Apex (www.apex-audio.com) introduced its Intelli-X comprehensive 4×8 speaker management system, offering 256 EQ filters and 50 presets, employing 24-bit converters, with AES inputs, and USB and serial connections for laptops. Optional is the “Intelli-Sense” servo system, which continuously monitors RMS power delivered to the speakers and adjusts limiters.
Adamson‘s (www.adamsonproaudio.com) new Spektrix compact line array is a three-way, 62-pound enclosure that can be bi- or tri-amped. Innovative features include captive, hidden, revolving-disk interconnection and a unique sliding-point rigging frame. It employs two different purpose-designed 8.5-inch Kevlar drivers — one for LF the other for MF — plus a BNC DE900 compression driver on a 120-degree horizontal device.
Crest Audio (www.crestaudio.com) introduced its HP Eight, reaching an amazing price by employing modular input construction in blocks of eight channels. Ten aux sends and fader-flip provide monitor mix facility. Features include five stereo line ins with 3-band EQ and an 11×2 matrix.
DiGiCo (www.digiconsole.com) refined its D5 digital console for theater with a 124-bus engine instead of the 40 found on the D5 Live. In addition to the D5T control surface, there is a D5Tc Controller, a compact frame designed for running programmed events, with widely spaced master faders, macro keys, rugged Previous and Next “Go” buttons, plus script-tray and keyboard. The D5Trc Remote Control is useful for tweaking from various locations during rehearsals, having a single input and output control section.
First-time exhibitor Magnetic Audio Devices (www.getmad.us) showed its Planar Magnetic full-range transducers. Arrays are built from individual 6×9-inch, 4-pound “MAD-1” drivers, which employ neodymium motors with a “stretched” voice-coil strip on a flat, flexible membrane. Though this technology is in its infancy for live sound, it may be the next thing in P.A. speakers.
Martin Audio‘s (www.martin-audio.com) W8LM 53-pound, three-way, bi-amp or passive mini line array, employing two reflex-loaded 8-inch speakers, one direct-radiating and lowpassed at 300 Hz;the other employing a phase plug to reproduce up to 2.2 kHz. It also uses dual 1-inch horn elements, and 12-ohm impedance allows up to four cabinets per amp channel.
Meyer Sound (www.meyersound.com) finally released SIM 3, offering two mic and two line inputs in a compact 2U chassis; special introductory pricing is a quarter of SIM II’s. It’s quicker and has twice the previous LF resolution. Data is stored on a Fast Flash Disk (FFD) — faster and more robust than hard disk. SIM 3 displays multiple trace memories and is designed to accommodate the latency in today’s digital consoles and processors. It comes with self-documenting user macros and preset procedures, making it simple to operate.
SLS Loudspeakers (www.slsloudspeakers.com) introduced several new speakers, including its RLA/3 compact line array. Each 20-pound LS6500 line array module employs the same 6.5-inch woofer and ribbon HF as the company’s 6-foot LS8695 Line Column.
Xilica Audio Design (www.xilica.com) of Toronto made its first AES appearance, showing a new DLP-4080 4×8 speaker processor with 32-bit floating-point DSP.
Yamaha (www.yamahaproaudio.com) has new PM-1D input cards offering PM5000-quality mic pre’s. One version has A/B inputs for two channels with 28-bit sampling, while the other has four channels with 24-bit sampling for higher rack-density. The PM-1D on display was being controlled remotely from a wireless RECO tablet from TEQSAS (www.teqsas.de). The 8-inch 800×600 touch-sensitive screen is a smart device running embedded Linux with a Flash Disk to make it extremely rugged in its rubber sleeve. It connects to the user’s device-wired computer via Wi-Fi and can control many software apps, offering wireless control potential for other products.
