PLASA celebrating 40th year with brand new seminar sessions

PLASA has named the industry experts heading up the show’s seminar programme from 17-19 September at London’s Olympia.

The free to attend sessions, including the brand new Fast Track Theatre’s bitesize talks, feature an international line up of experts ready to discuss the latest topics and developments in their field.

At the Audio & AV Theatre, d&b audiotechnik’s Oran Burns and Bill Brooks’ session Are You listening? takes a fresh view on the much-debated idea of an ideal frequency response for a live sound system, considering factors like hearing sensitivity, creative preferences and cultural trends.

Brand new for 2017, the 30-minute Fast Track Sessions, hosted by industry associations, experts and trade unions, are aimed at improving business skills. The inaugural programme features the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) with an update on their ‘Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment’, while they will also be considering ‘New Guidelines from the National Counter-Terrorism Security Office on Crowded Places’.

Meanwhile, Preparing for the loss of 700MHz – What you need to know, by Shure’s Tuomo Tolonen, will examine Ofcom’s 2014 announcement to reallocate UHF frequencies 694-790MHz (the 700MHz band) to the mobile sector. With clearance scheduled for May 2020, the session looks at the wider implications for the industry and how best to meet ongoing challenges.

In the first of two panel discussions hosted by journalist Phil Ward, the curiously entitled Was Le Corbusier Deaf or What? looks to uncover the tricky relationship between audio and architecture. In 360 Degrees of Sound, Ward will then look to some prominent voices from the industry to discuss new formats for 3D audio within immersive experiences – from theme parks to art galleries. Experts in this session will include Sherif El Barbari of L-Acoustics; Scott Willsallen of Remarkable Projects; and Dave Haydon from Outboard.

“We’ve gathered the big guns to take on these two equally fascinating topics,” said Ward. “These are issues driving the technology solutions of the future. The insight – and debate – promises to be the most informed and interesting you’ll find.”

PLASA Show, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, returns to London Olympia on 17-19 September, and visitors can sign up for seminar sessions here.

Make sure to check out the upcoming September issue of Audio Media International, which will feature a full PLASA Show preview.

http://www.plasashow.com/