FOH was well represented at Winter NAMM with as many as six of us on the floor at times (OK, that six includes the ad folks, but ours are not weasels, so we can include them). While there was nothing really earth-shattering, there was some cool stuff, and some of it in unexpected places. Each of us had our favorites, but a couple of things caught everyone's eye. I have yet to talk to a soundguy at any level from regional on down who wasn't jazzed by the Peavey Distro, and their line array created quite a buzz as well. A couple of us saw some not-yet-released EV stuff that we can't talk about without an automatic contract going out on all of us and our families, but it will be worth talking about eventually. I'll let Mark tell you about the Peavey stuff in detail. Some of the gear that I liked included ISP's Mongoose powered array (which Jamie reviews elsewhere in this issue) and the prototypes of Radian's horn-loaded RPH series. Neutrik's Silent Plug is a "no buzz" ¼-inch connector for guitars that actually works, but be careful that no one tries to use it as a speaker cable or the magnetic mechanism could mean a fried amp.
There was some stuff that we have been expecting that finally is ready for prime time. Big on this list are the digital snake from RSS and the modular Ethersound-based system from Horizon and Rapco. The RSS unit is already slated for a Road Test, and we sat down with that team for breakfast and talked about protocols and universal systems and when we will see a pro-audio version of MIDI (who better to ask than one of the developers of the MIDI standard?). Too much to get into here, but stay tuned for more. The Horizon/Rapco unit is most interesting in that it comes in eightchannel modules, making it financially easier for the smaller company or ankle biter to make the move toward digital.
As long as we are talking digital, what may seem like an insignificant bit of news could end up being the most important thing at the show. When I asked Mick Welhan for the fourth or fifth time when we would see the Midas digital board, he replied, "When it's ready." But there was some news that will play into that product when it is finally released as Midas announced that it has adopted and licensed the Sony Super- MAC and HyperMAC technologies for all of its products. While it may seem that Midas is late to the digital game, we all know that there is a legion of sound guys who insist that you "make mine a Midas," and their acceptance of the Sony open protocol for digital audio transmission could mean a lot as things shake out and the industry inevitably moves to a common standard.
At the same booth, EV showed that they are listening to the working stiffs by introducing a slew of rigging options for their X-Line arrays. Any of us who have worked on a gig flying a line array know that while we want them to sound good, getting them up and down is just as important. A greatsounding array is not going to win a lot of fans if it is hard to get in the air. The introduction of everything from dollies to extender beams and coupling solutions for both flown and ground-stacked arrays will make more of us look seriously at the EV system when it comes time to choose an array.
Another cool solution came from JBL with the extension of the Crown-powered DrivePack amp modules to the new Venue series of portable speakers. This brings not only a powered option to the JBL line, but it potentially brings the control of HiQnet to the masses–or at least to companies doing work under the level of national tours and very large corporates. As long as we are in Harman land, let's take note of AKG's HiQnet-compli- ant wireless hub for its WMS 4000 series, dbx's shipping of the DriveRack 4800 and Lexicon with both a new FX processor that looks interesting and a product that will make live recording a lot easier. The MX400 boasts enough power for either true-dual stereo operation (like having two FX units in one rack space) or surround processing, while the Alpha Studio USB interface can pack into your briefcase and take two channels of mic or line level input and stream it right into your laptop.
But my two personal faves were both meant for Monitor World. TC Helicon has made a mic-stand-mounted personal monitor that looks totally pro. And, they promise that the VoiceSolo sounds as good as it looks. Available in powered mono and stereo con- figs with "more me" controls right where they are needed, they also ship with a very cool adapter that allows it to mount between the stand and a boom for a unique and, dare I say, bitchin' look.
Meanwhile, Westone is addressing the "boy in a bubble" isolation that keeps many performers from embracing the act of sticking monitors in their ears. The SD1 system features computer-controlled compression, limiting and parametric EQ (you can save four processing presets to the beltpack and click through them) along with a pair of sub-mini mics attached to the cable that feed and ambient signal into the mix. It was refreshing and kind of strange to be able to have earpieces in and carry on a conversation. Rumor has it that this technology may make it into some other products as well. This is one to watch.
-Bill Evans
It might be shocking a few of you, but I have to say that one Peavey product got my Best in Show kudos; and that product was the Peavey Distro. As simple as Peavey engineer Don Boomer could make it, the Distro is a must-have for any amp rack of local soundcos or outsized modern music bands. In two rack spaces and with a 12-foot 6-4 gauge power cord, the silver-gray Peavey Distro contains six 20-amp magnetic circuit breakers and two neon hot wire indicators (X and Y) on the front panel. On the back panel, six 20A duplex white receptacles of heavy-duty grade pretty much told the Distro's story: No filtering, no surge protection, just a NEMA 14-50 plug, cord, chassis; all for about $299 MAP. Find a range receptacle at the club (NEMA 14-50R), and your six Edison circuits deep in juice, and it's all legal from an electrician standpoint.
Next on my favorites list was the new QSC PLX2 amplifiers. The new cast aluminum grilles should slow down any knockoff competition, plus the look to the older PLX feature set. The Powerwave PSU received some minor capacitor upsizing, which brought the larger models to the new names of PLX1802, PLX2502, PLX3102 and PLX3602. The older PLX1202 was dropped, but in its place were two newer and smallersized PLX1104 and PLX1804. Much to my liking, the "04" suffix means 4 Ohm minimum speaker loads, but a drop in weight and rack depth. Stay tuned for a Road Test review coming soon.
And Mackie brought out more than two dozen new products, with the new Onyx 4- Bus consoles piquing my interest. The Onyx 24.4 and Onyx 32.4 are meant as an obvious upgrade from the SR-series consoles, but will better feature sets. Now with 100 mm faders, and four-LED metering; the Onyx 4- Bus consoles also got the much welcomed Cal Perkins EQ sections (four-band, two swept mids) and Onyx mic preamps. And the master section lost the infamous "air knobs", and got a 6-by-2 matrix plus a stereo compressor/ limiter unit for L-R mains, 1-2 or 3-4 subgroups selection. Suggested retail pricing is at $1,849.99 (24.4) and $2,599.99 (32.4), which is about same pricing as the former SR series consoles.
Harman Group products were not resting on their laurels, and Crown introduced the XTi amplifier series, for price-conscious amp consumers. The XTi1000, XTi2000 and XTi4000 have 4-Ohm stereo ratings of 500, 800 and 1,200 watts respectively and still have much of the HiQnet DSP front-end the I-tech amps have. While I enjoy a switching PSU, these amps have the classic Crown AB+B amplifiers for reliability and keep the costs low. And at MAP prices of $499, $699 and $999; I am sure these XTi amps will be big sellers.
And Soundcraft brought new life into the Spirit Live 8 console; by introducing the Soundcraft Live 8 console, with a new blue paint job and many other upgrades. While the look and feel still is "Live 8," you get Graham Blythe's new mic preamps and EQ sections found in the GB and MH consoles. And by retaining the eight-LED bargraphs on each channel at the meterboard, nothing is missed.
Wandering over to BBE Sound Inc, they caught my sincere attention with their DS24, DS26 and DS48 digital speaker processor. Chock full of the expected speaker processor goodies like crossover and parametric filters, gain adjustments, polarity, delay and limiters; the DS units have very nice user controls, LCD interface, channel mutes and seven-LED metering. The RS-232 serial ports on the back of these processors also let you take control of settings via personal computer utility software provided. And at MAP pricing of $299 (DS24), $349 (DS26) and $449 (DS48), there is no reason why anyone should be staying with analog crossovers.
And the Telex dudes were not asleep in the design department either. The Dynacord Xa System was released in response to a lower- cost version of the great Cobra groundstack line array. With a $17,600 MAP, you get four sub boxes and two tops plus two highpower smart amplifiers that can support gigs with thousands of people in the audience. The Fx12 tops have the X-array ND12 mid drivers and ND6 HF drivers to get to 106dB SPL from a watt of audio snort. The remaining four folded horn subs with EVX180 LF driver have a 101dB SPL sensitivity attempting to keep up with efficient tops. The pair of Dynacord Xa- 4000 amps are factory set up for sub/top DSP settings for true plug-and-play stereo gigging. Just XLR ins and NL4 outs with the Speakon cables provided for simple daisy-chaining up in each stack.
Klark Teknik made good on the Square-One series of equalizers, and dynamics processing units. The Square One GEQ two rows of 30 faders with "Pro-portional" filters in the +/-12dB range. The Square One Dynamics Processor has eight bands of comp/limiter/gate/expander with plenty of knobs and switches and metering in the KT tradition. Best of all, the GEQ is $1,195 SRP and the Dynamics is at $1,295 SRP.
Coming back to Peavey, their new VersArray line array tops were the hit of the show with a dual coil neodymium 12-inch mid driver and two 4.75-inch ribbon HF drivers arrayed vertically for 100Hz to 24kHz frequency response at 97dB SPL sensitivity. By using a typical pair per side, each 90º by 15º dispersion top will put about 104dB SPL sensitivity in the desired listening areas with impeccable sound quality. And you can get 13-inch lifts for the tops plus all the basic rigging for vertical splay at great prices ($1,695 per lift). And the tops are at $1,250 MAP, so any sound company can have a line array without breaking the bank.
And from the "little company that could" category; APB Dynasonics is now shipping their acclaimed Spectra series of midmarket consoles and filling their huge backlog of orders. Get up to www.apb-dynasonics.com for all the details.
-Mark Amundson
