Installationen News

Adelaide Festival Centre turns to Anolis for new LED house lighting

Two venues at Adelaide Festival Centre (AFC), a multi-purpose arts centre complex, have been equipped with new Anolis LED house lighting - featuring over 200 fixtures from the manufacturer’s Ambiane range. This resulted in an approximately 50-percent power reduction in the 2,000-capacity Festival Theatre and Dunstan Playhouse, which seats 590.

AFC’s head of technical and production, Nathan Luscombe, explains that the original 1973 house lighting installation was still in service, consisting primarily of PAR 56s and other downlights - all incandescent - which after fifty years or more of service needed replacing. The time had arrived to transition to an LED solution, which is also a government-driven initiative.

“Professional high-grade dimming was high on our list of requirements for the new lighting”, says Luscombe who also pushed hard for AFC’s environmental/architectural lighting to be DMX or DMX-over-Ethernet controlled, learning from their experience at Her Majesty’s Theatre, another venue in Adelaide also run by the AFC, that this would be technically beneficial.

He also wanted colour changing lights as these opened numerous imaginative possibilities, including bespoke lighting of the venue for showcases, special occasions and immersive moments. Together with the DMX/Ethernet control options, this would also allow incoming productions to integrate the house lighting into their own systems if desired.

The new lighting schemes were designed by Eddie Galak from Anolis’s Australian distributor Jands, who developed an aesthetic that met the client’s requirements, together with a final proposal and extensive modelling. Another must was that the signature white walk-in look should be 3,200K, a bit cooler than standard. However, they were keen to replicate the previous house lighting look, and Ambiane’s tuneable whites were another plus for choosing Anolis, according to Luscombe.

The individual fixture breakdown includes twelve Anolis Ambiane XP56 Recessed units with 45° lenses; fifty-six Ambiane XP56 Recessed luminaires - thirty-six with 45° and twenty with 60° lenses RGBW (3,200 K); ninety-three Ambiane MP111s - seventy-five Recessed with 80° lenses and eighteen Recessed with 60° lenses, all RGBW (3,200 K) and with Custom RAL Trim; and thirty-six Ambiane MP111 Surface Mount 60° lensed RGBWs (also 3,200 K). 

A combination of these luminaires is used across both venues. In Festival Theatre, they are installed in multiple positions - in the ceiling, under the bridges, recessed on the balconies, under the boxes and in up/down configurations grazing along the walls. The scalloped side column covers were replaced as part of the general room refurbishment and interior upgrade, and the new Anolis fixtures are mounted in the up and down positions complete with bespoke covers for heritage compliance. In Dunstan Playhouse, the new fixtures are installed on five different levels and under the balcony, also retrofitted into the previous lighting spaces.

Lighting control for these two venues is through ETC Paradigm. The lights are on their own networks but also can be hooked into a production lighting network/console. The new lighting installation was completed by ITE, who have previously worked with Galak at Llewellyn Hall in Canberra.

(Photos: Adelaide Festival Centre/Ben Clark Imagery)

www.anolislighting.com

Evolve Install chooses Martin Audio for Tramp Health

Tramp Health, a longevity-focused members club created by the owners of the UK nightclub Tramp, opened in London’s Mayfair this May. To deliver audio throughout the wellness space, integrator Evolve Install designed and installed a multizone sound system utilising Martin Audio solutions.

Elliot Patterson of Evolve Install was first introduced to the site last year. “I’ve been working with owner Luca Maggiora on audio projects for easily twenty years”, he recalls. “He showed me the space, and we immediately started putting the plans together.” The multiroom venue required discrete audio coverage tailored specifically to each area’s physical and acoustic demands.

To meet these requirements, the communal walkways, lounge, and changing rooms were outfitted with Martin Audio’s Adorn ACS-40T shallow ceiling speakers, while the main corridor transitions to the larger Adorn ACS-55T models. In the high-intensity workout zones - specifically the Megaformer Pilates space and the dedicated HIIT room known as Form - Adorn A80 cabinet speakers were specified and installed.

To deliver coverage in the main gym floor, Evolve Install deployed a further six Adorn A80T cabinets running on a 100 V line. The installation is set to expand in the near future, with an additional personal training suite currently scheduled to open, which will feature Martin Audio’s Q26 loudspeakers.

(Photos: Martin Audio)

www.martin-audio.com

Panasonic and Holovis bring shared immersion to Gunwharf Quays

At Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, Holovis and Panasonic combined projection, sound, live performance and storytelling to create an immersive family attraction. Visitors to the ApolloDomes installation were invited to step together into a fully immersive environment, surrounded by light, sound and storytelling.

Inside the large-scale projection dome, visuals extended across the field of view, unfolding across the curved interior to create a sense of movement, presence and scale. Families and groups encountered the same stories together, reacting in real time not through individual screens or devices, but as part of a collective moment.

Delivered by Holovis in partnership with Landsec, the installation featured six Panasonic PT-RZ24K 20,000-lumen, WUXGA 3-Chip DLP laser projectors. While visitors might also shop during their time at Gunwharf Quays, the dome was not conceived as a retail environment in itself. Instead, it formed part of the wider experience of visiting the area. “We’re seeing a real appetite for experiences”, says Matt Dobbs, Business Development Manager at Holovis. “It’s about repositioning retail and creating reasons for people to come back out and spend time in these spaces with their friends and loved ones.”

The project reflects a broader opportunity for physical destinations: giving people reasons to visit that go beyond any single activity. At Gunwharf Quays, that meant using immersive technology to create an attraction centred on entertainment, storytelling and shared family experiences, with the surrounding destination benefiting from the additional activity that those experiences can help generate.

Holovis developed a large-scale geodesic dome structure capable of housing fully enveloping projection while remaining flexible enough for temporary or semi-permanent deployment. At Gunwharf Quays, the dome hosted a series of seasonal experiences, ranging from festive productions to Halloween-themed shows.

These were not simply passive visual displays. The experiences brought projection together with live performers, narrative storytelling and sound design to create an environment that felt closer to immersive theatre than traditional digital signage. “It’s about bringing technology and theatre together”, says Alex Kunawicz, Head of Marketing at Holovis. “Ultimately, it’s not about the technology, it’s about the experience.”

Unlike wearable solutions such as VR headsets, which can separate individuals into their own virtual environments, the dome creates a collective space. Families, groups and audiences experience the same moment together, reacting, engaging and connecting in real time. “If you want a connected, family experience, the last thing you want to do is put your head into a headset”, Dobbs notes.

The dome format reinforces this principle. With visuals spanning the field of view, it creates a sense of presence that is both deeply immersive and inherently communal, combining individual engagement with shared storytelling. Inside the dome, multiple projectors must work together seamlessly to create a single, continuous image across a curved surface. This requires precise alignment, geometry correction and edge blending so that transitions between projected images remain invisible to the audience.

Holovis deployed a multi-projector solution based on Panasonic’s 3-Chip DLP laser projection technology, designed for demanding, continuous-use environments. Equally important was the way content itself was designed for the space. Rather than relying on large, flat areas of colour that can reveal seams between projections, the creative team incorporated texture and movement into the visuals, helping disguise transitions and maintain a cohesive image. “It’s about understanding the medium”, states Kunawicz. “If you design the content in the right way, the technology disappears.”

While projection formed the visual backbone of the experience, sound played an equally important role in reinforcing immersion, guiding attention, enhancing storytelling and helping to ground audiences within the environment. For the project, audio systems from KV2 Audio were selected to deliver sound within the constraints of the dome structure. With limited space and a need to keep equipment unobtrusive, the system provided coverage using compact loudspeakers, including CS6 tops, ESD 1.15 subwoofers and ESD 6 surrounds.

“You’d be forgiven for wondering where the speakers are”, concludes Tom Weldon, Director at KV2 Audio, who helped select the technology deployed at the installation. “The goal is always the same: if you’ve done it right, people don’t notice the technology at all.”

(Photos: Panasonic)

www.panasonic.com

Lightware Taurus UCX delivers BYOD connectivity to LinkedIn APAC meeting rooms

When LinkedIn set out to upgrade meeting spaces across nine APAC cities, the goal was clear: employees needed to walk into rooms in Bangalore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo and find the same familiar Microsoft Teams Rooms experience, supported by BYOD functionality. Working with PTS Consulting Singapore, Lightware’s Taurus UCX switchers provided the standardized switching and connectivity layer for the rollout.

PTS was appointed as AV Consultant and Technology Project Manager for the APAC-wide unified communications upgrade, covering end-to-end consultancy and project governance from site audits and stakeholder requirements to AV design, procurement support, implementation oversight, commissioning review and final handover. Local AV integrators completed the physical installation in each market.

“With almost 300 meeting rooms to upgrade within a nine-month deadline, the key challenges were scale, speed and regional variation”, explains Rico Sim, General Manager of PTS Consulting Singapore. “Each market had different infrastructure conditions, regulatory requirements, local working practices, integrator capabilities and supply-chain constraints. Product model variations and differing lead times also added complexity, so it was essential to maintain a familiar room experience while adapting to local requirements.”

“Lightware Taurus UCX switchers were deployed across meeting rooms to support laptop connection, source switching and BYOD presentation paths”, Sim continues. “The technology helps bridge the user input layer with the Microsoft Teams Rooms ecosystem and in-room AV devices.”

To balance the need for consistency with local conditions, rooms were classified into standard and specialty types, to create a predictable user experience while still allowing each location to account for room size, infrastructure readiness and functional requirements.

In the standard rooms, a UCX-2x1-HC40 Universal Switcher sits beneath the meeting table as the user-facing connection point. Each unit provides HDMI 2.0 and USB-C connectivity, supported by Lightware CAB-USBC-T200C USB-C cables, giving users a repeatable way to connect their own device for local presentation or BYOD workflows.

Supporting 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 video, USB 3.1 Gen1 data speeds up to 5 Gbps and USB-C charging up to 100 W, the UCX enables video, audio, USB data, control and power to be managed through a compact switching device. With secure Ethernet control and noiseless operation, it is suited to a wide range of meeting room environments.

The Lenovo ThinkSmart Core and IP Controller kit forms the main control layer for the native Microsoft Teams Rooms experience, while the UCX handles local switching and device integration. It connects user laptops with the wider room ecosystem, including the ThinkSmart Core, Logitech Rally Bar or Rally Bar Mini, room displays and associated peripherals.

To maintain uniformity across the rollout, PTS coordinated with local integrators and regional manufacturer representatives, including Lightware, to validate model references, manage product availability and reduce procurement risk across different markets. While each office required adaptation to local site conditions, the underlying room architecture remained consistent by typology. 

“From a usability perspective, the upgrade from varied legacy configurations to a more standardized Microsoft Teams Rooms environment reduced the need for users to relearn different room setups when working across different locations”, Sim concludes.

(Photos: Lightware)

www.lightware.com

WAAPA chooses DiGiCo Quantum

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), part of the Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, has completed a large investment programme in its performance spaces. The faculty chose DiGiCo consoles and L-Acoustic loudspeakers alongside Fourier’s Transform.Engine and Klang:Vokal systems. The equipment was supplied by Group Technologies, distributor for DiGiCo in Australia and New Zealand.

One of the most comprehensive offerings for performing arts training in Australia, the WAAPA facility includes a vast mixture of performance spaces across the campus. As sound co-ordinator and lecturer Mike Vernau explains, the DiGiCo Quantum range was “a perfect fit for the power behind this brand-new system”.

“The building is both a university and a production venue that has multiple contemporary music and theatrical spaces”, says Vernau. “In the Sound House, our contemporary jazz venue, we’ve got two DiGiCo Quantum 326 consoles, whilst our musical theatre venue, the Playhouse, has a Quantum 338 and Quantum 225. We’ve also got an SD12 in our Flex Theatre, which is predominantly used for training.”

The system aims to enable students to leave university with a solid understanding of the latest technology and equipment, while upholding the venue’s reputation for excellent musical theatre production values. For Russell Proud, Senior Consultant at Charcoalblue, responsible for venue and technical design, this was a key factor in the system design.

With over 300 public shows a year on the schedule, flexibility and versatility was also high on his list of priorities for the venue. The consoles include T software, to maximise flexibility and deliver specialist functions like performer/alias tracking to manage complex sound design and cast changes.

“We used Quantum with Dante outputs and DQ-Racks to best match the infrastructure within the building”, Proud recalls. “The system has to connect to the broadcast facility and be able to do both film and audio recording of live shows. We also ensured that the consoles were loaded with DiGiCo’s T Software to get the most out of the theatre productions that WAAPA produce.”

The Klang system brings 3D immersive in-ear-monitoring to performances with Klang:Vokal and Klang:Kontrollers. Fourier Transform.Engines allow students to experiment with a range of VST3 audio plugins, giving them the flexibility to bring studio-grade effects into the live environment.

Sam Jones works specifically with sound on the Performance and Design course and has been enjoying the upgrades. “We’ve recently taken delivery of two Klang:Vokal units and twenty-four Klang:Kontrollers, which we’ll be integrating in our DiGiCo consoles”, he says. “We use those primarily for orchestra mixes, self-driven immersive mixes for musical theatre, and we’d also like to integrate them into IEM mixes, driven from the DiGiCo Quantum consoles.”

Integration with the L-Acoustics, Klang and Fourier systems makes transferring from one venue to the next seamless. The additional convenience of transferring show files means that immersive mixing, virtual soundchecks and multi-track recordings can all be transferred from one space to another.

“DiGiCo acts as a nexus, integrating with products like Klang, Fourier and L-Acoustics effortlessly”, states Vernau, adding: “I’ve been teaching digital audio and live sound mixing for twelve years, and having a facility like this was a dream come true. There’s nowhere in the world quite like WAAPA ECU CBD campus, and we’re really excited to see how our first group of students through the door use the facilities this year.”

(Photos: DiGiCo)

www.digico.biz

Reykjavik City Theatre invests in more Robe T2 Profiles

Reykjavík City Theatre - Iceland’s oldest continuously operating theatre company, founded in 1897 as the Reykjavík Theatre Company - has invested in more Robe T2 Profile moving lights, following the first batch purchased in 2023.

The first sixteen T2 Profiles - supplied via Robe’s Icelandic distributor Luxor - were picked to replace the venue’s previous front lights, which were fifteen years old at the time, explains head of AV, Steinar Snæbjörnsson, who leads the technical department. These T2 Profiles were installed on the front bar and the other nineteen on the bridges, taking the theatre’s front lighting capacity to new levels.

The theatre produces a diverse range of classic drama, dance and musical shows through to a selection of raw, visceral new works from young writers and directors across its three performance halls. The capacities are 549, 240 and 180 respectively, and the T2 profiles are in the main auditorium.

All production elements are managed in-house, and there are substantial lighting, sound, and multimedia departments, plus set/props workshops, costume, wigs and make-up as well as all the administration. Snæbjörnsson has a full-time technical crew of seven - three on audio and four on lighting - plus regular freelancers.

In 2024 and 2025, following great success with the T2s in the main house, the front lights on the smaller stages were also updated with eighteen Robe T1 Profiles - ten deployed on the “New Stage” and eight on the “Small Stage”. At the start of 2026, they conducted another shootout seeking a fixture to replace the old moving lights on LX bars 1 and 2 - and once again, the Robe T2 Profiles proved the best option. Another twenty-one T2 Profile fixtures have been installed over the summer.

Reykjavík City Theatre’s main hall stages around four substantial shows a week, with the musical “Moulin Rouge” - lit by senior lighting designer Pálmi Jónsson - currently being the main long-running production.

Pictured: “Moulin Rouge” at the Reykjavík City Theatre; Steinar Snæbjörnsson. (Photos: Paul Clarke/Iris Dögg Einarsdóttir/Louise Stickland)

www.robe.cz

K-array audio system installed at Dali Edition resort in Western China

K-array has delivered a concealed, zone-tuned audio system for the Dali Edition resort in Yunnan, China. K-array and Kgear loudspeakers provide consistent sound across the resort’s dining, ballroom and outdoor spaces without disruption to its restrained, nature-led design.

The Dali Edition is the third Edition hotel in Greater China and the first in Western China. Designed by CCD, the property has 151 guest rooms, suites and private pool villas, each at least sixty square meters, alongside four dining venues, a banquet and meeting space, a spa, a fitness center, semi-open terraces for casual drinks and outdoor lawns used for weddings and private events.

The project was sourced through an audio consultant, with K-array selected for how closely its loudspeakers could integrate visually with CCD’s interior design. Shanghai Jeta, K-array’s distributor in China, provided technical support throughout, from component selection after CCD’s architectural and interior schemes were finalized through to on-site tuning.

Jason Zhao, director of sales and operations at K-array.CN Ltd, worked with the consultant to match speaker models, mounting solutions and coverage patterns to each zone’s function and site conditions, coordinating with the architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and hotel operations teams as the design developed.

As the hotel’s dining rooms, lobby and pool areas rely on exposed timber and stone with minimal visual clutter, these zones use Tornado KT2 point sources and KT2C ceiling speakers, chosen for their small footprint and even distribution of background music across large, open floor plans.

The ballroom, which hosts conferences, weddings and live performances and can be partitioned for smaller events, runs on KY102 line arrays paired with recessed KS2P I subwoofers that extend response down to 35 Hz while remaining hidden within the wall structure. This gives the room the dynamic headroom a live band or DJ set requires.

The terrace lounge and outdoor bar use weatherproof Kgear GF82 I line arrays with GU210 subwoofers, sized to shift between soft daytime background music and higher-energy evening events, with external DJ input ports reserved for parties and cocktail functions.

Signal for background music, banquets and events runs through an audio matrix and zoning processor before reaching dedicated amplifier channels for each zone’s K-array and Kgear loudspeakers. Each space has independently adjustable volume and playlists, while the ballroom has its own digital mixing console linked to the matrix for live events.

The main technical challenge was concealing a full audio system inside an interior built around exposed natural materials. The solution also had to meet very different acoustic demands from zone to zone, from quiet, uniform background sound in the dining and lobby areas to the higher dynamic range and low-frequency output needed in the ballroom and outdoor bar.

K-array’s team worked with the fit-out and low-voltage contractors during early design reviews to fix speaker locations, mounting depth and cabling routes, then returned on-site to recheck placement and to tune each zone once installation was complete.

The equipment list comprises four KU44 I compact subwoofers, seventy KT2C ceiling loudspeakers, and sixteen KT2 point source speakers for all-day dining, the lobby, the pool, and the Chinese restaurant areas; four KY102 line array loudspeakers and two KS2P I recessed subwoofers for the ballroom; as well as eight Kgear GF82 I weatherproof line array loudspeakers and four Kgear GU210 subwoofers for the terrace lounge and the outdoor bar.

(Photos: Marriott)

www.k-array.com

L-Acoustics A15 Wide carries Moyo Drymades from beachfront wellness to late-night DJ sets

Part restaurant, part wellness retreat, part beach club, Moyo Drymades - located on the ivory stone shores of Dhermi, Albania - spends its days as a place to eat, swim and slow down, then turns its beachfront over to international DJ sets, live performances and large-scale events after dark.

That double life set the brief for Moyo’s audio upgrade. One system had to sit low, warm and unobtrusive across the restaurant, loungers and wellness areas through the middle of the day, then find full-range weight and headroom for a Saturday night on the same stretch of sand, on an open-air site with almost no walls to contain it and salt air working on it all year round. An L-Acoustics system, designed and installed by Albania-based systems integrator and L-Acoustics Certified Partner Prosound, now does both.

Prosound supported Moyo from acoustic design through to installation, commissioning and system optimisation, with Endrit Veleshnja leading the system design and Henri Balla the installation. “Moyo wanted powerful, impactful low frequencies and consistent coverage throughout the venue”, says Veleshnja, project lead at Prosound. “The system needed to perform equally well for background music and DJ programming throughout the week before stepping up to substantially higher SPL and headroom demands during Moyo’s weekend events.”

“The system also had to withstand years of exposure to sea spray, salt air, humidity and rain”, Veleshnja continues. “Weather resistance came as standard rather than as something we had to engineer around. L-Acoustics’ A15 Wide, KS21 and SB18 IIi are rated IP55, and that gave us the protection a coastal site demands.”

Dancefloor, dining, lounge and perimeter areas all had to be covered at once, from positions dictated by a beach rather than by a building. “Soundvision enabled us to model SPL distribution, system angles and audience areas across all of Moyo’s different spaces before committing to a position on site”, says Veleshnja. “The finished project file aims each of the eight X12 at its own site and azimuth angle, tailored fixture by fixture to the shape of the venue rather than repeated around it. That let us balance the main dancefloor against the out-fill and front-fill zones, and catch coverage inconsistencies on screen rather than by ear once the system was live.”

The main system centres on two hangs of two A15 Wide, flown either side of the performance area, with four KS21 subwoofers split two per side groundstacked below. The A series delivers the definition and the directivity the brief called for while carrying the low-frequency impact Moyo wanted for its electronic programming, and KS21 supplies the headroom to push that impact across an open-air site.

Coverage extends out to eight X12 working as satellite and fill loudspeakers across the dining, lounge and perimeter areas, alongside six SB18 IIi to keep low-frequency energy consistent well beyond the main dancefloor. In the DJ booth, two X15 HiQ and two SB18 IIi sit either side of the console. Two LA12X and three LA4X amplified controllers power and process the system from purpose-built enclosures that Prosound designed to keep them clear of rain, direct moisture and the beach environment.

“We engineered headroom into the system for the big nights while keeping the directional control that everyday programming depends on, so the venue can move between registers without affecting coverage at either end”, Veleshnja concludes.

(Photos: L-Acoustics)

www.l-acoustics.com

www.prosound-sales.al

Griffith Observatory’s Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater equipped with Renkus-Heinz Iconyx

High in the Hollywood hills, the Griffith Observatory overlooks the city of Los Angeles as an emblem of cinematic history and scientific discovery. The Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, one of the building’s venues, is a 190-seat auditorium hosting public programs, presentations, and panels every day to explore the latest in science and astronomy.

However, the existing sound system was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. All too often, events were being disrupted by unpleasant microphone feedback caused by reflections off the projection screen and paneled walls. In need of a new audio solution to address the specific requirements of the theater, The Griffith Observatory Foundation called upon audiovisual technology specialist Solotech and consultant TheatreDNA, who recommended Renkus-Heinz as the ideal loudspeaker solution for the space.

“From the beginning, we recognized the need for a solution that could address the unwanted reflections and uncontrolled audio challenges, without disrupting the theater’s strict aesthetic values”, says Patrick So, Theater Programs Manager at Griffith Observatory. “We worked closely with Solotech and TheatreDNA, who guided us through a range of potential options while assessing coverage, clarity, and visual impact.”

A digitally steerable line array was considered the most suitable option, leading to the recommendation of the Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Gen 5 loudspeaker series. “A single Iconyx IC16-RD model was installed behind the projection screen upstage of where speakers stand to present”, explains Marc Nutter, Business Development Representative for Solotech. While the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater retained a dedicated playback system for film screenings, the IC16-RD was introduced exclusively for spoken word events.

The Griffith Observatory Foundation was deeply involved throughout the entire process, from early discussions around loudspeaker options to onsite testing and final tuning. “Everyone involved with this project shared the same goal - to improve the audience experience of the theater”, states So. “With our values aligned, decision-making was efficient and productive.”

By positioning the loudspeaker behind the screen, audiences can focus on the presentations and speakers without distraction from the room’s technology. The wider AV system is built around a QSC network that brings audio, video, and control into a streamlined interface.

(Photos: Renkus-Heinz)

www.renkus-heinz.com

Budapest’s Margitsziget Theatre upgrades with Robert Juliat Arthur LT followspots

Two Robert Juliat Arthur LT 800W LED long throw followspots have recently been installed in Budapest’s Margitsziget Theatre, Hungary’s most prestigious open-air summer theatre, by Robert Juliat’s exclusive distributor for Hungary, Lysis-Project. Margitsziget Theatre’s near 3,000-seat main stage hosts the city’s largest multidisciplinary arts festival during the summer months.

Twenty-five years ago, the theatre purchased two Robert Juliat Aramis 2500W HMI followspots, which have been in use ever since. Thanks to a successful funding application, however, this spring the theatre had the opportunity to replace these fixtures with two Robert Juliat Arthur LT followspots, featuring a modern LED light source. The Arthur LTs were commissioned in time for this year’s summer season.

István Sárosi, Technical Director, who managed the procurement, and Ákos Bodor, lighting designer for most of the productions concerned, say they are “extremely satisfied with the performance and ease of use” displayed by the new followspots. “There is also the added bonus that many of the features and ergonomics of the Arthur LTs are familiar to the followspot operators due to Robert Juliat’s design that carries through - with a number of advancements - to the newer products”, notes Bodor.

(Photos: Peter Tatarek)

www.lisys-project.hu

www.robertjuliat.com

Glyndebourne opera house upgrades with TiMax

East Sussex-based opera house Glyndebourne has integrated TiMax SoundHub spatial processing into its audio infrastructure in a landmark upgrade. Jonathan Moss, Head of Sound and Video, led the installation which marked the first stage of a long-term move to harness object-based spatialisation.

TiMax was central to the venue’s audio redesign. Moss’ dialogue with Robin Whittaker of TiMax was undertaken across a period of four years and well ahead of any further reinforcement considerations. “With a number of upgrades coinciding, we had the rather unique opportunity to look at things holistically”, explains Moss. “We were able to assess where we wanted to end up. TiMax is one of the first steps, not the end of the journey.”

A traditional proscenium system comprises EM Acoustics’ Reference series - R12s with R8 infills and S215 subs at balcony level, supported by a network of permanently installed Reference series loudspeakers throughout the auditorium. With Dante providing the audio backbone for EM Acoustics DQ20s, driven via an SSL Live console, the TiMax integration amounted to little more than a rack mount connected the network by two cables.

During a busy summer season, dedicated sound sessions are rare, and the manual delay previously needed for spatial work was operationally costly. With a timetable comprised of morning fully supported technical rehearsal, an afternoon changeover for a public evening show, then an overnight reset for the next day, Moss confirms: “We can achieve what we need within the sessions we’ve got, rather than being limited by the time it takes to do things manually.”

The audio enhancement was immediate with spatial imaging applied only to the proscenium loudspeakers, TiMax tightened image definitions inward by roughly a metre on each side, pulling the perceived source firmly to the stage while mapping the stage area. Moss described the shift as “PA sound becoming hi-fi sound”.

Following system commissioning by TiMax product support engineer Gerry Marrone, the Glyndebourne sound team set about using the SoundHub for the purpose of A/B testing, initially preserving the original set up as a cue in TiMax. “We quickly ditched that”, says Moss. “It was very clear the new sound was just better. Currently TiMax is in the background as a system processor, without adding specific spatial elements to our current shows. We’re taking advantage of it - whether its physical improvements, the psychoacoustic improvements - without anyone really knowing it’s there.”

The transparency extends beyond opera. For presentations and talks in the intentionally reverberant auditorium, TiMax enables the sound to flourish within the room’s acoustic influence at lower SPLs. According to Moss, the audio infrastructure is future-proofed. Integration with the SSL Live console adds flexibility via OSC and control panels allow any channel to be designated as a spatial object on demand.

Full object-based spatialisation is built into the workflow, with spatial presets, tracked movement paths and surround distribution, awaiting the expanded infrastructure planned for the auditorium over coming years.

(Photo: Sam Stephenson)

www.timaxspatial.com

Prince Charming Bar & Kitchen equipped with Powersoft Mezzo 602 AD

In 1988, jazz musician Chet Baker spent his final night at Hotel Prins Hendrik, a centuries-old three-star hotel on the Prins Hendrikkade in the heart of Amsterdam. A memorial plaque on the outside wall marks the spot, and each year, the hotel holds an event in his memory. It is a building with music running through its history. That connection continues with Prince Charming Bar & Kitchen, the hotel’s recently reimagined restaurant.

Formerly known as De Kroonprins, the space was relaunched as Prince Charming, a bar and restaurant with capacity for around sixty guests. Prince Charming has a menu centred on Dutch cuisine and a programme that regularly includes live performers including singers, DJs, pianists, and MCs. Sound quality was a priority for owner Eric van der Oord from the beginning: “We host live music regularly, and I’m a musician myself, so I know the difference between sound that just fills a room and sound that actually works”, he says. “I wanted it to be professional.”

The building’s high ceilings, characteristic of Amsterdam’s historic canal-side properties, presented an immediate acoustic challenge. Without careful system design, the space risked becoming reverberant and difficult to control. Van Brienen Audiovisueel BV was brought in during the renovation planning phase. “We had conversations before the building work began”, says company founder Jeroen van Brienen. “That gave us the opportunity to understand exactly what the system needed to do and to plan cable routes properly while the walls and ceilings were still open.”

The installed system is built around a single Powersoft Mezzo 602 AD, a compact two-channel amplifier delivering 600 watts in total, with on-board DSP, 100-volt line output capability, and Dante network connectivity. Two zones are configured within the restaurant, one in the front of the space and the other in the back. A network of ceiling and wall-mounted loudspeakers distributes sound evenly across both areas to ensure consistent coverage at every table, while a single active floor-standing unit provides bass reinforcement.

The system handles two distinct audio sources. The first is a PC for continuous background playback. The other is a live input fed from an external mixer, which allows performers to connect directly via whatever setup the event requires. Day-to-day control is managed through a Powersoft WM Touch wall panel, installed in white to complement the restaurant’s interior. The PoE-powered device connects to the Mezzo 602 AD over standard Ethernet and offers staff a 4.3-inch touchscreen from which they can select zones, switch between sources, and adjust volume.

Shortly after opening, van der Oord requested an additional zone extension, which the Mezzo platform was able to accommodate without changes to the core installation. Prince Charming now operates as both a bar and restaurant and a live performance venue, with the Powersoft system serving across both uses.

(Photos: Powersoft)

www.powersoft.com

Solid State Logic System T delivers theatre production for Vienna’s Die Josefstadt and Kammerspiele

The sound department of the Theater in der Josefstadt, located in Vienna city centre, has installed a Solid State Logic System T digital mixing system that allows engineers to mix either in the auditorium or in the control room, and is fully compatible with the consoles in a neighbouring venue, the Kammerspiele.

Known locally as Die Josefstadt, the theatre first opened in 1788 and was rebuilt in 1822, with its inaugural performance featuring music conducted by Ludwig van Beethoven. More than two centuries later, it remains one of Vienna’s most celebrated cultural institutions, staging both plays and musical productions. Together with its nearby sister venue, the smaller Kammerspiele, it now forms part of a shared production environment built around SSL’s System T platform.

The Kammerspiele became the first of the two theatres to install an SSL System T, in 2024. Raimund Hornich is the Head of the Sound Department for both theatres and moved on to the upgrade for Die Josefstadt after the Kammerspiele installation. “I started in the job three years ago and at that time both places had very old school mixing consoles”, he says. “I had to install a new system with a modern workflow for theatre productions nowadays and SSL provided that.”

Hornich was already familiar with SSL consoles and technologies from his time working at the Burgtheater, Austria’s national theatre, also located in Vienna. Die Burg, as it is called by locals, was the first fixed theatre installation of a System T. That system, like those for Die Josefstadt and Kammerspiele, was supplied by Tsamm Professional Audio, SSL’s distribution partner in Austria.

Following Kammerspiele’s upgrade to System T in 2024, attention turned to Die Josefstadt the following year. During the summer 2025 closed season, when no productions are staged, installation work began on a similar system utilising two 32-fader S500 surfaces. This was part of a major refit of the theatre, which also included an Audio over IP network, a wideband Sennheiser multichannel wireless microphone system and a d&b Audiotechnik PA system.

System T utilises Open Sound Control (OSC) to provide real-time control of audio objects using the familiar System T user interface for a range of external renderers, directly from the System T user interface. “The requirement was to make show files interchangeable, allowing operators to move easily between the two theatres, from one venue to the other”, says Hornich.

“System T allows us to treat both theatres as part of a common audio ecosystem rather than two completely separate installations”, he continues. “Because both venues share the same console platform, show files, channel layouts, processing structures and operational workflows, show files can be transferred between them with very little effort. That makes it much easier to move productions, technical resources and personnel between theatres whenever necessary.”

One of Die Josefstadt’s S500 surfaces is permanently installed in its FOH position, while Tsamm built a customised trolley for the second S500 so it can be moved into the auditorium during rehearsals. An additional remote unit with 16-faders is also available to be used anywhere in the theatre. There is a similar arrangement at the Kammerspiele, with its 16-fader S500 in its own custom-made stand on wheels.

In both theatres the two desks can operate alone or together, depending on the production. “Sometimes both consoles are in use but on other occasions there’s only the big console or the small one”, says Hornich. “The consoles are used across virtually our entire production portfolio at Die Josefstadt and Kammerspiele. This ranges from spoken drama and productions with extensive multimedia content to live music performances and musical theatre productions with significantly larger channel counts and more complex requirements.”

Pictured (left to right): Raimund Hornich (Josefstadt), Mario Reithofer (Tsamm, standing), Thomas Haas (Josefstadt). (Photo: Annie Lehner)

www.solidstatelogic.com

Amplified Art & Sound builds Jazz at Lincoln Center’s archive on Schoeps Colette microphones

Amplified Art and Sound LLC, the audio recording and mixing team for Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), has been at the center of the institution’s archival recording, studio recording, broadcast, and streaming operations since 2021. Key to the team’s day-to-day work has been its selection of tools to ensure honest representation of the quality and energy of the performers, a task that always includes Schoeps Colette series microphones.

Amplified Art and Sound owner and chief engineer Todd Whitelock is a longtime collaborator of JALC’s founder and managing and artistic director Wynton Marsalis as well as a Grammy-winning engineer with a background at PowerStation, Sony Classical Productions, and Sony Music Studios. “The greatest performers in the world play on our stages and as such we take our responsibility to livestream and capture those performances very seriously”, he says.

“When our team first started with JALC, the goal was to bring a more ambient approach to recording that I’d done with Sony Classical so that we could purposefully capture these performances in a way that elevated them sonically while still being true to the players and their sounds they get on stage”, he continues. “Close mic’ing alone doesn’t adequately capture the power of the orchestra in full swing.” He adds that Marsalis had always envisioned that sound for the livestreams and records released by JALC’s label Blue Engine Records.

“Schoeps were the very first thing I asked for to hang as our main array”, details Whitelock. “We use seven Colette Series with MK 2 capsules hanging from the stage catwalks for all of our live performance recording sessions both in Rose Theater and The Appel Room.” Whitelock’s experience with Schoeps was influenced by his time at Sony Classical. They have since become workhorse microphones for him both in the studio and live at JALC.

On sessions where more Schoeps firepower is required, Whitelock will often hire the microphones en-masse from mobile recording provider Sound Mirror in Boston. When Marsalis was set to record a live performance of his opus “All Rise” for PBS for the 150th Anniversary of the Chautauqua Institution (including a full orchestra and a choir of 100), the call went out. “Sound Mirror has been a great partner in these instances and I told them to bring their entire stock of Schoeps for the taping”, says Whitelock.

Whitelock and his team placed upwards of eighty Schoeps MK 4 microphones around the stage strategically for maximum effect. “It was a massive choir in a loft above the stage and I knew we needed Schoeps for them - the MK 4 capsule is especially great for capturing choral elements and I honestly prefer them to large diaphragm condensers for choirs”, he notes. “They’re always asking us if we really need that many microphones, but when they hear the results it’s clear that the effort is worth it. We’re very proud of the audio production on that performance and Wynton felt we did justice to the maestro’s work.”

“That’s really the key to a strong jazz recording”, Whitelock concludes. “You want to capture that moment and hear every element of what the player or performer is blowing on their chosen instrument as part of the ensemble. I always use Schoeps as part of our process, they were the first mics purchased for JALC since Amplified Art & Sound has been involved.”

(Photos: Schoeps Microphones)

www.schoeps.de

Evolve Install specifies Martin Audio for The Rex Rooms at 151

The Rex Rooms at 151 on King’s Road marks the return of a nightlife destination in London’s Chelsea. Set on the site of the 151 club - celebrated as an exclusive celebrity haunt throughout the 1990s and 2000s - the reimagined venue is the creation of designer and nightlife innovator Marc Jacques Burton.

To complement the venue’s avant-garde aesthetic with audio performance, specialist integrator Evolve Install designed and installed a Martin Audio distributed system. The venue is split into two distinct spaces: a vibrant main lounge and, concealed behind a secret door, The King’s 1942 Room private venue. Martin Audio’s CDD (Coaxial Differential Dispersion) Series loudspeakers were specified throughout.

“It’s a club environment where guests on the perimeter of the lounge often want the same energy and impact as those on the dancefloor”, says Elliot Patterson of Evolve Install. “With the loudspeakers properly time-aligned, the CDD series delivers consistent audio quality, punch, and clarity across the entire space.”

In the main lounge, the primary dancefloor area is served by four Martin Audio CDD8 loudspeakers, supplemented by a pair of Martin Audio SX210 subwoofers. The DJ booth is equipped with CDD6 models as monitors, while the perimeter seating is covered by a combination of CDD5 compact loudspeakers and Adorn A55 models.

Behind its secret entrance, The King’s 1942 Room features a dedicated system comprising six CDD6s paired with an SX210 subwoofer, with additional CDD5 models providing seamless coverage for the perimeter seating. The venue operates across two separate audio zones, allowing independent DJ programming in each room.

(Photos: Ryan Dinham)

www.martin-audio.com

Image Marketing and GC Pro strengthen commercial integration capabilities with EAW solutions

Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has appointed Image Marketing as its newest manufacturers’ representative firm, supporting Guitar Center’s GC Pro division and its Custom House experience center in Nashville. Led by industry veteran Tony Rufkahr, Image Marketing represents Guitar Center, GC Pro and AVDG, bringing unified support across retail, designbuild and corporate AV environments.

Image Marketing, an independent manufacturers’ representative firm, brings over thirty-five years of experience to the professional audio, musical instrument, broadcast, audio/visual, live sound and sound contracting markets.

As part of this new agreement, Image Marketing has helped place EAW products in several AV projects through Guitar Center’s GC Pro division. As the conduit between manufacturers and GC Pro’s integration teams, Image Marketing aims to ensure seamless communication, accurate system specification and reliable product performance throughout the project lifecycle.

“GC Pro’s work is highly solution-driven”, says Rufkahr. “Every project has unique coverage needs, budget considerations, spatial constraints and timeline requirements. EAW consistently gives us the flexibility and performance we need to deliver the right solution for each environment.”

Mark Posgay, Vice President of Global Sales, Eastern Acoustic Works, adds: “This partnership with Image Marketing and GC Pro reinforces a shared commitment to delivering high-performance, application-specific audio solutions for a wide range of commercial environments.”

(Photos: EAW)

www.eaw.com

Stadt Leipzig investiert in neue LED-Technik für Quarterback Immobilien Arena

Zum Saisonstart des SC DHfK Handball erstrahlte die Leipziger Quarterback Immobilien Arena erstmals nach der Sommerpause in neuem Licht. Ermöglicht wurde dies durch eine Investition der Stadt Leipzig in Höhe von 1,43 Millionen Euro, mit welcher die Hallenbeleuchtung vollständig von konventionellen Metalldampflampen auf moderne, energiesparende LED-Technologie umgestellt wurde.

Mit ihrem Engagement will die Stadt den sportlichen Betrieb in der größten Multifunktionshalle Mitteldeutschlands sichern und ein Zeichen für nachhaltige Veranstaltungen in Leipzig setzen. „Die Quarterback Immobilien Arena ist seit 25 Jahren ein wichtiges Aushängeschild der Sportstadt Leipzig“, sagt Bürgermeister Heiko Rosenthal. „Wir investieren jetzt gleichzeitig in die Zukunft des Spitzensports, in eine nachhaltigere städtische Sportinfrastruktur und in einen geringeren Energieverbrauch.“

Katja Büchel, Leiterin des Amtes für Sport, ergänzt: „Für Bundesliga-Handball, Leichtathletik und internationale Sportwettkämpfe müssen wir in der Quarterback Immobilien Arena moderne technische Standards gewährleisten. Entscheidend für die Erneuerung war zudem, dass wir rund 132.000 Euro Bundesförderung aus der Kommunalrichtlinie im Förderbereich ‘Sanierung von Innenund Hallenbeleuchtung’ erhalten haben.“

Matthias Kölmel, Geschäftsführer der ZSL Betreibergesellschaft mbH, betont die Bedeutung der städtischen Förderung: „Dass die Stadt Leipzig diese Investition in eine umweltfreundlichere Zukunft der Arena ermöglicht hat, ist ein entscheidender Baustein für einen nachhaltigen Veranstaltungsbetrieb.“ Karsten Günther, Geschäftsführer SC DHfK Handball, fügt hinzu: „Die neue Lichtanlage macht unsere Spielstätte jetzt wieder ligakonform und fernsehtauglich. Gleichzeitig ist sie ein wichtiger Baustein, um Heimspiele künftig noch nachhaltiger veranstalten zu können. Unser besonderer Dank gilt deshalb der Stadt Leipzig, die diese wichtige Investition ermöglicht hat, sowie der Quarterback Immobilien Arena für die Umsetzung und die enge Zusammenarbeit.“

Die bisherige Beleuchtungsanlage stammte aus dem Eröffnungsjahr 2002. Zuletzt erreichten die alten Leuchtmittel nur noch rund 65 bis 80 Prozent ihrer ursprünglichen Lichtleistung. Zudem waren Ersatzteile kaum noch verfügbar. Ende Juni 2026 begann deshalb die umfassende Erneuerung hin zu einer zeitgemäßen, umweltfreundlicheren Lösung.

Insgesamt 193 LED-Fluter ersetzen die alte Anlage: 107 Hochleistungsfluter mit jeweils rund 120.000 Lumen, 84 multifunktionale Fluter mit einstellbarer Weißlichtfarbe und RGBW-Farbmischung sowie zwei Spezialfluter für die Ausleuchtung des Photo-Finish-Bereichs bei Leichtathletikveranstaltungen. Ein integriertes Energiemonitoring macht den Verbrauch der Leuchtmittel transparent, um eine bedarfsgerechte, ressourcenschonendere Steuerung der Anlage je nach Veranstaltung zu ermöglichen.

Die neue Beleuchtung bietet mehr Möglichkeiten für die Inszenierung von Veranstaltungen. Die multifunktionalen Fluter wechseln zwischen warmen und kalten Weißtönen und erzeugen zahlreiche Farbtöne, beispielsweise für individuelle Lichtszenen beim Einlaufen der Mannschaften, beim Torjubel oder, sofern durch die Veranstaltungsproduktionen gewünscht, bei Konzerten und Shows.

Herzstück des Systems ist eine Lichtsteuerung, über die sich die verschiedenen Szenarien programmieren lassen, ergänzt durch eine automatische Funktionsüberwachung. Auch für TV-Übertragungen bringt die neue Technik Vorteile: Die LED-Beleuchtung arbeitet flimmerfrei und sorgt so insbesondere bei hochauflösenden und schnellen Zeitlupenaufnahmen für eine gleichmäßige Ausleuchtung.

FaktorLicht setzte das Projekt gemeinsam mit Siteco und Beckhoff Automation um.

Foto (v.l.): Philipp Franke, Geschäftsführer ZSL Betreibergesellschaft mbH; Heiko Rosenthal, Bürgermeister für Umwelt, Ordnung, Klima, Sport; Nick Tabor, MB Group für FaktorLicht GmbH & Co. KG; Katja Büchel, Leiterin Amt für Sport; Karsten Günther, Geschäftsführer SC DHfK Handball; Anadin Suljakovic, Torwart SC DHfK Handball. (Fotocredit: ZSL GmbH)

www.arena-leipzig.de

Denver’s Dvlp Academy becomes first educational facility to install Solid State Logic Oracle

Dvlp Academy, a music production and audio engineering school based in Denver, Colorado, recently became the first educational facility to install a Solid State Logic Oracle “Future Analogue” in-line mixing console. Dvlp (“develop”) - founded by engineer, producer, educator and entrepreneur Drew Dugan - takes a career-focused approach to modern music education, combining hands-on training in production and audio engineering with artist development, career strategy, branding and marketing.

Dvlp’s flagship Denver facility encompasses three studios, all networked via Dante and video. Studio A, where the SSL Oracle 24 is the centerpiece, and Studio B, which features an SSL X-Desk, each incorporate an ISO booth. A live room is accessible from all three control rooms, allowing the entire building to function as one interconnected studio.

Upstairs, the building houses a student lounge, accommodation for visiting artists and a rooftop deck along with a pair of Jadis Eurythmie II speakers. The facility was designed by Dugan and built with assistance from Robert Skelton, Ben Boggs, Dvlp manager Connor McGhee, and Dvlp’s team of instructors, producers and students.

Dugan’s long experience with SSL’s music production consoles led him back to the manufacturer when selecting equipment for Dvlp’s Studio A. The SSL Oracle combines a totally analogue signal path with instant recall and reset of every function.

Oracle’s control surface enables users to page through 8-channel blocks of inputs in each bay of the console and allows them to rearrange those inputs in any order, while the 16,000 step resolution across all controllable parameters gives engineers the immediacy of hands-on analogue operation with the accuracy required for recall and repeatable settings.

Oracle’s in-line design means that Dvlp’s 24-channel console offers 48 simultaneous inputs. A further sixteen lines can also be introduced through the stereo subgroup faders, for a total of 64 mixdown inputs. “I love the classic small fader/large fader situation”, says Dugan. “I can record and monitor in and out to the interface on one console channel.”

For Dvlp, Oracle is more than a recording console. It also represents an opportunity to expose students to a new generation of production workflows that combine the sonic benefits of large-format analogue recording with the flexibility and efficiency expected in modern professional studios. Students can move seamlessly between tracking, overdubbing and mixing sessions while recalling console settings in seconds, enabling instructors to teach contemporary hybrid production techniques alongside traditional engineering fundamentals.

For students accustomed to DAW-centric workflows, Oracle also brings the physical experience of mixing back to the forefront, as Dugan explains: “We’re all so mouse-heavy that it’s been a cool opportunity to force ourselves into using faders again to automate the mix. It’s such an empowering thing to ‘play’ the mix rather than try to catch up to it with the mouse.”

“And it’s cool to be able to switch between the console and DAW layers”, he adds. “While I’m mixing something, I can go to the analogue layer and hit my outputs to drive the outboard gear on the faders, or I can pop over to the DAW layer and automate in the DAW before it hits the gear.”

Dvlp isn’t just a trade school offering hands-on engineering and production training. “We actively develop and produce artists as well”, says Dugan. “We take projects through our five-step Dvlp Method - songwriting, pre-production, production, mixing and mastering. From there, we can continue into branding, content and full-service marketing. It means our students are learning inside a real working environment where the same processes we teach are being applied every day. Education, production and artist development all live under one roof. It’s a full ecosystem.”

Through its career-focused programs in music production, audio engineering and artist development, Dvlp gives students the opportunity to learn in that same professional environment while building the skills, experience and body of work needed to pursue careers in today’s music and creative industries.

“The coolest part is that our students get to learn on Oracle every day”, Dugan concludes. “Being the first educational facility with one is exciting, but what matters most is what our students can do with it. They’re learning the fundamentals of working on a large-format analogue console while experiencing a workflow that represents where modern music production is heading.”

SSL will be exhibiting at the AES Show Nashville, where its latest solutions for the education market - including the new Odyssey and Origin Evo - will be demonstrated at Booth 104.

(Photos: Solid State Logic)

www.solidstatelogic.com

QuickLink StudioPro powers next-generation student media at Westminster Schools

Westminster Schools, a K-12 school in Atlanta, Georgia, with approximately 2,000 students, has transformed its student broadcast and digital storytelling capabilities with the integration of QuickLink StudioPro supported by the StudioPro Proton control panel.

For more than a decade, Westminster’s student-run broadcast club, WCAT, has produced weekly news, sports coverage, podcasts and shortform video projects. “WCAT started as a sports broadcasting club, but it grew into weekly news, podcasts and short films”, says William Turton, WCAT Technical Director. “Before we constructed this new space, everything was filmed in a classroom studio using traditional, single-camera workflows.”

That changed earlier this year, when Westminster opened the Blake Center, a facility featuring a full studio with a 30-foot LED video wall, lighting grid, three cameras, a control room and dedicated classroom space. The school worked with integrator Forté on the design and installation of the studio, and the list of capabilities included multi-camera switching, ISO recording, graphics, remote guests, video playback and more.

“A member of the Forté team asked if I had heard of QuickLink”, Turton recalls. “He told me that its StudioPro basically did everything we were looking for, all in one unit.” Following an on-site demonstration, Westminster selected a QuickLink StudioPro-3 as the central production engine of their new space. “It’s really been the backbone and the brain of our new studio”, Turton says. QuickLink StudioPro now powers Westminster’s weekly news program, regular podcasts and a growing number of curricular and extracurricular video projects.

The shift from traditional recording-and-edit workflows to live switching has streamlined production. “Before, it was record and then five hours of editing for a kid to do”, Turton explains. “Now, we’re coming in, filming, switching through cameras, tossing to videos, putting up graphics while we’re filming and then uploading it right after. It has significantly simplified our workflow.”

The studio is primarily operated by grades 9-12, with middle school students also participating. Even lower school classes have begun using the space for special projects. QuickLink has enabled students to experiment with more advanced storytelling techniques, including remote guests, NDI sources, web inputs and dynamic video wall integrations.

“With the video wall, we have aux channels going out of QuickLink into the processors, so we can put different graphics up on top of the wall and layer things”, Turton says. “During March Madness, some kids wanted their bracket behind them. We routed a screenshare into StudioPro with a browser source, then into the video wall software, and they had it behind them while they picked it.”

Teachers have also embraced the studio as part of a growing digital storytelling initiative. “Instead of writing a paper, the final project might be a podcast or a short film”, Turton says. “Kids would put something like the Roman Empire on the video wall and record their project. With QuickLink, they were done as soon as they finished filming instead of having to do green-screen work later.”

He also highlights the addition of the StudioPro Proton control panel, which has further streamlined operations for student crews. “The Proton panel has made switching even more intuitive for them”, Turton says. “It gives them tactile control in a way that feels familiar but still ties directly into all the advanced features QuickLink offers.”

(Photos: QuickLink)

www.quicklink.tv

University of Birmingham upgrades with Renkus-Heinz Iconyx

Welcoming a cohort of more than 400 students each year, the University of Birmingham’s Medical School is one of the largest in Europe, with AV technology being a major part of its practical learning methods. After a review of its approach to AV, some facilities were deemed in need of an upgrade, including the 450-seat Leonard Deacon Lecture Theatre.

The Leonard Deacon Lecture Theatre features two distinct acoustic areas: a semi-circular stage at the front of the room, and the tiered seating area that extends to the rear of the theater. “The acoustics at each end of the room presented several challenges”, says Mark Bromfield, Director of System Solution Sales for CUK, the distribution company supporting the project from early conversations through to implementation. “The stage was highly reflective, largely due to its hard wooden flooring and projection screen, while the seating area incorporated more absorptive finishes, meaning both areas presented very different conditions within the same space.”

Combining wall-mounted and ceiling loudspeakers, the existing system operated as a single line without time alignment. “Listeners could hear sound coming from multiple directions with noticeable delays between loudspeakers”, continues Bromfield. “This compromised intelligibility and contributed to listener fatigue, prompting the University of Birmingham to assess options for a new sound system. We were approached by the university’s technical team, who had seen a Renkus-Heinz demo at an industry event, and wanted to explore whether its products could address the challenges in the lecture theater.”

To determine the ideal sound solution for the Leonard Deacon Lecture Theatre, CUK conducted acoustic modeling, followed by a live demonstration of the Renkus-Heinz Iconyx system in the venue, which led to the specification of four of these beam-steering arrays. GVAV, an AV integrator with extensive experience in education-based deployments, was tasked with installing the new system. To manage the distinct acoustic conditions of the stage and the seating area, the theater was treated as two separate zones.

“At the front of the room, two IC16 digitally steerable column arrays are wall-mounted on the left and right of the projection screen”, explains Bromfield. They blend in with the theater’s white walls, while delivering sound directly to the seating section. Each array features eight individually steerable beams that can be shaped around the precise measurements of the room while minimizing acoustic energy in unwanted areas.

For the second half of the room, two of the more compact IC8 steerable line arrays were installed behind panels on each side to provide controlled coverage all the way to the back of the theatre. “The system’s adjustable DSP delay allowed the IC8 arrays to be accurately time-aligned with the IC16s to prevent audible delays between the loudspeakers”, says Bromfield. “The system provides controlled, focused coverage from a significantly smaller number of loudspeakers compared to the previous system. Delighted by the performance of the system and how it addressed previous challenges, the university’s AV department began looking at other areas of campus that would benefit from a similar upgrade.”

During its first visit, CUK assessed eleven teaching spaces in addition to the Leonard Deacon Lecture Theatre. Achieving the required coverage with fewer loudspeakers reduced cabling and amplifier channels. “We assessed each room individually, selecting loudspeakers based on dimensions, acoustics, and coverage requirements”, explains Bromfield. “With the breadth of the Renkus-Heinz portfolio, we could select the most appropriate solution for each room.”

The University of Birmingham’s long-term plan is to upgrade fifteen lecture theaters across its campus using a range of products from Renkus-Heinz’s Iconyx Gen5, UBX series, and CX series.

(Photos: Renkus-Heinz)

www.renkus-heinz.com

KV2 Audio completes transformation of former cinema into new theatre in Slovakia

Architectural studio Ateliér Zerozero has taken a modern approach to the renovation of the former Kino Maj cinema building in Poprad, Slovakia’s Velká quarter. Now Divadlo Poprad, this independent theatre has answered a long-standing local demand for a permanent theatre space in Poprad.

Collaborating with writers, directors, set designers, and musicians from Slovakia and beyond, Divadlo Poprad has its own in-house acting ensemble with a year-round program of shows for families, adults, children, and schools. To complement the venue’s architectural transformation and diverse performance schedule, a KV2 Audio system was chosen to deliver the new theatre with sound.

The theatre comprises three performance areas, including the 164-seat Main Auditorium, the 76-capacity Studio, and an outdoor Summer Stage with 100-seat capacity. “The theatre has a huge production programme throughout the year, as well as cultural events and club-style events hosted in the Studio”, says Eduard Fertál, External Sound Consultant at the theatre. “When it came to the sound system, we knew it needed to be able to accommodate a variety of events and performances.”

Slovak distributor Audio Production helped identify the most suitable solution for each performance space, resulting in a tailored system combining KV2’s EX, ESR, ESD, and VHD series to meet the varied acoustic and operational requirements of the theatre. “These systems are designed to deliver music playback during live performances, making them ideal for theatres of this size”, says Alex Molcanov, owner of Audio Production. “We supported the system design and specification, while the physical installation was carried out by Art Lighting Production.”

In the Main Auditorium, the primary system comprises two ESR215MkII three-way full-range loudspeakers positioned either side of the stage and powered by an ESR3000D amplifier. Four VHD4.18 subwoofer enclosures, driven by a VHD3200D amplifier, extend the system’s low-frequency performance. All four cabinets can be stacked together.

To complement the main system, three EX26 systems are positioned at the front of the stage, providing additional vocal reinforcement and focused coverage, particularly for concerts and larger productions. Two ultra-compact EX6 loudspeakers are used as near-field monitors in the control booth. Supporting the overall coverage, two ESD10 passive 2-way loudspeakers are used as side fills, powered by an ESP2000D amplifier to maintain consistency.

The Studio, used for club-style concerts and cultural events, features two EX12 active loudspeaker systems as the main left and right outputs. “An outdoor Summer Stage follows the same setup, with two EX12 loudspeakers and two EX1.8 active subwoofers to add low-frequency impact for live music events”, adds Molcanov.  “The loudspeaker cabients are portable, allowing the EX1.8s to be moved between the Studio and the outdoor stage depending on where productions are taking place so they can adapt the systems for different events.”

Shared across all stages are eight EX10 full-range loudspeaker systems, which provide a flexible solution that can be deployed as stage monitors, fills, or additional coverage as needed. “Their compact size makes them easily portable, giving the theatre the ability to scale each zone up or down to the requirements of each show”, says Molcanov. Throughout the theatre, eight of KV2’s JK Series DI Boxes - four JK1s, two JK2s, and two JKAs - are used by the engineers to provide signal management.

(Photos: Matej Hakar)

www.kv2audio.com

King’s Theatre Edinburgh upgrades with Robert Juliat 

The King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland, built in 1906, has just emerged from a 4-year heritage redevelopment with major alterations to public and technical infrastructure. Home to a wide variety of entertainment from drama to dance, musicals to family shows, live music to pantomime, the redevelopment aimed to modernise facilities for audience, artists and technicians whilst protecting the historic character of the building.

As part of its technical upgrade and ongoing migration to LED fixtures, Bristol-based SLX supplied two Robert Juliat Arthur LT 800 W LED long-throw (4°-10°) followspots and eight Bizet 671SX (11°-26°) 500 W LED tunable white profiles, which were installed in the newly created followspot box and upper circle bridge positions.

“We needed a more powerful profile fixture for the new FOH lighting positions which, at 25 m from the stage, are further than we had before”, explains Heather Rolland, Senior Technician at the King’s Theatre. “As a major receiving house, we wanted a brand that would be instantly acceptable to all incoming productions.”

Rolland coordinated a shoot-out of top manufacturers’ products from the new lighting bridge, during which time SLX’s Ruari Cormack introduced her and her team to the RJ Bizet profiles. Capital Theatres first became aware of Bizet on a visit to the Robert Juliat factory in July 2025 when their Head of Electrics, Graham Raith, alongside Live Technology learned more about how Robert Juliat are pioneering colour and LED technology.

The King’s Theatre team included Rolland, Raith and John Robb, Capital Theatres Group’s Technical Director who led the King’s Theatre project. The Bizet profile was presented by Avril Cook, Product Specialist at Live Technology, RJ’s exclusive distributor for the UK, with Robert Juliat’s Product Manager Ludwig Lepage in support.

The team was careful to specify Bizet’s tunable white version to give them the broadest options going forward. “At the moment we want Bizet to imitate tungsten, but as lighting progresses in future it will be called on to be different things for different designers: to look like an LED source, to deliver more punch, to be tuned up for camera etc.”, shares Rolland. “Bizet will future proof us as technology develops and, as extra outputs are required, it’s handy to know we have eight on the bridge.”

Rolland already knew she wanted Arthur LT followspots to replace their old 1,200 W HMI RJ Super Korrigan units. “We found the Super Ks were no longer bright enough with the bigger, brighter rigs that were coming in before we closed”, she says. “Arthur LT was top of my wish list. It was always going to be a choice of manual followspots for us. Followspotting is a craft for live performance with an organic connection to the performer. There is an element of anticipation from the operator, and the disconnect caused through the data lag of an automated system doesn’t work for theatre in our view.”

“The Arthur LTs were a sensible choice and natural progression from the Super Korrigans”, she concludes. “The extra throw distance, increased power and LED source meant they are a ‘copy and paste’ from our original model, but bigger and with a more planet-friendly engine.”

Both the Arthur LTs were accessorised with Telrad sights, also available from Robert Juliat with a dedicated fixing kit. The King's Theatre officially reopened to the public with an open weekend on August 1 and 2, followed by the Edinburgh International Festival and a full programme of touring productions from September.

Pictured: Ruari Cormack, Heather Rolland, John Robb, Avril Cook, and Ludwig Lepage. (Photos: Ruari Cormack/Julie Harper/SLX)

www.live-technology.co.uk

www.robertjuliat.com

Frontline equips Theater De Storm with large Robe lighting package

Theater De Storm in Winterswijk, Netherlands, has been a client of Martijn Klein Gebbink of Frontline Audio & Vision for twenty years, and last year, he delivered a package of 124 Robe lighting products, including twelve Esprite moving lights fitted with the HCF (High Colour Fidelity) LED engine, eighty T11 Profiles, twelve TX1 PosiProfiles and twenty T15 Fresnels.

The theatre has three halls - two used for theatre and concert productions and one for parties. The main hall seats 609 and the smaller one 219. The venue stages a host of different received shows, averaging six or seven a week. The new lights were part of a major LED upgrade and followed a shootout conducted some time earlier by Klein Gebbink, resulting in Robe being the chosen brand. 

“We needed to replace the old profiles, PCs and fresnels”, says head technician Sander Wilderink, who has been working there eight years and works alongside Jocelyn Waalderbos, both of them taking care of all things technical, including lighting. The previous Profile zooms had covered a range of 17-43 degrees, which has now been expanded to 5-50 degrees with the T11 Profiles.

Additionally, for illuminating bands and musical shows in the main hall, the team decided on the Esprite HCFs. Originally, explains Wilderink, they thought that the TX1s would work in these rear positions, as the fixture is designed to operate both as a moving head profile or as a static but repositionable profile, but then realised a different type of luminaire would be a better choice. The Esprite HCFs also work as general back lighting, whatever the style of show onstage.

Wilderink also notes they wanted luminaires utilising the European style of focus methodology - with both plano convex lenses mounted facing each other on one side of the fixture. Most incoming shows will typically bring their own production lighting rigs to use above the stage and will utilise the house bridge, tower and side lighting. They can hook in their own consoles via DMX or sACN.

Klein Gebbink designed and installed a new power and data wiring infrastructure for the theatre which was part of this upgrade - after consulting with all those working there as to their specific needs.  Now, wherever one might need to plug in a light, there is power and a DMX cable, which was all part of the master plan, including the installation of LSC Control Systems’ APS (Advanced Power System) power distribution.

This is one of the largest Robe installations that Frontline has supplied and installed to date. The company works on all sorts of projects involving lighting, video and audio and is also a rental company, with Robe LEDBeam 350s in its inventory, among other lights. The installation was completed within four weeks, during which time Theater De Storm ran on an interim setup - for seamless operation - before the final switchover.

Pictured (left to right): Twan Schipper from Robe Benelux distributor Controllux, Theater de Storm technicians Jocelyn Waalderbos and Sander Wilderink with Frontline Audio & Vision’s Martijn Klein Gebbink. (Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke/Theater de Storm)

www.robe.cz

Le Théâtre de Laval goes LED with Robert Juliat

Le Théâtre de Laval in North Western France has recently completed a project to modernise its lighting equipment. Adopting a sustainable approach, the theatre opted for a retrofit solution: converting existing equipment to LED rather than discarding their well-maintained fixtures. Audiolite, one of Robert Juliat distributors in France, supported the Theatre in this endeavour.

The three-year investment combined technical requirements, lighting design and low environmental impact. To uphold these criteria, and to address the gradual obsolescence of its halogen lighting inventory, Le Théâtre de Laval decided to convert more than seventy Robert Juliat profile spotlights to LED technology, retaining their existing optics, thereby extending the lifespan of equipment that is still fully operational.

Opened in 2007 following five years of reconstruction, and labelled Centre National de la Marionnette (National Puppetry Centre) since 2022, Le Théâtre de Laval is a multidisciplinary cultural venue offering a wide range of performances: dance, theatre, music and hybrid, innovative forms.

Rolled out between 2023 and 2025, this modernisation project covered the entire lighting system of the 580-seat Grande Salle Barbara Hendricks. The process involved forty-six Robert Juliat Sully 4C coloured-LED retrofit modules and twenty-eight Bizet 500 W variable-white lamp houses which converted the Theatre’s existing 1 kW RJ 600SX and 2 kW RJ 700SX profile spotlights respectively.

To complement these upgrades, the Theatre also purchased twenty Robert Juliat Dalis 860 LED cyclights. The stage, with a 20 m high by 16 m wide proscenium, now benefits from 8-colour mixing LED light sources offering a wide colour spectrum. The old halogen lamp houses from the 700SX units were not discarded - they were donated to other theatres, enabling them to refurbish their own equipment in turn.

Christophe Duteil and Ronan Le Gall, the Theatre’s lighting specialists, say they use the Sully 4C profile spotlights in full raw mode for dance and theatre. The Bizet lamp houses, meanwhile, have made it possible to convert the theatre’s traditional 700SX profile spots. Featuring a 500 W variable white LED light source, they offer remote adjustment of the colour temperature from 3,000 K to 6,300 K.

“The new Bizet profile spots are installed front of house and above the stage, whilst the Dalis cyclorama lights provide the stage with a wash of light - a feature that is particularly valuable for the theatre’s dance productions”, says Le Gall.

(Photos: Le Théâtre de Laval)

www.audiolite-sonorisation.com

www.robertjuliat.com

Moorestown Friends School upgrades auditorium audio with Martin Audio Torus

Moorestown Friends School is a coeducational Quaker day school in Moorestown, New Jersey. Founded in 1785, it serves students from age three through to Grade 12. The school’s 48-acre campus was recently bolstered by a newly installed Martin Audio Torus sound system in its main auditorium.

To facilitate the upgrade, the school turned to New Jersey-based live event and system integration specialists Starlite. “We’ve been proud to partner with Moorestown Friends School on multiple projects over the years, providing professional AV, rigging, and lighting solutions tailored to their needs”, says Starlite’s Nick Minieri. “When it came time to upgrade their ageing sound system, in particular to enhance both sound quality and consistency of coverage, the school once again called on us.”

Starlite recognised the acoustic challenges of the space, which features wide, curved reflective surfaces and cavities along its rear wall. These challenges led to Starlite’s first deployment of Martin Audio’s Torus constant curvature line array, a system specifically designed to overcome such difficult acoustic environments. “We have used Martin Audio speakers in the past but this was our first deployment of the Torus Series”, confirms Minieri.

The final system design comprises two flown hangs, each featuring two Torus T1215 and one Torus T1230 array elements. “Having the consistency of the array we were able to focus on tuning the room and not ‘correcting’ the EQ of the boxes themselves”, notes Minieri. The main arrays were supplemented with a Martin Audio SX218 dual-18-inch subwoofer.

“Sub is often a requirement for the theatre spaces that we work in so the soundscapes that our end users create are immersive and utilise the entire frequency spectrum”, explains Minieri. “It also means that the venues can support a traveling music group or host events such as their own battle of the bands.”

The entire system is powered by a pair of Martin Audio iKon IK42 amplifiers. For this project, the iKon amplifiers were also utilised for their onboard DSP to handle all room tuning. “This was fantastic to eliminate a failure point and have the ability to save our customer the extra cost of a dedicated audio DSP processor”, says Minieri.

The final installation represents a future-proof upgrade. “We were confident we could deliver a system to support the school’s performances, assemblies, and community gatherings for years to come”, concludes Minieri. “Thanks to the Martin Audio Torus system, the school now benefits from full-range sound to every seat in the house.”

(Photos: Martin Audio)

www.martin-audio.com