Syn-Aud-Con Update: "System Optimization & Design" will be held on April 26-30, 2004 (Grand Rapids, Mich.). "System Optimization" only will be held February 1-2, 2004, at IE-Europe (Switzerland); and June 6-7, 2004, at InfoComm (Atlanta). "Architectural Acoustics: Measurement & Prediction" will be held at this year's NSCA show (Las Vegas, March 16-18, 2004, www.nsca.org). A "Hands-On" Seminar will be held May 24-25 and 27-28, 2004, in Greenville, Ind.
www.synaudcon.com

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the 20th Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2004, at the Marriott Hotel in San Francisco. The TEC Awards honors outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design. For more information, visit mixfoundation.org.

Veteran news anchor Tawny Little will MC the House Ear Institute's 26th Annual Benefit Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel's International Ballroom on March 18, 2004, an event that raises funds for important hearing health research and children's programs at the House Ear Institute (HEI). It will begin at 5 p.m., with the "Hollywood Auction for Hearing Health" at 5:30 p.m. and a reception at 6:30 p.m.; dinner and the evening's program will begin at 7:30 p.m. The institute will recognize philanthropist Robert H. Ahmanson as Humanitarian of the Year for his support of HEI research programs through The Ahmanson Foundation. A separate award will go to Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation, who will receive the House Ear Institute's "Sound Partners Lifetime Achievement Award for Recording Arts" for his support of the institute's Sound Partners hearing conservation program.
www.hei.org

SXSW Music and Media Conference, March 17-21, 2004, celebrating its 18th edition, will showcase hundreds of musical acts from around the globe every evening for five nights on 50 stages in downtown Austin, Texas. By day, conference registrants do business in the SXSW Trade Show in the Austin Convention Center and partake of a full agenda of informative, provocative panel discussions featuring hundreds of speakers. For developments, visit www.sxsw.com.

Allen & Heath Xone:92/Xone:V6, ML Series VCA Consoles, iDR-4

Architectural Acoustics ILS Enclosures

Aviom Euroblock-Equipped Modules

BSS Audio Upgrades Minidrive FDS-332, FDS-336

Gepco Single-Pair 61801ez Audio Cables In 20 Colors

InnovaSon Sensoft Software Upgrades Sy40, Compact Consoles

Mackie TT24

Mediamatrix NION

Neutrik "AA" Series Data Connector

Sennheiser SDC 8000 Digital Conference System, Set 810 Personal TV Listening System

SLS Loudspeakers RLA/3 Ribbon Line Array

Turbosound Large-Scale SR System

Sennheiser Offers New Dealer Opps
Sennheiser is seeking qualified dealers to sell its DirectEarSAS Soundfield Amplification System for classroom amplification. MORE

CMX Las Vegas Studios Upgrades Concert Sound System
CMX Las Vegas Studios has purchased six Drawmer DL-241 auto compressors and four Drawmer DS-201 dual noise gates for use in live reinforcement. The units will become part of a concert and corporate sound system for CMX tours and events, as well as outside rental. MORE

Shure Names New Executive VP
Shure Incorporated promoted Christine Schyvinck to executive VP of Operations, where she will be responsible for the management of global manufacturing, corporate quality, materials, and process and tool engineering divisions. MORE

PRG Provides Qualified V-DOSC Technician Training
On February 16-18, 2004, Production Resource Group (PRG) delivered its first Qualified V-DOSC Technician (QVT) training course to a class of 14 audio technicians at the company's Las Vegas operations facility. The course was taught by Martyn ("Ferrit") Rowe, a member of PRG's ProMix Electrotec audio subsidiary. Rowe is one of only two certified trainers of the QVT course in North America, and is the only trainer not employed by L-Acoustics, the V-DOSC system's manufacturer. MORE

Midas Consoles Holland Launches
The Vakbeurs Theater Techniek show, which took place in The Hague at the end of January, saw the official public launch of Midas Consoles Holland, the new distribution organization for Midas and Klark Teknik products in the Netherlands. MORE

dB Acoustic and Sound Upgrades Baptist Church
When president of db Acoustic and Sound Mike Hedden was asked to upgrade the sound system for Elizabeth Baptist Church in East Point, Ga., he brought in Sound Physics Labs' loudspeakers to keep up with the church's hip style of gospel and funk contemporary worship. MORE

Sound Associates Taps Martin Audio for Arts Center Install
HRH Queen Elizabeth II was recently involved in the formal opening of The Capitol, the newly designed and refurbished community arts center in the Sussex town of Horsham, which features Martin Audio cinema and theater sound systems installed throughout. MORE

tsg Completes Gatehouse Install
tsg, the Sheffield, England-based media programming and systems company, finished the sound and vision integration at Lloyd's No. 1 bar, The Gatehouse, in Chichester, England. MORE

Splash Landings Hotel Brings in Allen & Heath iDR
Allen & Heath's iDR DSP system has been installed to manage the communications and audio requirements of Tussauds Group's new Splash Landings Hotel at Alton Towers, Britain's largest and best-known theme park. The new system integrates and administers all audio requirements from paging and alarms to conferences and entertainment within the new Splash Landings complex -- Europe's first water park hotel -- and the existing Alton Towers Hotel. MORE