Sky-Skan Provides Expansive Sound for Charles Hayden Planetarium at Boston’s Museum of Science With HARMAN’s JBL Loudspeakers

NORTHRIDGE, California – One of the most stellar attractions at the Museum of Science in Boston is the Charles Hayden Planetarium—more spectacular than ever after a recently completed $9 million renovation. The Planetarium is the most technologically advanced theater in New England, and in addition to a state-of-the-art digital projection system, the Planetarium features an equally impressive 10.2-channel HARMAN JBL loudspeaker system.

“We pride ourselves on designing and installing the world’s best domed planetariums and visualization theaters,” said Marcus Weddle, Marketing Director for systems integrator Sky-Skan, headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire. “Although admittedly the visuals are what get peoples’ attention in a planetarium, the experience would be somewhat hollow and incomplete if you didn’t have sound on a scale to match. In a domed theater environment, that means large-scale surround sound.”

“The sound system is great,” said Darryl Davis, Planetarium Systems Coordinator at the Boston Museum of Science. “The low end is much better than we had with our original theater, and if the industry catches up to 10.2, we are already prepared for it.”

To deliver the expansive sound required for the almost 60-foot dome, theater designer Kurt Berna and the Sky-Skan team installed eight JBL AE (Application Engineered) Series AM6340/95 high-power 3-way loudspeakers, two AM6212/00 high-power 2-way speakers and two ASB6128V high-output dual-18-inch subwoofers. The AM6340/95 speakers are driven in bi-amp mode, and the speakers are powered by two Crown Macro-Tech i Series MA-5000i, four CTs 1200 and five CTs 2000 amplifiers. The mixing console is a custom Sky-Skan mixer, and audio signals are handled by three BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-160 signal processors with digital audio bus capability.

“Obviously, we couldn’t let the speakers intrude on the visuals in any way,” Berna said. “We hung the speakers from the roof, behind the projection screen, and positioned them to give even sound distribution throughout the dome. Although they needed to fill a large space, we were able to get the SPL and sound fill we needed using just 10 JBL main speakers and the two JBL subwoofers, because of the speakers’ wide yet precise coverage pattern and high power handling capability.”

Berna said, “We collaborated closely with JBL engineers and the acousticians on the project. In addition to the fact that the shape of a dome can be acoustically problematic by nature, the original construction needed better isolation from the outside environment. We solved those problems and the acoustics and audio quality in the Charles Hayden Planetarium now are outstanding.”

“The purpose of a planetarium is to transport people to another world,” Berna concluded. “We’re extremely happy with the way this installation turned out. The enveloping quality of the surround sound system and the absolutely stunning visuals really make you feel like you’re traveling through space and time and you completely forget that you’re in a theater.”

The AE6000 models of high-powered AE Series speakers have been replaced by the new AE7000 models which contain JBL’s newest Differential Drive transducers.

For more information about Sky-Skan, please visit www.skyskan.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 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

Warner Audio Visual Co. Adds Flexibility To Repertoire With HARMAN’s Soundcraft® Si Compact 24 Digital Console

CHICAGO, Illinois — Warner Audio Visual Co. recently purchased a HARMAN Soundcraft Si Compact 24 digital console in order to provide corporate organizations the proper audio support for their annual meetings and events.

Warner Audio Visual Co., with locations in Chicago, Phoenix and Orlando, prides itself on being a full audiovisual supply house, stemming from creative design and logistics to setup and take down, all while maintaining affordable budgets for its clients. The company has had the opportunity over the past 40 years to work with countless companies to provide audiovisual systems for their events, including the use of video feeds and playback, and satellite feeds.

“We went with the Si Compact 24 as it was the perfect option for a small footprint console and allows us the flexibility to work with many diverse clients,” stated David Ruke, Technician at Warner Audio Visual. “I am able to get the feel of an analog board all in such a small setup.”

For many corporate events where space is limited, the Si Compact 24 allows Ruke and colleagues to set up in the corner with limited cable and distraction; so important for a high-profile event.

Since switching to the Si Compact 24, many aspects of the board have excited Ruke and the rest of his team. “I have worked with other digital consoles and the sound quality is noticeably different and so much better on the Si Compact,” Ruke explained. “It feels like a bigger board than it actually is. I love the built-in control, EQ, compressors, and limiters. It’s tough to find all those options on a small board.”

As many challenges present themselves up to hours before large events, the Si Compact helps to keep changes simple. “Whether it be adding a performer, another presenter or the podium being moved to a different side of the room, it is easy to adjust EQ and calculate the differences quickly. I can add a monitor mix in, throw a few patches in through the reverb, it’s all easy.” For the price point, Ruke explained, it is excellent and surprising to get so much capability without needing separate racks or additional outboard processing.

For more information on Warner Audio Visual Co., please visit: http://www.warnerav.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 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

HARMAN’s Studer and RTW Announce Deal to Integrate Loudness Metering With the Studer Vista Range of Digital Consoles

REGENSDORF, Switzerland – HARMAN’s Studer today announced the introduction of Loudness Metering for all Vista consoles. This is a result of collaboration with RTW of Koeln, Germany, who is providing a special version of the TM7 touchscreen meter to be built into the meter bridge of Vista 9 and Vista 5 M2 consoles. The TM7 meter was chosen as it perfectly complements Vistonics™, the simple and elegant touchscreen user interface that Vista customers know and love.

The TM7 meter will include custom meter presets which provides not only Loudness Metering to EBU R 128 and ITU BS1770 but also traditional bar graph and moving needle metering to many international standards. This Loudness Meter may be retrofitted to all Vista 9 consoles.

Bruno Hochstrasser, Studer General Manager said, “This is a new chapter in our excellent relationship with RTW who has provided traditional meters to Studer for many years. The integration with our Vista range will provide our customers with integrated and easy capability to comply with new regulations and to improve their services.”

The Vista family can be seen this week at CABSAT at Hall Sheikh Saeed 3, Stand Number S3-6.

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 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

HARMAN Professional Names Thomas Marcher To Director Of Sales, Asia Regional Sales Office

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Demonstrating its determination to put committed, experienced leaders at the helm of each of its regional sales offices, HARMAN Professional today announced the promotion of Thomas Marcher to Director Of Sales, Asia Regional Sales Office. Marcher, a 4-year HARMAN Professional veteran with extensive pro AV experience with other brands in the region, will now assume responsibility for sales, support and channel coordination reporting to Scott Robbins, Senior Director, Global Sales, HARMAN Professional.

“Thomas Marcher is in the ideal position to support our distributors, serve our customers and help drive sales in the Asia regional sales territory,” Robbins said today. “I am very pleased to make this promotion from within—not simply because it is wholly deserved but because it opens a new chapter of development and growth for our distribution partners and employees in the territory.”

Thomas Marcher joined Crown Audio as Sales Director, Asia in 2008 and later, with the integration of HARMAN’s global sales operations, he was instrumental in the establishment and coordination of the regional sales office in Kuala Lumpur that he now heads. Prior to joining HARMAN, Marcher held Asia regional positions with TC Electronic and Klotz Digital. A native of Denmark, he began his career with TC Electronic in Denmark in 1996. Marcher replaces David McKinney who has been appointed to Senior Director, India Operations, HARMAN Professional.

“I am very pleased to step into this leadership position to support our distributors in the Asia region,” Marcher said today. “HARMAN Professional has demonstrated an unprecedented, unmatched willingness to build regionalized products, systems and business processes to address the unique opportunities of the territories we serve and the distributors we support. I am confident that we are the most attentive, agile organization with the most advanced technologies and the strongest brands and I look forward to aiding our distributors in capitalizing on these strengths in the marketplace!”

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 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

HARMAN Professional Promotes David McKinney To Lead Operations In India

NORTHRIDGE, California — Continuing its program to develop emerging markets and provide channel partners and end-users with not simply the best AV technologies for their markets, but also the best organizations to support their businesses, HARMAN Professional today announced the promotion of David McKinney to Senior Director, Operations – India for the Professional Division. McKinney, an 11-year veteran of HARMAN Professional with a demonstrated capacity to build and lead organizations in emerging markets, previously established HARMAN Professional’s Asia Regional Sales office in Kuala Lumpur where he achieved significant success at establishing the organization and growing the business. Today’s announcement was made by Blake Augsburger, HARMAN Executive Vice President and President, HARMAN Professional.

“David McKinney has done an excellent job for HARMAN and our partners in the Asia sales region. Now, as Senior Director, Operations – India for the Professional Division, I am confident that he will be a great asset to our partners there and that his skill set and experience will serve as an accelerant for our business and that of our partners and customers in India,” Augsburger said. “I am similarly pleased that the Asia sales office is well-organized and under strong leadership with Thomas Marcher now serving as Director Of Sales, Asia Regional Sales Office.”

In his new role, David McKinney will report to Lakshmi Narayan, HARMAN India Country Manager, and will be based at HARMAN’s Bangalore offices. Lakshmi noted McKinney’s suitability to the role. “David McKinney is uniquely positioned to understand the needs of our customers and distribution partners and to find solutions that address those needs. I look forward to working with David as we plan our future in this market, grow our business and support our partners with the best technologies, the most advanced integration and the industry’s most progressive support.”

Commenting on his promotion, McKinney noted, “This is a compelling opportunity in a remarkable culture at a time of growth. I am very honored to lead such an impressive team; to work with such dynamic, industrious distributors and with an infinitely creative community of end-users in installed sound, portable PA, recording and broadcast and tour sound.”

David McKinney has a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Music & Electronics from Keele University in the United Kingdom. Since 2003 McKinney has been based in Malaysia, initially as Director of Sales for HARMAN’s Signal Processing Group and more recently he led the startup for the Professional Division Regional Sales office there.

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 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

Pick Of The Hits - JBL in Pro Audio Review, February 2012

Neapolitan Song Folds Back the Years with HARMAN’s Soundcraft Mixing Consoles

NAPLES, Italy — Many generations of HARMAN’s Soundcraft mixing consoles have been used, first by Calogero Valore and later his son, Stefano, over three decades at the Napoli Prima e Dopo (Naples Before And After) Festival in Italy. This celebration of Neapolitan song, spanning the last two centuries, shows there is much more depth in the genre than simply O Sole Mio and Funiculì, Funiculà.

Started by Calogero himself in 1982, the event features some of Italy’s most renowned crooners and takes place at the Grand Hotel La Sonrisa in S. Antonio Abate (Naples). Here, up to 1,000 people gather outdoors for a show that is transmitted through a private production company, by RAI 1 (Italy’s national broadcaster).

The second festival in 1983 saw a vintage Soundcraft 24-channel 400B used for the first time—the console launched that year as an upgrade to the Soundcraft Series 400. Calogero used the 400B until 1985—but things have moved on considerably since Stefano took over the reins in 1993.

After mixing international singers such as Valerio Scanu, Gloriana, Peppino di Capri, Lucio Dalla, Manuela Villa, Anna Tatangelo and many others for the last time on a Soundcraft analogue MH3 last July, he has now turned to a digital Soundcraft Si1+. This will be used for the first time at the landmark 30th event this year.

“First and foremost I like the sound of the Soundcraft desks—but they are also very practical,” stated Stefano. “As for the Si1+, in my opinion this is an excellent digital mixer—combining a lot of features and functionality into a very compact chassis. It’s also an easy transition from the analogue desk I came from.”

In fact Stefano has wide experience of the Soundcraft analogue platforms, since undertaking his first Napoli Prima e Dopo 18 years ago. The sound engineer can boast at having subsequently worked on a Soundcraft Spirit Live 4-32, Soundcraft Delta, K2, SM20 and Ghost—in various theatre, concert and television productions, in addition to the song festival.

But he remembers fondly the period between 2005-2011 when he took a major step, piloting the flagship 48-channel MH3, which he acquired soon after it came onto the market. “The production crew were in awe of it,” he remembers.

Planning the festival itself requires major preparation over six days, he confirms. This includes four days to build the infrastructure and carry out tests, followed by soundchecking the Augusto Visco Orchestra, conducted by Enzo Campagnoli, and the performing soloists. But as the event now prepares for its milestone 30th year, you can bet that Stefano Valore will be tracking Soundcraft developments.

Caption: Engineer Joe Faraso with a Soundcraft MH3 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 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

California Guitar Trio’s Paul Richards Makes the Move to HARMAN’s DigiTech® iPB-10 Programmable Pedalboard for iPad®

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The California Guitar Trio needs no introduction to guitar aficionados – and should be on any music lover’s required listening list. Paul Richards, Bert Lams and Hideyo Moriya founded the Trio in 1991 and have since gone on to record more than a dozen albums. The California Guitar Trio tours worldwide, delighting audiences with their dazzling virtuosity, on-stage humor and eclectic blend of pop, classical, surf, jazz, world and other less-categorizable musical influences.
Guitarist Paul Richards had been using the DigiTech Whammy™, RP500 multi-effects unit and even a decades-old Echo Plus, and when the iPB-10 programmable pedalboard for iPad was introduced, he was curious to try one. The iPB-10 is the world’s first guitar multi-effects pedal designed to work with the Apple® iPad and iPad2. It docks with an iPad to deliver never-before-available touchscreen visual editing capabilities and access to an unlimited array of sounds.

“When I was a teenager, I worked at a guitar shop, so I’ve been familiar with DigiTech for more than 20 years,” Richards said. “I’ve watched them continually improve and become more innovative. I had been using another multi-effects unit onstage for many years, and I’ve tested and owned gear from a number of manufacturers. When I tried the iPB-10, I was immediately impressed by both the sound quality and the very cool, easy to use iPad interface.”

“Everything is better! Better distortions, better amp modeling, better effects, and the iPad interface is so easy to use,” Richards noted. “The same day that I got the iPB-10, I had easily figured out how to program it, and was duplicating and improving on all my sounds that I had created on my previous multi-effects unit. In fact, I had the iPB-10 ready for our live show that night.”

“The sound quality of the iPB-10 is phenomenal. The amp modeling is the best I’ve ever used. Every night we play in different types of venues – it could be a rock club, jazz club, church, theater or arts center – with a different sound system every night. It is absolutely critical for me to have a great-sounding effects unit that works in every kind of live setting.”

“After the first show that I played with the iPB-10, I knew that the unit sounded great and was going to work well,” Richards said. “Over the course of the rest of the tour, I was impressed with how good it sounded night after night. There’s an original tune of ours called ‘Andromeda,’ where I’m playing a heavy guitar riff with quite a bit of distortion. I found a great setting on the iPB-10 using one of the amp models. A couple of weeks ago we did a show with our friends in the Montreal Guitar Trio, who we had done quite a few shows with before. When they heard my new sound on ‘Andromeda’ using my iPB-10, they commented on how much better it sounded, and became very interested in my iPB-10!”

“The iPB-10 is super-easy to use on stage,” Richards pointed out. “It’s by far the easiest multi-effects unit I have ever used. With the iPad interface, it’s very much like having real amps and effects pedal boards all at my fingertips, in one small unit. Instead of having to access menus or go into parameter pages to make changes, everything that I need is accessible with a touch on the screen or a click of a button, just like real amps and pedals.”

“In my home studio, I’ve been having a lot of fun creating new sounds using the huge variety of amps and effects available in the iPB-10. I can’t say enough about how easy this unit is to program and how easy it is to tweak sounds with the iPad interface.”

For more information about the California Guitar Trio please visit www.cgtrio.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 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 billion for the 12 months ending September 30, 2011. The company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

College Hill Productions Adds HARMAN’s Soundcraft® Si Compact 32 Digital Live Sound Consoles to Its Touring Inventory

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Auckland’s College Hill Productions Ltd. is one of New Zealand’s largest sound reinforcement production companies, and handles most of the concerts by major international artists as well as indoor and outdoor music events, TV and radio broadcasts, corporate events and more. Recently, College Hill Productions added two HARMAN Soundcraft Si Compact 32 digital live sound consoles to its equipment roster.

“We had been keenly awaiting the Si Compact 32 ever since we first got wind that Soundcraft was working on a line of small-format digital consoles with a rich feature set,” noted Leon Dalton, general manager of College Hill Productions. “When the Si Compact 32 finally shipped, we jumped at the chance to snap up a couple!”

“Our primary reason for going with the Si Compact 32 was its audio quality,” Dalton continued. “We didn’t want to sacrifice sound quality just for the convenience and flexibility a digital console offers. In fact, we had found other small-scale digital consoles lacking in audio performance. The Si Compact 32, on the other hand, sounds fantastic.”

The console was a logical upgrade for College Hill Productions for a number of other reasons. “The Si Compact 32 is an easy-to-use, ergonomic, compact and great-sounding drop-in substitute for our older small-format analog consoles,” Dalton said. “Each Si Compact 32 also replaces two external racks of outboard effects. The four built-in effects engines are plenty for our purposes and they sound superb.”

Adding to the consoles’ versatility, College Hill Productions ordered the Si Compact 32 consoles with the MADI card option, which allows the use of external stage boxes and extends the consoles’ input/output and multitrack recording capabilities. “The MADI option complements our existing MADI inventory and gives us the ability to create cost-effective, live multi-track recording options for bands, television companies and radio stations,” Dalton pointed out.

“I cannot emphasize enough how much of a benefit the Si Compact 32’s small footprint provides,” concluded Dalton. “It’s one of the console’s great strengths. The console in its road case has the same dimensions as a monitor wedge case, making it perfect as part of a support band package for larger arena shows where truck space is at a premium.”

For more information about College Hill Productions please visit www.collegehill.co.nz/chp.htm

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 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

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Major 3D Sound Installation Kicks Off With HARMAN’s JBL PRX612M Speaker System

NORTHRIDGE, California – The University Art Museum (UAM) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) kicked off its prestigious and innovative audio installation of “Metal Machine 3: The Creation of the Universe” with an appearance by Lou Reed, American rock superstar.

In order to provide the unique 3D sound necessary for the event, Arup, specializing in acoustic consulting, installed 12 of HARMAN’s JBL PRX612M compact powered speakers, arrayed spherically to create a fully immersive 3D sound environment.

The exhibition will run from January 27- April 15, 2012, and is free and open to the public with no reservation required. The show kicked off with legendary musician Lou Reed and producer Bob Ezrin in conversation, giving voice to their thoughts, processes and motivation behind their work.

The exhibit allows museum visitors to hear a groundbreaking composition as Mr. Reed once heard it himself while performing onstage. This has been made possible through the collaboration and hard work of recording and reproduction specialists at Arum, using their “ambisonic” process perfected in the Arup SoundLab®.

Many aspects of Reed’s original work will be present such as his mixed over-modulated feedback and guitar effects at varying speeds to create an ebb and flow of organic atonality that is only experienced while on stage. The modulated din of this deep sound flow becomes meditative noise art that spans over the course of the hour-long recording. In order to enhance sound quality chairs will be strategically placed so audience members can gain the full sonic experience.

Paul Chavez, Director of Systems Applications for HARMAN Professional states, “We are pleased to provide the sound for this special event. The PRX612M speakers are perfect for this application as they provide quality sound to support the 3D environment and the goal of the overall exhibition.”

The University Art Museum at California State University, Long Beach is open: Mon-Sun: 12-5pm, Thur: 12-8pm, and closed Mondays and all University holidays. For more information please visit: http://www.csulb.edu/org/uam

For more information on Arup, please visit: http://www.arup.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 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

Eastern Stage Productions Outfits Spectacular Gotham Hall With HARMAN’s Soundcraft Vi1™ Console

NEW YORK, New York – From elegant social events to corporate gatherings and non-profit galas, New York City’s Gotham Hall never ceases to amaze. In order to match the prestige of the venue and its variety of functions, Eastern Stage Productions, located in Edgewood, New York, recently installed a HARMAN Soundcraft Vi1 digital console.

Gotham Hall, originally a landmark bank built in 1922 incorporating many Roman architectural features, was transformed in 2002 into a remarkable high-end ballroom. It has been used for a variety of events including concerts by James Brown, Alicia Keys, the B-52’s and corporate events such as the 2003 BMG GRAMMY® Awards after-party.

When looking to upgrade to a digital board, Tim Wright, Engineer for Eastern Stage Productions, recognized the need for a compact desk to fit in the corner of the large ballroom. “We didn’t want anything that would interfere with the overall atmosphere of the building as it has some amazing artwork and designs we didn’t want to obscure,” he said. “The Vi1 fits perfectly into our little 3x4-foot area, and we don’t lose any functionality that you would with other brands. Having the versatility to use the board at both the FOH and monitor positions gives us even more options.”

Easy control of different zones throughout the ballroom is an important feature of the Vi1, Wright noted. “Having control of the right, left and center speakers and being able to easily make adjustments to EQ is huge due to the fact that the dome shaped ceiling makes it acoustically difficult to tune. This makes it ideal for different types of concerts and events where you can change settings depending on the situation,” Wright stated. “I have loved using the de-esser and compressor to adjust the settings to fit the room as well. I don’t need to scroll through pages to change a quick setting, the EQ is very responsive and makes life easy.”

When making the transition to digital, Wright noted the easy learning process of Soundcraft and how it feels like an analog board. “The transition was seamless and gives us everything that we need and more for the price point. For a regional sound company we couldn’t have found a better fit.”

With the versatility that Gotham Hall offers to its patrons, simple connectivity of the Vi1 is important, as it can easily be moved to different locations throughout the space. “It is so user-friendly, there is no need to patch wire, no latency, everything just works well. I even encourage other engineers to try the board and most of them recognize right away the advantages that Soundcraft provides over other boards,” stated Wright.

Wright added, “Honestly for how compact the console is I am constantly surprised at how much it offers. The built-in Lexicon effects are easy to scroll through and changing settings is easy with the click of a button. The ability of the soft patching to copy vocals or settings to a different page is great. It’s just another way that Soundcraft is making my life easier and allowing me to focus on what needs to be done instead of making tedious changes to settings.”

“The support that I have received from Soundcraft verifies everything I feel about the company and console,” Wright concluded. “They are very helpful with support and truly know what they are talking about rather than simply reading from a script. If I didn’t truly love it I wouldn’t try to push the Soundcraft brand as much as I do.”

Eastern Stage Productions is an official Soundcraft dealer. For more information, please visit: http://www.espnewyork.com/

For more information on the Gotham Hall, please visit: http://www.gothamhallevents.com/index.htm

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 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

HARMAN Audio Components Grace the Stage at 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

NORTHRIDGE, California – As in years past, HARMAN Professional audio components played a crucial role in the live sound reinforcement system at the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, held February 12 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. ATK Audiotek provided live sound reinforcement at the venue, relying on JBL VERTEC® line arrays and AKG microphones.

The annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, known as Music’s Biggest Night®, is presented by The Recording Academy® to honor outstanding achievements in the production and performance of recorded music. This year’s awards featured performances by some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Bruno Mars and others, highlighted by a special tribute to Glen Campbell. Adele earned multiple GRAMMY Awards, including Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for “Rolling in the Deep,” and Album Of The Year for 21.

This year’s GRAMMY Awards also featured performances by HARMAN’s JBL “Hear the Truth” campaign artists Paul McCartney and Maroon 5, while HARMAN artist Kanye West won four awards.

ATK Audiotek provided the main PA system, which featured four arrays each containing 12 VERTEC VT4889 fullsize line array elements, plus two arrays of six VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers each. An additional 12 VRX932 Constant Curvature loudspeakers were used for front fill.

The STAPLES Center also features a newly installed JBL VERTEC line array system, which ATK Audiotek utilized in addition to some temporary components. The STAPLES Center system features eight arrays each containing between 11 and 13 JBL VT4889DP-DA powered line array elements, plus two fill clusters each containing four VT4889DP-DA elements, which are specially positioned to cover the end seating areas. The system also features four subwoofer arrays, each containing six VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers.

ATK Audiotek also equipped all three pianos on stage with three AKG C414 microphones each. The pianos were featured in multiple performances throughout the GRAMMY Awards, including performances by Diana Krall, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys. Rusty Anderson, who played guitar during Paul McCartney’s performance, used an AKG DMS700 digital wireless system in his guitar setup, while Chris Brown used a Crown CM311 microphone for vocals.

“Providing live sound for the GRAMMY Awards is always a unique challenge, given the variety of performers and elaborate productions,” said Brett Valasek, General Manager, ATK Audiotek. “VERTEC line arrays consistently perform well for us and our system, combined with the new in-house PA system at the STAPLES Center, provided the necessary coverage and output to deliver high-quality sound to the live audience.”

For more information on ATK Audiotek, please visit www.atkaudiotek.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 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

Lady Antebellum Engineer Clarke Schleicher Achieves GRAMMY®-Winning Sound with JBL LSR6328P Studio Monitors

NORTHRIDGE, California – Lady Antebellum has won the hearts of listeners everywhere with rich vocal harmonies, superb playing and songwriting talent, and captured the “Country Album of the Year” GRAMMY® Award for its third studio album, Own the Night. A big part of the band’s pure country pop sound is the engineering of Clarke Schleicher, Studio Services Director of Warner Music Nashville, who was credited for the GRAMMY Award along with producer Paul Worley. Schleicher has been working with Lady Antebellum since the band’s self-titled debut album in 2008.

“The single most important tool recording engineers use is their monitors,” Schleicher stated. He uses JBL LSR6328P studio monitors for all of his tracking, overdubbing and mixing. “The monitor has to be accurate at all SPL levels, louder as well as softer. It must have excellent stereo imaging at the center mixing position, yet also deliver an accurate sound field into the control room for the artists, producers and musicians to hear. I use the JBL LSR6328P because it does all those things perfectly—and more. I’d say its biggest advantage is its low-frequency presence, clarity and punch.”

Schleicher runs his LSR6328P speakers without subwoofers. “I don’t feel the need to [use subs]—at Warner Studios, I run them without subs and with the HF level at -1dB, and the tonal balance is just right,” he said.

Schleicher listens to three sets of LSR6328P monitors—one pair in the studio, one pair at home and another pair at Skyline Music Publishing with Worley, who has produced all of Lady Antebellum’s albums. “I’ve trusted JBL products for decades,” Schleicher added. “I also have a pair of JBL 4313B’s, 4410A’s and LSR6332’s in addition to the LSR6328P’s. I have collected many types of speakers for years and still have every pair I’ve ever purchased. No matter which brand I’ve tried, JBL speakers always seem to win.”

Besides Lady Antebellum, Schleicher uses the LSR6328P on all his other projects, including albums with Sara Evans, The Band Perry, The Randy Rogers Band and James Otto. “The artists, record labels and musicians are always asking what kind of speakers I use, because they like them so much,” he said. “The head of one record label liked them so much he’s getting a pair for his office.”

Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading manufacturer of loudspeakers used in demanding recording, post-production and broadcast applications and facilities worldwide. JBL Professional is the recipient of numerous awards including a prestigious Technical GRAMMY® Award “for continual mastery and innovation…to ensure exacting standards for the most accurate sonic experience.” JBL Professional is part of the HARMAN International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.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 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.

GRAMMY®-Winning Producer/Engineer Frank Filipetti Relies On HARMAN's JBL LSR6300 Series Studio Monitors

NORTHRIDGE, California – GRAMMY®-winning Frank Filipetti is one of the music industry’s most accomplished engineers and producers and was recently nominated for a 2012 GRAMMY for “Best Surround Sound” for the 5.1 mix of An Evening With: Dave Grusin. Filipetti began his career in the 1980s and has worked with top artists including Foreigner, KISS, Luciano Pavarotti, James Taylor, Andrea Bocelli, Billy Joel, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Korn, Barbra Streisand and dozens of others. One thing stays constant through Filipetti’s variety of prestigious projects: his HARMAN JBL LSR6300 Series studio monitors.

An Evening With: Dave Grusin is a live recording that captured a 75-piece orchestra performing a collection of 12 songs by Grusin, Gershwin, Bernstein and other composers, with guest artists including Jon Secada, Patti Austin, Gary Burton and others. “Producer Phil Ramone and engineer Eric Schilling recorded the concert and I did the mixing and mastering,” Filipetti said. ”The challenge here was taking this large ensemble of instruments and performers and bringing clarity and focus to all those open mics in a 5.1 sound field. Trashing a prime directive of recording, I knew from the start that I was going to need to pan the instruments in a way totally at odds with the stage setup. But to do that and keep things from smearing, I needed to be absolutely sure I heard every element of the mix accurately. Accurate monitors are even more important in mixing for 5.1 than they are in stereo—any inaccuracy is now tripled! And the JBL LSR6300 monitors deliver accuracy in spades.”

“You can’t record, engineer, produce or mix anything well without an accurate sonic reference,” Filipetti continued. “If you can’t trust what your monitors are giving you, you’re always going to be working against yourself and everything you do will be a crap shoot. I know I can depend on the JBL LSR6300 Series studio monitors. They’ve proven themselves to me time and time again.”

Filipetti also recorded and mixed The Book of Mormon, which earned a GRAMMY Award for “Best Musical Theater Album.” “Recording The Book of Mormon was very challenging because of the number of open microphones in close quarters [especially the singers], which magnified phase issues and other sonic difficulties,” Filipetti said. “Having accurate, high-resolution monitors like the LSR6300’s was absolutely critical. We needed to be able to hear every nuance of what the mics were picking up both on and off axis before ever hitting ‘record,’ as there would be no time to fix it in the mix.”

Recording an outdoor concert can be one of the most daunting tasks in live production – especially when it’s Concerto, One Night In Central Park by Andrea Bocelli. “We were recording this in 5.1 and stereo for Blu-ray, and it was a one-off performance—so we had to get the entire concert in one evening, no second chance,” Filipetti noted. “Talk about high stakes—we had Alan Gilbert and The New York Philharmonic, along with Andrea; guest artists including Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, Bryn Terfel and Chris Botti. There were up to four opera singers onstage at one time, along with a full orchestra, a pop rhythm section, assorted soloists, a 100-voice choir, and 10 audience mics for a total of 160 mics traveling through nearly a quarter-mile of fiber optic cable into our truck. On top of it all, it was raining.”

“I’ve used the JBL LSR6300 monitors in hundreds of situations for nearly 10 years,” Filipetti concluded. “With other monitors I find I’m always wondering how things are going to sound on other systems, and mentally compensating. I don’t have to make those mental adjustments with the LSR’s, and that confidence gives me the ability to do what I feel is best because I know my productions are going to sound the way I heard them. What you hear is what you get!”

Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading manufacturer of loudspeakers used in demanding recording, post-production and broadcast applications and facilities worldwide. JBL Professional is the recipient of numerous awards including a prestigious Technical GRAMMY® Award “for continual mastery and innovation…to ensure exacting standards for the most accurate sonic experience.” JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.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 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.

GRAMMY® - Winning Engineer Chris Trevett Relies On HARMAN’s AKG Q701 For His Newly Furbished Portable Studio

VIENNA, Austria – Working to increase productivity and efficiency for his award-winning list of clients, Chris Trevett has recently acquired HARMAN’s AKG Q701 reference headphones in the next step to transform his personal studio into a fully portable rig. Now able to mix on the move, anytime, anywhere, Trevett deploys his Q701 headphones for the best mixes.

With two GRAMMY® awards and 13 additional nominations, Trevett has engineered multiple Multi-Platinum records spanning over a 20-plus year career. He is credited with nearly 100 million records sold by the Backstreet Boys, 50 million with Britney Spears and other multi-platinum records from N*SYNC, Boyz II Men, Joe and the late Aaliyah, among others.

Trevett’s first experience with the headphones came in Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Studio general manager Nick Autry turned Trevett on to the Q701s and he was astonished with the sound and clarity. Never one to use headphones for mixing, Trevett heard what he called the best headphones he had ever used in his career. With plans to begin mobile mixing and in the market for headphones, he knew the Q701’s would be perfect for his latest venture.

“Headphones magnify the sounds and mixes on all tracks and will either showcase missing pieces to make the tracks sound better, or do the exact opposite and magnify the mistakes,” stated Trevett. “The first day I got the Q701’s, I literally sat down and just listened. Such a high quality piece of equipment allows you to really hear the music, making you realize how difficult it really is to make an amazing record. We are able to perfect our mixes with them.”

Trevett’s first mix with the Q701’s was on Canadian R&B singer Carl Henry’s remixed single “Go To Guy.” “On the Q701s, you are locked down, ready to make a hit,” continued Trevett. “Working with the AKG completes my portable studio. The headphones are the final piece to have my entire studio in one portable box. The clarity of the Q701’s is hard to explain, but they truly are amazing!”

For more information on Chris Trevett, please visit http://christrevett.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 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.

HARMAN’s JBL LSR6300 Series Studio Monitors Receive Star Treatment at the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

NORTHRIDGE, California – HARMAN’s JBL LSR6300 Series studio monitors were once again used for the television broadcast of the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, as the Television Committee Room at the STAPLES Center was equipped with a 5.1 LSR6300 system. The Television Committee Room was used by The Recording Academy®'s TV committee to monitor the show in real time.

The annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, known as Music’s Biggest Night®, is presented by The Recording Academy to honor outstanding achievements in the production and performance of recorded music. The GRAMMY Awards were broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network. More than 39.9 million viewers watched this year’s Awards telecast, making it the second most-watched GRAMMY Awards in history.

This year’s awards featured performances by some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Bruno Mars and others, highlighted by a special performance by Glen Campbell and Jennifer Hudson’s tribute to Whitney Houston. Adele earned multiple GRAMMY Awards, including Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for “Rolling in the Deep,” and Album Of The Year for 21.

“As we have for the past several years, we relied on the LSR6300 Series studio monitor system to carefully listen to details in the mix,” said Michael Abbott, Audio Director for the GRAMMY Awards. “The LSR monitors helped us accurately hear the subtleties of the show, which resulted in the successful delivery of high-quality audio to millions of viewers around the world.”

Several producers and engineers used LSR studio monitors for GRAMMY-nominated projects this year. Lady Antebellum earned Best Country Album honors for Own the Night, which engineer Clark Schleicher recorded and mixed with his LSR6300 system. In addition, previous GRAMMY winner Frank Filipetti was nominated for a 2012 GRAMMY for Best Surround Sound Album for the 5.1 mix of An Evening With: Dave Grusin. Filipetti also recorded and mixed the original cast album for The Book of Mormon, which earned the Best Musical Theater Album GRAMMY award.

“It’s an honor to see some of the world’s most accomplished audio professionals using JBL LSR studio monitors on Music’s Biggest Night,” said Michael MacDonald, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales, HARMAN Professional. “We are also pleased that LSR monitors were used in a number of GRAMMY-nominated projects. Our congratulations go to the nominees and winners, and to the production team for another successful GRAMMY telecast!”

Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading manufacturer of loudspeakers used in demanding recording, post-production and broadcast applications and facilities worldwide. JBL Professional is the recipient of numerous awards including a prestigious Technical GRAMMY® Award “for continual mastery and innovation…to ensure exacting standards for the most accurate sonic experience.” JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.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 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.

HARMAN’s JBL ScreenArray® and VRX Series Loudspeakers Show Their Star Quality at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International In New York

NORTHRIDGE, California – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences (AMPAS®), known worldwide for its annual Academy Awards® ceremonies, recently completed a total remodeling of its East Coast showcase, the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City. The 220-seat auditorium was re-done in spectacular fashion, with an interior by renowned theater designer Theo Kalomirakis and an audio system including JBL’s 5732 ScreenArray 3-way high-power loudspeakers, 4642A dual-18-inch subwoofers, and VRX932LA Constant Curvature loudspeakers with VRX918S subwoofers.

Lighthouse International is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting vision loss, and its headquarters is host to the Academy Theater. The Academy financed and upgraded all projection and sound equipment according to its standards, while Lighthouse International board member Charles S. Cohen and his wife Clo, financed the beautification of the space. Digital Media Systems of New York, a specialist in providing projection and sound for the motion picture industry, was contracted to install the new audio/video system.

“Since the Lighthouse Theater is the Academy’s East Coast showplace, we knew the sound and picture quality had to be nothing less than the absolute best,” noted Gregg Paliotta of Digital Media Systems. “However, all the speakers had to be completely hidden. Designer Theo Kalomirakis understands the importance of great sound as a vital part of the cinema experience – yet was insistent that the speakers should not intrude upon the elegant interior design of the Academy Theater.”

“The installation is also unique in that it’s really two installations in one,” Paliotta pointed out. “The Lighthouse Theater is used as both a screening room for films and as a traditional stage for concerts, plays and other events. When films are being shown, the Microperf cinema projection screen rolls down from the ceiling. Then a motorized masking, scrim and house curtain system is engaged. When in final position, the stage has turned into an amazing screening room front end.”

“Our solution to accommodate the theater’s dual-purpose nature seems obvious in retrospect – we installed two separate audio systems. We went with JBL ScreenArray 5732 loudspeakers and 4642A subwoofers for movie screenings, and JBL VRX932LA loudspeakers and VRX918S subs for everything else.”

“The architecture wasn’t the easiest to work with, as there were ‘wings’ projecting from the walls on either side of the stage that had to be dealt with, but Kalomirakis and I came up with the solution of building the three VRX932LA speakers per side right into the wall with one VRX918S per side, and hiding the line arrays behind fabric.”

Placing the ScreenArray 5732 speakers and 4642A subwoofers required a little more ingenuity. Paliotta’s solution: “We mounted the ScreenArray speakers and subwoofers on wheels. The staff rolls them in behind the acoustically transparent perforated screen when movies are being shown, and rolls them out after the closing credits. Instead of figuring out how to locate and hide such massive speakers and subwoofers, we came upon the idea of just keeping them off the stage when not in use, and as a result, not having anything to hide in the first place!”

The result is optimized sound quality for all the Lighthouse Theater’s presentations. “It wasn’t ever not going to be JBL product,” noted Paliotta. “I’ve been a projection and sound supervisor for AMPAS for 10 years, and I know the capabilities of JBL. The ScreenArray 5732 loudspeakers are proven performers that are specifically designed for a cinema environment, and can be placed behind a perforated screen without adverse acoustic effects. The VRX932LA speakers and 4642A subwoofers gave us the coverage, clarity and low-end presence and articulation we needed in their respective applications.”

BSS Soundweb London processors are used as the digital crossovers for the speakers and subwoofers.

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.

ATK Audiotek Utilizes HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays for Custom Cart System and House PA at Lucas Oil Stadium For Super Bowl XLVI

NORTHRIDGE, California – ATK Audiotek recently provided audio services for Super Bowl XLVI, marking the 15th straight year the company has been involved in the country’s biggest sporting event. Once again, ATK Audiotek deployed its custom-designed cart system with HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line arrays for the Halftime Show and Post-Game Show of the Super Bowl, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 5, 2012. The carts were also used for Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton’s rendition of “America the Beautiful” and Kelly Clarkson’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Super Bowl XLVI was broadcast via NBC, and for the third straight year became the most watched Super Bowl in history, viewed by an estimated 111.3 million people. Madonna starred in the Halftime Show, which also included guest appearances by Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo and MIA. The Post-Game Show included the Lombardi Trophy presentation, awarded to this year’s NFL champion New York Giants.

For Super Bowl XLVI, ATK Audiotek deployed its custom-designed cart system, which allows for easy setup between events, and quick transport of the VERTEC loudspeakers on and off the field. Each of the 18 carts included four JBL VERTEC VT4889 fullsize line array elements and two VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers.

In addition to its cart system, ATK also utilized the JBL VERTEC and VLA line arrays that comprise the house PA system at Lucas Oil Stadium. ESCO Communications installed the system, which was designed by WJHW, for Lucas Oil Stadium’s opening in 2008.

“The VERTEC line arrays provide an optimal combination of light weight, fidelity and output power capability, making them ideal for our cart system,” said Brett Valasek, General Manager, ATK Audiotek. “The in-house PA system at Lucas Oil Stadium also sounds terrific and helped us deliver high-quality audio to the crowd of approximately 70,000 people.”

For more information on ATK Audiotek, please visit www.atkaudiotek.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 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 - Harman in Live Sound International, February 2012

Pick Of The Hits - Crown in Audio Media, January 2012

HARMAN’s Studer OnAir 3000 Center Of Attention In Newly Constructed And Renovated Chinese Broadcast Stations

CHENGDU, China — With a growing emphasis on reliable digital transmission throughout the world, three China-based broadcasting companies have recently installed HARMAN’s Studer OnAir 3000 digital mixing consoles—two newly renovated and one recently constructed. The Sichuan Radio & Television Station Broadcasting system in Chengdu, Sichuan; the Wuxi Broadcast TV and Radio station in Jiangsu Province; and the Fujian Broadcasting Station Master Control system have all been upgraded with OnAir 3000 consoles.

Provided by Advanced Communication Equipment (ACE), the HARMAN Professional distributor in China, each station sought a more efficient and up-to-date solution for their broadcasting needs.

With 15 on-air rooms in the facility, Sichuan Radio purchased and installed 14 Studer OnAir 3000 and OnAir 2500 digital consoles to control their broadcasts. The master control room in the recently constructed building is fully digital and offers simulated analogue signals for backup purposes, commitment program exchanges and transmission capabilities, among other tasks. The audio system controls synchronization of the clock system, internal communications and video surveillance throughout the studio.

The studio also boasts 14 pairs of JBL LSR4326P and two LSR4328P studio monitors, four JBL Control 25 loudspeakers, Soundcraft Vi6 digital console, and Soundcraft FX16ii and EFX8 analogue mixers. The analogue mixers are used for backup purposes.

The Wuxi Radio station renovation included an installation of five OnAir 3000s and five OnAir 2000s, all based on Studer’s SCore Router. The digital consoles ensure transmissions distributed out of the studio are of the highest quality. Additionally, the master control system can be utilized to control the comprehensive surveillance and monitoring systems and silent alarm.

The Fujian Broadcast station installed a large variety of Studer equipment, including six OnAir 3000s, four OnAir 2500s, two OnAir 2000s and four OnAir 1000s. The studio also installed 11 pairs of JBL LSR4328P studio monitors, six pairs of LSR2325P and four pairs of LSR4326P studio monitors. Two Soundcraft Vi1 16-channel digital consoles round out the equipment installed in the project that renovated six live rooms, two backup live rooms, 10 recording rooms, two dialogue recording rooms, two monitoring rooms and the master control room.

Photo Caption: A Studer OnAir 3000 digital mixing console at the Soundcraft Studer facilities in Potters Bar, UK.

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 September 30, 2011.

HARMAN’s JBL Entertainment Line For KTV Establishments Launches With Install At Guangzhou Music Box

GUANGZHOU, China – Designed specifically for the China Karaoke scene – the KTV market, HARMAN’s JBL Entertainment line has been installed for the first time in the Guangzhou Music Box. Launched in China during November 2011, the series features high fidelity sound quality for clarity and intelligibility for those singing to provide the best audience experience for Karaoke.

One of the most popular entertainment venue types in China, KTV’s host everything from corporate, school and family parties throughout the year. Music Box boasts a first class audio system, with touch-screen karaoke machines and consistently updated song databases.

The Guangzhou Music Box has 128 rooms, ranging in size from 10 to 100 square meters. Installed in the 71 mini ，small and media rooms, ranging in size from 10 - 18 sq. m, are a pair of 10-inch JBL KS310 full range loudspeakers, powered by a Crown XTi2000 per pair of speakers; in the 40 18-28 sq. m. luxury party rooms are two JBL KS312 12-inch full range speakers and two 310’s are powered by XTi4000’s and 2000’s, respectively; 17 luxury VIP 28-50 sq. m. rooms boast four KS312’s powered by XTi4000’s; and two 80-100 sq. m. club rooms have two 312’s and two KP612 full range loudspeakers, powered by XTi4000’s.

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.

CMI Communications Strengthens Lineup With HARMAN’s Soundcraft® Si Compact Digital Consoles

ROCHESTER, New York — Adding to its inventory of HARMAN’s Soundcraft® consoles that already includes a Vi1™ and Vi6™, Rochester, New York-based CMI Communications recently purchased Soundcraft Si Compact 16 and Si Compact 24 models, giving the company all the digital Soundcraft features it is so fond of at a great price.

CMI Communications is an AV rental and production facility that works with a range of Fortune 500 companies and international and national associations for many special events.

“After having the chance to use the Soundcraft Vi6, we were hooked on Soundcraft,” stated Dan Lamphier, Event Manager at CMI Communications. “We wanted to stay with the Soundcraft brand and continue to build our inventory around HARMAN products. The simplicity of use and the way the interface is developed makes a lot of sense to an analog user, making the transition to digital easy and allowing many different operators to use the board.”

Lamphier explained the transition to the digital age has allowed CMI Communications to spend less time working on analog issues and connections, enabling them to focus on mixing the events. “It’s great to use the desk for its intended purpose rather than worrying about troubleshooting. It’s easy to set up and be ready to go immediately,” he said.

For a small footprint, the Si Compact consoles provide a great amount of functionality, which is perfect for high-end events that don’t have space for a large board. “It fits into any venue and any situation,” Lamphier stated. “It provides a tremendous amount of value; wherever we take it, everyone is always extremely happy.”

CMI Communications often uses the Si Compact consoles in conjunction with the Vi series stage boxes. “It’s perfect to get even more use out of the board and really opens up our repertoire and capabilities to serve different clients,” Lamphier added.

Many of the features of the Si Compact help to make the work easier and smoother for whoever is using the board. “The acoustic delay and graphic EQ are great. Changing settings is straightforward and fast, adding to the overall simplicity of the console. The ability to use fiber optics along with the MADI card slot make it easy to connect the board universally,” Lamphier noted.

“We have really become a big advocate for HARMAN based on the success and design of their products, as well as the support and service,” Lamphier expressed. “The Soundcraft Si Compacts are perfect for what we needed and fit right into our wheelhouse with the products we already carry.”

For more information on CMI Communications, please visit: http://www.cmiav.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 September 30, 2011.

HARMAN’s Studer OnAir 1500 Mixing Console Makes UK Debut at BVE 2012

LONDON, United Kingdom — At BVE 2012, HARMAN’s Studer is showcasing its unique and versatile OnAir 1500 digital mixing console for the first time in the UK. The OnAir 1500 is a flexible solution for radio broadcasting and production, and the result of Studer’s close attention to the needs of its customers, who are increasingly requesting more versatility and connectivity from their mixing systems at an affordable entry budget price point.

The Studer OnAir 1500 is a 12-channel, 6-fader console (expandable to 12 faders), ideal for studios needing an additional professional-grade fader unit and additional I/O or a compact and cost-effective mixing console for a production room or on-air studio. Integrated USB playback and record functions make the OnAir 1500 a very compact yet complete production unit and mixer. With simple point-to-point connectivity it can easily be moved around as a backup or secondary unit.

Flexibility is increased with the addition of a 6-fader extension bay, creating either a 12-fader surface, or an additional six faders that can be remotely placed in a producer’s bay or used as a redundant surface. The system bridges the gap between production and on-air needs, offering an all inclusive feature set to simplify great programming in either setting.

Channel parameters such as EQ and dynamics can be comfortably edited using console controls in combination with the OLED channel displays without requiring an additional screen or PC. For more advanced operation and configuration, the console provides interfaces for connecting a PC screen, keyboard and mouse.

The master section gives the operator simple yet comprehensive access to the signal monitoring and switching for control room and studio with an internal speaker preconfigured to output CUE and talkback signals. Audio monitoring is augmented by two 29 segment stereo bargraph PPMs, providing constant overview of all-important signals; six different meter standards are available. Unique features such as Headphone Split allows the user to listen to two different sources, one through the left earpiece and the other through the right. Preset buttons also allow one-touch control of all monitoring. Additional monitoring for separate studios is available via an external Monitoring/ Talkback unit for added flexibility.

The separate NANO SCORE of the OnAir 1500 contains the audio and control engine. Its straightforward design provides standard sockets, making any additional breakout panel unnecessary. Two separate card slots can be equipped with any optional D21m I/O module, such as MADI (up to 64 ch in/56 ch out), ADAT, AES, or additional MIC inputs. The front panel carries three USB ports, one of which is used to identify the console operator. The second port can host a USB stick for recording and playout, while the third one can be switched to deliver an additional eight channels of I/O to/from a USB device. The core connects to the surface via one Cat5 cable, which also supplies power to the surface.

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 September 30, 2011.

UK Debut For HARMAN’s Studer Low-Cost Vista Digital Console and Compact Stagebox

LONDON, United Kingdom — HARMAN’s Studer has extended its popular Vista 5 M2 range of digital broadcast and production consoles to include a 22-fader option, realising the lowest cost Vista ever to be made available and accompanying it with a new low-cost, Compact Stagebox.

Like its bigger brothers the 32 and 42 fader versions, the new model is optionally equipped with new TFT metering, capable of displaying signal levels from mono through to 5.1 channels on each input, with a configurable lower area which can be used to display bus assignments, surround images or the unique ‘History Mode’, where a scrolling audio waveform displays signal anomalies and highlights them for up to 50 seconds to allow the engineer to identify where the event occurred. Metering for ‘layer 2’ signals can also be viewed, while the Control Bay screen can be used to provide configurable user pages with up to 40 meters. When the TFT meter bridge is fitted, the external GC screen becomes an integral part of the chassis.

The Vista 5 family has found its home in all kinds of broadcast and theatre production facilities around the world. Existing Vista 5 owners will be pleased to learn that their console may be easily upgraded to the M2 version to be ready for the optional meter bridge, which is a simple add-on to the console chassis.

To provide a cost-effective package with the 22-fader console, Studer has also introduced the optional Compact Stagebox, which offers a high density of I/O connections in only 4U of rack space. The modular unit is fully configurable but is offered with a standard configuration of 32 mic/line inputs and 16 line outputs. Optionally, the Compact Stagebox can be equipped with an additional 16 mic/line input module instead of the output module, then providing 48 inputs. Alternatively, up to three output modules resulting in 48 outputs may be fitted.

The expansion slots for standard Studer D21m I/O cards may be used for interfaces connecting to most popular digital formats, including CobraNet® or Aviom A-Net® 16, Ethersound, ADAT, TDIF, SDI (SD/HD/3G), Dolby® E and Dolby Digital. A MADI recording interface can be fitted to the expansion slots as well.

The Compact Stagebox is connected to the host console using either Cat5 or optical-fibre MADI, the same way as the larger 64 mic/line Stagebox is hooked up, and shares the same redundant MADI cable capability. The unit comes complete with twin redundant power supplies, thermostatically-controlled fan cooling and full LED status monitoring. An 8ch GPIO interface is also provided.

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 September 30, 2011.

Derik Lee Turns to HARMAN’s JBL LSR4300 Studio Monitors to Create The Soundtrack for “Bring It On: The Musical”

NORTHRIDGE, California – Derik Lee is a New York-based musician, composer and recording engineer who was invited to travel across the country to record and mix the score for “Bring It On: The Musical,” a new theatrical musical comedy which recently debuted at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. On location, Lee had to work in a number of acoustically less-than-ideal environments—including a dressing room, and relied on the accuracy of his JBL LSR4300 Series studio monitors as a sonic reference point.

“I began recording and producing the music in my Brooklyn home studio, which of course I’m intimately familiar with, and which is based around JBL LSR4328 monitors,” noted Lee, who learned his craft working with renowned producer/ engineer Frank Filipetti. “Soon after, I had to move my setup to a room in Studio 54 in New York, which turned out to be fine.”

However, when composer Tom Kitt and orchestrator/arranger Alex Lacimore asked Lee to come to Los Angeles, Lee knew he was in for a challenge. “When I got to the room—which was normally used by the theater ushers—I took one look and thought, ‘I’m dead.’ I was in an area that was like a little box and didn’t see how it could possibly sound good. I set up my laptop, keyboard, and a pair of JBL LSR4328 monitors—and the sound was way too boomy. My heart sank…but that was before I turned on the RMC Room Mode Correction feature.”

Using a supplied microphone and internal analyzer, the LSR4328’s RMC system measures and compensates for the misleading peaks in bass response caused by room modes and the speakers’ proximity to walls and work-surface boundaries.

“I turned on the RMC system and the clouds parted and the butterflies came out,” said Lee. “After a huge sigh of relief, I knew I could keep working. Having a reliable reference monitor is important for any project, but it was especially important for ‘Bring It On’ because of the nature of the music. It’s intensely synthesizer-driven and has a lot of sonic elements.”

Just when Lee was getting a handle on the project, he had to relocate again—this time to an office. “If that wasn’t enough, after a while I had to move once more, to the conductor’s dressing room! The dressing room in particular had trouble written all over it,” Lee said. “But once I kicked in the LSR4328P RMC system, the low-frequency response I was getting was excellent. That and some judicious speaker positioning enabled me to get accurate mixes no matter where they stuck me.”

In addition to smooth bass response, Lee needed speakers that were accurate through the rest of the frequency range, and had resolution of musical detail that would let him know exactly what was being recorded. “I couldn’t have gotten through this project without the LSR’s,” Lee said. “I never had to use the RMC feature in so many places before and under conditions where we were constantly making revisions to the score right up until opening night. No matter what rooms they threw me in, I knew I could trust that my mixes would translate well in the theater.”

Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading manufacturer of loudspeakers used in demanding recording, post-production and broadcast applications and facilities worldwide. JBL Professional is the recipient of numerous awards including a prestigious Technical GRAMMY® Award “for continual mastery and innovation…to ensure exacting standards for the most accurate sonic experience.” JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.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 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.