Lab.gruppen in Kungsbacka, Sweden, has announced accelerated development of the LM 26 Loudspeaker Management processor, a stand-alone digital loudspeaker processor based on the highly acclaimed Lake Processing technology. The LM 26 is the first product to be introduced by Lab.gruppen under the newly acquired Lake brand. The company states that this new unit will extend and solidify its commitment to Lake technology, which has been incorporated in Lab.gruppen’s PLM Series of Powered Loudspeaker Management systems since 2007.
Scheduled for launch later in 2009, the LM 26 is a full-featured 2-in/6-out Lab.gruppen Lake Processor in a compact 1U frame. It promises seamless compatibility with the PLM Series as well as with all Dolby Lake Processors and earlier versions of the technology, including Mesa Quad and Contour. The programmable EQ and delay capabilities in the new product will allow quick configuration for use as a processor and line driver for self-powered loudspeaker systems as well as for systems with separate power amplifiers.
“The new Lab.gruppen Lake LM 26 stand-alone processor gives our customers maximum flexibility to mix and match new and old processors with existing amplifiers or PLM Series units,” says Lab.gruppen’s managing director, Tomas Lilja. “In the touring market it allows operators to optimize performance and efficiency by leveraging their existing inventories, while in the installation market it gives system designers added flexibility to create more cost-effective overall solutions.”
The LM 26 announcement comes only a few weeks after Lab.gruppen confirmed its acquisition of the Lake trademarks and rights to Dolby Lake Processor technology from Dolby Laboratories Inc.
Similar in many respects to the Lake Processing technology currently inside the PLM Series, the new LM 26 will accept audio signals as analog, AES digital, or via Audinate’s advanced Dante digital audio network at 48- and 96kHz sampling rates. Automatic input priority switching may be enabled, and the unit can function as both an input matrix mixer and Dante break-in box.
The new product design incorporates exclusive Lake processing features, including Raised Cosine Equalization, linear phase and classical crossovers, LimiterMax peak and RMS limiters. A Super Module capability allows flexible grouping of processor channels across separate hardware frames, including prior Lake products and PLM Series units. All functions are controlled via wired or wireless networking by the Windows-based Lake Controller software application. The hardware unit will use a universal power supply with detachable mains cable to allow worldwide use.
For more information, visit www.labgruppen.com.
