New Gear

I got the call on Wednesday that I would be leaving for England on Monday, having been invited by the folks at Midas to be present for their latest and greatest product unveiling. I knew Midas would not spend the time and money necessary to gather journalists from all over the U.S. and Europe if they didn’t have something big to show off. I figured that they had created a new digital mixer or stage box, but Midas was keeping their new baby a secret.

AKG D7 Dynamic Vocal Microphone

AKG Acoustics introduces the D7 vocal microphone for live sound applications. AKG`s newest dynamic microphone features a humbucking coil that reduces electrical interference and stage feedback. The D7 also features an integrated high-pass filter that cuts out low frequencies, eliminates handling noise and provides audio clarity. The D7 delivers high-end sonic performance with its new Laminated Varimotion diaphragm. This design allows the diaphragm to be fine-tuned without extra tuning resonators. The D7 response evokes the subtle, open sound of a condenser microphone, while maintaining the rugged reliability of a dynamic microphone. The D7 comes complete with a carrying case, mounting clamp and replacement windscreen. Two additional models are also available: the D7-S, which features an on/off switch; and the D7-WL1 microphone capsule for use with AKG wireless systems. www.akg.com

Let’s start by getting the obvious out of the way. With NSCA folding their trade show into InfoComm there is now really only one install show of real interest to the FOH crowd (CEDIA doesn’t count). And there were a number of marketing-type references to that fact including a big sign outside touting the “One Show.”

Now I have made it pretty clear for a long time now just how much I “enjoy” trade shows. So you would think I would be doing some version of the Happy Dance that there is one less show to go to this year. But it ain’t quite that simple. It is all about timing. First, the timing sucked because Summer NAMM moved back to Nashville and had to move to June to do so, which meant that it overlapped by a day with InfoComm. That meant almost zero presence for audio companies in Nashville and, say what you may about musician-oriented events, but musicians grow up to be sound guys, and it’s important to learn ‘em right while they are still learnable.

Allen & Heath ZED 4-Bus Series

Allen & Heath has announced the ZED-420 (16 mono + 2 dual stereo channels), ZED-428 (24 mono + 2 stereo) and ZED-436 (32 channel + 2 stereo) mixers. Similar to the smaller ZED-14, the 4-bus series features the same performance DuoPre TM padless preamp, which is a microphone circuit and an optimized line input circuit, rather than one pre-amp handling both mic and line signals. It uses a two-stage design with carefully controlled amounts of gain in each stage, offering high headroom and a low-noise, clean signal path. The ZED 4-bus series has a responsive 4-band, 2-swept mids EQ with in/out switch, 6 aux sends (2 pre, 2 post, 2 pre/post), 4 sub groups, direct outputs on each mono channel, separate L, R & M main buses, 100 mm long-throw faders, 2 matrix outputs and a talkback facility to auxes or LRM. The connectors are placed on the top surface for easy plug-in and patching, and the construction, with individual circuit boards nutted to the top panel, is identical to Allen & Heath professional touring mixers.

www.allen-heath.com

Digidesign Mix Rack
When combined with a D-Show Profile system, Digidesign’s Mix Rack option for its VENUE live sound systems is designed to offer a compact and affordable entry into the Venue family for small- to mid-sized venues, houses of worship, corporate A/V applications and regional tours. Mix Rack combines all stage, local audio I/O and DSP into a single compact 11-space rack enclosure. Mix Rack offers much of the same functionality of the dual VENUE I/O and processing components with a smaller footprint and easy portability.
www.digidesign.com

Here is our “virtual” show coverage of Europe’s major music trade show.
By Bill Evans

The ProLight and Sound show in Munich, Germany, is one of the biggest music trade shows in the world and there is plenty of audio there. So why don’t we at FOH attend? Well, truth is that if I am going to fly to Europe, I want it to be for more than another freaking trade show. Sue me. But we get lots of announcements of stuff that was intro’d at the show, so we have put together this bit of “virtual” show coverage. Just pretend we actually went…

FOH hit the convention floor for a firsthand tour of new gear that stood out in the crowd.

OK, so for an MI guitar show there was a respectable amount of new audio gear at Winter NAMM. Nothing earth-shattering, but enough to keep things interesting. Here is some of what floated our boats…

Soundcraft GB2R

This 19-inch rack-mountable mixer is designed specifically for smaller installations in churches and performance venues, or for small portable PA systems. Available in two versions, the GB2R offers either 16 mono inputs to a stereo mix output, or a 12.2 version with 12 mono inputs, two full-feature stereo inputs and two group busses, each model having six auxiliary sends.

Or is it PLASA in review? With the big Euro show and the most significant U.S. audio show just weeks apart, it is hard to really tell. Some of this stuff was introduced in September in London, and you are sure to see all of it in New York in October. Now, if there were only an actual show that actually focused on live event production — especially the audio side — all would be right with the world. Meanwhile, here are some new goodies…

OVO Systems Lava Line Array
OVO Systems’ compact line array, the Lava, is a small vertical array designed to have a combined output of 1200 Watts RMS. The Lava System is composed of four mid-highs and one low cabinet. Each of the four mid-highs uses two 6.5-inch woofers and a 2-inch compression driver; the low contains two 12-inch woofers, as well as housing a four-channel class H power amplifier. The amplifier wattage is designed to work with all com-ponents in the system and enables the user to easily control the frequency from 80 Hz to 250 Hz on the amplifier itself. The system also allows for 16 positions of display angles for better dispersion of sound.
OVO Systems • 210.684.2600 • www.ovosystems.com

QSC's WideLine-8 is designed to give full-size line array performance in an ultra compact package measuring less than 20-inches (508 mm) wide and 9-inches (229 mm) high. Each tri-amplified WideLine-8 element uses a pair of high-power, neodymium magnet, 8-inch low-frequency drivers. Both cover low frequencies, while only one extends into the mid-range, thus maintaining horizontal dispersion control at crossover. High frequencies are handled by a premium, 3-inch diaphragm, neodymium compression driver mounted to QSC's patented, 140-degree multiple aperture diffraction waveguide. WideLine's wide coverage is designed to deliver a broader stereo image to reduce the need for supplemental fill speakers and allow for more placement options. The WideLine-8 sub houses a pair of 4-inch voice-coil, long-excursion 12-inch woofers and produces 135 dB (peak) SPL and has LF extension to 32 Hz.

QSC Audio – 800.854.4079 – www.qscaudio.com.