Midas Pro1
The Music Group made a lot of news with a pre-show announcement of the acquisition of Turbosound, adding to the Behringer-Midas-Klark Teknik family. Then they debuted the Midas Pro1, with 24 mic/line inputs with preamps and GUI based on the flagship XL8, 48 channels of processing, 24 analog outs and 96kHz 40-bit floating-point processing throughout. And it’s only $9,999.
Not to be outdone, DiGiCo showed the SD5, fitting nicely between its SD7 and SD10 models and a replacement for the D5 (trade-up supported). It includes 124 input channels, 56 configurable buses, and the Waves effects package built in. It comes with a MADI connection to a star router, a 24×24 matrix, and a 56-channel SD-Series rack.
Line 6, having made a bold announcement at NAMM of its musician-centric live system, added to its wireless packages and range of monitors by showing the StageScape M20d touchscreen visual mixer, with digital processing on every channel, including multi-band feedback suppression, as well as multichannel recording and remote control capabilities via one or more iPad devices.
PreSonus has integrated Smaart software from Rational Acoustics into its remote-control/editor/librarian software for StudioLive. The first module to be implemented will be Smaart Spectra, a time-frequency-level analysis tool for locating problem frequencies causing feedback. It is part of PreSonus Universal Control 1.6, a free upgrade.
QSC has turned its spotlight on integrated system control, bringing its large-scale, stadium-size Q-Sys technology to restaurants, nightclubs, schools, hospitals and churches with the Q-Sys Core250i/500i. The Core 250i provides up to 64 network channels and the Core 500i up to 128 channels. QSC also showed solutions for seamless video/audio network control at large-scale venues.
There’s a whole lot of talk about control these days, whether network or system. Lectrosonics introduced the 32×32 Aspen Dante network processor, able to address both the ASPEN and Dante matrices and add mixing, gain and delay functions to the digital audio signals. The company also displayed the new Breakout Box, with 8-in/8-out, two Dante ports and iPad control.
Shure, meanwhile, had a crowded booth every time this writer walked by, with much of the focus on the addition of dual and quad receivers to the ULX-D Series, single-rackspace units with individual gain controls, LED meters and XLR outputs for each channel. The new dual and quad receivers feature fully digital audio processing and RF transmission, as well as AES 256-bit encryption and integrated Dante networking.
DPA Microphones showed its d:vote range of instrument mics, building on the design of the company’s 4099 instrument clip mic series. It was also a first look for many at the d:facto vocal mic series, introduced last year and based on the classic 4011 design, and the d:fine headset mic.
It wouldn’t be an InfoComm show without new speakers, and there were offerings from Martin Audio (MLA Compact), D.A.S. (Artec Series), Outline (EIDOS 265 LA Compact Line Array), Atlas Sound (AH Series) and JBL (CBT-200LA-1 constant directivity; 6.5 feet tall, emphasis on vertical coverage), and Yorkville Sound (PSA-1, part of the Paraline Series of compact full-range loudspeakers).
Vue Audiotechnik H-12
This InfoComm debuted a new speaker company, as well, Vue Audiotechnik, headed by industry vets Kenny Berger and Jim Sides. Vue debuted three lines: the more affordable A Class, the booming H Class and the i Class for installers. Be sure to check out the HS-28 subwoofer online.
Auralex showed five new products, including pads and diffusion. But the most popular seemed to be the Utilitek absorbent panels, based on the ProPanel Series but more affordable, and the SheetBlok-AF, pliable but dense sheets of isolation material that is PVC coated and ready for painting.
Primacoustics also has recognized the demand for acoustics to work with aesthetics, debuting its line of Paintables, a series of panels made from 2-inch thick high density 6-pound glass wool for even absorption. The front face and edges are encapsulated in a fiberglass mesh and the panel is then finished in white paintable latex.
Furman showed its SmartSequencer power products, but bragged about its remote-control BlueBolt energy management system.
Hosa, one of those companies whose products you can’t do without, debuted the CBT-500 cable tester. It’s solid and field-ready, with every connection you might think of, including MIDI, Speakon, 3-pin, 5-pin and USB-A to USB-B. Only $69.95.
Kaltman Creations, makers of the acclaimed Invisible Waves spectrum analyzers, has added to the line with the RF-id Solo and RF-id Station.
Though it was announced at NAB, Gepco gave contractors their first look at RunOne powered speaker cables, each combining one channel of power with 2, 8 or 12 channels of 110-ohhm balanced audio for line level, mic level or digital AES audio signals.
