Prolight+Sound returned to Frankfurt, Germany from March 19-22, drawing close to 25,000 attendees from more than 100 countries, with an expanded outdoor area for loudspeaker system demos and more than 500 exhibitors. Here are some interesting new items that caught our attention.
Adamson Systems’ VGt 3-way powered, Milan-driven line array has two 13” Kevlar woofers, two 10” Kevlar cone directional drivers, two Kevlar M140 compression mids and two 3” HF compression drivers — all in a tour / install-friendly package capable of 151 dB peak SPLs. www.adamsonsystems.com
CEDAR Audio spotlighted its new DNS 8D noise suppressors. With near-zero latency, this 8-channel unit is suitable for live situations in theaters, concert halls, conference venues and places of worship. As a bonus, the DNS 8D is the first DNS with a Dante interface in addition to AES3 audio connections. www.cedaraudio.com
DAS Audio launched EVENT-28A, an ultra-compact, 1,300-watt powered line array with two 8” neodymium LF transducers, an M-60 compression driver on an advanced waveguide design and easy DAScontrol system configuration. Weight is just 44 pounds. www.dasaudio.com
dBTechnologies’ VIO C active 2-way arrayable point-source speakers include the 12” VIO C12, the 15” VIO C15 and the dual-12” VIO C212 — all paired with a 1.4” compression driver on a 22.5° horn (for creating horizontal or vertical clusters), with 1,600 watts of Digipro power and RDNet communication for remote control via Aurora Net. www.dbtechnologies.com
HK Audio unveiled its CX 210 LT long throw, point-source model in its CONTOUR X series. With its coordinated DSP presets, matched FIR and IIR filters, all components of the CONTOUR X and COSMO series can be combined in almost any way. The CX 210 LT’s 1.4” driver on a 60° x 25° horn is rotatable for clusters and its two 10” mid/high drivers form a powerful foundation. www.hkaudio.com
InEar GmbH spotlighted its new hearmix® PRO active ambience IEM sound system. A special cable with built-in mics offers musicians variable control of the outside sound, mixed with the monitor feed from any wireless beltpack, and its use of standard 2-pin earpiece connectors supports nearly any pro IEM. www.inear.de
KV2 Audio’s EX28 2.5-way active system builds on the success of the EX26, while adding LF extension. Its compact profile is ideal for FOH and infill applications in theaters, houses of worship and concert halls. Two 8” neodymium woofers are paired with a 1.75” neodymium compression driver on a 100° x 80° horn. Specs include 500W of total power with 132 dB peak SPLs.
L-Acoustics expands its X Series with the X8i and X6i installation models — two passive coaxial enclosures for short-throw applications, either standalone or combined with a subwoofer. Each features a 1.5” compression driver coaxially loaded on a 6” or 8” LF transducer in a bass reflex cabinet. A weather resistant IP55 rating makes them suitable for indoor and outdoor use. www.l-acoustics.com
Lawo’s Power Core Gateway modular networked I/O node for its Lawo mc² audio consoles provides 64 I/O channels (or 128 via MADI) — all controlled by an mc² console, with native RAVENNA/AES67 compliance and #ST2110-30 standard support. www.lawo.com
LD Systems’ MON G3 Series of active 8”, 10”, 12” and 15” coaxial stage monitors feature an integrated 50° x 90° horn and a 300w RMS Class-D amplifier. All are low-profile designs and include a pole socket for doubling as a stand-mounted P.A. www.ld-systems.com
Neutrik spotlighted several new innovations. The IP65- and IP67-rated etherCON TOP Airtight connector series is engineered to endure harsh outdoor weather conditions and adds corrosion resistance and UV protection. Also new, the etherCON ESD-Series combines etherCON A units with an electrostatic discharge pushbutton to help prevent electronic component damage during use. www.neutrik.com
NTi Audio demoed firmware V1.26 for its XL3 Class-1 Acoustic Analyzer and an XL3 API (Application Programming Interface). The latter integrates the unit into the users’ software solution, either locally with USB, or intranet/internet via LAN or WLAN, for streaming API for continuous measurements such as noise monitoring or API remote control of the XL3 in applications with changing requirements. www.nti-audio.com
RCF announced Version 5 of its RDNet integrated management/control software platform for small live installed setups to massive arena systems. RDNet combines system control, line array design and audio measurements into a powerful solution for managing every device on the network, from individual components to multiple groups, with seamless integration of self- and externally powered systems. Comprehensive DSP control offers flexible configuration tools for efficient system tuning. www.rcf.it
TT+ Audio, an independent brand within the RCF family, featured the GTX Line Array System, which separates the power amplification from the speaker enclosures, moving it to touring racks, each with up to three XPS 16k-watt, 4-channel DSP amps communicating via RCF’s RDNet management platform. The line includes the GTX 12 3-way line array, GTX 10 2-way line array and the double-19” GTS 29 sub. www.ttaudio.com
More to Come!
We’ll cover more products from the show in future issues and at fohonline.com. Meanwhile, Prolight+Sound returns to Frankfurt next year from April 8-11, 2025 for its 30th annual run. Auf wiedersehen!
