8/6/2013 — Having started his pro audio career with Sussex-based Blue Box Company and worked with many of the UK’s top production companies, Smart brings to the Professional Division an innate knowledge of TURBOSOUND products and a wealth of experience of both national and international concert touring spanning more than 20 years. Learning much of his audio engineering skills at the sharp end of the electronic dance music boom of the 90s, he quickly progressed to become a freelance engineer for Capital Sound, SSE, Entec, RG Jones and Audile.

A highly talented sound engineer at front of house, on monitors, or for outside broadcast, Smart was instrumental in taking Leftfield’s seminal dance music studio albums on the road in 1996 and again in 2000, and has mixed monitors for Ian Brown, Moloko, Tata Young, Ed Harcourt, Massive Attack, Apollo 440 and Badly Drawn Boy.

Latterly, Smart was project manager and systems engineer for new rental company and early adopter of TURBOSOUND’s Flashline large-scale line array system, Ban Moh in Thailand. Here he put together and managed the complete sound reinforcement system, together with the cabling and power distribution infrastructure, to afford it full stadium size capability. During this time Howard was also the freelance TURBOSOUND appointed technical support specialist for Flashline and Flex Array products in the APAC region.

“The opportunity to contribute towards TURBOSOUND’s latest cycle of innovation at the highest level of concert sound is the fulfillment of a dream for me. Having been very recently involved with a big Flashline system on the other side of the customer fence I know just how good it can be, and as a result of that fresh experience I know what our rental customers really want in a PA. I am totally enthused to be joining the company at this exciting time in its history” comments Smart.

In his new role Smart will spearhead TURBOSOUND’s training program, which is aimed at educating sound engineers and systems technicians in the use of the company’s concert touring and fixed installation loudspeaker systems. In addition he will manage the team that provides onsite hands-on technical support to new users of TURBOSOUND’s Flashline, Flex Array and Flashline Mini loudspeaker systems.

“I’m immensely proud to be working with such a talented and dedicated team and for a company with such obvious integrity in professional audio. I look forward to educating the sound engineering fraternity around the world, working with new users, and helping to build a lasting global rental network.”

Smart is equally at home in front of a digital console as he is with an analogue board, and has embraced the superior consistency and operational control that the industry’s best DSP has brought to top level sound systems.

“While I cut my teeth on early old school loudspeaker systems and sometimes arcane methods — such as the legendary acoustic compensator — I welcome the sheer sophistication that Flashline’s DSP-based electronics now offers,” says Smart. “But even with all this processing power at our fingertips and in front of our eyes we should try to remind ourselves to listen with our ears!”

“I am delighted to welcome Howard to the MUSIC Group,” says Nigel Beaumont, SVP, Operations and Head of the MUSIC Group Professional Division. “This key appointment strengthens our technical resources dramatically and comes at a time when the brand and its flagship Flashline product are already in high gear. Howard will be a key asset in our accelerated expansion of the TURBOSOUND brand worldwide.”

TURBOSOUND is a leading designer and manufacturer of professional loudspeaker systems. The company’s award winning designs are defined by a harmony between high technology and an instinctive approach to the art of acoustical and electronic engineering. Since inception a number of principle patents have been awarded to TURBOSOUND including three Queen’s Awards for Export Achievement in 1987 and 1997, and for Innovation in 2012, which recognise the success of two ground-breaking design concepts — the Polyhorn and Dendritic waveguides. Both now form the heart of TURBOSOUND’s core product ranges — Aspect, Flex Array and large-scale Flashline loudspeaker systems. TURBOSOUND has also applied its design principles and patented technology to the specialist requirements of the fixed installation, theatre, worship, corporate and A/V markets.

TURBOSOUND is owned by MUSIC Group.