Back in another lifetime, when I was editing a magazine for working musicians, NAMM was the biggest, baddest show of the year and I spent all four days literally running from appointment to appointment trying to cover everything, along with a handful of trusted freelancers. But since leaving the music mag world for FOH, I have often found myself wondering why we bother. This time around the answer is (apologies to David Byrne) the same as it ever was. While NAMM may be a big loud guitar show, there are always some real live event audio gems buried in the rubble–this time around we didn't even have to dig too deep. Even those companies with little to show at NAMM promised big news at NSCA in March. Looking for a theme, there was little that was really revolutionary, as in "no one has ever done anything like this before." But there was plenty of extension of product lines in ways that will especially benefit the smaller and regional sound provider who does not have a $1 million line of credit to draw on when new gear is needed. Plus, some things are just cool and timesaving, like several mixers from Phonic, Peavey, Mackie and others, with USB outs so you can record the show right to your laptop without some Rube Goldberg tangle of cables and adapter boxes. Actually, there was one bit of news that has the potential to change a lot. This may seem to be a little thing and we have touched on it before, but keep in mind that this one tidbit may be the start of a sea change in the way live event audio is provided and presented.
The fact that the live world is moving in the same digital direction as the studio world is old news, but for the first time that we are aware of, a show at NAMM (a Digidesign party at the House of Blues featuring the Black Eyed Peas) was mixed on VENUE, a console that is not only digital but also accepts software plug-ins for processing and effects. This is potentially huge and could mean both major shrinkage of processing racks (as if digital consoles have not brought that on already) as well as new technology, learning curves and expenses for live audio providers. Within the next few years, expect to see riders that not only specify the console and speaker system but also the same software plug-ins the artist used on his or her last recording. As a glimpse of things to come, both Sony and Rane have announced plug-in versions of several of their most highly regarded processing tools, which will be compatible with the Digi VENUE system. Welcome to the Brave New World.
On a similar note, over at the part of the building we affectionately term "HarmanLand" was some new software control that Sound Image owner Dave Shadoan dubbed "the news of the show." HiQnet is a connectivity and control protocol able to integrate all product categories in the signal chain for professional sound systems of all types, sizes and applications. Installers no longer need to configure each and every component in a system for the medium chosen for the system's signal-path backbone; HiQnet's intelligent software will sense the types of connections and do the configuring for them automatically. Signal paths can be greatly reduced in complexity since all audio and control data can share a common "pipe," significantly reducing installation costs and time. It will even control non-Harman stuff as long as it is CobraNet ready.
Staying in HarmanLand for a bit, let's get into those product line extensions. Perhaps the most interesting was the new VRX932LA, which JBL's Mark Gander was calling "VerTec for the masses" and FOH tech editor Mark Amundson dubbed "Best of Show." Containing a single 12-inch Neo-driver and three one-inch Neo-drivers feeding a slot lens horn, the VRX932 has a 100- by 15-degree dispersion and accepts an amazing 1,600 watts program at eight ohms (95dB SPL @1w-1m) to its passive crossover. The 48-pound cabinets include internal stack rigging and 7.5-degree splay angles plus two 1 3/8-pole sockets for horizontal and 10-degree down angle mounts. Yes, boys and girls, this means line array on a pole above a subwoofer. The units can be thus arrayed in groups of up to three top-boxes and two subs per side or flown in groups of up to six. Best news for "the rest of us" is that it is priced such that a sound company should be able to move into the line array arena for probably less than $20K.
Lexicon, which for the past couple of years has seemed to be concentrating all of its efforts on the studio side of things, woke up from its live audio slumber and introduced a near perfect insert effects processor called the MX200. Taking market feedback from its MPX forerunners, the MX200 has two 24-bit, 48kbps engines that can run four routings between dual mono and stereo. With 99 presets and 99 user setting locations, the flexibility is further enhanced by a USB-B jack for a "hardware plug-in" within VST-compatible controllers. We are giving you a wall-wart warning, but the 20dBu headroom on ins and outs is pretty good penance in addition the $199 MAP.
One more thing before we leave HarmanLand: dbx came out with the DriveRack 4800 with full analog and digital capability on all inputs and outputs. Besides CobraNet and XLR interfaces, additional control via the new HiQ Ethernet-based system control software is offered. Six parametric filters per output and full metering on all ins and outs is just a small example of the complete bells and whistles package the 4800 offers. At $3,499 SRP, the DriveRack 4800 is not for the masses, but for serious touring pros and theatrical installations. Now can we please get out of here and check out the rest of the show?
TC Electronic got its feet wet in speaker processing with the XO24, with two-in, four-out universal routing and one-click parameter adjustments on the front panel. The back panel of this one-rackspace unit has S/PDIF and XLR inputs and outputs plus a serial data COM port for computer preset editing. At $799 MAP, it is sure to generate some sales. Speaking of speaker processors, Peavey swears the previously announced VSX26 and VSX48 digital speaker processors will be shipping very soon.
Moving down the chain to more speakers, Mackie announced several new models of both powered and passive boxes and updates to past offerings–all retuned by the engineers at EAW. Several models here are on the short list for Road Test reviews in the near future. Also, Dynacord was not silent, introducing the Xa-2 long-throw speaker system. The system includes two Xa-4000 power amps with integral DSP crossovers, two FX12 top boxes with 12-inch and 1.4-inch drivers for nice 106dB SPL @ 1 watt, 1-meter efficiency. Four FX20 sub enclosures are also included with an 18-inch folded horn (waveguide) for 101dB SPL @ 1 watt, 1-meter efficiency and 1,200 watts of program power handling. The total system price is about $20,000 MAP.
A re-energized Cerwin-Vega introduced the new ProStax line with three-way 12-inch and 15-inch systems, a wedge and a bandpass sub aimed at the live sound market, and D.A.S. introduced the new Dynamics series in both powered and passive versions. Both versions feature a neodymium compression driver and a 15-inch bottom driver with a 3-inch voice coil. The powered version gives you 300 watts down low and 100 to the highs.
Moving to the world of tiny transducers (personal monitors or, my fave term, "speakers in your head"). Westone introduced an all-new version of its UM1 universal fit earpiece, which has been redesigned to mirror the look of the dual-driver UM2. It fits better in the ear, looks cooler and is more durable. The earpieces now come with the Comply ear-tips and, like all Westone universals, are upgradeable with custom fit ear-tips.
Finally, SLS introduced the P-LS8695 powered line array. This array comes in one box and can be set up by one person. Using the SLS ribbon technology and some very cool onboard DSP, the 8695 sounds great and can cover a good-sized gig with just a couple of boxes.
Moving down to some smaller stuff, Radial Engineering brought forth its ProDI series of high quality and affordable passive direct boxes. The ProDI has a transformer that is well done and approaches the JDI series performance, but at $99 SRP for the single-channel version. Even smaller, the Blox series of tools from Rapco offers everything from cable testers to inline pads to direct boxes and even a phantom-powered flashlight. These are going to show up in a lot of toolboxes. Finally, in the small-in-size-but-not-in-stature area, Neutrik introduced new versions of both their XLR and 1/4-inch connectors with more compact cases for those too-crowded input panels (evidently some console makers think that cables are connected and removed using tweezers) as well as increased durability and ease of use when it comes to attaching them to a piece of cable.
There seemed to be far fewer offerings on the mic front, although several companies announced new miniature headworns and there were a couple of cool new wireless systems. First up, Shure has packed many of the high-end features of its SLX and ULX lines (including their Audio Reference Companding technology) into a low-priced unit that will appeal to many a small rental company. The PGX is plug-and-play simple to use (it even has the infrared sync feature for setting the transmitter and receiver to the same channel without tiny switches) and is available with a number of mic capsules including both standard and Beta 58s and the SM 86 condenser as well as body packs.
Audio-Technica unveiled the 2000 series with, again, lots of very pro features at a very reasonable price. In addition to a steel (not plastic) receiver body and auto frequency scanning, the 2000 may be the lowest priced wireless out there that features true diversity instead of just antennae diversity. It's available in both handheld (with a capsule based on the A-T PRO 41) and bodypack versions.
On the wired mic front, beyerdynamic has some new offerings in its Opus series. The Chester Thompson mic kit is a standout value with the Opus 99 kick drum, Opus 53 on hi-hat, two MC930 overhead mics, two Opus 87 condenser tom mics and three Opus 88 snare and
tom condenser mics.
Peavey is turning heads with its CS-4080HZ power amp, which offers a prodigious 2,040 watts per channel at four ohms. While it weighs in at 48 pounds and two rackspaces, the CS-4080HZ still has the DDT limiter and $1,499.99 SRP tag. With its five-year warranty, the CS-4080HZ should be a prime candidate for club installs and bands needing righteous subwoofer drive. And Peavey did not stop at amplifiers, but put out the FX series of serious mixing consoles, which include DSP engines for 31-band graphic EQs, crossovers, limiters and effects. The three-band swept-mid EQs and six aux sends per channel provide the basics for anklebiters and local soundcos. But the USB-A and USB-B jacks permit digital audio feeds for memory stick recording or digital audio drive. Models run from 16 to 32 channels, with the pricing to be announced. Still in Peavey territory, the Sanctuary line of products specifically made for the house of worship market had a couple of stunners, including a micro-mini line array and mixers that offer great flexibility, and are also drop-dead simple to use, with all of the features you need down to the labeling, taking into account the volunteer nature of most church audio. Everyone wants to be in the worship market, but only a few like Peavey and ISP (who will do custom speaker boxes to complement the church decor) are really making gear that is specifically designed for this still growing and always challenging market.
Getting back to the whole "the world is changing" theme, if you had expected a bunch of new (and lower priced) digital consoles this time around, you would have been sorely disappointed. However, we brought up the lack of offerings in the range between the DiGiCo D1, Yamaha PM5D, the lower-end InnovSONs and the Mackie TT24–which is cool but may be a little smaller than what some of us need, although you can now hook a pair of them together to form a larger system (if you can find one; we hear they are very backordered right now). We were assured that the hole in the market has been noted and several folks are working to fill it.
There were a couple of cool things on the analog front. Soundcraft introduced the GB8 mixing console as the eight-bus companion to its GB4 consoles. Featuring eight auxes, eight subgroups and four mute groups, this console series is priced at mid-market with 16-channel to 48-channel models listing from $3,599.99 to $9,499.99. From firsthand experience, these GB-series preamps and EQ strips are very addicting. Plus, the GB8 gives you four stereo XLR/TRS channels for free.
And the console that Mark called "right up there" when he was determining his fave new NAMM stuff is the Midas Siena. This mid-market analog console starts with the Verona feature set and tosses in another eight auxiliary sends for a total of 16 with complete control of pre/post fader and stereo groupings. The Siena consoles come in 24- to 64-channel versions with pricing at $17,725 to $42,762 (SRP), respectively. The master section has a number of improvements, but contains 16 faders for either eight-aux/eight-group or 16-aux level control.
My personal favorite? Being of the "teach them and they will come" camp, I was way jazzed at the new DVD version of Yamaha's venerable sound reinforcement manual. Called Exploring Sound Reinforcement, it has all the info in English, Spanish, German, French and Japanese and covers everything from "What is EQ?" to putting systems together and actually doing gigs. At $49.95, it is a steal. It's available through Yamaha dealers, and we are looking at ways to offer it directly to FOH readers. Stay tuned.
