“It was the best of times, it was the worst of timesâ€? …and both sounded superb. A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens’ epic story of Revolution-era Paris and London, has been brought to life in musical form for the Broadway stage by Jill Santoriello; a Midas XL8 mixing console from New York-based theatre sound design specialists Sound Associates is making its Broadway debut with the show, helping ensure a modern musical classic is made to match the literary original. more

A veritable who’s who of audio professionals from across the U.S. flew in to Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 10th to attend the two-day U.S. launch of the new Midas PRO6 digital console — perhaps the most eagerly anticipated pro audio product launch of the year. This was the latest in a world-wide program of global launch events for the new Midas console. more

Electro-Voice Sx600 loudspeakers have earned a solid reputation as a sound solution for stadium applications, as demonstrated by two new high school installations by systems integration specialists Thompson Engineering (Riverside, CA).Designed for indoor/outdoor stadium-type venues of all sizes, the Sx600 is a high output, dual-element vertical line array loudspeaker that comes in a single, weatherproof, easy-mounting package, minimizing hardware while maximizing sonic performance, offering long throw while keeping coverage focused.

Jeff Tappenden of Thompson Engineering described how the Sx600 is raising the bar for football field sound quality at Tahquitz HS and Murrieta Valley HS, both in Southern California. more

EliteMULTIMEDIA of Memphis, TN, recently installed a state-of-the-art Electro-Voice sound system at Colonial Hills Church, Southaven, MS.

“The church was looking to upgrade their existing box and horn system,� says B.J. Shaver of EliteMULTIMEDIA; “they needed a sound system to accommodate their contemporary style of worship. We specified three Electro-Voice Xi-1123A/106 for the mains, with low-end support via two QRx 218S; all are flown. A NetMax N8000 digital matrix controller processes the mains, subwoofers, and their T221M floor monitors. This system covers every seat in their 1,500-seat sanctuary with warm, clear sound. Electro-Voice offers exceptional quality in every detail, and the client is very happy. more

E.K. Sound & Equipment Sales Ltd of Calgary, Alberta, Canada recently custom-installed an Electro-Voice XLD sound system at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium. Home to the Calgary Stampeders football team and a venue for large concert events—this summer the Monsters of Rock Festival featuring Ozzy Osbourne took place at the venue—the stadium has a seating capacity of 35,650.

The new speaker systems are mounted inside a circular enclosure suspended by four steel ropes 107’ above the center of the playing field. Dave Harrison of E.K. Sound described the installation, and how the XLD provided the ideal balance of compact size and high performance: more

Orth Design Corporation (San Clemente, CA) recently outfitted two lounges in Orange County, CA with Electro-Voice ZX and Sx sound systems that provide a perfect balance of performance and aesthetics.

10 ZXA5 powered two-way 15� loudspeakers—the state of the art in high-powered polypropylene enclosure boxes—provide full-range sound at the I-Lounge in Orange County. “They were looking to create a high-energy space for DJs—a club/lounge atmosphere,� Walter Orth explains. “The ZXA5 matched their budget requirements while surpassing the expectations in terms of performance—perfect. We installed eight boxes for the main system—four on each side of the room—plus four QRx218S subs for low-end support, with all the subs powered by a single EV TG-7 amp. Two more ZXA5s serve as DJ monitors. The system has two configurations: one for DJ sets, using all the speakers; one for live performances that only uses the speakers on the rear stage side. The subs are broken out too, running on an auxiliary channel for live performances. For DJs, everything is preset, and runs to the appropriate speakers. more

An Electro-Voice sound system has brought a new lease of life to New Mount Baptist Church, which occupies a 100-year old building in Chicago’s West Side. AVI Systems, Inc. completed the system design and installation, balancing state-of-the-art software control with compact, high performance loudspeakers and amplifiers to create a budget-friendly solution. “The church asked me to design a concert sound system rather than a church system,� says Rick Muermann CTS of AVI Systems, Inc. “They have a full band and a lot of audience participation; music is at the heart of their worship style, and they needed a system that could handle a full-on live performance. The sanctuary holds around 500, and the ceilings are about 60-70-feet high. One of the issues was figuring out whether or not to spec a line array. To hang the speakers, we had to climb up above the ceiling on these little 100-year-old walkways. After mapping the room, we found we could cover the entire congregation with just two FRX+ 940 loudspeakers. The walls and ceiling are very ornate, and this provides a nice, streamlined solution that doesn’t compromise the room’s aesthetics. more

Electro-Voice Sx600 loudspeakers have earned a solid reputation as a sound solution for stadium applications, as demonstrated by two new high school installations by systems integration specialists Thompson Engineering (Riverside, CA). more

Netherlands-based Cinevideogroup caused a stir recently with the acquisition of two new RTS®-equipped high-definition OB vehicles.

Cinevideogroup’s new OBV’s (Outside Broadcast Vans), equipped with high-end components including a RTS® ADAM matrix intercom, are widely used in mobile productions throughout Europe. Some recent productions include the games of the Spanish first division clubs Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and FC Valencia for the American Rainbow Sports Network. The trucks have also been used to record a show of the Dutch Starkomikers Sjaak Bral, a Berlin concert by The Cure and a Simply Red concert in Sicily. more

Warehouses once used for the storage of minerals in the Greek town of Lávrion have been converted to create a modern office and laboratory complex – the Lávrion Technological Park. One of the halls, however, has been reserved for leisure activities. In it, Nedis S.A. installed a DYNACORD sound reinforcement system

Famous in antiquity for its silver mines, which may have been worked as early as 1000 BC, the Greek town of Laurium (now Lávrion) was long an El Dorado for collectors of rare minerals such as jarosite, carminite and scorodite. Today, however, the town is better known for its marina, tourist attractions and high-tech industry. The mine’s historic buildings may be listed but they are far from empty, as the local council recently took the decision to authorize the conversion of the warehouses into offices and laboratories to create an exquisite hi-tech complex – the Lávrion Technological Park. more