ANAHEIM, California – Matt Sorum is one of rock’s best-known drummers and for good reason. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year with Guns N’ Roses, Sorum was the percussive powerhouse for many of the band’s hardest-hitting songs. Sorum isn’t just a one-dimensional head-pounder, he also owns Drac Studios in Los Angeles which is equipped with an inviting blend of retro and cutting-edge instruments and gear, including HARMAN’s Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle and PCM 96 Stereo Reverb/Effects Processor.

“Lexicon has always maintained the best quality of effects and has been a standard in the recording studio since I can remember,� said Sorum. “I’ve always loved the reverbs and effects that Lexicon can deliver, since I first started hearing Lexicon products in the late 1970s.�

Sorum made the move to plug-ins a few years ago, but still finds himself drawn to outboard gear. “I love the PCM Native Reverb Bundle for its easy interface with computer recording software, its ability to save favorite settings and come back to them instantly and for its variety of exceptional reverb sounds and types. However, I’m still a huge fan of outboard effects and EQ.� Sorum uses the PCM Native Reverb Bundle and the PCM 96 in a Pro Tools-based recording environment.

“I still use an analog Trident mixing console and a lot of outboard gear, including the PCM 96. I like a ‘hands-on’ feel, whether I’m using an outboard piece of gear with knobs – or a plug-in. Sometimes I like using a plug-in and sometimes the PCM 96 is what I reach for, but it’s all good, and there’s really nothing like those classic, lush Lexicon reverbs for adding richness and depth to vocals, drums and other instruments.�

Sorum is currently using the PCM 96 on a new recording project with his band Diamond Baby (Sorum plays under the alias Baron Von Storm). He’s also just finished recording an album from all-star band Kings of Chaos, featuring Sorum, Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) Duff McKagan and Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) Steve Stevens (Billy Idol) and others. “The Lexicon Native Reverb Plug-In Bundle and PCM 96 have been indispensible for both of those projects,� Sorum noted.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

ANAHEIM, California – Underscoring its continued effort to provide the professional audio industry with the most reliable and robust equipment, HARMAN’s AKG releases its updated C1000 S multipurpose condenser microphone during Winter NAMM 2013. The high-performance small-diaphragm microphone is ideally suited for recording and live sound applications for drum overheads, pianos and acoustic instruments.

The nearly indestructible condenser has a sturdy metal chassis and specialized mic clip to keep the units securely attached to stands. The C1000 S’s gold capsule and XLR plugs make it humidity-proof for all environments.

Rather than relying on an expensive 9V block battery, the C1000 S now runs on two AA batteries at 120h and offers two gain settings, three frequency settings and two polar patters: cardioid and hypercardioid. For mobile broadcast use and interview situations, C1000 S offers more versatility than ever before.

“AKG’s C1000 S is a completely efficient workhorse in the engineer’s rig that will provide high-quality sound the audio industry has expected from AKG over the past 65 years,� stated Thomas Umbauer, Product manager PPA, AKG. “We’ve put the C1000 S through rigorous testing in multiple scenarios and added more clever features such as the humidity proof gold capsule housing and gold plated XLR-pins. The microphone can take a beating on tour and still consistently provide perfect sound during any event.�

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

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

ANAHEIM, California – Evolving its legendary list of recording and live sound equipment, HARMAN’s AKG launches the successor of its B18 condenser microphone battery power supply with the introduction of the B48 L. With its very low noise level, a frequency response of 20Hz – 24Hz and an inverse polarity protection feature against incorrect battery insertion, the B48 L Battery Power Supply provides users with more than 20 hours of use on only two AA batteries.

When phantom power for a condenser is unavailable from a mixer, the B48 L phantom power supplies microphones with 48V and meets the P48 phantom power standard. Additionally, B48 L’s mini-XLR audio output and included mini-XLR to mini-XLR connection cable supports a direct connection of condenser microphones to all AKG bodypack transmitters. A low battery LED light illuminates if phantom power drops below 40V.

“We’ve designed B48 L to replace our original B18, which required two expensive 9V batteries and didn’t support P48 standards,� stated Wolfgang Fritz, Product Marketing Manager – Tour Sound, AKG. “Many of our more advanced microphones, including the C414 do not allow for voltage lower than the P48 standard. Now, we can be sure to accommodate all users so their AKG microphones have proper power and provide the quality and reliability we strive to offer professionals around the world.�

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

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

ANAHEIM, California — At NAMM 2013, HARMAN’s Crown announced the introduction of the USBX, an accessory that enables Crown XTi, CDi and DSi Series amplifiers with a USB port to be operated via an Apple iPad/iPhone using the “Powered by Crown� App.

“Our new USBX greatly expands the control options available to users of our XTi, CDi and DSi amplifiers by adding iPad/iPhone operation and wireless connectivity,� said Andy Flint, Business Segment Manager, Portable PA, Crown. “It’s perfect for setting up, monitoring and troubleshooting amplifiers in a wide variety of applications including small to medium fixed installations, mobile PA systems, movie theaters and other situations.�

The USBX allows Crown amplifiers equipped with a USB port to be controlled via Ethernet. The USBX plugs into an AC outlet and up to eight compatible Crown USB products can be connected to the USBX. The USBX has built-in Wi-Fi, enabling wireless control of connected Crown amps via an iPad or iPhone and the “Powered by Crown� App without the need for a separate wireless router.

The “Powered by Crown� App allows wireless control and monitoring of Crown Ethernet-enabled devices and JBL loudspeakers that are equipped with DrivePack® DPDA built-in amplifiers. Since this app uses the same protocols as HARMAN HiQnet System Architect™, users can import custom control panels from System Architect into the “Powered by Crown� App for added functionality. A strategic long-term commitment to Ethernet technology by Crown means that users have the benefit of this simple-to-use, cost-efficient program as well as seamless integration of their legacy and future Crown products through the app.

The Crown USBX will be available in February 2013 at a suggested retail price of $249.99.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

ISTANBUL, Turkey – Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) is the national public broadcaster of Turkey, and broadcasts its TV programming around the world, offering more than 14 regional, national and international radio stations including the Voice of Turkey. TRT has relied on HARMAN’s Studer consoles since the 1980s and recently upgraded its Izmir Radio Studios with a Studer Vista 9 digital console.

“I have been working at TRT for more than 25 years in a number of capacities, and all that time we have depended on Studer gear to get the job done,� said Erkan Gökceli, Technical Manager and Designer at Izmir Radio Studios. “We’ve used everything from the old Studer 169 mixer to no less than 15 ReVox B77 reel to reel tape decks. As a broadcast and recording mixer at Izmir Radio Studios I put our previous Studer 902 console through every situation you can imagine but when it was time to upgrade our studios, we decided that we would move to a digital mixer with modern features and flexibility.�

Izmir Radio Studios purchased a Vista 9 console from Turkish Studer distributor SF Dis Ticaret Koll.Sti. The Vista 9 has four bays and 40 faders, with the faders configured as 30 for source inputs, 10 VCA groups plus two masters. The console provides 32 mic inputs, 24 AES inputs, 24 AES outputs, 80 line ins, 64 line outs and 16 general purpose in/outs. In addition, Izmir Radio bought a host of additional HARMAN Professional components including AKG mics and headsets, dbx equalizers, Crown amplifiers, a Lexicon®reverb unit, JBL studio monitors and Soundcraft mixers.

“As someone who works with the equipment year-in and year-out, I insist that the consoles I use are robust and of high quality,� Gökceli noted. “We do a lot of live broadcast at Izmir Radio and TRT and as any live engineer knows there is no room for error in a live production situation. Based on our previous track record, I was confident the Studer Vista 9 would be completely dependable.�

“As expected, so far the operation of the Vista 9 has been flawless,� Gökceli said. “I’m also finding that the newer features of the Vista 9, such as the Vistonics™ touchscreen interface, the FaderGlow faders that can be color-coded by function and the total freedom to lay out input and master channels anywhere across the console’s surface have been incredibly useful. I can configure the Vista 9 any way I want it which gives me far more control flexibility than I’ve ever had and makes mixing a live or taped broadcast easier and more efficient than I could have imagined.�

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

CHULA VISTA, California, January 22, 2013 — With over 20 years of outdoor advertising experience, Beaverton, Oregon agency All Points Media has established itself as a leader in the alternative media segment. They know how to deliver a company’s message to where it’s most effective – literally, with their fleet of AdVan mobile advertising vehicles.

AdVan trucks project full-motion video images up to 12 feet wide by six feet high onto the sides of the vehicle. The AdVans are also equipped with surround sound audio systems to deliver theater-quality messages to consumers. The video is viewable even in direct sunlight, thanks to Hitachi’s high-brightness 3LCD projectors.

“We take our AdVan trucks nationwide for everything from huge corporate events and conventions to store openings and campaigns for local businesses where we’ll drive an AdVan around town,� said Alex Brochu, AdVan Operations Manager for All Points Media. “Our AdVans can be seen by as many as 100,000 people each day.�

“We have seven projectors in each truck – mostly CP-X8160s but we also have some Hitachi CP-X807 and CP-X1250 models. We equip the projectors with a 7:1 short throw lens to accommodate the confines of the truck’s interior and use a special mounting system we designed. We can use virtually any input source, including DVD, game systems, live and satellite video feeds, flash drives and more, and show multiple videos on different screens.�

“We chose the Hitachi CP-X8160 primarily because of its high 6,000 lumens brightness, and the image quality is excellent. We’re one of the only companies that can provide daylight-readable, full-motion video. With some other projectors, at certain angles you’ll see nothing but a black screen but with the CP-X8160 projectors you can see bright, clear images from any angle, at any time of day and at any level of sunlight.�

“These projectors eliminated a lot of headaches for us,� Brochu continued. “Because we take the trucks nationwide, the projectors can get bumped around a little in their mountings and we sometimes have to make adjustments. The flexibility of these projectors in dialing in a perfect image is amazing – using Hitachi’s Perfect Fit 2 feature, it’s easy to bring in corners, expand or reduce the size of the images or do whatever we need to get the image exactly right.�

“A lot of the events we do require interactivity and multiple screens; for example, where a number of participants play video games. We used to have to use video splitters to get multiple images at once but with the Hitachi CP-X8160 all I have to do is put a USB drive into one or more of the projectors, use my main video source for the rest of the and I’m off and running in no time.� The CP-X8160 accepts a wide variety of inputs including HDMI, component, S-Video and composite video, computer, USB and even wireless. This versatility really comes in handy in the field.�

“We even did an event for a new SSX snowboarding video game where we’d drive around with the video game playing on the screens and had a snow machine on top blowing snow around. The visual impact provided by the projectors and the AdVan was fantastic, and attracted a lot of attention. The client and especially the gamers loved it.�

For more information about All Points Media visit www.allpointsco.com

For more information on Hitachi visit www.hitachi-america.us/digitalmedia

Follow Hitachi on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hitachi-Projectors/131067323636829

Follow Hitachi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/HALProjectors

About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi America, Ltd., headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of electronics, power and industrial equipment and services, automotive products and consumer electronics with operations throughout the Americas. For more information, visit www.hitachi-america.us. For information on other Hitachi Group companies in the United States, please visit www.hitachi.us.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2011 (ended March 31, 2012) consolidated revenues totaled 9,665 billion yen ($117.8 billion). Hitachi will focus more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, January 22 – The world’s leading Audio Video Bridging (AVB) platform provider Lab X Technologies announces the first Xavity™ Video licensee, Axon Digital Design BV.

Axon has licensed Xavity Video for Altera FPGAs which provides networked time synchronization, automatic bandwidth reservation and optimal bandwidth utilization via traffic shaping. Xavity furthermore enables multiple streams of data across a single network which allows for a truly converged audio, video and data network, eliminating the need for dedicated audio and video matrix switchers.

“We are very proud to work closely with Axon, providing Xavity as a true network solution that simplifies broadcast applications by replacing traditional point to point connections.� said Lee Minich, president of Lab X Technologies. “Xavity AVB connectivity guarantees mission critical video and audio feeds will coexist simultaneously on a converged Ethernet network that includes existing post production file sharing, control protocols and general network traffic.�

“Axon has a history of being at the forefront of new technologies and standards in professional video,� said Jan Eveleens, CEO of Axon. “Our collaboration with Lab X implementing their Xavity AVB connectivity enables us to take full advantage of the many benefits of Audio Video Bridging. We strongly believe that networked video is the next big thing in professional video applications and AVB I/O in a large range of new Axon products will help the industry move into this direction.�

“Our expansion of Xavity AVB connectivity for video further solidifies our continued technology leadership in the rapidly expanding audio and video networked world,� continued Minich.

Xavity will be featured at the AVnu Alliance Pavilion (#7K190) at Integrated Systems Europe January 29th – 31st at the RAI convention center in Amsterdam, NL, where Lab X Technologies will be participating in AVnu Alliance education presentations throughout the show.

For more information, please visit Lab X Technologies at http://www.labxtechnologies.com.

About Lab X Technologies

Founded in 1996, Lab X Technologies, LLC is a Rochester, New York-based engineering design firm recognized as a global leader in digital AV media transport and network connectivity, with extensive experience in applying IEEE 802.1 Audio Video Bridging (AVB) and other audio networking standards. Lab X is an influential participant in the AVB community, an extremely active member of AVnu Alliance (www.avnu.org) and fully committed to AVnu certified interoperability.

Lab X partners with leading AV manufacturers to accelerate product development cycles, enable digital network interoperability by licensing Xavity AVB connectivity platforms, augmenting internal design teams, providing pre-engineered connectivity modules, developing innovative product concepts, and producing complete turnkey custom solutions.

Xavity, the Xavity logo, and stylized Xavity X are trademarks of Lab X Technologies, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

NORTHRIDGE, California — In a unique and compelling installation, World of Beer, Inc., a national franchise that offers craft beers and live music in a casual setting, decided to go all out in supporting its live entertainment by equipping its Arlington, Virginia location and corporate headquarters with all-HARMAN audio systems that include JBL, Crown, BSS Audio, Soundcraft and AKG products. Orlando, Florida-based American Audio Visual (AAV) performed the installation.

The system had to be high-performance yet cost-effective. It was also critical that it would be easy to use by the tavern’s staff without having to bring in an outside audio engineer every time they had live music. Finally, it also needed to be able to easily transition from background music to live music, sometimes more than once a day. The system, once accepted, would be adopted as the standard sound reinforcement system for all World of Beer franchises moving forward.

“We worked closely with our rep Jason Bethune of Dobbs Stanford to propose an all-HARMAN system,� explained Sean Reish, Director, Capital Projects for AAV. “World of Beer had been working with different companies and vendors previously, and a big part of winning the bid was that HARMAN was the only company that offered everything from microphones to loudspeakers in a system that met their requirements and was also flexible enough to adapt to the needs of individual locations.�

“For the Arlington location we went with two JBL PRX415M 2-way 15-inch speakers flown above the stage because they’re unobtrusive yet deliver plenty of volume, and their 90 x 50-degree coverage is ideal for this type of space,� Reish said. The system also includes a JBL PRX418S subwoofer and a pair of JBL JRX112M loudspeakers serve as stage monitors. Thirteen JBL Control 65 P/T pendant speakers cover the main tavern area and four Control 26CT ceiling speakers cover the VIP section, all on a 70-volt background music distributed audio system. Crown DSi 4000 and DSi 2000 amplifiers power the main speakers, subwoofer and stage monitors, with a Crown CTs 4200 for the distributed audio system.

The live sound console is a Soundcraft GB-2R 16 compact 16-channel analog board. “We chose the GB-2R 16 because it had the right combination of features at the right price point,� Reish added. “We didn’t want to go digital just yet, and the GB-2R 16 is perfect for the size of the venue, the performers that come in and the board is also easy to use for people who aren’t professional sound mixers.� House mics are AKG, including a WMS 470 wireless microphone system.

A BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-100 processor provides system control, in conjunction with HARMAN HiQnet London Architect™ software. “The BLU-100 is an open architecture device that lets us scale an audio system to meet the requirements of each particular location and the number of zones it has,� Reish pointed out. “It operates in conjunction with a standardized GUI interface we’ve created that will go in every franchise.�

AAV also has future plans to set up a system as a demonstration and training facility in World of Beer’s Tampa, Florida corporate headquarters and the system is standardized down to the touch panel interface. “Managers and employees will be able to come in, learn the system and be able to operate it in any franchise,� Reish said.

According to Reisch, HARMAN HiQnet System Architect™ software is the key to setting these systems up consistently in every World of Beer location. “Working with HARMAN, we spent a lot of time getting the system just right, and now we not only have a template for future franchises, but also the ability to monitor and diagnose a system in any World of Beer location and make changes remotely,� Reisch said. “One night a performer in Arlington lost a microphone and were able to reset the EQ, gain structure and routing for a different mic from 2,000 miles away in a couple of minutes while live on the phone.�

“Having a high-quality audio system in each of our locations is central to the experience that our customers have at World of Beer. We are looking to expand aggressively in the next 18 months and having a partner like HARMAN that can provide us with an all-in-one solution at a highly competitive price made it very clear that they are the manufacturer that we want to be working with moving forward,� explained Dave Bearce, Music Program Director, World of Beer Franchising, Inc.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.

A new premium camcorder designed to capture high-quality video of fast-moving action was announced today by JVCKENWOOD Corporation. The new Procision JVC GC-PX100 offers high bit rate progressive recording to deliver high resolution HD images and Full HD slow-motion video. The camera’s high performance combines with Wi-Fi connectivity and a range of free specialized apps to make the GC-PX100 ideal for capturing and analyzing fast-moving action

The camera shoots Full HD 1920 x 1080/60p video at 36Mbps, a bit rate that allows Full HD slow-motion playback, perfect for motion analysis or special effects. Premium performance is further assured by the fast F1.2 lens, 1/2.3� 12.8 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor and optical image stabilization. Five shooting speeds are available, ranging from 120fps to 600fps, easily selected using a dial conveniently located next to the lens. It’s also possible to grab bursts of nine still images from video at the touch of a button, similar to what can be done using the motor drive on an SLR still camera. Other shooting modes for capturing action include high-speed digital still recording at up to 60fps and variable speed time-lapse recording. Zoom Position Memory, ideal for analyzing sports plays, allows quick switching among three angles of view — Full Wide, Full Tele, and a user-settable position in between. Go from full field team formation analysis to a tight shot of a goal being scored, with instant switching of focus, zoom and exposure.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, video and images can be wirelessly sent to and viewed on a smartphone or tablet. And for coaches and others with an interest in analyzing an athlete’s performance, the free “JVC CAM Coach� app for iOS and Android allow annotations to be made on the playback image. Flaws in an athlete’s form can be noted by drawing on the screen and easily seen by both coach and athlete using the large screen a tablet provides, and without the need to disturb the camera setup. There’s also Twin View, which enables simultaneous side-by-side playback of two different video clips after they’re transferred to a tablet, for comparative viewing. A Tagging function allows scenes to be tagged for easy access at any time, and the Scoring function allows the user to record a running tally of a game score as it progresses by tapping on a smartphone.

The GC-PX100 was designed for fast, easy handling, with an SLR-type body and all key controls and functions conveniently placed for intuitive operation. A three-inch tiltable LCD monitor allows high and low angle recording, and an LCD monitor hood is included. An optional color viewfinder is available.

The JVC GC-PX100 will be available in March for $999.95.

About JVC Americas Corp

Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Americas Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. JVC Americas distributes a complete line of video and audio equipment for the consumer and professional markets. For further product information, visit JVC’s website.

JVC Online Newsroom:

This and all JVC announcements, including high resolution images, can be found online here.

NORTHRIDGE, California – Don’t stop ‘til you dance enough! The World’s Largest Disco is a 7,000-person dance party featuring DJs spinning classic ’70s tracks through a 300,000-watt sound system. Held at the Buffalo Convention Center in New York, the annual event, which traces its roots to the 1970s, is a charity fundraiser held by Conesus Fest for Charity to raise funds for Camp Good Days and Special Times, a summer camp for children with cancer. It was Boogie Fever in Buffalo as revelers dressed in ’70s regalia and danced through the night, fueled by a whopping 84 HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® line array loudspeakers.

“If you’re doing the sound for The World’s Largest Disco, the system has to be no-holds-barred,� said Ray DiBiase, President of Northeastern Production Systems, which provided the sound, lighting and video systems for the event. “The music is the reason everyone was there and we had to move 7,000 people with loud, bass-heavy sound in a room that’s the biggest dance floor in New York State.�

While the music was retro, the sound system NPS brought in was anything but, comprising JBL VERTEC VT4889 fullsize line array elements, VT4886 subcompact line array elements and VT4880 fullsize arrayable subwoofers. Eight VT4889 loudspeakers were hung from each side of the main stage, with six VT4886 loudspeakers on each side, and 24 VT4880 subwoofers ground-stacked six wide and two high on each side of the stage. An additional left-right configuration of eight VT4888 midsize elements each served as delays, while another eight VT4889 loudspeakers provided center rear delay. Six VT4886 loudspeakers per side provided emergency backup sound, hung from the upstage lighting truss. In addition, a left-right configuration of four VT4888 loudspeakers per side, stacked on dual VT4882 subwoofers, served as the main system for the VIP Room at the event. Crown VZ5000 and MA2400 amplifiers powered the main VT4889 line arrays and the VT4888 delay loudspeakers. Crown IT8000 and IT12000HD amplifiers powered the VT4880 and VT4882 subwoofers, VT4886’s and the rest of the VT4888 and VT4889 loudspeakers. NPS also employed HARMAN HiQnet System Architect™ to link three dbx 4800 DriveRacks to a tablet computer with a wireless router.

“There were people everywhere, and we had to make sure that the music was heard and just as importantly, felt by everyone,� DiBiase noted. “As any sound reinforcement pro knows, thousands of bodies can absorb a lot of sound, aside from the fact that the party was in such a big room. Getting even and consistent coverage was a must. It was also a total party atmosphere with everyone making a lot of noise, and the system had to be heard above all that.�

VERTEC line arrays are ideal for this kind of application, DiBiase noted. “Aside from their sheer ability to pump out the volume, they can play loud yet stay clean, clear and articulate,� he said. “Since their coverage pattern is controlled and predictable, they really lend themselves to installations where you have to position speakers all around the venue.�

“The VERTEC line arrays were a huge part of the success of The World’s Largest Disco,� DiBiase concluded. “They really kept the people going.�

For more information on Northeastern Production Systems, please visit www.northeasternproduction.com

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for year ended June 30, 2012.