ELKHART, Indiana –HARMAN Professional today launched the Fall Into Big Savings rebate program that provides customers with compelling savings on a wide range of audio technologies in advance of the holiday buying season. The program—available from November 1st, 2012 at participating retailers nationwide—is uniquely versatile, rewarding customers on individual HARMAN components from JBL, Soundcraft, dbx and AKG or on HARMAN systems comprising those same brands. However they choose to apply the rebates, customers can enjoy the world’s leading audio components and great savings.

Retailers can similarly benefit from the program designed with them and their customers in mind. According to Mark Posgay, Senior Director, US Sales, HARMAN Professional, the program offers deep savings on category-leading, award-winning products like $40 mail-in rebate on the dbx DriveRack PX and $50 mail-in rebate on the dbx DriveRack PA; $50 mail-in rebate on the JBL PRX412M and $60 mail-in rebate on the JBL PRX415M; HARMAN’s stunning new AKG WMS4500 system features a $100 mail-in rebate and the program includes a remarkable $250 saving on the Soundcraft Si Compact 16, 24 or 32 digital mixing consoles. Adding to the versatility of the program, HARMAN Professional is offering $100 instant rebates on Crown XTi 4002 amplifiers and $50 instant rebate on the Crown XTi 2002 and the Crown XLS 2500 amplifiers.

“This program is an excellent opportunity for musicians, DJs, rental companies and venues to upgrade their kit with some of the most advanced audio components in the market today,� Posgay said. “We looked closely at the components with the most appeal in retail and the end-product is a program that could amount to over $600 in system-wide savings, but there’s also the liberty to pick and choose as a customer’s needs dictate�

The HARMAN Professional Fall Into Big Savings rebate program runs for a limited time only, ending December 31, 2012. Customers simply fill out a form, attach the receipt and UPC code and mail by January 31, 2013 to receive a rebate check in the mail.

“We worked with our retail partners in designing this program and as a result it’s the most inclusive and versatile that we’ve ever offered,â€� Posgay added. “The timing is engineered to provide a boost for retailers and to put more great gear in the hands of great engineers, artists and DJs and to equip more small and mid-sized venues with the same technologies used on the world’s great stagesâ€�

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.

VIENNA, Austria – Andrew Lloyd Webber was just 21 years old when he and Tim Rice collaborated to pen Jesus Christ Superstar. Now, more than 40 years later, Laurence Connor’s contemporary take on the production, which features former Spice Girl Mel C and Australian comedian Tim Minchin, is in the midst of an arena tour of the United Kingdom. Sixty of HARMAN’s AKG C544L headset mics are deployed for all vocals during the show, and according to both FOH and monitor engineers, the mic was ideally suited to this particular application.

Both engineers talked to Redditch-based SSE Audio Group’s director, Yan Stile, whose company provided the audio for the tour, and requested an organized “shootoutâ€� to find out which microphone would be best suited to the job in hand.

“I arranged for the best current offerings from all the major microphone manufacturers to be set up and tested through a smaller version of the show’s touring sound system,â€� Stile explains. “They were looking for sonic performance, stability during head movement, ease of mounting and durability; and after a full day’s testing, the unanimous choice was the AKG C544L. We also did a blind test with a number of other experienced engineers, and the result was the same.â€�

With the amount of dancing and acrobatics on this production, the cast mics needed to be in the optimum location at all times, regardless of head movement. Monitor Engineer, Seamus Fenton, says the C544L was the perfect choice.

“We did our A-B tests with about 12 different microphone models, and the C544L came out on top – none of us had ever heard one in action before, but we soon realized what an amazing mic it is,� he states. “Literally everyone is using one on this show, and the sound it puts out really suits the production too; it was certainly head and shoulders above the rest in all departments.�

“It was very much a production decision to go with the AKG mics,â€� confirms AEG’s Keith Wood, production manager for the show. “Because this is essentially an arena rock show, we realized we needed a head-worn microphone that would be more roadworthy and provide a greater output level and better off-axis rejection than some models currently favored in musical theatre.â€�

HARMAN Professional’s exclusive United Kingdom and Eire distributors, Sound Technology Ltd, supplied the AKG microphones.

Jesus Christ Superstar opened on September 21 at London’s O2 Arena and played host to several other sizeable venues including Wembley Arena and Liverpool’s Echo Arena. It closes on October 21 at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.

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 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $4.4 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.

NORTHRIDGE, California – Premier Production & Sound Services, LLC (PSS) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana is one of the region’s biggest sound companies, and on October 25 the company proved it, providing HARMAN’s JBL, Crown, dbx and BSS audio gear for no less than 14 locations throughout the area. The day gave PSS the chance to put its newly purchased JBL VTX Series line arrays into play at the “Le Plur/Red Bulletin� stage at the Voodoo Experience festival, which featured Skrillex, Die Antwoord, Dave Stewart, Thomas Dolby and other top artists performing for more than 100,000 fans at City Park in New Orleans.

“We recently purchased a number of the new JBL VTX Series V25 fullsize line array elements and S28 arrayable subwoofers, and the Voodoo Experience was the perfect proving ground because the Le Plur/Red Bulletin stage was inside a tent, which limited the height that was available to fly the main left and right clusters,� noted Brian W. Gordon, Co-Owner of PSS.

For the main PA system at the Le Plur/Red Bulletin stage, PSS hung six V25 elements per side and placed six S28 subs per side on the ground in a cardioid configuration. PSS also used four JBL VERTEC® VT4886 subcompact line array elements for front fill, 16 JBL SRX712M monitor wedges and three stacks each of two VERTEC VT4883 subcompact arrayable subwoofers plus four VT4886 loudspeakers for side fill. The speakers were powered by two racks that each housed 18 Crown IT 12000HD amplifiers, plus six IT 8000 amps for the monitors and three IT 4×3500 HD amps for the side fills. A Soundcraft Vi6 digital console was used for front of house mixing.

“This was the second year we provided sound for the Le Plur/Red Bulletin stage and even though we were more limited in the available space where we could deploy the speakers, the system had more horsepower and sounded fantastic, thanks to the VTX line arrays,� Gordon said.

For the Voodoo Le Carnival stage, PSS flew left-right arrays of four JBL VERTEC VT4888 midsize line array elements, four VT4886 line array elements and three SRX728S subwoofers on each side. Additional near-field left and right stacks included four VT4887A compact line array elements and three SRX728S subwoofers. Four VT4887A speakers also provided front fill, while PSS also provided 12 SRX712M stage monitors, one STX835 with two VRX918S subwoofers as side fill, and one STX835 with two VT4883 subwoofers as drum fill.

While the Voodoo Experience would qualify as a full weekend of work for any sound company, it was merely the tip of the iceberg for PSS. “We’re a big company and we’re used to doing things on a big scale, but the weekend of the Voodoo Experience was just crazy,� said Russ Bryant, Director of Operations and Co-Owner of PSS. “In addition to the Voodoo Experience, Harry Connick, Jr. at L’Auberge Casino and Hotel in Baton Rouge, the Live After Five concert series in Baton Rouge and the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino concert series, we also provided sound for events at Tulane University, the Sheraton Galleria, Sullivan’s Steakhouse, the Roux House, Los Diablos, a private show and inside and outside the Station Sports Bar and Grill. Altogether we took out more than 700 loudspeakers, amplifiers and other pieces of gear—not counting cables!�

“We also brought in the VTX line arrays for a very different situation—Harry Connick, Jr. at the L’Auberge Casino in Baton Rouge,� Bryant noted. “For this show we used six V25 mains and three S28 subs per side, along with four VT4886’s per side and four more for front fills, all driven by Crown I-Tech HD Series amps. This was a very different situation than the Voodoo festival, a quieter and more intimate indoor setting where clarity and nuance were paramount as opposed to rocking out 100,000 people. Again, the system sounded superb.�

How was PSS able to handle 14 stages and rooms in three days? “We have 20 engineers on staff,� said Russ Bryant, Co-Owner and Director of Operations for PSS. “We pride ourselves in providing systems for any application from a huge festival to an intimate club.�

“Using HARMAN’S HiQnet System Architect™, JBL HiQnet Performance Manager™, JBL’s Line Array II Calculator system setup software and the VERTEC V5 preset tunings makes it a lot easier and faster to set up our systems and make them sound great in any venue,� Gordon added. “In fact, we had an unusual situation at the Voodoo Le Carnival stage. The stage had both an inside and an outside area, with 1,000 people between the stage and the set of left and right stacks that were 25 feet from the stage. Because of the unconventional tent construction and location, those stacks were sort of like a hybrid between a front fill, a really powerful main system and a set of delay towers that were only 25 feet from the stage. The fact that all the HARMAN loudspeakers, amps and software all talked to each other really helped us sort out and optimize this unusual acoustic situation.�

For more information on Premier Production & Sound Services, LLC, please visit www.psssound.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.

Stadiums, arenas and open air venues across Asia, Europe, North and South America are hosting Madonna’s 2012 MDNA Tour, with all featuring a large Sennheiser wireless microphone and monitoring system that helps deliver a flawless performance, night after night. Madonna has six Sennheiser SKM 5200 mics for each show, which, as monitor engineer Matt Napier explains, get tested to the limit.

“The 5200s get a real battering. The whole first section of the show is highly stylised with an almost comic book aggression. There is a lot of staged violence and the microphones get hurled around and are frequently being thrown to and from dancers and onto the floor,� commented Napier. “We’re going through a new microphone every ten shows or so. But given that the 5200 is not a microphone designed for such abuse, I think they are standing up remarkably well. Of course we have a whole drawer of spares from Sennheiser!� he concluded.

Audio rental company Eighth Day Sound provided the Sennheiser equipment after purchasing from Sennheiser Electronic Corporation, USA. The tour features six further SKM 5200s with MD 5005 capsules for backing and guest vocal microphones. Together with Madonna’s vocal mics, these use seven EM 3732-II wireless receivers. Fourteen 2000 series wireless systems are used for in-ear monitors, with 14 more for guitar systems. In addition, a percussion trio uses SKP 2000 plug-on transmitters, taking the overall wireless channel count to around 50.

“The plug-on transmitters are a very useful solution, because the trio comes on stage, does its section and goes off again. There’s no time to cable the musicians up. It’s a very neat way of using RF,� says Napier. “On top of everything else, there is also a wireless comms system, so we are probably up to 70 channels of RF at each show and we have had no problems at all.

“Everything is using the built-in networking, all programmed on the Wireless Systems Manager, which saves a huge amount of time. Every show so far has been trouble free.�

Caption:
Madonna.jpg: Madonna’s 2012 MDNA Tour uses Sennheiser microphones and monitors
(Photo credit: Kevin Mazur)

PORTLAND, Oregon — With music in the air and hundreds of revelers dressed in “steampunk�-themed costumes, Horne Audio, Inc. provided a HARMAN Soundcraft Si Compact 16 digital mixing console for a unique event dubbed “The Music Experience� in Portland, Oregon. Intel and MTV Iggy hosted the event, which took place on the Sternwheeler steamboat and featured performances by bands The Jezabels and Y La Bamba as the vessel cruised the Willamette River.

Horne Audio set up the Si Compact 16 on the second of the Sternwheeler’s three decks, as the performances alternated between two levels. Audio engineer Jim Schamberg of Horne Audio ran 16 inputs with one feed coming from the system on the boat’s upper deck and one feed running from the Si Compact 16 to the upper deck, so the live performances could be heard throughout the boat.

“The Si Compact has been a terrific board for us,� Schamberg said. “The effects are great and it’s compact but versatile. Fourteen busses for this size board is also a tremendous advantage. We’re able to easily transport the console for a range of different events.�

Based in Portland, Horne Audio, Inc. specializes in live sound reinforcement for a diverse variety of events ranging from intimate audiences to large-scale productions at major venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1999, the company has developed a strong reputation for quality service, maintaining a state-of-the-art equipment inventory and employing dedicated experienced professionals.

“The console worked great tonight, it’s really perfect for this size of an event,� Schamberg noted. “We have more than enough channels and the sound is excellent.�

For more information on Horne Audio, Inc., please visit www.horne-audio.com

Photo Credit: Ryan Abeling, bePortland (www.beportland.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 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $4.4 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.

DiGiCo rocked the house at the grand opening celebration of Mick Fleetwood’s new restaurant and club, Fleetwood’s on Front Street, in the heart of downtown Lahaina, Maui. The four-night musical celebration boasted a star-studded roster of performers. Night one kicked off with the Grammy-nominated Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, featuring guitarist/singer Rick more

Following extensive market research and product development, Oxygen DCT has launched a new ‘next generation’, premium quality 7.67″ OLED (organic light emitting diode) field production monitor for studio, outside broadcast, satellite news, engineering and field production.

Picture quality derived from the propriety CM (colour management) technology engine gives outstanding rich colours, deep black detail and a colourimetry closely emulating legacy CRT monitors. As part of the company’s highly successful Evolution Pro P3 production monitor series, this latest introduction has the largest OLED screen (7.67″), the highest resolution display with 1280×800 pixels and widest colour gamut of 110% thus achieving premium level status. Whilst it has exceptional features and facilities it is priced highly competitively at £1721, which is 35% lower cost than other equivalent models available today.

The new monitor has been designed to fulfil a wide range of applications for sports broadcasting to studio based production and field shooting. It therefore incorporates the widest range of connectivity with two 3G/HD/SD-SDI and HDMI input for up to 1080 50p and 60p signals and both composite, YUV analogue inputs. There are also audio inputs and outputs, together with a headphone socket for on screen audio metering.

In today’s world with an ever increasing and diverse range of cameras, it has become important to be able to accommodate the individual needs of each cameras set up. This Evolution Pro P3 monitor addresses these with luminance exposure checking, video range check, peaking for focus assist, waveform and vector display in addition to histogram and multiple zoom functions with pixel to pixel native HD signal display for checking back focus. There are 6 recording and playback modes for Sony, Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras and a unique, integrated HDMI to SDI converter, allowing a DSLR to be viewed on larger picture monitors. The automatic luminance control adjust the brightness of the monitors display according to the location’s light levels and a proximity sensor aids shot framing.

Additional practical facilities include a V lock battery mount, a battery level indicator which warns when the battery is about to run out and horizontal and vertical flip modes mean that this monitor can be mounted in the most acute positions. Whilst robustly contracted for field use, the Evolution Pro P3 OLED is also one of the lightest at just 1.3kg.

There are 10 different models in the Evolution Pro P3 production series monitors, from 5″ to 17″ including models with on board recording to SD-HC cards. This latest model capitalises on Oxygen DCT’s experience and user feedback with premium picture quality, large screen and premium facilities yet is one of the most affordable 7″ models available today.

-ends-

About Oxygen DCT:
Oxygen DCT is a broadcasts systems solutions provider with a deep knowledge and understanding of the broadcast and professional media markets. This dynamic organisation has amassed in just over five years, a very extensive and comprehensive products portfolio of over 3000 carefully designed broadcast and production products that represent the pinnacle of engineering excellence. Oxygen DCT was the first company in the broadcast industry to fully implement online facilities for its customers and its unique, comprehensive online ordering facility automatically configures equipment systems for customers, saving time and provides industry professionals with the convenience of immediate online pricing. The ‘one-stop-shop’ website caters for the smallest requirements whilst also allowing users to prepare their own quotes and place orders online with immediate order confirmation. Oxygen DCT also provides advice, support and expertise as part of its ‘life cycle’ care scheme, ensuring that customers are fully serviced throughout their career life cycles.

Millions of visitors flock through the gates of Canada’s Wonderland, just north of Toronto, Canada every season and since 2011 – the theme park’s 30th anniversary – Christie® technology has been mesmerizing visitors with ‘Starlight Spectacular’ – a 9 ½ minute projection mapping display that brings Wonderland Mountain to life each evening.

Four Christie Roadster S+20K 3-chip DLP® projectors equipped with Christie Twist Pro™ display fire breathing dragons, the changing seasons, ripple effects in a kaleidoscope of colors, and a mountain that appears to crumble – among other imagery.

“Wonderland Mountain is the centerpiece of the park and for our anniversary last year, we wanted to do something unique in Canada. Once we knew it was technically feasible, we hired Tantrum Design and Visual Effects to provide the content,� said Doug McBoyle, manager, technical and event services, Canada’s Wonderland. “This is the second year of the production and we are looking at some major and exciting changes for 2013.�

Projecting on a mountain, with its intricate curves and juts, presented a unique set of challenges but Christie technology proved more than capable. McBoyle said his biggest concern was making sure the content would look clean when projected onto the irregular surface.

“We looked at different options but Christie has the edge with its Christie Twist Pro package,� said McBoyle. “Christie Twist Pro was the key selling feature because there is such an uneven surface on the mountain filled with edges and obstructions.�

A single license of Christie Twist Proâ„¢ supports an unlimited number of projectors per array and offers unlimited grid lines, advanced edge blending and blends masking. The optional software upgrades also features rotate and flip capabilities, gradient previews of edge blends, and a brightness uniformity controller.

“Without Christie Twist Pro, we wouldn’t have been able to develop or create the images we did. The Twist Pro solidified our ability to project coherent images on the mountain. The software has the convergence points we need to get a nice and even projection surface; it is amazing how clear and how aligned the projected images are.�

McBoyle said the park wanted to give people eye-candy and have them walk away saying, ‘I have never seen anything like that before … that was amazing.’

“We wanted to create the perfect kiss goodnight where the guests walk away feeling good about what they just saw. And I think we achieved that because the performance gives them 9 ½ minutes at the end of their day to regroup, see a spectacular show and then go home having had a great day.

“I can’t emphasize enough how the Christie staff of Dave Muscat (Sr. Director of Sales, Canada) Geoff Chick (Central and Western Regional Sales Manager) and Kyle Killing (Field Application Specialist) really came to the table. Without them, we wouldn’t have been so successful. Christie’s Canadian office and manufacturing facility is just two hours away and that was a huge deal for us. Not only is the Christie product great, we have manufacturers’ support so close by.�

SHEPHERDSTOWN, West Virginia – For the second consecutive year, XPAND 3D will be sponsoring the 3D portion of the American Conservation Film Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

The American Conservation Film Festival is an annual event held in Shepherdstown, WV, a vibrant arts community 70 miles west of Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland. ACFF features films from a diverse group of conservation filmmakers from around the world.

On Friday, November 2, the American Conservation Film Festival will host “3D Friday at the Frank Center� at Shepherd University. The event will feature two 3D films: ICE BEAR and The Predator Coast. For both screenings, XPAND is providing its Infinity active 3D system.

The XPAND Infinity 3D glasses provide up to 38% transparency and a 3000:1 contrast ratio. The glasses’ lightweight ergonomic designs ensure long-wearing comfort, and their wide 3D viewing angle provides an optimal 3D image across the entire cinema. All new XPAND cinema systems and glasses fully support HFR (High Frame Rate) double and single flash at 96fps, 120fps, 144fps, 192fps, 240fps and even variable frame rate.

“As a company that is not only committed to advancing the state of the art in 3D technology but also to supporting the artists and producers who comprise the film industry, XPAND 3D is honored to once again sponsor the American Conservation Film Festival,� said Maria Costeira, CEO, XPAND 3D. “We are proud to support such a socially conscious organization and are thrilled that moviegoers will experience these 3D films in the most immersive and stunning 3D available!�

For more information on the American Conservation Film Festival, please visit www.conservationfilm.org

For more information on XPAND 3D, please visit www.xpand.me

About XPAND 3D:
XPAND 3D is the global leader in 3D technologies for cinema, with systems used by over 5,000 3D cinemas in more than 50 countries. XPAND 3D is also the 3D solution of choice for home, business, post-production, education, military, medical and professional 3D applications. XPAND 3D designs, manufactures and OEMs a range of consumer electronics 3D solutions that are driving the 3D revolution. XPAND is committed to advancing the state-of-the art in technology to provide consumers, businesses, educators and medical professionals with the comprehensive advantages of stereoscopic 3D. XPAND provides glasses on a linear scale from the most advanced and feature-packed for sophisticated surgical, training and home theater to more ruggedized and affordable for cinema and mass market use. X6D Limited is a global company whose products and services are marketed under the XPAND brand name.

Frustrated by the limitations of the projection screen in its main auditorium, Longwood University, a liberal arts school located in Virginia, recently installed a 15-panel, 18 mm LED Curtain from PixelFLEX to visually enhance performances and presentations while maximizing viewer experience.

“We had a traditional projection screen on our stage for a long time and, while it was great if we were showing a movie where we would darken the auditorium, it was extremely limited in many other circumstances where we needed to light the stage,” said William Lynn, University multi-media supervisor. “Given that, we were looking for a solution that would provide high-quality visual images whether it was during a musical performance, a movie or a presentation.”

Featuring 3,000 pixels PSM (Per Square Meter) and 3680 brightness, PixelFLEX’s LED Curtain offers Longwood University a solution that is easy to set up and operate – videos and images can be sent to the screen using any computer with a DVI-D connection. For this project, PixelFLEX developed custom-size panels – tailored specifically for the University’s installation – totaling approximately 17×32 feet. The 18mm Curtain’s flexibility and light weight -was the primary differentiator for the University’s multi-media team when researching replacements for their traditional projection screen.

“One of the major benefits of the PixelFLEX video screen is that it is extremely easy to move, which means we can use video and effects in a variety of environments across the campus,” said John Hogge, University multi-media technician. “Over the summer, we took six of the 15 panels to the gym for new student orientation, whereas in the past we used an inflatable screen for orientation. The PixelFLEX screens provided much higher quality resolution and that kind of flexibility is invaluable.”

To date, Longwood University has used the Curtain to show videos, DVD clips and PowerPoint presentations. In the near future, Lynn expects the University will expand the use of the system to include performances by the school’s wind symphony and as backdrop for an upcoming play, in addition to inviting students to incorporate the technology into their projects and extra-curricular activities. To that end, the multi-media team recently tied a set of new cameras with wireless transmitters into the system so that when hosting concerts or dances, they’ll be able to throw the camera on the audience and their image will appear on screen.

Flexible in all directions and exceptionally durable, PixelFLEX LED Curtains are able to bend and shape around structures for a more creative display effect. For more information on PixelFLEX and its growing line of lightweight LED video screens, visit www.LEDCurtain.com. Follow PixelFLEX at www.Facebook.com/PixelFLEXUSA and @LEDCurtain.