ATK Audiotek Provides Democratic Party With Sound Platform From Harman Professional

ATK Audiotek Provides Democratic Party With Sound Platform From Harman Professional For National Convention And Barack Obama Acceptance Speech At Invesco Field

Continuing a tradition of Harman Professional sound technologies being employed at the conventions of both major U.S. political parties, the company today announced that its JBL Professional VERTEC® line array loudspeakers were deployed by leading rental sound system provider, ATK Audiotek, at the Democratic National Convention at Denver’s Pepsi Center. A JBL VERTEC system was also used for presidential candidate Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the city’s Invesco Field football stadium, with Crown power amplifiers also in use at both facilities. The combination of JBL speakers and Crown amplifiers has also served as the sound system of choice for many of the party’s recent election rallies and assemblies around the nation.

The Pepsi Center in downtown Denver opened its doors to Democrat convention-goers on August 25 and hosted key speeches by Senator Ted Kennedy, Michelle Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and other party stalwarts including Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Joe Biden. The convention concluded on August 28 with an acceptance speech by Senator Obama at Denver’s Invesco Field and featured live performances by Steve Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Will.i.am accompanied by John Legend, and the Agape Choir, Sheryl Crow and Michael McDonald. The stadium swelled to an 85,000-person capacity with much of the infield used for temporary seating.

Event Sound Designer and Chief Engineer Pat Baltzell of Baltzell Audio Design specified 82 JBL VERTEC VT4889 large-format line array loudspeakers, eight VT4880A arrayable subwoofers and 68 VT4887 compact line array loudspeakers set up in distributed fill arrays for the Pepsi Center sound system. ATK Audiotek deployed 22 channels of bi-amped amplification with Crown Micro-Tech 1200 on the high frequency drivers Macro-Tech 3600 for low frequency drivers. The portable system for Invesco Field comprised 76 JBL VERTEC VT4889 full-size line array elements and 12 JBL VT4880A arrayable subwoofers in sports-venue perimeter configuration along with 32 JBL VT4888 midsize line array elements for delay-tower applications powered by three racks of Crown I-Tech IT8000 amplifiers. All monitors for the Invesco Field performances were powered by 20 channels of Crown Micro-Tech 1200 and Macro-Tech 3600. An additional battery of Crown I-Tech IT4000 amplifiers powered JBL Professional VRX928 compact line array elements for fill applications throughout the stadium. According to Mike Stahl, President of ATK Audiotek, the system performance, ease of integration and proven reliability make Harman Professional components the go-to solution in such high-profile applications.

“From the Grammys to the Emmys to the Academy Awards, ATK Audiotek’s business is dedicated to providing excellent, highly reliable sound performance coupled with world-class customer service for the most prestigious events in the United States entertainment, sporting and political calendar,” Stahl said today. “For these once-in-a-lifetime special events we cannot afford to miss a spoken word, a musical note or any subtle inflection, which is why we work with the sound components and the people from Harman Professional. JBL VERTEC loudspeakers and Crown amplifiers provide my team with the sound system performance to get our job done successfully along with the ease of mind to sleep comfortably before these large events!”

Echoing this sentiment, Michael MacDonald, Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Harman Professional, noted, “Working with top professionals like Mike Stahl and Scott Harmala at ATK Audiotek, along leading event sound designers such as Pat Baltzell, we are honored and pleased to have our sound system technologies deployed in the most demanding and prestigious applications like the Democratic National Convention. But just as we are encouraged and gratified by the consistent use of our products in these mission-critical events, we understand the need to earn our customers’ business with every product we build and with every project we support!”

ATK Audiotek Inc. can be reached at http://www.atkcorp.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.”

JBL Professional Loudspeakers Power Beijing Olympics Fencing Hall, Soon To Be The National Convention Center

Demonstrating the wide variety and interoperability of JBL loudspeakers in one of the world’s largest showcases, the Fencing Hall at the National Convention Center in Beijing recently hosted the fencing and modern pentathlon events at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. This brand new space, located on the Olympic Green, was built specifically for the Olympics.

The Fencing Hall features 14 fencing strips, a warm-up room, stands for thousands of fans, a television broadcasting room, and lounge and shower facilities. With the conclusion of the games, the hall will now be converted to a convention hall. There are also numerous features aimed at lowering the environmental impact of the hall including an increase in energy savings and water conservation.

The audio system is nothing less than the state of the art, and truly showcases the breadth JBL’s lineup of world-class, industry-leading loudspeakers. The main PA system features six VERTEC® line arrays, each containing six VT4888DP midsize powered line array elements and two VT4882DP powered arrayable subwoofers. The system also includes 400 Control24CT and 300 Control26CT ceiling speakers, along with 130 Control 300 series large-format ceiling speakers. Further bolstering the system are 92 SRX712M stage monitors, 10 VRX915M stage monitors, along with 20 EON15P portable loudspeakers. Additionally, the system includes eight AM4215/64, eight AM4215/95, eight AM6215/64 and four AM6315/64 loudspeakers. Not to be overlooked are eight PD5322/64, two PD5212/64 and three PD5322/43 loudspeakers. The entire audio system will remain intact during the conversion of the hall, although the system can be reconfigured to suit different events.

Beyond the massive JBL system, the Fencing Hall is also a showcase for numerous Harman brands, includes a total of 253 Crown CTs amplifiers, two Soundcraft Vi4 consoles, and BSS Soundweb London BLU-80 processors, part of the HiQnet™-enabled London Architect™ system design and control protocol. Hong Kong-based Advanced Communications Equipment (ACE) installed the system.

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

JBL Professional Set For Ambitious Sales Growth, Names Stephen Morris As Executive Vice President Of Sales

JBL Professional today announced the promotion of Harman Professional veteran, Stephen Morris, to the position of Executive Vice President of Sales, JBL Professional. Morris takes up the position having successfully led group-wide sales and marketing for Harman Professional’s cinema business and prior to that held senior sales and marketing roles at sister company, Crown Audio. Today’s announcement was made by John Carpanini, President, JBL Professional. According to Carpanini, the appointment underscores JBL Professional’s commitment to recognize achievement and promote from within but also to continually improve sales and support operations to provide customers in the professional audio community with the products and services they need to be successful.

“Stephen’s background in marketing and sales will bring a fresh perspective to JBL Professional,” Carpanini said today. “We look forward to working with Stephen to forge stronger connections with members of the professional audio community in all of the vertical markets and geographic territories in which we operate. With his energy and experience, I have high confidence that Stephen will generate new ideas and programs to advance our group’s sales performance and that he will make a strong leader for our sales team.”

As Executive Vice President of Sales at JBL Professional, Stephen Morris will be based at JBL Professional’s headquarters in Northridge, California and will direct worldwide sales operations reporting directly to John Carpanini. In his new capacity, Morris will also lead U.S. sales operations for Harman Professional brands AKG, Soundcraft and Studer. Prior to leading the Harman Professional cinema team, Stephen Morris was a 9-year veteran of Crown Audio, where he helped the company achieve consistent growth in the global cinema market and was heavily involved in pioneering the development of the Group’s Digital B-Chain technology.

Commenting on his appointment, Stephen Morris said today, “I’m naturally honored and excited to be presented with this responsibility. JBL Professional is an innovation leader with great products and an excellent executive team led by John Carpanini. I look forward to the challenge of this new position and the opportunity to reconnect with so many of our customers across the globe.”

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.”

Harman Music Group Promotes Reed Grothe To Executive VP Of Sales & Marketing, Adds Industry-Veteran Buzz Goodwin As VP of Domestic MI Sales

The Harman Music Group today announced the promotion of Reed Grothe as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing and the appointment of Harman Professional veteran Buzz Goodwin to the position of Vice President of Domestic MI Sales. According to Rob Urry, President of the Harman Music Group, today’s announcements fortify an already-strong sales and marketing organization and position the group for ambitious sales growth in the months and years ahead.

“I am very pleased to make both appointments as they are likely to have a material and immediate impact on our sales performance and marketing effectiveness,” Urry said today. “With Reed and Buzz assuming their new positions we now have proven leaders and experienced sales professionals in key roles at Harman Music Group. Reed has demonstrated himself to be an excellent leader who is also highly market-oriented. His input and management will provide a big improvement in brand visibility. Also, having a seasoned pro like Buzz back on the team at HMG will be a big plus for our sales ‘firepower’ and we are pleased to welcome him back.”

Grothe joined Harman Music Group in January 2007 as Executive Vice President of Sales and was formerly Chief Global Business Development Officer for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. He also held senior sales and business development positions at General Electric Security and Interactive Technologies, Inc. and is a graduate of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

“With an exciting array of new products; a strong, well-organized team and compelling market opportunities for each of our MI, touring and installed sound brands, there has never been a better time to work at Harman Music Group,” Grothe said today. “I am grateful for this promotion and am determined to meet opportunity with results in terms of elevated brand awareness, greater channel communications and improved bottom line. I look forward to working with Rob Urry and the team here at HMG to bring our customers closer to us and sharing with them the many new and exciting products we have in the pipeline!”

“Overall, we are very excited that our organization has the size and scope to move these key people into the best places possible to optimize our results,” opined Blake Augsburger, President and CEO of Harman Professional Group, “and we will continue with this type of optimizing to maintain our leadership in the markets we serve both in the U.S. and worldwide.”

Buzz Goodwin is a 20-year veteran of Harman Professional and has proven himself to be a versatile and accomplished sales leader in a number of markets including tour sound, recording and broadcast, systems integration and MI. Goodwin’s Harman Professional career began with Lexicon in Massachusetts and he has since held senior executive positions at Harman Music Group, where he led sales operations for BSS, dbx, DigiTech, and Lexicon. Goodwin rejoins HMG from sister company, JBL Professional, where he led sales operations since 2006.

“Joining HMG in Sandy is like coming home,” Goodwin said today. “There is a great team here, a great community and an excellent opportunity for me to do what I enjoy best: that is, running a sales organization with strong products and high expectations!”


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.”

Guitarist Kevin Hunter Finds The Technology To Match His Talent With Eventide Stompboxes

“The TimeFactor and ModFactor offer so much flexibility in a compact pedal.”
– Kevin Hunter, guitarist.

Looking for the perfect combination of versatility, performance and portability, guitarist Kevin Hunter has added the Eventide TimeFactor and ModFactor stompboxes to his repertoire. Hunter, the former guitarist for Jive Records recording artist Lesley Roy, is currently working on a project with producer Hal Willner (Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Marianne Faithfull).

Hunter’s list of credits speaks to his versatility as a guitarist. He has worked with a variety of artists that includes Shania Twain, Janet Jackson, Al Jarreau and P. Diddy, to name a few. When discussing Hunter’s influences (which range from pop acts like the Beatles, Van Halen and Radiohead to less mainstream guitarists like Alan Holdsworth), the roots of this versatility become apparent, as does his need for a diverse array of effects. “I’ve gone through hundreds of different effects boxes and am always trying to stretch my boundaries,” Hunter said. “A friend of mine told me about the Eventide pedals and recommended I try them out. I have an Eventide H8000FW in my recording studio in Amsterdam, and I called up Eventide and they were able to answer all my questions.”

Hunter purchased a TimeFactor and a ModFactor—Eventide’s first two stompbox models. Small enough to fit on a pedalboard or in a gigbag, the TimeFactor and ModFactor are full-featured Eventide studio-quality stompboxes. The TimeFactor twin delay stompbox includes 10 stereo or dual mono delay effects, including Digital Delay, Vintage Delay, Tape Echo, Modulated Delay, Ducked Delay, Band Delay, Filter Pong, MultiTap Delay, Reverse Delay and Looper. The ModFactor modulation effects stompbox includes 25 of Eventide’s best modulation effects, including multiple versions of Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, PolyMod, TremoloPan, Undulator, Vibrato, Q-Wah, ModFilter and RingMod.

Since Hunter purchased the TimeFactor and ModFactor pedals, they have become a fixture in his rig, both in the studio and on the road. “I used to carry a lot of effects boxes around with me but now I just carry the two Eventide pedals with an expression pedal for each and a T Rex Dr. Swamp distortion pedal,” he said. “They offer so much flexibility in a compact pedal.”

About Eventide
Founded in 1971 in New York City, Eventide is a leading developer and manufacturer of digital audio processing products for recording, broadcast, and live performance. Headquartered in Little Ferry, NJ, Eventide invented the H910, the first Harmonizer effects processor in 1975, and introduced the H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor in 1987. Visit Eventide online at eventide.com.

Eventide and Harmonizer are registered trademarks of Eventide Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Studer Vista 5SR Console - Australia Plays Broadway

Audio Analysts Select Crown Audio I-Tech Amplifiers For Bruce Springsteen’s North American Tour

Known for its power, performance and reliability, Crown Audio’s legendary I-Tech Series of amplifiers was selected by Audio Analysts of Colorado Springs, Colorado for Bruce Springsteen’s North American tour. Crown’s I-T4000 and I-T8000 amplifiers were used to power JBL VerTec VT4889 and VT4887 line array elements and JBL VT4880 arrayable subwoofers. Springsteen’s tour began in Hartford, Connecticut on February 28, making 29 stops throughout North America before a 12-country tour in Europe. The tour returned to Springsteen’s home state of New Jersey for three performances at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford on July 27, 28 and 29, where with the help of his fans, Springsteen belted out classics including “Out In The Street”, “No Surrender”, “Thunder Road”, “Born to Run” and “Glory Days.” The final show will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 30.

Audio Analysts’ FOH Engineer for Bruce Springsteen, John Cooper said, “When Bruce performs, he wants to ensure his fans get the best audio experience possible. We turn to Crown’s I-Tech Series because we know these amps will deliver the power and performance Bruce requires and they will function again and again. My RMS to peak voltage requirements are very wide and the I-Tech amps are able to deliver that dynamic performance that I need.”

PA Tech Todd Hartman noted, “Crown and JBL are truly the best products available and I wouldn’t use anything else since I always know they will perform and sound great.”

“When Bruce performs on the edge of the stage, he likes to feel the power of the PA and wants to make sure that the fans at the barricade get the same impact that those people 10 or 20 rows back experience as well as those fans that are 650 feet away in the top seat of the stadium,” Cooper added. “By using the VerTec line array, we are able to unhinge the last one or two boxes to create downfill.”

“I-Tech amplifiers feature advanced DSP processing which was used for additional adjustment of the JBL line arrays. With the built-in LCD screen on the front panel, basic features and amplifier status can be accessed from the amplifier’s location. Additionally, the added convenience of HiQnet™ networking allows a front of house or monitor engineer to easily monitor an amplifiers status from their location” says Bert Pare, President of Audio Analysts.

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

Crown 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.”

JBL Professional Partners With METAlliance

Soundcraft Unveils New Mid-price Digital Console – More Inputs, More Technology, and a True Analogue Feel

Soundcraft® Si3 promises to deliver more for less than any other.

Currently riding high with tours and engineers thanks to the incredible success of the Vi Series digital consoles, Soundcraft has launched a mid-market partner console in the Soundcraft Si3. This new desk is designed for live use on both touring sound systems and in fixed installations and its intuitive operation and high input and bus count makes it a perfect choice for House of Worship sound systems. Theatre users will also find the Soundcraft Si3 very applicable in their area.

What is particularly nice about the Si3 is it all comes in one chassis – console surface, all input and output connections, power supply – so it can literally drop in and replace an existing analogue desk as almost certainly no additional cabling would be required to install it. This compact footprint desk can directly handle 64 mono inputs, 4 stereo inputs and has full connectivity for all 35 output busses (24 Aux/Group, 8 Matrix and Left/Right/Centre mix buses), something you don’t find often on digital consoles at the price level of the Si3. Add to this 4 Lexicon® effects processors, 12 VCA groups, 8 Mute groups and bar graph metering for all 35 bus outputs and you begin to see what a package the Si3 is.

So what about the operating surface, is it easy to use? The obvious lack of what is now standard fare on most digital consoles, a large central screen, brings hope that cumbersome centralised channel operation is a thing of the past, and indeed when you look at the controls in detail you see it may well be. Although the Si3 does have a small central touch screen, it is really there for console management, cue-lists, labelling etc. All the normal day-to-day mixing operations are carried out adjacent to the channel faders continuing Soundcraft’s philosophy of ‘where you look is where you control’. An amazingly crisp and bright OLED display clearly shows important channel data for every fader on the desk, while in the centre section, OLEDs provide the same for the output faders.

Soundcraft has revisited the control topology employed on the ground-breaking Spirit 328 and 324 digital consoles, and made it even easier. The model is this - above each fader is a rotary encoder, the function of which changes according to the mode selected. This ‘bank’ of encoders, known as the VCS or Virtual Channel Strip can be set to control every function of a channel (known as Channel mode), so mic gain, EQ, dynamics, auxes, panning are all controlled as if you had a normal analogue channel strip laid sideways in front of you. The VCS also incorporates all the switching you would find on an individual analogue channel strip (48v, Phase Reverse, EQ in etc.). Alternatively, in what is called Global mode, each encoder controls the same function for each channel. So, for example, the encoders could control all the mic gains, pans or a chosen Aux bus (very useful for creating monitor mixes).

The encoder and OLED displays located in the output section are used primarily for output signal controls such as EQ, dynamics, Matrix contributions etc. but also double up as dedicated controls for the 4 onboard Lexicon processors.

When using the Lexicon processors, you can expand the controls to adjust virtually every parameter available, giving you outstanding control over the effects. Each of the four Lexicon engines can be assigned by the user to any channel. The gates and compressors, as you would expect, draw on the heritage of BSS Audio and dbx, Soundcraft’s sister companies within Harman.

The output encoders and OLEDs can also be assigned to control EQ and Dynamics control for any selected Input or Output channel for those who prefer central control.

Like its bigger sisters the Soundcraft Vi4 and Vi6, the Si3 uses the patented Soundcraft FaderGlow™ system to show what mode your faders are in, whether they are controlling inputs, aux or effects sends, bus outputs etc. For example, when faders are controlling Aux sends, the faders glow yellow, while for VCA’s they glow blue. In fact the colour codings closely follow the Soundcraft Vi6 setup, so engineers moving between consoles will be equally at home with both.

Complete desk settings may be stored as snapshots, as you would expect on a digital console, and these can then be sequenced from a Cue list on the central touch screen and controlled with dedicated snapshot automation buttons. Global snapshot filtering is also available.

Under the hood of the Si3 is an array of new technology, most notably EMMA, a single-board digital mixing console with an embedded operating system. This compact pcb holds not only the processing and DSP to run the mixer with its EQ and dynamics, but also four Lexicon AudioDNA chips to provide the Si3 with arguably the best effects available in the pro audio world. The team of developers at Soundcraft was responsible for the entire development and coding of this new mixing core which is also the base core of further new console designs already in development.

But how does it sound? Needless to say with the wealth of experience in digital platform development that Studer and Soundcraft have with the Vista and Soundcraft Vi Series’, the Si3 has inherited the same sound quality pedigree, and coupled with Graham Blyth’s talents in mic pre-amp design and the extensive development of the integral dynamics and gates and Lexicon FX, sound quality is a given.

On the rear of this highly-featured console are all the I/O connectors you’ll need. Sixty-four XLR’s for the mic/line inputs, 4 stereo line level inputs, 24 bus output XLR’s, 8 matrix output XLR’s Left/Right/Centre mix output XLR’s, Left/Right/Centre monitor output XLR’s and comprehensive internal and external talkback and Oscillator connections. There are also 8 analogue insert connections which allow outboard processing to be inserted into any input channel output bus.

The power supply for the Si3 is integral to the chassis, and a secondary PSU module can be fitted for total redundancy. There are also four spare slots for other optional cards such as MADI interfaces or AES/EBU inputs.

Of course, the Si3 has been developed with Harman’s HiQnet™ networked audio system in mind, and connection to the HiQnet network is included.

To make preparation of the console setup easier, Soundcraft is also planning to release an off-line editor for the Si3. This self-contained suite runs on a PC or laptop, and allows configuration of the console which can then be downloaded to the desk, saving precious on-site setup time. Just like with the Virtual Vi software for the Soundcraft Vi Series (www.soundcraftdigital.com), engineers can move between different consoles and take their shows and settings with them.

The Soundcraft Si3 is bound to appeal to regional tour sound companies and regional theatres, medium sized Houses of Worship and Corporate Event sound companies.

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.”

Two Soundcraft GB4 Mixing Consoles Find Home Base At The Fengtai Softball Stadium For The Beijing 2008 Summer Games

Managing to connect a thin bat with a small round ball has been an athletic pursuit for a great many centuries, and it will take on new significance when women’s softball teams from around world converge on Beijing to play in the Olympics Softball event. The large stadium complex, which consists of two ball fields and one training field, with a seating capacity of 13,000 will require sound commensurate with its scale.

The sound systems feature two Soundcraft GB4 Series desks at their core. A 32-channel GB4 and a 16-channel GB4 are providing mixing and management for the combined sound systems that comprise of 12 Crown CTs 2000 amplifiers, seven CTs 3000 amplifiers and five Crown CTs 1200 amplifiers driving 64 JBL Application Engineered (AE) Series and Precision Directivity (PD) Series surface-mount loudspeakers with processing by 23 dbx DriveRack 260 processors and two dbx PB48 processors. The GB4 offers a comprehensive array of functions in a small and cost-effective footprint including GB30 mic preamps re-engineered circuit topology and EQ designs, rigid steel chassis and high-quality vertically mounted PCB channel strips. The dual-mode topology allows it to be used for FOH or monitor duties with fader control of group or aux outputs.

The Olympics Softball event takes on special meaning in what will be the last time the sport will be seen as an event in the Summer Olympics, - all the more reason to guarantee great sound for the games there, which will be played starting August 12, culminating with the medal finals on August 21. Eight teams will compete in the Olympic softball tournament in a competition consisting of two rounds.

“The Fengtai Softball Stadium will be an impressive stage for the world’s elite softball players and it’s fitting that the venue for an announcer-heavy pursuit such as softball, features a sound system from the world’s leading professional audio brands,” said Keith Watson, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Soundcraft Studer. “We are pleased to have such a strong presence at the games and we’re especially pleased that quality sound from Soundcraft and our other companies will contribute to the enjoyment of fans at the 2008 Olympic Games.”

Harman Professional’s Chinese distributor, ACE (Advanced Communication Equipment) provided Soundcraft consoles and other Harman brand product information and regional technical support.

Information about A.C.E. is available at: http://www.acehk.com/eng/

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.”

Wassmann Audio Video And JBL Loudspeakers Blend Audio With Excitement At Multiple Six Flags Theme Parks Across The U.S.

Demonstrating the unmatched performance and ease of installation of JBL Control® Contractor loudspeakers and VRX line arrays, Wassmann Audio Video has installed sound systems in 10 Six Flags theme parks across the country. While each location poses its own acoustical challenges, JBL Control 29AV surface-mount loudspeakers and VRX932LA compact line array loudspeakers are prevalent in each park.

Located in Whately, MA, Wassmann Audio Video provides design/build solutions for a variety of applications, including houses of worship, educational environments and corporate spaces. The contracts for the numerous Six Flags locations is rooted in Wassmann’s successful work at Six Flags New England, where the company provided sound systems for all the new rides, 11 zones of park paging, four show systems and all the sound for the Island Kingdom water park.

“When Six Flags decided to upgrade the audio in multiple parks across the country, they toured the different locations and found that the New England park had had the best audio,” said Mark Jarrell of Wassmann Audio Video. “We worked closely with Six Flags corporate manager of park audio Brian Sherlin, who has a pro audio background, to upgrade Six Flags New England. As a result of that project, Brian was promoted and we were hired to handle the sound for the other locations.”

Jarrell collaborated with fellow Wassmann colleagues Jared Menard and Mike Tyburski to upgrade the sound systems for 10 Six Flags locations, relying predominately on the JBL Control 29AV surface-mount loudspeaker. “The Control 29AV isn’t overly large, but it has great sound, lots of bass, and is perfect for background/foreground music and announcements,” Jarrell said. “Also, the service that JBL provides is terrific and they make sure you’re getting as much quality as possible out of your investment.”

Additional, smaller areas of the Six Flags locations contain JBL Control 28 surface-mount loudspeakers, while many of the stage systems feature JBL VRX932LA compact line array loudspeakers. “We’ve had a lot of success with the JBL loudspeakers for these 10 parks, and now we’re concentrating on putting in systems for new rides and filling in some other areas,” Jarrell added. “Next year we’ll be looking at providing sound for many more rides and upgrading some other parks.”

For more information on Wassmann Audio Video, please visit www.wassmannav.com

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.”

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America’s Click 5000 Featured In Orange County’s Number One Photography Studio

KTTV, FOX broadcast affiliate in Los Angeles recently named Bleu Cotton Photography as Southern California’s premier photography studio. According to owner Bleu Cotton, one of the company’s greatest success is attributable to Mitsubishi Electric’s professional photography equipment and Mitsubishi’s quality services. Cotton purchased Mitsubishi’s DPS Click 5000 digital photo processing system over a year ago and has achieved tremendous success with the system.

Husband and wife Bleu and Alison Cotton use the DPS Click 5000 to produce professional photos in their studio. “We first began using Mitsubishi products because they are reliable, versatile and most importantly, cost efficient,” said Bleu. “Prior to purchasing the Click 5000, we needed a full time technician to handle problems that might arise in the studio. Today, the entire agency knows how to use the Click 5000 and we haven’t had a single problem yet.”

The versatility and efficiency of the Mitsubishi DPS Click 5000 has assisted Bleu Cotton Photography in its ascension to the number one studio in Orange County. Co-owner and wife Allison stated, “The Click 5000 is a system that everybody can operate and the touch screen makes printing photographs more streamlined and effective. We are much more efficient with the Click 5000 because we don’t have the same technology breakdowns or printer obstacles to deal with.”

Like most businesses, the success of Bleu Cotton Photography is based upon client appreciation and satisfaction. “When we are photographing a wedding we want a certain level of interaction that allows our clients to open up and feel comfortable with us. This provides great photo opportunities and creates a relationship that we take very seriously,” said Bleu. “We are providing our clients with a product that will last a lifetime and we want them to appreciate our commitment to excellence. The Click 5000 provides a reliable customization and enhancement of photos that produces amazing images. We have the capability of printing multiple photo shoots on one machine, which allows us to quickly fulfill orders and distribute them to our clients in a timely fashion.”

The state-of-the-art DPS Click 5000 takes the hassle out of photo printing, saving retailers and photographers time and money in the process. The unit features a large 17” SXGA menu-driven touch screen, making the photo center easy to navigate and control.

Additionally, the DPS Click 5000 provides a full spectrum of photo editing and enhancement features, allowing users to zoom in on specific sections of the image, crop, magnify, enlarge and remove redeye. More advanced features such as color balance, brightness, contrast and saturation are also controllable with just two buttons. For specialty image printing, such as photo holiday cards, birth announcements and business cards, the DPS Click 5000 comes equipped with a set of Aperion frames and borders, allowing the user to easily design and create a personalized announcement for any occasion.

“Almost everything in today’s photography industry is different from five years ago, Bleu Cotton noted. “Mitsubishi has set a very high standard with this system and we look forward to purchasing Mitsubishi products in the future.”

About Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of Japan, a worldwide leader in premium quality imaging and presentation products that set the standard in innovation, performance and reliability.

The photo imagining division of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America manufactures and markets a wide range of products for the photographic industry, including an extensive line of digital photo and printer kiosks. For more information on photo products call toll-free 888-307-0388 or visit www.mitsubishi-imaging.com/photo.

BSS Audio Soundweb Leads the Pack at Cycling Velodrome For The Beijing 2008 Summer Games

Few sports test an Olympic athlete the same way that cycling does. It requires maximum strength and endurance for the cyclist to perform at the highest level. At the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, cyclists are competing in the brand-new Laoshan Velodrome, whose sound system is only matched in excellence by the Olympians themselves.

Laoshan Velodrome, which will host all cycling during the Olympics, has a capacity of 6,000 spectators. It features a 250-meter oval shaped track and a total surface of 32,920 square meters. Positioned in the arena are the BSS Audio Soundweb Original SW9088iis, one dbx DriveRack 260 control, along with Crown CTS 600 and CTS 1200 amplifiers powering two JBL AC2212/64 and two JBL AM 4315/64 loudspeakers. The system was sold through Hong Kong-based distributor Advanced Communications Equipment (ACE).

The Soundweb Original SW9088iis forms the heart of the audio system. In a single rackspace unit, it offers eight analog inputs with comprehensive LED monitoring, eight analog outputs and open architecture signal processing. With application-specific DSP allocation and a fully configurable signal path, Soundweb represents a scalable, networked solution, which can be fully tailored to the installation. A diverse range of control options, including wall controllers, online PC control and third party control systems ensure that the user interface is perfectly matched to the technical proficiency and control requirements of users.

“Laoshan Velodrome presented a challenge because of the arena’s smaller size, and unique events for indoor spectator viewing,” said Iain Gregory, Product Manager, Harman Music Group. “Soundweb was the clear choice for a digital audio system in this and many other Olympic venues. Incorporated with the other Harman products, it will produce the highest quality sound for the enjoyment of all fans who attend events at the 2008 Olympic Games.”

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

AVI-SPL And JBL Professional VLA Line Arrays Blaze Audio Trails At The Rose Garden

Demonstrating the ease of installation and even dispersion of JBL VLA line arrays, leading audio video products and services provider AVI-SPL oversaw the redesign of the audio system at the Rose Garden, home of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. The new system features six line array clusters of VLA loudspeakers.

The redesign of the audio system at the Rose Garden was a part of a major capital improvements project that included a new video scoreboard, powered by a state-of-the-art HD control room. The improvements also included a facelift of the Rose Garden’s main concourses, restaurants, party suites, as well as upgraded LED stats boards and auxiliary scoreboards.

To meet these heightened entertainment standards, AVI-SPL needed a loudspeaker system that would provide powerful, controlled sound while retaining a visually discrete appearance. “If we had gone with a central cluster approach, the scoreboard would not have been able to recess all the way into the ceiling,” said Nathan Thomas of AVI-SPL. “We needed the scoreboard and loudspeakers to be located completely above the rigging points on the low steel frame so they could hold different kinds of events that used other rigging points.”

Because of their combination of power and flexibility, AVI-SPL opted for JBL VLA line arrays, installing six line array clusters. The two side arrays are each comprised of eight VLA901 loudspeakers, while the four corner arrays each include six VLA601 and two VLA901 array modules. “We chose the VLA loudspeakers knowing that we would need a highly controllable system,” Thomas said. “The VLA’s offer that controllability, and the horizontal splay angles drove us to ultimately go with that product.”

Building on the proven success of the legendary JBL VERTEC® line array series and Precision Directivity® series, VLA (Variable Line Array) series loudspeakers are designed for permanent installations requiring high-impact sound reinforcement at throw distances beyond the reach of traditional loudspeaker designs. The VLA Series includes six large format horn-loaded modules with three horizontal horn coverage patterns (30, 60 and 90 degrees). This modular horn-loaded concept incorporating JBL’s Precision Directivity series technology provides system designers additional flexibility to vary the horizontal pattern within a vertical array. This can be achieved by incorporating different modules with wider or narrower coverage patterns while still maintaining consistent vertical directivity.

According to Thomas, the system has performed beyond expectations since being installed. “The coverage is spectacular and the clarity is very good. With the current setting, we can get the system up to 115 dB with another 10 dB of headroom,” he said. “The main operator at the arena said it’s one of the clearest systems he’s ever heard, and I tend to agree.”


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.”

JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays Define International Standards At Miss Universe 2008 Pageant in Vietnam

Bi-coastal team of audio specialists with gear from Firehouse Productions and ATK/Audiotek enable live audio support for global broadcast.

The global adoption of JBL VERTEC® line arrays continues to grow with an international flavor as demonstrated by the specification and use of a full-scale VERTEC system for the 57th Miss Universe 2008 pageant. The event took place at the Crown Convention Centre, located at the scenic Diamond Bay Resort on the coast near Nha Trang City, Vietnam. Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 from a field of 80 hopeful contestants. The pageant was broadcast live by NBC in English and Telemundo in Spanish to more than one billion viewers in over 180 nations.

An all-star audio crew from the USA, including A-1 (lead engineer) New York-based Tom Holmes, Los Angeles-based digital console specialist Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher and Firehouse Productions’ system engineer Mark Dittmar, spearheaded the sound system setup, optimization and operation. Staged in a 7,500-seat performance space, the audio system needed to provide precision coverage with sufficient power to be heard throughout the venue, with adequate clarity to meet live broadcast standards. To achieve these goals, the professional audio team turned to VERTEC for the system’s loudspeaker components.

New-York based Firehouse Productions performed system integration functions and pre-event testing before shipping the entire JBL VERTEC system, the first to arrive in Vietnam, to its new owner in that country. “We have all worked extensively with VERTEC line arrays in the past and have found them to be very easy to set up, extremely reliable, and most importantly, they sound great,” said Mark Dittmar, Vice President, Firehouse Productions. “Given the technical requirements for the Miss Universe event, the VERTEC system was a natural fit.”

Additional technical audio support equipment for the production was supplied by ATK/Audiotek of Valencia, CA. “Broadcast events that include live entertainment and music program content have highly specialized requirements,” explained ATK/Audiotek’s technical operations manager Brett Valasek. “When international productions take place in regions like southeast Asia, the sponsors and producers look to the various technical specialists to work out a logistical plan that may include sourcing some local equipment while transporting other items. ATK/Audiotek outfitted the team with some specialty items not readily available in the region.”

For Miss Universe 2008, the sound reinforcement system included a main PA setup of two line arrays, each containing 12 JBL VERTEC VT4889-1 full-size line array elements per side, and a center cluster of six VT4887A compact line array elements. These were enhanced by four JBL SRX728S 2x18” subwoofers per side. The system also featured four VT4887A compact line array elements for front fill. Additionally, the backstage paging system included six JBL EON15 G2 portable loudspeakers. Crown I-Tech 6000 and 4000 amplifiers in custom Firehouse-fabricated electronics racks powered the system, while a dbx DriveRack 4800 loudspeaker management system handled system EQ and signal distribution. All amplification and signal processing functions were remotely controlled and monitored using the Harman HiQnet™ System Architect™ configuration and control software.

“The specification and use of VERTEC for the 57th Miss Universe 2008 pageant, one of the most widely-viewed broadcast events of the year, is quite an honor,” said David Scheirman, Vice President of Tour Sound, JBL Professional. “This event also underscores the increasingly-sophisticated level of audio system technology that is becoming available in emerging-market regions. This allows event planners and show producers with high global standards to have their needs met even in the most far-flung, exotic locations.”

Firehouse Productions can be reached at http://www.firehouseproductions.com/

ATK/Audiotek can be reached at http://www.atkcorp.com/

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.”

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

Sirius Integrators Provide Crown Audio’s I-Tech Amplifiers For Bruce Springsteen European Tour

Taking advantage of the power and flexibility of Crown’s I-Tech Series amplifiers, Sirius Showequipment AG of Niederdorfelden, Germany provided Audio Analysts with over 100 of Crown’s I-Tech amplifiers for use on the Bruce Springsteen tour throughout Europe. The European leg of the 23-stop tour began with three shows in Dublin, Ireland on May 22nd, 23rd and 24th followed by four shows throughout the U.K. The tour continued in Dusseldorf and Hamburg, Germany with a single appearance in Amsterdam in between on June 18th. Antwerp, Belgium; Milan, Italy; Paris, France and Copenhagen, Denmark were all treated to single-night appearances of “The Boss.” The tour continued to Oslo, Norway and Helsinki, Finland before concluding with four nights in three locations in Spain: San Sebastian, Madrid and Barcelona. The tour then returned to the U.S with a 3-night stint in Springsteen’s home state of New Jersey at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford.

“We chose Crown’s I-Tech amplifiers because they sound great and are extremely easy to use and to install,” said Holger Shader, Technical Director/Senior Engineer. “They work really well with the JBL VerTec line array speakers we are using on the tour. By using HiQnet™ for setup and monitoring, we are able to get a real-time status check on the amplifiers. We were amazed at how quickly and efficiently we were able to setup the racks during each stop on the tour.”

For the tour, Sirius Showequipment AG used I-Tech 4000 amps for the FOH system to power the JBL VT4889 and VT4887 VerTec line array elements. Additionally, I-Tech 8000 amplifiers were used to power the JBL VT4880 arrayable subwoofer.

Audio Analysts’ FOH Engineer for Bruce Springsteen, John Cooper noted, “I really love using Crown’s I-Tech amps on this tour. They are easy to integrate with JBL’s VerTec speakers and the HiQnet system allows us to easily create control pages that we can quickly access.”

The I-Tech amplifiers feature advanced DSP processing which was used for additional adjustment of the JBL arrays. With the built-in LCD screen on the front panel, basic features and amplifier status can be accessed from the amplifier’s location. Additionally, the added convenience of HiQnet networking allows a front of house or monitor engineer to easily monitor an amplifiers status from their location.

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

Crown 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 Products Finish On Top At 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony

JBL VERTEC® speakers, Crown I-Tech amplifiers and Soundcraft Vi6 Digital Consoles specified for spectacular event sound system design.

In one of the most-watched global media events of the year,the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing was held on Friday, August 8 at the newly-constructed Beijing National Stadium (known informally as “The Bird’s Nest”). The Opening Ceremony marked the beginning of the 29th Olympic Summer Games. While the Stadium normally has a capacity of 80,000, an additional 11,000 temporary seats helped accommodate the 91,000 spectators at the ceremony, which lasted nearly four hours, and included four segments: the opening address, artistic performances, entrance of the competing athletes, and lighting of the primary Olympic torch flame inside the stadium.

Composer Tan Dun provided the musical score for the event, which featured more than 15,000 performers and was highlighted by Chinese gymnast Li Ning lighting the Olympic torch. Centered around the theme of "Civilization and Harmony," the spectacular performances, including costuming, sets and overall production effects, were designed by Zhang Yimou, the renowned film director, who aimed to convey the "conception of harmony from an international perspective." Leading-edge projection, lighting and mobile sculpture technologies and an entertainment production stage designed by Mark Fisher were an integral part of the technical production, along with extravagant fireworks displays. Sound Media Fusion facilitated the event audio system design, programming and deployment, which prominently featured JBL VERTEC® line arrays, Crown I-Tech amplifiers and Soundcraft Vi6 digital mixing consoles.

Gary Hardesty (Chief Designer, Audio- Beijing Olympic Ceremonies Department; Technical Consultant, Panasonic for all Olympic Ceremonies and competition/non-competition venues) had the complex but rewarding task of specifying and implementing the massive, multi-zone, distributed sound reinforcement system approach to integrate portable and installed speaker locations.

“All FOP [field of play] speakers needed to be self-powered arrays due to highly restrictive physical space limitations,” explained Sound Media Fusion’s Gary Hardesty. “In the case of the JBL products, I needed small size and a lot of SPL, not to mention predictable coverage. The JBL VERTEC DP systems were part of a very large, distributed, multi-zone system and they performed flawlessly, exceeding my requirements and expectations. The sound quality was very good. Overall, the venue sound for the event was excellent, with an 'in-your-face' direct sound characteristic throughout the audience area. We achieved excellent acoustic isolation from zone to zone with zero intelligibility problems. Even considering the massive venue size, the result was very, very good for all concerned.”

Numerous Harman HiQnet™-compatible VT4888DP-AN powered midsize line array elements and VT4882DP-AN companion subwoofers with JBL DrivePack® technology were selected to cover various portions of the stadium, including array locations dedicated for use in critical end-zone locations.

These were configured as ground-based stacks, each containing two or three enclosures. Arrays were masked with neutral grey weather-protective covers, and many speaker units were installed behind facades and integrated into Hardesty’s overall system design underneath temporary staging platforms, including the 5 Rings Plaza and the National Flags Platform. Additionally, a total of 26 JBL MS-26 ultra-compact fill speakers were dedicated for second tribune and VIP stand fill.

Passive speaker systems were powered by Crown I-T6000 and I-T4000 power amplifiers, compatible with hundreds of other Crown amplifiers installed for the venue’s audio system infrastructure. Additionally, Soundcraft Vi6™ digital consoles were part of the event sound system. In addition to the high-profile event system for the Opening and Closing ceremonies, Harman products have been specified and installed for more than a dozen Olympic venues in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, including the National Olympics Conference Center, The National Stadium, National Aquatics Center, and Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, as well as various fencing, softball and equestrian sports facilities.

“Global multi-media spectacles such as the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games have the highest level of audio performance expectations, and require an ever-increasing amount of advance planning, with coverage and output predictions for specialized loudspeaker systems being paramount,” noted David Scheirman, Vice President, Tour Sound, JBL Professional. “JBL and Harman’s other professional audio brands are honored to have our products be selected for use in this demanding and high-profile application.”

Sound Media Fusion’s efforts for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games were assisted by Harman Professional’s Chinese distributor, ACE (Advanced Communication Equipment) whose staff provided JBL and other Harman brand product application information and regional technical support. Duncan Edwards was on hand as a direct assistant to Mr. Hardesty for music programming and system tuning. “The technical collaboration between Gary Hardesty, Duncan Edwards and the entire Chinese team, including Mr. Ma Xin [assistant sound designer to Mr. Hardesty] and Mr. Jin Shao Gang [FOH sound engineer for the opening ceremony], was inspirational to see,” observed ACE’s Bingo Tso. “This teamwork has resulted in a highly successful achievement, the most spectacular sound reinforcement project in the nation to date”.

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

For additional information on Sound Media Fusion, contact www.soundmediafusion.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.”

Billy Joel’s Historic ‘Last Play At Shea’ Concert Relies On Studer Vista 5SR Console For Front Of House And Monitor Mix

Clair Showco Delivers Great Sound For Billy Joel Featuring Surprise Guests Sir Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler and Roger Daltrey

Billy Joel is truly an entertainer as his ‘Last Play At Shea’ marked the end of an era of historic concerts at Shea Stadium on Friday, July 18th. With a star-studded lineup of musicians making guest appearances throughout the evening including Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler and Roger Daltrey, Billy Joel performed the last concert at the stadium. With the help of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney (who played with The Beatles the first concert at the stadium on August 15, 1965), Billy Joel closed the show by accompanying McCartney on piano with a surprise version of ‘Let It Be.’

Joel’s world tour began in January 2006 and has been touring ever since. The 2008 segment kicked off in Philadelphia, PA on January 26th, making stops in California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Ohio, Quebec, Louisiana, Connecticut, Virginia and finishing up with two shows in Flushing, NY at Shea Stadium. Joel resumes the second leg of his world tour with dates in Japan, Australia and New Zealand beginning in November. Sound reinforcement for the tour was supplied by Pennsylvania based company Clair Showco, which has had a long relationship with Billy Joel; in fact, many of the tour’s key personnel have worked with Joel for multiple tours, including FOH Engineer Brian Ruggles and Production Manager Bobby Thrasher, who have worked with Joel for over 33 and 27 years respectively, as well as Monitor Engineer Mike Pirich, who has been with Joel for the past 10 years.

When looking for a sound console for both FOH and the monitor positions, Clair Showco turned to the Studer Vista 5 SR for its portability, ease of use and sound quality.

“The Vista 5 SR is capable of handling a lot of inputs,” said Ruggles. “We’ve tried different digital desks before but I wasn’t really thrilled at the way they sounded – until this one came along. The Vista 5 SR is by far the best sounding digital desk I’ve heard because it’s closest to the sound of an analog desk.”

Pirich noted, “Using the Vistonics interface makes it really easy to see where you are. As far as digital desks go, this is by far the easiest to get comfortable with before a show and to prove it, I only spent a few hours with the Vista 5 SR before we did a show.”

Pirich added, “As far as quality, it sounds spectacular! It’s got lots of gain and no distortion. We have 30 faders in total consisting of three banks of 10 but are in no way limited by the number of inputs and outputs we can handle. We’ve just pushed 100 inputs feeding 18 stereo mixes and 22 mono mixes but really have more available inputs and outputs than we ever hope to use.

Joel’s Keyboardist, David Rosenthal truly relies on the sound quality that he receives in his in-ear mix and with each song, a different monitor mix may be needed. As one of the band members, Rosenthal heavily relies on Pirich and the Vista 5 SR.

“What we hear is critical to how we perform,” said Rosenthal. “If what we hear sounds good, it is inspiring to us and the crowd gets a better performance. The great thing about working with this console is it’s easy to recall settings for each song – that way, we get our own mix dialed in exactly as we need it for each particular song.”

Rosenthal noted, “I’m a big fan of Studer products, from this console to the 2-inch recording products I’ve used so many times in the past.”

Production Manager Bobby Thrasher was extremely pleased with how much easier the Studer consoles make his job. “It’s small, it’s lightweight, it’s portable and not like the 6,000 pounds I used to have to carry around or fly around,” said Thrasher. “We’ve spent more money on shipping than those rentals were worth. With gas prices the way they are, it’s actually cheaper to own a Studer.”

Billy Joel’s first show at Shea Stadium on Wednesday, July 16th was originally tagged as the ‘Last Play At Shea.’ However, after the first show sold out so quickly, Joel added a second show and due to the schedule of the Mets, Friday was the date provided. During Wednesday’s concert, celebrity guests included Tony Bennett, John Mayer, John Mellencamp and Don Henley. With this appearance at Shea Stadium, Billy Joel became the only artist to perform at the three major stadiums in the New York area: Giants Stadium, Yankee Stadium and now Shea Stadium.

Crown Macro-Tech 3600VZ amplifiers and Clair Showco’s custom JBL-loaded S4 loudspeakers were used for sound reinforcement during the Billy Joel tour. The Studer Vista 5SR is enabled with the Harman Pro Onboard HiQnet™ control protocol.

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

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

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.”

Crown Audio CTs Series Amplifiers Network Control Technologies Power Audio Intelligibility At Wukesong Indoor Stadium For 2008 Summer Olympics

Demonstrating the performance consistency and system reliability of Crown Audio’s CTs Series amplifiers in concert with the efficient network capability of Crown’s IQ Series network cards, Beijing’s new 18,000-seat Wukesong Indoor Stadium, home to the basketball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics, features a complement of three Crown CTs600 amplifiers, two CTs1200 amplifiers, two CTs3000 amplifiers networked via seven Crown IQ3-PIP-Lite cards and Harman’s HiQnet™ system configuration and control protocol. The networked amplifiers drive 22 JBL Professional Control 29AV-1 loudspeakers.

Situated in Western Beijing, the 63,000-square meter facility was completed in January 2008 and after the Olympic basketball preliminaries and finals will become a major cultural, recreational center for the citizens of Beijing, integrating cultural, sporting and commercial facilities with large-scale gardens and green space.

The audio design required engineers to specify and install a system that would sound great despite the resonant surfaces of the large space. Bcause the system would enjoy a second life after the games reliability, scalability and versatility needed to be balanced carefully with the budgetary limitations.

“The Crown CTs Series is a proven performer for installed sound applications and, together with the JBL Professional loudspeakers, will provide Olympic basketball fans and the citizens of Beijing with quality audio for years to come,” noted Marc Kellom, Vice President of Marketing, Crown Audio. “And because CTs amplifiers are so easily networked using IQ-PIP cards and HiQnet, the system is optimally configured for the games but can be easily configured and controlled for many future applications via the HiQnet™ System Architect™ user interface.:”

Crown’s CTs Series amplifiers provide exceptional performance, flexibility and value for installed sound applications. CTs Series amplifiers feature independent selection of high and low impedance operation for a specific channel, plus power levels and features that were carefully chosen to match the requirements of fixed install design. Crown Audio PIP Lite integrates Ethernet-based network control via 100-Mb TCP/IQ protocol for digital control of analog devices with digital signal control for error trapping, proactive response and remote load monitoring.
The Wukesong Indoor Stadium is one of ten venues for the 2008 Summer Olympics games that feature audio systems by Harman Professional. The Beijing National Aquatics Centre, features JBL Professional loudspeakers, a Soundcraft console, Crown amplifiers and BSS Audio processing. Fengtai Softball Field, features Soundcraft consoles, JBL Professional loudspeakers, dbx processing and Crown amplifiers. Many of the same Harman companies are featured 10,000-seat Chang Ping Indoor Arena’s audio system features JBL Professional loudspeakers driven by Crown amplifiers, managed by dbx processing and Soundcraft consoles. The Beijing Foreign Language University Stadium sound system comprises BSS processing, Crown amplifiers, dbx patchbays, Lexicon processors and Soundcraft consoles. In Shanghai, the Shanghai Stadium features JBL loudspeakers, BSS Audio and Lexicon signal processing, Crown microphones and Soundcraft consoles. The Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue is outfitted with JBL Professional loudspeakers and Soundcraft mixers and the Laoshoan Velodrome features JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS processing and dbx system control. The Olympic Green Convention Centre features Soundcraft consoles, Crown amplifiers, BSS processors and JBL loudspeakers. The Beijing National Stadium is equipped with an awesome array of Crown I-Tech amplifiers.


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

Crown 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.”

JBL EON® Loudspeakers Provide Audio Horsepower For 2008 Summer Olympic Games At Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue

Demonstrating the versatility and power of JBL EON® series loudspeakers, the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin) is outfitted with an EON system for the racetrack area during the 2008 Summer Games. While the majority of the Olympic events are taking place in Beijing, the equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong.

Managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the venue is equipped with world class facilities, including a 100- x 80-meter all-weather sand area capable of supporting 18,000 spectators and a 5.7 kilometer cross-country course. All three events of the equestrian program, comprising Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing, will be organized at the venue.

Additionally, the venue includes air-conditioned stabling for up to 200 horses, an equine clinic, 13 training arenas, a cross-country training track, gallop track, and a bridle path on the Sha Tin racecourse infield. There are four equine cooling stations with misting tents to combat the extreme heat and humidity in Hong Kong.

Dispersed throughout the racetrack area are JBL EON series portable loudspeakers. In total, 14 EON10 G2 portable, powered loudspeaker systems have been installed, providing sound to the competitors, media and Olympics officials located on the field. The JBL EON10 G2 loudspeaker features a 10-inch Differential Drive® low-frequency driver, 125-Watt low-frequency and 50-Watt high-frequency (bi-amplified) amplifiers, and a 3-input mini-mixer. Other Harman components at the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue include six Soundcraft Compact4 mixers and three Compact10 mixers.

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.”

PA Plus Helps Make Nashville Songwriters The Stars At Avalon Theatre With JBL’s VERTEC® Line Arrays And New V4 DSP

Demonstrating the premium audio fidelity and rider-friendly characteristics of JBL VERTEC® line arrays, PA Plus Productions recently supplied the live sound reinforcement system for “Songwriters Night,” held at the Avalon Theatre at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Canada. The shows featured six of Nashville’s most successful country songwriters performing hits they have written for Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Vince Gill and many more. The event showcased the songwriting talents of Al Anderson, Bob DiPiero, Tim Nichols, Jeffrey Steele, Craig Wiseman and Tony Mullins, telling the stories that inspired their most popular songs, followed by all six performing each song together.

PA Plus deployed an “in-the-round” setup providing 360 degrees of coverage, with six line arrays each containing eight VERTEC VT4887 compact line array elements. PA Plus also used 16 JBL MS26 compact loudspeakers for front fills. Powered by Crown I-Tech amplifiers, the system was remotely controlled and monitored via the Harman HiQnet™ System Architect™ platform.

In addition to the temporary sound system deployed for the “Songwriters Night” event, PA Plus recently installed the permanent sound reinforcement system at the 1,500-seat Avalon Theatre, which includes a left-right configuration of 10 VT4888 midsize line array elements per side, along with six VT4880 arrayable subwoofers per side. Crown I-Tech amplifiers power the new house system, which also includes AKG microphones, BSS Audio DPR dynamics and dbx 162SL compressor/limiters.

With Reba McEntire loading in right after the final Songwriters Night performance, PA Plus left the existing VERTEC midsize house system in place and flew the standalone VERTEC compact system for the Songwriters Night in-the-round show. In order to expedite loadout after the Songwriters Night events, PA Plus took full advantage of the configuration functionality available in the venue’s Crown I-Tech amplifier installation. “Power and processing for the portable VT4887 system was achieved by simply tying into the existing speaker lines in the overhead production grid and loading the corresponding JBL V4 DSP presets into the Crown I-Tech amplifiers,” said Mark Radu, Systems Engineer for PA Plus. “A simple re-patch in the grid and preset recall was all that was required to ready the system for Reba McEntire.”

According to Radu, the acoustic music content of the show was a perfect match for the VT4887’s. “This was the first chance I had to work with JBL’s new V4 DSP presets for driving 4887’s with I-Tech,” he said. “I was much closer to the desired end result right out of the box with V4 presets, while the system as a whole sounded much more coherent from top to bottom. I was happy with the improvements [JBL’s Director of Tour Sound Product and Application Engineering] Paul Bauman and JBL Engineering have made with the rest of the VERTEC DSP presets, and his work on the VT4887’s proved just as impressive.”

For more information on PA Plus, please visit www.pa-plus.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.”

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

Elkhart business amps up the Beijing Summer Olympics

Crown International has been making high-tech sound equipment in Elkhart for a long time. They sell their products all over the world. This year they struck gold in China — Olympic gold — with 600 sound amplifiers that the Chinese will use at 33 different venues in Beijing. (From WSBT TV, Elkhart Indiana)

To read more and to watch the video please click here!

Crown Audio Powers China’s “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium For Beijing Olympic Games

With the official opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games, Crown Audio today announced it had provided China’s National Stadium with 400 Crown I-Tech amplifiers to power the sound system during the next 16 days of events at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games being held in Beijing, China.

Affectionately known as the Bird’s Nest, the stadium was created by elite design and architectural teams from all over the world. With capacity for 100,000, the stadium will host track and field events as well today’s opening ceremony and closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics to be held on August 24th.

“As 100,000 spectators cheer for their respective countrymen in the opening ceremony, clear and present audio will be important, no matter what language is being spoken,” said Marc Kellom, Vice President of Marketing for Crown Audio. “With over 400 of our I-Tech amplifiers powering the system, we’re confident that everyone in attendance including the athletes will be able to hear their country’s introduction.”

Audio alone takes up two full rooms in the spacious stadium and Crown’s 400 I-Tech amplifiers are housed in 30 racks. The audio system, which is fiber based, was designed by China Broadcast Bureau, a state-run agency. All the processing in the system is being done by the digital console and the robust internal DSP of the Crown I-Tech amplifiers.

The integrated processing in the I-Tech amplifiers reduces DSP noise associated with external systems for quieter overall operation. With this level of advanced technology, simple system operation is available via the front panel LCD, which provides easy access to diagnostics and preset selection, ensuring fast and easy system setup.

For an event as important as the Olympics, front panel lockout on the I-Tech ensures that tunings and presets are safely stored and protected from unauthorized users. Remote monitoring and control allow for complete system control from anywhere in the Olympic Stadium. “Our ability to provide world-class network control and monitoring via HiQnet technology was instrumental in the decision to use I-Tech amplifiers in this job,” notes Kellom.

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

Crown 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.”

JBL Professional Loudspeakers Perform Swimmingly For 2008 Summer Olympics At National Aquatic Centre In Beijing

Anyone who has ever witnessed or participated in an indoor swimming competition knows that acoustics play a significant part in the experience. Too reverberant and announcements become unintelligible; too sterile and the excitement and sense of place is diminished. JBL Professional Precision Directivity™ (PD) Series and Application Engineered™ (AE) Series loudspeakers are on the job at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in the National Aquatic Centre in Beijing, to make certain that the sound will be exactly what it needs to be for the array of Olympic games taking place there August 8-24 this summer.

The National Aquatic Centre, also known as the “Water Cube,” features 52 PD5212/64 12-inch 2-way full-range loudspeakers, eight PD5122 dual 12-inch low-frequency loudspeakers, 12 AC2212/95, and 12 each 2380A 90- x 40-degree horns matched with 2446J 2-inch exit (4-inch voice coil) compression drivers. JBL's PD Series uses a full range, full bandwidth total system approach that allows contractors and consultants to design a fully integrated sound system that solves the audio challenges inherent to large installations. The AE Series loudspeakers provide a wide variety of building blocks for system design, stair-stepped to give the right solution for any installation. The "AC” models are compact loudspeakers that fit in areas where a smaller profile is required.

Designed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation with a steel space frame clad with ETFE pillows, the National Aquatic Centre was purpose-built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and is one of the best-designed examples of an aquatic competition venue, with its acoustics specially tempered for the occasion. But with literally hundreds of microphones from scores of broadcasters globally relying on the sound system for both information and background sound, the performance of the venue’s PA system is critical. The JBL loudspeakers are joined at the National Aquatic Centre by other industry-leading products from Harman including Crown CTs600, CTs1200, CTs2000, and CTs3000 amplifiers, Soundcraft consoles and BSS DSP utilizing HiQnet™ London Architect™ platform for control.

“The National Aquatic Centre is among the most impressive architectural projects of the decade: it is a true monument to the Olympic spirit and the imagination of China,” said Jon Sager, Director of Market Development, Installed Sound, JBL Professional. “At JBL Professional, we’re naturally honored that our audio systems enable the designers to marry form with function and that, with the help of our technologies, the stunning design in no way limits the
spectacular sound!”

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