psne april 2014 digital edition

BruceSwedien

at 80

Ciao, Sochi!Agorà sprinkles Italian flair on the Winter Games

atRCF mixer move

p58p5

p36

PL+S aGive theatre

p50hand!

PSNEUROPEAPRIL 2014Here’s Gérard! p19

THE BUSINESS OF PROFESSIONAL AUDIO www.psneurope.com

p24

NAB 2014round-up

SOME WEEKS AGO, in an editorial I composed aspart of the weekly Tuesday newsletter, I posed aquestion along the lines of: ‘With the seeminglyoutrageous political posturing going on betweenRussia and Ukraine, should we cover the WinterOlympics, or should we let it pass?’

I was playing devil’s advocate, I should add. But Iwas impressed by the response. SSE’s John Pennwrote to remind me of how the pro-audio industry hadoften worked “behind the lines” in places like Berlin,Beijing and Moscow, spreading messages of libertywithout being overtly political, but just by being there.“Of course, all the techs and firms that produced theevents at Sochi need credit for a job well done, and youshould definitely write about it – that’s a key freedomwe have that some places don't for a start,” emailedPenn. “But on the larger stage Russia should not beallowed to stage any more international sportingevents until it embraces the spirit that drives them.Starting with the World Cup.”

Sometime contributor Simon Duff wrote: “PublishSochi. Great sound, great pictures. A PSNEuropehistorical record needed despite imminent violence.”And while ASAP Europe’s Alan Stewart pondered thewhole historical circumstances of Crimea (“Good luckto the Ukrainians who wish to look west, and equallygood luck to those who wish to look east”), Merging’sChris Hollebone’s put it this way: “Any of these biggigs features interesting technology, even if the leaderof the country is a complete megalomaniac nutter.”

On p36, then, Mike Clark’s piece on the SochiCeremonies. Who knew it was all so Italian?

Dave Robinson (twitter: @psneurope)

“John Penn wrote to remind me of how our industry hadoften worked ‘behindthe lines’, spreadingmessages of libertywithout being overtlypolitical”

IIN THIS ISSUE...

NEWS (FEATURING PL+S)4 GiVa Audiovisual revives Apex line5 RCF launches Mixer Division6 Powersoft X Series amps will “work everywhere”8 Coda Audio TiRAY10 Celestion honours long service staff 12 Industry appointments14 Events and expos15 Pro Sound Awards 2014 – first look

STUDIO16 Eurocam reborn as AED Studios19 New distribution for PreSonus20 Wisseloord opens “vintage room”

BROADCAST22 Calrec Audio acquired by Electra23 Radio 5 live celebrates 20 years on air

LIVE26 Satis&Fy invests in Nexo STM27 Anthony Taylor steps down from Martin Audio28 Ampco takes aim at future36 Agorà astounds at Sochi40 Feature: Italian pro-audio perseverance

INSTALL46 Fraser heads new UK APG office48 Funktion-One rocks Ghent50 Feature: Modern theatre trends

BACK PAGES57 Hither & Dither: PL+S special58 Industry talk: Bruce Swedien

www.psneurope.com April 2014 l 03

welcomeEDITOR’S COMMENT

NAB Las VegasRound-up p24

Phot

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04 l April 2014 www.psneurope.com

news

PAUL VAN HEES, formerdirector and founder of ApexAudio NV, has joined forces withHendrik-Jan Gielis, an electronicsengineer (and formerly in chargeof hardware at Apex), to createGiVa Audiovisual TechnologiesBVBA. The new company haspurchased all the assets and IPrights of the Apex brand as wellas the production facilities and all

the stock. GiVa has alreadystarted shipping product.

Van Hees has made a cast-ironguarantee that his plans are formanufacturing and developingthe Apex legacy, and not to buildanother distribution business.

“We created GiVa with the soleintention of continuing the Apexbrand,” says Van Hees. “Whilstthe collapse of Apex as a

distribution/integration companywas a devastating time for us all,it was no reflection on the Apexproduct line itself, and I wantedto find a way to save the brand.”

Apex Audio NV filed forbankruptcy with the HasseltCourt on 17 October last year.The company was origimallyformed by van Hees and EddyBergers in 1991, supplying

digital outboard units(equalisers, system controllersand signal processors) to the liveand installation markets. At thetime of the bankruptcy filing,Apex was a fully-fledgedmanufacturing, distribution andsolutions business, with a largeportfolio of brands spanningseveral sectors, including DHD,AVT, Coda, DiGiCo, Genelec,Mogami, Riedel and Sonifex.

The recent Prolight + Soundshow in Frankfurt proved to bedecisive, says van Hees. “I was

able to meet with most of ourdistributors, and almost all ofthem want to continue with the[Apex] brand. Some had evencontinued to market it during ourabsence from the market in thefirm conviction that a solutionwould be found sooner or later.I’m glad to say that we havefound a solution and we will beable to repay their confidence.”

Van Hees is clear aboutGiVa’s intentions. “We have veryambitious plans for the Apexbrand. We will continue tomaintain and develop thecurrent product range and ourdedication to the live market,but our plans for the futureinclude a new range of digitalproducts for the fixedinstallation market as well. Ourprojects are purely those of amanufacturer. GiVa is neither adistributor nor an integrationcompany, nor will it be.”

GiVa is headquartered in the former Apex premises. �www.apex-audio.eu

BELGIUM

Hendrik-Jan Gielis (left) and Paul van Hees

GiVa Audiovisual revives Apex line

For the latest news www.psneurope.com

Apex Audio’s Paul van Hees is back in business but will concentrate only onmanufacturing, not on distribution, he assures Dave Robinson

By Dave Robinson

AFTER AN absence from theindustry of three years, IanMcCarthy, former managingdirector of MC2 Audio andlatterly of XTA Electronics, hasjoined forces with long-timeaudio software and designengineer, Dan Cartman, andXTA founder Andrew Grayland,to form NST Audio Ltd.

Speaking to PSNEurope atPL+S time, McCarthy revealed

that NST – the initials have nosignificance – has been formed bythe trio in order to design and

supply own-brand, OEM andlicensed DSP-based software andhardware. “Primarily software,”notes McCarthy, “though therewill be a hardware component.

“Definitely not amplifiersthough!” he emphasises.

As managing director,McCarthy says he is lookingforward to returning to theindustry through the challenge ofbeing part of a ‘start-up’: “Danand Andy approached me withthe project, which I could see has

a lot of potential and, havingknown them both for manyyears, I was fully aware of theirundoubted talent and expertise,so I was delighted to be invited tojoin them.”

“With Dan as technicaldirector and with the advantageof access to Andy’s extensivetechnical knowledge, I believewe are a strong team and I haveevery confidence that NSTAudio will be a success.”

Andrew Grayland has spent the

last few years involved in the sharpend of pro audio, hiring out PAand sound engineering,particularly on the festival circuit.

“It is a pleasure to be backputting some of the knowledge Ihave gained into the developmentof new products,” he says.

The first fruits of the 18-monthcollaboration are expected inaround six months, suggestsMcCarthy, and further hints thatthe product will have a link with‘audio networking’, and will belicensed to third-partymanufacturers. “We want to offersomething that other people don’t.”

A website, nstaudio.com, iscurrently under construction. �

NST Audio marks return for XTA/MC2 stalwarts EUROPE

Dan Cartman (left) is joining IanMcCarthy (right) and AndrewGrayland in the new venture

news

RCF, THE renowned Italianmanufacturer of loudspeakersystems and components, has created a new divisiondedicated to the manufactureof consoles. The RCF MixerDivision represents “an

important strategic move” for the 65-year-old brand, and his headed by designexpert Umberto Zanghieri ofZP Engineering.

RCF chairman Arturo Vicaritold press and guests in Frankfurt:

“For many years we’ve hadrequests from our distributors,why don’t you do mixers?”

Vicari suggested the companyhad been biding its time until itcould work with the right partner.“Why now?” he continued.“Because we can work withUmberto – to start the division,we needed to make analogue anddigital mixers, and [ZPEngineering] are some of the bestin the world [at designing them].”

Although Zanghieri was waryof naming specific brands, hisconsultancy claims to have hadinput into most major digitalconsole brands over the last 15years, including work with DSPand FPGA technologies, andUSB and FireWire (IEEE-1394)connectivity. The engineer isalso an active member of theAudio Engineering Society.

ZP Engineering was one of two third-party partners

who signed up to produceSuperMAC and HyperMACtechnology (aka AES50) forMidas Klark Teknik in 2008.The company now becomes partof the RCF Group and is basedin Rome.

The first releases for the RCF Mixer Division are nineanalogue mixers, from the smallsix channel L-PAD6 to the

24-channel L-PAD24CX (‘X’denoting onboard effects). TheL-PAD16CX is shown here.

“Now we can supply acomplete system to the market,”said Vicari, emphasising thatdigital consoles will follow.

“In a year we can become oneof the players in this market,” he noted. �www.rcf.it

ITALY

Renowned Italian loudspeaker makes cunning bidfor new sector, writes Dave Robinson

Umberto Zanghieri (left) and RCF chairman Arturo Vicari at the Frankfurt announcement

L-PAD16CX, analogue console with onboard effects


RCF reveals Mixer Division

PSNEUROPE REACHES thedizzy heights of three – count ’em– three full-time writers thismonth, for the first time in its longhistory. Following the Februarydeparture of the much-admiredErica Basnicki into the perilousworld of freelance writing,Murray Stassen and Jon Chapplehave since joined the team.

South African-born Murrayjoined PSNEurope as staffwriter in January. Stassen comesfrom a strong journalisticbackground, with writingpublished in VICE, The NewEconomy and World Financeprior to his appointment. In addition to his love ofwriting, Stassen is also a keen

guitar player and amateurrecording enthusiast.

Jon Chapple joinedPSNEurope as deputy editor inMarch. Chapple has a range ofexperience in both consumerand trade publishing, mostrecently serving as a junioreditor at Titan PublishingGroup, where he worked on

licences including Star Wars,Batman, Superman, Arrowand Transformers. Prior to this, he spent a year as aneditorial assistant at Mulberry

Publications in Colchester,Essex. Chapple is also apublished music critic(PopMatters, The Line of Best Fit, MusicOMH ) with a BA (Hons) degree in music journalism.

“Rian Zoll-Khan joined Ryan O’Donnell on the salesside at the end of last year, sonow, with Murray and Jononboard, we have a formidableteam. Thrilling stuff!” sayseditor Dave Robinson.” �www.psneurope.com

PSNEurope welcomes new duoEUROPE

L-R: Jon Chapple and Murray Stassen


frankfurtnews

FOUR YEARS in developmentand promising “unmatchedlevels of versatility, flexibilityand power”, the Powersoft XSeries power amplifiers madetheir debut at Frankfurt.

Under the slogan ‘Everythingevolves from the source’, the XSeries represents “a system toolthat integrates a large amount offunctionality, generally onlyfound in separate outboardunits,” says Powersoft. “Thisincludes an innovative system ofchannel routing, a truly universalpower supply and a revolutionaryfully-featured DSP.”

This power supply hasworldwide AC acceptance and allows direct connection to any regional power lineconfiguration: it can handleSingle Phase, Bi-Phase or Three

Phase operation from 85V ACup to 440V AC without the needfor manual selection.

Put in a more practical way by the Powersoft team in its XSeries preview presentation, heldfor 80 dealers and distributors atthe company’s Scandicci HQtwo days before Prolight +Sound: “It Works Everywhere”.

There are two models at launchtime: the X8 sports eight channelsin a 2U chassis, while the 1U X4features four channels. Both ampsshare the same power density,

being capable of delivering up to a reported 5,200W @ 2 ohmsper channel.

“There is nothing at this level with this power, on allchannels and per channel– nothing,” stated Luca Giorgi,pro-audio business unit directorat the presentation.

The X Series natively supportsAES3, two redundant Dantedigital streams, and analogueinputs, providing up to fourdifferent selectable input sourcesper channel.

While the strikingly stylishdesign – a symmetrical of LEDlights on an elliptical fascia plate– suggests fixed installationsonly, Powersoft says the X8 andX4 are built for concert touringtoo, and for both low and highimpedance applications. Set-upparameters for the X Series are fully integrated intoArmonía Pro Audio Suite forcomprehensive control andparameter adjustment. Anintegrated WiFi connection will permit the amps to beaccessed and managed via anysmartphone or tablet through a user interface currently being developed.

“Our sights have been fixedfirmly on the future during the design of the X Series,”states Claudio Lastrucci,Powersoft R&D director, “We looked at what we believeamplifiers will require for thenext 10 years and made aplatform capable of meetingthese needs as well as building in a certain level of ‘futureproof’ expandability.”

The X8 will ship in May 2014,with the X4 the following month.

In 2015, Powersoft X Serieswill celebrate the 20thanniversary of the creation ofthe keystone K Series amplifiers,which introduced Power FactorCorrection (PFC) and switch-mode amplification to theprofessional audio industry. �www.powersoft-audio.com

Dave Robinson was atmajor launch, and pre-launch, for the confidentItalian amplifier maker

X-series amps, launchin Frankfurt

Powersoft X Series ampswill “work everywhere”

DirectOut showcased a newMADI (AES10) to audio-over-IPbridge. Montone.42 has beenreleased in response to thedemand for Ethernet-basedtransmissions in professionalaudio environments. The new unitallows for the integration ofnetwork audio with existinginfrastructures. It is based on theRavenna network standard andMADI (AES10) and serves as aversatile link for broadcast, live-sound and studio applications.Equipped with four MADI and twogigabit network ports, up to eightstreams can be assembled with anindividual number of audiochannels from the MADI inputs.www.directout.eu

Berlin-based Eve Audio’s newSC3010 and SC3012 studiomonitors made their debut at theshow. The SC3010 features a 10-inch low frequency driver and theSC3012 houses a 12-inch version.Both models are equipped with a 5-inch Rohacel sandwichdiaphragm woofer, designed toreproduce mids “as clearly aspossible”. Eve’s monitors are theonly units to feature the new RS6Air Motion Transformer. Productswill ship in September 2014.www.eve-audio.com

DPA unveiled new additions to itsbody worn d:fine Headset andd:screet Miniature Microphoneranges. The d:fine 66 and 88headset microphones areintended for use by actors,musicians and singers who needto move freely on stage. CEO ofDPA Christian Poulsen, says:“The expansion of the d:screetMiniature Microphones series isimportant for us to meet the evermore demanding needs from themarket for a solid workhorse thatdelivers superb sound underchallenging conditions.”www.dpamicrophones.com

British-based manufacturerDiGiCo previewed its new D2-Rack. The device is designedto support and expand DiGiCo’sSD Range’s higher sample rateI/O solutions. It comes with eitherBNC or Cat-5 MADI connections,allowing it to be used with anumber of DiGiCo consoles.DiGiCo managing director, JamesGordon says: “The D2-Rackmeans we are able to open up thefull 96kHz potential of the SD8,SD9 and SD11 with this nextgeneration of I/O conversion is animpressive upgrade.” www.digico.org

SOUNDBITES

By Murray Stassen

At a packed launch event atProlight + Sound, Yamahalaunched its latest line of digitalconsoles: the QL Series.

There are two models in therange, the QL1 and QL5. TheQL1 features 16 inputs and eightoutputs in a 468mm wide chassis,with the QL5 carrying 32 ins and16 outs, at around twice the width.

The new consoles have thesame processing power ofYamaha’s renowned CL seriesconsoles – however, with feweroutputs and less matrixcapability, they have beendesigned for small to mediumscale operations.

CL Series consoles can beintegrated with QL consoles

via the company’s new Port-to-Port functionality.

The QL series also features the Dan Dugan-designed auto-mixing capability, whichautomatically manages input andoutput levels of live mics inenvironments where dialogue maybe unpredictable. This featuremakes the series ideal for speechevents or broadcast environments(such as TV chat shows).

On-board audio processingcomes in the form of the QLEffects Rack and the PremiumRack, which includes renownedeffects such as the Rupert NevePortico 5033 EQ and 5043Compressor as standard.

Although the QL consoles aresuitable for small-to-mediumsized productions on their own,

on-board Dante networkingallows them to be integratedinto bigger systems withYamaha’s R-series I/O units and CL Series consoles.

Up to eight R-series units canbe controlled simultaneouslywith a QL console, offering asmany as 256 input sources.

High quality, multi-track live recording can be achieved with an on-board two-trackrecording and playbackfunction. The QL series is alsofully compatible with DanteVirtual Soundcard and SteinbergNuendo Live software.

Yamaha would not confirmavailability for the QL Series,but PSNEurope was advised itthe desks were “in production”and shipping would be in“weeks as opposed to months”.

Also at the press launch, theJapanese technology giantannounced that Version 2.0software for the CL range wouldbe available via the Yamahawebsite in May 2014. With mix-minus capability for thebroadcast market, discovery andhead amp control for the QLconsoles and more, Yamaha’sNils-Peter Keller, director of the pro music and pro audiodivision, said the update gaveCL desks “the functionality ofthe PM5D”. �www.yamahacommercialaudio.com

EUROPE

Andy Cooper, newly appointed toposition of manager for commercialaudio products, with the QL1

Yamaha alive and kickingwith QL consoles

GERMANY

The distinctive front-panel lights of theX4 (top) and X8 power amplifiers


frankfurtnews

OPTOCORE, DIGICO and Clear-Comdemonstrated the power of theirnetworking technology collaboration inFrankfurt with two press conferences that combined the ‘actual’ with the‘virtual’ by implementation ofaudio/video streaming.

DiGiCo MD James Gordon kicked offthe four-day expo on his own booth, withmarketing director Dave Webster speakingremotely from the Optocore booth.

Later in the morning, Simon Browneanchored the press call on the Clear-Comstand, with MD Bob Boster beaming infrom Optocore’s booth once more.

The three locations were linked via a single-mode fibre and the latestDiGiCo-Optocore integration.

Speaking at his own press conferencelater, Optocore founder Marc Brunke,

explains: “We are now completelycompatible with DiGiCo – DiGiCoconsoles can now not only exchangeaudio with Optocore boxes, but they canalso be controlled from DiGiCo.”

Visitors were able to see the remoteX6R mic preamp on the Optocore boothbeing controlled from the console onDiGiCo’s booth.

“By adding a simple Optocore 16-channel X6R-FX interface to theDiGiCo network extra I/O connectivitycan be achieved together with Ethernetand RS485/422,” adds Brunke.

“They can also use Optocore’s costefficient DD2FR-FX and DD4MR-FXMADI interfaces to increase the numberof MADI ports available on the console.”

Although Optocore partners withseveral console manufacturers, DiGiCo is

the only one that is running the native2.21 Optocore protocol. “This is the firstconsole manufacturer to implement thisprotocol, so this is pretty new for us andvery powerful,” says Brunke.

Clear-Com showcased its new Pro-Grid device, which is also based onOptocore technology. “Basically, theynow have an audio network to offer andalso an intercom network and a datanetwork, and Optocore powers this.More people will use the Optocoretechnology and this is very good for us,”adds Brunke.

In addition to the networkdemonstration, Brunke also discussed hisnew AES approved ‘MADI over Cat-5’standard. “Up to now MADI has been too

expensive for low channel devices, but thisis no longer the case. Also, because the newversion makes MADI compatible withIEEE802.3, it can now be used incombination with other recent networkstandards like AES-X210/AES-67 or olderproprietary Ethernet implementations.”

Optocore marketing director Tine Helmle, comments: “This wasunquestionably our most successful tradeshow participation ever. The networkcreated a real buzz as a result of which wereceived many new enquiries as well asbeing able to forge closer links with ourexisting global reseller network.” �www.optocore.comwww.digico.biz www.clearcom.com

EUROPE

Three leading brands demonstrate video and audio streamingtechnology in Frankfurt, reports Murray Stassen

DiGiCo marketing director Dave Webster,addressing the press via video streaming

Optocore, Clear-Com, DiGiCo three-way!

CODA AUDIOshowcased the latestaddition to its ViRAYfamily in Frankfurt,the TiRAY line arraymodule for small-to-medium sizedapplications.

TiRAY features two 5-inch ultra-lowdistortion conespeakers and a 5-inchneodymium planarwave driver, a built-inpassive crossover and an integrated riggingsystem, tried and tested with ViRAY.

The Hanover-headquartered companyalso launched the TiLOW bass extensiondesigned to complement TiRAY. Thenew system can also be integrated withCoda Linus amplifiers.

In other news, Coda Audioequipment is about to be rolled out fora huge musical show called 14-18, beingstaged in Mechelen, Belgium and setagainst the backdrop of the Great 1914-1918 War. �www.codaaudio.com

Coda conjures TiRAY UNITED KINGDOM

Coda Audio associate Mick Anderson with the TiRAY line array

“IT’S AMAZING that aspeaker company has come rightthrough to 2014 and is still verysuccessful,” said Celestionmanaging director Nigel Woodat a presentation honouring two of its key staff on thesecond day of the Frankfurtshow. The Ipswich-basedloudspeaker manufacturer was celebrating the occasion of its 90th anniversary ofbuilding components at Prolight + Sound.

Consulting engineer IanWhite was presented with a 30 years’ long service award byIan Doggett (MD, VoxAmplification).

“Ian has been one of the mostinfluential speaker designers ofthe last generation, certainly forall of us as customers orsuppliers,” said Doggett.

“I can’t say it feels like 30years, but to some at Celestion itcertainly does!” joked White inreply. “In the last decade, thecompany is more focused thanit’s ever been, and that’s down to the current team, and toNigel, so we look forward to agreat future.”

Receiving an even moreimpressive award – for 40 yearsof service – was Dee Potter.Wood revealed that, since thedays she started with the

company on 6 February 1974,Potter had built, or supervisedthe building of, over eightmillion speakers. Jon Ellery, MDof Marshall Amplification,presented the award to theproduction manager, who wasvisiting PL+S for the first timeever. “Eight million speakers?Nigel, I want 50p for everyone…” she announced to cheersfrom the assembled guests.

Potter went on to cut a cakespecially baked in the shape of a subwoofer.

At Prolight + Sound, Celestionunveiled the FTX range ofcoaxial loudspeakers, as well asthe new CDX14-3030 ¼-inch

ferrite compression driver. Earlyspeaker designs from thecompany’s long history were ondisplay, too.

John Paice, marketing/artistrelations for the company, said

Celestion was currently sellingaround “1,000 compressiondrivers a day”, with the targetfor the year 2014-2015 set at“half a million”. �celestion.com


frankfurtnewsEUROPE

Celestion honours longservice staff at PL+S

Ian White has been there 30 years... ..but Dee won the cake-cutting honours

NEWLY FORMEDloudspeaker company, Idea,made its pro-audio market debutat Prolight + Sound inFrankfurt this year. Thefledgling manufacturer is basedin the Galicia region of Spain,where it has been working onminor OEM projects for nearlytwo years prior to thedevelopment of the Idea brand.

Audio technical directorSantiago Alcalá explains thatthe concept for the Idea brandwas developed because thecompany was presented with“logistical advantages’ as well as an excellent “quality-to-costratio,” for its manufacturingoperations.

The products on display atProlight + Sound includedmodular loudspeakers andamplification systems for live,touring and installationapplications. “The key to the

design of most Idea products isalways function. Idea productsare built like racecars – for theirpurpose,” asserts Alcalá.

“We are going to be offeringour loudspeakers as completesystems with amplification andDSP,” he continues. “We will be introducing the differentmembers of the TEO family,which will allow the users tocreate their own configurationsof passive, active or self-powered loudspeaker solutions.”

The company’s products arethe result of a multinationalcollaboration between technicalteams from Spain, Denmark,

theNetherlands,Switzerlandand Germany.“In terms of passivecrossovers, we have a closecollaboration with Swissmanufacturer SpeakLab, whichwe are very lucky to bepartnering with,” says Alcalá.“For the transducers in all thecabinets, we have the privilegeof working very closely with the R&D department ofBeyma, who are supplyingspecial customisations for

Idea based on some of theirbest products.”

Idea’s technical team foundthat horns made from wood hada lower resonance frequencyband than prototypes madefrom aluminium-moulded,plastic-injected or fibreglass-moulded prototypes, and as aresult, recycled wood is nowused for the horns in Idealoudspeakers. “With our ownmanufacturing process wecontrol the production of eachwaveguide and we can easilymake modifications or developdifferent models with the sametechnique,” explains Alcalá.

Alcalá tells PSNEuropethat Idea currently has a total of eight distributors acrossAmerica and Europe, with themajority of these distributorsbased in the US.

“In the following weeks we willconfirm new distribution dealsas soon they are finally closed.But we can let you know that wehave a fantastic selection ofenthusiastic, knowledgeable andexperienced distributors in somekey markets that we are veryinterested in being part of.” �

www.ideaproaudio.com

Spain-basedmanufacturer Idea Pro Audio, made itsindustry debut at PL+S2014, reports Murray Stassen

Marketing and communicationscoordinator Richi Rozas, in frontof an Idea loudspeaker at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt


frankfurtnews

IDEA VOA line array

One bright Idea GERMANY

Inspired Audio showcased its neweFlex D2.5 amplifier and the firstproducts from the new mFlex MQ& iQ ranges at Prolight + Sound.The mFlex iQ range combinesinstallation-specific products with adapted versions of productsfrom the MQ range. The companyalso introduced the reFlex DR115 bass cabinet and DR118sub-bass cabinet.www.inspired-audio.co.uk

d&b audiotechnik introduced theD80 amplifier, featuring fourchannels and 4,000w power perchannel. The company alsodisplayed the xC-Series columnloudspeakers, launched just onemonth earlier. ArrayCalc V7.6.11was also revealed at the d&b stand,demonstrating the new venueeditor, which enables users tocreate a representation of audiencelistening areas.www.dbaudio.com

Solid State Logic released new V2software for the SSL Live, thecompany’s first ever dedicated livesound console, at Prolight + Sound.The new V2 software introduces asubstantial collection of newfeatures, including enhancements tothe output matrix, effects rack, userinterface, routing, solo system andfocus channel and the introductionof a comprehensive offline setupapplication. The new software is duefor public release in April 2014.www.solid-state-logic.com

Amadeusannounced the release of itsnew four-inch PMX 4 miniatureloudspeaker at Prolight + Sound. ThePMX 4 is available in several differentstandard colours and can be ordered ina ‘made-to-measure’ finish. Amadeuslead designer Michel Deluc says: “Wehad to create a product matching theAmadeus sonic philosophy, startingfrom the PMX 5 format and trying toreduce its size by 50% without makingany sonic compromise.”www.amadeusaudio.fr

Audio-Technica re-introduced itsAT4060a tube microphone atProlight + Sound 2014. The re-issued mic was originallyreleased in the late ’90’s andfeatures a hand-selected,individually tested and aged Sovtek6922 tube. It also includes anAT8560 power supply, rack mountadaptors for the power supply,AT8447 shock mount, 10m cablewith 6-pin XLR-type connectorsand a protective carrying case. The AT4060 is available in Europefrom April 2014.www.eu.audio-technica.com

SOUNDBITES

Midas, part of the MusicGroup, previewed the

PRO X console featuringthe company’s latest

‘Neutron’ engine. Theconsole, due at the end

of 2014, offers 168 inputs and 99 mix or

103 output channels.www.midasconsoles.com

Stagetec’s Juergen Malleckunveiled the company’s newscalable and upgradablePolaris evolution mixingconsole, consisting of threeparts; the primary controlsurface, audio processor andtouch-screen upgrade.www.stagetec.com

A familiar face inGerman pro-audio

returned, as WolfgangGarçon presented hisUnited B distribution

operation in Frankfurt,filling the booth space

vacated by AtlanticAudio (see page 30). www.united-b.com

Dynaudio’s Fred Speeckenintroduced MkIII versions ofthe BM studio monitors. In atie-in with Canada’sIsoAcoustics, the speakers willship with ISO-L8R acousticisolation stands as standard.www.dynaudioprofessional.com/bm-series

And from around the show...

Spyros Lazaris has beenappointed as vice president

of sales and marketing for AudioPrecision. Lazaris’ previous role was Americas director ofmarketing and sales forTektronix. President of AudioPrecision David Schmoldt says:“He brings commercial test and measurement experience to the Audio Precisionleadership team.” www.ap.com

Audio-Technica hasappointed Alex Jann

as a UK product and training specialist. Jann will be responsible for DJ andrecording-related products fromA-T and Allen & Heath. “I amlooking forward to working withthe dealer network to help themget the most from the products,”says Jann.www.audio-technica.com

Avid Technology hasappointed Andreas

Rimroth as principal customersupport engineer for EMEA,concentrating on live sound andlarge format consoles. He joinsthe company from AudioTechnica where he was productspecialist for Allen & Heath andAPG. “With the groundbreakingS6 digital console just launched Iam delighted to join Avid at thispoint. Being a consoles guythrough and through I amlooking forward to working with

the many users who use Avidproducts for mixing both in thestudio and live.”www.avid.com

Cadac has appointedRob Hughes as UK sales

manager. Speaking at the event,Hughes says: “I am especiallyproud to be joining a fantastic

team of people at the company,and am confident of their takingit forward and regaining itsrightful place at the very top ofthe market.”www.cadac-sound.com

FaitalPRO has appointedAndrew Richardson to

manage OEM and area sales inUK and India. Pro-audio divisionmanager of FaitalPRO, FlavioNaggi, comments: “Andrew’sstrong commercial and technicalexpertise will complement ourcurrent skill set especially as weexpand our influence in the OEMmarkets bringing his valuableexperience in any branch of pro-audio and beyond.”www.faitalpro.com

Soho-based Jungle hasappointed Athene Parker

as new business consultant and Lawrence Kendrick, Culum Simpson and AlexWilson-Thame will all be takingon the role of sound designengineers for the post-production house. “The level of talent and expertise under

Jungle’s roof, along with thecompany ethos and the waythey encourage their staff madeit a no-brainer when theyapproached me,” says Parker. www.thejunglegroup.co.uk

Martin Audio hasrecruited Robin Dibble to

the new position of applicationsengineer. Sales director SimonBull says: “This appointmentreflects the growth of thecompany and recognises theneed to bring in additionalexpertise to drive our installationbusiness.” Dibble adds: “Whilethe MLA range is a real ‘gamechanger’, there are also fantasticnew products in the pipeline.”www.martin-audio.com

DAMIEN HAWLEY joinedFocusrite in 2004, progressingto sales director by 2009. Hewill manage the mergedmarketing and salesdepartments for the Focusrite,Novation and RedNet brandsworldwide including FocusriteNovation, Inc. (the US basedwholly-owned subsidiary).“The Focusrite and Novationbrands have seen significantgrowth over the last five yearsand I now look forward to the

privilege of leading our newlycombined team of highlytalented marketing and salesprofessionals,” says Hawley.Managing director DaveFroker, comments: “Followinga period of strong companyperformance we have decidedto bring marketing and sales together as a singleorganisation to position thebusiness for it’s next phase of growth.”www.focusrite.com

industrymovers

Hawley directsfocus on global salesFocusrite Audio Engineering Ltd has named DamianHawley as director of global marketing and sales

Lawrence KendrickJungle

Calum SimpsonJungle

Alex Wilson-ThameJungle

Robin DibbleMartin Audio

Spyros LazarisAudio Precision

Alex JannAudio-Technica

Andreas RimrothEMEA

Rob HughesCadac

Andrew Richardson FaitalPRO


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NAB5-10 AprilLas Vegas, USwww.nabshow.com

PALME Middle East15-17 AprilDubai, UAEwww.palme-middleeast.com

136th AES Convention26-29 AprilBerlin, Germanywww.aeg.org

The Great Escape8-10 MayBrighton, UKwww.escapegreat.com

Rock im Park6-9 JuneNürnberg, Germanywww.rock-im-park.com

Pinkpop7-9 JuneLandgraaf, Netherlandswww.pinkpop.nl

PEVE Digital Entertainment10-11 JuneLondon, UKwww.screendigest.com/events/peve

ABTT11-12 JuneLondon, UKwww.abttheatreshow.co.uk

Isle of Wight Festival12-15 JuneIsle of Wight, UKwww.isleofwightfestival.com

Download Festival13-15 JuneDonington Park, UKwww.downloadfestival.co.uk

InfoComm 201414-20 JuneLas Vegas, USwww.infocommshow.org

Glastonbury25-29 JunePilton, UKwww.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

Roskilde Festival28 June-6 JulyRoskilde, Denmarkwww.roskilde-festival.dk

Love Supreme Jazz Festival4-6 JulySussex, UKwww.lovesupremefestival.com

Montreux Jazz Festival4-19 JulyMontreux, Switzerlandwww.montreuxjazz.com

IT Broadcast Workflow8 JulyLondon, UKwww.broadcastworkflow.com

EVENTS Your complete calendar of expos and conferences for the months ahead


For more events news visit www.psneurope.com/events

expos&events

LEEDS ENTERTAINMENT technology showcasePLASA Focus kicks off at the end of April with a tonof new products making their UK debuts followinginternational launches at Prolight + Sound and ISE.

In addition to the 130 brands exhibiting, PLASAhas announced the new-for-2014 ProfessionalDevelopment Programme, which provides visitorswith free access to over 20 seminars anddemonstrations delivered by some of the sector’s leading experts, includingspeakers from Funktion One, Soulsound and Shure UK.

PLASA director of events Chris Toulmin comments: “[T]he Professional

Development Programme… provides visitors with more sessions to choose fromthan ever before, all delivered by respected industry figures.”

Free registration for tickets is still open at the PLASA Focus website.

SPOTLIGHTPLASA FOCUS29-30 AprilLeeds, UKwww.plasafocus.com

EDITORIALPLANNERMAYf The Radio Studio

New technologies available to

superstar DJs (=presenters)

f Business in BRIC regions

How to make the most of these

emerging markets

f AES Berlin preview

Who’ll be peddling their wares

in Berlin

Deadline: 16 April

Distribution: 1 May

PSNLIVEf The annual report will be

redesigned and published two

months earlier this year!

JUNEf World Cup/Sound for Stadiums

f Widgets and Essential Kit

f On the Road (diary)

f ABTT + InfoComm previews

Deadline: 21 May

Distribution: 4 June

JULYf The Modern Conference

f Commonwealth Games preview

Deadline: 27 June

Distribution: 10 July

Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final10 May, Copenhagen, Denmark

www.eurovision.tv

Molly Smitten-Downes: She’ll

settle for anythingbut nul points

FOLLOWING THEoverwhelmingly positiveresponse to last year’sinaugural Pro Sound Awards,PSNEurope and otherparticipating Intent Mediatitles are thrilled to announcea bigger and better event for 2014.

The Pro Sound Awards2014 will be held on 25 September (save the date!)at the world-famous Ministryof Sound nightclub inLondon, with no less than 17 accolades, including two brand-new categories,handed out during theevening. Also back for more is the complimentary drinksreception and afterparty,which many would argue wasthe highlight of PSA 2013. (Wecan’t remember.)

The PSA celebratesexcellence in live and touring,studio, installed and broadcastaudio, and is supported byPSNEurope and our sistertitles Installation, Audio ProInternational, Audio Media,MI Pro and Music Week.

New for 2014 is the PSA‘Pre-Roll’, which will be heldin the late afternoon and early evening of the 25th and “segue seamlessly in theawards proper,” according to PSNEurope’s DaveRobinson. He continues: “The Pre-Roll will feature twosessions where we’ll be gettingup-close and personal withsome big names from proaudio circles. We don’t want todisclose too much right now,but we promise you somethingentertaining, enlightening and,hopefully, a little bit out of the ordinary.”

As with last year, a numberof partnership opportunitiesare available. To find out more,contact: Ryan O’Donnell([email protected]) or Rian Zoll-Khan([email protected]), or alternatively callthem on +44 (0)20 7354 6000. �www.prosoundawards.com

EUROPE

AWARDSPROSOUNDThursday, 25th September 2014Ministry Of Sound, London

SOUNDPRO DAT

OUNDAMinistry Of Sound, LondonT

AWWAAAWThursday, 25th Sep

AWWAAAWMinistry Of Sound, LondonThursday

ARDSptember 2014

ARDSMinistry Of Sound, London

SSwww.psneurope.com April 2014 l 15

Pro Sound Awards – they’re coming

news

LOBBYING – HOW IT WORKS

The process will be familiar to allthose who took part in 2013’s show,but for all you Pro Sound Awardsnewcomers here’s a handy lowdownas to how the lobbying process works.

The lobbying period will open on 15 April – the first day, entirelycoincidentally, of PALME Middle East– and from this point, all companies,services and individuals with aninterest in the pro audio industry areinvited to nominate themselves, asupplier, an event or a client whomthey regard as worthy of receivingwider recognition. The lobbying periodwill stay open until Friday 30 May –more details of how to submit yournominations will be in Tuesday 8April’s PSN-e weekly newsletter (sign up at www.psneurope.com).

Based on the email nominations,the team behind the Pro SoundAwards will create a list of finalistsfor each category. This processinvolves looking at the performanceof those nominated companies overthe past year, plus the informationprovided by the lobbying emails. Wedon’t base finalist positions on thenumber of emails we receive about aparticular company.

The finalists for each category will be presented to panel ofindependent judges from across the entire pro audio industry, who will ultimately choose thewinners of each Pro Sound Award(with the exception of the GrandPrix, Rising Star and LifetimeAchievement prizes).

AWARD CATEGORIES

� LIVE/TOURING SOUND� Engineer of the Year� Tour Sound Production� Best Theatre Sound

� STUDIO� Engineer of the Year� Best Recording

Production � Best Studio � Best Sound in

Post-Production� INSTALLATION

� Team of the Year� Best Permanent

Installation Project

� Best Temporary Installation Project

� BROADCAST AUDIO� Team of the Year� Broadcast Event of

the Year� Best Facility

� MARKETING INITIATIVE/CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

� RISING STAR � LIFETIME

ACHIEVEMENT� GRAND PRIX

Tickets are now available at aspecial early bird price of £79

(full price £99). For moreinformation, please visit

www.prosoundawards.com.

IN AUGUST last year, theEurocam Media Center –formerly known, pre-messybankruptcy, as the home ofaudiovisual titan Alfacam –changed ownership after itsacquisition by GlennRoggeman’s AED group. Twomonths later, the CEO and histeam started the renovation andrefurbishment of the studiofacilities, and on 27 February,the ink on the contract barelydry, AED Studios swung openits doors for the first time.

AED is clearly eyeing thelucrative corporate and eventmarket, positioning itself tomove beyond traditionalproduction and recording – andon its grand opening, Roggemanmade time to guide his gueststhrough the new studios,production areas, guest roomsand offices.

“Today, less than half a yearsince we bought the real estate,we have upgraded most of the studios,” Roggemanexplains. “Seven studios areequipped with a full technicalceiling – trussing, hoists andcontrollers – four are ‘blackbox’, to be used and adaptedfor specific productionassignments; and five othershave been fully fitted with themost recent sound, lighting andvideo equipment.”

AED is currently overhaulingand renovating the mains supplynetwork and heating. “We’vealso adapted the emergencyevacuation plans and placedover 280 units of emergencylighting,” says Roggeman. “The whole site will have LEDlighting by June.”

One of the new multiplex’smost impressive studio spaces is the 3,000sqm Studio 12, thehome of Europe’s largest indoorunderwater film stage. “Inaddition to the 1,500sqm poolarea, which has a depth of

3.8m, Studio 2 also caters forpre-production, rehearsals, arenastage test-builds and exclusiveevents,” Roggeman says.

In Studio 11, known as Barco Virtual World after thevideo tech company of the same name, up to 400 seatedvisitors can enjoy 360°, digitalcinema-quality projection in a fully equipped studio withlighting, quadraphonic soundand a stage integrated into thevideo screen.

Studio 54 has a capacity of1,200 and is kitted out with a “back to the past” lighting set and high-quality concertsound system, and featuresmultiple bars, wardrobes and a separate VIP bar on thefirst floor.

“Both Studio 54 and Studio14, an 800-capacity event hall,have a Midas XL4 or Heritage4000 on board,” says KoenConaerts, sound departmentmanager at AED. “Studios 11,14 and 54 are each equippedwith 12 JBL VerTec VT4889 linearray speakers, four VTX SeriesS28 subwoofer cabinets and a

Shure ULX-D wireless system,controlled by a Shure SCM820Intellimix mixer.”

In addition to the 11,000-capacity production studios andevent venues, AED Studiosoffers a dedicated backstage areawith production rooms, dressingrooms and catering areas; a widerange of offices; 42 bedroomsand 17 apartments; and “flexrooms” which can be used forseminars, meetings, pressconferences or as green rooms.

“Studio 6 is our on-siterestaurant, and is a perfect venuefor corporate presentations,parties and events and theproduction of TV talk shows,”Roggeman comments. “All this

was designed and conceived inthe spirit of ‘ecology meetseconomy’ … the AED group is apioneer when it comes tosustainability, environment andsocial responsibility.”

“We particularly appreciateGlenn’s approach andambition,” says Wim Buyens,senior vice president of Barco’s entertainment division.“We [already] enjoy a positivepartnership in the Virtual Worldstudio, but with AED looking toEurope and playing a leadingrole in several territories weconsider both this facility andthe AED Group as beingimportant for Barco.” �

www.aedgroup.eu

For the latest studio newswww.psneurope.com/studio

StudioEdge Studios, home of recentprojects by Plan B, The Script andNew Order, has installed a SSolidState Logic AWS 924 hybridconsole/controller as its studiocenterpiece. Edge says that sincethe console’s installation, thestudio has been “booked solid”.John Delf, Edge Studios owner andstudio manager, comments: “It’sthe right size for us, it has a verysophisticated DAW interface – thebest in the industry – and it hasthat magic SSL name on it.”www.solidstatelogic.com

The new album from Mercury Prize-winning alt rockers Elbow, The TakeOff and Landing of Everything, wasmixed and mastered using PMCloudspeakers. Written and recordedat Blueprint Studios in Salford andPeter Gabriel’s Real World Studios,the mixing was achieved usingPMC’s IB2S three-way monitorsand the new Active twotwo.6nearfields, which the band recentlyinstalled at their facility. Masteringduties were handled by Tim Youngat Metropolis Mastering in London,who used PMC BB5 XBD-A large-scale monitors.www.pmc-speakers.com

Following a successful Musikmesse,speaker manufacturer LipinskiSound has announced that German-based Digital AudioService will distribute its productsin Germany, Austria andSwitzerland. The US-basedanalogue specialist, founded in 2003,celebrated its 10th anniversary at the 135th AES Convention in New York last October.www.digitalaudioservice.de

The Studio People Ltd hascompleted five new Sound DesignStudios featuring 7.1 mixingcapability, Foley pits and variableacoustic panels for Microsoft’sLionhead Studios in Guildford.The Studio People Ltd was principalcontractor and undertook all aspectsof construction, also all mechanicaland electrical work. The expansionfollows the success of the FABLEgames and the release of the XboxOne console, prompting Lionhead’sSteve Brown to create new facilitiesto house a larger audio team.www.thestudiopeople.com

SOUNDBITES

Eurocam reborn as AED StudiosBELGIUM

On 27 February, some five months after the AED group’s acquisition of the vast former Alfacamproduction site, the newly christened AED Studios opened its doors. Marc Maes reports


Green inside and out: The all-new eco-friendly AED Studios

B2B bookings for AED Studios will be handled by Antwerp-based Music Hall, whosemanaging director, Geert Allaert, is pictured (left) with AED CEO Glenn Roggeman

WHO SHOULD ATTENDDirectors of Technology, Heads of Production at independent production companies, Directors of equipment rental or hire, Heads of Outside Broadcasts, Production Managers, Senior Directors, Heads of Cameras, Chief Engineers, Programme Operations Managers, Stereographers, Producers, Directors of Broadcasting, Studio Directors, Technical Consultants, Research Engineers

WHY ATTEND?Discover the media eco-chain for ultra-HD Hear from the world standardisation leaders Case studies from high-profile production trials Find out the future for 3D TV in Europe Tech insights into frame rates, codecs, formats Meet the key market influencers and vendors Network with technology & production colleagues Know what the Beyond HD roadmap looks like

PREVIOUS ATTENDEES INCLUDEOrange, ITV, Sony Pictures, Arqiva, 20th Century Fox, Telenor, Panavision Europe, BBC, S4C, Discovery Networks Europe, Sky, Pro TV, Siemens, MTV International, Dolby, EDU, Digital TV Group, Deluxe, Cambridge Research Systems Ltd, BKSTS, Bath University, Atlantic Productions, Finnish Broadcasting Co.,Fountain Studios, France Telecom/Orange Labs

To book your tickets visit: www.beyondhdmasters.comor call Sara Mather +44 (0) 20 7354 6001For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact:

Date: Tuesday, June 3rd 2014 Venue: BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London

A TVBEurope event

Follow us on Twitter @BeyondHDMasters

Gold Sponsors

John IveDirector of business

development and technology for the

IABM

Stephan HeimbecherHead of innovations

and standards at Sky Deutschland

David WoodChairman of the World Broadcasting Unions Technical Committ ee,

Consultant, Technology and

Innovation at European Broadcasting Union

Simon Gauntlett Technology Director

of the DTG

Richard MillsChief Technical Officer

at ONSIGHT

Andy QuestedHead of Technology for

HD and UHD, BBC

Formidable line-up of speakers will include:

Ben Ewles on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or

[email protected]

Steve Connolly on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or

[email protected]

Richard Carr on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or

[email protected]

PROGRAMME & FIRST SPEAKERS ANNOUNCEDFor details visit www.beyondhdmasters.com

SAVE £100!by booking the

incredible early bird rate

£149plus VAT

By Murray Stassen

PRESONUS HAS announced severalnew distribution agreements for France,Israel, Spain and Russia.

Algam France, founded by GérardGarnier, will handle distribution forFrance. “When PreSonus first contactedus, we were happily surprised andhonoured, as PreSonus is a fast-growingand highly innovative company,”explains Garnier.

The distribution deal for Israel hasbeen awarded to A.B. Electronics. Owner

and CEO Avinoam Yarkoni, remarks:“A.B. Electronics are proud to be able tooffer its current and future customersPreSonus’ vast array of excellent andinnovative professional audio solutions.”

Distribution for Spain and Russia will be handled by Adagio and Okno-Audio, respectively.

Managing director for PreSonusEurope, Michelle Lynch, says: “Each of these companies is a leader in itsmarket, and together, we’ll make anunbeatable team.” �www.presonus.com

PreSonus? Mais, oui!

WORLD

studionews


Garnier – delighted to be distributing PreSonus, we think... (Anyway, we LOVE this. Thank you,Gérard!)

UNITED KINGDOM

HHB HAS announced that its technicalsupport engineers Mike Rigby, Simon Haycock and John Johnson are now accredited by the PT400 Avid Certified Service Representative (ACSR)Pro Tools course. HHB and its Soho,London, subsidiary Scrub are now the

only companies in the UK with three ACSR-accredited engineers, which HHBsays makes them the most qualified team of specialists to provide first-line supportfor Avid Pro Tools and Pro Tools HDcustomers. �www.hhb.co.uk


By Murray Stassen

WISSELOORD STUDIOSin Hilversum, Netherlands, hasrecently unveiled Studio4, a one-room concept studio referred toas the “vintage room.”

The Wisseloord recording facilityis rich in musical history, originallyattracting the likes of Mick Jagger,Elton John and The Scorpionsafter opening its doors in 1978.

Studio4’s unveiling coincideswith the two-year anniversary of the reopening of Wisseloord.The facility came under newownership in 2011 and wassubsequently reopened in 2012 following a majorrefurbishment.

The new studio features aNeve 8016 desk with 1073preamps and a 12-channel 1960sEMI console, which is allegedly

the one that was used to recordthe demos for The Beatles’Abbey Road album.

A Pro Tools rig is set up fordigital recording and 16-trackand 8-track tape machines areavailable for analogue recording.

The mastering department hasalso been expanded with an extramastering suite as well as theaddition of two new masteringengineers, Sander van der Heideand Pier-Durk Hogenterp.

Commercial manager ofWisseloord Frederic Gervais,comments: “The folks atWisseloord would like to expresstheir sincere thanks to the manyartists, musicians, and musicprofessionals who have helpedthem reach this two-yearmilepost. With the rightcombination of team, talent andtechnology, the future looksbright once again for this musical treasure.”�www.wisseloord.nl

Wisseloord unveils ‘vintage’ studioNETHERLANDS

studionews

Wisseloord’s “vintage room” featuring a 1960s EMI console and a Neve 8016

By Murray Stassen

ACOUSTIC CONSULTANCY,White Mark, has designed andinstalled a Dolby Atmosscreening theatre for technologysolutions and servicingcompany, the Eikon Group.

The theatre forms thecentrepiece of Eikon’s 3,000sqftpost-production facility basedon Poland Street in London,and is the first of its kind builtby White Mark in the UK.

Eikon specialises in VFX for foreign localisation,soundtrackreplacement, censorediting, subtitling andDigital CinemaPackage mastering.The company alsocreates foreignversions of featurefilms for major studiosand independentdistributors.

White Mark’s managingdirector, David Bell says: “Youonly have to look at the recentOscar success of Gravity to seehow well 3D Atmos sound cancomplement 3D pictures, andhow much cinema audiencesappreciate this enhancedexperience. Eikon’s screeningfacility may be the first Atmostheatre we have built in the UKbut it certainly won’t be the lastas we are already working ondesigns for six more.” �

www.whitemark.com

White Mark designs Atmos for EikonUNITED KINGDOM

Eikon’s Dolby Atmos screening theatre on Poland Street in London

ELECTRA PARTNERS, theprivate equity firm whichacquired Cornwall-based Allen& Heath (A&H) in a deal worth£43m last summer, has scoopedup broadcast console specialistCalrec Audio for £14m ($23m).

Calrec and A&H will onceagain become sibling brands, as they were under previousowner D&M Holdings,alongside Denon & Marantz(though there was no obvioussharing of technology in that arrangement).

“When we made our initialinvestment in the professionalaudio sector by supporting the buyout of Allen & Heath,Electra provided all of the newfinancing to ensure flexibilitywith respect to furtheracquisitions in the sector,” saidAlex Fortescue, chief investment

partner of Electra Partners in astatement. “The acquisition ofCalrec shows the benefits of thisapproach, and both companiesare well-placed to accelerategrowth as a result.”

“We are delighted to havefunded the acquisition ofCalrec,” said Charles Elkington,investment partner of ElectraPartners. “Part of ourinvestment strategy in theprofessional audio sector is to acquire additional businessesto create a group of market-leading professional audiobrands. We look forward toworking with Roger Henderson

and his team to continue toinvest in developing newproducts for Calrec’s customers.”

Celebrating its 50thanniversary this year, Calrec,which occupies a converted 19thcentury mill in Hebden Bridge,Yorkshire, has developed arange of digital consoles reliedon by the world’s mostsuccessful broadcasters.

“Calrec has experienced rapidgrowth over the past few years.We have a very healthy productportfolio, and we look forwardto working alongside ElectraPartners as we continue to break new technological

boundaries,” said the consolecompany’s managing directorRoger Henderson.

The buyout was announcedjust ahead of Calrec flagging up a rebrand for its Callistoaudio console. A cut-downversion of the Apollo andArtemis desks, Callisto willhenceforth be known as Summa,following a request fromanother pro-audio developerwho had already registered theproduct name. Summa willmake its debut at NAB in Las Vegas later this month (seepreview, over).�www.calrec.com

MORE SPEAKERS and detailsof the agenda for the Next TVSummit London, to be held atthe prestigious Bafta theatre on11 June, have been announced.

The line-up of speakers willinclude Mary Ann Halford, MD of media and entertainmentat FTI Consulting, FremantleMedia CEO Jens Richter, andAshley MacKenzie, founder and CEO of DRM agency Base 79, with Michael Comish,group digital officer at Tesco

and founder and CEO ofstreaming service Blinkbox, askeynote speaker.

As well as offering paneldiscussions and keynotepresentations – sessions willcover multiscreen versus pureOTT, the rising cost of premiumcontent, the popularity ofreality programming for onlineand OTT providers, and muchmore – there will also be severalnetworking opportunitiesthroughout the day during

coffee breaks, lunch and at theevening cocktail party.

The event, organised inassociation with PSNEurope’ssister title TVBEurope, promisesto “explore the opportunitiesposed by developments inmobile broadcasting, secondscreen, OTT, multiscreen, andhow to capture, interact withand monetise an increasinglyeclectic viewership.”

Tickets are available now fromwww.nexttvsummitlondon.com �

For the latest broadcast newswww.psneurope.com/broadcast

broadcastBBC Studios and Post Productionat Elstree Studios will provide fullproduction gallery facilities for thelive finals stage of The Voice. Theproduction team will make full useof BBC S&PP ’s purpose-builtgallery, which is specificallydesigned to support large-scale TVproductions. Meryl McLaren,commercial manager at BBCS&PP, says: “To add The Voice toour stable of high-calibre prime-time entertainment series, such asStrictly, is a real privilege.”www.bbcstudiosandpostproduction.com

Two of London’s leading audio postproduction houses have cometogether to concentrate on sound forboth TV drama and feature films.Hackenbacker Audio PostProduction is now part of the HALOgroup of companies, but willcontinue to operate under its originalname from its main studio centre inBateman Street, Soho. Recentproductions mixed at Hackenbackerinclude The Musketeers, DowntonAbbey and Whitechapel.www.hackenbacker.com

British broadcast hire companyPresteignehas won a contract fromBBC Sport to provide on-locationtechnical resources for its coverage ofFormula One motorsport. Theequipment, which includes thecapabilities for live production anddelivery and fast turnaround editing,packs into three containers forshipping in cargo aircraft. The flyawaykit includes production control facilitiesfor unilateral coverage, switching 15feeds from the host broadcaster withthree wireless cameras covering thepresenters in the pits and paddock.www.presteignecharter.com

RTW, maker of audio meters andmonitoring devices, has namedMagnetic Media as its exclusivedistributor in Poland. Internationalsales manager for RTW, ArjenHofland, says: “In the past twodecades, we’ve watched MagneticMedia grow alongside the Polishmarket for audio equipment, andhave found the company to be an outstanding representative ofour products.” www.magnetic.com.plwww.rtw.de

SOUNDBITES

As Calrec finds new ownership, so theCallisto finds a new name: hello Summa!

FTI Consulting’s Mary Ann Halford

Broadcast consolemaker follows Allen & Heath intoprivate equity firm’sownership, writesDave Robinson


News from Next TV SummitUNITED KINGDOM

Calrec acquired by ElectraUNITED KINGDOM

IN THE days before digital radio,broadcasters had to exploit andmaximise whatever space in thefrequency spectrum was availableto them if they wanted to offernew service and a variety of totheir listeners. BBC Radio 5 Livebegan broadcasting on mediumwave 20 years ago this month as arolling news station with a highproportion of sport, building upa loyal listenership despite beingconfined to the mono, slightlyunstable band.

While it retains its nationalAM presence, Radio 5 Live isnow also broadcast on DAB andhas a digital-only sister station,Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, whichallows more than one sport orevent to be covered in full at thesame time. The station went onair in 1994, taking over the MW slot previously occupied byanother BBC station, Radio 5.The earlier service begantransmissions in August 1990using the medium wave frequencyvacated by music station Radio 2,which moved completely to FM at that time.

The success of Radio 4 NewsFM, which provided rollingcoverage of the Gulf War

during 1991, convinced BBCexecutives that an all news radioservice was viable. Radio 5 Livewent on air on 28 March 1994with a new focus on news andsport from its predecessor’s oldstudios in an extension buildingof Broadcasting House incentral London.

The first purpose-built 5 Livestudio was opened at BBCTelevision Centre (TVC) in westLondon in 1995, the thinkingbeing that the new network wasvery different from Radio 5. Asecond studio was added later;both facilities were equippedwith DHD digital consoles bythe time the BBC decided tomove the station to theMediaCityUK (MCUK) site inSalford, Greater Manchester.

The majority of 5 Live’spresenters and production staffmoved up to the northwest in2011 and into studios and officeson a single floor of Quay House,one of three dedicated BBCbuildings on the central piazza ofMCUK. Speaking soon afterbroadcasts began from the newfacilities, operations managerChris Houghton said a bigchallenge was having the entire

station on one level. “It’s key notto make too many workflowchanges,” he commented.

When 5 Live moved toSalford work was also underwayat Broadcasting House inLondon, where studios for BBCRadio’s other national networks,as well as TV News and theWorld Service, were being built.This parallel development gavethe opportunity to standardiseequipment; Studer became themain on-air desk, working withVCS automation, which alsoprovides editing capability. TheVCS system runs in conjunctionwith the MOS (media objectserver) communicationsprotocol and the BBC’sBroadcast Network ControlSystem (BNCS), which,explained Houghton, allows itto “join up” with systems instudios in London.

The 5 Live floor at QuayHouse contains four mainstudios, preparation suites knownas workshops, a centralproduction control space calledThe Hub, the newsroom andoffices for production staff.Technical facilities were installedby integration contractor IPESystems, which was also involvedin the W1 project at ‘New’ BH.

The two big studios for news, current affairs and sportbroadcasting, S11 and S12, areidentical and “flip-flop” betweenprogrammes. Each control roomhouses a 48-fader Studer OnAir3000 desk, with positions for theprogramme editor, a studiomanager and a studio director.This last role was speciallycreated for 5 Live and is parteditorial, part operational.

In between S11 and S12 is aspace for live performance and

audience shows, which can becontrolled from either controlroom. Studios S13 and S14 aresimilar to S11 and 12 but aresmaller. S13 is used for digital-only service 5 Live Sports Extra,while S14 works on World Servicesports output. The workshopsfeature 12-fader OnAir 3000s andare designed to be used byjournalists for interviews andpreparing reports. One of thesewas recently adapted so thatWorld Service reporter ManiDjazmi, who is blind, could usethe suite without needing anengineer to help him. A softwarecontrolled, speech-based promptsystem with a dedicated soundcard and a special keyboard havebeen added so Djazmi canoperate the desk himself.

Production areas, includingthe central Hub lines and circuitscontrol desk, are linked to thestudios using Delec intercom.Talkback between the controlrooms and studios is based onStuder panels. There are severaloptions for connectivity beyondthe studios, including WisycomRF systems, audio over IP(AoIP) circuits to and fromLondon, Comrex AccREXcodecs in the technical areas and,for location reporting, ComrexBric-Link handheld units and theLuci Live AoIP app for iPhones.

To mark Radio 5 Live’s 20years on air, Jane Garvey, whosevoice was the first to be heard onthe station, will return to co-hostthe Drive show with Peter Allen,who in turn will be trying hishand at presenting some of theother programmes in theschedule. A retrospective, 5 Liveat 20, was broadcast midday on28 March. �www.bbc.co.uk/5live


broadcastreportUNITED KINGDOM

Radio 5 Live was the last of the BBC ‘s analoguenetworks to go on air before the coming of digital.The live news and sport station celebrated its 20thbirthday on 28 March, reports Kevin Hilton

5 Live at 20:

Quay House, home to 5 Live

News and sport inthe 21st Century

THE NAB’S annual showcaseof all that is shiny and new inthe world of broadcasting isupon us once more, and withsome 1,681 exhibitors (at lastcount) and more conferences,speakers, pavilions andworkshops than you can shake a mic at, the 2014 show looks setto be another corker.

Here, in alphabetical order, is asneak peek at some of what saidexhibitors have to offer this year…

2wcom will be introducing anumber of new products andshowcasing its FlexDSR02+ andFlexDSR04+ IRDs for audiocontribution via satellite and IP.“These extremely versatile, multi-faceted solutions are beingdeployed by major broadcastersto build the next generation ofrobust, high-quality cost-effectiveradio infrastructure,” commentsWerner Drews, MD of 2wcom.The company will extend itsaudio-over-IP offering with thenew AIC, a 19-inch unit thatcombines IP encoder anddecoder functions in one chassis,and debut a new solution forSFN FM networks whichprovides synchronisation forimplementing FM SFN networkswith existing analoguetransmission infrastructure.

The Digigram team willfeature a range of products itsays are designed to address therequirements of all applicationsand budgets, highlighting a new Ravenna/AES67-enabledsound card ideal for low-latencysynchronous audio-over-IPdistribution over LAN; the low-cost, ultralow-latencyIQOYA *CALL and IQOYA*CALL/LE audio-over-IPcontribution codecs; the IQOYA *LINK and IQOYA

*LINK/LE stereo audio-over-IPdistribution codecs; the high-density IQOYA *SERV/LINKmultiple-stereo or multichannelaudio-over-IP codec forprofessional IP audiodistribution; and the latest releasein the company’s Aqilim family ofvideo encoders for professionalvideo broadcasting anddistribution over IP networks.

Digital workflow companyEmotion Systems will introduceEmotion Engine, a user-friendlysoftware engine developed todeliver CALM loudnesscompliance within a suite ofaudio solutions designed to meetfile-based media demands withefficiency and accuracy. EmotionEngine can be used as a manual,fully automated or standalonesolution, all integrated within anautomated enterprise system.The Emotion Engine toolsetincludes loudness compliance,channel remapping, duplication,Dolby E and Loudness Range(LRA) monitoring.

Eyeheight will be introducingthe LEGAL-8, a new addition toits range of video and audiolegalisers. Developed fromLEGAL-6, the LEGAL-8incorporates extended audiocapabilities, including eightloudness level control channelsconfigured as four AES stereopairs. The LEGAL-8 provides

automatic realtime control of perceptual loudness and true peak level using multi-channel loudness and true-peakcomputations, coupled withindustry-standard andproprietary correction algorithms.

NETIA will use NAB 2014 toshowcase its Snippet range ofediting tools, available within its Radio-Assist automationsolution, which have beenimproved for iOS devices.Sharing the same look andergonomic principles as theSnippet desktop interface, theiPhone- and iPad-compatibleiSnippet now serves as an all-in-one solution that allows iOSdevice users to edit and indexmedia from their mobile devicesand record and export ready-to-

broadcast assets from the in-studio Radio-Assist database.

NUGEN Audio will feature its complete line of solutions for loudness compliance andannounce the new MultiMonitorsoftware for loudness and truepeak monitoring. Making its first NAB Show appearance,MultiMonitor offers up to 16

individual loudnessand true peak metersin mono, stereo and5.1 formats for up to 96 individual audiochannels. Thecompany’s flagshipLoudness Toolkitfeatures the VisLMvisual loudnessmetering plug-in; ISL,the inter-sample truepeak limiter; and LM-Correct, a standaloneloudness tool.

“The solutions we’re bringingto the NAB Show not onlydemonstrate majorenhancements to our coreproducts, but also showcase newrefinements and developmentsthat further capitalise on our

network approach to signaldistribution and processing,” saysThomas Riedel, CEO of RiedelCommunications. Among theRiedel products on display willbe the Studer A-Link Card forMediorNet – which enablesdirect integration of RiedelMediorNet real-time networkswith Studer consoles and

cores – and the company’s firstWAN-focused solution, whichattendees will see in action forthe first time at NAB.

Sonifex is showcasing theRedbox RB-SD1IP silencedetection unit, an upgradedversion of its popular RB-SD1.The unit is a 1U rack mountdevice used to monitor anunattended stereo studio feedand – in the event of the signalgoing “quiet” after a givenperiod – switch through analternative stereo audio signal.

The RB-SD1IP offers all ofthe functionality of thestandard RB-SD1 with severalextra capabilities: Ethernetconnectivity, providing theability to set up and control theunit via a browser based GUI;network capabilities whichallow the user to finely controlthe silence level and silenceduration; and a new browserGUI, which offers a real timeview of signal levels and alarmstatuses and enables the user to treat the left and rightchannels independently.

Ci, Sony’s media cloudservices for collection andarchiving of content, will beexhibited with a number ofenhancements, including a new“Team Workspace” feature. �www.2wcom.comwww.digigram.comwww.emotion-systems.comwww.eyeheight.comwww.netia.comwww.nugenaudio.comwww.pro.sony.euwww.riedel.netwww.sonifex.co.uk

WORLD

Just some of the tasty gear the NAB Show will be serving for breakfast in Las Vegas this month. Jon Chapple sort the biscuits from the gravy


broadcastreportVVegas, baby, Vegas...

NAB Show 2014

When? 5-10 April

NAB Show2014

2wcom’s FlexDSR02+

The Digigram IQOYA *CALL/LE

Eyeheight’s LEGAL-8 (no, not textspeak, apparently...) Editing video in NETIA Snippet

NUGEN’s ISL limiting the peaks

The Studer A-Link Card forMediorNet by Riedel

The all-new Sonifex RB-SD1IP

THERE ARE some corporateclients that are very muchfocused on a clinically calculatedlook for their brand … if you’reworking for a bank that wants aclean blue background, thetechnical execution just needs to disappear.”

Nico Ubenauf, the youthfulchief operating officer ofGerman-based but globallyminded events companySatis&Fy, is enthusing about his 36 shiny new Nexo STMmodules – and their distinct –and desirable – lack of visual bombast.

The understated, versatileSTM (Scale ThroughModularity) system and itsLEGO-brick approach to livesound has been much discussedsince its debut at 2012’s Prolight+ Sound, but for Ubenauf itscombination of muscular soundwith an endless potential forintegration makes the system awinner. “There are some places,like in touring, where you wantto see as much as you can, butothers where you just wanteverything to disappear.”

Satis&Fy, which currentlyuses d&b and L-Acousticssystems, is a new Nexocustomer, and Ubenauf says hehopes the purchase is “just thestart” for the fledglingpartnership. The company,founded in 1993, is one of thelargest players in Europe forevents equipment andarchitecture, operating out ofGermany, the Netherlands andthe US. It stages around 3,500shows a year, including some ofthe continent’s largest festivalsin the form of Rock am Ring,Rock im Park and Rock’n’Heim,and is also a major player in the corporate events sector,working for customers like Nike on a worldwide basis withits flagship “one-stop solution”:

an “integrated technicalconsulting, planning andimplementation package” forprofessional events.

“The modularity of thesystem is really attractive to usbecause we’re doing bothtouring and corporate shows, sowe need to be extremely flexible

with our systems,” Ubenaufexplains. “Usually, you have tobuy a different system to meetevery need, so we are hoping tonot have to buy a system ofevery size, but be able to do twoor three different challengeswith one system just byarranging it [the way we need].”

Ubenauf hopes to takedelivery of the new STM boxesby the end of April, and isalready planning their granddebut. “We actually have a veryexciting project coming up,” hesays. “We’ve just taken over avery large old industrial hallnear Frankfurt, and we’restarting to do large corporateevents, which poses a lot ofdifferent challenges.

Acoustic problems?“Acoustic, and basicallyeverything – from flying[systems] to fire marshals. It’s a100-year-old industrial buildingwhich is basically falling apart,but the patina of the wholebuilding is so exciting, and wethink the STM system is goingto be a nice solution-providerfor this location.”

We think so, too, Nico.Although you’re on your ownwith the fire marshals… �

www.satis-fy.comwww.nexo-sa.com

Three of UUniversal’s newest signings– Sons and Lovers, Eliza and the Bearand Fred Page – have just completedthe 14-date Satellite Tour with anSSLLive console supplied by HD ProAudio. Production for the tour washandled by Cato Music. “It’s a trulysuperb console,” comments Cato’sFOH engineer Jim King. “It’s veryintuitive and quick to learn, but theoutstanding feature is its audioquality. The sound is incredible andit’s really easy to get a great mix with very little effort.”www.hdproaudio.co.ukwww.solid-state-logic.com

British audiovisual specialist SavilleAudio Visual has continued toexpand the hire inventories ofseveral of its branches with KV2Audio products. The most recentinvestment came from its north-east office, which, following asuccessful year, was in a position toboost its existing KV2 inventory.Having run KV2’s powered EX10sfor the last eight years, the office’steam say they were “looking for thesame high-quality output but froma lighter cabinet” and found theirsolution in the passive ESD10.www.kv2audio.com

Adlib Audio has supplied aSoundcraft Si Expression 2 mixingconsole to Leeds University Union.The union operates three liverooms: the 1,200-capacity mainroom, Stylus, and two subsidiaries, Mine and Pulse, with respectivecapacities of 450 and 350.Technical manager Sam Rydersays: “I considered the options but knew the Si Expression 2 wouldgive us a compact desk with a lot ofoutputs and an intuitive interfacethat anyone can operate.”www.soundtech.co.uk/soundcraft

DPA Microphones has appointedOkno-Audio as its new distributorin Russia. Michael Trolle, DPAEMEA sales manager, says: “TheRussian market is growing rapidlyand carries enormous potential forDPA. To maximise this, we need astrong distribution partner with anestablished presence in the livesound, broadcast and installationmarkets. OKNO-AUDIO fits thisbrief perfectly.”www.dpamicrophones.com

SOUNDBITES

Reinhard Steger, Nexo salesmanager for Germany (left) withSatis&Fy CEO Nico Ubenauf

Satis&Fy is hoping Nexo’s STM will enable it “to not have to buy a system of every size, but be able to do two or three different challenges with one”

For the latest live news www.psneurope.com/live


Global events planner Satis&fy has announced a commercial tie-up with Nexo – but great sound isn’t theonly thing on its ambitious CEO’s mind. Jon Chapple finds out more

live

“There are some places where youwant to see as much as you can, but others where you just wanteverything to disappear” Nico Ubenauf

Satis&Fy-ied by Nexo STMGERMANY

MARTIN AUDIO hasconfirmed that its managingdirector, Anthony Taylor, hasleft the company, effective as of12 March 2014, the first day ofProlight + Sound in Frankfurt.

Taylor has been with MartinAudio for 19 years, duringwhich time he progressed from afinance role to managingdirector (MD) and oversawdramatic growth and branddevelopment. Martin Audiosays Taylor, who took charge in2008, has “decided the time isright to pursue a new path to hiscareer” and thanked him for hissignificant contribution to thecompany’s success.

Mark Graham, CEO ofMartin’s parent companyLOUD Technologies, will act asinterim managing director until a

replacement can be found. Day-to-day running of the businessremains in the hands of SimonBull (sales director), Jason Baird(R&D director), James King(marketing director) and Rob Hofkamp (director of US operations).

“Anthony has taken thebusiness to new heights, and it’snow incumbent upon themanagement team to grow thisfurther,” comments Simon Bull.

Martin Audio recentlyopened new facilities for itsMLA brand, includingproduction and assembly areas,quality control and testing, and additional warehousing, bymoving into the space recentlyvacated by High Wycombeneighbour Sennheiser UK.Designed to cater for MLA,

MLA Compact and the newMLA Mini systems, thecompany says the facility “willprovide a space worthy of thispremier system series” and“further improve [its] overallservice to its customers.”

The loudspeaker brandofficially launched its DD12(Differential Dispersion)technology at PL+S. �www.martinaudio.com

By Murray Stassen

ADLIB AUDIO has launched aspecialist speaker division tomanufacture and market its AA range of loudspeakers. Thespeakers, part of the new AdlibSpeakers brand, are handmadein Liverpool.

Adlib director Mark Robertssays: “The company is

diversifying as the nature of theindustry is changing. We haveenjoyed great success with these products over many yearsand now is a good time to use our experience andknowledge of premium speakerconstruction and application to expand our horizons.”

Adlib’s boutique speakershave been installed in varioushigh profile venues, includingthe Cavern Club in Liverpooland the Bristol, Leeds,

Sheffield, Birmingham andLeicester O2 Academies.

Bob Harrison of QMS Musicis tasked with establishing aninternational dealer networkand proactively marketing theAA product line.

“I am extremely excited to beworking with Adlib on bringingthis amazing product range tothe marketplace,” comments

Harrison, “and I look forwardto a long and very positiveworking relationship to establishthe AA series in its own right asa leading edge option for thosewith an ear for quality.”

There are four productsavailable for re-sale in the AArange – the AA61, the AA81and AA121 – containing 6-, 8-and 12-inch drivers, respectively,complete with a dedicatedAA12HL 12 inch sub. �www.adlibspeakers.co.uk

livenews


Taylor departs Martin AudioWORLD

By Murray Stassen

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING hard rock actMetallica has added 76 units ofMeyer Sound’s lightest self-powered stage monitor, theMJF-210, to its touring roster.

The MJF-210 is a compactversion of the MJF-212A stage

monitor used by the band in itsNorthern California rehearsalstudio. Beta testing of the newproduct took place during theAsian leg of the band’s recent tour,with help from monitor engineerBob Cowan and assistant monitorengineer Adam Correia.

Metallica’s show director Dan Braun says: “Meyer Sound

embraced our demandingperformance specs for a newcompact stage monitor thatwould stand up to the rigours ofMetallica touring and satisfy thecritical ear of James Hetfield.

“The resulting MJF-210exceeds every parameter without compromise. Thesupport we received from thecompany’s engineering staffdemonstrates that everybody at Meyer Sound is indeed a part of the Metallica family,”adds Braun. �www.meyersound.com

Metallica Meyer muscleWORLD

Adlib Audio launchesspeaker division

UNITED KINGDOM

The Adlib Speakers team (L-R): Tom McCarthy, Dave Fletcher, Dave Graham, Ian Greenwood, Chris Toohey

LOUD’s Mark Graham filling in as managing directorleaves for “new career path”. By Jon Chapple

Anthony Taylor in 2013

OVER THE last two years,Ampco Flashlight and itsnetwork of companiesconcentrated their activitiesmainly on the key territory ofBenelux. Then, seemingly out ofnowhere, came the sale of aSynco Longbow by MartinAudio system to Serbia’s AudioKonstruktor (PSNEurope,February 2014). Time, then, tohead to the Netherlands andfind out more.

The group may haveinternationally been a bit morequiet, but it has also been busy – the recent activity fromthe European network of PAcompanies marks the beginningof a new era for a strong AmpcoFlashlight Group; one in which the company is focusedon a new philosophy and vision, supported by both fresh and familiar faces withinthe company.

Like so many in the liveentertainment industry, theAmpco Flashlight Group washit by the economic crisis of2008. Just a few years earlier,Ampco founder Eric de Bruyndeparted, followed shortly afterby CMO Fred Heuves. In orderto move forward, a new businessmodel – and a few new people –were needed, as CEO Dick van

Berkum explains from thegroup’s headquarters in Utrecht:“In the past, we owned or were major shareholders ofcompanies in, for instance,France, Belgium and Germany.The new philosophy is that wewant to co-operate closely withother European companieswithout being shareholders –which, by the way, has been thecase with the Synco Network inthe past as well.”

Today, the new philosophy of co-operation is palpablethroughout the 14,000sqmbuilding, which housesmanagement offices, the rentalswarehouses, sales offices and the

R&D department, maintenanceand the group’s own soundstage– all but its rigging and spotlightdivisions. Doors are bothphysically and metaphoricallyopen throughout the building.

Supporting the new vision forthe company, and filling the gapleft from de Bruyn and Heuves’

departure, is the return ofseveral key staff members to thefold, including former Flashlightmanager Dennis van derHaagen. In his new role, van der Haagen has taken on thechallenge of running both thecommercial and operationalsides of the rental business, aswell as – gasp! – bringingtogether the sound and lightingdepartment to function as oneunit. Mission: impossible? Vande Haagen doesn’t think so.

“Over the past decade, it’sbeen difficult for companies tocombine these two things,” he

says. “With respect to diversity,we are trying to find unity in the way we present ourselves. We are trying to be successfuland we’re getting there. It isquite a challenge, but that’s whatwe like.”

He adds: “In my opinion, in 2013–2014, I think the

commercial and operational sideof things should collaborate andwork together as much as wecan. What I’m trying to do is getboth the commercial people andthe operational people to worktogether, regardless of if it’srigging or lights or sound. If wemanage to work together withinthe company we should be ableto score out in the field againstthe opponents.”

Another familiar face back on board is Peter de Fouw, whoreturned in January this yearafter a 12-year stint as directorof Audio XL. De Fouw is nowmanaging director of AmpcoFlashlight sales – responsible forTM Audio and LightCo. Priorto his departure, de Fouw wasresponsible for sales at AmpcoAudio Products and TM Audio.

“There are two reasons why I came back: Dennis and Dick,”says de Fouw. “When I left, they weren’t there. I realisetoday there are many morepossibilities and facilities toconnect the whole companytogether, and Dennis has alreadystarted doing that.

Those possibilities not onlyinclude the company’s audioand lighting divisions, but alsovideo, rigging, spotlights – SpotRental is the world’s largestsupplier of follow spots – andthe MeTrao noise-measurementsystem developed by itstechnology company EventAcoustics. “If you look at thesales group, you can see twodifferent activities. One isdistribution in the Beneluxmarket; the other is selling theAmpco Flashlight sales group asa whole within and outsidethose markets,” says de Fouw.

By way of example, de Fouwexplains: “We have people [atEvent Acoustics] working hardon noise-measurement systems

on the biggest events, venuesand festivals in continentalEurope, but who are sosuccessful that the city ofRotterdam has already bought100 licences to put in bars tocheck noise levels overnight.This will prove a cross-borderactivity, and it’s a hot topic.

TThe Ampco Flashlightheadquarters outside Utrecht

AFG delivered the full Synco audio-production, lights and rigging production forhuge Dutch star Anouk’s stadium shows at the Gelredome in Arnhem in 2013


livereport

Ampco takes aim at futureEUROPE

Quietly restructuring its business model over the past few years, the Ampco Flashlight Group has itssights set on cross-border collaboration throughout Europe, writes Erica Basnicki

In the past, we owned or were majorshareholders of companies in, for instance,France, Belgium and Germany. The newphilosophy is that we want to co-operateclosely with other European companieswithout being shareholders Dick van Berkum

�

We’re on top of that with thebest possible people. This iswhere I have two hats on – I’m a distributor in a market, and

I’m responsible for a group of sales companies – and weneed to expand this into othercountries. It’s not even a wish;it’s a necessity.”

What then, of the SyncoNetwork? Founded by Heuves,the idea behind the SyncoNetwork was a novelty in thelive entertainment industry atthe time: partners were offered a ‘plug-and-play’ PA package –amplifiers, cables, rigging – with guaranteed compatibilityshould the need arise to sourceextra kit from partners withinthe network.

Today, the idea of a plug-and-play system is widely embracedby several big-name PA

manufacturers. “It shows thatthe concept was a good one,”says Heuves – still a shareholderof the Ampco Flashlight Group,and currently acting as aconsultant to the business – witha smile.

“There’s not much sense inrepeating that kind of conceptbecause it’s already there, so that changes the whole idea ofthe Synco network. It is achallenge to figure out how tomove on from that and give thepartners the support [theAmpco Flashlight Group] gavethem as the locomotive of theSynco Network.”

Enter Marcel Albers, whojoined the Ampco FlashlightGroup as Synco’s commercialdirector in January 2010. “I stepped down from the ideatwo years ago that Synco is onlyabout boxes,” he says.

“Synco should be a state-of-the-art network of PAcompanies that work together.The work can be handled by ourown equipment, but also byother equipment. Moreimportantly, [network

companies] have to try to act asa group and develop their people– educate them, have them worktogether and do their marketingtogether, then you build a state-of-the-art network. That’s thephilosophy behind the idea.”

Currently, Albers is still in the process of renewing thenetwork and the development ofproducts. “Synco was a noveltyin the live entertainmentindustry, and we will keep ondeveloping future Syncoproducts. These new productswill be innovative niche audioproducts for the benefit of theAmpco Flashlight Group andthe network partners.”

Just one of many next stepsahead for both the SyncoNetwork and the AmpcoFlashlight Group, whose teamof directors all share a commongoal (as described by Albers):“We have the philosophy of co-operating closely with otherEuropean companies, workingtogether, expanding the existingnetwork and being a solidcompetitor in other markets.” �

www.ampco-flashlight.com


livereport

IN NOVEMBER 2013, former AtlanticAudio MD Wolfgang Garçon formed anew distribution company, United-B,and immediately added Martin Audio,DiGiCo, MC2 and XTA to its roster –all previously with Atlantic Audio.

Commenting on the future of thedistribution company, whose absencewas notable at this year’s Prolight +Sound in Frankfurt, CEO Dick vanBerkum told PSNEurope: “We decided inNovember [2013] to close Atlantic Audio.Since we still have clients in Germany thatwant to work together with us, we will bestarting business up again in Germany –but from scratch with Peter [de Fouw].He has a lot of experience in internationalbusiness so we are looking at the

possibilities of starting over. That willtake some time, but at the moment weare working on it.”

For his part, de Fouw sees a silverlining in having to scale back thecompany’s German sales operations:“Seeing how the crisis hit the markets,the right decision was made to focus onthe core businesses and to run thebusiness from the Dutch HQ. Now thatthe organisation is back on track, we canstart looking forward,” he says.

“The decision to close down ourGerman operation gave us the timeand the means to re-energise thehealthy parts of our operation. We arenow well-organised and in goodenough shape to look forward again.”

CHANGING TIDE AT ATLANTIC AUDIO

Peter de Fouw: looking forward

Marcel Albers: renewing Synco base

Massively successful DJ Afrojack played a huge show at the Heineken Music Hallin Holland during ‘The Amsterdam Dance Event 2013’. Ampco Flashlight wasonce again responsible for the whole package: audio, lights, rigging and video

�

By Jon Chapple

IN A big few months for theloudspeaker brand, Februaryand March saw West Sussex-based Flare Audio announcetwo high-profile customers.

Shane Filan, best known asthe frontman of now-defunctboy band Westlife, toured the UK and Ireland from 20February and 14 March with anall-new speaker system suppliedby Orbital Sound.

The same system will also becalled into action for The XFactor-winning Little Mix’s debutarena tour, which runs from 16 May to 8 June and also takesin venues across the British Isles.

Filan’s tour is the first to use

Flare Audio’s X5A line array,which is configured with six X5s and four Q18 bass units aside and powered byLab.gruppen PLM20000Q four-channel DSP amplifiers. Orbitalsays the kit “represents anextremely compact system fullycapable of handling the tour’sdiverse venues.”

Industry veteran Steve Levitt,who handled the Filan tour’sproduction duties, described the X5A – which shares DNAwith the award-winning SB18C– as having “a very clever sound with loads of power,”adding: “I wouldn’t hesitate totour it again.”�www.orbitalsound.comwww.flareaudio.com

UNITED KINGDOM

THE SOUND department of westLondon-based Entec Sound &Light deployed a d&b V-Seriesaudio system – comprising eightV8 and two V12 speakers, four V-Subs, two Q7s and two E8s, alldriven by proprietary d&b D12amps – for the 2014 Bhangra

Showdown dance competition atthe Hammersmith Apollo inLondon. The show was mixed atFOH by Kevin Smith using aYamaha PM5D, and “tuned toperfection” by Entec systemstechnician James Kerridge. �www.entec-soundandlight.com

GGet a load of those X5s:Shane Filan on tour


livenews

Tours galore for FlareEUROPE

By Murray Stassen

MANCHESTER-BASEDrental company VME has addedto its roster of Martin Audioproducts with the acquisition of28 MLA, six MLD Downfillsand 12 MLX subs – bringing the company’s inventory up to76 enclosures. The addition ofthis new equipment to thecompany’s roster makes VMEthe second largest MLA rentalcompany in Europe.

VME managing director Dion Davie comments: “TheMLA acquisition represents thebiggest single investment we’veever made.”

VME’s MLA systems arecurrently in use on Sky SportsFight Night arena tours, rigged in six hangs surroundingthe ring. “We are using nearly

every box we have,” says Davie.“There are splits of everything,straight off the broadcast, withperformance music and gramsstings, as well as high level VTinserts … which need to beperfectly in sync. It is a highlytechnical, precision operation.”

Martin Audio director ofsales Simon Bull adds: “VME’s

work profile has given uspresence in some segments that we wouldn’t routinely be associated with. We aregrateful for the faith theycontinue to place in our cutting-edge technology and willcontinue to support them farinto the future.” �www.martin-audio.com


livenews

VME adds more MLAUNITED KINGDOM

WORLD

KORN DRUMMER Ray Luzier andkeyboardist Zac Baird are takingAviom personal mixers with themon their 2014 world tour. Both usethe A-16R Rack-mounted PersonalMixer and A-16CS Control Surface.“With the Aviom, I’m finally gettingsome control,” Luzier says. Baird

adds: “The Aviom has been great.Once I learned how to properly useit, everything made sense. My firstshow with the Aviom was one of mybest in weeks, and I felt that a lot ofthis had to do with the Aviom. I’mso happy we get to use them!” �

www.aviom.com

“In the red corner, weighing in at many tons:

MARTIN AAAUUDIOOOOO!”

ITALIAN CREATIVITY andtechnical ability was to the foreat this year’s Olympic andParalympic games Opening andClosing Ceremonies at Sochi’sFisht Stadium.

An audience of around 40,000watched 2,000 performers in thespecially built arena, followingthe official launch by presidentPutin on the 7 February. Theevent was not without incident,as a much-publicised technicalhitch meant a snowflake ‘device’failed to convert into an Olympicring. The organiser poked fun at itself by purposefullyhighlighting the malfunction inthe Closing Ceremony.

The audio delivery wasreported to be untroubled bycomparison. L’Aquila-basedAgorà, Italy’s largest audio andlighting rental firm, won theinternational tender to supplythe impressive audio systemdesigned by Auditoria’s ScottWillsallen for the fourceremonies. In fact, Italiansfilled creative as well as technical roles in Russia,including Lida Castelli, artisticdirector and director of theParalympics closing ceremony(one of the few women to haveheld this role), Marco Balich,artistic executive producer of

the Olympic closing ceremonyand executive producer of theParalympics ceremonies, andDaniele Finzi Pasca, director ofthe Olympics closing ceremony.

Agorà is no newcomer toOlympic events, having suppliedequipment and technicians for Turin’s 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Agorà CEO Vittorio DeAmicisexplains, “We shipped ninecontainers of equipment to Sochi,

where our 35-member team, ledby project manager Giulio Rovelliand crew chief and technical co-ordinator Angelo Camporese,began work on installation at the end of November, supervisedby Auditoria.”

Just a few figures aresufficient to give an idea of thesheer scale of the Abruzzocompany’s work: 530 L-Acousticsloudspeaker systems (including94 SB28 subwoofers and 230 K2

variable curvature line sourcesystems, literally just off theproduction line); 450 personalmonitor systems; 15 DiGiCodigital audio consoles; a 24-node Optocore dual-redundant signal distributionring, 135 L-Acoustics LA8 amps for the main rig and a 150-cabinet paging system.

As far as the actual soundreinforcement was concerned.eight signal routing nodes were

flown from the stadium roof andeight more in the sub stage underthe ‘field of play’ (FOP), ofwhich two were dedicated to thestages and six to the PA system.

For the Olympics Ceremonies,16 hangs (12 with nine K2 andfour subs each and four withnine K2) were flown from theroof for the top part of thestands and on the Field of Playtwenty stacked clusters (four K2and three subs) covered thelower part of the stands. Twoadditional hangs (with 12 dV-DOSC and four dV-SUB)were used to boost the soniceffect of a huge locomotive thatflew down the length of theFOP in one of the segments.

AA huge icebreaker flies into the Paralympics Opening Ceremony


livereportRUSSIA

Agorà’s audio system impressed everyone atthe Ceremonies of Sochi 2014. Mike Clarkgot the lowdown from the Italian team

The view from beneath the seats during set-up

Veni, vidi, vici

�

530L-Acoustics

loudspeaker systemswere deployed for theopening and closing

ceremonies of the Sochi Olympic andParalympic games

Phot

o: L

uca

Paris

se

There was a major change tothe set-up during the few days’interval between the OlympicsCC and the Paralympics OC, asthe FOP had to be freed to leavespace for the delegations ofathletes on wheelchairs, so theentire stacked set-up wasremoved and added to the flownsystems, increasing roof clustersto twenty. To cover the FOP, 60L-Acoustics 8XT monitors wereinstalled on custom stands.

For the ParalympicsCeremonies, the dV-DOSCclusters for the featured ‘train’were moved to the opposite sideof the stadium, this time forsound effects accompanying theentrance of a huge icebreaker.

Although 35 monitorenclosures were used forvarious areas of the venue, the majority of the performers used IEM system divided intothree categories. The first levelwas for the headline performers(approximately 50 SennheiserEK 2000 with Ultimate Ears900 personal monitors); the

second for aerial artistes and acrobats and those insupporting roles (approximately320 G3 bodypacks with UE 600). These were bothcontrolled by the Agorà team,which included seven IEMtechnicians.

A Riedel MediorNetinfrastructure, supplied andcoordinated by the Germanintercoms giant, facilitatedprogramming, coordination,

and the execution of certainprogramme elements during theceremonies: 90 discrete radiochannels were established for thedeployment of 1,300 radios and1,000 headsets.

Regarding the brand-new L-Acoustics K2 systems,Camporese explained, “Wetested them at Agorà’s premisesand in France, and took alimited number out on events in the field, the last of which

was in Rome with the Pope(!).On this project, they lived up to our expectations and L-Acoustics’ promises, andintegrated perfectly with otherproducts such the K1, which wehad already used extensively. The level of precision and power output make them top-grade systems.

“Installing a really interestingredundant system for such a large event was extremely

instructive from anorganisational and technicalpoint of view.”

DeAmicis concludes: “Theenviable understanding betweenour crew members evensurprised other companies atSochi. Bringing home thisexcellent result, Agoràconfirmed its role as a trulyinternational player.” �

www.agoraaq.itwww.auditoria.com.au


livereport

The entire Sochi Agorà team

Flying the L-Acoustics arrays

�

ACKNOWLEDGING THEITALIANS’ ability to make keycontributions to top-gradeproductions from both acreative and a technical point ofview, as demonstrated by theOlympic and ParalympicCeremonies, PSNEuropeinvestigated how Italy’s pro-audio trade is fairing at homeand abroad. To do this, wesought insight on just howimportant the market is(particularly export-wise) from across-section of manufacturers,distributors and end-users(rental firms and festivalorganisers) who gave their viewson the situation in a period thatis anything but rosy for thecountry, from both an economicand a political point of view.

Although loudspeakermanufacturers’ domestic sales

account for just 5-10% of theirturnover, the majority state thatthese have been hit by a series of negative circumstances: thebuilding industry and propertymarkets are in a sad state, sonew installs are few and farbetween, local authorities’budgets have been cut by thegovernment’s adoption of theEuropean Stability Pact, thusreducing spending on bothinstalls and live events, and thealready meagre monies allocatedby the government‘s FUS(performing arts fund) havebeen reduced even further.

Speaker manufacturersEighteen Sound and B&CSpeakers supply components toItalian enclosure manufacturers,but as B&C’s MD LorenzoCoppini explains, “Almost all of them export the majority oftheir output, so that area of themarket has remained more orless steady.”

Amplifier manufacturerPowersoft’s pro-audio managerLuca Giorgi has no doubts to the reasons for his company’srelationship with the Italianmarket: “We have never beenactive on the domestic market,for a number of reasons – we’rean engineering company and veryproud of the technology we have,but at the outset found it difficultto promote these aspects on theItalian market, which was rather

based on politics and commercialagreements and we were probablynot prepared to have this kind of relationship with the market –we were talking about technicalissue and (potential clients) weresaying things like, ‘Give us someamps free, we’ll test them for you and you’ll get somemarketing benefits …’”

WWHERE IN THEWAREHOUSE?Although big names can fillarenas with tickets at highprices, many others need to set

their ticket prices lower to drawgood crowds, which results insmaller budgets being availablefor producing the shows – and,therefore for rental companies –very important end user for thepro-audio industry.

Fabrizio Grazia, Italian salesmanager with RCF, opines,“Although the main items in their warehouse have areasonable shelf life, rentalcompanies also have to keep upto date with any new technologyarriving on the market, asartists’ technical riders often

include these brand-newproducts. But rental firms oftenalso have to face difficulties foraccess to credit for purchasingnew equipment. However we’veextended our product range tocater for smaller audio rentalfirms and this area of themarket is reacting in spite of theeconomic situation.”

Grazia confirms that anotherarea of the installation marketin considerable crisis consists inprivately owned venues such asclubs and suchlike, “These havebecome very risky clients, as


marketfeature

Leaning the right wayItalians survive the economic crisis and gain

ground abroad, suggests Mike Clark

Italian pro audio: still taking a ‘Pisa’ the action on the world stage

Luca Giorgi, speaking in Frankfurt

CURRENTLY THE hottest tradetopic, Italian manufacturers report ontheir Frankfurt news.

Wisycom presented its MFL RFfibre distribution system which beingsimultaneously used by PresteigneCharter, to integrate BBC coverage ofMelbourne F1 races.

RCF showcased its NXL24 columnspeaker, with a few months’ sales record,following prototype launch last year.

Outline debuted its iP24processor, with which iModetechnology will be available for usewith its passive enclosures.

Montarbo unveiled a digitalconsole based on a joint venture with aUS software house - a “revolutionarywireless console able to control audio,lighting and video for live events”, due

on the market fromSeptember.

The K-arrayproduct attractingmost attention was theKH8 digital steerable,flat-step array touringsystem, currently finishingbeta-testing.

FBT spotlighted its Modus andMuse line arrays and X-Pro series ofenclosures.

Faital featured new compressiondrivers (HF103, 108 and 109)attracting interest for their new phaseplug, diaphragm coupling design anddiaphragm finish. The diaphragms,manufactured in-house, “ensuremore linear response and goodfrequency extension”.

Although known for its compressiondrivers, B&C focussed on additions toits woofer range, such as the 12NDL88and unusual diameters, such as a 14-inch model, while Eighteen Soundspotlighted the new 15NCX 1000coaxial, in production at the end of June.

ITALIANS IN FRANKFURT

Wisycom MFL

�

they open and it’s hard to knowhow long they’ll survive.”

Audio Factory, a smallRoman enclosure manufacturerrun by a dynamic young team,carefully filters “risky” clients, as it concentrates almostexclusively on the Italianmarket, but technical/commercial manager CorradoBelia adds: “We design andbuild enclosures for both rentaland installation applications and recently launched a moreeconomic range of systems for the latter, with an attractivedesign and available in a wide range of colours, and there was considerable interestin them from foreign visitors at Frankfurt.”

Two enclosure manufacturersgoing against the generalItalian sales trend areMontarbo and Outline. The former’s international sales manager Paolo Stefanireports, “We’ve added two newbrands – one manufactured inChina under our technicaldepartment’s supervision.Design and technology areItalian, but cutting

manufacturing costs hasenabled us to hit the entry-levelmarket. We’ve also launched arange of products addressingthe installation market, thanksto which we’ve worked onprestigious projects such asCiampino airport.”

Outline’s Michele Noselli,adds, “In the last 18 months ourItalian sales figures have risenconsiderably, thanks to keyclients such as the Italianbranch of UCI, Europe’s largestcinema operator – who hasinstalled our Movie Seriessystems with our proprietaryiMode technology.”

CCHINESE WHISPERSSpeaker and enclosuremanufacturers unanimouslyindicate China as one of the mostdynamic markets at present.

18 Sound’s sales managerGiacomo Previ confirms that theChinese pro-audio market isgrowing fast and an increasingnumber of Chinese enclosuremanufacturers are using qualityEuropean components, andFaital’s pro audio divisionmanager Flavio Naggi adds, “I wouldn’t say we concentrate onany specific area of the globe, butaddressing the south-east Asianmarket, including China, we areexperiencing very fast growth.”

This is also borne out byNoselli; while K-array ownerAlessandro Tatini contìnues,“On the global market, China iscurrently the most dynamic areafor us – there’s greater spendingpower and European productsare very popular.”

B&C experienced a real boomlast year with sales to China,

which accounted for over 20% ofits turnover, as Coppini explains:“Manufacturers are getting moreand more organised and arewilling to spend more on Italianspeakers to ensure quality. There are certain markets inChina that are only open todomestic manufacturers, such as karaoke TV venues, which area huge market.”

Sales director Alberto Ruozziconfirms that RCF also has somevery good market strongholds in

Asia, particularly in China,Malaysia and Indonesia.

Another area singled out byseveral manufacturers, includingFBT and Eighteen Sound, asfertile terrain for their products isLatin America, where Faitalproducts are used a lot to refitexisting systems, or by rentalcompanies that build customenclosures to clients’ specs. Themajority of RCF end users inChile and Brazil are rentalcompanies and, in spite of itbeing a difficult market, B&Cproducts sell well in Brazil, wherethe firm has opened a branch.

Naggi continues, “The USA is an interesting market for us, as it’s the nation with thelargest number of enclosuremanufacturers in the world.”

Eighteen Sound also reportsparticularly good US sales,

as do Noselli and Ruozzi.Closer to home, Previ says

sales are particularly good inEurope as a whole, Ruozzisingles out Turkey as extremelysuccessful, as well as Germany,the UK and France, whereFaital also has long-standingtrade relationships.

Massimo Polo, general managerwith wireless microphone system manufacturer Wisycom,enthuses, “We’re actually marketleaders in this field, with systemsin Finland, 90% of the Danishmarket, and public tenders wonin France and Spain.”

Another slant on the Italianmarket comes from a pair of key distributors.

Stefano Rocchi owner ofAudio Sales, which distributesbrands such as Martin Audio,Optocore and XTA, confirmsthe crisis has hit the live soundsector in particular, where, apart from the majors, rentalcompanies are buying theminimum indispensable, butadds, “By adding brands such as Audac, we’re now focussingmore on small to mediuminstallation clients, for small

livefeature

�

Arezzo Wave is a major showcase for new talent in Italy

Alberto Ruozzi of RCF: good marketstrongholds in Indonesia and Malaysia

K-array’s Alessandro Tatini::“China is currently the most

dynamic area for us”

“Manufacturers are getting more andmore organised and are willing to spendmore on Italian speakers to ensurequality” Lorenzo Coppini, B&C

�


conference facilities, bars,churches, etc.”

Stefano Cantadori ofAudioLink, Italian DiGiCo andQuested distributor, is slightlymore optimistic, “Although theindustry was hit hard by thecrisis over 2012 and 2013, I mustsay that Q1 2014 has been oneof the best we’ve ever had! We streamlined our workforce,reducing costs, and QSCproducts have picked up sales-wise to pre-crisis figures,for installations and small rental firms.”

GGAME ON!Among the major end users ofpro audio equipment, Agorà isItaly’s largest rental firm (with3,300sqm of warehouse space),and, as well as touring withnumerous top Italian namessimultaneously, also looksfurther afield for interestingwork, such as the Celebrationsfor the 20th anniversary of theTurkmenistan Republic, theinauguration of Donbass Arena(Ukraine), the 75th anniversaryof FC Shakhtar Donetsk and therecent Olympic and ParalympicCeremonies (see previous pages).

CEO Vittorio DeAmicisopines, “The economic situationhasn’t greatly effect on ourwork, but the very short timeframes have definitely worsenedworking conditions on thewhole – you’ve got to optimiserehearsal times, set-up times,

plus tours often stop and start.It’s not an easy situation andclients depend a lot on ourlogistics facilities, as well as ouravailability of both equipmentand experienced crew. However,the great advantage of digitaltechnology is the possibility ofstoring entire show set-ups forany future use that may berequired, which saves a greatdeal of time.”

Another angle on the Italiantouring industry comes fromMister X, a rental firm that alsoequips tours by popular Italianartists, but mainly works onmini-tours by internationalnames. GM Lele Gurrado adds:

“Although we’re on tours withItalian names such as MaxPezzali, Negrita and FrancescoRenga, we work mainly withforeign artists – this summerBlack Sabbath, Aerosmith andIron Maiden. Concert takingshave remained basically thesame, but live events havebecome artists’ main source ofrevenue, so fees have risen andbudgets allocated to contractorsthus been reduced. Another

obvious effect of the crisis isthat payment terms have beengreatly extended, leading to alack of liquidity and thereforereduction in investments, Inspite of this, working regularlywith foreign artists, we’ve mustbe able to supply the latesthardware found on internationaltechnical riders.”

THAT’S AMORESummer festivals are probablyamong the few regular sourcesof income for rental companies,but the pinch has been felt theretoo, even if spending ontechnical production is notapparently at risk, with each

adopting a different strategyUmbria Jazz is a summer

festival in its 40th year inPerugia. Cristiano Romanoconfirms the crisis has hit publicsponsors and to an even greaterextent private ones. “Ratherthan laying off employees, theyreduce advertising. To cut costs,instead of two or three really big names, we’ll have just one,and stage original artistcombinations, like Chick Corea

and Stefano Bollani. Audiocontractors have remainedunchanged, but instead of fourgrand pianos, we rent two orthree and move them around the venues.”

Graziano Uliani founder of Poretta Soul Festival, thisyear at its 27th edition, adds,“We try to host artists that onlyperform here – it’s costly, butdistinguishes us from the others.As private sponsors and publicfinance have been reduced, topgrade performers and come ontrust [alone].”

Mauro Valenti is artisticdirector of the 28th Arezzo WaveLove Festival, a showcase foryoung bands selected throughoutItaly and alternative performersfrom all over the world, “Sincewe’re a non-profit organisationwith a cultural role, we’ve alwaysbeen able to count a lot on publicfinancing, which this year hasbeen reduced. We’ll thereforeconcentrate even more on Italiannames instead of international

headliners, rather than cuttingtechnical production costs.”

‘Necessity is the mother ofinvention’ couldn’t be a more aptphrase to describe the tenacitywith which Italian manufacturersare managing to conquerincreasingly large shares offoreign markets when faced with adomestic market that in part stillsuffers incredibly from xenophilia,but is also strangled by tax, redtape and a serious financial crisis.And service companies andevent organiser manage to giveaudiences a good show for theirmoney, nevertheless. �www.audiofactory.itwww.audiolink.itwww.audiosales.itwww.bcspeakers.comwww.eighteensound.comwww.faitalpro.comwww.k-array.comwww.montarbo.comwww.outlinearray.comwww.powersoft-audio.comwww.rcf.itwww.wisycom.com


livefeature

�

Poretta Soul Festival

“Although the industry washit hard by the crisis over2012 and 2013, Q1 2014 hasbeen one of the best we’ve

ever had!” Stefano Cantadori, AudioLink

A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available now.

For more details, please contact Ian Graham

For tickets & table reservation:contact Sara Mather –

[email protected] +44 (0)20 7354 6001

For sponsorship opportunities:contact Ian Graham –

[email protected] +44 (0)20 7354 6000

We y

www.installawards.com

Buy your EARLY BIRDtickets NOW from

www.installawards.comEach ticket includes pre-dinner drinks reception, entry to the awards, a three-course meal, entry to after-party and more.

By Murray Stassen

TEST AND measurementspecialist Audio Precision attendedProlight + Sound in Frankfurt forthe first time this year, exhibitingkey technologies including the APxConverged Audio Test (CAT) andthe APx Electro-acoustic software

suite. (This software providesacoustic measurements forloudspeaker drivers andenclosures, including quirkily-named ‘Rub and Buzz’ detection.)

Following a successfulshowcase in Germany, APreceived a further boost as it wasrevealed that Music Group brand

Turbosound has purchased Audio Precision test instrumentsfor use in its new R&D andmanufacturing facility inKidderminster, UK. Thecompany’s APx audio analyserswill now be used to test “everysingle Turbosound product, from the earliest concept stage,

to the final production stages”,both in the Midlands and in the £2.4m ($4m) Music GroupR&D centre in Manchester.

AP president David Schmoldtsays: “AP is expanding thedefinition of audio test to coverall aspects of the signal chainusing a single platform fromanalogue through digital andelectro-acoustics, and the workdone at Turbosound exemplifiesthis converged approach.”�www.ap.comwww.turbosound.com

Community has opened a newindoor test facility at its factoryin Chester, Pennsylvania, US.Designed by Charlie Hughes ofExcelsior Audio and operatedby senior measurementtechnician Hadi Sumoro, thenew test facility enablesloudspeaker measurementswith “unprecedented” accuracyand precision. Community’sdirector of technical services,Dave Howden, comments:“[T]his new facility providesphase data and other newinformation for systemsdesigners and will helpCommunity’s engineering teamdesign the next generation ofgreat loudspeakers.”www.communitypro.com

The Midas PRO1 digital mixingconsole is the board of choice forTudor House, a popular hotel,pub and performance venuelocated in Wigan, UK. TudarHouse’s technical manager,Russ ‘The Sound Guy’ Miller,who has worked with LacunaCoil, Pop Will Eat Itself, andCurtis Stigers, says of the PRO1:“I love the immediacy of thesound of the Midas PRO Series,and the PRO1’s compactfootprint fits the limited space inthe sound booth.”www.midasconsoles.com

SOUNDBITES

Turbo makes Audio Precision decision

installationLOUDSPEAKER MAKERAPG has announced theappointment of Scott Fraser ashead of its UK sales operation.

Fraser is an experienced proaudio professional and is joiningthe role with a strong technicalbackground. His experienceincludes a stint as installationmanager for Yamaha’s installedsound division.

The vice-president of globalsales for APG, Bruno Garros,

says: “The traditional distributionmodel puts too many obstaclesbetween us and the customer. Wefelt very strongly that the bestway forward for us was to have adirect link into the UK withsomeone who is actuallyemployed and trained by APG –it means a direct link to thefactory, to R&D and tomarketing with access to all ofthe resources that we provide as a company.”

“APG’s portfolio offers uniquetechnology, sounds fantastic andis backed up a great team ofpeople who are passionate aboutwhat they do,” says Fraser.

“Whether it’s off-the-shelfproducts, RAL colour-matchedor an entirely bespoke product,there’s nothing we can’t cover.”�www.apg.tm.fr

For the latest installation newswww.psneurope.com/installation

UNITED KINGDOM/FRANCE

Scott Fraser, left, with APG’s Xavier Pion in Frankfurt

Fraser heads UK sales for APGFrench manufacturer continues to bolster itsmarketing strategy, writes Murray Stassen


UNITED KINGDOM

By Murray Stassen

KLARTEXT-GRUPPE HASinstalled a new sound system inthe classrooms and auditorium atAalen University in Germany.

The system consists of twoTannoy VX 5.2 loudspeakers ineach room, as well as a compact,two-channel Lab.gruppen LUCIA(Localized Utility CompactIntelligent Amplification) amplifier.

Klartext manager JörgMitschele says: “LUCIA was

chosen for a number of reasons.It’s compact, but doesn’tcompromise in sound quality, and the built-in DSP feature is a wonderful tool to have during set up.

“Since we didn’t need a lot ofpower, the LUCIA 120/2M wasideal as it offers a robust two 60 watts out of a small unit, withits DSP possibilities providingequalisation as well. The smallunit is mounted hidden behind ablind cover so the user cannotreach its controls (and does notneed to).”

The microphones and audiosources are hooked up to thesystem with modular units calledm-connect-s, which allow theconnection of phantom poweredmicrophone inputs and RCA jack connectors for laptops, MP3players or smartphones.

Mitschele adds: “Thecombination of LUCIA amplifiersand Tannoy loudspeakers is greatbut, in my opinion, the kind offoolproof operation demanded bythe customer would not have beenpossible without m-connect-s audioinput and mixing systems. I thinkLUCIA and m-connect-s not onlyget on well together, but make aperfect team for a vast field ofsound reinforcement applications.Just plug it in and turn it up. Itreally is that simple!” �www.klartextgruppe.dewww.labgruppen.comwww.tannoypro.com

By Murray Stassen

EIGHT CROWN DCi 4600N and eight DCi 4300N networkablepower amplifiers were installed in the Himmelstalundshallen, a 4,480-seat indoor arena inNorrköping, Sweden, that hosts concerts and other sporting events.

Sweden-based Harmandistributor Septon Electronicssupplied the equipment.

Sound contractor Micab wasresponsible for the upgrade, underthe direction of installationspecialist Mikael Bergvall.

“In addition to providing clear,intelligible audio we needed toachieve a system that providedequal coverage at every seatingarea,” says Bergvall. The amplifiersare linked together using BSSAudio Soundweb London BLU-101 and BLU-160 deviceswith BLU-Link.

Twenty JBL AM5215loudspeakers were also fitted as part of the upgrade.

Bergvall explains that the CrownDCi Network amplifiers wereselected as they feature bothEthernet and BLU linkconnectivity options, enabling easynetworking over long distances.The DCi Network amplifiers offernetworked monitoring and controlvia Harman HiQnet Audio

Architect system software.“The quality of the sound in the

Himmelstadlundshallen has beencompletely transformed. Everyonein every seat now enjoys clear, fullrange reproduction for gameannouncements, music and audio,”he concludes. “The memory of theprevious sound system is now justa fading echo.” �www.micab.sewww.septon.se


installationnewsGERMANY

SWEDEN

Swedish stadium sides with Crown

The installation represents a major coup for the LUCIA range

Tannoy: Educating in Germany

Aalen auditorium upgrades

SPREAD OVER three halls inthe Vooruit arts centre in Ghent,live music venue Café Charlatan’s25th anniversary bash, attendedby over 2,000 people, requiredsome serious amplification – andOostkamp-based light and soundrental company Soundsystemwas only too happy to take onthe challenge.

“We know one of the ownersvery well, and the café is alreadyusing a Turbosound system for their weekly shows – thepredecessor of what Funktion-One is today,” explains TiaBroodcoorens, co-director ofSoundsystem. “Everybody waskeen on seeing how it would beto amplify live music with

Funktion-One speakers.”Broodcoorens says the brand

struggles with the misconceptionthat its speakers aren’t suitablefor live music amplification.“The problem is that manypeople within the live circuit arenot acquainted with Funktion-One’s specifications andqualities,” she explains.

The organisers of theCharlatan party had booked an“anniversary band” – made up ofPieter-Jan De Smet, Sioen, BertOstijn of Absynthe Minded,Frank Vanderlinden of De Mens,Johannes and Wolfgang of VanJets, and Luc De Vos of Gorki –plus sets by Kenji Minogue, Nid& Sancy and Faux Parade, andBroodcoorens believes the event“[was] a nice showcase topersuade the audience and usersthat F1 is perfect to amplify livemusic – from rock to classical.”

Soundsystem’s inventory forthe evening included eight F1Res5 top cabinets and F121 subs;two Res2SH speakers as fill-inson either side of the main stage;and power from one Funktion-One XO4 and four E45 amps,with one additional MC2 E4-75amps. The stands were served byfour Res5 top speakers and fourF118 subs, and the whole systemcontrolled by a Soundcraft MH448-channel console.

“In the ballroom, which has acapacity of 1,000, we addedextra F1201 delay speakers tothe FOH set, which consisted offour Res5 top speakers and fourF218 low cabinets,” commentsfellow co-director LievenPillaert. The mixing desk was aSoundcraft MH3/32.

“In the [400-capacity] café,with DJs closing the event, weused a configuration of F121subs, Res2 top speakers andFunktion One PSM12 pointsource monitors.”

Both Broodcoorens andPillaert believe the results werepositive: “We were happy to see

that industry insiders wereconvinced that Funktion Onegoes beyond dance and electronicmusic… it’s our target to enhanceF1 in the live concert market,”says Pillaert.

“We needed 20 floor monitorsfor the show,” Broodcoorensexplains. “No rental company innorthern continental Europe hasthem in their inventory, and flyingF1 in from the UK was a bitexpensive, so we decided to useNexo PS15 monitors instead.” Headds that Soundsystem had atechnical crew of 12 on-site, pluseight people for the installation ofthe system.

Piet Vermeiren, one of thefreelance mixing engineers duringthe Charlatan event, praises thesystem. “I grew up with TurboFlashline and Flex Array systems,and I must admit that theFunktion-One delivers the samesound quality for live concerts asit does for DJs,” he comments.“The system is also suited foroutdoor concerts.”

Benjamin Bertozzi, FOHengineer at the ballroom venue, isequally enthusiastic. “I’ve donesome FOH jobs with Funktion-One, like in the Bozar venue inBrussels, but the Charlatan nightwas the first time so many bandsused the configuration,” he says.“The system offers an uniquedynamic, even in a bigger soundspectrum, compared to otherspeakers. At the time,Turbosound offered dynamicsand depth, and F1 haveimproved it.”�www.soundsystem.bewww.funktion-one.com


installationreport

Ghent live music café Charlatan celebrated its 25th birthday on 8 February withFunktion One amplification supplied by Soundsystem, reports Marc Maes

Form follows FunktionBELGIUM

The anniversary band take to the stage

Phot

o: E

lise D

esca

mps

(ww

w.e

lides

c.com

)

The Soundsystem crew with co-directors Lieven Pillaert (back

row, centre) and Tia Broodcoorens(lying on the Infrabass!)

THE THEATRE has alwaysbeen a broad term coveringacting, directing, writing anddifferent styles of comedy,musicals and drama. It hasbecome broader over the last 10or so years with the advent ofadaptations of films as eithermusicals or straight plays andshows based on the backcatalogues of “classic” bands, aswell as revivals of Shakespeareand 20th century plays, and newworks influenced by cinema and television.

The appetite for theatreappears newly whetted too,reflected in the number of newvenues being built – in the Middleand Far East especially – andolder ones undergoingrefurbishment. Jason Osterman,a senior consultant with TheatreProject Consultants says the typeand amount of sound equipmentput into a new venue can dependon several factors: “The usage ofthe building counts so if that isfairly well defined at thebeginning you either specifysomething that fits it or leave it tocompanies to bring in what isneeded. But you have to considerhow much rental stock is

available locally. And the level oftechnical knowledge among thoseusing the systems is critical. Ifthey know Midas or Digidesign(Avid) desks that’s OK but nownetworking such as Dante is anissue and people need a lot ofknowledge for that.”

On the loudspeaker side theline array has become almost asubiquitous in theatre as it is inlive sound touring. Ostermanobserves that this is because theyare a “know quantity”, withWest End theatres are now

particularly home to this rigconfiguration, to the extentwhere “you can barely see theproscenium arch”, as they viewith moving lights for real estate.

During this year’s ISE show,d&b expanded its White range ofinstallation loudspeakers with thexC-Series column, designed togive high vertical directivity. Thishas potential in the theatre sector,which is looking for ways tofurther control the emanation ofsound. Martin Audio is amongother manufacturers also looking

at this. Applications engineerRobin Dibble comments that theaim of such technologies is tocreate “the quiet stage”, whichhas advantages for theatricalproduction, especially with thegrowing number of small headsetmicrophones being used.

DDIFFERENT DISPERSIONSMartin is promoting its newDifferential Dispersion (DD)horn technology as a possiblesolution to this problem. TheDD6 passive two-way cabinet

is already available, while the self-powered DD12, featuringintegral networking and DSP,was introduced at Prolight +Sound in Frankfurt.

“We’re hoping DD is going tobe the next big thing in theatre,”says Dibble. He adds that delaysand achieving greater imageclarity are of increasingimportance, particularly with thegrowing use of surround soundand tracking systems such asTiMax and TTA (see boxes).

Luke Hyde, a project managerwith hire firm Dimension Audio,comments that new cardioidsub-bass arrays, such as thepassive units produced by d&b,are also contributing to theemergence of the quiet stage.“That allows us to counteractlow-end signals going on to thestage,” he says. “That helps whenyou’ve got a performance that isvery live, with a number of radiomics open at the same time.”

Hyde says that in hisexperience spectrum reallocationhas “not particularly” affectedwireless operations in the theatresector. Chris Jordan, head ofsound and theatre at rentalcompany Blitz Communications,is less optimistic: “Even mid-scale touring shows like Fiddleron the Roof [starring formerStarsky and Hutch star PaulMichael Glaser in a show withsound design by Richard Brooker]have approximately 30 radio mics.There is a squeeze on requirementsin general with demand for morewireless systems but there is less and less spectrum available.It’s going to get difficult.”

Jordan reflects that digitaltechnology is now firmlyestablished in theatre sound,

The roar of thegreasepaint...

from the quiet stage

installationfeature


Sound has long been a major part of the theatreexperience but, as Kevin Hilton reports, it is

now much more than the accompaniment for

musicals or noises off in drama

Fangs for the applause:Let the Right One In istransferring to theWest End

�

from mixing consoles – theDiGiCo SD7 is a major part ofBlitz’s stock – to iPads andother tablets for controllingsome parts of the system. Linearrays, or at least line arrayelements, Jordan agrees, are nowin widespread use but arguesthat older technologies are notyet fully out of the picture.“Shows in the West End are stillusing point source systems,” hesays. “We did Merrily We RollAlong with a simple pointsource system and that has beennominated for an Olivier BestSound Design Award [sounddesigner Gareth Owen], sothey’re not dead yet.”

A more pressing issue, Jordanadds, is the amount of noisepollution in productions comingfrom moving lights and othermechanical and electrical stagehardware. “The background levelof noise in some shows is quiteoffensive,” he observes. Audiosources are increasing inauditoria; surround sound isfinding its way into theatre more

regularly as the influence ofcinema makes itself felt on theolder artistic discipline.

FFAR FROM THE MADDEN CROWDSound designer Rory Maddensays the need for surround isjudged on a production byproduction basis. “It can play agreat part in an effect that can becontrolled,” he explains. “Youcan draw the stage out to theaudience and it’s nice to have thecontrol of where you put thesound in the room.”

Madden continues that digitalconsoles and control systems are“evolving day by day and areincredibly powerful”, which is“very exciting” in terms of whatcan be achieved. “Their size,relative to what we make themdo, is astonishing, compared withten years ago. Digital consolesinclude all the processinginternally for most of the needsof reverb, dynamics and EQ.Snapshot scene recall and theability to trigger external

playback systems are all benefitsof going digital.”

On the subject of the quietstage, Madden says in-earmonitoring helps keep the levelsdown, as well as allowing theperformers to “look in to theirart”. Miniature wireless mics andheadsets have also had a majorimpact on how theatre shows aredesigned and produced. DPA has been a leading choice for thisand is now considering takingthat experience and combining it with IEMs to producesomething that can do two jobs in a single package.

Mikkel Nymand, productmanager and tonmeister withDPA, says there is generalannoyance among performers and technicians in having toaccommodate two wireless beltpacks, one for the mic, the otherfor IEM. “We are a microphonemanufacturer, we don’t do wirelesssystems,” he says, “but one of theideas we have is to see if we cancombine some IEM capability withheadsets. But we’re not there yet.”

installationfeature

TO PURISTS, putting the words ofthe Bard through any kind oftechnology borders on heresy but theRoyal Shakespeare Company (RSC) isnow using a system that allows thesound of an actor’s voice to match hisor her position onstage. TheCourtyard Theatre at the RSC’s mainbase in Stratford (above) was built asa temporary venue while the mainRoyal Shakespeare auditorium andSwan Theatre underwent extensive“remodelling”. They re-opened in2010 and the Courtyard hascontinued as an overflow venue duringfestival time. Last year a 48x48 OutBoard TiMax2 Sound Hub matrix,with MADI capability, was installedthere to fulfil a number of

requirements: moving MADI signalsinto and out of the theatre’s DiGiCoSD9 front of house desk; providingdistribution to its “three-dimensionaldelay system”; and acting as a delay-matrix processor for voice localisationand band imaging. This lastrequirement was the original conceptbehind TiMax (standing for time andmatrix), which developed out of OutBoard director Robin Whittaker’swork with surround sound and delaysin the early 1990s. The Courtyardsystem was expanded last month withthe addition of a further 16-channelsof audio (now giving 64) and newMADI capability to also bring that upto 64-channels.www.outboard.co.uk

OUT BOARD TIMAX

Chris Jordan

�

�


FFORM AND FUNCTIONThe combining of functions andfeatures is something that hasalready happened in other partsof theatrical audio. The FOHconsole is now a networking andmatrixing hub, with integratedeffects and processing, as muchas a means of mixing the show.The advent of digital mixing intheatres has additionally madescene management achievable.This is now available on the Allen& Heath GLD series throughversion 1.4 software. Productmanager Nicola Beretta saysusers had been asking for featuressuch as cross fading between onescene and another, with theability to send messages to othersystems, such as on-stage lights.

The MIDI capability of theGLD, and other digital desks, isof particular use in connectingto external devices such asdigital audio workstations forplaying in cues. Beretta saysnetworked MIDI over Cat-5cables is far more convenientthan 5-pin DIN and allows for

larger networks to be built,especially through the use ofDante, which is now availableon the GLD as a plug-in card.

Sound designer Gareth Fryfavours Yamaha consolesbecause of their MIDI handling.He says QLab has become “thestandard” in the UK forcomputerised playback, while ingeneral loudspeaker systemshave become more complex. Fryspecifies mainly Meyer or d&b,unless there is a rig already inthe theatre. He is currentlyworking on two forthcomingproductions: the West Endtransfer of the stage version ofLet the Right One In, which Frydescribes as a play with music;

and a revival by the NationalTheatre of A Small FamilyBusiness, written by playwrightand director Alan Ayckbourn.

Let the Right One In willfeature a combined d&b and EM Acoustics rig. While thisversion has gone back to thesource ‘young vampire love’novel rather than the just thefilm, Fry says in general it isdifficult not to be influenced bycinema and TV in all aspects ofmodern theatre production,including sound design.

“At one time you’d havesomething like a Noel Cowardplay where all the action wouldtake place in a drawing room and the characters would enteror leave as the drama went on,”he comments.

“In the last 10-20 years playshave been written with very shortscenes that take place in differentlocations. It’s difficult to changesets quickly enough in thosecircumstances so sound andlighting have to set the scenemore than they used to.”�

installationfeature


The Teatre Lliure is a state-fundedtheatre in Barcelona, noted forpresenting works in Catalan.Opened in 1976 by a group ofprofessionals from the city'sindependent theatre scene, itunderwent a technical upgrade toinstall a TTA (Total Theatre Audio)Stagetracker FX performer trackingand audio localisation system, withfinal testing taking place in Januarythis year. The hardware behindStagetracker – consisting of anaudio matrix and a ‘RadioEye’ thatreceives signals from wireless

‘TurboTags’ worn by theperformers - was developedapproximately six years ago but thefirst version of the V4 Tracking Engine software only appeared in 2012. In recentyears Stagetracker was installed at Malmö Opera and been used at last year’s Zurich Tattoo, withnew installations in China and at the state-owned theatre in Latvia.Version 2 software isunderdevelopment but no date hasbeen given for release.www.tta-sound.com

TTA STAGETRACKER FX

�

Merrily they roll along ...

IBC2014 Discover MoreIBC stands at the forefront of innovation, drawing more than 52,000+ creative, technical and business professionals from over 170 countries. It couples a comprehensive exhibition covering all facets of today’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewed conference that helps to shape the way the industry will develop.

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RAI AmsterdamConference 11-15 September | Exhibition 12-16 September

Thursday 25th September, Ministry of Sound

AWARDSPROSOUNDAWARDSDThursday, 25th September 2014Ministry Of Sound, London

Celebrating

> 17 Awards including NEW additions for 2014LIVE: Best Theatre Sound and STUDIO: Best Sound (Post-Production)

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pro audio

Sony provided a little entertainment for booth visitors:the band used the latest DWX wireless gear, of course

Cheer up, Claude! M.Cellier really shouldfollow his own advice,as Merging launchesthe HAPI networkaudio interface

A/Alex Audio of the Ukraine claimed to have the world’s biggest speaker at the show. Fortunately, the potential outputpower wasn’t put to the test during exhibition hours. Here’s our man Rian Zoll-Khan, doing his bit for scale

“We’re getting the band backtogether...” (L-R) Godbehear,

Hughes and Ferriday arereunited once more , thanks to

kindly Cadac

Genelec’s Jarmo Masko has the right idea,scooting between the halls

Tine Hemle opts for mini branded cakeds (Optocoreleft, BroaMan right) instead of sunglasses


hither&dither

Hither and MesseA selection of snaps from the hallowed halls of Prolight + Sound

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industrytalk

From Michael Jackson and MickJagger to Duke Ellington andDavid Hasselhoff (no, really!),Minneapolis-born Bruce Swedienhas been at the controls fornumerous landmark recordings ofthe pop era. But rather than beoverly informed by technologicalchange, he says that “the musicitself has defined everything I’vedone – it all comes back to themusic”. As he launches animpressive new book, The BruceSwedien Recording Method,and prepares to celebrate his80th birthday on 19 April,Swedien spoke to PSNEuropeabout the thrill of recordingThriller, his love of greatsingers… and why (to put itmildly) he is no great fan ofmodern music.

What was your main objective forthe book?As opposed to producing arecording guide, I wanted to offera kind of explanation of the wayI do things. I get annoyed whenpeople call me an engineer; I am really a music recordingproducer/engineer. I have alwaysbeen a music-led person, ratherthan a technology-led one, and I expand upon that philosophy inthe book.

What were your first recordingexperiences, and how quickly didyou know that this was what youwanted to do?I first went into a studio when Iwas about 18 or 19, and I knewinstantly that I wanted to do it forever. My first recording

sessions took place at aconverted movie theatre inMinneapolis which had terrificacoustics. I really got mytraining there recording all theseamazing polka acts likeWhoopee John Wilfahrt –incredible musicians! A littlewhile later [in 1957] I moved toChicago to work for RCAVictor and Universal Studios,and that period was reallyimportant in defining mytechnique. I think a lot of otherpeople who were trying toachieve [similar results] weretechnically driven, but what I do is musical, not technical. Of course I had to have thetechnique down, but it’s musicthat I am really after… andthat’s never changed.

During the rest of the ’50s and’60s, you went on to work withsome of the most iconic artists ofall time. Any standout memories?There are so many! Workingwith Duke Ellington wasextraordinary – he was sounique in his approach to music.Oscar Peterson was a fantasticpianist and a wonderful man.Then there are the vocalists: Nat King Cole, DinahWashington, Sarah Vaughan…Wow, Sarah Vaughan couldsing! She frequently didcomplete vocals in one originaltake. Unbelievable ability.

It was during this period that youfirst came into contact with yourgreat collaborator, producer andarranger Quincy Jones…I first met Quincy in Chicago in1958. He is probably the mosthonourable and unique guy Ihave ever met in that he lived inParis for quite a while, where hestudied theory and compositionwith Nadia Boulanger [who hadtaken classes with Maurice Ravel]and Olivier Messiaen. Couplethat with his later film scoringprojects and then productionwork and it’s clear that he hassuch a unique pedigree.

Although you’ve worked withQuincy many times, it’s surelyyour partnership on MichaelJackson’s 1982 album Thriller –still the best-selling LP of alltime – that looms largest in thepublic consciousness…It was a tremendous experiencewith a tremendous team –Michael, Quincy, [songwriter]Rod Temperton. We recorded iton a Harrison 32 Series consoleat Westlake Recording Studios inWest Hollywood, which helpedto give it that fantastic sound.

There are so many greatmemories from those sessions. I remember the monitors atWestlake suddenly caught onfire. We liked to think that themusic was so hot we set thespeakers on fire, althoughobviously that wasn’t the case!Then I will always recall thesessions with Michael and PaulMcCartney for [Thriller duet]The Girl Is Mine. They got on sowell… it was an absolute circus.

So much has been written aboutMichael before and after hisdeath… but what was he actuallylike in the studio?One of the things that [getsoverlooked] is that Michael wasa fantastic guy to be around. He was so painstaking with hisvocals. He would never sing

anything with the paper in frontof him; he would frequently stay up all night memorisingsomething so he could sing thevocal from memory. Then wewould spend hours comping thebest performances – listeningthrough the takes, going half-verse by half-verse to pickout the absolute best bits andthen piece them together. Hisdedication was remarkable.

Equipment-wise, what were the mainstays of your work with Michael?I mainly used Shure SM7s onMichael’s vocals, although Irecall bringing in a Neumann U47 for a later recording, EarthSong. Neve mic pre/EQs wereanother fixture… I’ve alwaysloved the Neve gear and still havequite a bit of it in my homestudio. I also have a gorgeousStuder machine that I use tooriginate all my recordings, and Ireally believe in Pro Tools as well.

Really? That may come as asurprise given your well-knownlove of analogue…Pro Tools is incredible, but youdo have to get the analogue passfirst. Once a recording has theanalogue sound quality in thesound field, it stays there – itdoes not change.

Conventional wisdom suggeststhat the evolution of recordingsince the 1960s has been agradual opening up ofpossibilities…I would say that it has actuallybeen the opposite. I don’t reallylike what I hear now in terms ofnew music. It’s not original andit all seems rather small-scale.There aren’t any new records Ilike sonically, and for me thequality of the sound is a big partof the appeal of a record.

Given those reservations, whatwould be your advice to up-and-coming producers and engineers?It is my belief that you can’t reallyteach someone how to recordmusic well: it’s instinctive and youhave to be born with it. But myadvice to new engineers would beto do what I did as a youngsterand go hear live music in greatacoustical environments. I went tosee the Minneapolis Symphony allthe time when I was young, and Istill haven’t got that phenomenalsound out of my hair. �

The Bruce Swedien RecordingMethod is available now fromHal Leonard Corporation(www.halleonardbooks.com)

“A lot of other people who were trying to achieve[similar results] were technically driven, but

what I do is musical, not technical “ Bruce Swedien

andStudio thrills

spillsCount Basie, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan… and then there’s the smallmatter of recording the most successful LP of all time, Michael Jackson’sThriller. Producer/engineer Bruce Swedien – he recently turned 80 – reflectson selected highlights of his many, many hours in the studio. By David Davies

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