HARMAN’s Lexicon Studio-Quality Reverb Is Now More Accessible Than Ever With the Introduction of the MPX Native Reverb Plug-In

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – HARMAN’s Lexicon today announced the introduction of its MPX Native Reverb Plug-In, bringing industry-standard Lexicon digital reverb to a wider range of users than ever before at a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $199.95. The MPX Native Reverb Plug-In offers seven different acclaimed Lexicon reverb types and more than 100 finely crafted studio presets, all accessible via an easy to use single-screen interface.

“For over 40 years Lexicon has been considered the ultimate in digital reverb, and the introduction of the MPX Native Reverb Plug-In brings home recording and project studio owners the distinctive, richly detailed sound quality that only Lexicon can provide. The new MPX plug-in will take any studio to the next level,” said Rob Urry, V.P HARMAN Professional Division & G.M. of Signal Processing and Amplifier Business Units.

The Lexicon MPX Native Reverb Plug-In offers seven classic Lexicon reverb types including Small Plate, Large Plate, Small Hall, Large Hall, Small Chamber, Large Chamber and Room. More than 100 studio presets are conveniently provided in useful categories including exclusive artist presets from world renowned studio engineer and music producer Ken “Duro” Ifil.

The PC- and Macintosh®-compatible MPX Native Reverb Plug-In is designed to work with popular DAWs like Pro Tools®, Logic® and Nuendo®, as well as with any other VST®, Audio Unit™ or RTAS®-compatible host.

Its streamlined user interface provides ready access to key parameters with an intuitive layout of virtual knobs, buttons and menus. A color display provides real-time visualization of the frequency spectrum and a wide range of parameter adjustments are available. The MPX Native Reverb Plug-In makes it easy to fine-tune and personalize presets, which can then be saved in a DAW-independent format and loaded into a different DAW. A Compare button allows instant comparison of presets and user-modified sounds.

Each reverb type can be run in mono, stereo or mono in/stereo out, and on-screen input and output meters are provided for precise level setting.

The Lexicon MPX Native Reverb Plug-In is Native only, and requires iLok2 authorization. It will be available in November 2011 at a MAP of $199.95.

Lexicon MPX Native Reverb Plug-In Computer System Requirements:

Macintosh Hardware
• Mac Power PC G5 1.8GHz or any Intel
• 1GB RAM
• 500MB of available disc space
• Screen resolution of 1280x800 or greater
• Apple® combo drive or SuperDrive®

Macintosh Software
• OS X version 10.5 or newer for Intel
• Any platform supporting Audio Units
• Any platform supporting VST 2.4 or later
• Any Pro Tools version from 8 or later

Windows® Hardware
• A PC with a 1.6GHz Intel or AMD processor
• 1GB RAM
• 200MB of available disk space
• Screen resolution of 1280x800 or greater
• CD-ROM or DVD drive

Windows Software
• Windows XP, Windows Vista® and 7
• Any platform supporting VST 2.4 or later
• Any Pro Tools version from 8 or later

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,500 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.0 billion for twelve months ending September 30, 2011.

Pick Of The Hits - DigiTech's Whammy DT in Premier Guitar, November 2011

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HARMAN’s Studer Appoints Michael Franklin as U.S. Senior Sales Manager

NORTHRIDGE, California— HARMAN’s Studer has appointed Michael Franklin to the position of Senior Sales Manager in the United States. Franklin’s primary responsibility will be to help drive sales of Studer digital consoles in the broadcast market throughout the country.

Franklin brings a strong background in business development and sales in the industry, having worked most recently with Solid State Logic, in addition to more than 13 years with Euphonix. His experience includes the development of sustainable relationships with prominent end clients, increasing sales revenue and successfully growing the presence of his companies into new markets.

“As Studer continues to expand its foothold in the United States, the addition of Michael Franklin to our sales team will help us achieve even greater success in the U.S. market,” said Rob Lewis, U.S. Sales Director for Studer.

“Studer’s digital consoles are known throughout the industry for their intuitive operation, reliability and, most importantly, world-class sound quality,” Franklin commented. “With this in mind, the opportunities for growth in the United States are massive and I am looking forward to helping Studer consoles find their way into the country’s most prestigious applications!”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN Professional Deploys Growth Strategy For Russia/CIS: Opens New Moscow Office And Brings High-Performance Audio Seminars to Moscow and Kiev

Moscow and Kiev — Reaffirming its commitment to provide customers in Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region with the best-performing, most innovative professional-grade audio systems and supporting its distributors and channel partners with comprehensive training, support and application engineering, HARMAN Professional today announced the opening of a Moscow office and the completion of highly successful seminars in Russia and Ukraine. Reaching nearly 400 professionals in the regions surrounding Moscow and Kiev, the events were pre-booked to capacity and featured new-product announcements, application examples and hands-on system level instruction.

The October events were the first in a series of targeted, regional, international roadshows organized by Harman Professional’s new Director of Knowledge Resources, David Scheirman, and were a common effort undertaken by Harman’s new Moscow-based team headed by Evgeny Konov – HARMAN Country Manager Russia and CIS, the Harman Professional EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Sales Region technical team, and the company’s associated distributors, A&T Trade (Russia) and Komora (Ukraine). Commenting on the successful events, Scheirman noted, “Our channel partners around the globe are sophisticated business and technology leaders that very quickly grasp the potential of new technologies and concepts. In staging these seminars in Russia and Ukraine, we had the opportunity to really get into the details and explain both the technical attributes and field applications of our systems. We also received valuable feedback from the regional attendees. We’re grateful to our partners for helping organize the events and especially to our audiences who made them such interactive, informative experiences.

In discussing the new HARMAN office in Moscow, Evgeny Konov - country manager Russia/CIS, articulated the professional division’s plan to strengthen relations with its distributors in Russia and Ukraine by assisting in the development of vertical markets and providing marketing support and educational programs: “HARMAN is a global industry leader in sound and communication technologies and we’re determined to prove that we are also great listeners by getting increasingly close to our customers. We already have great products, great people, great channel partners and great momentum. Now with an office and dedicated staff here in Moscow, I expect that Russia and other members of the CIS will be a strong growth market for the future.”

Echoing this sentiment, Michael MacDonald, HARMAN Professional Executive Vice President Of Marketing and Sales, noted “Russia and the entire CIS region is a growth market and because our systems are proven productivity tools in both channel and vertical markets — our message has a strong resonance there. As audiences everywhere seek better quality, highly integrated audio and video solutions for entertainment, communication and public safety, HARMAN systems are increasingly being selected to provide better sound, integration and overall lower cost of ownership. We look forward to working with the Russia and CIS audio and integration communities and joining with our partners to sustain growth in this market.”

Photo Caption: Evgeny Konov, HARMAN Country Manager Russia/CIS, addressed an audience of professional system integrators and operators at HARMAN Professional's recent High-Performance Audio seminars in Moscow and Kiev.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN’s AKG IVM 4500 In Ear Monitor Offers Audio Quality Without Compromise

NEW YORK, New York – Building the company’s global reputation for leading wireless sound monitoring systems, HARMAN’s AKG introduces the IVM 4500 IEM in-ear monitoring package at AES 2011, providing higher level audio quality without compromising reference capability. Ideal for tour and installed sound, IVM 4500 caters to all needs of engineers with leading edge reference audio technology.

IVM 4500 IEM offers a highly diversified system, which includes high-end radio electronic signals and a manual radio signal attenuator for more RF dynamic; enhanced frequency setup to show the number of free channels and supported TV channels and quick frequency change functions to support monitors, all within a rugged housing and offerings of new bands: 1, 3, 4 and 9. Battery life for the IVM receivers has been tested up to 10 hours.

Antenna diversity, with two matched antennas and a new reference radio electronic design contribute to the stable signals of the receiver. IVM 4500’s audio quality boasts a high-end and powerful headphone amplifier, ultra linear frequency response and dual mode for individual mix. The quick frequency change functions support monitor engineers throughout performances to make their projects easily adjustable.

“The AKG IVM 4500 IEM in-ear monitoring hardware sets a new standard in audio quality and radio performance as we continue to provide engineers with the best and highest functioning equipment available,” stated Wolfgang Fritz, product marketing manager – tour sound, AKG. “With the launch of IVM 4500 IEM, AKG adds another wireless system to the continually growing arsenal of wireless systems on the market. It will truly be a groundbreaking system to the touring industry as the search for the ultimate monitoring sound continues.”

Included in the IVM 4500 IEM system are the SPR 4500 IEM diversity receiver, which automatically shows the number of free channels and supports TV channels with pre-programmed preset frequencies; the SST 4500 IEM transmitter, which is adjustable to 10, 20, 50 and 100 mW depending on country laws; and the IP 2 ear-channel headphones, providing excellent acoustics and low impedance. The SPC 4500 antenna combiner, the SRA 2 W directional antenna and the RA 4000 W omni-directional antenna complete the package.

For more information on IVM 4500 and AKG, please visit http://www.akg.com.

HARMAN’s AKG Introduces DMS 70 Digital Wireless Microphone System

VIENNA, Austria – Highlighting the latest in reliable digital wireless capabilities, HARMAN’s AKG introduces its DMS 70 digital wireless microphone system – the first true uncompressed digital wireless system in the industry. The DMS 70 operates in the 2.4GHz ISM band, a worldwide license-free frequency range, to ensure top-quality wireless operation for every customer.

“HARMAN’s AKG DMS 70 system offers exceptional studio-quality sound, thanks to its uncompressed digital audio transmission capability,” said Thomas Umbauer, Product Manager, AKG. “The DMS 70 is designed for the most exacting applications where the highest level of wireless audio performance is required.”

DMS 70 is ideal for live sound, club sound, conferences, seminars, schools and universities and other critical uses. The entire DMS 70 package includes: AKG’s DSR 70 Receiver, DPT 70 Digital Pocket Transmitter and DHT 70 Digital Handheld Transmitter wireless mic, as well as a DSR 70 rack mount kit and power supply and other accessories.

All DMS 70 devices are available separately and in the following packages: the Vocal Set Dual, Instrumental Set Dual and Vocal/Instrumental Set Dual.

The DMS 70 features bidirectional communication between the transmitter and receiver and dynamic frequency selection that provides “intelligent” operation. Its easy setup functions make the system simple to use even for less experienced operators. DMS 70 operates with AES 128-bit encryption, OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing) modulation and digital controlled antenna diversity for clear, secure 2-way wireless communication.

The DSR 70 receiver can receive up to four channels of audio, which can be mixed down directly to its balanced XLR sum output. The DHT 70 mic employs AKG’s D5 supercardioid capsule to deliver outstanding sound quality with feedback and noise suppression.

DMS 70 offers a number of additional features including auto power off function for all transmitters, power off from receiver side for all connected transmitters, battery status monitoring, adjustable mic/guitar input level (DPT 70), high/low level gain switch (DHT 70) and more.

For more information about AKG, please visit http://www.akg.com.

HARMAN's Studer to Host Broadcast Academy Sessions at AES 2011

NEW YORK, New York — The overwhelming success of HARMAN’s Studer Broadcast Academy continues with sessions at the AES 2011 convention in New York City on October 21 and 22. The Broadcast Academy sessions will include hands-on training for Studer’s Vista consoles as part of certification modules that will provide engineers with proof of efficiency with the Vista line.

Designed to educate and support the interests of audio engineers around the world, the Studer Broadcast Academy has been a huge success since launching in July, with sessions taking place throughout the United States. Below are some comments from attendees of the previous sessions:

“The Academy is really great because I’ve been looking at the Studer versus some other consoles, so it’s nice to see it in action and in a mockup of what it would actually be doing in the field…It’s nice to just sit down and look at the product because I think a lot of people aren’t exposed to the quality of Studer—it’s a huge leap above the other manufacturers…To go through the Academy and be able to talk about it and have some Q&A’s is fantastic—you wouldn’t get it if you just turned up at a show because no one would have the time to talk to me. It’s just a fantastic opportunity.” – Chris Rudyk, Broadcast Lane Studio

“The course is great—they gave us the real lowdown on the Vista 9 and Vista 5. They answered any questions that we had and showed us all the details from the top down.” – Sam Kokajko, StageTech

“It’s absolutely a priceless experience to be able to put your hands on these and actually try them out and see how they work.” – Joe Piland, Dobbs Stanford

“I love how they show you all about the mixers and they show you very simply about it. I love the openness of the mixer—the operator doesn’t have to have a great knowledge of the mixer to be able to operate it, but it’s also complex and you can do many things with it.” – Ty Horstman, Pure Flame Studios

The Studer Broadcast Academy sessions will be held in the HARMAN truck (Space T1) at AES on October 21 and 22, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Throughout the AES show, the HARMAN truck will also feature demonstrations of products from other HARMAN brands, including AKG microphones, JBL studio monitors, Lexicon digital processors and Soundcraft digital consoles.

More information on the Studer Broadcast Academy can be found at usa.studer.ch

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN's Studer Vista Remote Access Provides Vista Console Owners With Instant Support

NEW YORK, New York — Building on its steadfast commitment to providing the best customer support in the industry, HARMAN’s Studer is introducing Vista Remote Access for its Vista line of digital mixing consoles. Vista Remote Access allows Vista owners to access and manage their console from anywhere in the world at any time, all on a secure network.

Remote Access offers additional technical support directly from Studer factory-trained engineers, enabled with real-time monitoring and system interrogation of the user’s Vista system. The system can be used to address and support anything from system setup and configuration, to real-time screening of log files to identify problems with the Vista system, even during live productions.

The Remote Access operation is simple to set up and utilizes a closed network for maximum system security. Vista owners simply dedicate a PC or laptop as the Remote Access interface, which hosts the secure network connection. The computer hosts a third-party Remote Access application and the Studer Virtual Network Connection (VNC). At Studer, a technician uses the VNC connection as the secure portal to access the owner’s Vista system, giving them monitoring and control capabilities from their location.

Through the network security system, the PC or laptop provides Studer with direct access to the owner’s Vista without exposing it to the Internet or any form of open network. The Remote Access uses encryption and has a minimum of two levels of password protection, providing another layer of security and confidence.

Vista customers can take advantage of Remote Access at any point of ownership. If time and resources are limited, Studer technicians are able to walk the user through the system for training, or work together online to troubleshoot user or function-related questions. This is strong support for any facility or production working with new engineers, freelancer, or contractors who are not familiar with the Vista system or show configuration. It can also act as a tool to help users save time by allowing the Vista technician to prepare for a show or event.

Remote Access is available for any Studer Vista 5, Vista 5 SR, Vista 8, Vista 9, running V4.2.00 software or above. The latest software is available as a free upgrade. Interested Vista customers can contact their local Studer support center. The Remote Access package is included in all Extended Warranties purchased from Studer USA or a Studer Sales representative can add it to the customer’s system configuration at time of purchase.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN to Offer HiQnet System Architect™ and AVB Training Course

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – HARMAN’s System Development and Integration Group (SDIG) today announced it will be offering a training session for its HiQnet System Architect™ software and AVB networking. The training will take place at Harman Signal Processing in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 17 – 18, 2011. The course will be given by Harman Product Development Specialist Emilian Wojtowycz, an expert in the implementation of System Architect for installed sound applications.

HiQnet is a communications protocol that enables all the compatible devices in the audio signal path, from mixing consoles to loudspeakers, to seamlessly communicate with each other. System Architect is the software used to set up and configure a HARMAN HiQnet and AVB system.

Among the topics to be covered are the following:

• Design workflow
• Overview of Ethernet AVB technology
• Advanced design workflow
• AVB networking
• Day-to-day operation

“Our latest version of System Architect, version 3, is ideally suited to handle the unique challenges of sound system design and reduce the complexities of networked audio routing,” noted Adam Holladay, Market Manager, HARMAN Professional System Development and Integration Group (SDIG). “This training course will provide attendees with invaluable, practical, time-saving knowledge to help acquaint them with the capabilities of HiQnet System Architect and AVB.”

For more details on session times and dates, please visit www.harmanpro.com. Attendees can register for the course by contacting Staci Bash at 801-568-7555 or staci.bash@harman.com.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Telemark Youth Camp Upgrades with HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Compact 24

TELEMARK, Norway — A Soundcraft Si Compact 24 digital console has been purchased by the Vatnar Leirsted youth camp in Telemark, Norway.

Owned by the Pentecostal churches of Telemark, camps are arranged several times a year, each attended by between 80-110 youths, while the camp facilities are also rented out to churches and other organisations around the year. The Vatnar church itself has 110 seats and each summer a Bible camp takes place in a tent with 350-400 seats.

As part of a systematic facility upgrade to accommodate the expanding capacity, it was Vatnar Leirsted’s technical adviser Bjørn Ivar Haugdal who recommended the Soundcraft console to the board, for use on their new campus. This would enable them to stage youth concerts, worship and small bands with improved technical facilities and the board was happy to adopt this over the analogue alternatives it reviewed. The order was placed with local dealer, Belco A/S.

“The Si Compact will be used as a FOH and monitor desk in the new tent we have purchased for our bible camp, which will be capable of 1,300 seats,” Bjørn Ivar confirmed. “Being portable, it will also be used in some of our other venues.”

The Si Compact was the most suitable desk for three reasons, Ivar continued. “Ease of use, ease of use and ease of use! It offered an easy transition from analogue. Several other digital consoles in this price range had similar features but had a significantly more difficult user interface.”

Other factors in shaping his decision were the extremely good preamps, GEQ on all outputs and the high buss count. “And comparing the footprint with similarly priced analogue desks, with all the outboard gear necessary, it became a no-brainer,” Ivar said. “The minute we opened the box containing the console, we felt at home.”

Aside from four stereo Lexicon processors, the Si Compact 24 features 24 recallable mic pre amps plus four stereo returns, AES-in and 64 input option slot with a capacity to combine up to 40 of these inputs to mix; each input is fully equipped with compressors, gates, parametric EQ, high pass filter and delay.

With all the technicians either self-taught or working on a voluntary basis, the console ultimately had to be highly intuitive. “The beauty of this console is that any 15-year-old kid can operate it at a basic level after 20 minutes of instruction,” Ivar noted. “Give them a couple of hours and they would be able to take advantage of the more advanced features too.”

With Lexicon effects on board, all the volunteers that have been given the opportunity to operate the console have expressed excitement over how easy this console is to use, confirms Bjørn Ivar. “And those with previous experience on digital consoles are even more excited!”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Shakira and Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych Inaugurate Kiev’s New Olympic National Sports Complex With HARMAN Professional Audio System

NORTHRIDGE, California – On October 8, more than 60,000 participants celebrated the grand opening of Kiev’s Olympic National Sports Complex with a performance by Colombian pop star Shakira and an inauguration speech by Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych. Also known as Olympic Stadium, the reconstructed Soviet-era stadium will be the site of the Euro 2012 soccer championship final, as well as 2012 UEFA European Football Championship events leading up to the final.

President Yanukovych was joined by many political dignitaries and sports celebrities for the inauguration, along with nearly 2,000 dancers, actors and acrobats who performed in an elaborate theatrical presentation highlighting the nation’s culture and history. Featured performers included Ukrainian artists Ani Lorak, Taisia Povaliy and Gaitana, and the ceremony was capped by a concert by Shakira and a spectacular fireworks display.

Sound reinforcement for the event included HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line array system powered by Crown amplifiers along with Soundcraft Vi4™ digital live sound consoles. The equipment, supplied by Kiev-based rental sound provider Komora, was used in coordination with other equipment brought in by Fotis Sound from Poland, and a front of house console and stage monitor system from Clair Global, Shakira’s worldwide tour sound provider.

“Our team regularly supplies a Crown-powered JBL VERTEC line array system for large-scale concerts and special events like these, where the promoter needs additional sound reinforcement resources,” said Mykola Ostapchuk, head of Komora’s rental sound department and engineering lead for the 5-person technical team that helped support the event.

“JBL VERTEC line arrays are ideally suited for this type of application where sound needs to be precisely directed, yet cover a large area,” noted Ostapchuk. “We used 24 VT4889 fullsize line array elements set up in four ground-stacked outfill locations to cover the side seating areas of the stadium, and 16 VT4888 midsize line array elements stacked in four arrays to provide clear, powerful sound for the VIP seating areas,” noted Ostapchuk. The VT4889 line arrays were powered by Crown I-Tech Series I-T8000, I-T6000 and I-T4000 amplifiers.

JBL SRX712M 12-inch stage monitors were set up at the podium where president Yanukovych gave his address. JBL VRX Series VRX915M 15-inch stage monitors were used for the performances by Ukrainian singers Ani Lorak, Taisia Povaliy and Gaitana, with SRX725 loudspeakers used as side fills. The pair of Soundcraft Vi4 consoles was used at the front of house position, with one Vi4 used to mix the event’s production audio, and the other for music program mixing.

"Remarkable operational convenience and reliability of Soundcraft Vi digital consoles greatly facilitated our work in preparing and holding this event. The ability to use fiber optic connection for data transmission over long distances make these consoles simply indispensable for events of this scale. The distance we had between the stage and FOH position was more than 450 meters around the perimeter of the stadium, " said Ostapchuk.

“Events like these require a tremendous amount of pre-planning and coordination during the show, especially when so many different people, companies and artists are involved! We were confident the VERTEC line arrays would do the job. They are ideal for large-scale, open-stadium events like these because of their high intelligibility, focused coverage pattern and ability to be deployed in a variety of configurations to suit the specific requirements of the venue,” Ostapchuk concluded.

Photo Caption: Kiev-based Komora provided supplemental sound services for the Olympic Stadium grand opening, with JBL VT4889 line array positioned to cover side seating areas.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Rockapella’s Powerful Vocal Performances Backed By HARMAN’s AKG Microphones

VIENNA, Austria – As Glee and The Sing Off shine a new light on the vocal performance culture, Rockapella is celebrating 20 years of wowing audiences around the globe with a vast variety of musical selections spanning all genres, and utilizing only their voices for melodies, harmonies, and percussion. Setting the stage for their annual Holiday Show Tour in 2012, the 5-man ‘band’ will travel the nation, backed up by HARMAN’s AKG DMS 700 digital and WMS 4500 wireless systems.

Along with the group’s unique solo performances, in 2012 Rockapella will be teaming up with the internationally acclaimed Boston Pops Orchestra during select legs of its Holiday Tour. Combining the intricate harmonies of the “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” theme singers with the Boston Pops, the 2012 tour will offer beautiful renditions of the world’s favorite holiday songs, as well as original music, performed a cappella and with the full Pops ensemble.

“Being a completely vocal group, the sound of Rockapella is the most important aspect during all performances, and AKG provides the guys a smooth, natural sound to showcase their talents,” said Fred Schuchman, FOH, Rockapella. “I love the sound of AKG – it’s the best in the industry. We’ve relied on so many of the AKG systems - from the early days of the WMS 400 series - and the group still blows audiences away with its amazing arrangements and sound in venues large and small.”

“The highest compliment I can pay AKG is, whether on stage or in the studio, their mics are a completely transparent and natural extension of my voice and performance. They just make me sound like a better me,” stated Scott Leonard, Rockapella’s high tenor and longest tenured member.

With a 6-channel AKG DMS 700 system combined with WMS 4500 bodypack for vocal percussionist Jeff Thacher’s throat microphones, which pick up the deep tones of a full-piece drum set, Schuchman is able to control the group’s pure sound easily from his FOH position with no worry of cut-outs or interference. Designed to deliver the best audio quality, channel quality and easy operation, DMS prevents distortion of the group’s voices, providing the audience with an amazing performance.

“When your voices and mouths deliver your entire act, your microphones are everything,” stated Thacher, who has been a member of the group since 1993. “Having the studio-quality response and reliability of AKG’s DMS 700 mics really makes a difference. It’s a real pleasure hearing the final product.”

“It’s very easy to warm up to AKG, which is very important when we are on the road, both across the nation and round the world,” Schuchman continued. “When Rockapella is performing with AKG, you know the band is comfortable and confident with their sound – you know it’s going to be a great show.”

Rockapella starts their nation-wide Holiday Tour with the Boston Pops on November 27, 2011 in Iowa City, Iowa and concludes on December 18 in Massachusetts.

For more information about Rockapella and their Holiday Tour, please visit http://www.rockapella.com

Farber Sound Brings State-of-the-Art Sound To Historic Paramount Theatre With HARMAN’s JBL VRX Constant Curvature Arrays and Soundcraft Si3 Console

ST. CLOUD, Minnesota – Located in the historic downtown district of St. Cloud, Minnesota, the Paramount Theatre is a city-owned cornerstone of the community, serving as a stage for rent by community groups and for professional performances by touring musicians and theatrical groups. When the time came for a new audio system, the Paramount Theatre called on Minneapolis-based Farber Sound, which designed and installed a house PA system containing HARMAN’s JBL VRX Constant Curvature arrays, with a Soundcraft Si3 digital console at the front-of-house position.

According to Dave Farber, Owner of Farber Sound, the project was the result of a longstanding relationship between his company and the Paramount Theatre. “For the past 10 years we have been the theater’s production company whenever they needed a rental system, whether it was just stage monitors or if the artists wanted something beyond the house PA system,” Farber said.

Over time, Farber began to discuss the prospect of replacing the house PA system with an updated, cost-effective solution. For one event at the Paramount, Farber Sound deployed JBL VRX loudspeakers, which left an impression on Chuck Norwood, the Paramount Theater’s Technical Director. “The people I work with at the Theatre were very impressed and it really left a memory with them about how the VRX system would sound if it could fit the theater’s budget and space,” Farber said. “We installed the system and it’s been working fabulously.”

The system includes line arrays of four VRX932LA-1 loudspeakers per side, with one VRX918S subwoofer per side. Six AC16 loudspeakers provide front fill, along with two SRX728S subwoofers that can be utilized for additional subwoofer reinforcement when necessary.

As one of the region’s leading professional audio service companies, Farber Sound’s comfort level with the VRX line arrays is derived in part from its experience as a JBL VERTEC® line array system owner, as the company deploys its VERTEC system for a variety of live sound events.

“The VRX system was perfect in terms of size and cost,” Farber said. “The balcony is not very deep and the throw is not very far, so the Constant Curvature line array design accommodated the layout of the room. We felt that with the types of productions the theater hosts, this system would really fit any scenario.”

The Soundcraft Si3 digital audio console was selected for its combination of versatility and sound quality. “The Si3 has received quite a few compliments from artists who have used the system and they’re impressed with how easy it is to mix on the console right from the start,” Farber noted. “The Si3 sounds great, the built-in effects eliminate the need for outboard equipment, and the number of inputs and outputs you get compared to other consoles in the same price range is a huge advantage.”

A BSS Soundweb London BLU 160 signal processor is used as the main DSP frame at the Paramount Theatre, with a 4-in, 8-out configuration, controlled through HARMAN’s HiQnet System Architect™ program. “We ran two CAT5 cables from the BLU 160 to the amp rack located in the catwalk, where we installed a BSS BLU-BOB breakout box to get to the amplifier system,” Farber explained. “If one cable goes bad, the other one picks up immediately and the PA system continues. It made the installation very easy from a wiring standpoint.”

For more information on Farber Sound, please visit www.farbersound.com or call 763-478-4513.

Photo Caption: Farber Sound upgraded the sound reinforcement system at the Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud, Minnesota with JBL VRX Constant Curvature loudspeakers and a Soundcraft Si3 digital console.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Multi-Platinum Producer and Engineer Steve Pageot Takes His Mixes to the Next Level with HARMAN’s Lexicon® PCM Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Steve Pageot is a multifaceted, multiplatinum artist who has worked on dozens of hip-hop and R&B albums, movie and TV soundtracks and commercials. Based in New York by way of Montreal, Pageot is a GRAMMY®-winning engineer, producer, musician and composer who has worked with artists including Aretha Franklin, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Talib Kweli, Snoop Dogg, Krayzie Bone, New Edition and others, and has done projects for MTV, VH1, Bravo, ESPN and many more.

One of Steve Pageot’s core beliefs is, “It’s all about going to the next level.” Pageot is always working on perfecting his craft in a highly competitive industry. He notes, “the journey to a successful career in the entertainment industry is not a race; it’s a marathon.”

Pageot has always been open to new sounds and new techniques, and recently, he joined the ranks of industry professionals who have added HARMAN’s Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle to their sonic palette. Designed to work with popular digital audio workstations (DAW) and a host of computer music platforms, the Windows® and Macintosh®-compatible PCM Native Reverb Plug-In bundle offers a host of classic and cutting-edge reverbs and the ability to tweak them to get the perfect sonic ambience for any track.

When Pageot tried the plug-in for the first time, he knew he’d found a way to take his mixes to the next level: “I just could not believe what I was hearing throughout my entire mix. Every effect from the Delays to the Large Plate settings had me saying, ‘Wow!’

“Yes, I suppose you can say I was knocked out by the sound,” Pageot laughed. “In fact, I really wasn’t expecting such a dramatic improvement – after all, I’ve worked with plenty of studio gear and have been mixing in the box for a long time. But the Lexicon PCM Native Reverb brings another meaning to the word ‘perfection’ and I rarely say something like that about anything.”

While continuing his work in production, composing, engineering and mixing, Pageot is also dedicated to bringing the importance of music education to youth, and is a music teacher at the SAE (School of Audio Engineering) Institute in New York.

The Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle is designed to work with popular DAWs like Pro Tools® and Logic®, as well as with any other VST®, Audio Unit™ or RTAS®-compatible platform. Compatible with Windows® Vista, XP and 7 and Macintosh® computers, it offers seven unique Lexicon’s plug-ins including Vintage Plate, Plate, Hall, Room, Random Hall, Concert Hall and Chamber, along with hundreds of presets including classics from Lexicon’s extensive library of sounds.

Its intuitive user interface provides ready access to key parameters, with a graphical real-time full-color display that illustrates all key sonic parameters. Virtual input and output meters provide ready indication of audio levels, and presets can be stored in a DAW-independent format that can be transferred to a different DAW.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

Kelley Technologies Transforms High-End Hotel Pool Into Outdoor Day Club With HARMAN’s JBL Professional Loudspeakers

NORTHRIDGE, California – The Palazzo Hotel, located on Las Vegas Boulevard, wanted to create a dance club environment by transforming its luxurious Azure swimming pool into an outdoor “day club.” To help accomplish this feat, Kelley Technologies of Las Vegas installed a high-end audio system featuring HARMAN’s JBL loudspeakers.

“JBL loudspeakers were chosen for this project thanks to their frequency response, power handling, and—most important for an outdoor club—weatherproofing. Since the existing infrastructure already used BSS products, it made sense to stick with them as well as Crown due to its built-in DSP with power handling,” said Art Martinez, Sales Manager at Kelley Technologies.

The sound reinforcement system around the perimeter of the Azure pool includes: 13 JBL AM7212/00-WRX 2-way, full-range, weatherized loudspeakers; two PD5212/64-WRX 2-way, 60 x 40-degree weatherized loudspeakers; four ASB6118-WRX single 18-inch, weatherized subwoofers; and four ASB6128-WRX dual 18-inch, weatherized subwoofers. Powering the system are four Crown IT-12000HD amplifiers, along with nine Crown CTs600’s, eight CTs3000’s and three CTS4200’s amplifiers. Signal processing is handled by BSS Audio BLU-800 and BLU-100 devices.

There are many limitations and requirements when configuring an outdoor install that is meant to replicate an indoor club scene. The Palazzo Hotel wanted to ensure that minimal sound reflected off the guests’ hotel rooms, and did not want to change the atmosphere for non-club-going hotel guests. The hotel also wanted the “day club” to maintain a high-end appearance that would live up to the Palazzo’s reputation as an upscale location along the Vegas Strip. To accomplish this, Kelley Technologies seamlessly blended the speakers into the surrounding pool structures and plants. They also painted the speaker boxes to make them hardly noticeable.

“Weather is obviously a factor in Las Vegas,” Martinez stated. “Temperatures reach above the hundreds and there can be heavy rain and other weather-related issues. JBL’s weatherized speakers ensure that they would last through all seasons and be sustainable for years to come. There was simply no other option.”

“Overall, everything turned out better than we could have expected, and Palazzo is extremely happy,” said Martinez. “It is by far the most ‘bumping’ pool in Vegas and nothing else can even compare. “It looked good, sounded good, and will be one of the most fun day clubs on the strip.”

For more information on Kelley Technologies, visit: http://www.kelleytechnologies.com/

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

RTL and BCE Luxembourg Install HARMAN’s Studer Vista 9 Digital Console

KIRCHBERG, Luxembourg — There were only smiling faces to be seen at Radio Télévision Luxembourg (RTL) when on July 28, Studer’s new Vista 9 digital console was used for the first time in the live production of the 7 o’clock news.

Only three days earlier, the former console had been removed and connections routed to a spare desk. At that moment, the engineering team from specialist installation company, BCE, zipped into action. BCE carried out a well-prepared operation to reconnect everything and network to the video embedders/de-embedders, the new digital lines and the monitoring in several rooms.

At the same time, Studer support engineer Rudolf Boltshauser was carrying out the programming and testing of the console, the labeling and the I/O.

RTL chose the Vista 9 largely because of the projected total cost of ownership, but also because of its positive experience with the Vista 8. Another major factor in RTL’s decision was the Studer RELINK feature, which allows easy resource sharing between the fixed Vista 9 and the remote Vista 8.

The Vista 9 will be used principally for prime-time live productions in the adjacent studios. The console will be the beating heart for all popular live news, election shows and sports coverage, while its main application will be for the daily news and weather show.

Building on the successful Vista digital mixing platform, the Vista 9 combines advanced ergonomic design with complete system flexibility and pristine audio quality, at the same time taking the operator experience to a higher level, supplementing the Vistonics™ interface with radical and innovative TFT-based metering, FaderGlow™ and numerous other innovations.

In a next development phase, a MADI connection will be set up between the new Vista 9 and Vista 8, that has been in use for the past six years in the OB van.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Rose Bruford College Takes Higher Learning to New Levels With Soundcraft Vi1 Digital Console

LONDON, United Kingdom — Students attending Rose Bruford College’s Performance Sound BA (Hons) course will now be able to hone their mixing and recording skills in live theatre, concert and broadcast more easily, thanks to the acquisition of a Soundcraft Vi1 digital console.

The course’s Programme Director Ben Davies, himself an experienced musician, studio and live sound engineer, said his search for an intuitive digital platform to accelerate cross-discipline learning had taken on a new momentum when one of the students contacted Soundcraft directly.

“We were invited to Potters Bar to look at the various Si and Vi digital options—and it was clear the Vi1, with its compact footprint, was the most appropriate console for our needs,” said Davies.

“I believe we should be supporting British manufacturers. Soundcraft has always had a big presence in the colleges I have worked at and I knew students would be seduced by the Vi1. The interface is easy to use and they can operate it intuitively, as an instrument.”

Soundcraft’s Director of Marketing & Communications, Keith Watson, agreed that the Vi1 had been the logical step forward. “When we visited [Rose Bruford College] we were immediately impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and creative energy and the vision of the staff,” he said. “We provide Soundcraft and Studer consoles to theatres and performing arts centres all over the world so it's great to see such advanced technology in the capable hands of young and talented artists heading for careers in theatreland. We will follow their progress with great interest."

The Performance Sound BA (Hons) course was set up within the drama school four years ago and aside from working within their School of Performance and School of Design, Management and Technical Arts, Rose Bruford students also stage full productions at the Unicorn Theatre during their London season. In addition they take up placements within the industry. “All my graduates from last year are employed and some are already depping at FOH,” says Davies proudly.

Active support is provided by such luminaries as Digby Shaw, Head of Sound at the new West End show Rock of Ages, and experienced FOH engineer Gerard Albo (Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tom Jones, Anastacia), both of whom teach modules.

Stated the former, “With this console I am now in a better position to teach my students what I do best as a living,” while Albo, an ambassador of Soundcraft’s Vi platform (who used the Vi6 on tour with Amy Winehouse), added, “It’s great to be able to come to RBC and work with students on a console that I know very well. Ultimately, they will benefit from this.”

From Soundcraft’s perspective this application provides the opportunity to show the desk’s capability in both the concert and theatre environments. “What was particularly attractive to the students,” believes Davies, “was the ergonomics and interface — and the complete integration of hardware and software.

“The other nice thing is the way the menus run with that big screen — it is like using Logic and they understand Logic really well.”

He says the arrival of a dedicated live mixing desk is long overdue, and the new acquisition is paying handsome dividends. “The students have already pushed it to its limits in terms of its assignments. It’s a good cross platform FOH mixing desk in the auditorium and we use it for delays and to program different scene changes.

“We record our live gigs so we have a MADI card connected to a remote stage box. All mic and line signals are sent multitrack using Logic through the MADI.”

The last word comes from Final Year student Ollie Brennan, who says, “What is great about having this console is that we are able to learn to work with the very latest technology in front-of-house production sound. This gives us an additional head start in finding employment once we graduate.”

Footnote: The college also travels internationally in its recruitment drive. It will be attending the USITT conference in Long Beach from March 28-31 to promote its production courses and also recruits regularly in Norway and Iceland—while in November, Ben Davies will be visiting five Swiss international schools for the same purpose.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN’s JBL EON515XT Portable Loudspeakers Line the Winner’s Circle at Racing Events Around the Country

NORTHRIDGE, California – Tim Bomba, an announcer for marathon and triathlon events, has been using HARMAN’s JBL EON515XT portable loudspeakers to announce races across the United States, including The Keybank Vermont City Marathon in Burlington Vermont, and the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Triathlon in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

While larger events (more than 5,000 racers) require hiring a sound company, at smaller races Bomba has used four or more EON515XT loudspeakers at the Starting Lines, and frequently more at the Finish Lines. Each speaker is set up on tripods about seven feet off the ground, allowing the sound to travel over the racer’s heads, a major concern when there are thousands of racers at the starting line, all listening for directions and safety instructions.

As a race director and event consultant, high-quality audio is a top priority for Bomba. In addition to providing sound for the participants, Bomba also needs to deliver event updates to the spectators. As well as announcing, Bomba plays music during the competitions, adding entertainment to the racers’ and spectators’ experience. “It’s great to have a portable, high-quality loudspeaker that works equally well with music and voice, to physically place wherever it’s needed,” Bomba explained. “The EON515XT’s are so universal that I can hook up anything to the system, including mixers, or just a microphone and an iPod.”

The big challenge of announcing a race is having a system that can last through extreme conditions, sometimes for up to 10 hours. High and low temperatures, wind, rain and humidity all play a factor. “I have yet to have any problems with the EON515XT’s even in the most extreme cases and I’ve pushed them hard,” said Bomba. “With the sun hitting the system directly, the built-in Crown amplification and cooling system could not be better. The composite enclosures are perfect for durability, especially in the humidity. In the case of triathlons, with the swim start being at the ocean or a lake, the resilience of the enclosure is essential.”

The other important aspect of the EON515XT that comes in handy during a race is its light weight. “It’s easy to set up the system yourself. I just take them out of the truck, attach them to the stand, and they are ready to go. This makes them easy to move before, during and after the race if there are different locations that require sound,” Bomba explained.

For more information on Tim Bomba, please visit: http://www.linkedin.com/in/timbomba

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Pick Of The Hits - JBL in Pro Sound News Europe, October 2011

Pick Of The Hits - JBL in Installation Europe, October 2011

Northeast Media Services Provides HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays To Honor Massachusetts General Hospital’s 200th Anniversary

NORTHRIDGE, California – Massachusetts General Hospital celebrated its 200th anniversary with a huge gathering of members of the hospital and medical community on Friday, September 16th at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. To support the celebration, which included an appearance by Henry Kissinger and entertainment by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Northeast Media Services deployed a HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line array system.

Since 1811, Massachusetts General Hospital has been a leader in innovation and medical leadership. To celebrate the bicentennial event, the hospital transformed the Convention Center with a large projection screen imposed on three walls of the main hall from top to bottom. For sound reinforcement, left-right hangs of six JBL VERTEC VT4888 midsize line array elements each were used as the main PA system, with seven sets of four VRX932LA Constant Curvature speakers for center fill, out fill, and delays. Eight SRX712M’s were employed for stage monitoring and the entire system was powered by Crown Audio I-Tech and Macro Tech i Series amplifiers. To manage the system, three dbx 4800 processors were used with HARMAN’s HiQnet System Architect™ software.

The main challenge of this event was enabling the audience to fully see the video projection screens without any visual interference from the sound system, while still providing proper audio coverage throughout the space. “The VERTEC line arrays sounded terrific and worked perfectly with the accompanying VRX932LA’s to provide a visually discreet but high-impact audio system,” stated Wayne Strauss, President at Northeast Media Services.

“Everyone gave compliments of how nice the venue was set up and how clear the sound was, especially with so many people conversing,” Strauss said. “It was a remarkable event and I’m glad that we were able to be a part of this memorable experience.”

For more information on Northeast Media Services, please visit: http://www.northeastmedia.net

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Dew Tour Portland Invitational Rides With HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays and Soundcraft Si Compact 16 Consoles

PORTLAND, Oregon – The recent 4-day 2011 Dew Tour Portland Invitational in Oregon featured a variety of BMX and skateboarding competitions, along with a live performance by hip-hop group The Cool Kids, with Maryland Sound International (MSI) providing HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line arrays and Soundcraft Si Compact 16 mixing consoles for the competition and concert areas.

The skateboard competition area included a Soundcraft Si Compact 16 digital console, which was used with two columns of five JBL VERTEC VT4887A compact line array elements each and one VT4881A compact arrayable subwoofer each, powered by a Crown I-Tech HD 12000 amplifier. The BMX dirt track had a similar setup, with an Si Compact 16 and two columns of six VT4888 midsize line array elements each, powered by a Crown I-Tech HD 12000 amplifier. At the indoor BMX and skate arena, a Soundcraft Si Compact 16 was used as well to plug into the in-house system. For the concert stage outside of the Rose Quarter venue, two columns of six VT4889 fullsize line array elements each were accompanied by a total of five VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers, which were powered by a Crown’s I-Tech HD 12000 amplifier using VERTEC V5 DSP settings. System configuration was performed using Harman HiQnet System Architect™ software.

The Dew Tour is a traveling event throughout the United States in which the stages and setups differ from venue to venue. When on the road, MSI carries VERTEC VT4887’s, VT4888’s and VT889’s--enough equipment for three venues. The VERTEC line arrays provide exceptional sound in environments that can often be hectic. “When dealing with an event where the setups are varied, it’s important to have options,” said Ryan Beck, Project Manager/Engineer with MSI. “We wanted to condense the systems so they were easy enough to fit in the truck and still have all our options, which is why the VERTEC line arrays are perfect.”

“The only real challenge of the event is having the option for many different features,” said Beck. “Throughout the day there is music, entertainment acts, speakers, interviews, and we have to be ready for everything without having to change the system. Everyone is in such a tight area that it helps to have a compact system that can do it all. With the combination of JBL, Soundcraft and Crown, everything is possible.”

Beck spoke very highly of the Si Compact 16’s combination of flexibility and intuitive operation. “Versatility is key for events like this,” he said. “Everyone enjoys Soundcraft’s Si Compact consoles, they’re easy to learn on the fly and provide so many options for what you can do.”

Ben Krumholz, MSI engineer, stated, “In such a high-pressure environment, the Si Compact works wonders. The built-in I/O, totem mix buttons, and Lexicon effects make this console great.”

For more information on Maryland Sound International, visit http://www.marylandsound.com/

For more information on the Dew Tour, visit www.allisports.com/dew-tour

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Sound Lab Brings Modern Sound to Historic Hippodrome Theatre With HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays

NORTHRIDGE, California – One of the most notable venues in the United States, the historic Hippodrome Theatre in Richmond, Virginia has been renovated with a new sound system, while keeping the historical structure intact. Installed by Sound Lab of Richmond, HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line array elements and other JBL loudspeakers complete the venue’s multi-year renovation and the Theatre re-opened its doors for the Richmond Jazz Festival in August.

Located in Richmond’s Jackson Ward, the Hippodrome Theatre opened in 1914 as a vaudeville and movie theater, and has served as a historical cultural center for the African-American community, attracting such acts as Billie Holliday, Nat King Cole, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, B.B. King, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin over the years.

The main PA system at the Hippodrome Theatre now features six JBL VERTEC VT4888DP midsize powered line array elements with DrivePack® technology per side, accompanied by four VT4882DP midsize powered arrayable subwoofers per side. Rounding out the loudspeaker compliment are four JBL AC26 dual 6.5-inch, 2-way, compact loudspeakers, 10 VRX915M 2-way stage monitors, four SRX718S subwoofers, two SRX738F 18-inch, 3-way, full-range loudspeakers, four SRX712M 12-inch, 2-way monitors, four AC2212/95 compact loudspeakers and 14 Control® 26C ceiling speakers to complement the sound design.

“We’ve had great success with JBL in the past and worked to make the Hippodrome a complete HARMAN solution,” stated Jon Sachs, President, Sound Lab. “I’ve worked on nearly 4,000 shows over the past 10 years and the VERTEC line arrays have delivered results time and time again. JBL is relied on worldwide. The broad product selection JBL offers, coupled with competitive price points, allow me to compete and be awarded a wide variety of projects.”

The system also include BSS London processing, 19 Crown CDi 4000 amplifiers and system configuration was performed using Harman HiQnet System Architect™ software.

“The Hippodrome comes to life with JBL in place and the spirit of the legends of yesterday lives on,” Sachs continued. “The system turned out great and we are excited to help add even more history to the building.”

For more information on Sound Lab, please visit http://www.soundlabinc.net.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN’s JBL HiQnet Performance Manager™ Wins Award for Innovation at PLASA 2011

NORTHRIDGE, California – At PLASA 2011, HARMAN was presented with the PLASA Award for Innovation for the new HARMAN’s JBL HiQnet Performance Manager™ audio system configuration and control software application. During the show’s opening two days, products were judged by an independent panel, which viewed individual product presentations. Award winners were chosen for their ability to demonstrate a new style of thinking or an improvement to technical practice with new technology or materials, as well as the use of energy-saving and sustainability benefits.

JBL HiQnet Performance Manager is a highly-refined user interface that facilitates the design of touring and live performance venue sound reinforcement systems. Designed especially for touring and theatrical sound engineering, Performance Manager is an application-specific iteration of the category-leading HARMAN HiQnet System Architect™ configuration and control software application for professional-grade audio system integration.

Performance Manager systematically takes sound engineers through a step-by-step process of setting up a sound system of any scale or complexity. Each workflow stage provides a dedicated interface tailored for that specific function, thereby providing a clear focus as to the goal of each operation. The workflow finishes with a built-in and comprehensive show monitoring and control interface. In doing so, it greatly simplifies the networking, grouping, monitoring and control of power amplifiers and loudspeaker management. Most significantly, all design and control is truly achieved at the system level, with the more traditional software model of individual device control still being possible, but rightly repositioned as the advanced use case.

There are several new innovative concepts within Performance Manager, the workflow process beginning with multiple templates for flown and ground-stacked loudspeakers, each with pre-defined grouping information to provide a simple starting point for configuration. The integrated JBL Line Array Calculator II predictive modeling tool drives the detailed configuration of the templates for powered loudspeakers or passive loudspeaker/amplifier combinations. For a passive loudspeaker system design, all amplifiers are added to the workspace and each amplifier channel is associated with the appropriate loudspeaker bandpass input in a single, automated step. The correct loudspeaker tunings and all parameters derived from the predictive modeling are also loaded into powered loudspeakers or amplifiers automatically.

“Performance Manager simplifies loudspeaker management and as well as power amplifier networking, grouping and control. It is the perfect compliment to Crown VRACK and Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers for JBL VERTEC line array systems,” stated Brian Pickowitz, Market Manager Crown Audio.

With Performance Manager, networking has been reduced to a simple drag-and-drop to connect each virtual rack or powered array in the software with the target physical rack or array on the network. All required control interfaces are included in the software for system calibration EQ, system tuning EQ, delay and gain, eliminating the laborious task of creating customized interfaces. All DSP is abstracted with an automatic mapping of controls to devices, regardless of the specific system configuration, providing a consistent interface for each and every system. An integrated final ‘Run Show’ mode converts the design workspace immediately into an interface for running the event, providing monitoring for input/output metering, load, AC and thermal levels.

“Performance Manager is a rare example in professional audio where the hardware platform it controls is so mature that the software can enable a far more cohesive user experience than the accepted norm. Rather than just provide a mechanism of controlling individual boxes within a pile of hardware—the all-too-common approach for today’s industry—instead Performance Manager provides true system-level design and control, doesn’t stand in the way of the user and makes complex design simple,” stated Adam Holladay, Market Manager, HARMAN System Development and Integration Group.

“This award reaffirms our commitment to providing sound engineers with tools that make them more efficient and ultimately more successful in live sound applications. Performance Manager gives them the ability to enhance productivity, simplify workflow, and streamline an optimal system setup from start to finish,” added Paul Bauman, Senior Market Manager, Tour Sound, JBL Professional.

HARMAN HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. HARMAN HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across HARMAN’s Professional Division and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

HARMAN JBL Loudspeakers and Crown Amplifiers Deliver Expansive Indoor/Outdoor Sound at Spanish Fly Mexican Beach Club

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — The Spanish Fly Mexican Beach Club is Scottsdale, Arizona’s newest hot spot day and night, thanks to its resort-style pool, indoor and outdoor bars, private cabanas, day beds, restaurant and extensive indoor/outdoor sound system featuring more than 20 HARMAN JBL Control® Series loudspeakers and Crown Audio amplifiers and zone controllers. With plans to stay open 365 days a year, the Spanish Fly Mexican Beach Club offers a wide variety of nightclub entertainment.

Optimum A/V Systems of Tempe, Arizona, a systems integrator specializing in commercial, residential and security installations, was contracted for the audio system design and installation. The loudspeakers for Spanish Fly include 10 JBL Control 30 high-output monitor speakers, nine Control 29AV monitor speakers, and two Control SB210 dual 10-inch subwoofers. The speakers and subs are driven by 10 Crown XTi Series XTi 2000 amplifiers, one CE 4000 and three CE 2000 amps, operating in conjunction with a dbx ZonePro Digital Zone Processor.

“Our involvement with the Spanish Fly Club came from having done a number of sushi restaurants for the owners,” noted Adam LaGrow of Optimum A/V Systems. “We used JBL, Crown and dbx equipment for the restaurants and they all have good sound, but the owners wanted to step it up for the Spanish Fly Club and gave us free rein to design a system that would flat-out rock.”

“Since this was an indoor/outdoor installation, one of the major challenges was the fact that we had to work around an indoor/outdoor bar with the pool in the middle of it outside,” continued LaGrow. “The owners wanted the ambience and atmosphere of Las Vegas outdoor pool parties. They wanted to rock both the inside and the outside of the club and have plenty of bass – but we also had to take the noise ordinances of the City of Scottsdale into account.”

“We chose the JBL Control Series speakers and subs because they sound great and work well in either an indoor or an outdoor environment. This reduced the number of speaker models we had to use and simplified the installation. We put marine grilles on all the speakers for water resistance, and we know the speakers are extremely reliable from past experience. In addition, the Control 29 has a rotatable high-frequency horn, which enables it to be used either horizontally or vertically and comes in handy in certain applications.”

“The project turned out incredibly well. The sound is clear and powerful both inside and out without being overbearing, with plenty of bass and tons of headroom,” concluded LaGrow. “The club is the talk of the town and the place to be on weekends.”

For more information about Optimum A/V Systems, please contact www.optimumavsystems.com.

Photo Caption: Optimum A/V Systems designed and installed an expansive HARMAN audio system at the new Spanish Fly Mexican Beach Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

Colombia’s Top Broadcast Studios Invest in HARMAN’s Soundcraft and Studer Mixing Consoles

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – HARMAN’s Soundcraft and Studer digital mixing consoles continue to establish themselves as the consoles of choice in television and radio studios worldwide, as facilities throughout the globe make the transition from analog to digital production. Three of the top studios in the Colombia—Radio Televisión Nacional de Colombia (RTVC), RCN Televisión and Citytv Bogotá have recently upgraded their facilities with Studer OnAir 3000, Studer Vista 5™ and Soundcraft Vi4™ digital mixing consoles.

Radio Televisión Nacional de Colombia is a Colombian state-owned broadcaster. The company has three national TV and two national radio stations and broadcasts a variety of commercial-free public service, news and music programs. RTVC purchased four Studer OnAir 3000 digital mixing consoles for live broadcast and production work. Two OnAir 3000s are used for on-air broadcasting in the Radio Nacional de Colombia and Radionica radio studios. Another is used in a production studio where programming is recorded for both radio stations, and a fourth OnAir 3000 serves as a backup console and for routing all the audio from the other consoles so that journalists and programmers have access to all the content being produced by the radio stations.

“There are not many installations in Colombia that are as sophisticated as this one,” noted Miguel Dominguez of VCR Ltda., the Colombia distributor for Soundcraft Studer. “The system runs with 40-bit processing, and all the consoles are connected via MADI through CAT7 redundant connections. All the consoles are totally integrated, and can be controlled either independently or simultaneously.”

“The OnAir 3000’s flexible configuration options made the transition from analog to digital easier for not only the station’s engineers, but also the producers and journalists. The audio engineers are impressed with the extensive functionality and signal routing options, while the other users who are less technically schooled still find the OnAir 3000 easy to use, thanks to its ‘Touch’n’Action’ user interface where most important functions are just one touch away.”

RCN Televisión (Radio Cadena Nacional) is a Colombian private television network that reaches 97 percent of the population via 13 TV stations. RCN produces a mix of original series, telenovelas, news, game shows, sporting events and other programming. The station installed three Studer Vista 5 digital mixing systems, one in each of RCN’s newest two OB trucks for live events, and one in a main live TV studio.

“RCN’s OB trucks are the largest of their kind in Colombia,” continued Dominguez. “The two Vista 5 consoles are mostly used for sports, including the live broadcast of the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup. The third console in the live TV studio was purchased as a direct result of RCN’s experiences with the Vista 5s in the OB trucks. When the time came to purchase a third console, there was no question it would be a Vista 5—the performance, versatility and ease of use of the consoles in the OB trucks led to the acquisition of the third Vista 5 at RCN TV.”

In addition, RCN TV has three Soundcraft Si3 digital consoles, purchased for a reality show last year and with at least one used for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Bogotá.

Citytv Bogotá is a local TV station in Bogotá that broadcasts a mix of entertainment and news programming. The station purchased a Soundcraft Vi4 digital console that has become an integral part of the station’s news broadcasts in more ways than one – the console is located right behind the TV reporter during Citytv newscasts and is visible on TV.

“It is a tremendous advantage to have the extensive functionality and excellent sound of the Vi4 in a console with such a compact form factor. It’s perfect for the application,” noted Dominguez. The Soundcraft Vi4 is a complete, standalone digital mixing console featuring the patented Vistonics™ II large color touchscreen configurable interface that provides ready access to all functions.

For more information about Radio Televisión Nacional de Colombia please visit www.rtvc.gov.co

For more details about RCN Televisión please visit www.canalrcnmsn.com

For more information about Citytv Bogotá please visit www.citytv.com/co

Photo Caption: The Soundcraft Vi4 digital console at Citytv Bogotá

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.

David Scheirman Joins Harman Professional Staff as Director, Knowledge Resources

Northridge, CA – Harman Professional today announced the promotion of David Scheirman to the Harman Professional staff as Director, Knowledge Resources. In this position, Scheirman has responsibility for establishing and managing new training and instructional programs and activities for the company on a worldwide scale. He will report to Michael MacDonald, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Harman’s Northridge business campus.

“David’s industry experience, ideas and leadership skills will be an asset for Harman Professional as we move forward on new initiatives with global impact, especially in our emerging market regions,” noted Michael MacDonald.

Scheirman joins the Harman Professional staff from JBL after having responsibility for its tour sound market segment since 1997. Uniquely qualified to serve Harman’s growing need to integrate its training and instructional activities, Scheirman has previously participated in instructional programs for industry trade and educational organizations such as Synergetic Audio Concepts, NAMM, NSCA and ICIA.

“I’m excited about embracing these new challenges,” observed Scheirman. “We have a deep and rich talent pool of product and application specialists within the Harman Professional brands. I’m looking forward to working with them to bring new, innovative information tools to our worldwide customer base.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011.