Roland Systems Group has released an iPad app for its M-300 digital mixing console, providing parameter control, as well as additional practical features such as the ability to store scenes and edit the Channel Strip (EQ), GEQ and Sends on Fader.

Connecting the Roland Wireless Connect USB adaptor to the M-300 USB port links the M-300 to a wireless network, allowing the iPad can connect to and control the desk from different locations within a venue. As well as ease of use and mobility, this dual screen set-up can also be used by a radio mic tech to check and monitor each microphone as they are handed out during a live performance.

‘The success of the iPad as a tool in live audio applications is clear,’ says Simon Kenning, Sales Manager for RSG UK. ‘This dedicated M-300 app builds on the success of the M-480 app released last year, and is an important addition to our range of remote control applications.’

Alongside the iPad app, Roland has also announced v1.5 Firmware for the M-300. This free update brings features such as a 31-band mono GEQ, new effects for the effects library, audio crossfade for scene changes and a detailed Recall Filter function. A Channel Display screen has been added for DCA groups, as well as the ability to disable more user settings and a default guest start-up mode feature.

Enhancements to the monitoring function include a dimmer function and a lock-out feature that disables the Level knobs to prevent any accidental monitor volume changes. The v1.5 upgrade also provides additional RS232C commands, improving the control parameters and ensuring that system installers, integrators and users have access to more remote control functionality from touch panels, video devices, and software.

Concurrent with this update is the announcement that all V-Mixers now include the ability to do multichannel recording by simply connecting a Cat5e/6 cable from any REAC port to a network port on a PC to enable 40 channels of WAV capture.

More: www.rolandsystemsgroup.com

Nagra has released the Lino, a high-quality compact hand-held digital recorder designed to offer ‘a lower cost recorder’ for professional radio journalism and music recording applications.

Intended for recording and documenting interviews, conferences and live music, the Lino records to a removable SD memory card in the same way as the Nagra SD. It will record linear PCM files at up to 96kHz resolution and MP3 files in both 16-bit and 24-bit word lengths.

The Lino has the same physical size and shape as the Nagra SD, but is built in a plastic outer housing rather than brushed aluminum It also uses the same software structure for all the internal settings as the SD, and is equally easy to use. It offers high-quality preamplifiers, built-in microphones and a long running time.

More: www.nagraaudio.com

Audio meter specialist RTW has introduced moving coil emulation for its desktop TM3 3G, TM3-6CH and TM3 meters, offering ‘a useful transition’ from traditional hardware moving coil PPMs to new R128 loudness meter styles.

For many years in the UK, the hardware moving coil was the broadcast meter of choice as its rotational presentation meant that it could easily be read in the peripheral vision of the user. This benefit is now provided by the TM3 moving coil emulation as the angle of the indicator gives an accurate perception of level without having to read it in the true sense. The meters are configured as a dual movement with either left, right or mid, side and pairs of meters can be orientated horizontally or vertically. In addition to BBC or VU type meters the moving coil presentation is proving an unexpectedly popular method of displaying loudness levels.

The TM3 range combines an elegant design with a small footprint and is available for stereo, multichannel and 3G-SDI PPM and loudness metering including loudness range with RTW’s proprietary MagicLRA. An optional metal mounting plate can be used for conveniently fitting the TM3 to a gooseneck or mic stand.

TM3s come with ten factory-set presets and further presets may be configured and stored on a PC or Mac using the complimentary Devicer software. They can be accessed on the device using a mobile phone style screen swipe.

UK supply of RTW equipment is handled by Aspen Media.

More: www.aspen-media.com

Situated beneath London’s famous Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Underglobe events space has hosted a long series of corporate functions – many served by London-based live production company ARC Sound. Opened to the public in 1997, the reconstruction of the original wooden Elizabethan playhouse, has never allowed, or indeed attempted, a full production set-up in the main theatre space itself.

The celebration of Shakespeare’s 449^th birthday, however, saw a concert audio production set-up allowed into the 1,500-capacity space for the first time...

DiGiCo has extended the flexibility of its SD-series of mixing consoles with the release of its Audio Router.

The matrix style Audio Router provides a user-defined recording path for each system input (from stage or locally on the console) to allow recording and playback without drawing on any of the console’s own resources.

‘All of the system I/O is made available in a crosspoint router format, where any input can be copied to single or multiple outputs on any port,’ says DiGiCo Head of Software Development, Roger Wood. ‘The Copy Audio panel provides you with an independent audio router. For playback, you press the Listen to Copied Audio button, and any channels that were fed by copied live signals will then switch to your nominated playback sources. Any input can be set to Listen Safe mode, which allows you to quickly replace the playback signal with the live mic on a per-channel basis.’

More: www.digico.org

Sennheiser’s Digital 9000 digital wireless system addresses broadcast, theatre and live event applications.

The SKM 9000 uses an 88MHz switching bandwidth, and is available in black and nickel. Command switch versions for easy communication between broadcast units or artists and their crews are also available. As the handheld transmits digitally, it does not employ a compander and is exempt from the associated noise. Digital 9000 includes the EM 9046 receiver, SKM 9000 handheld and SK 9000 bodypack transmitters, plus a suite of accessories.

‘This system is offers unprecedented sound quality and ease of use,’ says, Wireless Microphones Portfolio Manager, Kevin Jungk. ‘For example, users will no longer have to calculate and circumvent intermodulation frequencies but can conveniently place their transmission frequencies in an equidistant grid.’

The system supports two transmission modes –High Definition (HD) mode will transmit entirely uncompressed, artefact-free audio, ‘as if a high-quality cabled microphone were used’, while Long Range (LR) mode is designed for difficult transmission environments, offering maximum range with a proprietary Sennheiser digital audio codec.

In addition to IR synchronisation between receivers and transmitters and a antenna loop-through for creating larger receiving systems, Digital 9000 claims a number of unique features. The high linearity of the entire system eliminates intermodulation calculation, allowing transmission frequencies can simply be set in an equally spaced grid. The receiver also automatically measures RF cable loss between receiver and booster, and adjusts the gain accordingly.

The modular EM 9046 receiver is a mainframe that accommodates up to eight receivers internally.

EM 9046 Receiver

A large display with clearly laid out controls is at the heart of the EM 9046 receiver. Three display modes ensure that the RF or sound engineer has an overview of important parameters in live situations and can change settings quickly via an intuitive, icon-based menu. Channels can be monitored via the headphone output, either individually or any number can be listened to combined.

The receiver system covers the UHF range from 470 to 798 MHz (328MHz bandwidth). To integrate the system into an existing infrastructure, users choose between transformer-balanced analogue or digital AES3 audio output modules, or a mix of both.

System set-up is facilitated by a built-in graphical spectrum analyser to scan the RF landscape, and an RF level recorder for checking reception and optimising antenna positions. The receiver will also suggest the best transmission mode for the environment being worked in, and will automatically set an appropriate gain to counteract RF cable losses. The antenna boosters can be controlled via the receiver, which is helpful for installations with remote antenna positions.

The multi-channel receiver and the transmitters can optionally use encrypted data transmission, with proprietary keys generated randomly. This will protect a radio link against hijacking and tapping.

The receiver stores up to ten complete system configurations so that set-ups can easily be recalled and repeated.

SKM 9000 Handheld Transmitter

The SKM 9000 handheld transmitter is compatible with all of Sennheiser’s evolution wireless G3 and 2000 Series microphone heads, including the Neumann KK 204 and KK 205 capsules. Besides these capsules, the handheld can be fitted with four dedicated 9000 Series capsules.

‘The 9000 Series would not have been complete without the sound of our most successful live capsule, and I am happy that the cardioid dynamic MD 9235 is part of our new digital system,’ Jungk says.

The MD 9235 is complemented by the transparency of three permanently polarised condenser mic heads, the ME 9002 (omni), ME 9004 (cardioid) and ME 9005 (super-cardioid). The condenser heads feature a low sensitivity to pops and have extremely low handling noise due to snowflake-shaped rubber suspensions above and below the actual capsules.

SK 9000 Bodypack Transmitter

The SK 9000 bodypack transmitter comes in a magnesium housing that combines robustness with low weight. It can be used with any clip-on or headset mic with a 3-pin Lemo connector and has a line input for guitars or other instruments. ‘As the system is able to deliver cable-like audio, we have added a three-step guitar cable emulation to round off the instrument sound,’ explains Jungk.

The SK 9000 is available in four different frequency ranges (88 MHz switching bandwidth); a command switch for communication between crews and artists/reporters is available as an accessory. To protect the system against interference, the AB 9000 antenna booster has been fitted with eight highly selective filters to allow just a specific frequency window to pass. Unwanted signals are thus blocked before the first active component, adding to the overall reliability of the system. The filter can be set manually on the booster or remotely via the antenna cable on the receiver.

The AB 9000 provides a maximum gain of 17dB and is available as a standalone booster or integrated into the A 9000 omnidirectional antenna and the AD 9000 directional antenna. Two booster versions (470-638MHz and 630-798MHz) cover the receiver’s UHF range.

The transmitters of the 9000 Series operate on environmentally friendly lithium-ion rechargeable battery packs, with a precise remaining operating time indicated on the handheld and the bodypack transmitter as well as on the receiver. The SKM 9000 is powered via the BA 60 rechargeable battery pack, which will power the transmitter for 5.5 hours. The SK 9000 bodypack is powered by the BA 61, which lasts for 6.5 hours. Operation on standard batteries is possible too.

The L 60 charger will recharge two BA 60 or BA 61 in any combination. It reaches 70 per cent of charge in an hour and full charge after three hours, with the charging status being indicated by three-colour LEDs. Up to four chargers can be daisy-chained and powered via a single power supply unit.

‘Spectrum is a scarce resource, therefore every part of the system has been designed for the highest frequency efficiency,’ Jungk says. ‘We have put much effort into allocating the largest possible data rate to the actual sound transmission, ensuring the unmatched audio performance of Digital 9000.

More: www.sennheiser.co.uk

Sound Devices PIX-Dock connects drives mounted in a Sound Devices PIX-Caddy 2 to computers equipped with Thunderbolt high-speed I/O over a single Thunderbolt cable.

The PIX-Caddy 2, which is used to connect SSD volumes to all PIX recorders, is an SSD mounting accessory that also operates as a multi-format interface to attach drives to a computer for file transfer and management. With PIX-Dock, Thunderbolt’s fast transfer between drives and computers – up to 10Gbps, making the file copying of large-capacity drives fast and easy. When using fast storage drives, its high throughput allows real-time playback of multiple streams of high-data-rate video.

The PIX-Dock provides both power and data over a single cable and is compatible with SATA drives. It includes a six-foot Thunderbolt cable that connects to the PIX-Caddy 2 using its eSATAp connection. It also offers a secure, latching connection to PIX-Caddy, and its weighted base prevents sliding on desktop surfaces.

‘After a successful launch at NAB, PIX-Dock is available,’ says Jon Tatooles, Sound Devices MD. ‘PIX-Dock simplifies and speeds the transfer and management of files when using our PIX recorders. By using Thunderbolt, we are able to provide blazing fast and reliable transfers.’

The PIX 220i, PIX 240i and PIX 260 record directly to QuickTime using Apple’s ProRes or Avid’s DNxHD codecs. Since PIX recorders use ProRes and DNxHD, files recorded in the field can be used directly in postproduction, making the workflow simple and fast. The PIX 240i and PIX 260 add even more flexibility, with their time code, sync-generator, and simultaneous SDI and HDMI outputs.

More: www.sounddevices.com

Announced at the ProLight & Sound show, the launch of the Live console brings SSL into the sound for the stage market for the first time.

‘Many people have been asking us to make a console for live for so long and the time has come,’ says SSL MD, Antony David. ‘It has been a couple of years in the making because we like to get things right at SSL, and we are very confident that we have created a console engineers will fall in love with. It is very exciting to be entering a completely new area of the industry, with a new technology platform and a fresh approach to how a live console should sound and how to give engineers a control surface that helps them deliver exceptional performances. We are really looking forward to how the professional live sound community reacts.’

Based on SSL’s new Tempest processing platform, Live supports 976 inputs and outputs, and 192 full processing audio paths at 96kHz. Audio paths configuration is extremely flexible, being allocated to Channels, Auxes, Stem Groups and Masters as determined by the needs of a particular event. All processing is built into the console surface, as is I/O connectivity. A full range of Stagebox I/O connects to the console via Madi with the potential for larger systems to make use of SSL’s Blacklight technology, which carries up to 256 channels of bi-directional audio and control via a single fibre-optic connection.

Console control uses multiple tablet style multi-gesture touchscreens intended to allow engineers to work as they wish – with touchscreen or classic hardware technology, or to combine them both. Live uses SSL’s ‘studio grade’ SuperAnalogue mic preamps, with 96kHz/24-bit AD/DA conversion, and 64bit internal processing. There are also 30 effects and audio analysis tools onboard.

The console is designed to meet the demands of all aspects of live sound production in touring and installation, and at FOH and monitors. It is aimed at applications ranging from arenas and concert halls to houses of worship.

Live is due to ship in September 2013, with pdices depending upon configuration(ranging between: £48,000 and £75,000/€57,500 and €90,000/US$84,000 and US$130,000)

More: www.solidstatelogic.com

A growing congregation, an ageing sound system and changing worship services left the James River Assembly in Springfield, Missouri, with a problem. It sought a solution with Special Event Services.

The answer to its needs made it one of the first US venues to install DiGiCo’s SD5 console, as well as an Outline GTO loudspeaker system, and have given its sound and its services a new lease of life.

The Clear-Com HelixNet Partyline intercom system is the industry’s first digital networked partyline intercom system, offering ‘a set of unique capabilities for achieving greater efficiency, cost-savings and flexibility from setup to operation and maintenance’.

The initial release of the HelixNet Partyline consists of the HMS-4X main station, HBP-2X HelixNet beltpack, HLI-2W2 two-wire interface module and the HLI-4W2 four-wire interface module. Firsts include central administration of the entire system (firmware upgrades and maintenance) from the main station with a single cable and flexible cable options, including the ability to leverage an existing cable infrastructure.

‘For more than 40 years, the pro audio community has been using the common, three-pin XLR microphone cable to carry audio for analog partyline systems,’ says Clear-Com Product Manager, Chris Barry. ‘In order to preserve our customers’ investments in intercom systems and cabling infrastructure, we had specifically designed HelixNet Partyline to transmit four channels of digital quality audio, plus program and power for beltpacks, over a single, shielded twisted-pair cable (microphone cable, Cat5 or Cat6 cable). This capability alone is unprecedented in the history of intercom technology.’

The HMS-4X HelixNet Main Station and interface module provides high channel density and high user capacity, and can provide power and four channels of audio to support up to 20 digital beltpacks. Unlike analogue systems, the all-digital HelixNet system is immune to electro-magnetic interference and ground loops. System settings and menus are quickly accessible. Firmware maintenance and upgrades can be achieved easily via USB ports. The expansion bay in the main station allows optional HLI-2W2 two-wire and HLI-4W2 four-wire interface modules to connect easily with existing analog intercom systems and audio devices, while preserving high audio quality that is free of hum and noise.

The rugged, ergonomically designed HBP-2X HelixNet is a two-channel beltpack that can access two of any four system channels and program audio over a single cable, along with individual level control. Networked audio is distributed over a single, shielded twisted pair, keeping the number of cables required low. Optimally positioned buttons and volume knobs are easy to locate, identify and control on the beltpack. Channel labels are simple to read on the high-contrast 10-character OLED displays. Beltpacks can be set up in daisy chain or star configurations with no need for active split boxes. HelixNet Beltpacks are fabricated from lightweight cast aluminum, and come with a sturdy beltclip, rubber bumpons and an integrated strap guide to offer a variety of practical mounting options.

More: www.clearcom.com