Well, NAMM is less than a month away — the show opens on Friday, June 3 and runs through Sunday, June 5, at the expanded Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Southern California. And given the respectable (52,468) turnout at last month’s NAB Expo in Las Vegas, it seems like the experience of the in-person tradeshow has returned. These days we could all use a dose of normalcy. Another healthy trend is the return of exhibitors and… equally important (to most of us) is the increase of new product and technology launches, which is a good sign for the industry in general.
With that in mind, we figured we’d look at more some of the new sound reinforcement gear to be displayed at NAMM 2022. There should be plenty of cool items to check out once we get on the exhibit floor. And if you’re at NAMM, stop by our booth 10117 and say hello.
Adam Hall/LD Systems MAILA Intelligent Array
The MAILA “Modular All-Round Intelligent Line Array” scalable sound system is based on four components — a MAILA SAT satellite; MAILA COL column; MAILA SPA amplifier; and the MAILA SUB dual-15 powered subwoofer. Each satellite is tiltable to put sound where it needs to be. The MAILA SAT comes in an aluminum enclosure housing five 1” tweeters in front of a 6.5” mid driver in coaxial design. The full-range MAILA COL has four 6.5” woofers, providing extended low-mids and has a 4-channel 2.5kW DSP amplifier to drive both the MAILA COL and SAT units.
www.ld-systems.com; NAMM Booth #10616
Alcons Audio LR18i
The LR18i is a 3-way, “compact” line array for fixed installs, mating a
7” RBN702rs pro-ribbon transducer, a horn-loaded 6.5” cone midrange coaxially mounted behind the HF driver and two reflex-loaded 8” neodymium woofers. The ribbon’s cylindrical wavefront provides an acoustically and electronically symmetrical configuration for coherent pattern control in the vertical and horizontal planes, yet offers fast impulse response and low distortion. It’s offered in 90° (LR18/90i) or 120° (LR18/120i) horizontal dispersion versions and can be combined with an 18” LR18B fly/stack subwoofer.
alconsaudio.com; NAMM Booth #17820
Allen & Heath Avantis v1.13 Firmware
Via the free V1.13 firmware, Avantis users can now monitor and control Shure’s ULX-D, QLX-D and Axient Digital wireless directly from the console surface. Key RF information — including mutes, signal level and battery bars — is displayed in the Bank view, for “at a glance” multi-channel monitoring. Selecting the Preamp tab on a wireless channel reveals more detailed information, including RF frequency, device name and peak indicators. Receiver gain and mutes can also be controlled directly from the console or from Avantis Director software.
allen-heath.com; NAMM Booth #11110
Audinate “Dante Ready”
Dante developer Audinate announced Dante Ready™, a new licensing program offering customers the ability to purchase and add channels of Dante audio to supported products in the field. Dante Ready lets manufacturers lower costs while offering customers the ability to purchase only the channels that are required for an application. It will initially be offered for devices built using Dante Embedded Platform, a software implementation of Dante audio designed for Linux-based audio devices.
audinate.com; NAMM Booth #17910
Audio-Technica Large-Diaphragm Shotgun Mics
These 14” BP28 and 22.4” BP28L microphones combine large-diaphragm condenser elements with a 28mm diameter shotgun design for low-noise performance. With extremely tight polar patterns and a patented acoustic port design that maintains directionality across the entire frequency range, these shotgun microphones are ideal for broadcast/film, outdoor recording and theater applications. All have high SPL handling, a switchable 80 Hz HPF, a -10 dB pad and a lightweight aluminum alloy body.
audio-technica.com; NAMM Booth #15604
Audix M45 Ceiling Shotgun Mic
The new M45 Shortgun miniaturized shotgun condenser ceiling mic can cover up to 150 square feet of area with exceptionally audible sound, and is ideal for use in classroom-style setups, boardrooms, conference rooms and larger lecture venues. Optimized for vocal capture, it features a low-profile, swivel-and-pivot base and an integrated preamp. Mic signal and LED control is via an RJ45 connection with an adapter to an 8-conductor terminal block. Dante connections are available using Audix’ optional Enhanced Onramp.
audixusa.com; NAMM Booth #14709
Austrian Audio Capsules for Wireless Mics
The new OD505 WL1 and OC707 WL1 screw—mount interchangeable mic capsules are designed to work with Shure professional handheld wireless systems. The supercardioid condenser model OC707 WL1 ($499) offers subtlety and detail with a strong proximity effect and does not change its tone when the performer “cups” the mic grille. Also a supercardioid design, the OD505 WL1 dynamic mic capsule offers a natural tuning and strong signal quality at a budget-friendly $299.
austrian.audio; NAMM Booth #15502
Axiom Pro Audio CXL12A Monitor
The CXL12A is a 12” coaxial stage monitor designed specifically for live sound, although its compact, low-profile enclosure also makes it suitable for theater, broadcast and house of worship applications. The combination of a high-performance coaxial transducer, a carefully designed cabinet, and powerful electronics provides very high SPL before feedback and excellent intelligibility even at very high power. A precise horn design keeps dispersion at 50° (horizontal) and 70° (vertical).
axiomproaudio.com; NAMM Booth #17310
BASSBOSS SSP215 Mk II Subwoofer
Featuring an optimized enclosure design, two quality 15” neodymium woofers, and power-matched amplification with onboard DSP, the new SSP215 Mk II offers performance from 35 Hz to 100 Hz (±3dB), max peak SPLs of 135 dB and cardioid performance can be achieved with multiple enclosures. The onboard Class-D amplification is rated at 4,000W continuous RMS. The 18mm wood ply cabinet is 17.25 x 48 x 29.5” (HxWxD) and weighs 180 pounds.
bassboss.com; NAMM Booth #17820
Celestion CF0820BMB/CF0820M Drivers Available
Previously only available to OEM customers, Celestion’s 8-inch ferrite-magnet, cast-aluminum chassis pro audio LF/MF speakers CF0820BMB and CF0820M are now packaged for individual sale. Both handle 250W RMS (AES) and are ideally suited for custom projects or replacements / upgrades to existing cabinets. The midbass CF0820BMB has a 50 Hz to 6 kHz response; the dedicated midrange CF0820M is a dedicated midrange handles 150 Hz to 6 kHz.
celestion.com; NAMM Booth #9503
DAS Audio’s LARA Cardioid Line Array
Launched at last month’s ProLight+Sound 2022, LARA is a large-format self-powered (6,000 Watts) cardioid line array that can reproduce max SPLs of 146 dB. The driver complement in the system is two 12” woofers, two rear-firing 8”woofers and two front-firing 3” compression drivers. The 14 x 46 x 25.4” (HxWxD) enclosure weighs 193.6 pounds. Also announced was a companion cardioid subwoofer with two front-firing 18” woofers and an 18” rear-firing driver in a 21.9 x 46 x 40”, 275-pound enclosure.
dasaudio.com; NAMM Booth #17000
DirectOut’s Andiamo, The Third Generation
The third generation of DirectOut’s Andiamo device, this features newly designed AD/DA Converters, network-based audio and remote control. Options include RAVENNA, SoundGrid or Dante support and ANDIAMO handles up to 288 inputs and 288 outputs with internal routing matrix and failover redundancy using EARS™. The device features eight summing buses, input/output gains and trim, hardware monitoring for PSU status and temperature and redundant power supplies. Remote control over network is available via globcon.
directout.eu; NAMM Booth #18113
iSEMcon Li.LAC Microphone Disinfector
The Li.LAC Microphone Disinfector offers a fast, simple and effective method that uses controlled exposure to ultraviolet light (UV-C), to kill over 99% of bacteria and viruses on microphone surfaces, metal grilles and the windscreens underneath. Built in a pro 3-rackspace chassis, Li.LAC can be conveniently located in an equipment room where staff or volunteers can disinfect microphones while performing other duties or packed in a road case to travel with other equipment.
isemcon.net; NAMM Booth #17306
JBL Professional Extends Warranties
JBL has announced the immediate warranty extension of select JBL Professional portable P.A. loudspeakers and is now backing several products with an unprecedented 7-year warranty effective from the original receipt date of purchase. Products include: the EON ONE Compact, EON700 Series, EON ONE MK2 and PRX ONE. Note: The extended warranty program applies to all product components except batteries, which continue to include a robust, 3-year warranty.
jblpro.com; NAMM Booth #16009
Konig & Meyer Adapter Sleeve Ring-Lock
German support specialists K&M have developed an innovative Model 21441 “Adapter Sleeve with Ring Lock” that attaches to standard 35mm speaker stands with an easy to use locking screw. Once in place, the unique integrated expanding mandrel system provides a tight and firm fit for the speaker. Additionally, the moveable plastic splints isolate the speaker from the stand, thus creating a vibration-free connection between the rod and the speaker.
k-m.de; NAMM Booth #14309
KV2 Audio ESM312 Stage Monitor
The ESM312 is a high-output, full-range, low-profile 3-way, passive monitoring solution, featuring two bass reflex-loaded 12” neodymium woofers, a single horn-loaded 6” cone mid-range and a 1” compression driver in a compact, Baltic birch cabinet. KV2’s most powerful stage monitor yet, the ESM312 delivers sustained outputs of 133 dB and the wedge-shaped enclosure has rear-mounted flip-out stands, allowing 35-degree or 45-degree angles as required.
kv2audio.com; NAMM Booth #17219
L-Acoustics L-ISA Studio 2.4
L-Acoustics expands its L-ISA Studio software suite, allowing sound creators to design immersive audio whenever — and wherever — they’re ready to create. L-ISA Studio 2.4 adds unlimited free binaural output capability on headphones. The software, compatible with any Mac computer, is available on the L-Acoustics website. Via L-ISA Studio’s binaural engine, users can create and monitor spatialized audio content from their laptop, using headphones and optional head tracking. The software accepts up to 96 audio objects and sends 12 audio outputs to any soundcard.
l-acoustics.com; NAMM Booth #17004
Link On Air “ROLL” Products
Link’s on-air ”ROLL” portable sanitizing devices leverage ActivePure® technology to safely and continuously sanitize air and venue surfaces.
ActivePure’s Proactive Pathogen Defense™ creates oxidizing molecules to reduce viruses, bacteria, odors and volatile organic compounds on surfaces and in the air. The portable racks have powerful brushless fans specially designed to ensure an effective and fast diffusion of sanitized air and are available in different models for airflow rates from 1,275 to 17,000 m3/hour. Smaller versions are also available.
linkusa-inc.com; NAMM Booth #17507
Martin Audio VU-NET Version 2.3.3
Offering control and monitoring for Martin Audio’s MLA, CDD-LIVE and iKON systems, the v2.3.3 of VU-NET Windows software implements new features for iKON amplifiers and DX4.0 controllers. Connection to the cabinets and processors is via the U‐Net network protocol. Vu‐Net is used to monitor and control the system, EQ optimizations for multicellular arrays are uploaded from the program and cabinet firmware is checked and updated.
martin-audio.com; NAMM Booth #201A
Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 TOP L Cable Connectors
New connectors with an “L” suffix accept cable O.D.’s of 10-16 mm, are ideal for extra hard service SOOW 12/3, SJOOW12/3 and H07RN-F3G2.5 cables. A patent-pending cable entry prevents disassembly by hand, for EN 60320-1, IEC 60320-1 and UL 60320-1 certification when applied to appropriate cables. NAC3FX-W-TOP-L injects power into a device or a coupled cable. NAC3MX-W-TOP-L receives power; both are rated to 20A (16A in Europe) and 250 V AC. All are IP-65 rated in the mated condition and built from UV-resistant materials.
neutrikgroup.com; NAMM Booth #14502
On-Stage UCB2500 Utility Cart Bag
The UCB2500 Utility Cart Bag increases the loading capacity of the On-Stage’s UTC2200 and UTC5500 Utility Carts. With a reinforced bottom that provides a solid surface for placing amps and other gear, the cart’s sides enclose to stabilize non-stackable items, enabling more equipment to be loaded at once. Corner straps save space by securely holding speaker, lighting and mic stands in their upright position while exterior accessory pockets can carry anything from cables to mics to other small accessories.
musicpeopleinc.com; NAMM Booth #10715
punQtum by Riedel Network-Based Intercom
The punQtum Q-Series digital partyline intercom system is a digital, easy to use, full-duplex communications solution for theater and event applications. The system uses the advantages of modern IP networks and works “out of the box,” but can be quickly configured by user-friendly software to meet individual needs. There is no master station or other central point of intelligence; all processing is handled locally in each device with a capacity of 32 channels, four program inputs, up to four public announce outputs and 32 control outputs.
punqtum.com; NAMM Booth #17313
RCF NX 985-A Speaker and SUB 8008 Double-18 Sub
Unveiling at NAMM, and used alone or with the new SUB 8008 double-18 sub, the three-way active NX 985-A is designed for clubs, bands, DJs and P.A./rental companies. The stacked or flyable wood cabinet has a 15” woofer, 6” cone mid and 1.75” compression driver on a 100° x 60° horn with up to 138 dB max SPLs with 2,100W of biamplification and proprietary FIRPHASE DSP. The SUB8008’s 4,400-watts offers 137 dB max SPL with 12 onboard presets driving its twin long-excursion 18” woofers.
rcf-usa.com; NAMM Booth #17502
Shure KSM11 Wireless Mic Capsule
The KSM11 wireless condenser mic capsule, is designed to provide the purest presentation of live vocal performances without complicated processing. Featuring a natural combination of clear highs, rich mids and full lows, the cardioid KSM11 offers audio pros an elegant vocal foundation that elevates the entire performance. Designed for use with all Shure wireless systems with interchangeable microphone capsules, including Axient Digital, ULX-D and more, it’s available in black or brushed nickel.
shure.com; NAMM Booth #AP1
Useful Arts BF-1 Tube Instrument Direct Box
Featuring two-band EQ and dual outputs, this $799 Class-A tube instrument DI is designed to enhance clarity, detail and dynamics. It doesn’t change the sound of the instrument, but is said to preserve it by creating a 20-million ohm input impedance to feed an amp or console with the full detail in useable form. The AC-powered BF-1 can simultaneously drive an amp through its ¼” output jack and a pro audio device via XLR.
usefulartsaudio.com; NAMM Booth #15714
Void Bias Q3 Touring Amplifier
The Bias Q3 DSP touring amplifier is a 4-channel (4 x 2,000W) design featuring a 4.3” touch screen control and rotary encoder, and total integration with the Armonia Pro Audio Suite™ enabling extended control on smart phones and tablets. Onboard processing includes: input/output IIR, FIR, IIR+FIR equalizers and raised-cosine filters; complete sets of limiters (peak, RMS voltage, RMS current, and TruePower); and speaker cable loss compensation with Active DampingControl.
voidacoustics.com; NAMM Booth #18506
Yorkville YXL15SP Subwoofer
The YXL15SP compact powered subwoofer offers 1,000 watts with efficient speaker components, making it extremely loud for its size. Weighing in at just over 60 pounds, the single-15” YXL15SP is easy to transport and is accessible and versatile. The YXL15SP powered subwoofer is shipping now, and can be used with any full-range cabinet, including Yorkville Sound’s 10-, 12- and 15-inch full-range speakers in its YXL line. Street price is $799.
yorkville.com; NAMM Booth #17206
