Posts Tagged ‘Harman International’

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HARMAN’s AKG K702 Headphones Take Art Appreciation To Next Level At “The Art Of Rap: Remixed and Mastered” Hip Hop Gallery

by Definition Branding & Marketing Posted: Wednesday, 9/19/2012

Working to focus the spotlight on the true artistry of hip hop, curator and artist herself, Miz Metro has combined visual works of art with classic rap tracks and remixes in her gallery, The Art of Rap: Remixed and Mastered.  Inspired by the Ice-T documentary, The Art of Rap, the New York City gallery features hip hop centric graffiti art and photos by renowned artists Shirt King Phade, Jamel Shabazz and Ryan Keeley. Utilizing HARMAN’s AKG K702 headphones, the gallery comes alive with newly remixed sounds by Keith Shocklee.

The idea: create an abstract visual version of hip hop and combine it with actual music to maximize the feeling and understanding for an all-encompassing experience.  Working together with Miz Metro, Shocklee put together four mixes sampled from Public Enemy’s album Fear of a Black Planet.  Shocklee’s gallery remixes are titled: The Hard Rhymer, Planet Black, Stolen Sole and Power of the Flight.

“This isn’t your regular gallery elevator music,” said Shocklee, a founding member of The Bomb Squad and Public Enemy. “Using classic, original hip hop and remixing it to fit the theme of the gallery is another way of branding art.  We can give it a 3D feel.  With the added music, the artists have an entirely new way of showcasing their masterpieces.”

“I want the gallery’s visitors to actually enjoy the full experience and purchase our work, hopefully sampling it in their own pieces,” commented Miz Metro.  “Our visitors are continually impressed with the music selection; it’s truly inspiring.”

In fact, in one instance, a music enthusiast actually took it upon herself to lift the iPod and the AKG K702’s to walk around the gallery listening to the tracks.  She was completely taken back by the quality of the art and continued to enjoy the exhibits, even though the music portion was supposed to stay at its specific area in the gallery. “How could you get angry at that? She was lost in the sound,” joked Miz Metro.

“All of the pieces are falling into place for the gallery; the sound art is crazy,” continued Shocklee.  “I stand by AKG because it’s vital to the music world when recording and listening.  AKG was the standard in the studio when I was coming up and I trust their sound.  When I was looking for the perfect channel to showcase my sound art, I didn’t even bother looking for anything other than the K702’s.”

“The Art of Rap: Remixed and Mastered is a fantastic project, where visitors experience a completely new level of art,” commented Joseph Wagoner, project manager, wireless-tours-install, AKG.  “The precision and quality of the K702’s will ensure the gallery continues to stun.  Keith, Miz Metro and the entire team have really outdone themselves and AKG is proud to be a part of the gallery as it continues touring the United States.”

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HARMAN’s JBL Synthesis Adds Sam Cavitt to Roster of Certified Master Calibrators for its ARCOS Adaptive Room Correction and Optimization System

by Definition Branding & Marketing Posted: Friday, 6/22/2012

Reflecting its commitment to total dealer support, HARMAN’s JBL Synthesis offers advanced Masters and Standard-level training and certification programs for its ARCOS Adaptive Room Correction and Optimization System. ARCOS is an integrated software and hardware package that provides a new level of calibration accuracy in setting up a JBL Synthesis multichannel audio system.

JBL Synthesis has added Sam Cavitt of Paradise Theater as its latest Certified Master Level ARCOS Calibrator. Cavitt is president of Paradise Theater, a design firm specializing in custom, luxury high-performance private theater room design. One of the industry’s foremost custom-installation experts, Cavitt has written numerous articles for industry publications and was named a CEDIA Instructor of the Year.

“At JBL Synthesis we pride ourselves in offering the very best in custom home entertainment audio systems – and in providing our dealers with the very best in installation expertise,” said Jim Garrett, Director of Marketing and Product Management for HARMAN Luxury Audio Group and Loudspeakers. “We are delighted to add Sam Cavitt to our roster of Master ARCOS Calibrators.”

ARCOS utilizes a number of HARMAN-developed measurement and analysis techniques to achieve unprecedented frequency response correction and loudspeaker performance accuracy in any room. The ARCOS calibration kit includes calibration microphones, an SPL (sound pressure level) meter, phase testers, ARCOS software and accessories.

To receive ARCOS certification, installers, distributors or acoustical/theater design consultants must complete a JBL Synthesis training program. Certification is given at two levels, Master and Standard level. Completing the Standard-level course will qualify the attendee to calibrate JBL Synthesis systems using ARCOS. The follow-on Master-level course will give a person additional training that makes them factory authorized to qualify a JBL/HARMAN Luxury Audio Group installation as a Factory Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum JBL Synthesis Calibrated Theater.

To complete the Standard level course, an attendee must be an employee of an authorized JBL Synthesis US dealer or international distributor, and must complete the ARCOS factory calibration training course with a JBL Synthesis Field Application Engineer.

For completion of the Master level course, a participant must currently operate or be an employee of an acoustical consulting or theater design firm, purchase an ARCOS calibration kit and pay an annual usage license. In addition, a Master level company or employee cannot be an installer or integrator of home theater products.

“Every room has frequency response irregularities, especially in the bass,” noted Cavitt. “It’s just the nature of the beast. The JBL Synthesis ARCOS system is by far the best I’ve used for smoothing out the peaks and dips and matching the loudspeakers and electronics to the room. The improvements are not subtle.”

Upon completing the Master-level course, attendees will receive a Certificate of Completion, an official listing on all HARMAN Luxury Audio Group websites (JBL Synthesis, Lexicon, Mark Levinson and Revel) and access to software updates and technical support. ARCOS is also available to systems that use Lexicon, Mark Levinson or Revel products.

For information on upcoming Masters courses, including what qualifications are required, please contact Ron Rouse at ron.rouse@harman.com.

For more information about Paradise Theater please visit www.paradisetheater.tv.

For more information about JBL Synthesis Master ARCOS Calibrators please visit: http://www.jblsynthesis.com/Info/Story/88

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

 

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Thunder Audio Bolsters World-Class Inventory With HARMAN’S JBL Professional VTX Line Array Series

by Definition Branding & Marketing Posted: Tuesday, 5/29/2012

NORTHRIDGE, California – Michigan’s Thunder Audio is celebrating its 33rd year in business in 2012, having grown from its beginnings as a regional sound company in 1979 to its current status as a premier international live production and systems integration company. Thunder Audio has provided sound for Steely Dan, Metallica, The White Stripes, Linkin Park, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, John Legend, Travis Tritt and many other artists along with more than 60 corporate clients. The company continues to grow, as evidenced by its purchase of 56 HARMAN JBL VTX Line Array Series V25 loudspeakers and 24 VTX S28 subwoofers, along with 72 Crown Audio I-Tech IT 12000HD amplifiers and six dbx DriveRack 4800 loudspeaker management systems.

Any major sound contractor needs to keep a large inventory-and to keep up with the times. “We’re a company that’s client-driven, of course, and more and more, clients are asking for lighter and more powerful loudspeaker systems,” noted Thunder Audio Vice President Paul Owen. “We have to deliver.”

Shortly after the VTX Series was announced, Owen heard a demo in San Diego and was impressed, particularly by the quality of the new JBL D2 Dual Driver included in the V25. The D2 is a dual-diaphragm, dual-voice-coil compression driver that overcomes the limitations of conventional compression driver technology: limited high-frequency extension due to the mass/inertia of the diaphragm and voice coil, and distortion characteristics that result from dome breakup modes. The D2 overcomes these drawbacks by merging two compression drivers into a single transducer that utilizes two annular diaphragms with two voice coils instead of the larger and heavier single voice-coil dome diaphragm found in conventional drivers.

Owen was “blown away” by the quality of the D2 driver and the increased clarity and power-handling capability it provides in the V25. “I’ve been in this business a long time and have done live sound in every type of venue imaginable,” Owen said. “There’s no disputing the improved sound quality and the sheer amount of horsepower the V25 has. You can believe we will test it to its max with some of the acts we’ll be using it with.”

The lighter weight of the JBL V25 and S28 make them a more versatile option for the variety of projects Thunder Audio handles. In addition, the weight difference from other systems makes these speakers easier to rig and transport and saves fuel and transportation costs.

The S28 subwoofer is designed to complement the V25 with its dual 18-inch Differential Drive(r) high-power-handling woofers and built-in Crown VRack amplifiers and DSP. “We like the S28 because it can be either suspended at the top, in the middle of, beside or behind flown V25 arrays or ground-stacked,” Owen noted. “Again, this gives us more options to accommodate different-sized venues and the requirements of a wide variety of artists and musical styles.”

When deciding which amplifiers to go with the VTX line arrays, Owen didn’t spend a lot of time hand wringing. “We made this decision not only because of the performance of the products but also because of the ways in which the loudspeakers, amplifiers and other components are designed to work together optimally,” he said. “We purchased the Crown IT 12000HD amplifiers because we wanted to get maximum power and efficiency from our system.”

The Crown IT 12000HD amps are designed to work hand-in-glove with JBL VTX Series line arrays and include pre-set tunings and other features to precisely match their performance to the loudspeakers. The VTX speakers and I-Tech HD amps interface with HARMAN’s HiQnet Performance Manager(tm) system setup software, which Owen finds to be the best system management program on the market. HiQnet enables Thunder Audio to configure, set up and tune an audio system “in less time and with better results,” stated Owen.

Owen and Thunder Audio President Tony Villarreal give credit to Thunder Audio Business Development Manager Greg Snyder for configuring the control system and racks for the company’s VTX touring systems. ‘”Greg was instrumental in assembling racks that are smartly designed and optimized for touring day in and day out.” Snyder and Owen find that the synergistic operation of the JBL, Crown and dbx components, and the flexibility of HiQnet Performance Manager, enable the production crew to achieve more consistent and more effective sonic results on a daily basis from venue to venue.

The addition of JBL VTX Series line arrays marks another major step for Thunder Audio and its clients. “It’s important to have a variety of solutions for our clients to choose from,” Owen said. “This business is not one that stands still, and neither do we.”

For more information on Thunder Audio, please visit www.thunderaudioinc.com

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

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Gabriel The Gun and HARMAN’s JBL EON515XT Portable PA Loudspeakers Communicate Life Through Music

by Definition Branding & Marketing Posted: Thursday, 12/8/2011

NORTHRIDGE, California – For some, music is an escape from reality. For others, it provides a road back to reality. For Gabriel The Gun, it’s been both. Co-founder of the ska-pop band No Doubt with star Gwen Stefani, Gabriel has been through his share of adventures. To tell his story, Gabriel relies on HARMAN’s JBL EON515XT portable PA loudspeakers while traveling to Los Angeles school districts with the hopes of steering students from the dangers of a lifestyle he was lucky to survive.

”We started touring with No Doubt in 1986 and I got into substance abuse in a big way,” Gabriel said. “It wasn’t until I was flat on my back in an ICU hooked up to all types of monitors and machines, that I knew I had to change my life. I thought of my own kids and how my actions reflected on them and vowed to get clean. I took a 3-year sabbatical and straightened out my life. At that point I started to think of young musicians and how I could turn my mistakes into their success. I knew my destiny was to make a change in the world—maybe just one kid at a time.”

Eventually, Gabriel founded a 10-piece reggae/ska band with a jazz and soul influence called the BackBeat Brawlers. Gabriel said, “I believe that music heals and my epiphany was to serve society as an artist. And let’s face it, we as humans are challenged daily by a multitude of bad situations and music helps people through hard times. The BackBeat Brawlers perform at inner city schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. We play for the kids and then we get down to the business of the truth. At most clinics, artists discuss music theory, what scale to play within certain chords, but we talk about life on the road. And while we discuss substance abuse and the pitfalls of the addicted lifestyle, our main focus of discussion is on all the great things that music and the arts provide.”

Gabriel explained the need to have an audio system that is self-reliant and easy to travel with. “When looking for speakers that would fit our needs, I went right to JBL knowing their reputation for being the best,” he said. “The message we want to convey is one of positivity, creativity and the soul-enriching power of music. We needed speakers that were equal in sound to the strength of that message. The choice was a no-brainer. The logistics behind traveling with a 10-piece band are difficult, and the JBL EON515XT speakers make our new road life less complicated. They’re awesome sounding, easy to transport and the setup is a breeze.”

”I’m so excited by the change that we have created in schools and communities,” Gabriel concluded. “If we can inspire even one child’s dreams or goals, then we know we have done our job. It’s such a rewarding experience.”

For more information on Gabriel The Gun and BackBeat Brawlers, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BackBeat-Brawlers/136879976352802 and http://www.backbeatbrawlers.com/

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,500 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.0 billion for twelve months ending September 30, 2011.

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KM Productions Upgrades Inventory With HARMAN’s Soundcraft Vi1™ Consoles

by Definition Branding & Marketing Posted: Tuesday, 12/6/2011

ALBERTSON, New York — In order to fulfill the demands of a variety of events, Kevin Mignone, President of Albertson, New York-based KM Productions, recently purchased two HARMAN Soundcraft Vi1 consoles. Mignone felt it was necessary to upgrade to more reliable, cost-effective consoles that could provide greater flexibility for his clients, which includes Vali, a high-end event band.

Vali, an exclusive performance band that typically plays at large wedding events weekly, including Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in July 2011, relies on KM Productions to provide its audio systems, and front-of-house and monitor mixing.

After using a demo model of the Vi1, Mignone was pleased with the results and purchased two consoles in order to allow one console to permanently travel with Vali.

“In venues of all sizes, it is great to have the flexibility and the option to do anything. Even lighting companies can integrate with the console easily,” explained Mignone. “There is so much capability in such a small package; it definitely is one of the more loaded consoles for the price point without sacrificing any features. The Vi1 has everything that we need and more, allowing us to be as flexible and reliable as possible.”

Some of the challenges when servicing high-end events such as weddings include providing the proper sound while being hidden from guests and viewers. It is extremely important that the technology be as discreet as possible. “The footprint is so convenient and is small enough that it can be used in a closet to be kept out of the way,” Mignone said.

“Overall the user interface is excellent,” Mignone continued. “Some venues can be unpredictable, and the Vi1 allows so much more instantaneous flexibility to do whatever is required to get the job done. It’s great that any engineer can pick it up so easily and be ready to go. Our purchase of the second desk not even a month after the first one goes to show how much we rely on it.”

For more information on KM Productions, please visit: http://www.km-productions.com/

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending September 30, 2011.

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