The Big Freeze

And so it continues... Personally, I've had enough of this weather and I'm sure that everyone else has too! These conditions are also causing havoc with our business. Equipment is constantly arriving late by hours and sometimes days. Schools have been closed which has caused delays in some of our installation projects. Staff at some of our supply companies are either not getting to work or they're leaving early. Not good. However, we would like to thank all of our clients for their patience and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Wolverhampton City Council Portable PA System Supply Contract

It's now official! We have been awarded the 2 year contract to supply Mipro wireless portable PA systems plus the full range of portable PA accessories to schools, colleges, leisure centres and care facilities across the entire area covered by Wolverhampton City Council. Beating off 20 other companies who also bid for the tender, the first batch of 74 units has been delivered with another 74 due for shipment by the end of this year. We then look forward to further orders throughout 2010!

Our New Recruit

I am pleased to announce that Joanne Smith will be joining our busy team on Monday 9th November. As our office based Sales and Marketing Co-Coordinator, she will be involved in a wide range of activities within the business. I would like to wish her good luck and great success in her new role.

David Nibbs
Managing Director

Portable PA System Accessories

A welcome trend I have noticed over recent weeks is that our customers are regularly adding accessories to their orders when buying wireless portable PA systems from us. These include tripod floor stands, protective covers, extra microphones and extension speakers. I can actually state that, over the past month, every single wireless portable PA system has been despatched with accessories of some kind. This might be because we actively promote these handy extras or, nowadays, our customers want to get maximum value, performance and flexibility out of their sound systems. Either way, it's good business for us!


David Nibbs

Managing Director

‘We Will Rock You’ rocks at ‘The Tunnels’!

The touring cast of the hit musical We Will Rock You held an after show party gig at live music venue The Tunnels in Bristol on 14th October in aid of charity for the local St Peters Hospice. Performing a wide range of pop, blues and rock 'n' roll classics (but no Queen numbers for a change!), all the lead performers / singers, the support cast and their backing band took part and a great evening was had by all!

The sound system, designed, supplied and installed by RealSound certainly stood up to the demands of this great team of professional performers.

The musical itself is live on stage at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 31st October '09. Future dates are: Edinburgh Playhouse from 4th November to 9th January and The O2, Dublin from 20th January to 31st January.

David Nibbs
Managing Director

Blogging in the USA, Part 2

Last time, I commented on the excellent standard of background music speakers and sound systems in commercial premises here in the USA. I can now additionally report on digital signage systems. It is evident that, over here, the use of plasma screens and LCD screens for retail advertising is far more established and integrated with the design of the premises. It’s obviously a more mature market which also means that the advertising content appears, to me, to be far more effective and to the point. – Much like American advertising in general! In contrast, back in the UK, digital signage is still an emerging market and an advertising concept which is still regarded with scepticism by many. Additionally, much UK advertising content appears to be trying too hard in an ‘art for art’s sake’ kind of way. If employed correctly, digital signage can easily and directly broadcast any sales or promotional message in a straightforward and very effective way.

David Nibbs
Managing Director

Blogging In The USA!

I'm currently over on the West Coast, travelling from Vancouver in Canada down to Los Angeles, via San Francisco. Although officially on holiday, in our business you're never totally off duty as technology surrounds you at every turn. And here's a professional observation I've recently made (again) whilst over here…

Americans recognise quality sound and sound systems. Unlike many UK based equivalents, background music and midground music systems in restaurants, bars, hotels and leisure facilities always feature premium brand loudspeakers and amplification including JBL, Community, EAW, Bose, EV, Klipsch, Boston, Crown, QSC, etc.

Good quality music is always regarded as an intrinsic element of the 'customer experience' and I have recognised this fact ever since my first visit to the USA in 1990.

Back in the UK, RealSound will continue its 'crusade' to get many more of our own clients to recognise that cheap music systems are just a short term, false economy. We hope to educate, advise and encourage business owners towards higher quality, higher performance sound systems - and, for once, copy something American that's really worth copying!

David