It was a quieter week in Pro AV, but there were still partnerships made, new locations opened, and people on the move. Get caught up with what you missed in your weekly dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

[SCN Stellar Service Awards 2026 Nominations Now Open]

People News

EAW Announces New Inside Sales Team

Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has promoted Orlando Rosario to inside sales manager, international, and Christina Luccini to inside sales support for the United States and Canada.

After serving as inside sales manager for the U.S. market and supporting the LATAM market, Rosario now oversees international inside sales operations. He brings more than 15 years of experience across sales, operations, and technical roles, including positions at GE Healthcare, Cognex Corporation and Waters Corporation. Luccini's promotion follows her marketing and sales internships. In her new position, she provides sales support and customer service across North American markets.

Company News

Blackwire Designs Announces New Strategic DistributionPartnership With eero

Blackwire Designs has a new strategic distribution agreement with eero, an Amazon company and pioneer in mesh networking. This partnership brings eero’s lineup of fast, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi systems to Blackwire’s extensive dealer network, offering a streamlined solution for high-performance networking without the traditional complexity of enterprise-grade hardware.

The partnership focuses on eero’s professional-grade hardware, including the eero Max 7, which utilizes advanced Wi-Fi 7 technology and multi-gigabit connectivity to support high-bandwidth applications in modern smart homes. For expansive properties, the IP66-rated eero Outdoor 7 provides reliable coverage up to 15,000 square feet. The agreement also includes eero’s Power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions, such as the eero PoE 6 and the eero PoE Gateway, which feature centralized power management and high-speed wired ports to simplify large-scale residential and commercial installations.

Dimensional Innovations Transitions to Employee Ownership

Dimensional Innovations, headquartered in Kansas City, has transitioned to an employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The move reinforces the firm's long-term independence while giving employees a direct stake in its continued growth. Dimensional Innovations delivers large-scale experience design and fabrication projects for professional and collegiate sports franchises, higher education institutions, healthcare systems, and Fortune 500 companies nationwide.

As private equity investment accelerates across the design and fabrication sector, Dimensional Innovations is taking an alternative approach by placing ownership in the hands of its employees. Company leadership believes the model strengthens accountability, deepens collaboration and encourages forward thinking for both employees and clients.

Lectrosonics Appoints Mizzen Marketing as Manufacturers Representative for TOLA Region

Lectrosonics has appointed Mizzen Marketing as its new manufacturers’ representative firm for the TOLA region (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas). Mizzen Marketing represents the full Lectrosonics product line, bringing its technical expertise and customer support to the Pro AV, house of worship, and production sound markets in the territory.

Founded in 2005, Mizzen Marketing has established a strong reputation for providing superior support to manufacturers and integration partners. Under the recent leadership of principal and president Lisa Peveler, who acquired the firm in late 2025, and partner Alec Brognano, the company has, as described by Peveler, “launched into a Mizzen 2.0 era.” This evolution expands their focus beyond traditional audio/video integration to include a robust portfolio of high-end audio and production solutions.

Legrand | AV, Xyte Partner on Multi-Vendor RackLink Cloud Platform with AI-Driven Automation

Legrand | AV and Xyte have expanded Legrand | AV’s RackLink Cloud platform enabling broader support of third-party audiovisual (AV) and unified communication (UC) devices via Xyte’s Connect+ ecosystem. Building on the long-standing collaboration between Legrand | AV and Xyte, including a 2025 initiative that connected multiple Legrand | AV product lines to the Xyte cloud, the RackLink Cloud is now evolving into a vendor-agnostic solution.

Through Xyte’s Connect+ ecosystem, RackLink Cloud users can monitor and control not only Legrand | AV devices but also a wide variety of third-party devices within a single interface. This unified, multi-vendor approach eliminates siloed monitoring tools by bringing disparate devices together under one infrastructure, helping reduce downtime, streamline workflows, and improve user experiences for enterprise customers and integrators.

RackLink Cloud is built on an open architecture that supports collaboration with multiple technology partners, ensuring customers benefit from flexibility, interoperability, and choice as cloud and AI capabilities continue to evolve.

Riedel Opens Kuala Lumpur Office to Strengthen Global 24/7 Software and IT Support

Riedel Communications has officially opened a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marking a strategic expansion of its global customer success and IT software support capabilities. The new facility reinforces Riedel’s commitment to providing "round-the-clock" expertise as its portfolio continues to evolve toward software-driven and service-based media workflows.

The Kuala Lumpur office officially opened its doors on Jan. 28 and is led by Mustapha Kamal, service and support manager, who has returned to his home city after four years in Wuppertal. To mark the opening, Riedel welcomed Malaysian partners and customers to the new facility for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hands-on technology demonstrations, and networking sessions, offering guests insight into the role of the Kuala Lumpur team and how it supports Riedel customers locally and globally.

September opened with a flurry of Pro AV moves. There were a lot of new people in new places, partnerships, and road shows announced. As always, let's start with a couple of acquisitions.

Just weeks after announcing the completion of the 26North Partners acquisition of AVI-SPL, the company has now acquired CCS Presentation Systems Southwest (CCS Southwest), an audiovisual design and systems integration firm headquartered in Mesa, AZ. CCS has a 34-year history of serving customers in the Arizona market with a focus on continuously optimizing communications and collaboration solutions for the modern workplace and campus. While CCS has capabilities and locations across the United States, AVI-SPL has only acquired CCS Southwest, the operating entity serving Arizona. Read the full details in our coverage here.

Following the sale of CCS Southwest and the retirement of founder John Godbout, the CCS Presentation Systems headquarters is moving to Houston, TX, and will be led by the new owners of the CCS brand, Ben and Elizabeth Pickrel.

One day later, Ross Video made headlines, acquiring LAMA, a developer of audio production software known for its innovative live mixing solutions. You can find out what you need to know in our coverage here.

Now, on with the show.

People Movers

People News

AVIXA Welcomes José Aragón as Chief Financial Officer

AVIXA appointed José Aragón as the chief financial officer. In this role, he will lead the association’s financial growth strategy.

Aragón most recently held the position of VP of finance, networks, and studios at A+E Global Media, a multinational media company. During his tenure, he led several transformative initiatives, including serving as a key finance partner for the company's digital growth strategy. Prior to his role at A+E Global Media, Aragón was the VP of finance for Sony Pictures Entertainment, TV Production. He has also held executive finance positions at Univision and NBCUniversal.

Christie Appoints Jim Hallas as VP, Product Management

Christie has appointed Jim Hallas as VP, product management. Hallas will lead the company’s display product strategy and display product lines while aligning customers’ needs with the company’s innovation and capabilities to support the company’s long-term strategic vision to maintain its position as a trusted partner worldwide.

Most recently, Hallas served as business and engineering manager for the DLP Cinema, Pro AV, and Industrial Group at TI, where his team pioneered the HEP pixel technology and holds five patents for various technology innovations.

DMF Lighting Appoints Charlie Derk as Senior Director of Product Strategy 

DMF Lighting has appointed Charlie Derk as senior director of product strategy. In this new role, Derk will lead DMF’s product roadmap and innovation strategy, driving the continued development of lighting solutions designed to elevate performance, aesthetics.

With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury residential and architectural lighting industries, Derk brings a blend of engineering expertise, market insight, and customer-driven innovation. He has held leadership positions at Legrand (where he was most recently VP of strategy for Legrand’s Building Control Systems division), Crestron Electronics, Doherty Design Group, and Lutron Electronics, where he was instrumental in shaping product portfolios and introducing advanced lighting control and automated shading solutions.

Telos Alliance Welcomes Jeff Williams as Director of Western US Sales

Telos Alliance welcomed Jeff Williams to the position of director of Western U.S. sales. Williams brings four decades of radio and broadcast experience, plus a family legacy in broadcast and pro audio, to support customers across the Western United States.

Williams began his career in broadcasting at age 16, working with Shotgun Tom Kelly, and followed with roles at San Diego’s KFMB, Boston’s WRKO, and leadership positions with Gannett, Jacor, Clear Channel, and Knight Broadcasting. Since 2015, he has been general manager and owner of Yellowtec USA.

Dante Partners

Dante Is Everywhere

There were several partnerships made with Audinate's Dante platform last week. Here is a quick rundown of who is now Dante-enabled.

AVer's Pro AV cameras will come with Dante Ready licensing. Dante Ready is a licensing program that allows manufacturers to ship their Pro AV products with Dante installed but not activated, so that Dante functionality, such as a channel of Dante AV-H video, can be activated on site whenever it’s needed, offering flexibility and scalability for AV over IP systems. With this integration, AVer’s professional AV cameras offer customers the ability to access Dante AV-H, which is a powerful technology that delivers smooth, high-quality, low-latency video over standard networks. Users simply enter a license key to unlock the functionality, with no hardware change required.

The Freedman Group, parent company of renowned professional audio brands RØDE, Mackie, and newly acquired Lectrosonics, has announced a new partnership with fellow Sydney-based technology leader Audinate. The agreement will see the integration of Audinate’s powerful Dante platform integrated into a suite of next-generation products across The Freedman Group’s portfolio, unlocking advanced networking capabilities for creators and professionals worldwide.

Grass Valley announced a new partnership with Audinate that brings native Dante audio integration into AMPP. With this update, production teams can manage Dante audio streams directly within AMPP without additional hardware. The integration supports up to 128x128 bidirectional channels with latency as low as 1ms, making it easier to scale professional IP audio across cloud, on-prem, or hybrid workflows. The move also introduces a flexible licensing model for Dante I/O, available hourly or monthly, giving broadcasters and event producers a cost-effective way to deploy professional audio networking for anything from short-term projects to enterprise-scale operations.

New Partnerships

Partnerships

Gotham Audio Custom Cables and Cable Stock Now Available in North and South America

Gotham Audio is now available throughout North and South America distributed by Audio Collective Group. Built for professional recording studios, live performance venues, broadcast facilities, post-production houses, and high-end home audio, Gotham Audio offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of premium cabling in the industry—spanning microphone, instrument, studio, digital audio, speaker, video, hybrid, and custom solutions.

Known for Swiss engineering and built upon Reussen Shielding Technology, Gotham cables are built for noise rejection, clarity, and signal transmission in every commercial and residential install.

PlayBox Neo U.S. Partners with AI-Media

PlayBox Neo has partnered with AI-Media to integrate advanced automated captioning, translation, and voice translation solutions directly into the PlayBox Neo broadcast playout ecosystem. Broadcasters, government organizations, universities, and corporate AV facilities now have access to cost-effective, broadcast-quality captioning and multi-lingual voice services, which expands their audience reach while staying compliant with accessibility regulations. They can easily deploy professional-grade captions and multilingual translation at broadcast quality without incurring additional staffing or infrastructure costs.

Through the U.S.-based partnership, PlayBox Neo customers gain access to AI-Media’s ALTA 2110 IP broadcast encoder and LEXI Text, an automated captioning solution that delivers same-language and translated captions with broadcast-grade accuracy and ultra-low latency. The solution also includes LEXI Recorded for pre-recorded content, enabling captions to be produced in less than half the program’s runtime. To ensure high accuracy, AI-Media applies its customized Topic Models, which recognize speakers’ names, industry terminology, and brand-specific language.

In addition to captioning, AI-Media’s new LEXI Voice adds real-time translated voice output. With LEXI Voice, PlayBox Neo customers can provide multilingual viewing experiences across both live and on-demand content. These solutions integrate seamlessly with all PlayBox Neo products, making them accessible to every organization using PlayBox Neo technology.

Pro AV Around the Globe

Pro AV Around the Globe

HARMAN Professional Solutions announced the appointment of Freevox as the distributor of its AMX video and control solutions in France. This new agreement builds on Freevox’s existing role distributing HARMAN Professional’s audio brands, including JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, Soundcraft, Lexicon, and dbx.

PPDS announced a new strategic distribution partnership with FVC, expanding its reach and strengthening its presence across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. Under this new agreement, FVC will represent and distribute the full PPDS portfolio of Philips Professional Displays, including the latest digital signage, direct view LED displays, and professional TVs, delivering world class AV solutions to customers across a wide range of verticals.

New Locations

New Digs

AV Stumpfl celebrated the opening of its new production hall at its headquarters in Wallern an der Trattnach, Austria, together with its entire team during this year’s summer family festival. The new facility adds 23,680 square feet (2,200 square meters) of production space, effectively doubling the company’s production capacity. Last year, AV Stumpfl invested in new equipment for a second production line and welcomed 20 new team members. Until now, this team was spread across various parts of the company building, which proved inefficient. With the new production hall, workflows can now be organized much more effectively.

USSI Global opened a new repair and logistics complex in Suntree, FL. The new facility is allowing the company to expand beyond its warranty business and add broadcast headend and production equipment to its catalog of repair services. Located about 15 miles north of the company’s Melbourne headquarters, the new repair complex is allowing USSI Global to consolidate three logistics centers into one. Anthony Morelli, president and CEO, USSI Global, said the company is already seeing improved operational efficiencies.

Road Shows

Hit the Road, Pro AV Style

JBL Professional launched its 2025 Installed Audio Roadshow, a coast-to-coast tour showcasing the brand’s most trusted commercial audio solutions in real-world environments. From September through November 2025, the roadshow will make 30 stops nationwide, offering AV integrators, consultants, system designers, and facility managers an opportunity to experience JBL sound in the region where they work with their customers. The JBL Installed Audio Roadshow will kick off in Los Angeles and visit major markets including San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Miami, among many others.

The JBL Installed Audio Roadshow delivers application-specific demonstrations that highlight clarity, coverage, and control across hospitality venues, retail spaces, schools, houses of worship, and entertainment environments. Each stop will feature the latest solutions, along with insights into system design best practices, guided walkthroughs, hands-on product exploration, and networking with industry professionals.

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Sennheiser announced the remaining dates for its 2025 Connect & Collaborate Roadshow, including events this fall and early winter. Following a spring and summer of successful stops, Sennheiser will continue its North American tour with visits to Washington, D.C. on September 9, Toronto, Ontario on September 16, and New York City on October 21.

The roadshow is designed for end users, distributors, consultants, integrators, and resellers, providing hands-on training for designing and deploying business communications solutions in meeting spaces and lecture halls. The events will feature live demonstrations of Sennheiser’s TeamConnect (TC) family of products, such as the TC Bars and the TC Ceiling Medium microphone with beamforming technology and TruVoiceLift. Sennheiser technical experts will be on hand to offer practical advice, while partners including Q-SYS, NETGEAR, Lightware, Planar, and Audinate will participate in select locations to highlight seamless integration. Attendees may also earn up to 5.5 AVIXA CTS RU credits by engaging in qualifying sessions.

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Sony Electronics’ Professional Display Solutions group is once again embarking on an interactive technology road show across North America from September 2025 through March 2026. Attendees to the AV Tech Expo will be immersed in the company’s range of Pro AV offerings, including professional BRAVIA displays, the direct view Crystal LED display, AI-enabled PTZ cameras, and device provisioning and management solutions. They will also get a first-hand glimpse at upcoming technology, before it comes to market. Additionally, the company’s knowledgeable product experts will be available to answer questions and demonstrate the latest innovations for a number of professional verticals and applications.

You can catch the show here:

• New York, NY | Sept. 24-25, 2025
• Boston, MA | Oct. 21, 2025
• Los Angeles, CA | Oct. 28 & 29, 2025 
• Fort Lauderdale, FL| Nov. 12, 2025
• Chicagoland Area, IL | Jan. 14, 2026
• Plano, TX | Jan. 21, 2026 
• Toronto, ON | Feb. 2026
• San Diego, CA | Mar. 2026

Welcome to the Alliance

Join the Club

Stage Precision has joined the OpenAV Cloud. The OpenAV Cloud fosters interoperability through open APIs and shared protocols, ensuring that AV systems, tools and platforms can communicate seamlessly across brands, disciplines and geographies. By becoming part of the OpenAV Cloud community, Stage Precision is reinforcing its long-standing mission of delivering customers true freedom of choice, flexibility and system integration without lock-in.

Telos Alliance, Jünger Audio, and TVU Networks unveiled a new collaboration to integrate Telos Alliance’s portfolio of cloud‑enabled audio solutions directly into TVU Networks’ MediaMesh platform, delivering next‑generation audio capabilities for broadcasters and content creators worldwide. In today’s ever-evolving broadcast landscape, audience expectations are rising, and cloud production is quickly becoming the new standard. With the integration of the Telos Alliance and Jünger Audio audio-handling tools with MediaMesh, TVU Network’s clients will gain the direct ability to automate complex audio workflows, ensure consistent, high‑quality audio, and leverage AI to ease manual workloads.

Hitomi Broadcast joined the Grass Valley Alliance, delivering native MatchBox Software solutions for the AMPP ecosystem. This strategic partnership addresses one of broadcasters' primary concerns about migrating to software-based production: maintaining precise timing and synchronization throughout complex virtualized workflows.

The integration brings Hitomi's trusted timing measurement capabilities directly into AMPP environments through MatchBox Software Analyser, MatchBox Probe, and MatchBox Renderer applications. MatchBox Software solutions operate entirely within AMPP's virtualized infrastructure, enabling engineers to position timing measurement probes throughout their broadcast chain without signal conversion or external routing. This provides true end-to-end visibility, allowing broadcasters to monitor timing at multiple points from a centralized web interface whilst maintaining the same millisecond-accurate measurements that broadcast professionals rely on worldwide.

Another week in Pro AV brings yet another big acquisition. Yorktel, along with One Equity Partners, announced an agreement to combine with Kinly last Tuesday, Aug. 12. The two firms will merge into a workplace experience and collaboration provider with expanded reach. Be sure to check out our full coverage here.

Also, on August 13, 2025, 26North Partners LP announced the completion of the acquisition of a controlling stake in AVI-SPL from Marlin Equity Partners and other selling shareholders. Marlin and select shareholders will retain a minority interest in the company. Financial terms were not disclosed. The agreement was announced in June. We covered that news here and Cindy Davis of AV Technology interviewed CEO John Zettel in June when news of the coming acquisition broke.

Of course, that wasn't all. Get caught up on this past week's people movers and partnerships across the industry.

People News

D-Tools Appoints Utz Baldwin to Lead Data Solutions Initiative

 D-Tools has added industry veteran Utz Baldwin as its new head of data solutions. Baldwin brings a deep legacy of leadership and innovation in the connected home and smart building sectors. A former system integrator and long-time D-Tools user, Baldwin brings firsthand experience and deep industry insight, having previously served as Chairman and CEO of CEDIA, where he launched the organization’s first formal research department. Most recently, Baldwin was VP of innovation at Builder Homesite, where he developed data-driven solutions, connected top consumer brands with new home buyers, and led digital transformation initiatives that applied data and AI to enhance marketing, design, and sales strategies.

In his new role, Baldwin will lead market research and guide the evolution of the D-Tools Industry Information & Insights (I3) initiative. I3 provides actionable market intelligence, benchmarking, and analytics for the entire systems integration ecosystem, from integrators and buying groups to manufacturers and distributors. His experience at BDX directly aligns with D-Tools’ vision for delivering data solutions that power smarter business decisions.

Lectrosonics Appoints Nick Haring as Eastern U.S. Regional Sales and Technical Manager

Lectrosonics welcomed Nick Haring as Eastern U.S. regional sales and technical manager. Haring will play a vital role in Lectrosonics’ business across 20 states in the eastern region, representing Lectrosonics products to dealers, rep firms, systems integrators, as well as existing and future customers.

Haring comes to Lectrosonics with an extensive background in the pro audio, lighting, and MI industries. He held a variety of managerial roles at Guitar Center before joining Jetwave Wireless as director of sales, a boutique firm specializing in high-end deployment of production wireless technologies, including wireless microphones. Most recently, Haring has been a managing member at Red Label Productions, overseeing and participating in all activities of a sound, lighting, and event production company.

Planar Welcomes Additions to New York, Florida and Caribbean Sales Teams

Planar has welcomed Mark Aultman back to the company as regional account manager for Florida and the Caribbean and added Maura Fitzgerald as regional account manager for Metro New York. Aultman brings nearly a decade of experience with Planar, during which he successfully expanded the company’s LED and LCD footprint in the Southeast United States. His strong relationships with channel partners, end users and industry partners is instrumental in driving regional growth. With a proven track record and customer-first mindset, his return reinforces Planar’s commitment to delivering display solutions and local support.

Fitzgerald joins Planar with more than a decade of experience in account management, customer engagement, and channel sales. She most recently supported integrators across the New Jersey and New York City markets at ADI Global Distribution.

Her background in the Pro AV industry, leadership in AVIXA’s Women’s Council in New York City, and proven ability to develop strategic relationships will be a strong asset to Planar’s partners and customers in the Metro New York region.

Ron Cottaar and Jae O Choi Park Step into Mew Leadership Positions at PPDS

PPDS has updated its EMEA sales and global marketing management teams with the promotions of Jae O Choi Park and Ron Cottaar to lead the company’s amplified growth ambitions.

Park, who joined PPDS as European sales director in 2022, has been officially promoted to the newly created position of EMEA commercial head. Park, who has held the role on an interim basis since 2024, will now officially oversee all European sales and support activities. Since joining the company three years ago, he has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and resilience. Amid frequent changes, he has been a steady and reliable force, serving as a key pillar in PPDS’ commercial success and playing a vital role in driving growth in key markets and regions.

Supporting the bigger picture, Cottaar will now serve as head of global marketing, leading his teams around the world and devising new strategies to expand PPDS’ global presence and sharpen the PPDS brand and values on a local, regional, and international scale. Now in his seventh year at PPDS, his dedication and open-mindedness, as well as his vision to augment success with the strategic introduction of a global marketing platform, as well as AI and marketing automation, have played an instrumental role in the continued development of the organization, making him a key driver in its future achievement and an invaluable member of the senior leadership team.

Shure's Chris Schyvinck to Keynote 2025 Sustainability in AV (sAVe) Global Conference

Shure president and CEO Chris Schyvinck will be a keynote speaker at the 2025 SAVe Global Conference held in Los Angeles on September 24-25.

The global conference will feature a number of different speakers from around the world, providing diverse insights about how various organizations can approach sustainability.

Held at UCLA’s Luskin Conference Center, the conference will offer networking, workshops, and industry leaders to inspire the industry to do its part to meet growing sustainability responsibilities.

Schyvinck will provide a deeper look at Shure’s initiatives, including how the Company achieved its goal of using 90 percent recyclable and/or renewable packaging for new products by the end of 2025 – one year ahead of its timeline.

Company News

Dillinger Labs Appoints Tempesta Trading B.V. Benelux Region Distributor

Dillinger Labs has named Oisterwijk, Netherlands-based Tempesta Trading B.V. distributor for Europe’s Benelux Region (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).

Since its founding in 2009, Tempesta Trading B.V. has built strong relationships with customers throughout the Benelux region. Tempesta has consistently strengthened its position in the protective case market, without compromising its core values: integrity, product expertise, and a personal approach. What began as a small initiative quickly grew into a dynamic trading company with a passion for quality, sustainability, and customer focus.

Globo and Grass Valley Partner 

Grass Valley expanded its strategic partnership with Globo to transform Latin America’s media entity’s Prime-Time production infrastructure through adopting a software-defined approach.

Globo is deepening its collaboration with Grass Valley as part of a major initiative to modernize and future-proof its live production capabilities. The agreement marks a new phase in Globo’s long-term technology transformation program, centered on the deployment of Grass Valley AMPP (Agile Media Processing Platform) as the backbone of its future production operations.

Since 2022, Globo and Grass Valley have worked closely to deploy AMPP across Tier 3 content production environments, embracing a flexible, software-defined architecture. The success of this initiative laid the groundwork for this next chapter: a multi-phase migration of Globo’s primary production control rooms, including those used for marquee Prime-Time events, to a platform powered by the AMPP ecosystem.

INFiLED Opens Chicago Showroom

INFiLED has opened its newest showroom in Chicago, further expanding the company’s U.S. presence. Joining its existing LA Experience Center, the new Chicago Experience Center features LED displays for both fixed installation and rental/staging applications. The facility also features INFiLED's repair service center, and it will serve as a hub for hands-on, certified INFiLED technical training.

With the Chicago Experience Center, INFiLED’s goal is to give customers the opportunity to experience a real-time demonstration of corporate and live event possibilities. Strategically located in the Midwest, the Chicago showroom offers easy access from anywhere in the country and will provide local AV industry experts for project consulting and technical guidance support.

Products on show include INFiLED’s fixed mounted WV, WP, and WT series and a variety of hanging rental solutions powered by Green Hippo, along with its all-in-one corporate solution, OrionLED series, showcased in its meeting spaces.

RGB Spectrum and Wildfire Technology Integration Forge Strategic Partnership

RGB Spectrum and Wildfire Technology Integration, a nationwide AV integrator, have joined forces to deliver next-generation visualization and command solutions to public safety agencies around the globe. Together, the two companies are focused on enhancing real-time decision-making environments, combining RGB Spectrum’s high-reliability video display and KVM solutions with Wildfire Technology’s expert design, integration, and support services. The result is a seamless and scalable approach that equips operators, dispatchers, and field personnel with the visual intelligence they need—when and where they need it.

An immediate example of this partnership in action is the recent deployment at the Clovis Police Department (PD) in California. To meet the evolving demands of situational awareness, Clovis PD launched a new Real Time Information Center (RTIC), purpose-built to unify surveillance, dispatch, and field operations data into a single, flexible visualization environment.

Working in close collaboration with Wildfire Technology and RGB Spectrum, the Clovis team deployed a 14x 5.6-foot dvLED video wall with an ultra-fine 0.9mm pixel pitch, powered by the advanced Zio 4000 Series AV over IP processor. This robust system supports 16 HDMI inputs, 12 outputs, and up to 60 simultaneous IP video decodes, seamlessly aggregating real-time feeds from drones, license plate readers, traffic cameras, sensors, and the XtendPoint KVM matrix—all into a powerful, intuitive visual command interface.

Screen Innovations Launches Shade Innovation

Screen Innovations has expanded and rebranded its U.S. shade manufacturing operations in Austin, TX. Now operating under the name Shade Innovations, this strategic move marks a major milestone in SI’s growth and commitment to innovation.

The rebrand includes the launch of SI’s proprietary motor and control technologies, enhanced automation and production capabilities, and the introduction of The SI Way—a comprehensive initiative designed to make Shade Innovations the easiest, most reliable, and most trusted partner for dealers and customers alike.

Renaming SI’s shade and window coverings division to Shade Innovations sharpens the brand’s focus on window covering solutions. While Screen Innovations remains dedicated to projection screens, Shade Innovations represents the company’s shading and window covering services. Existing Screen Innovations dealers can continue purchasing shades under the Screen Innovations brand just as they always have.

SoundTube Names PSA as New Rep Firm for TOLA Region

SoundTube Entertainment appointed Professional Sales Agents (PSA) as its new manufacturer representative for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

PSA will represent SoundTube’s complete portfolio of commercial audio products, including Dante-enabled PoE speakers, in-ceiling and surface-mount models, outdoor and landscape systems, line arrays, and SolidDrive invisible sound transducers. Backed by patented technologies such as BroadBeam for consistent off-axis performance and installation tools like SpeedWing and BroadBeam Ring, SoundTube solutions are designed to streamline installations without compromising audio quality.

tvONE Launches Pixel Academy

tvONE has launched its Pixel Academy, a new center for AV training that blends professional AV technology with expert-led, hands-on instruction. From advanced signal processing to seamless video distribution and multi-window solutions, Pixel Academy is built to empower the next generation of AV innovators.

Strategically located at tvONE’s R&D Innovation Centre in Maidenhead, just 20 minutes from London Heathrow, Pixel Academy offers easy access for AV professionals across the UK and Europe. The training facility features the company’s latest high-performance solutions, including the award-winning CALICO PRO and CORIOmaster2 video processors, as well as a full array of LED displays in both traditional and creative formats.

The Freedman Group, parent company of audio brands including RØDE, Mackie, Aphex, SoundField, and Event Electronics, has acquired Lectrosonics, the U.S. manufacturer of professional wireless audio systems.

[Pro AV Newsmakers: Tariff Talk and, Yes, More Acquisitions]

Founded in 1971 and headquartered in New Mexico, Lectrosonics has been at the forefront of UHF wireless audio technology for film, broadcast, and high-end theater applications for over five decades.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lectrosonics to The Freedman Group family," said Peter Freedman AM, founder and owner of The Freedman Group. "For decades, Lectrosonics has been synonymous with the highest possible performance along with unmatched reliability and innovation in professional wireless audio. Their uncompromising commitment to quality perfectly aligns with our own values and strengthens our position as a global leader in professional audio solutions."

While financial terms remain undisclosed, the deal encompasses the company's brand, complete intellectual property portfolio, factory buildings in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and a comprehensive array of production machinery and equipment. The Freedman Group has confirmed that Lectrosonics will continue to operate from its existing facilities in New Mexico, with the current management team remaining in place to ensure continuity and preserve the brand's unique identity and customer relationships. The transaction was brokered by PwC's M&A team, led by Troy Porter and James Hocking, on behalf of The Freedman Group. Mediabridge Capital Advisors served as M&A advisors to Lectrosonics.

"Joining The Freedman Group represents an exciting new chapter for Lectrosonics," said Wes Herron, president of Lectrosonics. "With its global reach and shared passion for audio excellence and in-house manufacturing, we look forward to accelerating product development and expanding our market presence while maintaining the quality and reliability our customers expect."

With complementary technologies and shared values at their core, the addition of Lectrosonics to The Freedman Group strengthens the Group’s global portfolio, offering new opportunities for growth, innovation, and manufacturing diversity across its Australian headquarters and U.S. operations.

Well, March opened without a major Pro AV acquisition, a rarity thus far in 2025. There were still six more personnel moves and a bevy of partnerships which highlighted the week that was.

The big news if the week was that QSC's Joe Pham announced his retirement. AV Technology's Cindy Davis broke the news and had an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with the CEO. Here's what he had to say about his retirement and the future of both QSC and Pro AV.

Now, get caught up with what you may have missed below.

People News

Adamson Strengthens Its UK Presence

Adamson System Engineering appointed Vince Borrelli as business development manager for the U,K. and Ireland, bringing with him many years of experience, gained within the professional loudspeaker manufacturing market.

“This is the first hire for Adamson in the development of a much broader UK strategy and it’s just the beginning,” said Adamson’s EMEA sales director, Jasper Ravesteijn. “This appointment marks an exciting milestone as we continue to strengthen our capabilities and deliver exceptional value to new and existing clients in the UK. With Vince’s expertise, we can explore new opportunities, enhance our services and further grow our presence in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”

Cleerline Appoints Terry Trutt

The Cleerline Technology Group appointed Terry Trutt as marketing specialist. Trutt brings proven expertise in marketing and project management, having developed successful campaigns on behalf of high-profile brands such as the NFL, Sony Peacock, and others. Trutt also has experience in graphic design, creative strategy, and marketing data analytics, able to provide insights into customer metrics to ensure that advertising strategies are properly focused and effective.

“I am excited to have Terry join the team as Marketing Specialist, supporting Cleerline’s position as an innovator and best-in-class solutions provider in Fiber Optic connectivity,” explained Rick Sant, managing partner at Cleerline Technology. “I am confident that Terry will help us establish high-impact marketing campaigns, branding materials, product photography, and other peripherals, enhancing Cleerline’s overall visibility and messaging initiatives.”

Darrin Young Joins dBTechnologies USA as Director of Sales

Darrin Young, known in the pro audio industry as B-SIDE, has joined the dBTechnologies USA as the new director of sales for North America. Young brings a wealth of expertise and a fresh perspective to his new role, with a proven track record in sales, marketing, training, and driving strategic market growth.

His professional career in the pro audio industry began in 1999 with Stanton Magnetics, where he played a key role in the company’s growth into the Stanton Group—a portfolio that includes brands like Cerwin-Vega, KRK Systems, and Stanton DJ. He has worked with Gibson's Pro Audio Division and rose through the ranks at DAS Audio of America, to VP of sales and marketing. His ability to turn market insights into effective product development initiatives played a significant role in DAS Audio’s growth in the U.S.

Lectrosonics Appoints Jonathan von Rentzell as Central U.S. Regional Sales and Technical Manager

Lectrosonics has hired Jonathan von Rentzell as Central U.S. regional sales and technical manager. Von Rentzell plays a vital role in Lectrosonics’ business across 19 states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indianna, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.

His position at Lectrosonics draws on two equally important qualities: His astute eye for sales and business opportunities and his understanding of the theory, technology, and operation of wireless audio. Hence, his activities include presenting Lectrosonics products to rep firms, dealers, and systems integrators, as well as existing and potential customers.

Von Rentzell comes to Lectrosonics from an extensive background in the pro audio and musical instrument industry. Beginning with a fine arts education, he helped record such notable artists as singer Jennifer Hudson at staple Chicago studios like Pressure Point and Urban Recording. A stint as sales and training manager at a Guitar Center store led to brand opportunities, including managerial sales positions with microphone manufacturers BLUE and Aston. Recently, was also the sole U.S. representative for Dotterel Technologies, a company specializing in isolation mics designed to capture sound in high-noise applications such as drone-mounting.

Listen Technologies Promotes Kasey Kaumans to Market Development Manager

Listen Technologies has promoted Kasey Kaumans to market development manager. In this new role, Kaumans continues to foster Listen Technologies’ partnerships with the consultant and end-user communities and identifies growth opportunities for Listen Technologies in adjacent markets.

Kaumans has spent his entire career at Listen Technologies. Most recently, he was regional sales manager for the East Coast. Kaumans has developed strong customer and partner relationships and helped establish Listen Technologies as the leading provider of assistive listening and communication solutions in several vertical markets.

Kaumans is an ardent champion of accessibility who is passionate about helping customers provide exceptional audio experiences to all end-users. Kaumans identifies trends and anticipates the needs of hard of hearing individuals and anyone who might find it difficult to hear and understand in public spaces. As market development manager, he collaborates with product management to ensure Listen Technologies’ solutions are aligned to customer needs.

tvONE Expands Sales Team with Key Appointments in the U.S. and Europe

tvONE appointed Michael Huth as Southeast regional sales manager in the United States and Oli Fritz as regional sales manager for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).

Huth’s appointment comes after Jonathan Begleiter, former Southeast regional sales manager, was promoted to the director of sales (NCSA) position earlier this year. He brings extensive experience from the projector, display, and dvLED industry, having worked with manufacturers such as Panasonic, Vanguard LED, Salitek, and MAXHUB. His background also includes hands-on expertise as a technical video specialist with the Walt Disney World Company and in the rental and staging Industry.

Fritz joins tvONE with a wealth of knowledge in the AV industry, previously serving as a sales manager at BOSCH, where he was responsible for a range of products, including congress and conference systems. He has also worked with Exertis AV, one of tvONE’s key distribution partners, gaining deep insight into the AV distribution landscape.

Company News

ADI | Snap One Delivers an 'Even Better Together' Expo Program in 2025,

The 30^th annual ADI Expo will begin March 13 in Anaheim, CA, under the banner “Even Better Together,” to debut its combined business offerings as one of the industry’s longest running one-day networking, sales, and training program. From Anaheim, the Expo will travel to Toronto on March 18 and then to 26 other North American cities before concluding in November.

The ADI Expo program provides participating suppliers with an opportunity to engage directly with dealer and integrator customers from across North America and showcase their latest product offerings. Each market has been strategically selected to maximize customer attendance, ensuring the best chance to connect with key decision-makers.

ADI | Snap One provides educational seminars and CEU credits (where applicable) at each Expo, equipping customers with the technical and business expertise they need to succeed. This also allows suppliers to position themselves as thought leaders and influencers in the industry. Additionally, dealers can meet with more suppliers, learn about more brands and products available in the expanded portfolio of solutions, and have an opportunity to profit from the one-day sales and learn from the training opportunities being offered.

The 2025 “Even Better Together” ADI Expo program will kick off with more than 50 Preferred Partner Suppliers who will receive premium logo placement on all ADI Expo event materials, program registration pages, printed flyers and digital signage. Additional suppliers will be participating in individual event locations.

AtlasIED Joins Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group as Vendor Partner

AtlasIED has joined Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group. This membership allows commercial AV and security integrators who are part of Ellipsys, access to AtlasIED’s breadth of audio and security technology solutions, training, and focused service.

Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group is a systems integrator network inside of Nationwide Marketing Group. Ellipsys provides an ecosystem for commercial systems integrators to grow their business. Ellipsys connects their members to industry-leading education, technology partners, and service partners, promoting collaboration, process improvement, and relationships. They also provide members access to a suite of business services to help expand and scale their businesses.

Broadsign and Scope3 Partner to Advance Carbon Measurement in DOOH Advertising

Broadsign and Scope3 announced a partnership that sets the stage for more accurate, comprehensive carbon modeling of digital-out-of-home (DOOH) campaigns. As more brands seek to limit carbon emissions across their businesses, including marketing, the two companies have teamed up to expand the depth and precision of available DOOH emissions data.

As a result of the collaboration thus far, agencies and brands leveraging Scope3’s carbon measurement platform can now access DOOH property and format emissions data for over 1 million screens globally when planning DOOH and omnichannel campaigns. Available insights include average CO2e per impression for DOOH screens by country and venue category.

Scope3 users can view this data alongside similar insights from web, mobile, social, CTV, and other channels for more seamless carbon-conscious media planning and reporting. While DOOH is proven to augment omnichannel campaign performance, the data now available on Scope3’s platform also demonstrates its carbon efficiency on a per impression basis, reaffirming previous studies that illustrate the medium’s carbon-efficiency advantage over other channels.

Draper Strengthens Distribution Alliance with Exertis Almo

Exertis Almo announced that Draper has taken steps to amplify the distribution partnership. The expanded alliance offers key benefits to Exertis Almo integrators, including the sourcing of Draper’s full Pro AV portfolio of standard and custom mounts and structures for LED and LCD video wall applications, as well as the complete offering of projection screens and projector lifts.

Additional Exertis Almo integrator advantages include streamlined procurement and reduced lead times, resulting in faster deployment, as well as the ability for integrators to offer high-end, tailored AV solutions for corporate, education, entertainment, and other high-profile markets.

Follow-Me Adds ULA Group as Sales Partner in Australia and New Zealand

Follow-Me announced a new partnership with ULA Group in Australia and New Zealand. The new partnership expands access to Follow-Me’s performer tracking technology across the region. With ULA Group’s vast industry expertise and comprehensive service and support, paired with Follow-Me’s automated follow-spot solutions, the collaboration promises to deliver innovative and highly customizable lighting and tracking systems for major entertainment and production projects.

Follow-Me’s performer tracking solutions provide accurate positional data for multi-target, multi-fixture follow-spots, as well as for immersive audio systems and video content mapping, resulting in more dynamic, immersive, and responsive lighting and audio environments. ULA’s teams provide technical support through all stages of the process, from technology selection and customization, through to supply, installation and commissioning, as well as providing preventative maintenance programs and regular servicing tailored specifically for each project.

G&D Achieves DoDIN Certification for KVM-over-IP Matrix Systems

Guntermann & Drunck's KVM-over-IP matrix systems have successfully met the requirements for DoDIN certification (Department of Defense Information Network). This recognition by the U.S. Department of Defense underscores G&D’s strong commitment to the highest security and compliance standards in safety-critical IT infrastructures. These certified products are now listed on the APL (Approved Products List).

[The Integration Guide to KVM 2025]

The DoDIN certification is a necessary requirement for companies working with the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies. It validates that G&D’s KVM-over-IP matrix systems meet the strict cybersecurity, network integrity, and operational security requirements to ensure maximum protection of sensitive data. This certification ensures that G&D’s solutions comply with the guidelines and regulations for use in highly security-critical environments.

The certification strengthens customer trust by ensuring that G&D’s certified solutions significantly reduce cyberattack risks and data loss. It also guarantees compliance with top security standards, streamlining regulatory processes. Additionally, the solutions offer high robustness and performance, excelling in demanding, security-critical environments while ensuring seamless integration into government and defense IT infrastructures.

Glensound Joins Avnu Alliance

Glensound has joined the Avnu Alliance as a Milan Associate member, reinforcing its commitment to networked audio innovation. This move aligns Glensound with Milan, an advanced interoperability protocol built on Audio Video Bridging (AVB), ensuring precise, reliable, and deterministic media transport over Ethernet.

An increasing number of client requests to use the company's products as part of a larger network drove the decision to join the Alliance. Glensound already offers products with Dante and RAVENNA connectivity, demonstrating its expertise in networked audio protocols and its commitment to compliance across industry standards.

Milan has been widely adopted in live sound and touring markets, offering a robust and user-friendly solution that eliminates complex switch configurations while ensuring high-priority audio signals remain unaffected by network traffic. This reliability is critical for large-scale live events such as concerns and festivals, where traditional Ethernet solutions may pose risks.

Technology West Group Expands Operations into Saudi Arabia

echnology West Group has expanded into Saudi Arabia, a move designed to support the Kingdom’s ambitions in the technology and systems integration sector. In a collaboration, H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, together with his senior advisors, Abdelkader Abbas and Saud Ali Hassan Al-Nafaie, have partnered with TWG to drive forward Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a global technology and innovation hub.

Recognizing Technology West Group’s solutions, H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz expressed confidence in the company’s ability to advance the Kingdom’s evolving technological landscape to align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

WG’s vision for Saudi Arabia centers on supporting the Kingdom’s transformation by delivering customized audiovisual solutions, integrating the latest technological innovations, ensuring seamless coordination between construction and operational intent, and ultimately contributing to a vibrant and sustainable society. This vision aligns closely with the objectives of Vision 2030, as the company works to create immersive environments that enrich the experiences of both citizens and visitors.

The Royal Theatre and its sibling the McPherson Playhouse on Vancouver Island host everything from symphony concerts to plays and Broadway tours. While steeped in history dating back to 1913, their wireless audio technology is the very latest, built around Lectrosonics’ D Squared family of digital wireless. 

Serving all sizes of theater companies, musical ensembles, and even full orchestras, the current complement includes six DSQD four-channel wideband receivers, 24 DBu transmitters, four DHu handheld wireless microphones, four DPR-A Plug-on transmitters, and two ultra-compact SSM transmitters featuring Lectrosonics’ time-tested Digital Hybrid radios.

Per technical director Warren Busby, the theaters are no strangers to Lectrosonics, having used the its solutions since 2004. In fact, Busbty believes they were the first theater in Canada to deploy the Venue system. 

[Behind the Scenes of 'Renoir: A Luminous Evolution']

“Colin Bernard, Lectrosonics’ director of operations in Canada, was looking to increase presence in the theater market. We bought a Venue receiver rack, six belt packs, plug-on transmitters, a whole system for the Royal, which is the larger of our two facilities at 1,416 seats. In 2017, a Venue 2 system was added at the Royal with 6 HHa transmitters and 6 SMQV transmitters to compliment the original Venue system. All of the theatres’ wireless has been supplied by Pacific Audio Works, a longtime Vancouver Island audio production company. In about 2018, we wanted to upgrade the smaller McPherson Playhouse, as it’s home to the majority of the live theatre events, with 772 seats.”

Here, Lectrosonics’ then-nascent D Squared digital wireless proved a good fit for Canada’s changing radio frequency landscape. “The D Squared system was brand spanking new at the time. One of its main benefits was that you could achieve more usable channels within a given range of RF spectrum, while needing less bandwidth of separation between those channels. This aligned with how Industry Canada was selling off a lot of the spectrum, some of which our competitors were using for their wireless. So, we demo’ed a system quickly, and wound up going with four of the DSQD receivers, for a total of 16 channels.”

The transmitter side of the equation is (almost) all digital as well, as Busby details: “We bought 16 of the DBu belt packs, which are used in a number of other theatres, plus four DHu handheld mics. There are also a couple of the tiny SSM transmitters, which are Digital Hybrid, but the DSQD can receive in hybrid mode just fine, so we have these for when an actor requires the smallest and lightest pack possible. We were able to use the entire system exactly one time before the world shut down with Covid. When we got back up and running, we added eight more channels, so now it’s a 24-channel system.”

Frequency coordination at the McPherson has two, sometimes opposing, challenges: The potentially large channel count in a relatively compact space, and a rotating roster of companies and performers. Gordon Heal, who is Busby’s head of audio and assistant technical director, handles both with Wireless Designer software. “Wireless Designer is great for integrating equipment with ours, because via the receivers it will find every frequency in play and quickly set up a plot," he said. "For troupes that do a residency, leave, then return, we can save files of all their frequencies and update them online. As for external interference, there are some areas we stay away from, but the spectrum in Victoria is nowhere near as crowded as, say, downtown Toronto. Once in a great while, we might change some frequencies at intermission because something shows up that wasn’t there before. But again, Wireless Designer makes that easy to do right from the booth.” 

[Pro AV 2025: What's Trendy?]

The degree of agility offered by the wideband receivers paired with Wireless Designer means that the Royal and McPherson can host any type or size of performance. Busby reflected on the challenges of dealing with a community theater company that is in need of wireless or where some actors might come in with their own gear. “Our role is to do our job while also gently educating, and the Lectrosonics system certainly makes that easier," he said. "On the other hand, for the 2024 holiday season we had the Victoria Symphony performing the soundtrack to Home Alone while the movie was being screened onstage. We simply put packs on the concertmaster and other key players, and we knew that we’d not only have great sound quality, but someone can step forward to perform a solo without affecting what the audience hears.”

Finally, Busby cited Lectrosonics’ personalized customer service as invaluable to keeping his ever-evolving world of live theatre running smoothly. “I have to say Colin Bernard was rather prescient,” he recalled. “Back in 2004 when he was configuring our first Venue system, I asked him, ‘Why are you putting us in the high 400s and low 500s?’ He said, ‘So it won’t become a thing later on.’ Wireless in Canada was mainly in the 700s and 800s at the time, and sure enough, they started auctioning off that higher spectrum, but we were okay. We’ve found that level of attentiveness to be the rule, not the exception.”

After becoming bored with the retail industry, where he had worked for 13 years, and needing more of a challenge, Gordon Moore's redirection to the AV industry was more a stroke of luck than anything else. The feeling of needing a change pushed him to start a small computer business. However, he quickly saw the writing on the wall: This would soon become a commodity purchased at local retailers like Walmart, so it would not be the long-term path he wanted.

[SCN Hall of Fame 2025: Gordon Dutch]

“I opened up the paper one Saturday morning, and there was an ad for a sales position at Lectrosonics,” Moore recalled. “I had no idea who they were or what they did, but it said it was about audio.”

When Moore was in college, he was known as an audio savant, so he thought, why not? Seeing that ad in the paper led to a 35-year career with Lectrosonics, a leader in wireless microphone and audio processing for mission-critical applications. He served as president from 2015 until his retirement in 2024, but fondly remembers where he started with them: cold-calling people and getting reactions like "Who is Lectrosonics?"

“We were pretty unknown in the business at that time,” he said. “We had a lot of groundwork to lay in those early years.”

Eventually, Lectrosonics was picked up by a few major TV stations in Chicago, including WGN, and things really took off. “We were selling maybe five or 10 wireless channels a week at that time—and within a year, we were selling 250 a month,” he added. “We grew like crazy in the 80s and 90s.”

One of the company's biggest moments of growth came from a surprising endorsement from acting legend Angela Lansbury after she fell in love with its wireless microphones on a commercial shoot. She then insisted that her prime-time series, Murder, She Wrote, switch to Lectrosonics, which contributed to their growth. “That was an influencer before the word existed,” he said.

When asked what career moment he is most proud of, Moore pivoted to his time as an educator. In 1991, he attended InfoComm and was taken aback by the quality and level of instruction in the various seminars he attended. He ran into Fred Dixon, who was in charge of the education committee at the time, and was open with him about his disappointment surrounding the sessions.

His co-worker, who was attending with him, said that Moore could do a better job, and two weeks later, he got a call to start teaching with AVIXA. He would later become the chairman of the Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC) and was awarded the Fred Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award for Education in 2019. He loved that his work in education allowed him to interact with so many different people within the industry, and he said he was fortunate that Lectrosonics allowed him to take such a significant role in that space.

[SCN Hall of Fame 2025: Edgar Shane]

Even though he is retired, Moore currently serves as board chairman for Lectrosonics and, apart from that, helps his local church with its AV and technology needs, keeping him engaged in the industry. But as he reflects on his career, he can’t stress enough the importance of education, encouraging everyone to pursue their CTS certifications through AVIXA and not to be afraid to get involved.

“Don't just sit back and wait for the boss to say, 'I need somebody to troubleshoot this.’ Learn how to troubleshoot things and become the troubleshooter,” he added.

Renkus-Heinz strengthened its production and engineering departments. Lectrosonics has a new chairman. ASG launches its AI practice. There was a lot that has gone down in Pro AV. Here are some of the people moves and partnerships you may have missed. 

[The Road to InfoComm 2024: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go]

People News

Advanced Systems Group Launches “AI and Advanced Analytics” Practice

Advanced Systems Group has launched its “AI and Advanced Analytics” practice, allowing for delivery of complete AI solutions. The AI team will focus on how the latest developments in AI can optimize and grow client operations.

Leading the sales team for the AI and Advanced Analytics team is Tyler Berry who serves as director of sales, AI and Advanced Analytics. Among the AI practitioners on Berry’s team are technologist Tom Leinberger, who serves as AI technology lead. Leinberger has over 20 years experience designing and configuring AI solutions for a range of applications and industries. He’s led numerous projects, including using AI to automate wafer (integrated circuit) defect detection in manufacturing. An accomplished author, Leinberger has written countless expert articles including for technology provider CDW, BizTech magazine, and FinTech magazine. He’s also been a featured speaker at Quant Strat and several other AI industry-specific events.

In-house ASG experts will partner alongside strategic advisors from Augmented AI, a strategic AI advisory and solutions provider with a long history of experience in AI and machine learning. Augmented AI is an essential part of ASG’s AI and Advanced Analytics practice for industries including healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, security, hospitality, energy, retail, and financial sectors, as well as the media and entertainment industry.

Augmented AI brings a wealth of experience leading AI-powered digital transformations for global enterprises. They’ve partnered with major technology providers such as NVIDIA, enabling high-powered compute and AI infrastructure necessary to build AI products and solutions. Lingam served as Chief Data Officer and Chief Data and AI Officer for Fortune 500 companies. He’s also a published author, featured speaker at AI conferences, and board member for AI and Business Analytics at McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin.

Renkus-Heinz Strengthens Production and Engineering Departments with Two New Hires

Renkus-Heinz continues to build both production and engineering departments with the addition of two new team members: Joe Kaveney assumes the role of industrial engineering manager and Andrew Gizara joins as electrical engineer. 

Kaveney will be working closely with VP operations Jim Mobley to optimize the production process while Gizara will be working with engineering manager Chad DeFranco in product design and development.

Kaveney brings a wealth of engineering expertise to his new role. His diverse career spans from earning a U.S. patent in the solar industry to implementing approved processes in the aerospace sector. 

Gizara is an inventor with an impressive portfolio of over twenty U.S. and foreign patents whose distinguished career spans decades in the fields of scientific instrumentation, AI, computers, networking/telephony, chips, and aerospace. The move to Renkus-Heinz marks Gizara’s return to his first passion—audio electronics, where his fascination began in his early teens through experimenting with and building loudspeakers, amplifiers, mixers and music synthesizers. 

Lectrosonics Appoints Gordon Moore as Chairman of the Board

Lectrosonics has appointed Gordon Moore as chairman of the Board of Directors. He retired as president of Lectrosonics in September 2024, after a 35-year career with the company.

He has been active in the audio and AV industries since joining Lectrosonics in 1988. In 1991, he became an instructor for the ICIA (International Communications Industries Association) Academy, teaching audio systems design, theory, and troubleshooting. In 2000, he was voted Educator of the Year by the INFOCOMM Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC) and in 2015, he was named chairman of that committee. That same year, Moore was appointed as president at Lectrosonics, after serving as VP of sales and service. He is presently very active in local professional and civic groups, including the Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce, who recently named him Member of the Month, and their mentoring arm, Leadership Sandoval, as well as his church, Rio Rancho United Methodist, where he serves as chairman of Technical Ministries.

Production Manager Dee Potter Marks 50th Year with Celestion During Its Centennial Year

As Celestion celebrates the company’s 100th anniversary in 2024, it shines a spotlight on its longest-serving employee, production manager Dee Potter. With an illustrious 50-year career, Potter’s journey embodies the essence of perseverance and dedication in a continually evolving industry.
 
Potter’s start with Celestion dates back to 1974 when, at the age of 16, she joined her mother on the company’s production line. In those days, Celestion was housed in an old building and conditions were less than ideal. “The roof leaked, and then the drains would leak,” says Potter. “If we had torrential rain, we would get wet from the top and from the bottom. The floors were soaked. It wasn't a very glamorous place to work. At the time, we thought it was hilarious.”
 
Yet she persevered, and what started as a job quickly transformed into a passion, particularly as Celestion transitioned from home hi-fi systems to guitar cabinet transducers and pro audio PA systems—what she affectionately calls “big power.”
 
Potter’s journey within Celestion mirrors the company’s evolution over the decades. Rising through the ranks, she assumed roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately becoming a pivotal figure in Celestion’s success story.
 
On the eve of her retirement from Celestion, looking back, Potter says she wouldn’t change a thing. “I’ve only ever looked back with fondness,” she says. “I’ve had no bad experiences. I’ve probably made some bad decisions at some stage, but we all have. I honestly don’t think I would change anything because I think that's made me, me.”

Visual Sound Hires New Director of Technical Operations

Visual Sound welcomed Daniel McKenzie CTS, DMC-D4K, as director of technical operations. McKenzie will be based out of the company’s headquarter location in Broomall, PA and will serve as the technical operations lead for Visual Sound’s three business units and industry-specific solutions teams. McKenzie is an engineer leader with over 25 years of Pro AV industry experience and has a proven track record of managing projects from conception to completion, and beyond.

Before joining Visual Sound, he was the director of engineering for IMS Technology and brings key industry experience and a wealth of knowledge designing, implementing, and managing audiovisual solutions. Prior to his tenure at IMS, McKenzie began as a senior installation technician and was promoted to field engineer for Judge Audio Visual.

Danny Clarke Joins the International Team at IAG

Danny Clarke has joined the Pro team as regional sales manager at International Audio Group. With over 25 years of Pro Audio business experience, Clarke is a familiar and respected face in the industry and brings a wealth of experience to IAG and the group's portfolio of professional brands. He will be working closely with Nick Williams, global sales director, to support current Wharfedale Pro business partners and to develop new market opportunities.

Company News

Check out LG’s New Business Innovation Center

LG Business Solutions USA has opened its latest Business Innovation Center (BIC), a 3,600-square-foot showroom at LG Electronics’ North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

The new center provides resellers, partners, and customers with a one-stop technology showcase that demonstrates LG’s full portfolio of innovative commercial technologies and wide-ranging business solutions. This newest location joins LG Business Innovation Centers in Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

According to David Bacher, head of marketing at LG Business Solutions USA, the latest LG BIC assists business-to-business (B2B) partners and customers as they research and plan for the future of their workspaces, customer environments and commercial establishments.

Designed as a walk-through experience, BIC visitors are welcomed by LG’s full line of CLOi autonomous mobile robots including CarryBot, GuideBot and ServeBot, alongside an impressive wall-sized LG DVLED (direct-view light-emitting diode) display.

The new BIC is a centerpiece of the LG North American Headquarters Innovation Campus, which is a showcase for environmentally friendly design, having achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest-level rating that distinguishes buildings that promote employee well-being, are energy and water efficient, and preserve open space and ecosystems. The campus is one of only 10 new construction buildings in New Jersey to earn the LEED Platinum distinction.

PPDS Certifies Appspace 'Work Management' Platform' for Philips Android SoC Digital Signage Displays

Appspace has been certified as an official PPDS Wave ProStore premium application, making it even easier to deploy the workplace management and experience platform with Philips Android SoC displays, including the Philips Signage 3000 Series (Q-Line), Philips Signage 4000 Series (D-Line), and the Philips Interactive (T-Line).

[The Digital Signage Best Practices Guide]

Features at a glance:

• Digital signage: Get information across on workplace displays, allowing visitors and staff to interact.
• Space reservation: Help everyone find and reserve rooms, desks, and more at your office locations.
• Intranet: Unite everything employees need for work in a single hub, personalized to every worker.
• Employee app: Reach frontline and on site teams with a mobile experience that goes everywhere.

MSolutions Ignites North American Presence Through Symco 

MSolutions has established a channel partnership in North America with Symco acting as its regional manufacturer’s representative. The partnership will offer a substantial boost to MSolutions’ brand visibility and product availability in the Eastern United States from West Virginia north through New England, while accelerating delivery times and adding key support services through the region. 

MSolutions has gradually developed a global presence over the past eight years, strengthened through distribution channels and technical support teams in Europe, U.K., Australia, Japan and parts of the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. MSolutions has taken a more grassroots approach in North America, mainly leveraging in-house resources and general business relationships to bring its product line and its benefits to installers and field technicians. 

Symco’s full-service operation adds sales, marketing, and business development resources through the entire region that will quickly build on MSolutions’ accomplishments to date. Additionally, Symco’s in-house engineering resources bring systems design experience and technical support skills to the integrators and end users that install, use and maintain AV and IT systems. And while MSolutions offers a broad range of technology across diverse AV environments, Symco has a secret weapon in the MSolutions line that is a clear differentiator from other companies: A well-established handheld, modular test device that place the power of on-site verification, troubleshooting, and problem-resolution directly in the palms of the installer.

Blaze Audio Selects the Henderson Company for Representation

Blaze Audio has appointed the Henderson Company as the company’s new sales representation firm throughout the U.S. Northeast region, including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and upstate New York. With the addition of the Henderson Company, Blaze Audio solidifies its presence throughout this all-important territory. The company joined Blaze Audio in November 2023.

Among the Henderson Company’s key attributes is its strength to identify the most viable sales network for a vendor’s products, maintain a consistent, smooth flow of sales, and facilitate a constant, accessible stream of communication between all parties. With its company headquarters located in Harvard, MA, the Henderson Company is well positioned for the various product training / demonstration sessions and related functions essential to successful professional audio sales.

Sales director John Beaudette and operations director Jon Dusoe are the two principles of the Henderson Company. Beaudette joined the company in 2014 as the administrative manager and quickly moved into outside sales—bringing in new clients while offering exceptional customer service. Dusoe, joining in 2015, totes his experience as sales and training manager of three Guitar Center locations, in addition to playing as part of the Boston and touring casts of the internationally renowned theater company Blue Man Group. Together, they bring a rich combination of knowledge and experience to the Henderson Company.

Symetrix and WyreStorm Launch Xyte-Powered E-Commerce Stores

 Xyte announced that two of its audiovisual customers, Symetrix and WyreStorm, are launching e-commerce stores built on Xyte Device Cloud (XDC). Through their respective e-commerce stores, Symetrix and WyreStorm make it easier and more cost-effective for channel partners and end users to unlock new features for existing devices.

Through WyreStorm’s new e-commerce store, its customers can access SSH tunneling, the latest capability launched by Xyte. SSH tunneling allows OEMs and channel partners to manage connected devices in secure fashion via end users’ on-premises device web interfaces. By establishing this XDC-powered e-commerce store to offer secure remote connections, WyreStorm is now able to support its value chain partners’ preferred methods of work. 

Adamson Nears Completion of$4M Electronics Expansion

Adamson is nearing completion of its new electronics production facility. The all-new Fuji high speed PCB assembly line can place 188,000 components per hour, with extreme repeatable accuracy, backed by three levels of Automated Optical Inspection. The 16,500-square-foot footprint has in-floor heating, leading-edge lighting and air handling.

This investment is crucial in both expanding production capacity to meet the demand for the new VGt flagship powered loudspeakers and the aggressive pursuit of the highest-tech audio manufacturing.

Fuji production equipment is the essence of Industry 4.0, with complete connectivity from design and prototype, through New Product Introduction (NPI) and following with complete integration into ERP. production flexibility, predictive maintenance and automatic changeovers are the essence of the smart factory.

Lectrosonics has released its Wireless Designer Software V2.1 package for both Mac and PC. The new version is available to download and includes several new feature additions as well as a simplified update process for the software itself.

“These new features available in Wireless Designer V2.1 offer powerful upgrades for the users of Lectrosonics wireless systems,” explained Karl Winkler, EVP of product design and distribution. “We’re excited to continue to be able to expand the useability and utility of this software with the debut of Wireless Designer 2.1, in ways that can help in many different applications including live sound, house of worship, reality TV production, broadcast, and sports coverage, among many others.”

[NAB 2024: 5 Booths That Caught Our Eye on the Show Floor]

Recent updates to the Lectrosonics DCR822, DSR, and DSR4 portable digital multi-channel receivers allow users to create, edit, and share Tuning Groups with named entries. The new Wireless Designer V2.1 now offers the ability create, import, edit, save, and export these Tuning Groups, thus allowing users a much more rapid workflow when adding and updating these tuning groups to their Lectrosonics portable receiver ecosystem.

FlexLists have long been a powerful feature in the Lectrosonics Duet digital IEM system, allowing users to create and share lists within and between the M2R and M2Ra receiver packs of monitor or IFB feeds on a stage or in a studio. Wireless Designer V2.1 now can create, import, edit, save, and export these FlexLists. Users should find that this vastly accelerates their setup time and shortens the turnaround time for any edits.

Both FlexLists and Tuning Groups can be created, edited, and saved in offline mode, giving users the ability to prepare these lists in advance. Then once connected, the lists can be deployed to the system hardware via network or USB, and then shared via IR (infrared) or microSD card with body worn units. 

[5 Sentiments from NAB Show 2024]

As users have asked for the ability to drag and drop frames (receivers or transmitters) within the session system stack in the tree view, the new Wireless Designer V2.1 adds this feature and allows the quick and easy re-ordering of the channels within a system and how they are displayed on screen.

Wireless Designer V2.1 also adds the ability to import and export scan files in .CSV format, thus making Wireless Designer more widely compatible with RF spectrum scanners and other frequency management software packages.

There were a lot of moves in the Pro AV world recently. Here are a few to get you caught up on all the newsmakers. 

One of the bigger stories you may have missed was named Takabumi Asahi new CEO of Christie. You can read SCN's coverage here. 

People News

d&b group Appoints Melanie Stegemann as VP of Brand and Corporate Communications

d&b group appointed Melanie Stegemann as its new VP of brand and corporate communications. With more than 15 years of experience in brand, public relations and marketing roles, she will play a key role in d&b’s management team, ensuring the group’s brand vision comes to life through engaging messaging and creative content across all channels, both internally and externally.

At d&b group, Stegemann will head up a diverse team of brand and communications experts and will focus on building a collaborative environment that drives company success. Her role will include a broad range of responsibilities, from brand positioning and communication leadership to content production, thought leadership activities and supporting the strategic decision-making process.

Before joining d&b, Stegemann spent nine years in various senior brand roles at Zumtobel Group, a leading international lighting business, including her most recent position as head of brand marketing Zumtobel. She has also served as Head of PR for Zumtobel Group’s technology brand Tridonic and as PR and marketing manager for Metro Group. 

AVPro Global Appoints New COO and VP, North American Residential Sales

AVPro Global has been busy of late. The company closed out March by appointing Mike “Sparky” Detmer as chief operating officer. Detmer will lead and scale AVPro’s growth and global business go-to-market teams, including sales, marketing, customer service, training, technical support, and new business acquisition and development. Detmer brings extensive management experience from benchmark audiovisual (AV) and specialty coatings organizations including Akzo Nobel, Harman International, and Nortek.

Detmer, who first joined AVPro Global as a consultant in 2023, is an industry veteran with over four decades of experience in the audio/video (AV) industry managing commercial results, working with, or providing consulting services for premium AV brands such as Definitive Technology, Elan, Infinity Systems, Niles Audio, Krell Industries, Polk Audio, Russound, SpeakerCraft, Stax, and Xantech. 

The company also appointed Chris Kane as VP of North American (NA) Residential Sales. Kane will report to Detmer and oversee NA business development initiatives including streamlining sales processes by unifying the AVPro brand portfolio under one experienced manager. Kane, a known and trusted manager in the NA residential market, brings a wealth of experience and insight to leverage AVPro’s growth initiatives while providing added value to its customers.

At AudioControl since 1992 after ten years in consumer electronics retail, Kane managed new business development with remarkable success, establishing strong relationships with customers across all related sales channels through extensive in-person and online presentations, dealer training seminars, and a consistent presence at critical tradeshows such as CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association). Kane is well-respected as a proficient manager of regional sales teams including independent manufacturer representatives.

Jetbuilt Expands Presence in APAC with New Director

Jetbuilt is expanding in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the appointment of Andy Tan, CTS, as director of APAC. In his new role, Tan will spearhead Jetbuilt’s growth initiatives and strategic partnerships across APAC, driving the company’s mission to revolutionize the AV industry with an end-to-end project management solution.

With decades of experience in the industry, Tan has worked with numerous leading organizations, such as AVIXA, EDGE (formerly USAV Group), InfoComm Asia and AVPro Global APAC. Notably, Tan dedicated twenty years to AVIXA, spearheading the expansion of the association’s footprint in Asia. He brings an unparalleled understanding of the market dynamics and strong relationships with key stakeholders to his new role. At Jetbuilt, Tan will focus on cultivating partnerships with AV integrators, distributors and manufacturers, leveraging Jetbuilt’s cutting-edge software solutions to streamline project workflows, increase efficiency and deliver exceptional results to clients. 

Visionary Appoints Bob Jacobs Technical Support Engineer

Visionary has appointed Robert (Bob) Jacobs, CTS, CTS-I, as technical support engineer. In his new role, Jacobs will play a pivotal part in expanding Visionary’s in-house customer service and technical support operations, ensuring integrators receive expert guidance and assistance throughout their projects. 

With an extensive background in AV design and engineering, Jacobs brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further strengthen Visionary’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and technical support. Prior to joining Visionary, Jacobs served as an AV designer engineer for a prominent commercial integration company, where he gained invaluable experience working closely with Visionary’s cutting-edge technology. His deep understanding of audiovisual systems and his passion for customer service make him an ideal fit for his new role. Jacobs will support Visionary’s customers through technical support and troubleshooting, systems design and integration and technical training. 

Planar Welcomes John McDonald as New Regional Account Manager

Planar expanded its sales team by welcoming  27-year AV veteran John McDonald as regional account manager for the Metro Philly area. McDonald brings impressive sales and technical experience, including previous work with Planar as an integrator, and will now manage the company’s sales efforts in Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.

Prior to joining the company, McDonald collaborated closely with members of Planar’s Metro Philly and New York City team to deploy leading-edge video wall solutions into a number of notable projects. His dedication and experience on those projects are shining examples of his knowledge and skillset, and will directly aid him in working with dealers to grow Planar's footprint in the region.

McDonald will team with former Metro Philly regional account manager Michael O'Halloran, who was recently promoted to director of sales for Metro New York and Metro Pennsylvania, as well as sales development representative Nick Barber and application engineer Eric Kuhns.

Atlona Welcomes Dan Williams to Training and Technical Support Team

Atlona continues to ramp up its training program with the hiring of Dan Williams as regional technical specialist and trainer. Williams brings more than 20 years of AV systems design and technical engineering experience to the newly formed role, which will primarily focus on training Atlona partners in various forms. 

Williams' AV pedigree runs deep, taking on roles of increasing responsibility with AV brands over two decades. Most of these experiences found him in customer-facing roles that benefited from his technical knowledge, expertly guiding integrators, consultants and occasionally end users through the systems design journey. He also gained considerable sales engineering experience over the years, working closely with internal sales teams and their customers to develop and program solutions that properly addressed each customer’s needs.

Williams will work closely with the North American training team and provide training services online, in the field, and at Panduit’s headquarters in Tinley Park, Illinois. The Tinley Park Experience Center offers hands-on training of Atlona products and systems across their core areas of collaboration, connectivity and control. He will also support Atlona’s sales operation through his sales engineering expertise, but is most excited about applying his technical knowledge to Atlona’s evolving training initiatives.

RTI Names Ben Mahoney as Global Training Manager

RTI appointed Ben Mahoney as the company's new global training manager. In this new role, Mahoney will lead online and in-person training and education initiatives for RTI's commercial and residential market segments.

Mahoney brings 20 years of training and leadership experience to RTI, including roles at Control4 and ClearOne. Most recently he was director of education at Nice North America, leading development programs across all Nice business units. 

Ashly Welcomes Jay Blout, National Sales Manager-Retail

Ashly Audio has appointed Jay Blout as the new national sales manager-retail. Blout brings extensive experience and a proven track record in sales management within the audio industry, making him an invaluable addition to the Ashly Audio team.

With over 20 years of experience in sales leadership roles, Blout has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive growth and cultivate strong relationships with retail partners. His strategic vision and passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences align perfectly with Ashly Audio's commitment to excellence.

In his new role, Blout will be responsible for leading Ashly Audio's retail sales initiatives across the nation, leveraging his expertise to expand market presence and drive revenue growth. He will play a pivotal role in developing and executing sales strategies, nurturing partnerships, and ensuring that Ashly Audio continues to deliver cutting-edge audio solutions tailored to the needs of retail customers.

Lectrosonics Adds Two

Lectrosonics has appointed two new employees in Jamie Criswell as Northeast U.S. sales and market development representative and Ethan Dayton as technical services manager.

In his new role, Criswell will bring his market acumen, wireless knowledge, and sales experience with professional audio systems to Lectrosonics. He will be the sales and technical representative for all Lectrosonics customers in the region, including users, designers, and resellers, as well as acting as a marketing and development liaison. A musician and songwriter, he next did studio work where he became a recording and mastering engineer. This experience eventually brought him to a sales role with Alesis, followed by sales roles at Harman and Sennheiser where he worked in live sound and performance, for clients such as Broadway and Cirque du Soleil. 

Dayton will manage the Customer Service and Parts and Repair departments, overseeing 20 employees whose jobs range from customer service and technical support, shipping and receiving, and product repair. Dayton began his career as a part-time camera operator in Colorado where he learned broadcast engineering and quickly moved to technical services manager. Throughout his career Dayton has been a broadcast engineer for concert venues, television stations, and a wide range of sporting leagues including the NHL, NBA, and MLS. He has also worked as an operator and technician for events such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. In 2022, Dayton made the transition into the film industry where he served as the camera service technician for Panavision’s Albuquerque branch.

Steen Tychsen Appointment Bolsters Genelec’s International Sales Team

Genelec has appointed industry stalwart Steen Tychsen to the position of international sales manager, with responsibility for Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Canada. With over 25 years of professional audio experience in a succession of senior roles, Tychsen brings with him a deep knowledge of the industry, helping to further strengthen Genelec’s sales operation in these key global territories.

Tychsen’s previous high profile roles at both DPA and Neumann have given him extensive experience of overseeing sales and business development in both EMEA and the United States and demonstrate a strong track record of implementing strategies to maximize revenue and productivity, and proactively developing regional partners.

Straker Coniglio New AJA Asia Pacific General Manager 

AJA Video Systems has added media industry veteran Straker Coniglio  as Asia Pacific (APAC) general manager (GM). He brings more than three decades of experience to AJA, including a successful Emmy-Award winning career in production, followed by years of developing and executing comprehensive global sales strategies for prominent media and entertainment technology companies. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Coniglio will work closely with AJA’s established APAC team, as well as its broad network of distributors and resellers, to expand AJA’s geographic and market footprint, and support customers across the region. 

Coniglio joins the AJA team from Vizrt, where, as GM of APAC, he implemented customer-centric strategies that drove new and repeat business. Prior, he spent time managing Vizrt’s entire product portfolio as head of global product management and leading the company’s MAM and Digital Publishing Business as VP of the division. He’s also held senior sales, product, and management positions at Harmonic, Belden, and Avid. A launchpad to his career in media and entertainment technology, he previously worked in production on projects broadcast on CNN, NBC, ESPN, and other major news outlets. 

CECOCECO Bolsters Leadership Team

CECOCECO, an innovator in the lighting and display industry, has appointed Danny Kim to the role of senior client engagement. Kim joins CECOCECO from PLANNET, where he was a technology architect and an industry visionary leader. With over two decades of experience in technology environments, particularly in audiovisual and business development, Kim has distinguished himself as a key player in the tech industry. His unique approach to developing audiovisual strategies, combined with his knack for understanding operational impacts, has made him an invaluable asset to clients. Notably, Kim played a critical role in expanding Riot Games, taking the company from less than 100 employees to nearly 2,000.

Nelson Petzold Announces Retirement From NSI Industries

Nelson Petzold, regional VP of sales of NSI Industries, is retiring after an 18-year career with the company. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth and a veteran of the electrical industry for more than four decades, Petzold joined the company in 2006 when NSI acquired TORK.

Nelson one of NSI’s greatest ambassadors, and during his time with the company, he worked tirelessly to increase sales and promote the value of working with his colleagues. His ability to build trust with and support his customers as they grew their own businesses is unmatched, and he felt an enormous amount of pride seeing them succeed. NSI will miss his leadership and knowledge as well as the advice he has given the sales and internal teams over the years.

Company News

ASG Expands with New London Office

Entering its next phase of growth, Advanced Systems Group is opening a new office in London in May. The move gives ASG, which is headquartered in Emeryville, CA, a greater European presence to better serve its international customers, as well as meet the increasing worldwide demand for managed services, production, and post-production facility expertise.

The office will be located at Aviation House in London's Holborn area, a booming professional and creative hub. Tim Cuthbertson, an ASG global account executive with more than 30 years of integration and professional services experience, will relocate back to his native London to head the new operations as managing director.

According to Cuthbertson, the ASG London office was a “right time, right place” decision driven by shifting business and economic factors. “Organizations in our markets have had to reinvent their operations, first adapting to workforce changes caused by the pandemic and later dealing with issues like the actors and writers strikes, so there’s a lot of pent-up refitting and development that’s ramping up,” he explained. “With globally distributed workforces now a reality, having an international presence is an operational requirement. Technology doesn't stop moving, and London is a significant production center, so expanding was the logical choice. Our U.K. presence will be there to serve the needs of these organizations.”

Advanced Systems Group U.K., a wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, is part of a phased approach to ramping up the company's international presence. The U.K. team will focus on its current European clients including SNAP, Google, and Yahoo with even more comprehensive services, as well as ASG’s U.S.-based clients that have facilities in Britain.

“From the start, our goal was never to be the biggest integrator, but to be known for delivering the best service for our customers,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We have been operating internationally with a managed services and SI presence in London for more than a decade, and several of our global M&E and enterprise customers have long requested us to establish a greater presence outside of North America. It’s clear that this is the right time to formally expand our international business and open an office in London.”

New Partnerships

1 SOUND opened distribution in Taiwan by partnering with Seapower Technology. Its team of engineers have training experiences from experts around the world, allowing Seapower to offer strong engineering technical support using audio design and test equipment, including TEF, SMARTT, and EASE. Seapower Technology collaborates with distributors worldwide to deliver innovative solutions and technical training projects, ensuring top-notch service delivery for their market in Taiwan.

The Adam Hall Group is further expanding its international sales network. With OHM Distribution, the event technology provider headquartered in Neu-Anspach, Hesse, the company has gained an experienced sales partner in Mexico. OHM Distribution is a distributor for AV installations and is now the exclusive distributor for the Adam Hall Group brand Cameo's lighting technology solutions.

Atlona will broaden its APAC presence with the addition of Aquila Data Indonesia to its regional channel partner network. Aquila Data Indonesia becomes the distribution partner for the expansive APAC country, which touches Southeast Asia and the Oceania region. In addition to country-wide sales efforts, the company will elevate Atlona’s brand recognition through dealer network expansion, post-sales support, training and education, and other value-added services. Based in Jakarta, Aquila Data Indonesia specializes in the distribution of high-end AV and UC systems, with an emphasis on convergence with IP networks. 

AudioControl has appointed Staub Electronics as their key distributor for the Canadian custom installation and home theater markets. Staub’s head office is in Richmond, B.C., with a second facility in Mississauga, Ontario. Staub Electronics was founded in 1981 and is a distributor of name brand consumer electronics products from over 50 industry-leading manufacturers. Staub Electronics has become known for their dedication to customer service, supplying premium solutions to specialty retailers and custom integrators across Canada for over 40 years.

Humly has entered its first national United States distribution relationship with BTX Technologies, part of ADI Global Distribution.  In addition to extending availability of Humly Workplace Solutions across the United States, BTX will support Humly through a comprehensive range of business and technical services, including pre- and post-sales level 1 support. BTX’s broad reach and experience representing strong brands in the United States will raise Humly’s visibility and brand recognition in a market poised for growth.

Legrand | AV has named Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions as its new representative firm for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, serving dealers and distributors in the CI channel. Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions will represent a comprehensive portfolio of Legrand | AV brands, including Chief, Da-Lite, Luxul, Middle Atlantic, SANUS, and Vaddio.

MAXHUB appointed Audio Source for sales representation throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Headquartered in Moses Lake, WA, the company will represent MAXHUB throughout Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Audio Source represents several manufacturers of professional audio, video, lighting, and control products. Founded on the premise of delivering 'factory' sales results to the manufacturers they represent; the company maintains solid customer relationships in all channels of business throughout their territory. Audio Source is comprised of Richard Gibson (president), Dave Raneses (VP), James Graham (business development manager), Paul Folkestad (business development manager), and Debbie Gibson (co-owner, executive office administrator and marketing).

PK Sound, the robotic line array company, has added Vancouver-based live sound specialists Gearforce to the PK Alliance following the company’s investment in a PK Sound T10 robotic line source system. As an Alliance member, Gearforce can augment its T10 system with exclusive access to the large-format Trinity Black robotic array elements from the Alliance’s global dry-hire inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of PK Sound in North America.

SoundTube Entertainment has added five new manufacturers’ representatives to its sales organization.

• DirectLink Marketing: Headquartered in downtown Salt Lake City, Dave Larsen and his team have built strong relationships over decades throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
• Excellence Marketing: Established in 1988, Excellence Marketing is renowned throughout the Upper Midwest for its unmatched Industry expertise, longstanding relationships, and unwavering commitment to customer service and support.
• Audio Source: Covering the Pacific Northwest including Alaska, Audio Source is committed to fostering true partnerships, providing design and technical support and outstanding customer service.
• AV Sales: Serving Michigan under the leadership of Andy Combs, IAV Sales (Innovative Audio Video) has also been a true partner with his customers and has provided comprehensive support and expertise to pro AV integrators for over 30 years.
• Frequency Sales: Specializing in the Illinois and Wisconsin markets, Frequency Sales has a passion for audio technology and 14 years of building meaningful relationships with customers based on trust and mutual success.

Lectrosonics has unveiled its BAGFRAME organizers, which are designed to mount portable receivers via specialized accessory kits, and keep these receivers organized in a bag. The new BAGFRAME units are available in several different widths and heights to accommodate a variety of receivers.

[The Integration Guide to Video Displays and Mounts 2023]

Two different BAGFRAME widths are available: one for 2 receivers, and one for 3 receivers; while three different heights are available: S (short), M (medium), and T (tall). These kits are shipped ready to be assembled by the customers to make them practical and economical for everyone. All BAGFRAME units are constructed of aluminum alloy, making them very sturdy and tough and yet very lightweight.

[Pro AV 2024: Now Trending] 

The BAGFRAME units use snap-in inserts for all receiver mounting. Some receivers also require screws and mid-frame mounts. Thus, there are specific parts or mounting kits required to mount the receivers. Audio and data connections are all handled per receiver, via whatever audio outputs or backplates are used on those receivers.

There were a lot of people on the move in the Pro AV world as September came to a close. Here are seven you may have missed. 

Shure Promotes Four Key Leaders

Shure promoted the following leaders to associate vice president and named officers at the company.

Tom Doran has been named associate vice president of credit and treasury. Doran joined Shure in 2017 as director of global credit. Three years later, he accepted additional responsibility for the company’s global treasury and risk management group. Doran has built a strong team, influential in credit policy and best practices, managing cash, investments, debt, foreign currency risk, and treasury operations worldwide. He guides Shure’s global insurance program and provides financial direction to key cross-functional projects, including crisis management. 

Mike Maselbas was named associate vice president within the finance division. He joined Shure in 2011 and is responsible for its corporate accounting function, month-end and year-end closing processes, global audits, plant and cost accounting, and payroll. He has ensured alignment across Shure’s global accounting practices and streamlined worldwide finance processes. Maselbas has consistently reduced the time required to conduct Shure’s annual financial audit, while ensuring a high level of fiscal integrity. 

Erin Mollohan has been promoted to associate vice president of global security. Since joining Shure in 2019, she developed the company’s security program, including a global strategy and multi-year roadmap. Mollohan is a member of the crisis management team and developed physical risk assessments, emergency response, security awareness, and threat and travel risk management. She participated in new facility builds in Irvine, Hong Kong, and the Company’s second manufacturing facility in Juarez, Mexico. She is a member of ISMA (International Security Management Association) and the CSO Center of ASIS (American Society of Industrial Security).

Eduardo Vives has been promoted to associate vice president of corporate quality. Vives joined Shure in 2015 as director of corporate quality engineering and reliability and was later promoted to senior director. Vives implemented the Shure Quality Planning (SQP) philosophy and led the reliability engineering team, engaging CQE by incorporating product validation engineering, enabling quality findings to be considered in the beginning stages of development and prioritizing customer use cases. He helped Shure automate and modernize data collection across all functions and manages its product safety committee. He is a certified ASQ Quality Engineer, qualified Lean Manufacturing expert, a Honeywell Aerospace Source Certifying Agent, and holds IPC (electronics manufacturing) instructor certifications.

Industry Veteran Landon Lovett Joins Solotech

Solotech has appointed Landon Lovett as global market leader, Sales and Systems Integration Division. Lovett's newly created position will focus on areas in which he has previously held impactful roles. A Pro AV industry veteran of more than 20 years in senior leadership, he has been a key player in developing business practices, expanding into new markets, and maintaining consultant engagement and major client relationships.

Reporting directly to John 'Jack' Steinhauer, vice president, global markets, Sales and Systems Integration, Lovett's focus will be on expanding consultant relationships, creating education and government strategy, and working closely with manufacturers to develop Solotech’s approach.

AVI-SPL Appoints New General Manager in Ireland

Paul Kelly was recently appointed by AVI-SPL as its new general manager for Ireland. Most recently with global technology company Ingram Micro, Kelly is passionate about helping organizations realize the promise of digital transformation through innovative technology solutions and services. He also brings a proven track record of driving company growth and building exceptional teams. Kelly sees tremendous growth opportunities for AVI-SPL in Ireland and globally.

“We’re delighted to have Paul onboard to take our Irish entity to the next level and beyond," said Michael Kellaway, managing director for AVI-SPL U.K. and Ireland. "His extensive experience and knowledge of the local market combined with a solid leadership track record makes Paul the right leader to empower our local team and help our customers to design and support their future of work strategies."

The appointment of Kelly comes on the back of a customer event at Croke Park this summer and with plans to upgrade the Dublin office facilities with new customer demonstration spaces late.

Planar Promotes Shaun O'Brien to director of sales for Western U.S.

Shaun O’Brien has been appointed the new director of sales for the West United States. He will oversee Planar’s sales efforts spanning the West Coast to the Rockies.

O’Brien brings over 20 years of experience in the AV industry and sales, and thrived in his previous role as a regional sales manager for more than five years. Prior to joining Planar, he held various positions in sales, product design and management at Premier Mounts. He is based out of Southern California.

MAXHUB Appoints Chester De Castro, CTS Technical Support Specialist

MAXHUB recently appointed Chester De Castro, CTS, to the newly created position of technical support specialist. De Castro started with MAXHUB in September 2023 and is stationed at the company’s Lake Forest, CA office.

In his new role, De Castro will be handling a wide range of responsibilities. This will include providing level 1 technical support to ensure that customers can quicky and easily obtain the necessary information to maximize their investment in MAXHUB technology and ensure optimum performance. Secondly, he will serve as a product demonstrator at tradeshows and related industry events. Further, De Castro will assume a pivotal role in the company’s warehouse and inventory control operations and will also assist customers with hot swap logistics.

De Castro brings a wealth of experience to his position with MAXHUB. Prior to joining MAXHUB, he served as a media support technician for Sutter Health of Sacramento, CA. In this capacity, De Castro was responsible for overseeing the company’s virtual events, audio visual integration, as well as production requirements systemwide. This included managing AV operations for all live events and meetings in addition to managing the technical aspects of AV integration for Zoom and other online meetings. Before this, De Castro worked for Legion Audiovisual Solutions of Rancho Cordova, CA. Here, he served as an event technician, overseeing event support for high stakes clients such as politicians, celebrities, and corporate leaders. Additionally, De Castro worked as a freelance AV technician for both Production Strategies and Sight & Sound Audio Visual of Rancho Cordova.

dancker Names Meg Nelbach to Serve as Senior Vice President, People and Culture

dancker has named Meg Nelbach to serve as senior vice president, people and culture. Nelbach brings extensive experience in building and enhancing HR infrastructure, fostering exceptional employee experiences, and cultivating dynamic, inclusive cultures that contribute to organizational success to her new position.

Nelbach previously served as vice president of people at Braze. She began her career as an agency recruiter then moved to leadership roles in corporate talent acquisition and human resources, and as a business partner at several start-ups, high-growth organizations, and global enterprises in the government contracting industry.

Nelbach has consistently demonstrated proficiency in building and enhancing HR infrastructure, expertly assessing and implementing systems, processes, and talent that align with overall business strategy.

Kelly Fair Promoted to National Sales Manager at Lectrosonics

Lectrosonics has promoted Kelly Fair to the position of national sales manager for the company. In his new role, Fair will be heading up the U.S. sales team and its representatives, serving the company’s diverse customer base in a variety of marketplaces, always with the goal of complete customer satisfaction.
 
Fair has served as western regional sales manager at Lectrosonics since joining the company eight years ago. Prior to joining the company in 2015, Fair served as president of Esfera Group, a broadcast equipment design and sales company for mobile production trucks. He served six years as head of sales, North America at Riedel Communications, developing and managing North American distribution. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with Sennheiser as Southwestern U.S. district sales manager, Professional Products. Fair brings his extensive sales, product management, and business development experience in the pro sound industry to this newly expanded role.   

Prysm Systems Appoints Tom Bigliani as Regional Sales Director

Prysm Systems has appointed Tom Bigliani as regional sales director for the North American market. In this role, Bigliani will broaden business relationships, support business development with new and existing customers and expand Prysm Systems’ sales operations. 

Bigliani brings a wealth of success in strategic planning, client relationship management, sales amplification, account acquisition, and team development. Bigliani has worked with highly qualified, cross-functional teams throughout his career. He has experience interfacing with senior management, individual stakeholders and partners to foster communication and connection between all parties involved in a project initiative. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Bigliani has worked with many Pro AV organizations, including AVI-SPL, Video Corporation of America, Kinly and British Telecommunications (BT), and understands the unique challenges and priorities for system integrators, designers, consultants, and end users. Bigliani holds a Bachelor’s in Sports Management/Business Management from Springfield College (MA).

Astera Welcomes New Group CEO

Carl-Johan Sköld will be joining the Astera team as Group CEO. Having acted as a consultant for the German-based lighting firm for some time already, Sköld is perfectly placed to advise and lead Astera into a period of strategic growth, bringing with him an extensive background in business consultancy, M&A advisory services and strategic development, with a particular focus on the East Asian market.

Building on the back of a Master in Economic and Philosophy from the London School of Economics, Sköld has spent more than a decade in the field of business development, starting out initially with a project management role for the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, where he oversaw industry-wide initiatives in the fields of banking, securities, insurance and metals. Returning to his home country of Sweden for a stretch, he worked in a consultancy role, focusing on strategy development and implementation for firms in the telecom, banking, civil administration and business service sectors.

Since 2012, he has been a founding partner of Stenvall Skoeld & Company. Sköld’s analytical ability will facilitate an end-to-end evaluation of existing operations, from product design to manufacturing, internal processes and intelligence gathering, accounting, reporting and finance, as well as global strategy.

In particular, Sköld’s ability to straddle the European/East Asian line and leverage his extensive knowledge of both geographic markets will be a key benefit to Astera, whose operations span both Germany and China, leveraging the benefits of German engineering and product design, and combining them with Chinese manufacturing efficiency to deliver market-leading innovation. Working with management teams in both countries, Sköld’s focus will be on charting a course for Astera's future position, setting forth ambitious long-term strategies and goals, whilst also fortifying Astera's current standing.

Throw away your stereotypical stuffy ideas about opera. The Santa Fe Opera is no ordinary opera company, and the company’s home, the open-air Crosby Theatre, is no ordinary opera house. The opera’s new production of Orfeo, directed by Yuval Sharon with music by Claudio Monteverdi and a world premiere orchestration by Nico Muhly, is an innovative reimagining of one of the oldest known operatic works. The artistic choices around this production, which include using effects-processing on individual voices as well as mixing them spatially into the specially built multichannel surround system, required that the key characters wear wireless mic systems. For this, the opera uses Lectrosonics SSM belt pack transmitters and channels of Venue2 receivers.

Although opera traditionally is done 100% acoustically, the innovative artistic directions that Sharon took for Orfeo required very close miking of the non-chorus performers so that their voices could be cleanly processed. Area mics would not sufficiently isolate the individual voices from each other and from ambient sound. Therefore, sound designer Mark Grey opted to use Lectrosonics wireless. Grey had used these wireless systems in recent years with the Santa Fe Opera in staging Doctor Atomic by John Adams, and The Lord of Cries, by John Corigliano, both modern American works. For Orfeo, the choice was obvious.

“In Act II when the characters go down into Hades, Yuval wanted the sound world to radically change," Grey explained. "I got into the Crosby Theater and started experimenting with the processing, like reverberation coming from the surround sound, and key roles sung or spoken from offstage.” Grey supplemented the theater’s four main PA loudspeakers with ten more to create the surround system that would give spatial effects to the otherworldly reverberant vocal fields. Grey allotted the fourteen Lectrosonics channels. “Thirteen channels are on characters who are onstage and sometimes offstage," he explained. "The fourteenth is dedicated to a character who is only offstage. We also have wired microphones offstage. We’re using DPA 4061 mics on the SSM belt packs.”

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“There’s a lot of wind," said the opera's audio engineer, Abbey Nettleton. "The theater is pretty well protected because it has wind baffles on one side, but when the [back of stage] doors are open, we’re battling the sounds of outside.”

The Lectrosonics reputation for reliability and durability were vital in this show. “The Lectrosonics products are like little tanks," said audiovisual sirector Cooper Adams. "I’ve always been extremely impressed with the quality of the products. Lectrosonics also offers silicone jackets for the transmitters, which are important because in this production at one point the characters are in a mist, essentially enveloped in rain onstage.”

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Adams also favors the SSM transmitters for their very small size, because “SSMs could be tucked anywhere, and they work great with a variety of microphones.” Although they’re primarily for effects, he explained, “we’re also rigging some performers in acrobatic harnesses, and we wanted to give them support.”

Adams says he still greatly appreciates the Lectrosonics technology behind Wireless Designer software. “Fortunately, we don’t have a lot of RF issues out here, but the Wireless Designer software is great for scanning for potential problems.”

Mark Grey sees growth in the opera world for wireless mic technology like Santa Fe Opera’s Lectrosonics systems. “Traditional opera houses, we think of La Scala—but more and more outdoor operas are happening. In Austria, they have the Bregenz Festival, which is opera on a lake. They build sets that are some 15 stories high and they’re all outdoors. The seating capacity is around 12,000. They have a very advanced sound department. That’s where this technology is becoming very important. It’s all about the audience’s experience.”

Originating on Broadway, Rock of Ages opened to a packed house and rave reviews at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre on February 23. It has all the rock ’n’ roll staples: boy meets girl and earnest musicians versus greedy business villains, all set to a roster of 1980s hits from the likes of Poison, Whitesnake, Starship, Foreigner, and others, played by a live band onstage. Long before the opening night curtain rose, it fell to sound designer John Lott to assemble a sound system that could handle lightning-speed changes and extreme dynamic range.

For all things wireless, he chose Lectrosonics. The 42-channel-plus system included a host of SSM transmitters on most cast members and an LT pack on guitar, Venue and Venue2 receiver frames with VRT modules, and the flexible Aspen DSP audio processing system serving as a monitor matrix. Radio frequencies are coordinated using Wireless Designer software. Lott, who cut his teeth with several Andrew Lloyd Webber theatre productions, shares the unique challenges of sound for live musical theater.

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“Today’s theater audiences expect to hear live-action cinema, with everything crystal clear and right in your face,” he explained. “For a movie or TV series, you can spend hours in post getting that exactly right. In theater, you get maybe five kicks at the can before you have a public audience. Everything is real-time, and there are a lot of variables.”
 
On the mixing side, this means wringing every last drop of scene-by-scene programmability out of a modern digital console to accommodate “the entire state changing, sometimes ten times in the course of a single song,” Lott said. When it comes to wireless miking, the non-negotiables include impeccable audio fidelity, tenacious RF performance, and flawless frequency coordination.
 
“There are 42 channels of Lectro on the talent, plus two handheld mics, plus four sets of in-ear monitors, and then six channels of wireless comms,” said Lott. “There’s a whole 1,000-seat venue above us. Then there’s Harry Potter a couple of doors down using something like 100 frequencies. So, it’s pretty saturated.”

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Wireless Designer is therefore invaluable for keeping every channel in its own lane. “We do a scan every day just to make sure no RF surprises have popped up,” explained Lott. “We keep a spare receiver so we can scan during the show without any chance of affecting the show.”
 
Engineers and crew also need to know the RF status of every cast member at all times, and listen in, which is where Aspen comes in. “Aspen is an automated matrixing, routing, and DSP mixer-processor box,” said Lott. “We’re employing it as our onstage wireless monitoring rig. Using an iPad app, you can dial up cue mixes, individual mics or combinations, and so on. Headphones and displays are set up behind stage left and stage right for the backstage crew, so if a mic gets knocked out of place or someone’s SSM battery is low, they can fix it at the first opportunity.”

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While Lott appreciates such workflow-easing features, he returns to the issue of the audience’s expectation of cinema-grade sound quality. Asked how the core pairing of SSM transmitters and Venue/Venue2 receivers have performed, he bestows a very positive review. “With the Lectro Digital Hybrid gear, you don’t hear that companding sort of ‘fight’ you get with many other brands. You don’t hear that the sound is being crushed down for purposes of transmission. That’s crucial. We have had no issues with transmission, reception, dropouts, crosstalk, or sound quality, even in the RF-saturated Toronto theater district. We’ve been good as gold.”

Lectrosonics recently introduced the M2Ra Digital Wireless Monitor Receiver, the next-generation receiver that is part of the M2 Duet Digital wireless IEM family. The new M2Ra receiver builds upon the success of the original version and features several key improvements and new features designed for professional touring, installation, theater and broadcast applications.
 
The original Duet system, designed for these same applications, was introduced in 2017. Conventional in-ear wireless monitor systems rely on decades-old technology: FM transmission with multiplexed, companded audio. The M2 System employs unique digital technology to provide ruler-flat frequency response, wide dynamic range with no compression, and maximum channel separation for rock-solid stereo imaging or reliable mono operation with no crosstalk. In addition, the digital audio eliminates a compandor and the associated artifacts. The result is crystal clear sound and extremely low distortion with extremely low latency of 1.6 milliseconds. The transmitter and receiver housings are all-metal for maximum durability, and both analog and Dante digital signal sources are supported. 

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The new M2Ra receiver represents the next generation of receivers in this series, with several key new features:

• Phantom power protection on the headphone jack so that the receiver can be safely used as a camera hop receiver.
• Improved IFB analog compatibility mode for better sound quality.
• Beefed-up internal power supply allows for headphones or earphones with impedances as low as 9 ohms to be used and provides better sound quality overall.
• Improved, easy-to-navigate menu structure, similar to the Lectrosonics DCR822 and DSQD portable receivers.
• Decreased overall RF noise floor and less RF gain in the front end, reducing overloads from strong interference sources and out-of-band signals.
• Increased IP3 and 1dB RF compression points for improved handling of high signal levels.
• Black anodized finish for a lower visual profile.
• D2 and HDM mono digital compatibility modes so that the M2Ra can be used as a very small portable receiver or portable monitor device, with mono digital transmitters from the D Squared product line.

Since the M2Ra includes a USB jack for firmware update, users can update their units in the field, using the Lectrosonics Wireless Designer software, to update their units when new features become available. 

Two versions of the M2Ra receiver are available for worldwide markets: one covering the A1B1 frequency range (470 to 614 MHz), and one covering the B1C1 frequency range (537-691 MHz). This allows a wide selection of operating frequencies for larger systems, and helps avoid interference, even in crowded RF environments.

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One of the key features of the Duet system is the Flexlist, allowing users to build a list, by name, of up to 24 feeds. With the Flexlist function, users can browse these feeds on an M2Ra easily and quickly with a minimum of navigation, an important tool for monitor engineers and location sound mixers.

Igor Marlot’s career as a sound recordist, location mixer, and boom operator has put a myriad of visa stamps on the pages of his passport. Although he has recorded location sound for feature and short films, documentaries dominate his résumé. Whether he’s headed to the Sahara Desert or the Amazon jungle, he relies on his Lectrosonics kit of two UM400 Frequency Agile UHF Digital Hybrid Belt-Pack Transmitters, two SMQV Dual Battery Digital Hybrid Wireless Belt-Pack Transmitters and two SRc Dual-Channel Slot Mount ENG Receivers.

Marlot began what he calls his “Sound 101” learning experience as a young teenager working punk rock concerts and the alternative scene in his native Switzerland. He learned how to use sound boards, patch lists, and how to get the most out of cheap and DIY gear. Then he went roving in Western Africa for a couple years and landed his first shoot wrangling cables for an African TV series, which he describes as “sort of a telenovela.”

Upon returning to Switzerland, he studied audio theory at Centre de Formation aux Métiers du Son (CFMS) in Lausanne and earned his diploma in audio engineering. He started accumulating a working kit as he worked on student projects and developed interests in immersive audio, virtual reality, and Ambisonics techniques.

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“I read about Lectrosonics reliability online,” Marlot explained. “I had been ‘nerding’ a lot, spending countless hours reading reviews, comparing specs and manuals of different products.” The more experienced colleagues were more than happy to share their knowledge. “I saw that everywhere in the world, serious setups used Lectrosonics stuff.” He saved his money and bought his first SRc receiver and two second-hand UM400 transmitters. Later he added another SRc and two SMQV transmitters to his sound arsenal. “I wanted to get into serious action. And Lectrosonics was the way,” he added

Marlot’s documentary work has taken him to the Arctic Circle, southern Asia, Scandinavia, the African bush, barrios in Guatemala, the Sahara Desert, and many other fascinating locations. Working sound in the wild so far afield presents challenges that seldom come up in studios—for example, there’s no way to get spare parts or replacement units, so everything just has to work and keep on working. Marlot said his Lectrosonics gear has the qualities and performance to meet them.

The transmitters, which he typically pairs up with DPA lavalier mics, can take some serious beating and will still work, providing outstanding results in some very stressful situations. Sometimes the talent may accidentally drop one of his transmitters on the floor, but it keeps on working, rock solid. He admitted that such incidents make him worry needlessly, but he is always pleased that the Lectrosonics pieces keep on sounding perfect.

He rated the documentary project Cosmic Birds in the Amazonian jungles, shot in VR, as his most challenging. The conditions were very difficult, with humidity and insects. Still, his Lectrosonics equipment delivered without fail. He called it an unforgettable experience, and that’s what he loves about his chosen line of work. “Oh, I’ve had lots of luck during my young career. I’ve traveled a lot,” he said. “I have seen lots of amazing places and met super interesting and various people—indigenous tribes, Masai people, Touareg people in the Sahara.”

He describes the Touareg as a tribe of welcoming, proud, and absolutely great people whom he got to know very closely during a late 2021 shoot in the Sahara for a yet-untitled documentary. He likened the adventure to “Mad Max, Touareg Style,” and described filming a gold rush out “in the middle of nowhere.” Just sand and rocks, he says, and very young people struggling, digging, surviving, and “looking for gold in this absolutely unforgiving and very hostile environment. No water or food or shade, just sand, dust, and the damn wind.” The Niger government granted permission to shoot there on the condition that the crew would be constantly escorted by heavily armed soldiers to prevent any possible kidnapping or even assassination. The guards accompanied them in four heavily armored vehicles, two of which were armed with a large machine gun mounted on the back. Wherever he and the other crew members went, even to relieve themselves in seclusion, they were followed by men carrying a Kalashnikov rifle. They travelled days beyond the city of Agadez into what many would consider a forbidding “no-man’s land,” even though it still is lightly populated.

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But Igor remembers the sky at night, the stars, and the people. They had some very deep and beautiful moments, like impromptu concerts of Touareg guitar. “These men have all been into serious action," he concluded. "My tools are mics, booms, poles, and wireless; theirs are rifles, knives, and surviving in one of the harshest regions in the world.”

New adventures await Igor Marlot and his Lectrosonics kit. An upcoming documentary project particularly excites him because it will bring him to Turkey. He also contemplates some ENG gigs and documentaries in the works closer to home, in Switzerland.

At the intersection of traditional video production and cutting-edge digital storytelling lies Jzoo Studios, a collective focused on location sound and post-production. Headed up by Shiheng “Jedy” Xu, its work on an ad campaign with golf champion Collin Morikawa helped Fortune Brand Studio win 10 Telly Awardsin 2021, and they handled sound for a live stream in which Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland interacted from L.A. with the Italian press in Rome—as a hologram. 

Throughout it all, it have turned to its stable of Lectrosonics wireless gear, from time-tested SRb and SRc receivers paired with SMQV and LT transmitters, to a recently acquired DSQD digital receiver.

“We do a lot of corporate work rather than narrative fiction,” said Xu. “But we’re attracted to projects that involve a narrative story, a human story.”

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Sponsored by Zurich Insurance, “The Sky’s the Limit” chronicles Collin Morikawa’s upset victory during the final round of the 2020 PGA tour. Xu found Lectrosonics’ range performance at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas just as worthy of a place on the leaderboard. “I had an SMQV on Collin and was picking it up with an SRC,” recalled Xu. “We went out on the golf course and recorded him swinging as well as a bunch of other Foley of the sounds of him playing. Then we interviewed him where I used the LT as a hop to send sound to all the cameras equipped with IEMs. We had to be some distance away from him and everything was just on the whip antennas. I’ve always trusted the great range of the SMQV on whips and its reliability. It passes through bodies and walls just fine at a distance.” 

Next, the Spider-Man virtual press junket with Tom Holland was a live stream Q&A, so there was no wiggle room for anything to go wrong. “We were on a stage in Los Angeles and broadcasting to Rome, where Tom was appearing as a hologram,” Xu explained. “It was this crazy-big international production with crew in Los Angeles, London and Rome. I was rocking an SRb, an SMQV, and an LT. The LT was a backup in case the other channel had any problems—which it didn’t. I was using the ALP620 fins as well, which have always worked great for me in any scenario. My role was to send the feed of Tom’s microphone into the main streaming rig.”

It turns out that Xu was virtually the only one on set not to be visited by gremlins. “There were problems in Rome and in LA with video, lighting, cameras, and having sufficient bandwidth to broadcast a huge 3-D image of Tom Holland across an ocean. There were no problems with audio, which made me look pretty good. Again, the reliability is why I don’t think I’d ever use anything but Lectrosonics.”

Most recently, Team Jzoo found itself on one of its most channel-dense shoots ever, for which they brought in their new DSQD receivers paired with Wireless Designer software. “We just did this shoot that involved around 13 people plus a wireless boom,” he described. “The content is about a hypnotist trying to hypnotize a large group of people for Offline TV, a popular YouTube collective started by a bunch of famous Twitch streamers. We were using DSQDs, one SRb, three SRcs and the boom. Wireless Designer made it easy to scan and coordinate all the frequencies for the SMQV and SMDWB transmitters. Everything got set up super-fast.

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“Using the Dante connectivity of the DSQD, all the transmission was then run into an Allen & Heath SQ5 digital mixer, then the recorder,” he continued. “This was one of my first experiences mixing and through Dante and with such a high wire count in a confined room, and I was blessed with no dropouts or inter-modulation issues. This speaks greatly to the quality of Lectro gear. I should mention that none of this would have been possible without my co-mixer Shaun Yee from True Peak Soundworks, who set up 90 percent of this configuration. Shaun and his team strongly believe in Lectrosonics as well.”

Xu has forged an unconventional path for Jzoo Studios, and with that comes unconventional wireless applications, for which he finds Lectrosonics to be more than up to the task. “I don’t think a lot of people do this,” he said, “but I use Lectro for sound design and to record sound libraries. This usually involves my DPA 6060 mics and a smaller recorder. I can place transmitters on the mics and put them in a location where I want to record ambient sounds—traffic, nature, anything one might need for post. It’s much more convenient than running a cable. I sell these sound libraries as well, so they need to be top-notch for other people’s use, not just my own. Lectrosonics’ sound quality makes that possible because it’s so fantastic. I sometimes even think I can tell when I watch certain TV shows or commercials if it was used. I’m like, ‘Yup, that sounds like Lectro.” 

Lectrosonics is announcing a Radio Frequency Scan Database for those using wireless microphone systems anywhere in the world. The database hosts scans from in .sdf (Wireless Designer scan data file) or .csv (comma separated values—a common standard) formats. These files can be used to populate frequency coordination software for analysis purposes and to know what a given RF landscape looks like. While anyone can peruse, search, and download the available scan files for their own use, registered users can also upload files for others to access. RF spectrum scans from Hollywood, Singapore, Vancouver, New York, Belgium, and Rio de Janeiro already populate the database.

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“Since Wireless Designer has become a powerful tool for all Lectrosonics wireless system users and even users of other systems, these scan files can help wireless system operators to prepare for a location or venue in advance,” says Karl Winkler, vice president of sales and marketing at Lectrosonics. “Lectrosonics has always been focused on providing unique and useful tools to the pro audio and production sound communities, and we hope this new online scan database is helpful.”

As more people turn to wireless microphone systems for a variety of use cases across different verticals, Lectrosonics introduced LectroU. The new series of online training courses is geared toward anyone wishing to further their knowledge of and expertise in wireless microphone system technology, best practices, and Wireless Designer software. The course series contains five overall subject areas, with several subsections within each. Each of the modules include videos containing the training materials and detailed explanations, followed by subject area quizzes. Participants completing all modules will receive a certificate of completion from Lectrosonics. Registration for the series of LectroU training courses is free.

“At Lectrosonics, we want to be a source of information and education, so that wireless users can get the most out of the tools that they use for their creative work,” says Lectrosonics vice president of sales and marketing, Karl Winkler. “We are pleased to debut LectroU with this first series of courses and look forward to adding more material in the future.”

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Due to the importance of proper lavaliere microphone wiring for best wireless system performance, the first module covers this subject. The Lectrosonics TA5 wiring scheme is explained in detail, along with different types of microphones and other connection types as well such as line inputs.
 
Audio Gain Structure is one of the central concepts for all audio systems and thus is covered in the second area.
 
Since 2002, Lectrosonics products have offered different compatibility modes for inter-operability between product ranges and even with equipment from other manufacturers. Today’s digital products offer different compatibility modes as well, including receivers that are useable with prior-generation Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters. Thus, the third subject area in LectroU covers the intricacies of the different compatibility modes offered in the Lectrosonics products.

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Frequency coordination and RF band planning are central concepts especially for wireless mic systems of moderate to larger channel counts. The fourth LectroU module covers these important concepts.
 
And as Wireless Designer has become a powerful tool for all Lectrosonics wireless system users and even users of older or non-Lectrosonics systems, the next module area covers the use and best practices with this software package.

Since 1996, Eric Vucelich has been at the forefront of field production mixing in the greater Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. He’s done it all: national news, pro and college sports, commercials, presidential campaign ads, corporate video, documentaries, and more. For this ever-changing slate of projects, he relies on Lectrosonics wireless, including two dual-channel SRc and three SRb Digital Hybrid Wireless receivers. His transmitters comprise four SMWB wideband packs supplemented by six SMQVs. As he explains, these get him through any conceivable job—even if the next one is a departure from the last, as it usually is.

“Here in Ohio, you can’t just focus on one avenue of production. It’s a mixed bag, so every couple of days there’s a very different job,” said Vucelich. “I’ve recently done spots for CBS Sunday Morning, CBS Sports, and the Ohio liquor control commission. I’m doing one for Safelite Auto Glass next week. Every single bit of it, everybody was wireless or will be wireless. It’s not like the times where everyone is fine with a boom. So, it’s important to have equipment that’s reliable.”

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With Vucelich frequently covering sporting events at Ohio State University as well as other high-impact sporting events, this reliability is regularly tested. “I’ve had athletes sweat all over their packs with no issues,” he recalled. “One time, I had the goalie of the Columbus Blue Jackets [hockey team] pouring water from a bottle all over his face during practice. Lots of water. It was running down inside his uniform and soaking the transmitter. I don’t recommend trying this intentionally, but the pack didn’t give up and we kept recording. You do your best to protect the gear, but there are always surprises”

The division of labor between Vucelich’s SMWB and SMQV transmitters roughly tracks what the application of the day requires more: RF flexibility or extended runtime, respectively. “In Ohio, blocks 22 and 23 are pretty good, but 21 has very few frequencies left," he explained. "Block A1 is also crowded though you can still find some decent nooks within it. My going wideband was driven by one experience I had at Ohio State. I got to the stadium and was told the crew covering Penn State [the visiting team] had taken everything available in block 22. There wasn’t much of 21 clear, either. That’s when I decided I needed more options. I use the SMWBs almost exclusively now.”

However, the SMQVs still have their role. “I also grab radio feeds from the home and away teams,” Vucelich continued. “The SMQVs have two batteries instead of one, so I’ll stick one on the radio feed for the home team and one on the away team. We use this to transmit down to the camera operators on the field, who listen to the play-by-play chatter and make decisions on the fly about where to track the action next. These feeds are also used in the final cut of the show. From initial setup before the game to wrap, you’re looking at about eight hours, and with the SMQVs I’m not worried about changing batteries.”

“Although I don’t usually have to get too far from the camera and the talent because I do a lot of ‘one man band’ type work, there might be a commercial or something where there’s car-to-car stuff going on," Vucelich noted in regards to a secondary benefit of the SMQVs is range. "I like knowing that I can push the SMQVs up to a quarter-watt output power in conjunction with a good antenna and get the range required.”

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However, Vucelich is quick to point out that his newer SMWBs are no slouches when it comes to range. “For the Ohio liquor control spot, we were on a farm,” he said. “The miked talent was driving a tractor. The tractor cab was all windows surrounded by metal. I was standing by the field with just my bag, little bowtie antennas on it, and he got at least a hundred feet away with no degradation in sound quality.”

Asked how and when he discovered Lectrosonics, Vucelich offers a compelling anecdote: 

“I have two degrees in music and playing in bands led me to working in a recording studio in Atlanta. When I moved back to Ohio in 1996, I jumped right into production. We didn’t have the ability we do now to research gear online, so I would hunt and peck and talk to colleagues. I would get hired to do jobs using other people’s wireless gear, and at the time they had either Sony or Lectrosonics. I noticed that whenever I used Lectro, I preferred the sound quality and always got great range. So, I bought some of my own.”

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Sadly, that gear was stolen. “That’s the only nightmare story I have about Lectro,” Vucelich said laughing. “I used a competitor for a while after that, but I found that in a crowded environment with obstructions or high body density, if I lost audio, I completely lost it. So, I sold it off and went over to the Lectro Digital Hybrid stuff. I miked up my kids and we did walk tests in my yard, and even when they’d start to get out of range, I would still receive some audio, so there was more advance warning.”

The ensuing peace of mind has become a professional must for Vucelich. “When you’re doing sports and news, there turnaround times are very fast and there’s no opportunity to re-engage with the subjects—when they’re gone, they’re gone,” he explains. “That’s a huge part of why I went back to Lectro. They seem to put in more research than other companies before they release products. Recently, I just ordered the new digital receiver, the DSR4. I’m not moving away from Lectro again. I just feel I’ve had much better results over the years when I’ve used Lectrosonics, through multiple generations of their products.”

Get ready for the new Lectrosonics U.S. Online Accessory Store. Lectrosonics debuted the outlet to provide a place for customers in the United States to order a wide range of parts and accessories for current and legacy products, including antennas, silicone sleeves, belt clips, pouches, power supplies and rack mount hardware. The new site also offers commonly needed replacement parts such as screws, washers, memory cards, and specialized batteries. Lectrosonics’ serialized products, such as transmitters, receivers, and other wireless products will not be available for sale on the site but only through authorized dealers.

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The user-friendly site simplifies search for particular parts and accessories by grouping product type, making it easy to find what is needed. Other features of the new site include:

• Detailed product pages: Each page includes a product image, description, details, and a list of compatible models.   
• Lectrosonics' extensive knowledge base: This includes a wide range of resources for training, wireless resources such as FCC and Spectrum updates, software, compliance documents, full product catalog, specialty catalog for HOW customers, and product photos. 
• Lectrosonics’ “The Wire Lists”: The lists offer practical tips and tricks for everyday wireless applications and the “Not Fragile” stories, a collection of experiences with Lectrosonics’ products quality and durability.
• Lectrosonics Factory authorized repair centers: A complete guide is included to make finding a center easy.

The red-hot real estate market in Southern California has spawned an equally hot Netflix TV series, Selling Sunset, now in its fifth season, as well as an upcoming spin-off, Selling the OC. Audio supervisor Marcos Contreras, CAS, captures sound for these fast and often unpredictable reality shows with the help of his arsenal of Lectrosonics wireless systems, including SMWB and SMDWB miniature wideband bodypack, SMQV belt-pack and Hma plug-on transmitters, as well as SRc portable and DSQD digital receivers.

“Selling Sunset is one of the most popular shows on Netflix,” Contreras explained. “The show demands a lot. The wireless must be reliable every time. Lectrosonics is up to the task—no dropouts or interference even over big, open spaces.”

The Selling shows’ seasons are shot back-to-back, so they get two out of a single production season. Contreras looks forward to resuming work on Selling Sunset later this summer, which will run to the end of the year, with the new show, Selling the OC, set to premiere on Netflix in the summer of 2022.

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A native of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, Contreras has been doing production audio for 15 years, ever since he moved directly to LA right after graduation. He gained familiarity with Lectrosonics products, like the venerable UM400, while pursuing a BFA in Film and Television at the Savannah School of Art and Design (SCAD). So, there was no question that he would buy Lectrosonics when he set up shop in LA. “Gotta buy stuff that’s reliable,” he said.

Reliable indeed. Selling Sunset has a cast of 10, while the upcoming OC show’s cast numbers total 11. The West Hollywood and Newport Beach offices of the Oppenheim Group, the realty agency at the heart of the show, serve as live sets, and the lavish homes on location are featured prominently as well. 

Contreras faces the unusual challenge of occasional runaway cast members. Yes, wandering from the production scene is all part of the drama of cutthroat Hollywood luxury home sales. Still, he can often pick up a signal from the SMWB or SMDWB transmitters and by listening, get a sense of where the talent has gotten off to, all the better to regather the group and continue the shoot. Being able to get a signal and PFL a channel has “saved his butt” on numerous occasions.

[Darryl Frank Takes Lectrosonics from the Old West to Future Earth]

Hiding the wireless transmitters on the wardrobe choices for the show can be another challenge, but the miniature size of the Lectrosonics pieces seriously helps as they can be belted to a leg, hidden in the small of the back, or any other bodily location they might improvise. His main go-to units are the SMDWB, which are basically a double-battery version of the SMWB. He typically mates them with a Sanken COS-11D omni lavalier mic, but sometimes with a DPA 6060 or 6061. In the LA/OC area he uses the Block 22 frequencies.

A perhaps underappreciated feature of the SMWB and SMDWB transmitters is their high-quality built-in digital recorder, which produces a .wav file—compatible with practically any editing software—stored on an internal microSDHC card. Contreras recalled one last-minute call to work on a job that involved a shot with an actor at a difficult long range. Recording the actor right on his SMDWB transmitter saved both setup time and the shot itself.

Contreras has 18 SRc portable ENG receivers, and in a typical Selling Sunset or Selling the OC shoot he uses six of them in a bag feeding a Sound Devices Scorpio portable mixer-recorder. He describes the setup as “really quick” on the transmitters and receivers. In fact, such ease of use is a highly desirable feature when he hires an assistant, or when he rents out his equipment to other productions. “Everybody knows how to use Lectrosonics,” he pointed out, and the company is easy to work with, especially its customer service.

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Other Lectrosonics apparatus that he keeps at the ready are five SMQV belt-pack transmitters and two HMa plug-on transmitters. A rolling equipment rack houses three DSQD digital receivers, more SRc receivers, a mixer and recorder, and a diversity antenna system, especially useful for location work.

Bruner Dyer and Jeff Asell have the tastiest gig in location sound. They record and mix Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, the smash travelogue series in which Guy Fieri visits the best restaurants serving up off the hook dishes. Like the cooks preparing the meals, they often must get everything right in one go. That’s why the dialogue, the sizzle of the pans, and perhaps even the burbles of satisfied stomachs pass through their Lectrosonics wireless rigs. Currently, that includes two DCR822 dual-channel digital receivers, half a dozen SMQV Digital Hybrid transmitters, a pair of SMDWB wideband transmitters, and even four UCR411a receivers purchased in 2006. IFB is covered by DCHTs sending to DCHR and M2R units.

“A restaurant is not a studio or even a film set. There are so many noises that are not under our control,” explained Jeff Asell. “Doing these jobs in hostile environments, we need our gear to be pretty agile, and it cannot be delicate. It needs to be able to withstand some abuse. We take care of our gear but that doesn’t mean that the people wearing it always do.”

“We do the best we can to get everything in one take. When we are shooting, I treat it like a live show. The gear has to work,” added Dyer. “We do not like to start over.  This is a working restaurant.  The food is cooking.  The customers are waiting, and we have to move fast.”

[Lectrosonics Unveils New Digital Slot Receivers]

Asked to describe how a typical shoot of DDD is set up, Asell says, “When we come into a town, we shoot with twin crews. Bruner is on one and I’m on the other. So, the frequency agility of the DCR822 means that if someone on camera goes from his set to my set wearing a body pack, we can pre-coordinate that. We don’t have to change the pack or interrupt the action at all. The same features also make it very easy for people listening on IFB to switch between Bruner’s set and mine.”

Dyer has high praise for his DCR822 as well. The 822 is really the receiver I have been waiting for. It has the robust front end like the UCR411 that I count on, but in a modern dual-channel format. I love it.  Another feature I like is the record feature. I use it as a backup for a number of reasons.  It has saved my butt before!”

Both audio pros point to Lectrosonics’ often-touted reliability as not merely a pleasant perk of owning their gear, but a career-saving necessity. Asked if he considered the brand expensive, Asell quipped, “You know what’s expensive? An entire TV crew waiting around because you’re trying to get your gear to work the way it says it does. That doesn’t just cost money and hurt the production — it hurts your soul!”

[Big-League AV Comes to Single-A for Gameday at Chukchansi Park] 

“I don’t have time for equipment that I can’t rely on,” concluded Dyer. “Point being, with Lectrosonics, that just doesn’t happen.”

Lectrosonics announced the introduction of the 941 MHz band variant of the DCR822 digital, dual-channel portable receiver. The new receiver is compatible with all the current Lectrosonics mono and stereo digital transmitters and is backward compatible with any of the Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters made in the past 20 years. The DCR822 provides two independent receiver channels at the highest level of RF and audio performance available, with a versatile feature set and compact design for field and location production.

The new unit is compatible with Wireless Designer software for frequency coordination and system management purposes.
 
The DCR822-941 tunes across 19 MHz from 941.100 to 959.825 MHz and offers 750 frequency choices. Settings can be made from the front panel with tactile buttons and the high-resolution LCD interface, making the unit ideal for use in portable bag systems and on sound carts. An RF spectrum analyzer and SmartTune are built into the receiver to alleviate interference problems in an increasingly congested RF spectrum. Two-way IR sync makes quick work of setting up matching transmitters. The new receiver includes a USB jack on the back panel for connectivity with the Lectrosonics Wireless Designer software for frequency coordination and RF system monitoring.

[Lectrosonics Unveils New Digital Slot Receivers]
 
The receiver is also equipped with a microSD card slot for data transfer such as firmware updates and frequency group information. The machined aluminum housing and panels are surfaced with a hard-anodized finish with laser etched markings to withstand the rigors of field production. Audio outputs are via two locking TA3M connectors, with either analog mic/line level or AES3 digital outputs selectable in the menu.
 
In addition to the data transfer capability via the microSD card slot, The DCR822 can record audio channels directly from the receivers onto the card in the industry standard .wav (BWF) file format at 24 bits/48 kHz for compatibility with any audio or video editing software. The receiver also incorporates Powerful AES 256-CTR mode encryption, with four different encryption key policies available including Universal (common to all Lectrosonics D2, M2X and DCHX units), Shared (great for sports coverage), Standard, and Volatile (one-time use key).

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“The DCR822-941 brings a new level of RF and audio performance to the North American license-only frequency band,” said Karl Winkler, vice president of sales and marketing at Lectrosonics. “The DCR822 has proven itself in the last year and a half with exemplary results—even in tough RF environments. Adding this version for the 941 MHz frequency band gives our users another important tool.”

Lectrosonics introduced the DSR and DSR5P dual-channel and DSR4 quad-channel digital slot receivers and showcased the new receivers at NAB 2022. The new receivers are compatible with all the current Lectrosonics mono and stereo digital transmitters and are backward compatible with any of the Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters made in the past 20 years. The DSR and DSR5P receivers provide two independent receiver channels and the DSR4 provides four independent receiver channels at the highest level of RF and audio performance available, with versatile feature sets and next-generation capabilities in the Unislot/Superslot form factor for ENG (Electronic News Gathering), field, and location production.
 
Both receivers are offered in several tuning ranges including A1B1 (470-614 MHz), B1C1 (537-692 MHz), 941 (941-960 MHz for use in North America) and 961 (961-1,015 MHz for use in the UK). Settings can be made from the front panels which feature high-resolution displays, making the units ideal for use in portable bag systems, mounted in or on cameras, and on sound carts. An RF spectrum analyzer and SmartTune—the easiest and fastest way to scan the local RF spectrum and find clear operating frequencies—are built into the receivers to alleviate interference problems in an increasingly congested RF spectrum. Two-way IR sync makes it quick to set up matching transmitters. The new receivers include a USB jack and data connection through the SuperSlot interface for compatibility with Lectrosonics Wireless Designer frequency coordination and system management software.

[Darryl Frank Takes Lectrosonics from the Old West to Future Earth]
 
The RF gain stages in the front end of the DSR and DSR4 use a newly developed design to provide low noise RF amplification, excellent sensitivity, and extremely low susceptibility to intermodulation and de-sensitization with an IP3 (3rd Order Intercept point) of an exceptional +15 dBm (DSR4) and +11 dBm (DSR, DSR5P).
 
The DSR and DSR5P dual-channel units are exactly the same size and with the same screw mounting holes and rear connector as all Lectrosonics SR series predecessors,  so that existing accessories for powering, audio outputs, and slot mounting are all compatible, including the SREXT, SRSUPER, SRSNY, and SRBATTSLED units.
 
The DSR4 is slightly longer than the older units in order to accommodate larger circuit boards. As the unit has four audio outputs, the legacy accessories can’t be used with the 4-channel unit. Thus, new accessories for mounting, powering, and audio outputs will be available.

[Lectrosonics Intros DBSM Single and Dual Battery Bodypack Transmitters]
 
Both receivers incorporate powerful AES 256-CTR mode encryption, with four different encryption key policies available including Universal, Shared (great for sports coverage), Standard, and Volatile (one-time use key).
 
“These new receivers represent the state of the art in portable RF performance and are the result of 5 generations of SR Series slot receivers” said Karl Winkler, vice president of sales and marketing at Lectrosonics. “Since 2007, the SR Series has been one of our most popular product lines, having revolutionizing field production. Now, with both 2 and 4-channel digital slot receivers, the SR Series again represents the next generation.”
 

With five Primetime Emmy nominations and four CAS awards for sound mixing, Darryl L. Frank is a household name in production sound mixing in New Mexico—a state Breaking Bad elevated as a filming location. In fact, he worked on the blockbuster AMC show. Lately, Frank has been chasing actors on horseback in the acclaimed Western series 1883, not to mention miking up Tom Hanks in the sci-fi drama Finch, which explores human-robot relations on a post-apocalyptic Earth. 

Instead of sixguns or lasers on his hip, Lectrosonics digital hybrid wireless keeps the peace by ensuring flawless sound even under harsh production conditions. Frank’s rig includes Venue2 receivers, wideband SMWB transmitters and their dual-battery SMDWB siblings, SMV and SMQV high-output transmitters, and up to 30 R1-series IFB receivers depending on production needs. All frequencies are coordinated using Wireless Designer software.

[Lectrosonics Intros DBSM Single and Dual Battery Bodypack Transmitters]

On 1883, Frank served as second unit mixer along with Richard Bullock Jr. as first unit mixer. The first thing Frank’s cart had to stand up to was the environment. “We were outside most of the time, so working on this show was all about embracing the weather,” Frank said. “Rain, heat, dust, 50-mile-per-hour winds, you name it. We shot a couple of days in Montana where I don’t think the winds ever dipped below 40 miles per hour. This made holding up booms impossible, and so increased the number of wireless channels we needed. There and in New Mexico, there were a lot of middle-of-nowhere places. At no time did I have an issue with any of the wireless.”

That durability also proved vital as the show’s protagonists forged westward through rivers and streams. “That was a possible horror story that turned into a success story,” recalled Frank. “On 1883 I showed up on a day’s notice because the previous mixer had quit abruptly. On my second day, they’re crossing a river on horseback and at the deepest point, the water is touching the saddles. I asked for whatever waterproof packs I presumed the production had rented, and their response was simply, ‘We have insurance. Let’s go for it.’ I put my packs in plastic baggies, we did the scene, and the actors came out just soaked. No gear failed and everything sounded great.

“Now, if something truly gets submerged it may indeed fail,” Frank continued, “but here’s the thing about Lectrosonics. They’re super quick about repairs. Sure, it may cost a couple hundred bucks to repair, but a lot of other companies would simply tell you to buy a whole new unit.”

The next hurdle was that Westerns always mean horses, and despite their intelligence and bonds with their human riders, horses tend to ignore wireless range limitations. Fortunately, so did his Lectrosonics equipment. “The thing with any Western is that you’re told the horse is going to run from point A to point B,” said Frank. “When you start rolling, of course that goes completely out the window. Plus, just about everything but the sound department is on wheels—process trailers, ATVs with cameras mounted on them, and so on. Meanwhile I’m standing at my cart. They would go until I couldn’t see them, but I could still hear them.”

Frank credited two factors for making sure equestrian-borne dialogue did not ride off into the sunset. The first of these was high output power—up to 100 milliwatts on the wideband transmitters and 250 from the SMV and SMQV units. The second? His ALP620 shark-fin antennas. “I use the 620s passively as my go-to range extenders,” he said. “I’ve never needed to run powered antennas, which I think sometimes causes problems in addition to solving them.”

[SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2021]

Finch also had its share of outdoor filming, but the biggest challenge Frank recounted facing was setting up comms for a mega-star. “I knew right away we were going to need something special for Tom Hanks,” explained Frank. “He had heat and air conditioning built into his costume, so I knew he wouldn’t want to keep taking off his helmet if someone needed to talk to him. Plus, sometimes the conversation between, say, him and the director needed to be private without everyone on the IFB feed hearing it. I wound up using an IFBlue R1c for a separate channel just for Tom’s helmet. If anyone needed to talk to him, they could just transmit on that channel.”

On these and other productions, Frank emphasizes that results—meaning audio fidelity—count above all else. More importantly, those results need to be immediately understandable to colleagues who have neither the time nor the desire to talk deeply about sound. 

“On every show, you’re going to do something you haven’t done before and may never do again,” Frank said. “You never know what gymnastics the director is going to need. Whenever that director asks me, 'Are we getting it?’ Lectrosonics gives me the confidence to say, ‘Do you like what you hear in your IFB? That’s what we’re getting!’”

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One of Frank’s funnier moments of “getting it” involved the iconic pizza-throwing scene in Breaking Bad, captured with a boom mic outfitted with an HMa plug on transmitter. “[Director] Vince Gilligan really respected the idea of capturing sound design in-camera,” Frank recalled. “Car engines, guns cocking, you name it—there was almost no Foley on that show. So, when Walter White threw the pizza on the roof of his house, my job was to capture the flop when it landed. We had a truckload of pizzas for as many takes as we needed, and out comes Bryan Cranston and nails it on the first take. The sound was exactly what post needed, and the crew ate very well that day.”

Asked what distinguishes Lectrosonics as a brand in his view, Frank doesn’t need to pause to think. “It’s the customer service,” he said. “Now, I’m lucky to be in New Mexico about 15 minutes from their factory. But still, I can knock on their door, and a few minutes later I’m in a conference room with a piece of gear explaining what I need to do. I like their social media presence, too, because they post real information and solutions, not just promo stuff. And they ask a lot of questions— not to second-guess the customer, but to improve their products. Lectrosonics is genuinely committed to making everything better.”

The What: Lectrosonics has introduced the two newest members of the digital wireless microphone system family, the DBSM single battery and DBSMD dual-battery bodypack transmitters.

The What Else: The new units are fully compatible with the DSQD digital receiver, DCHR digital portable receiver, and DCR822 compact dual-channel digital receiver and feature a tuning range covering both the A1 and B1 bands from 470 to 608 MHz (470 to 614 MHz for the E01 international versions). The new transmitters include specially developed, high efficiency circuitry for extended operating time on AA batteries, and offer RF power selections at 10, 25 and 50 mW. In addition, a new, selectable high-density transmission mode (HDM) allows for much tighter channel spacing, yielding more than double the operating frequencies per available spectrum. Firmware updates are now available for the DSQD, DCHR, and DCR822 receivers, and updates for the Mac and PC versions of Wireless Designer software, to make use of this this new high-density mode.

[Lectrosonics Celebrates 50th Anniversary]

The DBSM and DBSM can be configured as either transmitters or recorders, with files stored on microSD card memory in the industry standard Broadcast Wave .wav (BWF) format at 24 bits, 48 kHz sample rate. The TA5M mic/line connector also acts as a timecode input for jam sync with master clocks on set, making audio file alignment quick and easy in post-production. The internal clock provides accuracy of <1ppm for all-day operation.

The microSD memory card can also be used to update the units’ firmware in the field. The DBSM and DBSMD respond to remote “dweedle tone” commands, available via third-party apps such as New Endian’s LectroRM and PDR Remote, allowing users to change settings including frequency, audio level, lock/unlock, and to start or stop recording.

The durable, machined aluminum housings are the same size and shape as the previous generation SMWB and SMDWB units so that standard accessories are compatible, including belt clips, battery eliminators, and pouches. The input wiring is also the same as previous generation SM Series transmitters, allowing the use of existing lavaliere and headset microphones wired for either servo-bias or “universal” inputs, along with adapter cables for line inputs and dynamic mics. The two-way IR port ensures quick setup and allows for data sharing between units including frequency tuning groups and encryption keys when in shared key management mode.

The DBSM and DBSMD support encryption in a 256-bit AES, CTR mode format for robust security, meeting FIPS 197 and 140-2 standards. Four different key management modes can be employed, including Universal—where all units in the system share the same default key; Shared—where a unique key is created and can be shared between transmitters and between transmitters and receivers; Standard—where a unique key is created but cannot be shared between transmitters or from transmitters to receivers; and Volatile—where every session requires a new key.

“The SM Series of miniature transmitters has been immensely popular since their original introduction four generations and more than and 15 years ago,” said Karl Winkler, VP of sales and marketing at Lectrosonics, Inc. “This latest generation brings these body-worn transmitters into the digital era, with a host of important features. The high-density mode alone will be a huge problem solver for a wide range of users. And the option to record gives these transmitters enormous flexibility for the demanding applications our users encounter on a daily basis.”

The Bottom Line: With an audio frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz in standard transmission mode, a dynamic range of 112 dB, and a flat in-band phase response, the DBSM and DBSMD provide studio-grade sound, with low noise, for the most demanding productions.

MSRP is $2,350 for the single-battery DBSM and $2,450 for the dual-battery DBSMD.

Lectrosonics is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded in March, 1971 in Albuquerque, NM, Lectrosonics products are used in countless broadcast, television, theater, film, live performance, and music productions worldwide.

At its founding, Lectrosonics’ first product was the Voice Projector series of portable P.A. systems and lecterns. In 1975, the company’s first wireless microphone was added to the product line. Shortly thereafter, these products were marketed under the Freedomike trademark.

By the 1980s, Lectrosonics found success in the broadcast market with its plug-on transmitter and compact receiver for electronic newsgathering and documentary production. Around this same time, the company’s engineering team had begun working on audio processing equipment targeted at the installed sound market. The first product was the MAP (Modular Audio Processor) system, which consisted of a card cage design with a variety of automatic mixing, signal processing and logic control modules. Derived from this technology, the current ASPEN Series audio processors have been installed all over the world in courtrooms, boardrooms, and other AV installations.

Lectrosonics' wireless IFB (interruptible foldback) system was introduced in the late 1990s and became a workhorse product in broadcast and film production. In 2020, after 19 years on the market, the legacy IFBR1a was replaced with the smaller and more modern IFBR1b, offering dock charging, 10 presets and “talent friendly” size and weight.

By 2002, the company’s Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless technology was introduced and Lectrosonics grew dramatically. In 2017, the company received the Academy Award for Technical Achievement for this technology.

In 2016, the company introduced the SSM micro-bodypack transmitter specifically for the professional theatrical market. This product has been used on numerous Broadway shows and tours, including The Lion King, Pretty Woman, Beetlejuice, King Kong and Frozen.

In 2017, the Duet digital IEM/IFB system was introduced—the first one with Dante connectivity and the option for AES256 encryption. 2016 marked the introduction of Lectrosonics PDR (Portable Digital Recorder), followed in 2018 by the SPDR (Stereo Portable Digital Recorder), and in 2020 by the MTCR (Miniature Time Code Recorder) the micro-sized digital recorders.

Recently introduced digital wireless microphone products include the D Squared line, DCR822, and the Digital Camera Hop units.

“From wooden lecterns in 1971 to Academy Award-winning wireless microphones today, the past 50 years at Lectrosonics have brought amazing technological changes both in the products we make and in the markets we serve,” said Gordon Moore, Lectrosonics president and a 33-year company employee.  “We advanced from through-hole components with hand assembly to surface mount technology and CNC machining. Our employees have had free reign to imagine, challenge, and invent with the reward of their innovations becoming an integral part of television and movie sound recording, news gathering, broadcast, theatre, and installed sound. Thank you to all our amazing partners and customers. What a fun ride!”

Lectrosonics says that its products—still 100 percent made in its U.S. factory in Rio Rancho, NM—are essential tools for the broadcast and film production communities, and are regularly found throughout the music industry, as well as live sound reinforcement for the pro touring, installed sound, theater, and house of worship  markets.

Lectrosonics is supporting the Sound is Essential creativity contest to emphasize that no matter the medium, sound is critical.

“We are very excited about the responses to Sound is Essential that we have received from industry friends, colleagues, and related companies who have been making their own creative content,” said Karl Winkler, vice president of marketing and sales for Lectrosonics. “Sound is the basis of any media—the foundation of the message and the communication between people. We want to emphasize that sound should always get equal billing, equal care, and equal attention in any production.”

To enter the Sound is Essential contest, users can upload videos to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, or TikTok by January 31, and use #lectrosonics and #soundisessential. 

The Sound is Essential videos should be short, creative, and focused on demonstrating the importance of sound. For instance, with the sound of the video absent altogether, viewers will likely wonder “what went wrong” at first, while they try to figure out why they can’t hear anything. This content may be in the form of product introductions, instructional videos, tips and tricks, videos, and the like.

Representatives from the company will review all the videos during the first week of February, and pick the most creative entries to win prizes.

• 1st prize: $500 gift certificate for purchase towards Lectrosonics products or services at any authorized Lectrosonics retailer. 
• 2nd prize: $250 gift certificate for purchase towards Lectrosonics products or services at any authorized Lectrosonics retailer.
• 3rd prize: $100 gift certificate for purchase towards Lectrosonics products or services at any authorized Lectrosonics retailer.

A set of “Sound is Essential” end titles and a “whisper” sound file are available free of charge by visiting https://www.lectrosonics.com/sound-is-essential.html.  All are invited to let creative juices flow and help support colleagues in the AV and related industries.

Howard Kaufman, Lectrosonic's  Northeastern technical sales representative, passed away on February 27, 2020. Kaufman had been with the company for the last 23  years.

Previous to Lectrosonics, Kaufman's career work included 22 years as an engineer in various positions at the U.N. Headquarters, as well as 15 years at Full House Productions, a media production company in New York City.

While working at the U.N. designing systems for broadcast and conference facilities, Kaufman met Gordon Moore, the company's current president. Getting to know Kaufman inspired Moore to offer him a position at Lectrosonics.

Credited with coining the term “Lectroid” to describe a fanatical Lectrosonics employee or user, Kaufman called himself a “Lectrovangelist,” as he was extremely passionate about sharing the company’ products and technologies with his customers. The company says  Kaufman was "unflappable and always had a calm demeanor even when under a lot of pressure, the calm in the eye of the storm. His loyalty to family, friends, clients and company was unquestioned."

“Howard loved providing technical support throughout the Northeast U.S. and loved going to Europe for trade shows. He was demanding of our engineering department, a technical superstar who made it a point to totally, completely, comprehend how everything worked,” said Lectrosonics Moore. “Over the years, I watched Howard raise a family, become involved deeply in his community, and grow in his own personal path. He was a great friend, a marvelous employee, and a blessing on the lives of everyone who met him. He reached out to the audio community and encouraged so many young people to be creative and follow their talents.”

“All of us here at Lectrosonics will miss Howard’s humor, presence, dedication and gentle soul. He left a big footprint on the world and we are all better for it,” added Moore. “We pass along our deepest condolences to his family. We know they will miss him terribly, as we all will.”

Cherry Hills Community Church (CHCC) invests in Lectrosonics Digital and Digital Hybrid Wireless technology, prompted by the FCC’s new 600 MHz band wireless rules to upgrade its facilities with a fully networkable system. The new equipment, including dozens of channels of Venue2 receivers, SSM micro bodypack transmitters, 24 LT bodypack transmitters, 32 HHa handheld transmitters and 14 channels of Duet IEM systems, has been integrated into four locations at CHCC’s South Denver campus.

The megachurch’s quarter-mile-wide campus, less than 15 miles south of the city of Denver, encompasses a 225,000-square-foot main building plus a separate chapel for special events such as weddings and memorials. The church holds three contemporary services each weekend.

“We’ve been on the update path since I started a few years ago,” said the church’s audio director, Ben Edison. “We updated the sound system to L-Acoustics Kara speakers. We upgraded our Digico consoles to Stealth Core and upgraded our I/O System to SD-Racks. And now we’ve flipped all our wireless gear to Lectrosonics.”

With the production facilities across the campus already networked, Edison was determined to integrate digital wireless microphone and IEM systems. “The number one driving force was the Duet in-ear monitoring system. We’ve been on in-ears for a couple of years, with no wedges on stage. We do feature a choir once every other week, and we have wedges in the ceiling for the choir, but the band is all on in-ears,” he said.

“We knew that if we were going to pull the trigger on new equipment then we really wanted it to be digital,” he said. “You get one chance in 10 years to do a big update in a church, so we wanted to make sure that we adopted the technology now.”

After evaluating various options on the market, Edison and his team replaced the church’s previously installed wireless systems with Venue 2 receivers at four campus locations, Duet M2T dual-channel IEM transmitters, and M2R IEM receiver packs in two of those rooms. “We put in 21 channels of Venue 2 and 10 channels of Duet into the 3,500-seat worship center. The chapel, which seats 350, got 10 channels of Venue 2, the 600-capacity atrium got 10 channels and the youth group room got 12 channels, with 10 Duet in-ears,” said Edison.

Three DNT16i analog-to-Dante input converter boxes enable integration of the wireless microphones with the worship center’s installed media network. “We have networking built in across the quarter-mile campus for when we do multiple rooms for special events like Christmas. I can patch into any room with production. But mostly the Dante network is local to the worship center. We run Ableton tracks and all video on the network, and now we’re pushing our Venue 2 receivers over Dante as well,” he said.

Making the jump to Lectrosonics has been a cost-saver, added Edison. “We’ve been able to save quite a pretty penny going with Dante instead of having to add analog inputs into the DiGiCo SD-Racks,” he said.

Campus-wide, the new Venue 2 receivers are paired with a variety of Lectrosonics bodypack transmitters. CHCC’s total complement includes 24 LT bodypack transmitters and 32 HHa handheld transmitters. The HHa handhelds are fitted either with Shure KSM9 capsules or, said Edison, “My favorite, the DPA d:facto.”

The new package of Lectrosonics gear also includes a single WM watertight bodypack transmitter. “We haven’t used it yet, but we do outdoor events in the summer, mainly baptisms, so we’re going to use it in a baptism tub. Plus, it’s a utility piece for anyone doing anything in the kid’s room or needs a device they can get wet. I’m excited to use it,” he said. An SSM super small micro beltpack transmitter is also available for situations where a larger device is too bulky.

The replacement of the previous wireless microphone and IEM systems was initially triggered by the imminent loss of access to the 600 MHz band, Edison said. “We have two cell towers on our building, and one of them is T-Mobile, which owns the 600 MHz band, so we had to make sure and get out of those frequencies early.”

But the principle motivation came with the discovery of the Lectrosonics Duet 2 digital IEM system, he said. “That was the big tipping point and made us look into Lectrosonics a lot more,” he said. “After doing a lot of demos and some listening tests we decided that we were definitely going to go Lectro.”

The What: Lectrosonics has introduced a stereo version of its PDR micro digital recorder, the SPDR (stereo portable digital recorder.)

The SPDR is a professional quality, dual-channel unit designed for use in ENG (electronic news gathering), in film and video production, as a backup recorder, or for personal use.

The What Else: The SPDR records to a micro SDHC memory card in broadcast wave format (.WAV with iXML metadata) and 24 bit depth, in sample rates of either 48 kHz or 96 kHz. The unit can accept inputs from analog line level and AES digital sources, or from lav microphones wired for standard Lectrosonics 5-pin “servo bias” inputs. The SPDR can be jammed with time code via an industry-standard 5-pin Lemo connector, and features a temperature compensated (TCXO) time base crystal.

Dweedle tone commands allow easy start and stop using the PDRRemote, a 3rd party application for iPhone or Android. The SPDR has an external power input with internal battery switchover, allowing all day recording from your bag battery with immediate fall back to the internal batteries should there be an external power loss. A 32GB memory card allows almost 30 hours of recording time at the 48kHz sample rate. A high quality headphone output is provided for playback and monitoring.

The SPDR’s aluminum housing allows easy access for the Micro SDHC memory card (up to 32GB), two AA batteries, and DC input for external power. Run times of up to 13 hours can be expected when using Alkaline AA batteries.

The Bottom Line: The SPDR is designed for use on virtual reality sound captures or as a backup recorder for bag systems in the field. The micro recorder allows capture of the full stereo audio of an extreme sport participant, in-car scenes or in situations where a wireless system isn’t practical. When used in conjunction with a small mixer and the SRC receiver, the SPDR makes for a lightweight interview setup that provides full redundancy - all fitting into a small fanny pack. For compatibility with a wider range of memory cards while retaining high reliability, the SPDR features a deep write buffer.

The Lectrosonics PDR is available now with an MSRP of $1495 U.S.

The What: Lectrosonics has introduced the RPS4, a high-reliability universal DC power supply with redundant internal supply modules.

The What Else: The RPS4 supplies four 12V DC thread-locking (LZR type) taps, each providing up to 1.5 amps. Two internal power supplies and two temperature-controlled fans operate in a failover mode for an automatic backup in the event one of them fails. Individual 2A automotive blade-type fuses protect each 12V tap from overload or direct short. The unit can be powered by 100 to 240V AC, 50/60Hz. Output DC ripple is less than 20mV. The unit ships with both two 12-inch and two 18-inch DC supply cables.

“The RPS4 is a perfect companion to our Venue and Venue 2 receivers, Duet M2T transmitters, and IFBT4 IFB transmitters,” said Karl Winkler, VP of sales at service at Lectrosonics. “Our users and dealers have asked for a highly reliable rack-type power supply for use in a variety of professional applications, such as broadcast, theater, touring, and houses of worship, and this unit will fill those needs nicely.”

The Bottom Line: The unit is designed as a 12V DC source for low-voltage devices such as wireless microphone receivers, IEM transmitters, IFB transmitters, and audio signal processing equipment. The 1RU chassis eliminates the need for a separate power strip with individual DC supplies for each device. The RPS4 is well suited for use in broadcast, theater, touring, houses of worship, and many other professional applications.

The RPS4 is available now with an MSRP of $2,290.