In this month’s Filter there are more companies buying big desks and big PA boxes–big in performance and almost microscopically small in size and weight. It’s a sure sign that people are really catching on to the digital revolution. With all that high-tech big-dollar intellectualising, we are going to balance it up with some old-fashioned bass drivers, and we see what has happened to the good old chain hoist… But hang on, the high-tech boffos have been at it again with space-age materials, micro-processors and typically European design; guaranteed to turn the world on its head, not drop the grid on yours. See the Stagemaker article for more.

Other big news is that Group Technologies, the crew that make the production of Filter possible, are moving premises. As of 16 January 2006, Group-Tech will be situated at 86 Derby Street, Pascoe Vale. Victoria, 3044. The new phone number is (+613) 9354 9133 and fax (+613) 9354 9233. Update your contact list now, if required.

As this is the first edition for 2006, we wanted to take the time to first of all thank you for supporting Filter over the previous year, and we hope you all had a safe, happy festive season, a great New Year’s Eve, and a nice relaxing summer, (especially when the cheques come in from the silly season). We are looking forward to providing y’all with more Filter in 2006. So from all the team at Filter… Happy New Year!

Would you like to make a suggestion on how we can improve Filter, or if you simply want to comment on something contained in this edition of Filter? We welcome your correspondence, so please send your thoughts via email to:

Next year Phase 1 Audio will have been around the WA pro-audio scene for ten years. To get set for the big year, the company made a purchase of a Nexo PS Series system and Camco amplification combination which will get it set for another ten years...

The redevelopment of Geelong’s Skilled Stadium has been six years in the making and one new and welcome finishing touch to the new Eastern stand is the Quest Engineering sound system. Used to reproduce commentary, music and the passion hysteria of that winning moment……

Who would have thought one little chain hoist could bring so much happiness! Handling flown theatre and stage equipment these days has become so much more than just lifting a piece of truss or a pile of boxes, it has become a whole specialist field. The hoist bar just got raised thanks to Stagemaker hoists…

From its inception back in 1988 Canberra’s Nova Multimedia was never going to be “just another audio company”. In fact Nova commenced as primarily a lighting company that also supplied audio, but during the companies long history, the audio department moved front and centre…

Tucked away in Sydney’s Northern Hills District, Hills Concert Productions service a diverse customer base that generally includes a number of large summer festivals, and during the winter season, mid-sized indoor concerts and large pub/club gigs. The company recently added to their already impressive Nexo inventory a Geo-S and a new DiGiCo digital mixing console. Read how premium gear can lead higher customer satisfaction and lots of sub-hire business…

Before too long the dynamic loudspeaker will be 100 years old - a copper coil, a cardboard cone and a magnet. Certainly for the last 50 years there has been almost no change in the design, or for that matter, the materials, or even the speaker cabinet technology. The song has remained the same… or has it? The new RCF Precision Series Loudspeakers set new standards in design, find out more about the Precision Series…

Reverb is a good friend and a career-ending enemy. Like fire, it needs to be kept under control. It occurs naturally or with a human holding the blowtorch. Sound guys, singers and guitar players plus digital reverb generally equals too much. Birth of the Array takes a look at Reverb…