Mizmor HD Productions Turns to HARMAN’s Studer

TEL AVIV, Israel – Mizmor HD Productions, based in Tel Aviv, has recently purchased a 32-fader HARMAN Studer Vista 1 digital console through Kilim Electronics, Studer’s Israeli distributor.

Under the direction of Daniel Lankry, Mizmor HD has grown steadily since being founded in 1992 and today has four sophisticated HD OB vans, including the largest in Israel, broadcasting mainly sport and national events. It is in this OB, which can accommodate up to 14 cameras, that the Vista 1 and Compact Stagebox have been installed, replacing the previous analogue console.

After considering all options, the purchasing decision was based on the superior facilities of the Studer console and the service/backup Mizmor knew it would receive from Kilim Electronics.

The Vista 1 is a transportable all-in-one digital mixing console for broadcast, live and production use, with the control surface, I/O system, DSP and power supplies all contained within the console. This makes it the ideal choice when space is restricted, such as in OB and ENG vans.

Thanks to the patented Vistonics™ user interface, with 40 on-screen rotary knobs, the Vista 1’s look and feel is identical to that of the larger, more sophisticated Vistas.

The OB van’s technicians say their excitement on taking delivery was eclipsed by the speed of installation (which they undertook themselves). They then discovered just how easy the Vista 1 was to operate.

“In fact they started working only a quarter of an hour after the installation was complete—without the need to study the manual,” reported Kilim Electronics’ MD Meir Kilim, whose Haifa-based company again supplied all the services.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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One Vision Acquires HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Compact Digital Audio Consoles

CANBERRA, Australia – When Canberra-based audiovisual company One Vision decided it was time to replace its Yamaha digital mixers, there was only one alternative—HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Compact. Soundcraft's Si Compact Series consoles are designed to offer digital power and versatility combined with an operator-friendly “analogue feel.” The consoles were purchased through Jands, Soundcraft’s Australian distributor.

“We wanted a console that would be more hands on than the Yamaha consoles as far as the crossover between digital and analogue,” commented Frank Meany, managing director of One Vision. “Basically, we wanted a console with knobs on it as opposed to a console with buttons and scrolling pages of menus, it’s more intuitive.”

Meany and his team have found their Soundcraft Si Compact consoles to be very powerful and they are particularly impressed by the console’s sound, with Meany remarking that it sounds more like an analogue console than other digital consoles.

“We purchased a digital multicore for them which makes a huge difference being able to patch things around and also having the soft patch on it,” Meany added. “I am however a bit sad that the Soundcraft Si Performers were not available at the time we bought them—a simple lighting console built into the desk would have been great! Maybe next time.”

Meany also commented on how easy his team has found the Soundcraft Si Compact to learn, describing it as a straightforward live sound mixer.

“Its price range, small footprint and portability also helped seal the decision to purchase,” he said.

In the few months since acquiring the Soundcraft Si Compact, One Vision has had it hard at work mainly on corporate events and Meany reports that it has been totally reliable and a great asset to the company.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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@Martin_Global (HARMAN’s Martin Professional) Lights Up New York Stock Exchange For Twitter Opening Day

NEW YORK, New York — In one of the New York Stock Exchange’s (NYSE) most anticipated days ever, social media giant Twitter rang the opening bell on Wall Street to market its initial public offering on November 6. A lighting display featuring HARMAN’s Martin Professional lighting fixtures, provided by See Factor, brightened the façade of the NYSE with Twitter’s globally recognized logo the entire day.

Rental company See Factor designed the system for the NYSE façade with Martin’s MAC 2000 wash lights – the standard See Factor uses for events at the NYSE. For most NYSE events, a full crew installs the system with additional generators during the prior evening. However, for the Twitter event, Michal Ahern of Michal Ahern Production Services requested See Factor use three 20-amp outlets in the NYSE lobby, rather than bringing in additional generators, and setting up and breaking down the day of the event.

The solution: See Factor secured 18 Martin MAC Auras and eight 2000’s to a pre-rigged truss for a streamlined setup. The trusses rolled into place, with each sled powered by a dedicated outlet in NYSE.

The façade remained lit on opening day well after the closing bell, until 10:00 PM.

“The zoom capabilities of the Aura’s gave us even coverage from top to bottom,” stated Alban Sardinski, See Factor. “Because of the Aura’s minimal power draw, we had room left over to add additional gobos on each rig to shine the Twitter text and NYSE logos on the façade. The entire system performed well, with no problems all day!”

As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s Martin MAC Quantum Redefines Expectations

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The market is asking for brighter and more compact LED wash lights. The new MAC Quantum Wash by HARMAN’s Martin, which launched at LDI 2013, Las Vegas, is the most powerful response yet to this need.

The MAC Quantum Wash features tight beams, beautiful wash fields, a market-leading color palette and uniform mixing that combines to accommodate the most demanding applications, offering brightness and perfection. Combining an impressive 750-watt of RGBW LED power with Martin’s market leading optical system ensures that the 1:6 zoom on the MAC Quantum Wash operates with maximum output and superior performance.

“By combining the lens shift possibilities first seen in the MAC Viper Quadray with the MAC Aura’s ground-breaking optical system, MAC Quantum Wash sets new standards for light and color morphing effects from a wash light,” says Peter Skytte, Product Manager, Martin Professional. “Putting together the new beam twister, the patented Aura™ effect and the nice wash capabilities sets new standards for what is possible with effects in a wash light.”

Built for most demanding applications

With its compact form factor, easy handling, high-speed movements, low noise cooling and rugged construction, the MAC Quantum Wash does not compromise on any aspect of what you expect from a wash light. Designed for demanding applications, the MAC Quantum Wash will be the new workhorse in your rig.

Expressive projection and aerial looks

The combination of technologies animates expressive projection and aerial looks, and also puts a great ‘face’ on the product – the synthetic look of LED lights is removed and the organic, analogue effect looks great to the eye and on camera.

“Throughout t the project it has been important for us to keep the MAC Quantum Wash as the brightest but also the best LED wash light in the category. Therefore, I was extremely pleased to see our R&D team managing to animate the wash and deliver beautiful and subtle looks without compromising the core part of the product – the wash,” says Peter Skytte, and concludes:

“We have had a fantastic market response and are already receiving an impressive number of order inquiries for the MAC Quantum Wash. We are preparing for a steep production ramp-up to expected delivery in quantity from February.”

As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s Martin RUSH Series Gets Its Wizard

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — HARMAN’s Martin Professional is targeting and re-energizing the installation market with the affordable line of effect lights, RUSH by Martin. Martin is at LDI, Las Vegas, 22-24 November, where it will launch the RUSH Wizard – a lighter, brighter, more compact and even more energy efficient update of an old favorite, the Martin Wizard Extreme.

In April of this year, Martin Professional released the first RUSH by Martin products to wide acclaim from the markets for clubs and bars, DJ’s, bands and leisure environments.

“Returning to the market for effect lighting has been quite exciting for us at Martin, and the RUSH by Martin line launching now in USA reinforces our commitment to the market for effect lighting,” says Uffe Kristensen, Product Manager, RUSH by Martin. “These are products with broad appeal that will add a new and exciting dimension to the installation market – and the exciting range of RUSH products will continue to grow.”

RUSH by Martin offers something for every effect lighting situation. RUSH by Martin can be experienced at LAVO Italian Restaurant & Nightclub in The Palazzo, 23 November from 10pm. To attend the RUSH party of the year in Las Vegas, pick up your ticket at our booth at LDI (ticket numbers are limited and cannot be booked in advance), and arrive early to make sure you get in. Use the Martin VIP entrance.

Experience RUSH Wizard and see the entire RUSH by Martin range on display at LDI, Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth 269, 279 and 468:

RUSH Wizard: The RUSH Wizard is the Martin Wizard Extreme re-energized: lighter, brighter, more compact and even more energy efficient. This music-triggered and DMX-Controllable “full-house” effect light features extraordinary bright, magical effects and houses two independent color/gobo wheels offering 7 colors plus 2 white and 6 gobo patterns, as well as shutter for fast strobing. The Wizard delivers more than 80 agile light beams, each beam chasing the other while continuously changing color and gobo pattern.

RUSH MH 4 Beam: This compact beam moving head for smaller venues blasts an intense and narrow beam for spectacular mid-air looks and effects. It houses a fixed gobo wheel and color wheel with a multitude of effects possible from a dimmer and strobe, 6-facet prism and focus.

RUSH PAR 2 RGBW Zoom: The RUSH PAR 2 RGBW Zoom is a bright single-lens LED PAR Can with fully premixed color from 12 RGBW LEDs and a spectacular 10-60° zoom. It offers electronic dimming and strobe and comes with a flexible bracket for floor or truss mounting.

RUSH Multibeam 2: The RUSH Multibeam 2 is a versatile effect featuring two moveable LED bars each with 5 individually controllable narrow beams for powerful mid-air effects. It punches out 10 intense and narrow long-throw beams and features electronic dimming and strobe effect. Multibeam 2 comes with preprogrammed macros for easy effects, master/slave function as well as DMX or sound activation.

RUSH MH 1 Profile: This super bright LED profile moving head with efficient optics punches out a variety of effects and colors from two gobo wheels and two color wheels. For added versatility and effect, it also houses an electronic dimmer and strobe, iris and 3-facet prism.

RUSH MH 2 Wash: Compact yet powerful, this fast and agile LED wash light moving head features RGBW color mixing. Unique wash beam effects are possible with auto trig shows and music trig sound activation.

RUSH MH 3 Beam: The RUSH MH 3 Beam is a powerful beam moving head that blasts an intense and narrow long-throw beam for spectacular mid-air looks and effects. It houses a fixed gobo wheel and color wheel with a multitude of effects possible from a dimmer and strobe, frost, zoom, 8-facet prism and focus.

RUSH Strobe 1 5x5: This white strobe/blinder is a 5 x 5 LED matrix panel with individually-controllable LEDs. Controllable via multiple DMX options or sound activated, it includes preprogrammed effect, letter and number macros for easy-to-produce graphics and messaging. Panels link via an integrated horizontal and vertical locking mechanism.

RUSH PAR 1 RGBW: The RUSH PAR 1 RGBW is a bright LED PAR Can with premixed RGBW color mixing. It offers electronic dimming and strobe and comes with a flexible bracket for floor or truss mounting.

RUSH Pin 1 CW: This bright white-LED pin spot comes with two beam options for greater flexibility of coverage. Totally silent with an easy-to-adjust bracket, it works as the ideal mirror ball spot light or decorative table spot.

As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Pick Of The Hits - HARMAN in Mass Transit, November 2013

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HARMAN Professional Enhances Investment in Infrastructure: Begins Construction on New Technology and Signal Processing Business Unit Facility

(left to right): Steve Sleater, Facilities Manager, Brian Morgan,
Associate Director, Software Engineering, Jackie Riley, Human
Resources Manager, TJ Smith, General Manager, Signal
Processing Business Unit, Harold Sullivan,
Senior Manager, Engineering Services.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – In a move to enhance operational efficiency and provide HARMAN Professional staff with world-class resources to better serve its customers, the HARMAN Signal Processing Business Unit today broke ground on a new 50,000-square-foot Technology Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The new building will replace the existing Sandy, Utah operation and will serve as headquarters for more than 160 employees from the BSS Audio, dbx, DigiTech and Lexicon brands, HARMAN Professional’s Systems Development and Integration Group responsible for the development of HiQnet™ networking software development and the HARMAN Corporate Technology Group overseeing company-wide R&D for all brands.

Located in the River Park Business Center in the South Jordan area of Salt Lake City, the new tech center will include specialized centers for research and development, product development, hardware and software engineering, sales and marketing and will also feature a new world-class HARMAN Professional training center.

“Utah has been a hotbed for innovation and technology as well as the home to HARMAN Signal Processing brands for over 30 years and we are proud to say it will continue to be so for years to come. We are building a strong foundation for the future as this new facility represents our commitment to ongoing investments and in our operations and our team,” stated TJ Smith, General Manager, HARMAN Professional Signal Processing Business Unit.

Designed and engineered with input from HARMAN team members from various departments, the building will allow for greater operational collaboration in order to meet the needs of HARMAN customers who are moving to more systems-based solutions.

“We’re envisioning a creative environment optimized for the comfort and productivity of our team members so they can bring their strongest ideas and put forth their best effort in ensuring HARMAN customers around the world receive optimal service and support,” added Smith.

The first stage of occupation for the new facility is slated for December 2013.

 HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s Martin M6 Lighting Console Brightens Hong Kong’s China Day Celebration

AARHUS, Denmark — The National Day of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is celebrated every year to commemorate the founding of the world’s most populous sovereign state. The holiday is observed throughout Mainland China, as well as the nation’s Special Administrative Regions of Macao and Hong Kong with a variety of government-organized events including fireworks and concerts. Recently, the organizing Committee of Compatriots in Hong Kong presented a cultural show at the Hong Kong Coliseum for this year’s 64th Anniversary of the founding of the PRC. To ensure a lighting display worthy of the national holiday, the Committee turned to Tom Lee Engineering Ltd., who deployed several HARMAN Martin Professional’s lighting fixtures, controlled by Martin’s M6 lighting console.

The event featured performances by the Military Band of Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, the Art Troupe of Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, the Honor Guard of Army, Navy and Air Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Children and Juvenile Chinese Opera Troupe, as well as many popular local singers and bands. More than 6,000 people from the Hong Kong region joined in celebrating the founding of the PRC.

The main event stage featured 24 Martin MAC Viper Profiles and 24 MAC Viper Wash DX moving head fixtures with 1,000-watt lamps and a unique compact form to produce impressive speed and superior light quality. In addition, a Martin M6 lighting console, which operates on the M-series software platform for fast programming and extensive playback management, controlled the design.

“With the M6, programming was fast and easy. I was able to customize the console and show to meet my exact needs with its touch screens,” commented the FOH engineer from Tom Lee Engineering Ltd. “I was very comfortable relying on the M6 to control the main stage design and it proved to be an invaluable asset to the success of the China Day celebrations. Also, due to the rigorous environment and continuous operation, we relied heavily on the reliability and robust design of the Martin equipment that presented us with zero downtime.”

As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s Martin MAC Viper Profile Series Lights Up Les Francofolies Music Festival

AARHUS, Denmark — The annual Les Francofolies summer music festival, held in Spa, Belgium, promotes francophone music and attracts hundreds of thousands of fans over a five-day span. ARTO, a Brussels-based production company, handled the festival’s production and lighting design, which consisted exclusively of HARMAN’s Martin Professional lighting fixtures. As an integral part of the system ARTO deployed 28 Martin MAC Viper Profile moving head fixtures, in addition to several other Martin luminaires.

The MAC Viper Profile is a high-output profile luminaire that boasts superior light quality, an exceptional feature set and a highly optical system. With its 1000-watt HID source, the Viper consumes less power, making it over 50% more efficient than its 1200-watt rivals. Not only is the Viper Profile brighter, but it is also a faster and more compact solution. Housed in a slender and agile body, the Viper’s responsiveness and fast pan/tilt speeds have led it to become a favorite among designers.

“I chose to work with the MAC Viper Profiles for many reasons,” stated Lighting Designer Gilles Mathieu. “The colors are very nice. The red especially is a real primary red. The speed and range of the zoom is excellent and it only draws five amps of power. Logistically speaking the Vipers were really simple to hang and we were also able to place them on the floor when necessary.”

In addition, the main stage design also included 26 MAC 2000 XB Wash lights, 24 MAC Aura LED moving heads, and 8 Atomic 3000 strobe light fixtures. The MAC 2000 Wash lights offered a combination of power and color mixing, that Mathieu discussed, would not have been possible with other fixtures. The multi-function and zoom capabilities of the MAC Auras, paired with the robust color and unique power savings, were a huge asset to the live show especially during the daylight.

Martin equipment (main stage):

28 x MAC Viper

26 x MAC 2000 Wash XB

24 x MAC Aura

8 x Atomic 3000

As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Brian Pannier Goes Wild for HARMAN Studer Vista 1 Digital Audio Console

NEW YORK, New York — For more than 30 years, veteran audio engineer Brian Pannier has mixed sound for countless television programs including sports broadcasts, talk shows, soap operas and more. Most recently, Pannier has been mixing the audio for “Crowd Goes Wild” on FOX Sports 1, where he is using a HARMAN Studer Vista 1 digital audio console.

“Crowd Goes Wild” is a live sports entertainment talk show hosted by Regis Philbin with panelists Georgie Thompson, Michael Kosta, Trevor Pryce, Jason Gay and Katie Nolan, where the group discusses the biggest stories in sports, entertainment and more. “We have six to eight people talking at one time and it’s filmed with a live studio audience, so it’s a fast-paced and very lively show,” Pannier said.

“Crowd Goes Wild” began airing in mid-August and is filmed at a film stage at Pier 60 in New York City. With so many live microphones during tapings, Pannier is tasked with handling a multitude of audio sources. “The audio console needs to be able to accommodate that variety, which the Vista 1 does quite well,” Pannier said. “It’s a small desk but is being used to its complete and full capacity, and it’s performing great.”

While this project marks Pannier’s first experience with a Studer digital audio console, he found the learning curve with the Vista 1 to be minimal, thanks to intuitive features including the Vistonics™ interface and FaderGlow™. “The Vista 1 has proven to be very user-friendly, intuitively laid out and much easier to operate than a lot of digital consoles out there,” he said. “Just as importantly, the sound quality is top-notch.”

In addition, Studer’s commitment to customer service has paid off in spades. “The relationship I’ve developed with Studer has been great,” Pannier noted. “They’ve been able to give me quick feedback and that’s way above and beyond what I expect as a rental customer.”

Last but not least, the portability of the Vista 1 enables Pannier to transport and configure the console in any space imaginable. “Being able to pick up and move the Vista 1 is incredible and the entire console including the power supply is self-contained,” he said. “I consider this console to be a breakthrough.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Conviction to HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Expression

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – Since the introduction of HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Expression Series, houses of worship have enjoyed the consoles’ ease of use and unmatched sound quality. Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Conviction, which delivers Christianity to convicted inmates, recently upgraded its audio inventory with an Si Expression 1 digital console.

When Eddie Baird, owner of Conviction, used the Si Expression for the first time, he was amazed at the quality of the sound from the console. As a musician with decades of experience in sound equipment, Baird toured more than 500 prisons in the US over the past year, and recognized the difference between a console from Soundcraft and those from other brands immediately when he fired up the Si Expression for the first time.

“It is simply amazing,” Baird said. “The different sounds that can be mixed in this board are incredible. I also love the Lexicon effects, which are the perfect additions for our needs right now. I feel like I can do so much with just the Si Expression.”

To complement the channel and bus processing, all Si Expression consoles integrate four stereo Lexicon FX processors based on the MX400, boasting 29 presets each, user-adjustable parameters and dedicated tap-tempo keys.

For the touring artist, the Si Expression 1 also offers a compact form factor with fast setup times. With the built-in Cue system, the 24 recallable mic pre amps can be saved for convenience.

“Setup times are incredibly fast,” Baird noted. “We arrive at detention centers and are ready to go immediately, which is fortunate due to the limited time constraints they give us. The transition from analog to this digital console was smoother than expected, because it feels just like an analog board, but with the added digital features. I absolutely love the experience, and look forward to recording with it.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Pick Of The Hits - Soundcraft in Pro Sound News, November 2013

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Hob Sound Adds HARMAN Soundcraft Si Expression To Its One-Man Show

FRAMINGHAM, Massachusetts – Rob Bernstein, the sole owner of Hob Sound, recently purchased a HARMAN Soundcraft Si Expression 2 to accommodate his production and mixing needs. As a one-man business that provides sound equipment for a wide range of events, Bernstein requires an equally versatile console to match his needs.

The Soundcraft Si Expression console is the complete solution for all of Bernstein’s mixing requirements. Versatility is an understatement when it comes to this digital board with recallable features and analog-type controls. In addition, the Si Expression Series comes with GEQ effects on every bus as well as built-in Lexicon effects.

Within 15 minutes of working with the Si Expression, Bernstein was amazed at the quality of the console. “Its versatility blows anything else out of the water,” he said. “Having the graphic EQ’s available to all the buses is a huge advantage, and combined with the availability of compressors on each channel, this console replaces a lot of gear. This is critical to my operation, since I cannot haul all those additional racks by myself.”

The Soundcraft Si Expression comes with tons of features that make it easy to use and convenient to set up, which is highly appealing to sound engineers managing multiple events. ‘1 Control = 1 Function’ ensures that there is never any layering of controls. The One Touch Easy Mix (TOTEM) allows a single key to mix to an AUX, FX or Matrix bus. The Si Expression also features FaderGlow™ color-coded illuminated faders and a range of connectivity and network cards. It combines the utility of a digital console with the simplicity of an analog one.

“I love how much faster it is to set up for an event, due to the recallable features,” Bernstein added. “Even though this is my first digital board, it retains the simple feel and authentic sound of an analog board that I have grown accustomed to in my decades of experience. Also, I no longer have to worry about choosing which channel gets compressed or gated.”

Hob Sound recently mixed a show with the local band The Fools in the Boston area. “The Si Expression sounded great, and it is everything that I need from a console,” according to Bernstein.

The Si Expression 2 console was purchased through Pro Audio Star (www.proaudiostar.com).

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s DigiTech Now Offering Free E-Pedals for the iStomp™ Downloadable Pedal

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – HARMAN’s DigiTech announced today that e-pedals offered through the DigiTech Stomp Shop™ are available for free download. Offering almost limitless sonic possibilities, the iStomp connects to an iPod Touch®, iPhone®, or iPad® enabling musicians to load the effect of their choice into the iStomp.

“When we introduced the iStomp we changed the way guitarists think about how they go about creating their tone. By giving iStomp owners the capability to download any of the e-pedals available we are providing an unbelievable opportunity to immediately access a wide range of effects at no cost whatsoever!” stated Scott Klimt, marketing manager, DigiTech.

The promotion includes all e-pedals with the exception of the Adrian Belew Impossible Pedal. E-pedals currently available through the Stomp Shop include exclusive pedals from DigiTech, officially licensed pedals from other manufacturers and classic legacy DigiTech and DOD products. The iStomp pedal connects to an Apple iOS device using the DigiTech Smart Cable that comes with the iStomp. The iStomp pedal has four knobs to control effects parameters, which change their function according to which effect is loaded.

iStomp makes trying out new sounds easier than ever. Instead of having to go to a music store or look for online demos that might have been done with unfamiliar gear, a guitarist can now download any pedal in the iStomp online store for free for use with their own guitar and amp.

The iStomp comes with an iOS authorization cable and power supply.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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The (r)evolution is Here with the Introduction of HARMAN’s dbx DriveRack® PA2 Loudspeaker Management System

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – HARMAN’s dbx today announced the introduction of its DriveRack® PA2 Loudspeaker Management System, which enables a loudspeaker system to be quickly and accurately optimized for the best-possible sound quality. The PA2 is ideal for bands, musicians and artists who carry their own PA and for a wide range of installed sound applications.

The Original DriveRack PA revolutionized audio for bands all around the world by providing all of the processing you needed between your mixer and amplifiers to optimize and protect your loudspeakers. The DriveRack takes this to a whole new level. A brand new Wizard allows for faster and easier set-up, new AutoEQ and AFS give you professional touring quality room EQ and incredibly accurate Advanced Feedback Suppression (AFS™), and finally all can now be controlled on the fly with your mobile device or laptop using Ethernet control via an Android®, iOS®, Mac®, or Windows® device. The DriveRack PA2 continues the DriveRack legacy of great-sounding, powerful, and affordable loudspeaker management processors for a whole new generation.

The DriveRack PA2 can be set up and operated from a compatible tablet or smartphone. An all-new Wizard utility makes setup easier and faster than ever, and users have access to a host of configuration menus and on their mobile device, with full-color graphical displays that give ready visual indications of the parameters being adjusted. The DriveRack PA2 can also be operated via its front-panel controls and display.

The DriveRack PA2 provides a comprehensive suite of system tuning and optimization tools. Its improved AutoEQ™ enables automatic and precise equalization of the loudspeakers to the venue in which they’re installed to achieve smoother, more accurate in-room frequency response. A new AFS™ Advanced Feedback Suppression feature automatically finds and dials out any problematic feedback-producing frequencies.

The PA2 offers numerous additional system-tuning and sonic optimization capabilities, including dbx compression, graphic and 8-band parametric EQ, dbx’s exclusive Subharmonic Synthesis for enhanced low-frequency response, a built-in loudspeaker crossover (for full-range, 2-way and 3-way systems), limiting, loudspeaker time alignment and time delay and many additional features.

“Setting up a PA can be challenging even under the best of circumstances, and with the introduction of the DriveRack PA2, local musicians, weekend warriors, semi-pro players, wedding bands and even established artists and venues now have a remarkably effective tool for getting better live sound than ever before,” said Noel Larson, Market Manager, Portable PA, Tour, and Recording at HARMAN Signal Processing.

The dbx DriveRack PA2 will be available in December 2013 at a suggested retail price of $499.95.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Pick Of The Hits - Crown & JBL in Live Sound International, November 2013

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HARMAN’s DigiTech Now Shipping Its Element XP and Element Guitar Multi-Effects Pedals

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –HARMAN’s DigiTech today announced its Element XP and Element guitar multi-effects pedals are now shipping. The DigiTech Element XP features an expression pedal and offers 38 effects, while the Element provides 34 effects. The Element XP and Element both deliver state-of-the-art effects processing with six classic overdrive and distortion stompboxes, 12 amps and cabinets and 28 pedals. The Element XP and Element both feature a pedalboard-style control layout that is simple to use and lets players quickly adjust and save their settings to fit their personal styles.

“We have receieved an overwhelming response since announcing the new Element XP and Element multi-effects pedals and we know guitartsts are excited to get their hands on them to see just how versatile these pedals can be,” said Scott Klimt, marketing manager for DigiTech. “These pedals represent an incredible value for players looking for an effects processor that will allow them to be as creative as they can be and provide a ton of sonic flexbility.”

Overdrive and distortion are elemental to every guitarist’s sonic arsenal, and the Element XP and Element offer stompboxes inspired by the legendary Ibanez® TS-9 Tube Screamer™, DOD® 250 Preamp/Overdrive, Boss® DS-1 Distortion, DigiTech Grunge, DigiTech Death Metal and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi™. The amplifiers include many of the classics that defined the sound of rock and roll, like the ’57 Fender® Tweed Deluxe™, ’65 Fender “Blackface” Twin Reverb™, ’68 Marshall® Super Lead “Plexi” with slant Celestion® “Greenback” 4 x 12 cabinet, ’83 Marshall® JCM800™, ’63 Vox AC 30™ Top Boost with “Blue Back” speakers, ’01 Mesa/Boogie® Dual Rectifier™ and other all-time greats.

The Element XP and Element provide a dazzling array of effects: compressor, 3-band EQ, flanger, phaser, tremolo, vibrato, chorus, rotary simulator, envelope filter, step filter, spring reverb, room reverb, noise gate, an acoustic guitar simulator and many others. The Element XP adds four expression pedal-based effects including the Dunlop® Cry Baby™ wah wah, Vox® Clyde McCoy™ wah, a full-range wah and a volume pedal. Guitarists can choose from 100 factory presets that encompass a host of musical genres, and create and save 100 more custom preset sounds. 45 different drum tracks are available to jam and practice along with, and both models include a built-in tuner. The Element XP and Element feature a 1/4-inch guitar input and a 1/4-inch stereo output jack that can be connected to either an amplifier or a mixer for direct recording using the Amp/Mixer mode switch.

The DigiTech Element XP and Element multi-effects pedals have suggested retail prices of $119.95 and $159.95 respectively.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN’s Studer Touts VistaMix, Lexicon Effects and StuderBroadcastAcademy.com at CCW Expo

NEW YORK, New York – HARMAN’s Studer will be exhibiting at the Content and Communications World (CCW) Expo in New York City on November 13-14, showcasing its Vista 1 digital console, which is now available with VistaMix and Lexicon effects. Studer is also promoting the online version of its Studer Broadcast Academy.

Instead of needing to manually adjust all the faders each time, VistaMix automatically mimics the action of a human operator so the 'talking' mic gain can be increased at lightning speed while reducing gain for all others — ensuring a clean balanced mix.

Studer has added Lexicon effects to the Vista 1 console through an integrated VistaFX engine. VistaFX is a suite of effects processing engines capable of providing high-quality world-renowned Lexicon effects, and was released last year as an external engine for the Vista 5 and Vista 9 consoles ranges. The Vista 1 FX engines are all integral to the consoles DSP system, so require no external signal connection or patching. As all the hardware required already exists within the console, the new functionality is available as a software upgrade to existing consoles as well as provided as standard in new systems, and without loss of mix processing power or I/O capacity.

In addition, Studer will be promoting the online edition of its Broadcast Academy training course at StuderBroadcastAcademy.com. The popular and informative training program has been previously held in the United States on the Soundcraft Studer mobile audio truck, which has visited numerous locations of Studer regional sale rep firms and flagship Studer customers in recent years.

StuderBroadcastAcademy.com is an interactive online course for engineers worldwide to learn the operation of the company’s Vista Series digital mixing consoles. The course consists of a series of modules, which participants must complete and pass 100 percent to officially certify as a Studer Vista Operator. The course is structured in an interactive format and students can download the Virtual Vista software that gives them a graphic, active representation of a Vista console. Virtual Vista can also be used for offline console configuration and online remote control of Vista mixing consoles. Video segments, system and technical diagrams, a dictionary of terms and other resources round out the program.

“I’ve found Studer consoles to be very user-friendly, intuitively laid out and much easier to operate than a lot of digital consoles out there,” said Brian Pannier, a freelance audio engineer who has recently been using a Studer Vista 1 on “The Crowd Goes Wild” program on FOX Sports. “Just as importantly, the sound quality is top-notch and we’re using the Vista 1 to its complete and full capacity and it’s performing great.”

Studer will be exhibiting at CCW Expo at booth 1149.

To book an appointment, please email studer-usa@harman.com

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 14,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013.

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Artscape Extends Artistic Scope With HARMAN’s Martin Lighting Fixtures

AARHUS, Denmark — The Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town’s foreshore area is in the process of upgrading the lighting facilities of its three theatre spaces. The centre was originally established in 1971 as the Nico Malan and was renamed Artscape in 2001 under the aegis of the provincial administration.

With its close proximity to Cape Town’s central business district, the new International Convention Centre and the V & A Waterfront, Artscape is ideally situated to serve the Cape’s performing arts, film, tourism, entertainment, conference and exhibition industries. 



Covering an area of some 14,000 square meters, the Artscape complex consists of a fully equipped Opera House seating 1,487, a theatre auditorium seating 540, the smaller Arena theatre seating 140, a piazza, gardens, rehearsal rooms and ample parking. 



It is a prominent feature of the Cape Town cultural scene with thousands of top acts and actors entertaining hundreds of thousands of people over four decades. 



In late 2012, the complex received funding to upgrade the lighting rigs of the theatre spaces. Artscape’s Senior Lighting Technician, Nicholas Tilney, says there were two objectives with the upgrade: “Firstly, our Martin MAC 2000s, which were installed in 2000 and 2004, were getting old. Secondly, all three venues at the Centre are getting busier and we needed a system with a quicker turnaround time.” 



With more shows and with shorter runs it was essential that time spent setting up and focusing be kept to a minimum. Nicholas and the rest of the crew discussed this and came up with a list of equipment that would cut down the time they spent focusing lights by half. “We feel we came up with a list that matched good quality with the versatility and flexibility that is essential to our multi-discipline venue,” explains Nicholas. 



The Artscape crew’s decision was to stick with Martin Professional products because of the incredible service the MAC 2000s had given over more than a decade. This meant they turned to Electrosonic SA’s Robbi Nassi to guide them through the process. “Electrosonic SA was an automatic choice,” says Nicholas. “Their service – and that includes back-up, spares, and especially training – is superb, I can’t fault them.” 



The upgrade was planned to take place in two phases. The first phase was the delivery and installation of 15 Martin MAC III’s. The second phase included an additional nine MAC III’s and 24 MAC 700s. This does not mean the MAC 2000s were being thrown out. “After 12 years they are still great, we’ve given them lots of love and attention and they have given us fantastic service, and they will for a while yet,” says Nicholas. 


For Nicholas the most attractive element of the MAC III is its zoom capability. “It has the widest zoom on any unit I have ever seen and is extremely useful for our venue,” he explains. Another attribute Nicholas appreciates is that the shutter module that can be added to the lamp is included in the initial offering and does not have to be purchased separately. The 1500-watt output is also impressive. “No other moving head that I know of has that high a lamp rating,” he says. 



Nicholas is looking forward to setting up for a production with a long run. “We don’t fully appreciate yet what the features can do for us. We’ll learn as we go,” he laughs; “We can’t wait to use them to their full capacity in a full artistic environment.” 


As a world leader in the creation of dynamic lighting solutions for the entertainment, architectural, and commercial sectors, Martin lighting and video systems are renowned the world over. Martin also offers a range of advanced lighting controllers and media servers, as well as a complete line of smoke machines as a complement to intelligent lighting. Martin operates the industry’s most complete and capable distributor network with local partners in nearly 100 countries. Founded in 1987 and based in Aarhus, Denmark, Martin is the lighting division of global infotainment and audio company HARMAN International Industries. For more information please visit: http://www.martin.com.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Austrian Space Forum’s Mission Control Relies On HARMAN’s AKG Headsets For Mars Mission Simulations

VIENNA, Austria – During World Space Week, more than 1,000 events in 80 countries celebrated space exploration with the motto, “Exploring Mars. Discovering Earth.” Headquartered in the Austrian Space Forum’s mission control room, each event was tactfully coordinated to help educate researchers, students and space enthusiasts on the science behind future missions to Mars. With 20 sets of HARMAN’s AKG HSC271 headsets and K171 MKII headphones, field tests, simulated Mars expeditions and international communications were successfully accomplished and transmitted.

The headsets were used for the flight controller consoles at Mission Control, in addition to teleconferences in classrooms worldwide on every continent with the exception of Antarctica.

“Like in any space mission, real or simulated, communication is everything. Loss of communication is one of the worst things to happen on a mission, whether it’s a space walk or during a critical experiment,” stated Dr. Gernot Groemer, President, Austrian Space Forum. “The AKG headsets were not only high quality from a manufacturing point of view, but also provided a high degree of ergonomics and crystal clear audio quality for those wearing the sets for hours at a time. The technology’s ability to block the noise from neighboring consoles was also very helpful for our missions.”

The space organization researched and deployed a vast communications program for the World Space Week celebrations, ensuring redundancy of the communications within Mission Control. With numerous missions in progress during the events, several field teams around the world were simultaneously transmitting into Austria. It was necessary for flight controllers to speak to their teams with clear audio without disturbing their neighbors, who also were directing missions. “With normal, off-the-shelf headsets, this would have been a recipe for disaster,” continued Groemer.

Throughout 2013, the Austrian Space Forum was testing several technology candidates for a new organization-wide headset. The flight directors decided on AKG headsets permanently.

Activities during the week included the WSW 2013 Mission to Mars – a 4-day simulation of a human Mars expedition at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah and a 5-person crew led by Dr. Jon Rask from the Space Biosciences Division at NASA Ames Research Center in California. Other highlights included field tests of the ExoMars Rover in Chile, rover testing by teams in the US, Poland, Germany and Hungary, as well as laboratory tests of the Gandolfi space suit in France and the Aouda.X spacesuit in Austria.

For more information on the AKG HSC271, please visit http://www.akg.com/HSC271-828.html?pid=926, and K171 MKII, http://www.akg.com/K171+MKII-827.html?pid=1145.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Daktronics Revitalizes Lane Stadium’s Sound System with HARMAN Professional Audio Components

BLACKSBURG, Virginia – Systems integrator Daktronics recently upgraded Virginia Tech University’s Lane Stadium with new HARMAN’s JBL VLA Series loudspeakers, along with equipment from BSS audio and Soundcraft. The stadium seats 66,233 and is home to the Virginia Tech Hokies football team.

The goal of this renovation was to ensure a high output system and even coverage from seat to seat. Daktronics selected JBL Professional’s VLA Series line arrays, which offers revolutionary high-impact sound beyond the reach of traditional loudspeaker designs.

“We designed the JBL VLA system to meet and exceed the initial performance standards of point-and-shoot horn speakers, while also reducing costs,” said David Sturzenbecher, Audio Project Engineer for Daktronics.

Daktronics installed a system consisting of 18 JBL VLA601H loudspeakers, four JBL VLA301H loudspeakers, two JBL PD5212 loudspeakers, two JBL PD764 loudspeakers, powered by 17 Crown I-Tech HD 4x3500 amplifiers and nine I-Tech 9000 amplifiers, with two BSS Soundweb London BLU-800 processors. The system also features a Soundcraft Performer 3 audio/lighting mixing console.

“The system has been functioning great and received many positive reviews. We utilized additional DSP I/O to control additional areas outside of the initial scope to provide added customer functionality,” Sturzenbecher added.

Besides installation, Daktronics was also responsible for system design and programming. Of course, a project incorporating all these elements did not go unchallenged.

“The original design did not call for vertical arrays, so we collaborated with the structure engineer to redesign the space to accommodate for the VLA system,” Sturzenbecher noted. “With support from [JBL Senior Applications Engineer] Brad Ricks and [owner’s representative] Anthony James Partners, we successfully completed the project.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Leading Technologies Reports Big Demand for HARMAN’s Studer OnAir Consoles

MILAN, Italy – Leading Technologies (LT), distributor for HARMAN’s Studer in Italy, has reported significant new sales of the company’s OnAir series of consoles—and in particular the OnAir 3000. The series offers one of the widest ranges of digital on-air and production consoles on the market.

Based on a modular design, the Studer OnAir 3000 is aimed at the medium to upper segment of the radio market — particularly network broadcast stations—and incorporates the familiar “Touch’n’Action” using colour GUI screens.

One of the latest high profile sales has been to independent broadcaster, Radio Italia, in their new digital terrestrial studios close to Milano. This was the first private radio station to use a format dedicated only to Italian music, and it broadcasts nationwide.

The station previously had a Studer OnAir 2000 and recognised that the time to upgrade was long overdue. As a result, Leading Technologies provided them with an OnAir 3000 and a central SCore Live router in the main studio, along with a new OnAir 1500 in each of the four production areas, after decommissioning their former digital desks.

Another multiple OnAir 3000 sale has been to Radio Maria in Erba, the largest FM church broadcaster in Europe whose origins date back to 1987. Today there are 65 Radio Maria stations broadcasting on five continents, with 19 radio in the Americas, 19 in Europe, 18 in Africa, four in Asia and one in Oceania, with more than five radios for linguistic minorities and a twinning in Lebanon. Their mandate is for Christians anywhere in the world to be able to listen to the voice of Radio Maria in their native language.

The association with Leading Technologies began back in 2005. But according to sales manager, Lucio Gerelli, this time around they faced heavy competition from other vendors before the decision was made in Studer’s favour. Sensitive pricing was an important factor but the technically important issue was the simplicity of the interface which was much more intuitive than the other console they reviewed.

The Studer digital architecture occupies a brand-new building housing eight studios—each equipped with a new OnAir 3000—and a large central router.

Two of the OnAir 3000 consoles are 18-fader desks and the remaining six are 12-fader consoles. One important factor in the equation was system integrator, Valter Agnesani, from AVS Sistemi, as Lucio explained.

“It was important to the customer to have both us and the SI based nearby as Radio Maria does not have trained engineers, but with the simple interface it has been easy for their technical manager to get into the system configuration.” Onsite training was provided by Leading Technologies’ technical manager Mauro Bucchia and Roberto Frigario, who provided an easy desk configuration.

The OnAir 3000s handle a lot of live transmission but they also make heavy use of the telephone hybrid—with a minimum of four to six lines for telephone-in—and Codec for SDN. “Because of the time differences around the world you can say it’s a virtually 24/7 operation,” summarises Lucio. “It’s entirely on-air, with only speech and IP transmission from other countries and churches. With all the integration and interconnection of the desk It’s one of the biggest systems we have provided.”

Leading Technologies have also undertaken two new installations for Group Elemedia which operates some of Italy’s largest radio stations, including Radio DJ, Radio Capital and M20, between Milano and Rome.

In Rome, Leading Technologies have extended their long relationship with the organisation by providing an OnAir 3000 for each of the nine studios, with a central router and two OnAir 1500s in the production studio.

According to Lucio Gerelli they had been operating on antiquated control equipment, including a 14-year-old Soundcraft SAC200 broadcast mixer. “We are upgrading one studio each month, working with their technical manager Gianpiero Mastripieri month, and in March next year they will take an entire router,” he says.

Elsewhere, two further OnAir 3000s have been installed at Radio 24 in Milano along with four OnAir 1500s and a central router, while their rolling programme for national broadcaster, RAI’s regional stations has extended with a new 15-fader OnAir 3000 (12 + 3) installed in Bari—backed up by a technical course provided by LT.

In conclusion, Lucio Gerelli says, “The OnAir series is proving so popular because of the good work we put in, as distributors, with the analogue consoles back in the 1990s. We have now found an equivalent digital solution with a high quality product.”

“The most important factors are (a) the simple configuration; (b) if there’s any problems there is always someone on hand, and finally, with a number of OnAir solutions there is the possibility of I/O sharing which is easy with the correct configuration.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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HARMAN's Soundcraft Introduces ViSi Remote 2.0 With New Features for Si Expression, Si Performer and Si Compact Digital Audio Consoles

POTTERS BAR, United Kingdom – HARMAN’s Soundcraft is announcing Version 2.0 of its tremendously successful ViSi Remote iPad app, which allows remote control of Soundcraft Vi, Si Compact, Si Performer and Si Expression mixing consoles wirelessly from an iPad device. ViSi Remote 2.0 requires no additional hardware other than a wireless access router connected to the HARMAN HiQnet® Ethernet port of the console. With ViSi Remote 2.0, engineers are free to roam the venue and adjust mixes and other audio parameters directly from an iPad.

With 2.0 comes the ability for Si Compact, Performer and Expression users to adjust channel strip settings per channel including settings such as Gate, Compressor and EQ along with Pan, LR/Mono routing and phase invert switches. This functionality will be added to Vi consoles in a future update.

Soundcraft ViSi Remote 2.0 provides a variety of benefits for engineers including: optimize the front of house mix from anywhere in the room; adjust monitor levels while standing next to the artist; adjust channel strip settings remote from the console; extend the fader count of an existing control surface; use in standalone mode for familiarization with console functions; control a network of consoles (e.g. FOH and Monitor); provide a separate surface for DMX functionality (Si Performer only); and allow multiple users on the same console to control their own mixes.

App Store, Apple, iPad and iTunes are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.K. and other countries.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.5 billion for the last twelve months ended September 30, 2013.

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Sound Images Provides Sound for Brad Paisley's "Beat This Summer Tour" with JBL and Crown

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Thunder Audio Relies on HARMAN’s JBL Professional VTX Line Arrays and Crown I-Tech HD Amplifiers for Massive Austin City Limits Music Festival

AUSTIN, Texas – Music festival specialist Thunder Audio added another notch to its list of notable music events in October when the Livonia, Michigan-based company made its debut at the renowned Austin City Limits Music Festival. The event, which for the first time took take place over two weekends (October 4-6 and October 11-13), saw Thunder Audio set up a huge HARMAN JBL VTX line array system, powered by Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers.

“We know what sound needs to be like for large outdoor music festivals,” assures Thunder Audio Vice President Paul Owen, who spent 23 years mixing monitors for heavy-metal legend Metallica. “We’ve done numerous major ones including the Orion Music + More Festival, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival and Faster Horses, and you need a powerful system with excellent low-frequency response and clarity that’s also incredibly reliable for long periods of time under sometimes pretty challenging conditions. And it can get pretty hot in Austin! But I have to say, VTX has proven itself to be just that system on previous occasions and it proved itself again at the ACL Music Festival.”

The system consisted of 36 VTX V25 fullsize line array elements flown 18 per side flanking the main stage, with an additional eight V25 cabinets per side for the outside hang. A total of 48 VTX S28 subwoofers were configured as two hangs of 12 each on either side of the stage, with 24 ground-stacked S28 subs across the front of the stage. Four JBL VERTEC® VT4888 midsize line array elements were used for front fill along with a pair of V25 loudspeakers as left-right outside fills. The JBL loudspeakers were controlled using a pair of dbx 4800 system controllers. The entire system was powered by 86 Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers networked and controlled with JBL HiQnet Performance Manager™ system setup software, which enables Thunder Audio to configure and tune an audio system in less time and with better results.

Owen said that in addition to challenging work, large music festivals are also excellent opportunities to viscerally compare the performance and sound of different PA systems in the field. “You can see how different systems handle throw distances, tightness and accuracy of pattern coverage, vertical and horizontal dispersion, and sonic accuracy,” he explained. “The VTX system was at the top of all of those characteristics.”

In particular, Owen said, the VTX’s throw was exceptional and just what was needed in the huge, 351-acre Zilker Park venue for the ACL Music Festival. “The reaction of guest engineers to the VTX has been just spectacular,” he added.

Greg Snyder, Project Manager for Thunder Audio at the ACL Music Festival, noted the performance of the S28 subwoofers was impressive. “The punch from the subs, especially during Muse’s headline set, was monstrous,” he said. “The people there that night got a real treat.”

Celebrating its 34th year in business in 2013, having grown from its beginnings as a regional sound company in 1979 to its current status as a premier international live production and systems integration company, Thunder Audio has provided sound for Steely Dan, Metallica, The White Stripes, Linkin Park, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, John Legend, Travis Tritt and many other artists along with more than 60 corporate clients. The company acquired its first VTX system last year and company executives were astonished by the system, and particularly by the quality of the new JBL D2 Dual Driver included in the V25. "There's no disputing the sound quality and the sheer amount of horsepower the V25 has,” said Owen, who also noted how the VTX components’ lighter weight makes them a more versatile option for the variety of projects Thunder Audio handles.

“A number of artists experienced VTX for the first time at the ACL Music Festival this year and all of them were suitably impressed,” Owen recounted. “I’m certain there will be more converts in the future.”

 For more information on Thunder Audio, please visit www.thunderaudioinc.com

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 14,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013.

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