org

MIDEM18-21 JanuaryCannes, Francewww.midem.co

Integrated Systems Europe3-5 FebruaryAmsterdam, Netherlandswww.iseeurope.org

Broadcast Live/Videoforum 17-19 FebruaryLondon, UKwww.broadcastvideoexpo.co.uk

EvenTech Scotland25-26 FebruaryGlasgow, UKwww.eventech-scotland.com

ISCEx20093 March Watford, Englandwww.isce.org.uk

ProLight+Sound1-4 AprilFrankfurt, Germanywww.prolight-sound.com

Hither & ditherThe world of industry happenings and hearsay, through the eyes of PSNE

Pro Sound News Europe www.prosoundnewseurope.com vol 23 no 11 November 2008

Editor: Dave Robinson (+44 20 7921 8319); [email protected] Managing Editor: Joanne Ruddock (+44 20 7921 8376); [email protected] Group Production Editor: Dawn Boultwood European Correspondents: Mike Clark (Italy), Stephen Bennett (Sweden), Marc Maes(Belgium/Holland), Guillaume Schouker (France), Phil Ward (UK), Franck Ernould (France), Tom Becker (Germany) US Correspondent: Janice Brown UKContributors: Dan Goldstein, Mike Collins, Adrian Bamford, David Davies, Simon Duff, Jim Evans, Lin Frost, Kevin Hilton, Gez Kahan, Nigel Lord, Rob Speight Digital Content Manager: Tim Frost, [email protected] Advertisement Manager: Steve Connolly (+44 20 7921 8316) [email protected] Account Executive: Russell Rowe (+44 20 7921 8363) [email protected] Sales Executive: Nick Beck (+44 20 7921 8672) [email protected] Classified Sales Executive: Call the sales team! Advertising Production Supervisor: Kevin Addison (+44 20 7921 4033) Studio Bookings Editor:Lianne Davey (+44 20 7921 8401) Publisher: Joe Hosken Editorial and Advertising: Pro Sound News Europe, United Business Media Ltd, Ludgate House,245 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 1UY. Fax: +44 20 7921 8302. NO CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENQUIRIES TO THIS OFFICE.Circulation and Subscription enquiries: United Business Media Ltd, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, LE16 9EF, UK. Subscriptions: Tel: +44 1858 435361

Please send all contributions for possible publication to [email protected]

Fang you very much: Jeremy John (Dracula) and Anne Liversidge (Bride of

Dracula, obviously) of Audient/ex-Dimes Sillitoe celebrate their wedding at

a party in September. In attendance: Gareth Davies (Tin Man) and Luke

Baldry (Aladdin), both Audient; Matt Bell (Merlin) of Zoo Communications;

and PSNE’s very own Captain Hook. Yes, going to the toilet was problematic

Here’s Greg Simmons, travelling

the globe with his H2-PRO

surround mic and HHB

Portadrive, collecting sounds

for his Surrounding the World

DVD project. Proposals to provide

scratch ‘n’ sniff packaging to

create the ‘aroma’ of Nelly

here have been shelved

Manley Labs has come up with this limited edition ‘db8 Positioner’ especially for

vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Features include a ‘Blame’ selector with

options Bush, China, Terrorists, Obama and Democrats, and a ‘No sir!/You betcha!’

toggle switch. The warranty disclaimer reads: ‘220V version not guaranteed for

use in countries that don't like us very much’. Go to www.manleylabs.com/

whatsnew99.html for your very own version

Ooooh! It seemed a shame not to print these fantastic and unusual pictures from the Expo 2008, which drew to a spectacular close in Zaragoza, Spain after a three-month

tenure. 105 nations took part in the huge world fair which was dedicated to the topic of “Water and Sustainable Development” and attracted over 6 million visitors.

Pro-audio brands taking part included Meyer Sound and Lab.gruppen

Subscribe online at www.subscription.co.uk/cc/pm/mag1

© United Business Media Ltd, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or anyinformation storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of Pro Sound News Europe are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems.United Business Media Ltd is now the Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 1998 in respect of yourpersonal data. United Business Media Ltd will only use your data for the purposes originally notified and yourrights under the Data Protection Act 1998 are not affected by this change. Pro Sound News Europe is published once a month. The publishers reserve the right to refuse subscription applications considered inappropriate and to restrict the number of free copies sent to a company or organisation. 2008 subscription rates for non-industry/non-European readers are: UK, £39/€62; Europe, £54/€86; othercountries, US$106/€170.

Circulation and subscriptionUnited Business Media Ltd, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7BR, UK. Controlled circulation Tel: +44 1858 435361. Fax: +44 1858 434958.Paid subscription Tel: +44 1858 438893. Fax: +44 1858 434958. Second-class postage paid at Rahway, NJ.Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will only be provided at the publisher’s discretion, unless specifically guaranteedwithin the terms of the subscription offer. United Business Media Ltd may pass suitable reader addresses to other relevant suppliers. If you do not wish to receive sales information from other companies, please write toCirculations and Subscriptions, United Business Media Ltd, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough,LE16 7BR, UK. Postmaster, please send address corrections to Pro Sound News Europe, c/o Mercury AirfreightInternational Ltd Inc, 2323 Randolph Avenue, Avenel NJ 17001. Printing by Headley Brothers The Invicta Press,Queens Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8HH ISSN: 0269-4735.

DID YOU MISS THESE STORIES LAST MONTH?> PreSonus launches rebate package> UK studio unveils loan scheme> 2nd Sense is first with Euphonix S5 Fusion> King Crimson reactivates with MidasThen get online at www.prosoundnewseurope.com!

ONLINE and byEMAIL! Thewhole worldofPro Sound News Europe

P r o S o u n d N e w s E u r o p e I n p r i n t � O n l i n e � B y e m a i l w w w. p r o s o u n d n e w s e u r o p e . c o m

Pro Sound News Europe websiteGet the most from Pro Sound NewsEurope, join our online communityand see what’s new� 50,000+ unique readers per month� Features & Review of Reviews� Read and download the latest issue� PSNLive and AES Daily archive� Videocasts and podcasts

PSN-e weekly newsletterA burst of Pro Sound News Europe inyour inbox, every Tuesday!Hot news and editorial opinions, PSN-e isthe industry’s must-read weekly emailinformation resource� Reaches 6,000 readers per month� Free news-breaking newsletter� Job vacancies and diary dates

PSNE Nov P72 H+D.dr 30/10/08 16:32 Page 72

Rates: Appointments £35/€58 per column cm(min size 5cm x 2 col)

Products and ServicesEquipment for Sale (min size 3 cm x 1 col)£30/€50 per column cmSpecial sections, prices on application

Published: MonthlyContact: Lianne DaveyTel: 0207 921 8401 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7921 8339Email: [email protected]

classified 73

Services

Hall Rental

Pr ConsultancyStudio Design

PSNE’S NEW ONLINE RECRUITMENT SERVICE

Save thousands on agency fees and national press advertising

E\�3UR�$XGLR�SURIHVVLRQDOV�VSHFL¿FDOO\�

• linked to the entire Entertainment Technology recruitment

service, putting your vacancy in front of over 200,000 unique users

every month across pro audio, systems integration and broadcast.

• search functionality by location, job type and industry ensuring

\RXU�YDFDQF\�LV�YLHZHG�E\�WKH�PRVW TXDLOL¿HG�FDQGLGDWHV�

• 250 average click throughs per job for the

last 7 posted vacancies (in the last 28 days).

Contact: Steve Connolly on +44 (0)20 7921 8316 or email [email protected]

Nick Beck on +44 (0)20 7921 8672 or email [email protected]

Russell Rowe on +44 (0)20 7921 8363 or email [email protected]

visit now www.prosoundnewseurope.com/recruitment

To advertise your vacancies with ProSound News Europe, please call Lianne

Davey on 0207 921 8401 or email [email protected]

FULLPAGE_PSNE 30/10/08 16:59 Page 89

Interview by Dave Robinson

fThe APRS Sound Fellowship Lunch will beheld once again at the Roof Gardens inKensington on Wednesday 19 November.

This year, the APRS Board have involved the entireAPRS membership in the process of nominatingcandidates for the six annual fellowship awards tobe “recognised for their special contribution to theart, science and industry of sound recording”. Thefinal decisions will be down to the APRS Board andthe APRS Awards Academy.

The guest speaker at this year’s lunch islegendary prog rock keyboard player, raconteur,radio presenter and wit, Rick Wakeman. As aprecursor to the “APRS event of the year”,Wakeman agreed to answer some of PSNE’s mostprobing questions. Including one about arm-wrestling with Keith Emerson.

How’s the Grumpy Old Rock Star book tour going?“Unbelievable, to be honest. I have been amazedat the turnouts. We’ve had up to 1,500 peopleshow up for some of the 45-minute ‘talks’, theQ&A session and then the book signing itself.What’s been interesting is that it’s far from allmusic fans who are turning up; it’s a real broadspectrum, of people and all age groups too. Isuppose that many of the ludicrous stories inthe book are not just music-related but aresimply things that have happened to me because I’m a musician who’s been around the block a few times! The publisher (Preface)seems very happy with the way things are going. The paperback comes out early next yearand they want a second volume for the end ofnext year!”

Last time PSNE encountered you it was at theSwan Theatre last November, the Grumpy OldPicture Show with Ian Barfoot FOH on anAllen & Heath iLive console, and you some-times playing along to ‘virtual’ musiciansand vocalists on a video screen. Did the restof the tour work out well?“The tour was really successful in so many ways.Ironically, the Swan was one of the few theatresthat didn’t sell out. The show was a technicaltriumph for the crew to be honest. It took morethan 90 people at various stages of the pre-production to get the show to the theatres.Indeed, if it wasn’t for the combined skills of Ian,my sound engineer, Erik Jordan, my studioengineer, and Robert Garofalo, who is the MD ofClassic Media and Shepperton Studios, the tourwould never have happened.

“I have [since] been inundated with calls fromother bands and artists asking how the hell we didit [the video syncing]. I’m very proud of my guysand they can be very proud of themselves too.”

Do you think it is possible for a keyboardistto be appreciated in the same way that hewas in the 1970s ?“Not a hope in hell. The music media are onlyinterested in singers these days. It’s not justkeyboardists but guitarists, bass players anddrummers too. There are some fabulous onesaround – but can you name them? I doubt it.There are players today whose names should beon everybody’s lips as indeed Clapton, Blackmore,Beck and many more were back in the ’70s. Thereare loads of fabulous keyboard players about, butthey don’t stand much of a chance I’m afraid ofreally being able to come to the forefront.”

Any new keyboards you’re particularly excited about at the moment?“The OASYS from Korg is brilliant. Korg verymuch listen to keyboard players and try theirbest to incorporate what is said back to them.That’s probably why they’ve been the marketleader for so long. Having said that, I stillthink there is one keyboard missing fromwhat’s available and I would love to produce it and bring it to fruition. I will be doing thisin conjunction with a major manufacturer and hopefully within the next 24 months itwill be available.”

A lot of your ’80s/’90s output is on emusic.com.Would you recommend this as a good outletfor new artists?“Deep breath taken here! As always, the labelsmissed the real chance to redefine how wechoose our music and the result is the chaos wesee now. Too many free sites for music, which

helps nobody. Where is the investment moneycoming from without income?

“Also there is now so much music availablefrom bands on the internet and new bands arethere galore. Millions of them… so how on Earthcan you find what’s good? I receive loads of CDsevery week from bands that are trying to get aplay on Planet Rock, where I host a Saturdaymorning show.... the presentation of most of theCDs is superb, beautiful covers and nice linernotes, but when you play the CD it’s likeamateur night in a mate’s bedroom with thecomputer. Admittedly some are pretty good andsome very good, but who’s got the time thesedays to wade through 200 or so CDs ordownloads to find one good one?”

What are the main issues you encounterwhen you record these days? Is it the tech,the availability of musicians, outlets for yourmusic, what?“The main problem is how to release it. We putout music through many different outlets –online, through the onsite shop, throughdistributors and on sale on tour. It’s very hard tokeep track of and control. Overseas distributiongets more difficult of course because so manypeople buy through amazon.com or other onlineplaces, so it’s impossible to know what you’ve soldin what country! Sadly the music press seems tobe geared to whatever the current genre is; I think

very much that the industry was not prepared forrock ’n’ roll musicians to live into their ’60s and’70s. Old jazz players and folk singers seem to beperfectly acceptable but the media would preferthe old rockers to keel over and die. Very sad.”

What sort of message can we expect fromyour APRS lunch speech?“I don’t do messages really! I may well have a bitof a rant about how we’ve let the record industryslip out of our grasp, but my after dinnerspeeches tend to be more of the light-heartedsort. If I start getting too serious I may even findmyself wanting to be involved!”

Which recording are you most proud of?“There’s a few to be honest: the Going for the OneYes album where I sat in a church nine miles fromthe studio and played with the band by recordingdown the telephone lines which Switzerland hadin case of nuclear disaster… this was 1976! I’m

proud mostly of the earlier solo recordings as backthen there were no boxes of tricks, you had tocreate the sounds somehow that you heard yourhead. This did create much more individuality. SoKing Arthur, Six Wives, Journey and No EarthlyConnection would rank highly. More recently,Return to the Centre of the Earth used pretty muchevery device known to the studio to produce and Iam pretty proud of what the team of guys I hadaround me managed to achieve with that.”

Prokofiev – not bad. Discuss.“He is my hero. Ever since my father took me tosee Peter and the Wolf in 1957! I studied him atthe Royal College of Music and have done eversince. The man was a true genius.”

Arm-wrestling: you and Keith Emerson. Whoshould we put our money on?“That old nutmeg, eh? Amazing that over 40-oddyears, the press and media have made out that Keithand I are enemies, and the argument rages on as towho is best! Truth is that we are great friends andalways have been. As to who is best, well, we’re sodifferent it’s like asking who’s better, a baseballpitcher or a quarterback? Keith is much more jazz-oriented than me, I’m more classical. I think if youhad to clone something to make a keyboard playerfrom the two of us, then I’d take Keith’s left handand my right… that’s the best I can do!” Qwww.aprs.co.uk

www.prosoundnewseurope.com � November 2008interview74

Rick Wakeman Rocker, raconteur and radio presenter

“There is now so much music available from bands onthe internet and new bands are there galore. Millionsof them… so how on Earth can you find what’s good?”

Advertiser Page NoABS 28Adamson Systems Engineering 5Sommer Cable 24AEB – 18 Sound 34AKG 39Alcons Audio 50Allen & Heath 45Apex 6ASID 49ASL Intercom 30Audio AG 8/9Audio Essentials 69Audio Sud 48Audix 59BBM/Trantec 7Bruel & Kjaer 64

Advertiser Page NoCedar Audio 3Crest Audio 35d&b audiotechnik 42/43/44DiGiCo/Soundtracs 47/52DPA Microphones 63Elder Audio 57Fostex 17Hand Held Audio 32Hannay Reels 54HK Audio 40/51Hypex 48InnovaSON 36Klein & Hummel 12Kling & Frietag 55Klotz 16L-Acoustics 44

Advertiser Page NoLAWO 25Martin Audio 61Meyer Sound IFCMidas OBCMikrofonen 64MIPRO 18Nexo 37Odeon 60OHM 56Optocore 38Pearl Microphones 62Powersoft 33Pro Audio Technik 70QSC 31Radial 21Richmond Film 14

Advertiser Page NoRiedel 65/67RTS 66Sennheiser 26Sonifex 23Sono Studiotec 13Studer 27Taiden IBCTaky 20That Corp 14TL Audio 15Ultrasone 19Universal Audio 11Violet Design 46XTA 29Yamaha Front Cover/41

Advertiser index

Rick, sometime in the ’70s. He still owns the cape, apparently

PSNE Nov P74 Interview 30/10/08 14:18 Page 74

Project2 22/7/08 10:54 Page 1

Project3 14/8/08 19:10 Page 1

Documents

Pro Sound News Europe