London, UK (November 26, 2018)—Pro Sound News Europe held its annual Pro Sound Awards on Thursday, November 22, at London’s Steel Yard. d&b audiotechnik, Sennheiser, Chris Marsh and Abbey Road were among the big winners on the night at the 2018 Pro Sound Awards, on a night that also saw grime icon and Glastonbury 2019 headliner Stormzy make a surprise appearance to present Fraser T. Smith with the Best Producer award.
Now in its sixth year, the 2018 Pro Sound Awards took on a very new complexion, with a raft of new product and people-focused awards introduced to recognize the most innovative work taking place across the industry.
Stormzy stuns Fraser T Smith with Best Producer gong at 2018 Pro Sound Awards
Taking home the inaugural Breakthrough FOH Engineer award was burgeoning theatre sound specialist Heather Knott, while rising studio star Lauren Deakin Davies took home the event’s first-ever Breakthrough Studio Engineer award, having worked on numerous records with a host of acclaimed artists.
Marta Salogni received the new Best Studio Engineer Award, following a string of projects with several internationally revered artists, while touring veteran Chris Marsh picked up this year’s Best FOH Engineer accolade.
On the product front, d&b audiotechnik scooped the Best Live Loudspeaker award for its GSL range as well as the Best Immersive Sound Project for Starlight Express; Sennheiser emerged victorious in the Best Live Microphone category for its Digital 6000 series; and Unity Audio’s Mini Rock series won this year’s Best Studio Monitor award.
Elsewhere, Abbey Road took home the Best Studio award.
A number of special achievement awards were also announced prior to the event. these included the Campaign Award, which went to Red Bull Studios’ Normal Not Novelty initiative, the Best Producer award, presented to Fraser T Smith by surprise guest Stormzy, Outstanding Contribution, received by L-Acoustics founder and line array pioneer Christian Heil, and Company of the Year, received by Genelec, which celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year.
See the full list of winners below.
Best Live Loudspeaker
d&b audiotechnik – GSL
Best Live Microphone
Sennheiser – Digital 6000
Best Live Sound Production – Sponsored by EAW
Meyer Sound – Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) tour
Best FOH Engineer – Sponsored by d&b audiotechnik
Chris Marsh
Breakthrough FOH Engineer – Sponsored by Harman
Heather Knott
Best Studio
Abbey Road
Best Studio Monitor Sponsored by Focusrite
Unity Audio – Mini Rock Monitor
Best Studio Microphone
Neumann – U 67
Breakthrough Studio Engineer
Lauren Deakin-Davies
Best Studio Engineer
Marta Salogni
Best Mixing Console – Sponsored by EAW
Solid State Logic – L100
Best Installation Project – Sponsored by d&b audiotechnik
Delta Live – BBC Proms 2018
Best Immersive Sound Project
d&b audiotechnik – Starlight Express
Campaign Award
Red Bull Studios – Normal Not Novelty
Best Producer
Fraser T. Smith
Company of the Year
Genelec
Outstanding Contribution
Christian Heil
