Western Australia
Perth is the most sunniest and isolated capital city in the world and has been voted as the "prettiest city in the world" - according to a report from Jai de Longues-Pattes.

Newest DVA dealer
As you drive through the back blocks of the Melbourne's industrial western suburbs, the last thing that you expect to find is one of Australia's largest pro Audio dealers.

Uniface not an Uglyface
ARX announce a Transformer Isolated Podcast Interface with AGC which allows existing systems to be 'podcast-ready' by simply inserting it into the existing signal chain.

Panasonic to buy Sanyo for Xmas
When the Matsushita guys wanted a Xmas present for themselves, they started shopping around for something that suited best - another company.

Global Warming or Global Depression
If there's a global depression, don't tell DiGiCo, because since its launch at PLASA08, DiGiCo's new entry level console, the SD8, has surpassed all expectations with over 350 sold, and they have been rolling off the production line since September. Not a bad effort for an expensive product in this "climate".

The coolest hand held studio
GoStudio is a very slick little piece of gear. It will help you make the most of the high-quality recording capabilities of the iPod. Lee Poddy will do his nuts over it.

Bose litigation settled
It's now all over bar the shouting. Phitek have agreed to modify the headphones.

Akai are back
Akai (under license/ royalty arrangement) have a new distributor and we have been informed they have a shitload of well priced TVs available for respectable retailers who might like the idea of gaining some SOR stock. Plus checkout the new breed of ceiling/wall speakers and subs.

The Guruland accident
The right honorable Stuart Charles MacQueen explains it as the luckiest accident he has ever experienced. We sent in the T-team to investigate.

Updated Pre-Amps
ARX have recently updated their popular 8 Pre 8 channel microphone pre-amp with new generation ultra low noise Transistors and Integrated Circuits.

It's all expansion with Titans
Wharfedale Pro have expanded the Titan speaker range and a number of the remaining models are now available in Australia with new colour options (includes prices).

Are you getting smarter?
Smart AV has announced the release of its Tango interface with Pyramix through the Oasis protocol of Merging Technologies.

Are your nuts on the line (so to speak)?
One reader felt it was our duty to share this unfortunate riggers harness warning with the entertainment industry. Lets hope it isn't needed. (Don't read if you have a weak stomach).

Grab your partner and Dough-See-Dough
A bunch of rental companies from Western Australia have joined the HK Partners Network in recent months making it one of Australia's strongest and most active groups.

Hills SVL criteria - Grow a Mo
A bunch of guys at Hills SVL Sydney have been fighting off advances from hormone-charged women (or so we were told).

Head of MI at NAS about to set new standards
At a recent secret early sunday morning corporate meeting, at a non disclosed Bay side location, James Piper, outlined a number of new and exciting initiatives for 2009.

Message from Jamaica
Good old Karl sent in the email recently. Seems he is keen to get a few more gigs back in the land of Oz.

Art Garfunkel and his band flog the SD8
A very new Digico SD8 is being used to mix monitors for Art Garfunkel and his band, currently in the midst of a 12 date trek, playing to venues of around 2,000 capacity.

MC2 arrive
A bit of inside information. We found that, the first shipment has arrived in Oz.

Largest Airliner in the world
Small Systems in a Qantas hanger at Sydney Airport for two monumental events that included Kevin Rudd and Qantas’s first Airbus A380.

The UniFace
A new Transformer Isolated Podcast Interface with AGC offers a user-friendly way of adapting systems to be 'podcast-ready' by simply inserting it into the existing signal chain.

“Smokin'“Joe
At just 17 years of age, he has secured a reputation as one of the world's finest young guitarists. So what makes his sound extra good?

Roadie retirement home
Three old roadie's are sitting on the porch of a retirement home..... (yep, it's a gag).

NAS & Sonicr on the merger trail
Sonicr staff Chris Cumming, Graham Rowlands and James Piper are joining the team at NAS so for Sonicr customers it will be business as usual. 

Amber get Lifesize distribution
Under the agreement, Amber Technology will offer LifeSize All-HD video communication systems to specially certified AV resellers across Australia & New Zealand.

Got a Magna Systems horn?
If you want a classic style megaphone that comes complete with shoulder strap and hand held microphone, is rechargeable and includes a Siren, a Whistle or the option of a 20 Second Voice Recording? The local supplier has been chucking them out at special deals. Look around, you could be lucky.

New Zealand Surprise
We took a short stroll through A-o-t-a-rower or as the Aussie's call it "land of the long white sheep" or for the Americans Nu Zealand. Call it what you will, on the way through we stumbled on a small surprise.

Gag pages
We've started to update the Gag pages again. It's tasteless, low class and degrading but we've had a few people asking where it went.

New SD8 digital super console
The big boy (Thomsy) is very pleased about this one. He says, it's smaller than the SD7 but packs a shit load of features and performance in it's case and that's got to be a good thing.

New DI Plus RC Direct Box
ARX's Colin Park said,"We are well aware of the problems of disposing of batteries in an environmentally friendly way so we've removed battery "throw away" as an issue".

Blue Shadow at 1 two 3
The Gold Coast is renowned for its cafés and bars and Broadbeach offers a number of these. By all accounts – things are moving along quite nicely with a recently finished installation at a new Mediterranean cafe in Broadbeach known as 1 Two 3.

Multi-format, multi-channel color video and stereo audio monitor
This one offers exceptionally high quality SD-SDI and CVBS signal monitoring in a 2U rack-size. The unit features a built-in 4" color LCD, quality stereo speakers, and four 53-segment high-resolution LED bargraph level meters.

HKademy comes to Oz
Twice a year in Germany, HK Audio runs a training seminar for Cohedra users and audio engineers called HKademy. As it would cost a little too much to fly everyone to Germany, HK are coming to us here in Australia.

New distributor appointed for MC2 Audio
MC2 Audio Ltd. has been manufacturing technologically innovative amplifiers of the highest quality for the pro-audio market for the past 10 years and is an OEM supplier to two of the top studio monitor manufacturers.

Pico Projector due early November
It's small and allows users to make presentations or watch videos etc when on the road from a portable media device (iPOD etc) or mobile phone or even iPhone or iPod touch etc.

"F_ckin Gordon F_uckin Ramsay"
The Good Food & Wine Show has become an Aussie wide annual, proving to be a hugely popular event. Over 50,000 people went through the Sydney exhibits with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, making eight, sold out, appearances across the three days.

Beyer go Country
Seems that Australian country band The McClymonts have become official Beyerdynamic endorsee's and not just because the local distributor gets free guitar lessons.

AMAC 2008
The Australian Music Association Convention has already happened in Melbourne.
8-11, August 2008. By all reports, the usual loud proud event.

Selling Domains
We had an email recently, trying to flog us a domain name and/or website. It was a good one so we thought we would pass on the info (just in case you knew somebody looking for a domain name). The details were in our recent news letter.

Yamaha Training Tour
Yamaha Commercial Audio has announced its 2008 Training Tour, a major initiative which will feature three training courses conducted in various venues throughout Australia. The tour is the largest of its kind ever conducted by Yamaha Commercial Audio in Australia.

Yamaha/Nexo to introduce an NS11?
By all reports, Nexo is now well on the way to being part of Yamaha's PA/DMI Division, which should see a few changes.

Glastonbury Festival
This is unquestionably Europe’s biggest festival. In fact, there is no event like it anywhere the world, not only because of the some 150,000 visitors but because this gathering is unique for its countless stages big and small, outdoors and in tents.

Chiayo - Smart - Portable PA
Want to serenading your girlfriend or simply talk over your Mother-in-law? Then this little beauty might be a big help. And won't bust the Bank or your Back.

First portable high resolution active 3D stereoscopic projector on the market
Projectiondesign relationship with the iCinema Research Centre of Australia's University of New South Wales (UNSW) has led directly to the development of a number of new 360-degrees panoramic screen experiences

UniMIX - AV/Podcast mixer
Another special product designed for Lee Poddy's brigade of dedicated distributors of priceless anecdotes, stories and internet Tom-foolery.

Pioneer Succeeds in Developing World's First 16-Layer Optical Disc
Pioneer Corporation has succeeded in developing a 16-layer read-only optical disc with a capacity of 400 gigabytes

Adventurer - Portable PA system
In yet another move to retain their status as group leader, Chiayo lists yet another heavy-weight in the portable "Do All" PA system market.

Clubbing in Melbourne
As HK Audio continues to spread around the country, clubs and pubs are increasingly choosing to install the German-manufactured product as their choice of system.

Norwest Productions announce acquisition of Oceania Audio & McLean Audio Services
Australia's largest pro audio service provider, has announced the completion of acquisition of businesses from both sides of the world (Australia AND New Zealand).

The RoHS war is still running hot
RoHS is still getting people cranked up. We thought this email from Karl gave good representation of the feeling of a lot of small to medium manufacturers

New Bosch Pro CCTV LCD monitors
Bosch Security Systems is adding a range of high-performance and general purpose colour liquid crystal display (LCD) flat-panel monitors to its extensive portfolio of security components and solutions.

Frontrunner
This is now one of the industries well established annual functions that kicks arse and is popular with many Pro Audio Dealers.

Job seekers opportunity
If you believe you are intelligent and motivated with a strong desire to be in the audio industry, then do we have a position for you.

Coda Move
Apparently they had to, they needed more room for stock, plus, it's alleged, the management wanted Felix to have a bigger office.

Time marches for us all
It's been sad days for the families of both Bob Hammond (Tanson Information Systems) and Russ Smith (Cohpac Communications), both of whom passed away in recent days.

Originally from Perth
Jason Hearn began experimenting with synths and computers in the early 80s but ended up one of the industries high tech product managers.

Tecsound Move
The area was OK, the lunch shop quite good, Sudsie and the Doc knew most of the locals, so why did they change location? It's something you will have to ask them.

First THX Select 2 Certified in wall speaker
Atlantic Technology has begun shipping its THX Select2 Certified IWCB-727 in-wall loudspeaker system. This is the first loudspeaker of any format to earn the new THX Select2 certification.

BE Productions Opts for HK
Concert sound reinforcement, outdoor cinema events, projectors and inflatable screens, they've got the lot.

Oliver moves
Not just talking about the live show. Oliver is a popular name, especially at HK where the newness of it all makes it even more popular.

Neutrik gets a sex change
Get in first before anybody else decides to join the Neutrik XLR sex change revolution.

New CharterOak comp
Niche market manufacturer expands their product range with a Discreet Compressor Limiter.

Microhire Maxisound
Computers, Sound gear, plus the lot. They are really becoming something to contend with.

Church Fart
When do older folk ever learn. There's a lesson here for retiring AV operators.

Grape Grazing
As the Crew rolled into Rochford Winery in the early hours of the morning they knew they were in for a huge weekend of fun, sun and one hell of a show.