Although 2020 was a dark year for many, there have been glimmers of light along the way; software provider Stardraw.com has been pleased to record two significant milestones during the 20th anniversary year of its incorporation: firstly, in 2020, for the first time in the company’s history, more than 250,000 user sessions for Stardraw Design 7 were logged. Secondly, as a result of new processes and practices introduced in 2019 to streamline the Product Request Service, the queue of approved Product Requests was reduced to zero for the first time ever. “While we may not have felt like celebrating our…
Author: James Robertson
Jonathan Wyner has started his term as President of the Audio Engineering Society beginning January 1, 2021. “Jonathan has proven his leadership and vision during his year on the AES Board of Directors as President-Elect,” commented outgoing AES President Agnieszka Roginska. “The AES is in excellent hands for the coming year.” President Wyner’s experience includes 30-plus years as both an active AES member and as an audio technologist. Wyner’s professional industry involvement currently includes his roles as Chief Engineer at M Works Mastering, Education Director for iZotope in Cambridge, MA, and Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Wyner’s…
Lectrosonics introduces two new transmitters as the latest generation in the award-winning Digital Hybrid Wireless SM Series product line: the SMWB/E07-941 (single AA battery) and SMDWB/E07-941 (dual AA battery), covering the Part-74 license-only frequency range from 941.525 to 959.825 MHz. The two new transmitters have the same dimensions and features as the earlier UHF SMWB and SMDWB units, including the ability to either act as a transmitter or as a body-worn recorder. RF power for these models is selectable at 100, 50, or 25 mW. They feature the standard TA5 connector with servo-bias mic input, as used on all previous…
Obsidian Control Systems has announced a new 4-part webinar series for its popular ONYX Control Platform. Starting January 26th, the webinar series will be presented in an easy-to-follow online format, allowing anyone with our without ONYX experience to get a comprehensive understanding of the powerful software. The ONYX PC solution is identical to the software provided on all ONYX consoles like the NX4 and NX2, providing everyone a true hands-on experience from the comfort of their home. A matching Capture Presentation file provides immediate real-time feedback of a virtual stage, allowing all users to experience the newly introduced support of…
KV2 has introduced the new CS Series loudspeaker range, specially designed to deliver ultra-high vocal intelligibility and music reproduction in a compact form factor. A variety of flexible mounting options and easy connectivity make the CS range a candidate for the corporate and rental markets. The range consists of three two-way passive loudspeakers; the compact CS6, the medium sized CS8 and the larger CS12. Voiced for speech and utilising KV2’s analogue delay line first developed in the revolutionary ESD series, these discrete solutions are able to cover surprisingly large areas with relatively few boxes, providing excellent results in even the…
A recording studio veteran and ardent user of Sennheiser and Neumann microphones, Ola Onabulé has been streaming regular live music performances from his home studio close to London for the past few months. With a career in music recording of over two decades, and having performed at some of world’s most prestigious jazz festivals and concert halls, Onabulé’s name is synonymous with jazz excellence and his deep passion for music technology. When the pandemic started, Onabulé’s first reaction was consternation. “I’d evolved a culture of doing gigs internationally over many years. Most of my shows involved getting on a plane…
Even more top musicians have signed up to perform at the exclusive two-day virtual festival called Music Feeds, which has been organised by ethical retailer Co-op and Everybody Belongs Here, the promoter working to do good in the entertainment industry. Liam Gallagher, DMC, Beverley Knight, James and Amy Macdonald will join more than 40 international artists including Sam Smith, Blossoms, Newton Faulkner and Flogging Molly to raise vital funds to fight food poverty as well as help struggling music acts and entertainment industry workers. Music Feeds will run over two nights on 28 and 29 January 2021, with all net…
Creative business development agency Collaborative Creations has welcomed experienced industry sales and business leader David March as Associate Director. He brings over three decades of experience across manufacturers, rental production houses and big name brands in the world of technical entertainment to the Collaborative Creations team, along with a wealth of industry contacts and knowledge. Collaborative Creations offers a range of plug-in services to events companies, which include business development and sales support, social media planning, website content, case studies, coaching and more. As the pandemic forced many businesses to look at cutting costs, Collaborative Creations provided a cost-effective alternative…
Observatory has expanded its senior team with the addition of Kelly Faller as Director of Marketing. Faller, originally from New York, NY USA, will leverage her extensive events experience and fan engagement expertise to expand the global footprint of the business. “Kelly brings a unique skill set that will strengthen and drive expansion for the business,” said Observatory founder and Creative Director, Ben Sheppee. “We have been looking to develop our portfolio in Fashion and Lifestyle, where she has extensive experience. Our existing clients can look forward to an industry expert bringing her knowledge and understanding to the vision of…
Released on New Year’s Eve, Jean Michel Jarre’s Virtual Reality show, Welcome To The Other Side is a mind-expanding experience that garnered 900,000 views on YouTube within a week of its release and, according to Sony Music International, over 75 million views on all outlets (Facebook, VRC, Weibo, Tik Tok). Defying all expectations, his creation swirls high-tech sights and sounds around a reimagined (and virtual) nine-centuries-old Notre Dame cathedral. During its 55-minute run time, conceived to celebrate the arrival of 2021 in the French capital, animated geometric forms rise and fall within the historic church’s nave, keyboard instruments melt with…
Despite its continued use and relevance at the highest echelons of live and installed sound, Powersoft has sought to push the boundaries of M-Force linear transducer even further with the introduction of the new and improved M-Force 301P02 and its associated reference designs, which have been created to ensure that everyone from AV professionals to amateur speaker builders will be able to benefit from the company’s powerful technology. “Although the original M-Force has had a great life cycle, we knew that the time was right for our patented infra-bass technology to take another leap forward,” said Powersoft Sales Manager for…
Although fans of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) didn’t have the chance to see the band’s annual holiday spectacular in an arena near them in 2020, they gleefully flocked to an electrifying, 90-minute live-streamed PPV event, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, on December 18. The band’s long-time Lighting and Production Designer, Bryan Hartley, was challenged to replicate the same big-show qualities – fabulous lighting, pyrotechnics, lasers – that fans have come to expect on a much different scale in 2020. Using the grandMA3 light console running new MA3 software helped him create a show that scored big on production values while…
ASI Audio x Sensaphonics has announced the imminent release of the upgraded version of its flagship 3DME Music Enhancement system. The new version will incorporate Bluetooth connectivity for the included ASI Audio App, enabling set-up and control via any current iOS or Android device. The core 3DME system remains unchanged, using patented Active Ambient™ technology to give the user natural room sound from their monitor mix, their bandmates, and the audience. The 3DME Music Enhancement IEM System consists of a bodypack mixer/controller and Active Ambient earphones. This new Bluetooth version allows users to pair any common portable device with the…
Over 500 CLF fixtures were part of the very first Electric Fireworks NYE show in the Amsterdam ArenA. Selected because of their power and punch, Poseidon and Aorun beams took care of the aerial effects. LEDbar PRO and Ares fixtures were added to create blinding firework effects. 4Light Showprojects and Dutch7 were in charge of the technical production. Lighting was designed and programmed by LD Company. During load-in, the roof of the ArenA had to be open all the time. Therefore, fixtures with an IP65 rating were preferred. Ronnie Santegoeds (4Light Showprojects) explains: “Initially we planned an outdoor event. That’s…
Over 150 theatrical venues, concert halls, music clubs and sport arenas across the whole of Israel – in cities and communities large and small – were lit up in red on 26th December 2020 in a ‘Red Alert evening of action’ designed to highlight culture and the arts and the immense amount of enjoyment, entertainment and value that it brings to all. The spontaneous event – that began like so many of these organic movements as an animated conversation – was organised by multidisciplinary artist, musician and lighting designer Nadav Barnea, together with lighting designer Baruch Shpigelman, and it energised…
Martin Audio has announced a Special Event to take place on February 16th, 2021, getting its 50th Anniversary year off to an energetic start. The virtual presentation will provide important updates, including the announcement of major new product and software releases. Their rationale for a virtual event is that with much of the global tradeshow calendar still in doubt, there are very few opportunities in the near future for in-person collaboration to highlight significant additions to the international pro audio industry’s arsenal. Dom Harter, Managing Director at Martin Audio, believes the event will demonstrate the resilience of the company. “This…
INNSiDE Manchester, part of Meliá Hotels International, has partnered with one of the UK’s leading technical event production and AV hire companies, Sterling Event Group to launch Manchester’s first virtual event production studio in a hotel. Installed and ready to be booked as and when Government guidelines permit, ‘INNSiDE LiVE’, at INNSiDE Manchester, is a virtual event solution that features a state-of-the-art studio setting, offering a live streaming experience, designed to facilitate a virtual or hybrid event. A first for a Manchester city-centre hotel, the Sterling Event Group has taken over part of the self-contained event space to provide a…
When your company is handling all the technical and managerial aspects of three back-to-back outdoor concerts for Rolling Stone in New York City in November, the weather is very much on your mind. So it was “a huge stress reliever” for Or Israel, President of ATD Audio Visual in Bronx, New York, to utilize ClimaCell, a web-based weather intelligence platform that shows users how weather will impact their business so they can optimize operational plans in advance. Used by aviation, agriculture, the automotive industry, railroads, port operations, sports and more, ClimaCell has a strong following across myriad markets. Now, the…
