Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (EA) embarked on an ambitious ground-up build of a new 205K square foot facility. Consolidating their formidable Vancouver operations into an expansive 20-acre compound, the facility houses EA's 16,000 square foot motion-capture stage, 22 sound-proof sound design/composer rooms, recording studios, executive offices and support spaces for a staff of over 550 producers, computer programmers and artists, game and sound designers, and audio engineers. As creators of high-end video game content for many leading platforms including, Sony PlayStation, PCCD, and Nintendo 64, Electronic Arts recognized audio's increasing importance to the overall game experience. A key goal for the new three new 5.1 studios was to not only provide the best possible audio quality, including discrete multichannel 5.1 mixing for DVD playback, but also prepare for future expansion and upcoming technological developments. Walters-Storyk Design Group was selected to design these spaces. WSDG selected a custom RPG Diffractal® for the rear of the control rooms and RPG's Modex (concealed behind stretch fabric) as part of the acoustical design.

RPG Exhibits at CEDIA
This year Jeff Kussard and several of the instuctors attempted to create an acoustics curriculum to mimimize the overlap in content in the presented material. Based on comments from course attendees and discussions with the other instructors the courses seemed to achieve the objective of minimal content overlap. RPG's presentation of Minimizing Acoustic Distortion in Home Theatres was attended by 131 enthusiastic participants. The course presented a systematic hard science approach to home theatre acoustic design in which the room dimensions, and locations for loudspeakers, listener, and acoustic treatments are optimized. The effects of Modal Coupling, Speaker - Boundary Interference, Comb Filtering, Sound Absorption, and Sound Diffusion were examined. The course also explored the performance of two current surround speaker types; dipole surrounds and matching monopoles in an International Telecommunications Union configuration using CATT Acoustics. We look forward to next near. The attendance at the booth was standing room only every day - all day and many of the home theater industry's movers and shakers stopped by for software demos and to learn about RPG's new products. There was considerable interest in RPG's new Topakustik and Topperfo perforated wood systems, BAD™ Panels and home theater optimization software. 1. Left to Right: RPG's Pamela Marchesano, Dr. Peter D'Antonio and Barbara O'Toole, president of Advanced Environmental Concepts.
2. Peter McGrath
3. Left to Right: Dr. Peter D'Antonio and Dr. Floyd Toole, Harman International
4. Staff of ESC, Basalt, Colorado Left to Right: David Daniels, B.J. Mallenger, RPG's Dr. D'Antonio and Pamela Marchesano, and Anson Fogel.
5. Home Theater designer Keith Yates
6. Left to Right: Dr. D'Antonio and Home Theater designer Russ Herschelmann

RPG Exhibits At AES
RPG exhibited its full product line to emphasize its new theme of "Everything Acoustic". There was significant interest in RPG's software including the Room Sizer, Room Optimizer, CATT Acoustics and proprietary Shape Optimizer. RPG recently began distributing Lake Technology convolution platforms to be used in conjunction with CATT Acoustics. Demonstrations of this software and hardware were provided in Lake Technology's demo room. Also of importance at the show was the confidence manufacturers have placed in RPG's technology to provide credible demonstrations at trade shows. A significant application of RPG's VariScreen and Skylines was seen and heard at Sony's SACD demonstration. DTS and JBL also were demonstrating their products using RPG acoustical technology. 1. The front view illustrates Sony's left, center and right speakers, amplifiers and RPG's Variscreens with applied Skyline diffusors
2. View of the left speaker, amplifiers, and RPG's Variscreens with Skylines diffusors applied
3. View of the entry into the demo room formed by RPG's Variscreens with applied Skyline diffusors
4. Sony's new SACD players, 8-channel AD/DA converts in front of RPG's Variscreens with Skyline diffusors applied. Sony/Phillips are now utilizing the Variscreen / Skyline combination in all of their SACD demonstrations around the world.

Gateway Mastering Staff including left to right: Bob Lubwig, Dr. Peter D'Antonio, and Scott McConville

Announcing The Master Handbook of Acoustics, Fourth Edition
F. Alton Everest is a legend in the world of sound. The creator of numerous technical innovations, and the author of scores of books and scholarly papers, he has been a leader in television engineering, sound recording, motion pictures, radio, and multimedia. A co-founder and director of the Science Film Production division of the Moody Institute of Science, he was also a section chief of the Subsea Sound Research section of the University of California. An educator who has taught at several leading institutions for nearly 30 years. Having touched many of the technical highlights of the 20th century, he celebrated his 90th birthday in 1999. He and his wife live in Santa Barbara, California.

F. Alton Everest can take pride in the fact that his books have helped educate a generation of music enthusiasts. RPG has been proud to offer whatever research and product information requested in previous editions. In his latest offering, he asked Dr. D'Antonio to contribute three chapters to help provide current information for the next generation. These include Acoustical Distortion, Room Optimizer and Desktop Auralization. Dr. D'Antonio indicated that "Alton has been a friend and collaborator for many years and he has done this industry a great service. This last edition is significantly expanded and offers a view of acoustics from the past to the future. We wish Alton and Bonnie Gail good health and happiness".

You may purchase the 592 page paperback online at Amazon.com

Topakustik Absorption Data for Non-Perforated panel now available
The standard Topakustik panels consist of a parallel grooved face with a rear hole reaching to the bottom of the face groove. The many groove widths, spacings and hole diameters, along with the selected cavity depth, offer a wide range of absorption options. However, in some situations Topakustik grooved panels are used with and without perforations to achieve a specific amount of absorption, while maintaining a unified appearance. The absorption data for a typical non-perforated 12/4M0 panel are now available for several cavity depths, with and without absorption in the cavity. The results illustrate only minimal absorption when the perforations are omitted.

Dr. Peter D'Antonio Fellowship Announcement
RPG President/CEO Dr. Peter D'Antonio has been elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America. Announcement of the election and presentation of the Fellowship certificate will be made during the plenary session at the Newport Beach, California meeting of the Acoustical Society of America December 4-8, 2000. The citation reads "For contributions to the applications of sound diffusion from architectural surfaces". We invite you all to attend.

Diffuse Seminars
RPG is now offering regular educational Diffuse Seminars for acousticians, sound contractors, home theater system integrators, architects, and other specifying consultants to apprise the industry of our research, new products, application assistance, and an introduction to RPG's new Room Optimizer™, Shape Optimizer, and CATT Acoustics software. The press is also welcome. RPG is applying for AIA Continuing Education credits.

The response to these educational seminars has been very enthusiastic. The seminar dates for 2000 are now available.

If you are interested in attending, please e-mail to info@rpginc.com, contact your local rep or call Jeff Angel at 301-249-0044.