Described by critics as a fantastic technical achievement, the recent London Barbican Theatre stage production of The Master and Margarita brought live film and 3D animation (by Finn Ross and Luke Halls) to Mikhail Bulgakov’s challenging Russian novel.

Director Simon McBurney also had the benefit of sound design by West End veteran Gareth FryTiMax to call on, with SoundHub and TiMax Tracker automated vocal localisation embedded within it – a feature that was singled out for commendation in some of the show’s reviews.

With a Grammy-winning career in full flow, recording mixer/engineer Tony Maserati is at the top of his game and making the most of what technology has to offer. Right now, Chandler’s EMI TG12345 Curve Bender studio equaliser is keeping him happy…

‘I first learned of Chandler Limited through engineer Vaughan Merrick, who introduced me to the LTD-1 EQ/Preamp,’ he says. ‘I liked the product a lot, which sparked my interest in additional gear from the company. So, from there, I started experimenting with the TG1 Limiter, followed by the Zener Limiter, and the Mini Mixer – all of which I use regularly.’

A/V solutions provider Creative Technology (CT) has expanded its communications rental portfolio with Riedel technology including the Artist digital matrix intercom, Performer digital partyline intercom and RockNet audio distribution systems.

‘After many years of successfully deploying legacy analogue comms systems, the logical step for CT is to embrace a completely digital event communication solution,’ says Chuck ‘Chopper’ Boyle, Senior Intercom Engineer at the leading UK event production company.

The first US symphony hall built to offer in the round performances, the Denver Performing Arts Complex’s Boettcher Concert Hall is the present home of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Built in 1978 it provides a unique layout for its 2,634-seat performance space, and has recently updated its sound reinforcement system to maintain its high standards.

The City of Denver called in acoustician/consultant Akustiks to specify the new system, which was supplied by AVDB Group, and system was installed by Steve Kuberski and Mark Herron at Mood Media (formerly Muzak).

Taking over the site of the former Avalon club in London, Barrio East is the latest bar/club in the portfolio of entrepreneur Ferdie Ahmed. Its opening brings the Spanish Barrio theme to Shoreditch, after Barrio North in Islington and Barrio Central in Soho, as well as a heavy investment in in Martin Audio sound system.

While the Latin interior decor of the 300-capacity space was handled by bar design speacialist Dtwo Design, Middlesex Sound & Lighting (MSL) was called in by the owner – a seasoned DJ – to follow the other Barrio venues with its Martin Audio sound reinforcement.

Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, singer and recording artist Chet Delcampo records as both Chet Delcampo and Hong Kong Stingray and has worked with the likes of Kid Congo (ex Cramps, The Gun Club and Nick Cave), Parthenon Huxley (Eels) and David Lovering (Pixies). Whatever guise his work takes, he is now using the first Cadac Live1 sold in the US in his Philadelphia studio.

Supplied by newly appointed US distributor Lift Distribution, Delcampo chose the Cadac Live1 as a replacement for an aging Siemans console, mating it with some classic and esoteric gear in his writing, arranging and recording suite...

Forthcoming Wetten, dass...? television broadcasts from around Germany will see rental company Audio Broadcast Services (ABS) providing Lawo equipment for sound reinforcement and monitoring duties.

Having supplied a 64-fader Lawo mc²56 mixing console with 240 DSP channels and four Dallis stageboxes for a recent show in Offenburg, which aired on German public TV channel ZDF in January, ABS will extend the scop of broadcast operations thought the linking of the same conole to an mc²66 in ZDF’s on-site OB van.

White Mark has completed its work on one of its largest ever projects – the design and build of a film sound facility for Russian company CineLab in Moscow.

The completed complex is the culmination of three years of intensive work, and includes 14 studios including three dubbing theatres built and accredited to Dolby Premier License criteria and a 5.1 mixing room for pre-mixes and TV/DVD work. It also features multiple edit and pre-production suites, sound design rooms and a large orchestral studio.