Jands seized the opportunity to launch several new products during Entech guaranteeing a constantly busy stand and a steady stream of visitors to our demo rooms.

As well as a strong team of Jands personnel on hand there was a host of international factory representatives available from Shure, JBL, ETC, Vari*Lite, Crown, BSS, Soundcraft, dbx, Lexicon, Optocore, ClearCom, ASM, Slinco, Serapid and Spotlight.

Whilst every brand represented by Jands had exciting offerings there were several new products that were really causing a buzz at the show: the new BSS BLU products, two new Chroma-Q LED fixtures, the ETC Eos and Jands’ own Vista I3 console.     

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New Jands Website!

As you may have noticed, Jands launched a
new website at the beginning of February. Packed full of new features, here is a quick
run-down of the site and a few of the changes.

Brands: Now going a step further than before, search our vast portfolio of products imported from world renowned brands right down to their Product Ranges, before navigating to the relevant section on the Manufacturers websites. Also, make sure you check out the enhanced JANDS brand section. Individual JANDS lighting, staging and metal products now have their own dedicated pages, which include product summaries, images, specs and relevant downloads.

Products: An exciting new area that will really help schools or those starting out in the entertainment industry. Search via product types, such as “Signal Processing” or “Dimming” equipment, and you’ll find yourself getting a quick lesson on what they do, before choosing your preferred brand.

Support: A raft of relevant links to educational material; direct access to Support Centre (Jands online knowledge database); and the ability to ask for marketing assistance. Hugely exciting is the new Service & Repairs section, where you can now book your product in for service/repair online.

Purchase: A comprehensive list of Australian and International Dealers.

Downloads: Find a full list of JANDS branded product downloads, as well as links off to the download sections on our imported brands websites.

News: Now featuring a dedicated Endorsees area! Read our latest press releases and past editions of the Jands Backstage Newsletter.

Company: Find out more about Jands, read our company history, apply for jobs online, check out our Apprenticeship Program…the list goes on.

Have a look around! We hope you find the new format Jands website easier to navigate and more informative. Let us know what you think. Are we missing something? Is there a product group or technology you'd like to see or get further explanation on? Contact us directly via marketing@jands.com.au.

WIN a Whitsundays Holiday for Two!!!

5 trips for 2 will be given away!
Bordered by the Great Barrier Reef and
cradled by the calm waters of the Coral Sea, don’t miss this amazing opportunity to
escape to the breathtaking Whitsundays

Your tropical getaway for 2 includes:

• 3 nights accommodation in an Ocean View Room at the beautiful Coral Sea Resort.
• Return flights for 2
• Return transfers from either Whitsunday Coast Airport or Hamilton Island Airport
• Day trip on board Cruise Whitsunday Sea Flight to the Great Barrier Reef
• Tropical Breakfast Daily

Jands Competition Winner

Congratulations to Mr Joel Anthony of Leemingi, WA who is the lucky winner of the Jands 2007 Shure & JBL Promotion, which was run from December 2007 through to January 2008. Joel walks away with a 2000 Watt JBL PA System worth over $13,000!!!

This amazing prize included a pair of JBL PRX512 powered loudspeakers, a pair of JBL PRX518S powered sub-woofers and a 20-channel Soundcraft MFX20 mixing console. 

Shure Microflex

Professional microphones for a wide variety
of installed applications

Combining sleek, low profile aesthetics and a complete selection of microphones and mounting options, Microflex microphones include the highest standard of quality and efficiency for installed audio applications. All models offer Shure CommShield™ Technology, which guards against unwanted radio interference from consumer wireless devices such as cell phones and PDA’s.

The Path Ahead:
Pathway Connectivity

ENTECH 2008 saw Jands taking on distribution of the Pathway Connectivity range of data processing and distribution systems.

Creating great interest among venue managers and consultants was the Pathway Pathport series of Ethernet DMX distribution nodes. Available as a wall-mount, rack-mount or portable unit, Pathport nodes form a true DMX management system featuring:

• Access to 64 universes of DMX over a single Cat5 cable;
• Full DMX channel patching; 
• Full DMX routing;
• DMX merging on a universe or channel basis;
• DMX prioritising on a universe or channel basis;
• Front panel universe selection on rack-mount models;
• Powerful yet user friendly configuration software;
• Optional PDA and wireless configuration tools;
• ESTA RDM and ACN ready.

Pathway has played an instrumental role in defining the future of entertainment lighting networks for more than a decade. They have witnessed (and helped to drive) an exponential expansion in the functionality of equipment on DMX512 networks, and by consequently the size of the market for DMX equipment.

Now, as we look to an exciting Ethernet future, there are much greater advances just around the corner. These developments have huge ramifications for both new and legacy entertainment venues. So, to assist designers of new projects and operators of existing facilities, here is the Pathway view of the future: 

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dbx DriveRack PX – The Powered Speaker Wizard

DBX The new DBX DriveRack PX Powered Speaker Optimiser
has everything you need to get the most out of your stereo powered speaker system.

The simple three step wizard sets up your speakers, Auto EQ’s the room, then analyses the room and implements the AFS system to eliminate feedback all with three little buttons. It even includes stereo or mono subwoofer support.

With the included dbx M2 measurement mic, Auto-EQ corrects for audible deficiencies in the room environment. Our patented Advanced Feedback Suppression (AFS™) kills nasty feedback, allowing problem free operation at higher sound levels, while our patented Subharmonic Synthesizer™ extends bass response for enhanced bottom end. With all that, you also get classic dbx compression and the protection offered by our graceful PeakStopPlus™ limiting.

All this in one rack space, for just $799.00 RRP (Inc. GST). dbx does it AGAIN!

JBL puts the Vrooom into Racing Car Museum

Champions Brock Experience in Yeppoon, Queensland, is the largest collection of Peter Brock race and road cars in the country. It began as the private collection of Peter Champion a long time friend of Brock's before opening as a museum in December 2007.

Displayed in a unique setting and featuring some 38 vehicles and a vast array of personal and professional memorabilia it is a fitting tribute to an Australian icon and motor sport legend. This collection has come together over some 15 years and the museum itself has been nearly five years in the making.

Rockhampton-based company Supervision were contracted to design and install a comprehensive audio visual system to enhance the authentic experience of motor sport. The main room offers 7.1 channel surround sound for the audio effects and the video presentations. Everything is fully automated so that the tour guides only need to press one button on a touch panel located at the front counter, and a Crestron control system begins to run the light and sound show, audio effects, building lighting, video playback, moving lights, air-conditioning, televisions and projectors.

The museum utilises JBL Control speakers including twenty Control 28 speakers, two JBL Control SB2 subs and six Control Series ceiling speakers. A Crown CTS-8200 amplifier, CTS-4200 amplifier and two XTI-2000 amplifiers power the system whilst a dbx DriveRack takes care of processing.

“We wanted to use the JBL Control speakers as they’re small enclosures that deliver a high impact and cover the room really nicely,” commented Craig Sims, managing director of Supervision. “They make the sound nice and ‘sweepy’. The owner is very happy with the reproduced sound effects and he has no queries about the way the sound travels through the room as you go from zone to zone.”

The reproduced sound includes music, audio visual tracks and sound effects with programming done by Supervisions’ Hamish Hughes.

The project is a work in progress and eventually motion-sensors will trigger sounds as people move around the museum.

As well as the cars, the museum houses a MIG jet and Supervision are currently working on the sound effects for that display – a JBL Dual 18" folded and vented sub plus a JBL 15" and 1" Horn top box that can punch out a 134dB SPL recording of a real MIG jet that shakes the whole building.

“The MIG jet is on a stand with the speakers built into it,” explained Hamish. “We have an 8-track play the sound effect to that channel so it sounds like the MIG jet is running – it’s awesome!”

Lamp Life and the Law of Averages!

As operational budgets come under increasing scrutiny in these “cost effective” and “energy efficient” times, one of the areas often identified for potential cost savings is the life cycle of lamps used in theatrical and house lighting fittings.

As people become more mindful of their lamp replacement cycle, an increasing number of calls are received from customers who claim that “my lamps are failing before their rated life”, along with demands for answers from the luminaire and/or control equipment suppliers.

The answer of course involves a clear understanding of the issues involved. Knowing some basics will help us all manage our expectations and the performance of our luminaires effectively.

Wireless Spectrum Update:
The Sky is not falling (yet) 

The industry seems a buzz at the moment with rumours that “the Government” is about to sell off the spectrum currently used by wireless microphones and as such “all” wireless microphone systems would become unusable. This is an over exaggeration of fact fanned by media and industry gossips who love a good conspiracy theory.

Whilst it is difficult to pin point the source of these rumours, we suspect the purveyors of these stories may have picked up press releases regarding the situation in the USA (which is a problem for wireless microphone users) and published these releases assuming the same situation automatically applies in Australia. Not true. Let’s review a few facts.

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