Westbury National Show Systems Installs JBL Loudspeaker Systems In Two Chinese-Speaking Houses Of Worship In Ontario, Canada

Demonstrating the time-proven performance of JBL loudspeakers across product lines for even the most demanding house of worship environments, Westbury National Show Systems installed JBL loudspeaker systems at the Richmond Hill Chinese Community Church as well as the Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church, both located in Ontario, Canada. The installation at Richmond Hill was part of an extension to the existing facility, with the addition of a 1,600-seat worship sanctuary, while the installation at Scarborough was part of a brand-new, uniquely designed church with a sanctuary capacity of 1,000 people.

The Richmond Hill Chinese Community Church features a main PA system that includes a center cluster of three JBL PD5322/43 loudspeakers, which are hung above the main stage area and include a JBL PD5322/64 loudspeaker on each side. Westbury also installed two JBL VPSB7118 subwoofers in the stage. There are eight AC2212/64 loudspeakers installed in the over balcony area and eight MS28 loudspeakers installed in the under balcony area. The system is complimented with a choir fill system containing three JBL AC2212 loudspeakers that are located behind the main center cluster.

The driving forces behind this extensive JBL system are Crown CTs series amplifiers. Three CTs2000 amplifiers are driving the high fills while five CTs3000 amplifiers are driving low fills. Four Crown CTs1200 amplifiers drive each of the over- and under-balcony loudspeakers respectively. Two CTs6000 amps power the high fills for the choir and two CTs1200 amps power the low fill. The audio distribution is done from the front of house console through four BSS Soundweb BLU 80’s and three BLU 32’s.

David VanVeldhuisen, CTS, project manager of Westbury National Show Systems, states, “The PD Series loudspeaker is a great product and the Crown amps were a great match. We get very good quality of sound from PD series loudspeakers and they’re easy to install.”

One of the main challenges faced in the design of the sanctuary was its circular shape. VanVeldhuisen continues by stating, “It’s a unique church in that it’s a circular. There’s a point of origin at the stage and it spreads out in a circular fashion from there.”

The brand-new Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church is a uniquely designed church with a long stage and four seating sections that accommodate a total of 1,000 people. Westbury National Show Systems installed an audio system featuring a left/right setup containing two JBL VP7315/64 loudspeakers and one VP7215/95 loudspeaker on each side. Each cluster also includes one VP7212/64 for stage fill and two SB7118 subwoofers that is hung from the ceiling.

The Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church also features six JBL EON10 loudspeakers as stage monitors, while the lobby area and the nursery include JBL Control 26CT loudspeakers and two EON10 stage monitors. Westbury also installed a BSS Soundweb BLU 80 and BLU 32 system for DSP functions. A Crown CTS600 drives the lobby. The chapel has two AC2212/64 speakers, two EON10 stage monitors and a Crown
CTS600 amplifier.

According to VanVeldhuisen, the installation at Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church was a success. “The church loves the sound, we achieved great coverage from the system,” he said. “The onboard power of the VP Series made the project much more convenient, because we had limited space for racks. It greatly simplifies the installation process and it’s a nice box that’s easy to address.”

For more information on Westbury National Show Systems, please visit www.westbury.com.

JBL is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

C.V. Lloyde Music Center And JBL Professional Loudspeakers Kick Off At University Of Illinois Memorial Stadium

Demonstrating the weather durability and output capability of JBL Professional’s Precision Directivity (PD) Series and Application Engineered (AE) Series loudspeakers, systems integrator C.V. Lloyde Music Center utilized WRX weather resistant versions of these speakers in a new scoreboard loudspeaker system at the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium. Home to the University of Illinois football team, Memorial Stadium now holds more than 65,000 fans after renovations over the past few years.

With the goal of providing a high-impact loudspeaker system to augment the existing sound system, C.V. Lloyde Music Center chose JBL loudspeakers for their weather-resistant durability and sonic accuracy. “We have used JBL loudspeakers for more than 12 years and have always been impressed with their weatherproofing,” said C.V. Lloyde. “The loudspeakers also needed to be aesthetically discreet and not visually interfere with the scoreboard itself. Plus, I felt comfortable installing JBL speakers above the main scoreboard at Memorial Stadium, which is such a vulnerable position because of the weather.”

To that end, C.V. Lloyde Music Center installed two JBL PD5200/43-WRX loudspeakers (one on each side of the scoreboard), two PD5200/95-WRX loudspeakers, and three AM6212/64-WRX loudspeakers across the front of the scoreboard, mounted to the roof. All loudspeakers are located above the new scoreboard, which measures 60 x 10 feet in size.

“I have been a JBL dealer since 1969, and JBL is like family to me,” Lloyde said. “I always have a lot of confidence in their loudspeakers, whether it’s a church, a sports facility or a performance space. Our installation of JBL PD Series and AE Series loudspeakers at Memorial Stadium is a great example of JBL’s ability to provide loudspeakers that work harmoniously across product lines.”

“As more stadiums are undergoing renovations and upgrades to their physical structures as well as their communication technology, system integrators are adopting a JBL solution,” said Jon Sager, Director of Market Development, Installed Sound for JBL Professional. “The installation of JBL PD and AE Series loudspeakers at the University of Illinois not only demonstrates C.V. Lloyde’s professional expertise, but also exemplifies the worldwide recognition of JBL’s ability to provide clear, powerful and easy-to-install loudspeaker systems for these applications. Whether it be a complete loudspeaker system or a few additional loudspeakers to improve coverage in newly renovated or added spaces JBL has a solution.”

JBL is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Harman Audio Installation At Espace Event Space In New York

Hitachi FX Duo Starboard Demo - 2 of 2

Hitachi FX Duo Starboard Demo - 1 of 2

Gabisom Brings Power And Performance To World’s Largest Music Festival With JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays at Rock In Rio

Demonstrating the rising global popularity of JBL VERTEC® line arrays for the world’s most challenging live-performance events, Brazil-based Gabisom Audio Equipment provided a massive VERTEC line array system at Rock in Rio, the world’s largest music festival. The first in two series of shows, Rock in Rio Lisbon featured performances by Lenny Kravitz, Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Rod Stewart, and Linkin Park. The second series of shows in Madrid featured Bob Dylan, Franz Ferdinand, Chris Cornell, Neil Young, Shakira, The Police, and Amy Winehouse.

In both locations, Gabisom deployed a JBL VERTEC system with four array locations for the main (World Stage) system. A total of 120 VT4889 large-format line array elements and 60 VT4880A Ultra Long Excursion subwoofers were deployed in the main suspend arrays. The main system consisted of four arrays across the front in the normal L/R (front), LL/RR (outfill) configuration.

In a unique twist, however, each array consisted of three separate hangs: dual VERTEC VT4889 full-range hangs, separated by a VT4880A subwoofer hang in the middle. The main left and right arrays had two columns of 18 VT4889 line array elements and one column of 18 VT4880A arrayable subwoofers each. Outer LL and RR columns had two columns of 12 VT4889 elements and one column of 12 VT4880A subwoofers. Each group of the three arrays was driven by three separate signals called Band, Vocal, and Sub. This assisted in creating sound that was portrayed by system operators as effortlessly powerful and clear in a festival where the sheer size of the venues demanded something beyond the standard PA.

Peter Racy, Gabisom Audio Equipment’s Chief Engineer for Rock in Rio, explained, “The main PA was set up in a non-traditional and unusual manner, which we call ‘side-by-side.’ It was non-traditional for line array systems because of its mammoth size, and also unusual because it was intentionally designed to have a greater amount of acoustical output than usual.”

The system’s power and fidelity was confirmed by “Big Mick” Hughes, known for his high-level expectations as longtime FOH mixer for Metallica. “The VERTEC system for Rock In Rio was fantastic…it was dead powerful,” he noted. “It was perhaps the largest line array system setup I’ve ever had the pleasure of mixing this band on. The 15-inch loudspeakers in the JBL line-array rig work particularly well for the band’s guitar-based sound. We achieved spectacular results.”

Gabisom deployed a massive JBL VERTEC line array system for Rock in Rio, the world’s largest music festival. Tony Szabo, System Engineer for the European leg of Bob Dylan’s tour, was another professional onsite who had a positive experience. “With Peter and Valter [Silva] in charge at front-of-house, and JBL’s new V4 DSP presets loaded in the rig, the show certainly sounded good,” he stated. “We really didn’t have to do too much EQ at all. All in all, it was a really big PA that looked good and sounded good. What more can you ask for?”

“Gabisom is a highly-experienced concert sound company with a broad and diverse inventory. Their decision to use their VERTEC line array system for such an event is a statement unto itself about VERTEC’s rider-friendly acceptability,” said David Scheirman, Vice President of Tour Sound, JBL Professional. “Rock in Rio not only marks the convergence of some of the most talented performing artists in the world, but it’s also a gathering of some of the industry’s most accomplished and knowledgeable live sound professionals. JBL is honored to see our speaker system products selected for this demanding, high-profile application.”

JBL is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com ). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Clair Showco Provides Studer Vista 5 SR Digital Audio Console For Country Music Star Keith Urban Nationwide Tour

Showcasing the quality, ease of use and reliability of the Studer Vista 5 SR console, Clair Showco of Lititz, PA, recently provided the audio system for country music star Keith Urban’s U.S.-based tour. The multi-city tour featured Studer Vista 5 SR digital audio consoles in use for both FOH and monitor mixing applications.

Taking both the Australian and U.S. country music scenes by storm, the New Zealand born Urban heavily relies on the sound quality of the Vista 5 SR while on tour. The Studer Vista 5 SR was chosen by his mixing engineers who went through a vigorous evaluation process prior to the selection of the console but chose the Studer after it met all required criteria: Sound quality, flexibility/ease-of-use and reliability.

FOH Engineer Steve Law and Monitor Mixing Engineer Jason Spence evaluated numerous brands of sound consoles before the tour. Spence noted he had never felt as comfortable with a new desk as he did during the week he was trying out the Studer Vista 5 SR.

"When choosing a console, I have three criteria," said Spence. "It has to sound good to the artist on stage! If it doesn't, there's not much point in continuing. Second, I have to be able to get around it quickly. With the 'inline design' of the input and output strips, the Vista 5 SR feels very 'analog.' I'm able to have control and access to all the parameters at my fingertips. There are not multiple pages to plow through to gain control of any particular feature. Lastly, it needs to be reliable and not crash. It seems that with other brands, I could get one, maybe two of my criteria met; however with the Studer, I got all three!"

Howard Page, Director of Engineering for Clair Showco, was excited about including the Vista 5 SR on the tour for both front of house and monitor mixing duties due to its ease of use. “We had originally fallen in love with the Vista 8 at the AES Convention,” said Page. “We suggested that Studer create a console dedicated to the live touring market. The Vista 5 SR is one of the most stunning consoles we’ve ever heard. Other competing consoles are incredibly large and awkward, whereas the Vista 5 SR has a small footprint and only takes us five minutes to set up. And most significantly, we find that people who get on the Vista 5 SR for the first time respond extremely positively, for both house and monitor applications. That is key for us.”

Additionally, Crown Macro-Tech 3600 amps and a Lexicon M480L Reverb Effects Processor were in use as part of Clair Showco’s custom JBL-loaded loudspeaker system for the Keith Urban tour.

Clair Showco can be reached at www.clairshowco.com.

Studer is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Hitachi Appoints Annie Sunseri To Position Of Northeast Regional Sales Manager

Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group has appointed Annie Sunseri as Northeast regional sales manager. Ms. Sunseri brings over 15 years experience in sales and marketing, most recently as an independent marketing consultant advising clients in event marketing, channel marketing, channel development and non-profit event management. Ms. Sunseri previously served as the senior marketing events manager for InFocus Corporation, a digital projection company. In this role she developed all corporate marketing, sales and reseller/vendor partner events and tradeshows.

Ms. Sunseri’s responsibilities will include generating sales of Hitachi LCD projectors to dealers that serve various markets throughout the Northeast, including education, houses of worship, government, corporate and SOHO/home office. Because of their ease of installation, intuitive operation and affordability, Hitachi projectors offer the lowest cost of ownership in the industry.

“It’s a very exciting time to be in the audio/video industry, given the rapid evolution of technology and the continuing maturation of numerous markets,” Ms. Sunseri said. “Furthermore, I am thrilled to be joining Hitachi, one of the most successful and innovative companies in the industry.”

Hitachi Appoints Ray Soltys To Position Of Director of Sales, Business Group

Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group has announced the appointment of Ray Soltys to the position of Director of Sales, Business Group, effective immediately. Mr. Soltys will be responsible for sales of Hitachi LCD projectors and Hitachi Software interactive panels and whiteboards.

Mr. Soltys has been with Hitachi since 2000, advancing from regional sales manager to become national sales manager in October 2002. During his time with Hitachi, Mr. Soltys has contributed significantly to the company’s continued position as the leading projector manufacturer in the pro A/V industry, while helping expand sales to Central and South America.

In his new position, Mr. Soltys looks forward to continued success and growth. “Given Hitachi’s tremendous success in the past, a main priority of mine is to keep the same business practices intact while continuing to grow our projector and interactive whiteboard businesses,” he said. “We have done a terrific job reaching beyond traditional markets while also expanding into new regions. Four years ago, we began efforts to grow Hitachi’s business in South America and it’s gone extremely well for us. This region offers new opportunities for growth as South America continues to adopt cutting-edge presentation technology.”

According to Mr. Soltys, Hitachi’s dedication to innovation and providing end-users with the lowest cost of ownership in the industry lies at the heart of the company’s success. “Our networking solutions for Hitachi LCD projectors has been a huge selling point across the board, since it allows users to control and manage their investment from a remote location,” he said. “Plus, that investment goes farther with Hitachi projectors because of our commitment to customer service, long lamp life, and very little maintenance.”

DPA Soundco Brings Power To The Masses At Roskilde Festival With JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays and V4 DSP Presets

Demonstrating the industry-leading sound, reliable coverage characteristics and easy setup features of JBL VERTEC® line arrays, more than 67,000 fans flocked to Roskilde, Denmark this year to witness Roskilde Festival 2008, the largest annual rock music festival in Northern Europe. This year’s Roskilde Festival featured performances by Radiohead, Neil Young, Gnarls Barkley, My Bloody Valentine, Jay-Z and many more.

DPA Soundco A/S of Soborg, Denmark, once again provided concert sound services for the legendary festival. A total of 60 VT4889 full-size line array elements were suspended using ground-support trussing structures which flanked the festival's unique, orange tensile-membrane outdoor stage covering. Each main left/right array included 18 VT4889's, supplemented with out-fill array hangs of 12 boxes each. DPA Soundco’s Paul Hammann and Claus Pedersen headed the onsite crew responsible for system deployment and operation.

"This is the first year we have deployed JBL's VERTEC system for Roskilde, after using another system for many years," advised Sten Jensen of DPA Soundco. "The large VERTEC system went up very quickly. We relied on JBL's new V4 DSP presets and found that we did not have to use very much EQ on the system. The long-throw capabilities were as expected, so some additional delay arrays that had been provided on towers at 50 meters (164 feet) out from the stage were more to bring in some additional high-frequency energy than for providing any additional output power, as there was a constant headwind of up to 8-12 meters per second [18-27 miles per hour]."

JBL VT4888 midsize line array elements were used to cover areas close to the stage. "The front fill system that we had designed for the event worked well for the audience pits in the middle, intended for a throw out to about 25 meters from the stage," explained Jensen. "Each year we make gradual adjustments and improvements to the overall sound system, and we already have ideas for refining our approach for next year."

Jensen noted that the sound crew and guest engineers were very pleased with the overall results. "We were especially happy with summation of the main and the offstage VERTEC array hangs. And, we were able to get perforated net in front of the offstage speakers (rather than solid plastic) so this was a help," he observed. "All in all we were quite pleased with the performance of the system. We think that VERTEC will experience a second wave of interest and excitement in the industry, with JBL's new V4 DSP presets."

For more information on DPA Soundco, please visit http://www.dpasoundco.dk/

JBL Professional is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

AKG Provides Top Class Products For Young Talents At The Annual AES Student Competition In Amsterdam

Underscoring its commitment to engineering education and reaffirming its support of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), AKG provided two of the top performing students in the 2008 Annual Student Competition of the AES Convention with microphones and headphones as prizes for their academic achievement. The 2008 competition, held last month at the 124th Convention in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, featured the largest number of student participants to date.

Two top performing students were issued a pair of AKG K271 Mk2 headphones and an AKG C 214 microphone for their accomplishments. David Schwager, of The University of Applied Sciences in Dusseldorf, was granted an AKG C 214 microphone for Non-Classical Surround, while Marcin Szwajcer of the Wroclaw University of Technology, received a pair of AKG K271 Mk2 headphones for finishing second at AES for World/Folk music.

Thomas Stubics, Product Manager for recording and broadcast at AKG, stated, "Young talent is the lifeblood of our community. It drives innovation and creativity and brings new perspectives to complement experienced engineers. At AKG, we believe it is critical to support young talent in every way that we can and so we are pleased to award AKG products to the winners.”

AKG K271 Mk2 are dynamic, around-ear, closed-back headphones that are designed for playback recording and live monitoring applications. Offering a stage blue color and superior performance, the K271 Mk2 is also equipped with an additional five meters of coiled cable, comfortable leatherette and velvet ear pads.

AKG’s brand new C214 microphone captures sound using a one-inch diaphragm with patented Edge-Terminated Back Plate Technology providing wide frequency response. Additionally, the microphone offers a –20 dB Attenuation pad, 13 dB noise floor, and a low cut switch-all in an elegant but rugged package. Additional features include an integrated suspension, a double mesh grill, and a switchable low cut filter.

AKG is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Harman Sound System Takes Center Stage At Hollywood High’s Auditorium

System Featuring JBL Professional VERTEC® Loudspeakers, Crown I-Tech Amplifiers, Soundcraft Vi4 Mixing Console Joins The Cast At Hitmaker High School.

As the sound system provider of choice to some of the world’s most high-profile concert tours, the most successful blockbuster movie presentations and the most prestigious recording studios, it is only fitting that the Harman Pro Group was selected to provide components for a brand new PA system for the 1000-seat auditorium at Hollywood High School, a veritable star-making machine that has earned a far-reaching reputation for its remarkably progressive and prolific drama program. The sound system was designed and installed by Richard Ralke, President of L.A. Sound Company in Canoga Park and features JBL Professional VERTEC® line array loudspeakers, Crown I-Tech amplifiers and a Soundcraft Vi4 mixing console.

The alumni rolls from Hollywood High School reads like a Who’s Who of movie history. Former students include screen legends like Mickey Rooney, James Garner, Judy Garland, Keith and Robert Carradine, Sara Jessica Parker, Lana Turner, John Huston, John Ritter and Laurence Fishburne. The school is located between Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard and is a fixture in a Hollywood landscape that includes other iconic Harman Pro Group installations including Mann’s Chinese Theater, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Kodak Theater, the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), The Directors Guild Of America (DGA) and the Alfred Hitchcock Theater. In addition to its star-studded alumni, the school has also hosted concerts for The Byrds, Elvis Costello and the Stone Roses among others.

The system comprises 14 JBL VERTEC VT4887A compact line array elements with four JBL VERTEC VT4881A arrayable subwoofers. The system includes a Soundcraft Vi4 mixing console, and amplification is provided by 8 Crown ITech 4000s for the line arrays, 1 Crown ITech 8000 for the subs, 4 Crown XTI 4000 for stage monitors and 1 Crown CDI 1000 for dressing room and backstage. The audio package reflects the standard equipment riders of touring concert acts like Bruce Springsteen, Blue Man Group, Gwen Stefani, Nine Inch Nails, Toby Keith, Neil Diamond, Lenny Kravitz, Rascal Flatts, Josh Groban, Seal, Eric Clapton, and many others whose rental system suppliers take to the road with similar gear.

“L.A. Sound Company is providing the students, staff and audiences of Hollywood High School with a world-class system,” noted Michael MacDonald, Harman Pro Group Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “Now, when students step onto the stage at Hollywood High, they’re entering the same technology environment they would experience in the world’s best-sounding and most prestigious venues. We’re proud of our association with Richard Relke and L.A. Sound Company and the unique academy of performance that is Hollywood High!”

Hollywood High’s Musical Theatre and Vocal Department is led by staff teacher Stormy Sacks. “Our student body is drawn from a broad ethnic mix and our productions incorporate a wide spectrum of styles,” observed Sacks. “The sound system that we needed to acquire had to accommodate, with crystal-clear clarity, all styles of vocal and instrumental music as well as the spoken word. We have just begun to use our new Harman Pro Group system, and it is proving to be versatile and high-performing with an extraordinary dynamic range. It has transformed the experience for both the performers and the audience; and, I know that in years to come we will recognize that this sound system was vital to the growth of our Performing Arts Center. It is already helping us to build a larger audience - one that can finally experience and enjoy the superior level of performance by the students at ‘World Famous’ Hollywood High.”

L.A. Sound Company, founded in 1971 by Richard Ralke, has evolved from being a regional tour company into a full service corporate and concert system provider, system designer - integrator and pro audio retailer. The company has become a fixture on the Hollywood scene and has earned a reputation for excellent sound coupled with personalized service. Locally, L.A. Sound Company is supported by Harman Pro Group sales representative Dave Kaiser of Sound Marketing West.

“This school auditorium is a central a part of Hollywood folklore,” Ralke said today. “Legends have been born here and it’s appropriate that our own local hero, the Harman Pro Group, also joins these icons and soon-to-be icons on the stage at this remarkable high school.”

To learn more about L.A. Sound Company call 818 772-9200 or visit http://www.lasoundco.com

Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Soundcraft FX16 Survives 'Lighting' Strike

Baltimore Tattoo Convention Performances Challenged When Tesla Machine “Zapped” Analog Sound Console; Durability Proves Show Must Go On!

In an incredible feat of resilience, 500,000 Volts of electricity struck a Soundcraft FX16 audio console during a sideshow gone awry at the Baltimore Tattoo Convention on February 8th in Baltimore City, MD and the show was able to continue. While providing sound reinforcement on the first day of this three-day expo of tattoo artists and live performances, Airport Circle Sound Reinforcement, LLC was faced with an unexpected bolt of lightning that discharged from a performer’s Tesla Coil into the Soundcraft mixer. After destroying the preamps of the mic channels that were attached and all the microphones that were in use, Executive Engineer for Airport Circle Sound, Nik Salvo was able to use the remaining channels of the sound console and continue with two more days of performances.

Performers in "The Enigma" are known for their use of a 500,000 volt Tesla coil in the performance to direct bolts of lightning through the air to a performer’s body, ultimately lighting up a light bulb that they hold in their mouth. The first night took an unexpected turn as the machine discharged when someone mistakenly plugged it in back stage. Lighting bolts immediately shot from the coil to the sound and lighting systems, rendering most of the system inoperable, yet the sound console survived.

Nik Salvo commented on the incident. “I could not believe that my Soundcraft console worked after such a shock! We had only brought a small five-channel mixer as a backup and the damaged Soundcraft mixer was still better to use than our backup unit. I am very impressed that after such a lethal blow to our console we still could go on with the show. It was a true testament to the quality, engineering and ruggedness of the products Soundcraft makes.”

Salvo continued, “After this event we were disappointed to find that the FX16 was no longer in production, but were told by our vender that the new FX16ii was now available and without hesitation, we placed the order and are very pleased with the newer version. The features of the new Lexicon effects section and the other changes were a great improvement on an already great product.”

The annual Baltimore Tattoo Expo houses over 60 tattoo shops and over 150 tattoo artists onsite. In 2008, numerous live bands performed throughout the weekend including: Dead Neks, The Trauma Dolls, Murphy's Law, Cobra Clutch, The Nerve Scheme, Stout, and Dahlozen Prophecy provided music. Additionally, “The Enigma” was on-hand for an eclectic mix of rock and roll, sideshow acts and stunts including sword swallowing, fire breathing and stunts with the Tesla Coil. The Enigma’s upcoming tour includes stops in Manchester, NH, Des Moines, IA and Denver, CO.

Soundcraft is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Studer and Soundcraft Mixers Featured Heavily at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Mixers from both Studer and Soundcraft appear at numerous events and broadcast facilities at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Digital consoles from both Harman companies have been chosen and purchased by local Chinese broadcasters as well as worldwide companies who are installing or providing facilities at the events. The increased attention to HD broadcasting and surround has been one of the reasons Studer consoles particularly have been bought by numerous Broadcasters for their games coverage.

By far the largest consumer of Studer consoles for the games is China’s premier Broadcaster, CCTV (China Central Television). Their English-speaking International channel, CCTV-9, is using a Studer Vista 7 in its on-air studio, while the main studios of CCTV have been equipped with four Vista 5’s and five OnAir 3000’s. Quindao Radio has purchased an OnAir 3000 for the games, and Hong Kong’s TVB has purchased a total of five Vista 5’s, three for its studio for the games and two for OB vans.

Studer Vista consoles are particularly popular in OB vehicles because of their compact size, weight, simple user interface and functionality (including surround management and integral Dolby E and SDI decoding capabilities), and local broadcasters Guangdong TV, Beijing TV and Shanghai Media Group all feature Vista 8’s in their trucks. The Shanghai Media Group also fitted a dedicated 5.1 audio truck with a Vista 5. CCTV’s HD OB van is equipped with a Vista 8 and an OnAir 3000, while TJTV’s HD truck is now equipped with a Vista 8. HLJTV’s HD van comes with both a Vista 5 and an OnAir 3000, BTV’s HD truck is fitted with a Vista 8 and an OnAir 3000. Jinan TV and Dalian TV are sending HD trucks, both fitted with Vista 5 consoles.

From outside China, Spain’s TVE is constructing its own studio in Beijing, where three Studer Vista 5’s handle all the mixing tasks, as will the Vista 5 in the studio of Hungary’s MTV. Danmarks Radio’s facilities include a Studer OnAir 3000 (the corporation operates some 90+ Studer OnAir mixers in Copenhagen), and an OnAir 3000 will be at the heart of Brazil’s TV Bandeirantes’ system, while OB vehicles from France (SFP and VCF) and Norway (NRK’s HD-1) will run with Studer D950’s, Vista 5’s and Vista 8’s. Finally, the OnAir 3000 infrastructure of the Swiss SRG Media Services (MSC) will also be in Beijing, feeding all the radio programs of SRG, 13 networks in all.

For the opening and closing ceremonies, Soundcraft Vi6™ digital consoles are part of a large Harman-based system, while a Soundcraft Vi6 is at the heart of the system in the National Aquatics Centre. Two Soundcraft Vi4™’s are installed at the National Olympic Conference Centre, and numerous Soundcraft analogue mixers ranging from CompAct mixers up to MH4’s are installed in Olympic venues such as the Fengtai Softball Field, Chang Ping Indoor Stadium, Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, Beijing Foreign Language University Stadium, Ditan Park Indoor Stadium, Shanghai 80k Stadium, Hong Kong Equestrian Venues and the Honk Kong Olympic House Conference Room.

Studer and Soundcraft are units of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

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