Following the February release of their sixth studio album, This Is Why, Paramore traveled to South America in March and the United Kingdom in April for brief tours and the band are now on a 26-date North American arena tour running from May 23 to August 2. Eighth Day Sound, a Clair Global brand, has served as Paramore’s provider for the past six years, and for this year’s runs in both the UK and US, FOH engineer Travis Bing chose to carry an L-Acoustics professional audio system.

“I’m on my 13th year with Paramore,” says Bing, who, up until last year, served as the group’s monitor engineer before taking over the FOH mix position. “Although L-Acoustics is new to the band, I’ve had their rigs out on tour with Dashboard Confessional, plus mixed other artists at various festivals on K Series arrays. From those experiences, L-Acoustics quickly became one of my favorite systems to mix on, so when the time came to spec our setup for this year’s arena run, it was my first choice.”

The band’s new touring inventory consists of 60 L-Acoustics K2 enclosures: 18 flown per side for mains and 12 per side as side hangs. An additional 32 Kara II, 16 per side, are deployed to cover up to 270°. For reinforced LF, 10 K1-SB are hung behind each of the main arrays for low-frequency extension and complemented by six KS28 subs ground-stacked per side in a cardioid configuration. Eight A10 Focus are spread out across the stage lip as front-fills. The entire system is driven by 48 LA12X amplified controllers paired with three P1 MILAN AVB processors. Two self-powered 108P are used as reference monitors on Bing’s SSL L650 FOH console.

“We’re using L-Acoustics P1 with the M1 measurement suite and running AVB for primary audio,” shares systems engineer and FOH tech Brian Sankus. “P1 is essential to all of my L-Acoustics deployments these days; one is positioned in our amp rack and acts as a master for all. It receives AVB from FOH as primary, AES from FOH as secondary, and analog from monitors as a worst-case scenario. That feeds our amps AVB as primary with an analog fallback; with the input fallback being triple-redundant, the show can always go on. And M1 is a great tool that really helps me get an idea of how the EQ translates through the entire room as opposed to just one location. It makes tuning a much quicker job.”

Sankus points out that the band members are all big advocates of performing as close to the crowd as they can, so, with a five-foot-high stage and barricade often five feet or less from the downstage edge, focusing the energy where needed is crucial. “By deploying K2 with K1-SB, we can get a good wrap on the mains to drastically bring that gap between the mains and front-fills down,” he describes. “We also try to be low-end conscious for both the front row and the band onstage. Having the flown K1-SB and cardioid KS28 on the ground really helps manage the direction of the low end.”

“Regarding design, I aim for the same coverage from the front to the back row,” he continues. “With this being the age of social media, videos show up online immediately following—and even during—a show. Having those translate the live performance to a digital multimedia format is key, and not blowing any particular area out is always a goal.”

With seven musicians onstage generating over 70 inputs, Paramore’s expanded touring outfit has a lot of layers to their music and live performance. “It’s more than just ‘gain it up and go’—it’s about trying to find space and dimension while still sounding massive,” Bing describes. “Also, the band’s catalog has evolved over the years, so going from harder and faster songs to more rhythmic and dynamic songs back-to-back in the setlist can certainly present some mixing challenges each night.”

“We did some shows last fall on a brief US tour of smaller venues where we didn’t carry a PA, and every time I found myself on an L-Acoustics rig, the mix just came together faster and sounded more musical. It could easily handle that back-and-forth between aggressive and dynamic songs that is a huge part of our shows now. That’s when I knew I wanted to carry L-Acoustics for our future tours. I don’t mind mixing on different PAs night to night—it does keep you on your toes—but I’m also very excited to have such great consistency and see where we can push this band’s mix sonically in these larger venues moving forward.”

The post Paramore Takes New Album Worldwide With L-Acoustics K2 appeared first on Audio Media International.

L-Acoustics Certified Rental Partner Novatech supplied sound, visual, lighting and communication solutions for Rüfüs Du Sol’s outdoor show sites, deploying K Series for Adelaide and Perth shows.

In the nine years between their 2013 debut album Atlas and now, Grammy Award-winning group Rüfüs Du Sol has undergone one name change, received three ARIA certifications–two platinum and one gold–for their unique style of house, electronica, and alternative dance music. With an illustrious, decade-long musical career, multi-citied continental tours have been the norm for the three-piece outfit.

Recently, Rüfüs Du Sol wrapped up an Australia-New Zealand tour of eight shows performed in four territories for over thirty-thousand people. For the concerts in Adelaide and Perth, tour promoters Fuzzy Entertainment chose L-Acoustics Certified Rental Partner Novatech to supply sound, visual, lighting and communication solutions for the outdoor sites. The Novatech team’s open communication and collaborative style have made the company a returning partner for the band and mix engineer Cam Trewin.

Novatech was tasked with designing a system that would provide optimal coverage to the vast open field audience area while also taking the neighbouring residential areas into consideration. “Of course, we needed to adhere to strict local council noise limits,” explains Matthew Ruggiero, Technical Project Manager at Novatech. “But on the flip side, being in the wide space of an open field allowed my team and I to have complete control over speaker placement.”

“We were briefed on the shows before their tour began, which gave us ample time to create a system design and share it with the band’s management,” says Ruggiero. “Working with management and the team’s consultants, we fine-tuned the design, paying special attention to sub placement.”

For both shows in Adelaide and Perth, Novatech deployed the final design, consisting of main L/R arrays of 15 L-Acoustics K2 with four K1SB subwoofers per side. Side-fill consisted of nine K2 enclosures per side. Front-fill consisted of 12 Kara boxes while low-end extension was delivered by 24 SB28 dual 18” subwoofers. These were  deployed in an end-fire configuration across the front of the stage.

Ruggiero and the team at Novatech were delighted with the full-range coverage and the even SPL provided by the K Series at the shows. “Rüfüs’ long-time tour mix engineer, Cam Trewin, dialed in an amazing mix. It was an honour to witness him crafting and delivering a mix close to the artist’s record in a live outdoor concert setting,” he concludes.

The post L-Acoustics K Series Shines on Rüfüs Du Sol’s Tour appeared first on Audio Media International.

The 16-time Grammy Award-winning artist places a high priority on the sound of her shows, and L-Acoustics L-ISA delivers the sonic quality and immersive experience that best match her performance.

Everyone wants to get close to Adele. The 16-time Grammy Award winner has a knack, through her lyrics, vocal delivery, and vulnerable-yet-strong personality onstage, of bringing concertgoers into her world. And she’s been doing just that during Weekends With Adele, her current residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a five-month series of weekend-night shows running from November 18th through March 25th. Helping to enhance her artistic flair is a fully immersive sound system using L-ISA technology from L-Acoustics. USA Today called it “a spectacular two hours,” while the venue’s “sound matched Adele’s flawless vocals,” wrote the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“Adele is very aware of the importance of sound quality—it’s always been a high priority on her earlier tours,” says Johnny Keirle, the production’s system engineer, who began touring with Adele in 2016 and has also worked on past tours with Billie Eilish and P!NK in similar roles.

“We began the conversation about using L-ISA early on with Adele and her management team.” Although there had been some initial caution on the subject of budget, he recalls, a demo of the system in London followed by further discussions with production manager Paul English very quickly led to a decision that the immersive environment that L-ISA brings would add a valuable and unparalleled sense of intimacy to her performances.

“With tight load in and out times of only 72 hours, this production is quite literally a 40-truck stadium show being staged in a remarkably intimate 4,100-capacity theatre each weekend,” says Paul English. “But the size of the room is only part of the equation. L-ISA gives us the best quality sound for this show and perfectly helps foster Adele’s personal connection with her audiences.”

Supplied by Clair Global, Weekends With Adele’s L-ISA Scene system, which comprises the body of the mix and the focal point of the performance, features L-Acoustics K2 loudspeakers configured in seven arrays.

Kara in two hangs make up the Extension arrays and out-fills. KS28 subwoofers, in two columns, are hung directly behind the centre K2 array, and more ground-stacked subs are deployed in a distributed line across and underneath the downstage edge. Compact 5XT spatial fills are distributed across and in front of the downstage edge, along with larger X8 that are deployed as out-fills. All are powered by LA12X amplified controllers, and the system is managed by an L-Acoustics P1 processor and L-ISA Processor II units. The signal is distributed over a Milan AVB network via a combination of L-Acoustics LS10 and Luminex AVB switches.

Keirle was new to L-ISA himself, but he says the online training he took while home in New Zealand got him up to speed and confident quickly. “The L-Acoustics Application team were very accommodating,” he says. “We did the training online over Teams, where I learned the practical and theoretical aspects of immersive audio, and I felt comfortable with L-ISA as soon as I walked into rehearsals.”

Keirle and FOH engineer Dave Bracey quickly established a workflow for themselves. Keirle created a combination of automated and manual movements for each song in the processors, while Bracey concentrated on perfecting the mix of the vocals, band, and orchestra.

“Johnny and I collaborate through L-ISA in a very unique way—it’s not the typical relationship between a front-of-house and system engineer, and he’s not doing a typical system engineering role,” Bracey explains. “He has creative input into the show’s sound. We discussed how we should approach every song in the set, and he created a series of automated and manual snapshots that fit the song and the production. He takes my mix and places it into the Scene, creating an immersive template that I’m mixing into. It’s a very new way to approach a live music mix, and it’s thrilling.”

Keirle says the mixing and system engineering roles are distinct but integrated into the immersive L-ISA environment. “We haven’t worked in this kind of environment before, so we developed our methodology as we went along,” he says. “It needs people dedicated to each role. I’m focused the entire time on the processing and positioning of the sound—taking 96 post-fader feeds from the FOH console and determining parameters like depth and width—while Dave is completely focused on the console and the mix, not worrying about the processing behind it. It’s a workflow we established during rehearsals, looking at how L-ISA befitted each individual song and building around that.”

Keirle has plenty of engineering to manage at FOH. From Bracey’s DiGiCo Quantum7 house audio console, he has Optocore DD4MR-FX digital I/O and interface units as part of the optical control loop. Channels are sent from the console, via direct outs, to the DD4MRs, where they output as optical MADI. The optical MADI is received by an RME MADI Bridge, which outputs MADI over BNC to both the primary and secondary L-ISA Processor II units. For output signal distribution from the processors to the amplified controllers, the LA12X take Milan AVB from a series of LS10 and Luminex GigaCore 26i and 14R AVB distributed network switches.

“AVB also feeds directly from each L-ISA Processor into my AVB V-LAN, and I have each L-ISA Processor outputting MADI into a second RME MADI Bridge as well,” Keirle explains. “This outputs optical MADI to various Ferrofish A32 converters. The RME MADI Bridge acts as an input matrix, and the Ferrofish A32s convert the chosen MADI stream to analog, which feeds the analog inputs of the LA12X amplified controllers.”

In terms of philosophy, Keirle and Bracey follow Adele’s dynamic cues, generally starting songs quietly—often with just a solo piano and voice—keeping the immersive soundstage relatively tapered and focused center stage. The soundscape then widens and deepens as additional musicians and sounds are introduced and revealed.

It’s a good approach to immersive sound in general, Keirle believes. “This is something we discussed early on: the key to making an immersive mix effective is using the technology sparingly and subtly,” he explains. “You allow the audience to get accustomed to one level of it, then you increase the intensity, changing and broadening the image. Once the audience’s ears and eyes are settled, they’ll notice the slight changes you’re progressively making to the sound, moving her voice back into the instruments and then pulling it forward. Even small moves can make for a very emotional and effective contrast.”

Together, Keirle and Bracey form a model of a workflow that will likely become increasingly common in the live sound industry for immersive productions, particularly for high-profile events such as Weekends With Adele. At the same time, the initial novelty of immersive live sound will give way to it becoming a more customary way of working. “Once you’re comfortable with the technology, you find that it’s an easier way to mix music,” says Bracey. “It’s easier to place a vocal in with instrumentation instead of using EQ and dynamics to try to squeeze it in. In fact, with L-ISA, it’s easier to find a place for everything.”

The post L-Acoustics L-ISA Brings a New Level of Intimacy to Weekends With Adele appeared first on Audio Media International.

Ambiance Acoustics System, L-ISA Studio, and the latest dedicated installation loudspeakers, plus audio solutions for the residential and architectural markets, take centre stage at ISE.

Visitors to this year’s ISE can meet the L-Acoustics and L-Acoustics Creations team, catch a demonstration of L-ISA Ambiance Acoustics System, discover L-ISA Studio interactive workstations, hear the discreet and powerful Soka/SB6i duo, and more.

Ambiance is the next generation of active acoustics, combining premium acoustics and the realism of immersive audio. An Ambiance Acoustic System consists of an immersive loudspeaker design requiring both surround and overheads to create a proper acoustic field and an array of strategically placed microphones to capture the existing acoustical energy of the venue, which is processed through the L-ISA Room Engine built within the L-ISA Processor II. These systems are designed within the 3D-mapping design software Soundvision to fit the room geometry and volume and to meet the performance requirements of the venue – from simple acoustic enhancement to high-performance Immersive Hyperreal productions.

Ambiance demonstrations continue at the Hilton Barcelona on Wednesday, February 1, at 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, and 17.00.

L-ISA Studio is an innovative approach to the workflow of spatial audio content creation. Built with sound designers and mixing engineers in mind, L-ISA Studio is designed for countless creative, immersive audio experiences. It takes the power and versatility of the concert-proven L‑ISA technology and puts it into the hands of sound creators, allowing them to formulate multidimensional audio wherever and whenever they are ready to create.

L-ISA Studio workstations on the L-Acoustics booth in Hall 7, Booth F240, allow visitors to familiarise themselves with the immersive sound mixing software, now available for MacOS and Windows.

Also at the booth are the latest dedicated installation loudspeakers and subwoofers, Soka, SB6i, and SB10i, and the new revolutionary high-power multi-channel amplifier, LA7.16i.

The LA7.16i amplified controller surmounts the limitations of current high-power amplifier configurations used in most installation projects. Unique in the market, LA7.16i offers an unprecedented 16×16 architecture in a 2U chassis with seamless Milan-AVB redundancy. Each of the 16 output channels delivers up to 1300 watts at 8 ohms or 1100 watts at 4 ohms.

Soka and the SB6i subwoofer join loudspeakers like Syva, X4i, and the SB10i subwoofer to offer exciting new creative possibilities for sound designers, interior designers, and architects to shape sound and space to their needs.

The L-Acoustics Creations stand in Hall 2, Booth H300, is showcasing the Fiji 5.1 system. Comprising five discreet X4i, an SB10i subwoofer, and a pair of LA2Xi amplified controllers, Fiji is small enough to disappear in any room yet capable of covering a listening area of up to 20 m2 with SPL over 117dB in the reference listening position. Guests can also receive a demo of the Tahiti 2.1 featuring two powerful Syva and two Syva Subs accompanied by an LA4X amplified controller.

Alongside Fiji, the L-Acoustics Creations booth is also demonstrating the new Soka in-wall / on-wall loudspeakers in a stereo configuration.

The post L-Acoustics and L-Acoustics Creations at ISE 2023 appeared first on Audio Media International.

L-Acoustics has announced the creation of a new sales organisation that allows the company to drive its ambitious vision to deliver exceptional audio experiences for audiences worldwide through constant technology innovation, product development, and educational outreach.

The new L-Acoustics sales organisation is focused on sales strategy, business development, and building territorial sales channels. Under the general management of L-Acoustics CEO Laurent Vaissié, the new team will be spread across three divisions: Sales and Sales Operations will focus on developing regional sales channels; the Business Development team will concentrate on developing commercial expertise and end-user outreach in key vertical markets; and the Strategy Leadership team will develop mid- to long-term go-to-markets strategies and key partnerships as well as manage resource planning and market intelligence.

The new organisation emerges with the retirement of Executive Director of Business Development Jochen Frohn who, for the last 14 years, has set the vision for the global sales team. Frohn has created a legacy of performance and record-breaking results, while developing talented teams. “Jochen helped L-Acoustics build the strongest sales organisation in the industry, centred on long-term growth, developing deep client relationships, and offering premium brand support and performance. We are grateful for his indelible contribution,” expressed Vaissié. “Following two years of preparation working with Jochen and our team on this transition, I am excited to announce the new sales organisation, which has been designed to support exceptional market demand and fulfil our long-term vision.”

Heading up the new Sales and Sales Operations division, Jacob Barfoed has been promoted to the position of Global Director of Sales and Sales Operations. Having joined L-Acoustics earlier this year to head the company’s EMEA sales, Barfoed now takes on the responsibility of leading the Territorial Sales Teams, as well as the Sales Coordination and Customer Service teams. In his new role, he will drive the overall productivity and effectiveness of the territory sales organisation and lead sales growth, while building and maintaining long-term business relationships with key clients of the global L-Acoustics network. Barfoed brings unique value to his role thanks to 20 years of experience at Sony Professional, where he developed an intimate understanding of the customer, distribution channels, and broader business environment of the professional A/V industry.

“It’s an honour to carry on Jochen’s legacy, and to lead this team of talented professionals who have proven their ability to create sustained growth,” states Barfoed. “This new organisation heightens our strengths and poises the team to deepen our relationships with partners, clients, and end users in diverse and key markets across the globe.”

Barfoed is supported by David Cooper, Director of Sales APAC, and BJ Shaver, Director of Sales Americas, and will continue to support EMEA sales operations while the company completes its search to fill the Director of Sales EMEA position.

Also reporting to Barfoed, Nick Fichte has been promoted to the position of Director of Sales, L-Acoustics Creations. Newly integrated into the global sales division, Fichte will spearhead the global sales strategy and development of the fast-growing L-Acoustics Creations network of certified integrators, driving ambitious growth in the residential, marine, and architectural markets. Before joining L-Acoustics in 2020, Fichte was a sales leader in residential business development at Crestron.

Within the Sales and Sales Operations division, Oksana Mudrak moves into the role of Global Head of Sales Coordination, managing the highly effective, multi-cultural sales support teams in the APAC, Americas, and EMEA regions. Mudrak will harmonise and strengthen L-Acoustics elevated standards of sales coordination across the globe to continue to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

“This new partner-focused organisation will deepen our commitment in all three regional markets, develop our network presence globally, and allow us to strengthen commercial support to the L-Acoustics network of certified providers,” concludes Vaissié.

The post L-Acoustics Announces New Global Sales and Business Development Organisation appeared first on Audio Media International.

Audio Media International started this series for our newsletter and, by popular demand, we’re picking five interviews every couple of weeks and putting them on the site. If you want to be featured or want to nominate someone, email rosie@audiomediainternational.com.

Bryan Borcherds, Marketing Manager, Arturia

Where are you right now?
At my kitchen table – lockdown!
What is the last album you listened to?
The new Mogwai album ‘As The Love Continues’.
Describe 2021 so far in one sentence.
Positive vibes. I’m a believer in thinking positive, be it for myself or to influence those around me.
When does live music come back?
By the middle of the year and it’ll be great. It’ll be like catching up with an old friend and it’ll be more appreciated than ever before.
What skill have you developed in lockdown?
I’ve just graduated from a Berklee Music Foundations course. And, like most others, I now make a mean banana bread.
Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else?
I’ve never watched Star Wars. There, I’ve said it

Dave Morrison, President, IsoAcoustics 

Where are you right now?
At home, in the kitchen with cappuccino
What is the last album you listened to?
CSN&Y Déjà Vu is playing in the next room
Describe 2021 so far in one sentence.
It’s moving forward quickly with lots of possibilities.
When does live music come back?
I’m afraid the big events are still a long way off but I think we’ll start to see outdoor performances popping up this summer. You can’t keep good energy down for too long.
What skill have you developed in lockdown?
Patience
Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else?
I can’t wait to get out and put the top down again.

Mary Beth Henson, Head of Press & Social Media, L-Acoustics

Where are you right now?
In the home office, which has been redone recently. If you’d told me a year ago that I’d have (or even want) a stand up/sit down desk, I’d have had a good laugh.
What is the last album you listened to?
Th entire Beastie Boys catalog – over and over and over. I just finished the awesome Beastie Boys Book and it’s sent me down the rabbit hole.
Describe 2021 so far in one sentence.
Waiting and anticipating.
When does live music come back?
Now, please? It’s starting to come back in Asia/Oceania and I’ve just finished a couple of press releases for big, full-production shows mounted by L-Acoustics partners in China, Australia and New Zealand. I have hope that other regions will get there soon.
What skill have you developed in lockdown?
Mixing cocktails (ask me for my whisky sour recipe!) and digital marketing.
Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else?
I once stayed up all night on Black Friday outside of Toys ‘R’ Us in the hopes of buying a Furby (for a friend, honest)

Will Evans, Spitfire Audio CEO

Where are you right now?
At the dressing table in my bedroom.
What is the last album you listened to?
Micachu – Feeling Romantic Feeling Tropical Feeling Ill
Describe 2021 so far in one sentence.
Here we goooooo
When does live music come back?
In May, all being well.
What skill have you developed in lockdown?
Parenting.
Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else?
I watch videos about Lego collecting on YouTube.

Caspar Bock, Founder, Baby Audio

Where are you right now?

In my office. I’ve done the opposite of what most people did during the pandemic — and gone from working from home to renting an office. (The rest of the team currently works remotely via Google Hangouts).
What is the last album you listened to?

Wes Montgomery – Bumpin’
Describe 2021 so far in one sentence.

Chaos and optimism.
When does live music come back?

I really hope it will be soon. We need music around us, the world is a lot more dull without it. As for the timeframe, who knows: Fall maybe?
What skill have you developed in lockdown?

Patience!
Tell us something you’ve never told anyone else?
I don’t love ramen.

The post 60 Seconds With Arturia, IsoAcoustics, L-Acoustics, Baby Audio and Spitfire appeared first on Audio Media International.

L-Acoustics has appointed pro audio specialist Soundware Sweden as its latest Certified Provider Distributor.

Part of broadcast and media solutions company, Dan Technologies A/S, distributor Soundware Sweden covers all sectors from live, broadcast, rental, theatre and radio, as well as film and TV, 

“L-Acoustics is the missing piece of our puzzle,” said Marcus Lundahl, managing director of Soundware Sweden. “Soundware has been working with every piece of audio equipment from the microphone to the mixing console for many years, so adding loudspeakers was a natural step for us. And as we also distribute DiGiCo mixing consoles in Sweden, L-Acoustics is a logical addition for us, particularly as there is native integration with the L-ISA Controller in DiGiCo consoles.”

“We are delighted to welcome Soundware to the L-Acoustics network,” added Scott Wakelin, regional sales manager at L-Acoustics. “The company’s reputation in the Swedish market is second to none and it is the ideal partner to help us further support our customers in the region.”

“The combination of products in our portfolio means that we have a very compelling offer for our clients,” Lundahl continued. “Now, by adding L-Acoustics, we have a world-class solution for every part of the audio chain. We are very excited about the appointment. We know this is just the start of a long-term partnership of between likeminded brands.”

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The post ‘The missing piece of our puzzle’: Soundware Sweden named L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor appeared first on Audio Media International.

L-Acoustics is set to host eight video sessions next week as part of the NAMM Believe In Music Week, which runs from January 18-22.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting paid to in-person trade shows for the foreseeable future, NAMM’s Believe In Music Week is designed to transfer all of the benefits from its physical iteration to the digital realm. Exhibitors will be utilising the digital platform to announce their latest products and innovations, while a vast array of educational seminars, video sessions, keynote talks and interactive Q&As will be available to all participants. 

As part of the event, French loudspeaker giant L-Acoustics has confirmed that it will be hosting eight sessions across January 21-22 covering a wide range of topics, from immersive sound mixing and house of worship audio projects, to talks and presentations around its recently launched L-Acoustics Creations division, which has seen the company branch out into the commercial and home audio market.

You may also be interested in:

• NAMM 2021 ‘Believe In Music Week’: What not to miss
• Next Generation Spotlight: Jasmine Mills 
• ‘It ain’t work if you love it’: How tired cliches are devaluing the industry 

The post L-Acoustics to host eight NAMM Believe In Music Week video sessions appeared first on Audio Media International.

L-Acoustics has announced the appointment of two regional industry experts to support existing partners and grow the company’s presence in key vertical markets.

Over the last decade, the region has been successfully supported by sales manager Peter Owen, who will now concentrate his expertise on developing key territories in Russia and Eastern Europe.

The company says the appointment of a new, dedicated and locally based team will allow it to nurture new and closer relationships in the Middle East, India and East Africa. 

Chris Mead, sales manager for the Middle East, India, and East Africa, will build relationships and develop business in the region. Rahul Samuel, application engineer for the Middle East and India, will provide technical support, design assistance and training to partners and projects throughout the area. 

“The Middle East and India regions are very diverse culturally yet share a common commitment to building innovative and technically advanced venues and entertainment experiences,” said Cédric Montrezor, executive director of application at L-Acoustics. 

“This drive to excel and impress has led the region to dynamic growth – growth which remains resilient throughout the current difficult period.”

Mead is tasked with building sales growth across the region, through forging and deepening relationships with current and future partners, identifying and developing new business opportunities, and growing brand awareness. 

Mead is a recognised industry professional with over 15 years of experience in the UK and the Middle East. He began his career designing and implementing AV solutions for end-users and most recently provided technical support and developed sales in the Middle East region for Meyer Sound. 

“L-Acoustics has achieved its leadership position in the market by developing outstanding products and establishing a global system of standards via a robust partner network,” commented Mead. 

“The brand’s rapid growth in the integration market represents an exciting area of development. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the company and our partners in the region.”

Samuel will be responsible for providing technical expertise to partners and projects throughout the Middle East and his native India. 

Samuel is an award-winning live sound engineer with over 15 years of experience as an acoustic consultant, FOH/monitor and system engineer, system designer and educator. He has contributed to the production of some of India’s most spectacular live performances, and latterly representing Meyer Sound, providing technical support in the region. 

“The Middle East is home to some of the world’s biggest projects and they consistently surprise the world by exceeding known limitations,” described Samuel. 

“This type of work requires the best minds from around the world and L-Acoustics excels at accompanying people and projects to achieve their technical best. I’m excited to be working alongside our partners to turn their visions into reality.”

The post L-Acoustics appoints two new regional industry experts appeared first on Audio Media International.

This week, David Dohrmann, director of Application Install, EMEA
 at L-Acoustics, takes the hot seat for our Getting To Know interview…

How did you get into the industry?
Like probably many of us, I was trying to make a career as a musician first, which then led me to gigs as a recording engineer. First, in my little home studio, then managing to get some random work in “real” studios as well as bigger live productions – but still doing only recording.

It was in the early 2000s when many of the commercial studios started to suffer from the fact that production tools became much more affordable overall. However, it did not stop me from enrolling in a sound engineer academy in Düsseldorf. During the study I started to work for local live production companies. Mostly corporate gigs, but also some concert events or other interesting things here and there.

What was your first job?
Right after high school, I started to do regular gigs as a musician playing keyboards in several bands in Berlin, as well as doing some jazz gigs in restaurants. My first “proper” job on payroll was as stage hand for broadcast AV teams. That was before the live production gigs, as I was still at university.

What does your working day look like?
Before Covid, I was travelling between France and Germany regularly, doing meetings with the European sales and application teams at HQ, and supporting my team with on-site missions or doing joint client meetings with the sales team. Then working from my home office for the rest of the month on internal projects. It was a nice blend of duties.

These days it has became mostly home office. When the kids are off to school, I try to convince myself to go running, and if not successful, I grab a coffee and start the day in my basement office. Before HQ comes alive, I try to get some work done, then there are Microsoft Team meetings throughout the day, and work on internal projects.

I work on client projects as well, mainly in regions that are not covered with regional application engineers, or filling in when the regional team is too busy. It is a good mix still, but I am definitely missing the personal interaction, both with my colleagues and the clients.

What is your favourite thing about the pro audio industry?
I feel there is a connecting element of passion and deep identification for what we do all across the industry. There’s a certain bond between manufacturers and business partners that goes beyond business. Maybe because – from a global economic perspective – everyone is aware we are working in a niche. A “big niche” considering all related verticals today, but still a niche compared to industrial or automotive sectors. This awareness makes us feel we are not working in an industry but much more in a global community. Maybe it is founded in everyone’s unique personal history of how he or she got involved in this sound and event community in the first place. I’d say that makes the pro audio industry different from other industries.

Despite some obvious business aspects, this industry is still driven by people with a shared passion. People who are still eager to check the latest product with their favourite Steely Dan track and compare sound quality of AES vs. AVB (AVB sounds better by the way!).

And your least favourite thing?
I would say at times, repetitive listening to Steely Dan can get tiring, too.

What is the achievement/project you are most proud of?
I’m not sure. I could walk down memory lane and name certain projects but that’s probably not how I see it anymore. Having worked in different teams and scenarios – as a freelancer, for a smaller company and now for a bigger company – I see everything much more as a team effort.

The thing all these different setups have in common is that the end result depends on the coherent summation of everyone’s contribution. Pretty much like a memorable artist performance or a well designed loudspeaker product. It doesn’t help if only the vocalist performs great or the tweeter performs exceptionally. Also the band and crew members have to deliver; equally the woofer, mid-section and software package. Our job as an application team is much easier when R&D creates spot on products. Not only performance-wise but also in terms of industrial design standards. And we need to be in sync with the sales and marketing teams. Finally, everyone benefits from clarity in the corporate vision.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I like spending time with my kids (two boys, 13 and 8) realising that not long in the future they will not be receptive to my ideas and suggestions anymore. In general I like to do day trips with my family on the weekends. Skiing used to be my favourite hobby, but that is difficult from Hamburg (and in Covid times), same for my 70s disco band, which we terminated recently after 20-odd years.

So, eventually I end up on my rowing machine to stay fit and consume tons of espresso beans. I actually started to listen to music much more than I used to do when I was still playing with the band!

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