Sound

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Harman Pro Audio Group demonstrated the world's first application of HiQnet communications and Control protocol for pro audio which connects all product categories in the signal chain. Mark Terry, president of Harman Pro, says HiQnet represents the culmination of years of strategic acquisitions, management and product organization and joint technology development efforts involving all nine Harman Pro Group companies. HiQnet can use any networking mode individually or collectively including serial, Ethernet and USB connections. The first products to implement the protocol are the AKG Acoustics' WMS4000 wireless microphone system, BSS Soundweb London, Crown International's I-Tech and CTs Series compatible PIP cards, dbx Zone Pro range and DriveRack 4800, JBL Professional's VerTec DP series with DrivePack technology and Studer's Vista 8 digital console.

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UK - Kelsey Acoustics has played a key support role in the design of a new series of Abbey Road audiophile cables recently launched by Moving Air (MA). Kelsey was closely involved throughout the development process bringing design expertise to bear on MA's drive for ground-breaking technology to produce cables to satisfy the most stringent critical listening requirements.

At Moving Air's launch event, which took place recently at Abbey Road's Studio 2 facility, Kelsey conducted 'live demonstrations', with listening tests in the control room, explaining the technology involved to the trade and press guests.

Abbey Road, with its reputation for technical excellence, was quoted as saying that in a studio environment, this cable enhanced the musical detail and improved the stereo image. Kelsey's parent company, Fuzion plc, rocked the party by providing a live stage rig that compris

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The last five years have been a stunning success for XTA by anyone's reckoning and today many respected manufacturers recommend XTA processors as a preferred complementary system for their own products. At Frankfurt, XTA unveiled its most advanced and powerful audio management system, the DP428, which provides everything needed for digitally interfacing and managing the largest system. The DP428 offers 4x8 matrix capability, 48dB crossover slopes, and EQ solutions for addressing virtually any audio problem. There are four inputs, each offering gain control, a 28-band graphic EQ, eight filters, and a delay. Eight outputs each have gain control, polarity-switching, delay, high/low pass filtering, and up to nine filters. Any input can be routed to any combination of outputs, plus all ins and outs can be phase-adjusted in two-degree steps. The crossover offers a choice of two types, and 6, 1

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USA - Peavey celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The company, still family-owned, today employs well over 1,100 people in the US, and occupies two million square feet of manufacturing, R&D, office space, warehousing and other facilities in and around Meridian, Mississippi.

Hartley Peavey began building amplifiers, in 1965; the first real boost came when in 1968 when he saw a gap in the market for a portable PA system, and introduced the PA-3. Success continued with the Peavey Classic and Peavey Vintage amplifiers between 1972-1973, followed by the Peavey Bandit, which became the world's top-selling amplifier. 1976 saw the CS-800 power amp, and the first mass-produced electric guitars. Then followed Peavey's own range of loudspeakers, beginning with the Black Widow.

In the 1980s, Peavey began the foundations of a digital programme that continues to this day, and in 1984

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RCF was in very good form having spent the last 15 months bringing new products onto the market. The company proudly unveiled the new ART Series and the larger format 4PRO active speaker system, including the new 4PRO 7001 4-way active system. This year alone, RCF has introduced new models in all its major ranges as a well as a complete new range of Monitor Q Installation speakers. RCF also featured many of its new commercial PA products including the Forum digital conference system, Flexa modular PA system and the new BA 1040 digital PA paging system.

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Sennheiser launched three freePORT systems offering 'Vocal', 'Instrument' and 'Presentation' versions. All three systems allow four switchable frequencies to be operated simultaneously, ensuring high transmission reliability and flexibility. The systems can be operated without licensing and without a fee in many European countries. All have a diversity receiver installed in a sturdy metal housing, ensuring optimum reception for more than ten hours.

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The rationalization of Kling & Freitag sees the company founders returning to their original roles, heading up R&D. Last year they introduced the CA1001, a two-way, full-range cabinet with 85° by 55° dispersion, capable of delivering 124dB peak (@1m). Launched at Frankfurt were the passive and self-powered versions of this cabinet (although the powered version will only just have gone into production by the time you read this.)

Also from K&F, the SW115E is the successor to the SW115D; improvements come from exponential tunnel geometry allowing for higher SPL without distortion, plus an overall improvement in the low bass. K&F are also developing a digital controller: a physical mock-up of the CD24 was on display, intended to be a universal controller for the entire K&F range. Cautiously its spokesman Lars Heinrich predicted that "prototypes might be seen at PLASA this year, but

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Turbosound added to its QLight series with the debut of the two-way, full-range TQ-315DP, which incorporates a 2 x 800W Class D power amplifier module. With a trapezoidal design enabling easy deployment in FOH or floor monitor applications, it utilizes a 15" LF driver, with a 1.4" HF driver on a rotatable Converging Elliptical Waveguide, which provides an 80º x 50º coverage pattern. The QLight DP models are capable of operating at more than 90% overall efficiency even at relatively low power levels.

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HK Audio seemed delighted with its 2005 concert touring series, which includes the well-known Cohedra and Cohedra Compact series, but also now the four new models in the ConTour Series. All two-way cabinets in the ConTour Series can be used either alone as full-range cabinets, or as mid/high units in combination with the CT 118 subwoofer or Cohedra CDR 210/CDR 210 C subs. The CT 112 and CT 115 models are equipped with internal passive crossovers that can be switched out for bi-amped operation. The CT 112 and CT 115 feature the new BEM Technology 60° x 40° CD horn, which provides precise directivity and allows multiple cabinets to be clustered optimally without phase issues. The horn can also be rotated easily by a quarter turn. In addition HK introduced various upgrades to its existing Elias, Premium and Actor ranges of speakers.

However, aside from all of the above the company seeme

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Meyer Sound has produced a scaled-down Milo - to be known as Mica - which sits somewhere between Milo and the M2D, "the latter a product more suited to the theatre market and not really intended for use in live concert," says John Meyer. Mica boasts the same signature as its bigger cousin, greater headroom and an ability to take abuse. "We launched this product at Frankfurt because it's a more European-style box," added Meyer, indicating a nod to the generally lower weight limits of European venues. "We've also simplified the internal rigging, eliminating that potential for people to get their fingers pinched between cabinets when making adjustments. Compared to M2D you can push this system much harder." Pause. "But inevitably some theatre people will want to use Mica in theatres," he added resignedly. Meyer, more than many, tries very hard to educ

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The full production version of the Ethos line array from UK-based Logic System was on show for the first time at Frankfurt. Although PLASA visitors will be aware of the Ethos system they will not have seen the new B.5 compact sub, based on a 12" driver delivering 96dB (1W/1m) covering the range 52 to 150Hz. For UK readers interested in hearing the Ethos system in action, an installation at the Edinburgh Liquid Rooms (what a perfect name for a music bar) was completed last Christmas.

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Alcons Audio showed the full production version its ultra-compact line-array module the LR14, featuring the patented RBN401 pro-ribbon driver and double 6.5" woofers with a dispersion pattern of 120 x 15°. The LR14 is designed to be used either as an ultra-compact line-array system, or as an under-fill of the LR16.

New on show was the LR14B, the ultra-compact, lightweight, high-output bass module of the LR14 line-array, with double Neodymium 12" double-tuned band-pass configuration. However, the company's main focus was on the official introduction of its new Q-series - based on modular line-source columns with lengths of 1m or 0.5m. Designed as a solution for ultimate intelligibility in "acoustically challenging" environments, the scalable ribbon-arrays combine a very high directivity with totally controlled dispersion, in both vertical and horizontal plane. The s

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AKG announced that five different mic heads are now available for its WMS 4000 wireless mic system's handheld transmitter, the HT 4000. The heads are a design continuation from the company's cabled Emotion/TriPower series. Aside from launching a series of budget level microphones - the CCS (Crystal Clear Sound) Series - for speech, vocal and instrument miking, AKG's main news was that its first product to become compatible with Harman Group's HiQnet proprietary audio system control and configuration software (see L&SI March 2005) will be the WMS 4000.

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Dutch PA system manufacturer Sound Projects revealed that AED, one of Europe's largest dry hire rental companies, has ordered a further 64 of its SP-4 systems to add to the 100+ it already owns. Described by AED's Glenn Roggemans as "a hybrid form between ground stack and line array", the SP4 systems are, he says, in a world where most sound reinforcement is ground-stacked "one of our most rewarding investments in the last 10 years."

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Italian manufacturer Outline exhibited a number of new products. The H.A.R.D. 45 SP expands the company's series of stage monitors, and is the most compact in the range, but with the same original design seen in the 115 and 212 models. Also new, the Global Sub exploits Outline's internationally patented 'space-saving' philosophy, used for the first time with the Kanguro system which received an Award for Product Excellence at the 2001 PLASA Show. The Global Sub is a 15" sub, but is also a container (complete with a cover) able to hold three different Outline loudspeaker systems.

Outline's new-generation 2U rack-mounting amplifier, the D4-2K is the first in the company's new DHD digital range, offering four channels with 530W each in 4 Ohms (4 x 310W in 8 Ohms) which can, on request, have a 24dB/octave output filter.

Finally the COM.P.A.S.S. (COMpact Polar Adjustable Sound System

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Shure's new PGX Performance Gear Wireless Systems, targeted at working musicians and bands, combines wireless technology, automatic setup features and Shure microphones in eight pre-configured systems. The system scans the wireless landscape, identifies a clear channel and then automatically sync's the transmitter with the receiver frequency via an infrared link. PGX Wireless Systems also feature Shure's patented Audio Reference Companding, until now only available in the SLX and ULX wireless systems, eliminating artefacts normally associated with traditional wireless companding. Receivers feature attached quarter-wave antennas, 6.3mm (¼") and XLR audio outputs, frequency and power lockouts and an in-line power supply. Handheld transmitters are offered with PG58, SM58, SM86 and Beta 58A capsules. The body pack transmitter works with head-worn, lavalier and instrument microphones an

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UK - Suffolk-based Synergy Audio is the first UK sound company to take delivery of Proel's new Axiom line array system. The choice of Axiom followed a tough demo at Synergy's headquarters, on the old RAF Bentwaters airfield in Suffolk.

In the course of a dank afternoon, against a tearing crosswind, the system was tested with a variety of program material, ranging from classical through to heavy rock and spoken word and, says Synergy Audio's Rob Quin, "The results were quite staggering. Even in the strong winds, the system produced a very even sound field, across a large area, with very little noticeable drop in level or quality.

"It's extraordinarily good. The people behind the design have worked with some of the "big names" in line array, so it has a good design pedigree. We've been inside the boxes and the components are very good quality. The build of th

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Audient showed its new digital loudspeaker management system, called 'One'. Aimed at sound reinforcement and fixed installations alike, One is available with 4 or 6 outputs and offers fast, intuitive access to a host of features including 45 presets, delay times, eight bands of EQ and a broad selection of filter types including the Hardman filter, say the company.

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Mackie's TT24 console's V1.2 firmware is now available as a free download from www.mackie.com. The 10 new features of V1.2 include three built-in 31-band graphic EQs (for L-C-R channel outputs), eight dedicated mute groups, scrolling snapshots and a user-customizable fader bank. Mackie also showed two new TT24 expansion cards (the UFXII DSP card and the U100 console networking card) planned for delivery this spring, and previewed a new Digital Snake designed specifically for use with the TT24. Other TT24 news included the introduction of the new LP48 Lake Processor expansion card - a collaboration with Lake Technology which adds Lake's EQ and loudspeaker processor tools to the TT24's DSP portfolio.

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Even smaller than the XLine-C, the new XLine-D line array product from Electro-Voice increases competition in the ever-expanding small line array system market. At 21.3kg it's a little heavier than most, but then it packs 2 x8" with two 2" on the 'Hydra' wave generator, giving the now typical 120° coverage (10° vertical per box). Independent signalling control of the two 8" drivers, with significantly different cross-over points (0-100Hz on one, 100-1.5kHz on the other) is claimed to produce horizontal beam width control down as far as 250Hz. There is also a double 12" flown sub for extended low end; this unit uses a brand new transducer developed by EV, the DVX, and features forced air cooling technology for a claimed 20% reduction in distortion.

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From the sublime to the ridiculous, the newest item on the d&b audiotechnik stand was a banana, or rather a bunch of them; a typical d&b comedic allusion to line arrays in general, and their Q-Series launched last year in particular. "We have a tendency on these occasions to be completely bananas," said d&b's Simon Johnstone, "so it seemed appropriate as a theme for our stand."

Of perhaps greater import was the new Remote Network software for its D12 amplifier - the new software enables load monitoring and full system check features. Also for the D12, the latest ROPE C remote control software with R10 service software, which allows firmware updates for amplifiers over the d&b remote network, and has scene recallable type features for reading, saving and restoring amplifier configurations and for resetting such things as EQ and delay to default values.

To paraphras

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Purchasers of the new Midas Siena console were offered the chance to invest in Klark Teknik's Helix digital EQ at the price of a quality pro analogue graphic, allowing users to take advantage of the Midas and Klark Teknik Solo Tracking System (STS). This allows the solo'd outputs from the Siena to be shown on the Helix master unit, or as an option on a wireless tablet PC, giving users complete control of all the EQ functions for that output. STS has been developed to increase accessibility and reduce access time to critical functions, and is also compatible with the Legend and all Heritage series consoles.

Sales and marketing director David Cooper, said this was "an important step forward in integrating the Midas and Klark Teknik product ranges."

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The M16 from Cadac, the renowned theatre console maker, is a 16-channel remote controlled mic pre-amp. It sounds similar to the new D-Tube from DiGiCo, however it is quite a different beast. The unit is based on the J type and can be remote accessed from up to 500ft, and a maximum of 32 units can be linked off a single controller. Also shown for the first time the D16 'virtual' 16-channel mixer - a mixer that runs in software only and is intended for use as an extender for any existing Cadac desk offering compressor, gates, delay and four-band EQ on all channels, making it ideal for controlling peripheral speakers in a highly distributed theatre installation.

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EtherSound continues to implement new features and take advantage of the evolution of Ethernet. Philippe Delacroix, MD of Digigram, owner and supplier of EtherSound technology, revealed a development plan to be rolled out throughout 2005. Milestones include direct node-to-node data communication between any two devices in a network; the freedom to connect one or multiple control computers anywhere on the network, giving shorter cable runs and simplified system design; the potential to connect multiple control computers improving design flexibility and system reliability; and fault-tolerant ring topology where the 'last' device of a daisy chain is connected to the 'first'.

The system will automatically determine the new first device of the chain, maintaining the virtual bus and thereby the signal path integrity throughout the network. EtherSound is fully compliant with the IEEE's 802.3

  1. Funktion One
  2. DiGiCo
  3. KV2 Audio
  4. Symetrix appoints new distributor
  5. Camco
  6. Martin Audio
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