The NAMM Show swings back into the Anaheim Convention Center this week, from April 13-15 and promises a wealth of interesting new products for the sound reinforcement professional. With that in mind, here is just a small sampling of the technology highlights to check out for the sound reinforcement professional. BTW, if you’re at the show, drop by our booth #10117 and say hello. See you there!
PRODUCTS GALORE!
Avante Audio’s newest compact line array system, the Imperio Pro IMP205 builds on the success of its original Imperio Pro “mini,” with increased output, enhanced audio quality and new features. Intended for easy transport and fast setup, the IMP205 can be utilized either ground-stacked or flown and features neodymium components, Class-D amplifier modules and advanced internal signal processing.
BASSBOSS’ new SSP215 Mk II subwoofer packs two 15” neodymium drivers and 4,000 watts of DSP-driven amplification into a 17.25 x 48 x 29.5” enclosure capable of max 135 dB SPLs. Its compact low-profile dimensions make it ideal for placement under stages or tucked under low ceilings, without sacrificing extended low-frequency response or output and its 16 integrated M10 hang points allow flying from low ceilings.
B&C’s compact sibling of the popular DCX464, the new 1.4” exit DCX354 coaxial ring radiator covers 400 Hz – 6k Hz with 112.7 dB sensitivity. Its 3” midrange voice coil handles 180 watts, while the 100-watt 2-inch voice coil HF diaphragm covers 5 Hz – 20k Hz. A redesigned midrange integrator lets both diaphragms work in harmony for greater combined output and crossover flexibility. Also available: an ME464 80×60° point-source horn loading to 300 Hz, ME148 line-array waveguide for use to 500 Hz and an FB354 passive crossover.
CAD Audio expands its wireless line with the WX200 Fixed Frequency Dual Handheld Wireless System, which includes an all-metal UHF receiver and two handheld transmitters. The receiver features separate displays, volume controls, AF and RF indicators and balanced XLR outputs on each channel. Two AA cells in each transmitter provides up to 10 hours of use, with up to 164 feet of line-of-sight operational range
Clear Tune Monitors adds the CE220 to its product line of in-ear monitors. The latest model in its CE Series, the universal-fit CE220 utilizes dual balanced armatures for robust lows and excellent definition at a price point that’s desirable for first-time buyers as well as owners of custom IEMs looking for a cost-effective backup. Retail is $249. www.cleartunemonitors.com.
Crest Audio’s Stage 2x2D DI/Network Audio Interface combines a feature-rich DI box and PoE – Dante/AES67 capable pro A-D/D-A interface. At the minimum, it’s a DI box to convert unbalanced high-impedance signals. The Stage 2x2D has an analog mic input with phantom powering; a line input; and the high-Z input can handle direct connections to backline amplifiers with high signal levels from 70V distributed power amplifier sound systems. www.peaveycommercialaudio.com
d&b audiotechnik’s new HeadroomCalc software (available in ArrayCalc V11), showcases a breakthrough in system performance predictability, using real-word audio files rather than test tones, making designs even more predictive and reliable, especially in planning fixed installs.
DirectOut’s HCONTROL.8 is an 8-channel remote controller for its PRODIGY Series. Combined with PRODIGY.MP and globcon, the device turns DirectOut’s multifunction processor into a (mobile) mixing console. With its 100mm faders, HCONTROL.8 can both control and receive data from PRODIGY.MP, displaying fader status and level meter information.
DPA Microphones unveils its 2012 Cardioid and 2015 Wide Cardioid pencil mics. Designed for the rigors of touring, while offering natural, precise sound reproduction, these are ideal for a variety of instruments, from loud and booming audio to gentle, elusive tones. The mics are available separately or in pairs, or as part of DPA’s new Drum Microphone Kit, which includes the acclaimed 4055 Kick Drum Mic, a 2012 Cardioid, a stereo pair of the 2015 Wide Cardioids, three of DPA’s renowned 4099 CORE Instrument Mics, plus mic mounts and a sturdy road case.
Dynacord’s V600:4 is the first member of a new amplifier line for small to mid-sized installation scenarios such as education, hospitality, retail, houses of worship and more. Shipping in Spring 2023, this 1U, four-channel power amplifier with 600 watts of total power is versatile, quick to install and runs trouble-free — even under demanding power conditions.
Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) will spotlight its new KF210 2-way 2×10″ line array, which features 90 degrees of horizontal bandwidth and a 3” voice coil compression driver mounted to EAW’s patented Isophasic waveguide for a max SPL of 141 dB. Also standard are three-point rigging and EAW’s Focusing™ and DynO™ digital signal processing to provide clear, and dynamic sound with a pristine impulse response at any volume. KF210 weight is just 60 pounds and a powered NTX210L version will also demoed at NAMM, along with the new AC6 2-way Full Range ADAPTive column loudspeaker.
HK Audio’s next-gen LINEAR 5 Mk II series, is ideal for rental companies who need a compact, high-performance system with robust wooden cabinets, remote controllable DSP technology, preset-configurable cardioid setups for the subwoofers and a wide range of transport, weather protection, rigging and mounting accessories.
iSEMcon’s iSEMic CPX-1212 is a Class-1 measurement mic featuring an interchangeable ½” nickel-diaphragm FP1212 capsule on a CPX-12 iSEMtron stainless steel preamp body with 48-volt phantom powering (12 VDC wireless ready) and 155 dB SPL handling without clipping. It’s also offered as a kit (shown) with case, mic clamp, windscreen and calibration download from the company’s website.
JBL Professional’s Connect App V.11 delivers intuitive, hands-on control over a wide range of mixer, DSP and Bluetooth features for its PRX900, PRX ONE, EON ONE MK2 and EON700 loudspeakers. These include BLE security and fixed EQ step increase for column speakers, Bluetooth connection security enhancements, a hardware system lock and more. It’s free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
JH Audio’s next-gen ambient in-ear monitors, Ambient Pro offers engineers complete control of an artist’s mix using an omnidirectional DPA capsule imbedded into each ear earpiece. Paired with Lectrosonics’ DCHT Transmitter and DCR822 Digital Receiver, audio is transmitted in stereo directly to the console and back to the artist for a pristine, natural live sound. Ambient Pro features eight balanced armatures per side with a true 4-way crossover and is modeled around the new RDU Dual Supertweeter, for extended treble response.
K-array’s Firenze KH7 touring system promises the ability to precisely and independently control each element of the array for deep steering control, providing continuous, even coverage. Firenze KH7 features four 12” coaxial neodymium woofers for a peak output of 141 dB SPL via an integrated 4-channel Class D amplifier delivering 2,000W to each woofer, and its 100° x 30° horn rotates to a wide or narrow pattern.
König & Meyer’s Easy-Lock Speaker System was developed to ensure a quick and easy setup of subwoofer and satellite speaker systems. An expanding mandrel with a quick-release fastener provides a firm, tight wobble-free fit of the speaker cabinet. Simply place the speaker onto the distance rod, and twist and lock the mandrel in the speaker flange.
L-Acoustics’ L-ISA Studio 2.5 software offers on-the-go immersive sound design on any PC and Windows OS, and Mac/macOS computers. The Windows version includes the L-ISA Controller and L-ISA Processor Desktop applications, as well as L-ISA Audio Bridge (a custom virtual Windows sound card with Bridge Out 12-output routing to any DAW for multi-channel recording. Also, Device Out can send audio to headphones or a multichannel sound card for rendering immersive speaker configurations in Atmos, BluSpace and more, with advance previewing in diverse spaces.
Lavoce will show its first 1” exit annular diaphragm design compression drivers — the neodymium DN10.143 and ferrite DF10.143. Both handle 35W AES and are said to deliver higher sensitivity and extended low frequency performance than typical dome diaphragm designs — at lower distortion.
LD Systems will present its MAUI G3 Series, the third generation of its MAUI compact portable column P.A. systems, which includes the 730W, dual 8”-woofer MAUI 11 G3 and the 1,030W, 12’-woofer MAUI 28 G3 models. High frequencies are handled by rugged aluminum column elements with constant horizontal 120° x 30° dispersion from either 12 (MAUI 28 G3) or six (MAUI 11 G3) 3.5” center drivers, and two 1” tweeters on a BEM-optimized waveguide. Onboard Bluetooth and DSP complete the package.
Lewitt Audio’s BeatKit Pro ($999) is a premium 7-piece drum microphone set with everything needed for pro setups and sound quality in the studio or on stage. It comes in a transport case with room for all included mics, mounts, clamps and windscreens. BeatKit ($449) is a 4-piece set with one kick drum microphone, one for snare, and a matched stereo pair for overheads. Both include the DTP 340 REX kick drum mic with its two sound characteristics to help get your preferred sound fast.
Meyer Sound’s 2100-LFC low-frequency control element features 8,000-watts of peak Class-D power in an enclosure that’s 20% lighter than the 1100-LFC, while offering 30 Hz to 125 Hz frequency response from its single 21-inch woofer with active driver and amplifier cooling. The 42x24x26.5” (WxHxD) enclosure is premium multi-ply birch with a textured finish and a stamped steel grill.
Neutrik’s XX series powerCON and speakON 2- and 4-pole cable connectors feature easier assembly, improved power handling and color-coding. SpeakON NL2’s are brown; NL4’s are green; PowerCON inputs are blue and outputs are gray. PowerCON XX are now CBC circuit breaking capacity rated and IEC / UL / CSA certified. New PowerCON and SpeakON variants are now offered for 6-12 mm or larger 10-16 mm OD cables.
Nexo expands its ePS installation series of 2-way passive cabinets and sub-bass units with the 12” point-source ePS12 and single-18 eLS18 sub. Dedicated accessories allow ePS cabinets to be flown beneath the subwoofer, creating small-footprint wideband systems. The birch cabinets are finished in black (white and RAL colors are optional), and IP covers protect connectors from moisture in outdoor applications.
Ocean Way Audio has released GLL (Generic Loudspeaker Library) Data for its AeroWave large-venue sound systems. The GLL data contains measurements of frequency response and polar patterns for AeroWave 9045 speakers. The free data is available for use with EASE and EASE Focus 3 acoustic simulation software, allowing AeroWave users to accurately model and visualize the performance of the Ocean Way Audio loudspeakers in various configurations and environments.
oeksound will demo Soothe Live, its first live mixing plug-in, which adapts the technology behind Soothe and Soothe2 to the Avid Venue S6L and HDX platforms. This dynamic resonance suppressor is effective on individual channels and buses, automatically taming unwanted resonances and uneven tonal balance, allowing the user to address numerous challenges in live mixing. With an ultra-low latency of 0.66 ms (roundtrip of only 0.99 ms) and intuitive touch screen usability, Soothe Live has been built from the ground up to suit the live mixing environment.
On-Stage announces two mixer covers, the MDA7016 for 16-to-24-channel mixers, and the MDA7032 for 32-to-48-channel mixers. Both are crafted from a black soft, lint-free weather-resistant material that protects from dust, debris, UV rays and moisture. Made of high-quality spandex, the covers stretch to envelop a wide range of mixers and contract to prevent slipping for a snug, secure fit. A cinch cord with a spring-loaded cord lock provides extra tightening to ensure the cover stays firmly in place.
Palmer, renowned for its world-class guitar preamps and amp simulators, launches its River Series, with 13 useful accessories — DI boxes, re-amping boxes, line isolators, splitters and summers, passive microphone merge, and more. All are solid and ruggedly built for years of use onstage or in the studio.
Penn-Elcom’s model R2SP82G2 4-way NL-8 speaker splitter box with NL8 in/out feed-thru is a slim profile drop box made to link multiple boxes and speakers, running up to two NL8 cables from your amplifier rack to your speaker stack. Made with high-grade steel, the R2SP822G is designed to allow for more complex arrangements and flexibility. It offers improved cable management and less rigging and de-rigging time. The R2SP822G can be used as a single box per stack or multiple boxes chained for larger stacks or custom wired for many pin or pin-swap options.
Pioneer Pro Audio and Pioneer DJ will demo the new XPRS2 Series, which includes the 10” 2-way XPRS102 and 12” 2-way XPRS122 full-range speakers and the 15” XPRS1152S and 18” XPRS1182S subwoofers. All are designed to deliver a high-caliber system for mobile DJs, live sound, houses of worship, rental and fixed installations.
Primacoustics debuts its EcoScapes line of eco-friendly wall and ceiling sound absorption panels ideal for improving acoustics in public areas such as offices, bars, restaurants, schools or commercial spaces. The panels are made from PET, an environmentally friendly, fully recyclable material containing up to 50% recycled plastics, such as beverage bottles. EcoScapes are available in a array of color options and finishes and configurations, including wall panels, hanging ceiling clouds and slat panels for both walls and ceilings.
QSC will demo its new L Class advanced, intelligent, active (flyable, ground-stack or pole mount) speakers, which handle applications from simple, portable, plug-and-play setups, to demanding, networked productions and fixed installs, configured and deployed with unmatched speed and reliability. Onboard Dante connects L Class to networked AV systems and connected stages. The scalable line includes LA108 (2-way, 8”) and LA112 (2-way, 12”) active line arrays and the LS118 (single-18”) active subwoofer. Onboard DSP and QSC AWARE™ (Automatic Wireless Array Recognition) system intelligence provides one-button single box or full array intelligence and optimization.
Rational Acoustics’ Smaart v9 acoustic measurement platform adds features and Smaart “editions.” The flagship Smaart Suite has all of Smaart’s measurement modes with no functional limitations. Smaart RT offers Real-Time Mode and Smaart’s FFT-based measurement with Live IR measurement and single-channel SPL monitoring. Smaart LE is a streamlined version of the Real Time Mode with fixed adjustments for Spectrum, Transfer Function and Live IR measurements. Smaart SPL has the power of Smaart Suite’s SPL Mode in a simplified package.
RCF’s ART 9-AX speaker line shares the electro-acoustic features of its popular ART 9 Series, integrating powerful Class-D amplification, high-performance DSP, and innovative transducers enclosed in a robust composite material cabinet. Available with 15” 12” or 10” woofers and a 1.75” HF compression driver, the AX Series includes Bluetooth streaming/pairing, iOS and Android remote control and an onboard 6-channel digital mixer with a large color touch screen.
Renkus Heinz will show its UBX Series of passive column speakers and Iconyx Compact Series digitally steerable arrays that use the same complex steering algorithms as its flagship Iconyx columns, the UBX Series’ new Passive UniBeam Technology delivers clear sound and consistent coverage with minimal distortion or side lobe artifacts. UBX are available in three weather-resistant sizes — UBX4, UBX8 and UBX16 — all in sleek, unobtrusive cabinets that can be surface-mounted for minimal architectural intrusion in any space.
Riedel’s punQtum line offers affordable, easy-to-use partyline standalone intercom system of speaker stations, headsets and PoE-powered beltpacks for theaters, touring, music venues, corporate events and broadcast. The punQtum solution can easily be integrated with existing systems via an IP switch, giving venues the flexibility to extend and customize existing systems on a budget.
RME’s Fireface UFX III, is a 24-bit/192 kHz USB audio interface with 188 input and output channels for analog and digital signals. It features 12 analog I/O channels, 16 ADAT channels, AES/EBU I/O and two MADI I/O’s with 64 channels, as well as MIDI, Word Clock and USB 3.0 connectivity. It also adds RME’s SteadyClock FS, TotalMix, DURec and more as well as on-board DSP, which includes compression/dynamics, EQ, reverb and delay.
Royer Labs’ R-10 “Hot Rod” 25th Anniversary mic is a passive mono ribbon model designed for use in the studio and on stage. Fitted with a custom Anniversary Edition transformer, the built-in-USA mic is 5 dB hotter than the standard R-10, has a punchier, more open sound characteristic, and comes with a 25th Anniversary trim package that sets it apart from the standard R-10. Street price is $799.
Sennheiser’s EW-DX dual-channel digital UHF wireless system features simplified workflows and top-notch superior audio quality. It also offers a wide 87 MHz tuning range (with 3,480 available frequencies), intelligent switching diversity, auto-scan, an equidistant tuning grid and a Link Density mode allowing up to 293 channels on the same system. Systems are available in dual-bodypack, dual-handheld or combo handheld/bodypack versions.
Shure’s GLX-D+ dual band wireless system can operate in 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz, providing reliable and consistent signal by automatically scanning for and selecting the cleanest available frequencies. GLX-D+ is available in rack-mount, tabletop and guitar pedal receiver options with a wide selection of lavalier, headset and handheld microphone choices. Single-channel GLX-D+ systems will be available early spring starting from $599.
Sonifex’ AVN-DIO12 is a dual-mic to Dante converter with adjustable mic gain and PoE powering offering A/D circuitry with a world-class E.I.N. of 129 dB. It has two balanced analog XLR inputs and a Neutrik etherCON connector for direct connection to a Dante AoIP network. Each mic has coarse and fine gain controls, 125 Hz high pass filter, phantom power, tri-color level LED and can be routed via Dante Controller to any Dante receiver. Underdesk and rack mounts are optional.
Studiomaster CORE is a highly versatile, self-powered constant curve array and sub stack. CORE is suitable for high-efficiency portable applications, including in medium-size venues where wider constant frequency coverage is required and a full-blown line array would be overkill. Coverage is a super-wide 100° horizontal by 70° vertical coverage with max output levels of up to 128 dB.
TASCAM’s SB-16D 16-in/16-out Dante enabled stage box offers the advantages of Dante networking, combined with seamless integration with TASCAM’s new Sonicview digital consoles. Controllable by means of the TASCAM IO Control app or via a Sonicview console, the SB-16D can be used as a floor stage box or rack mounted, and multiple stage boxes can be used simultaneously in a Dante network. It’s slated to ship in Q2, 2023.
Telefunken Elektroakustik will be showing its new museum-quality reproduction (hardware, NOT a plug-in) of the classic “holy grail” Fairchild 670 stereo compressor at Booth 16205. You probably won’t find these in a lot of touring racks, but its “heavenly” sound might be spec’ed into some high-end church installs.
Wisycom’s MTK982 dual-wideband, stereo IEM/IFB transmitter can generate multiple types of RF modulations, making it ideal in a variety of live event productions. The 470-663 MHz frequency range (in North America) with the BFLT1 transmitter and BFLR1 receiver, enables the MTK982 to transmit signals over fiber to a remote area, with very low latency. Further, the MTK982 can be remotely controlled and monitored using Wisycom Manager software.
Yamaha’s new compact DM3 Series of 22-channel digital consoles has two models: The $1,999 DM3-D with Dante networking for quick, flexible connections to compatible audio devices; and the $1,699 DM3 Standard without Dante. Other than Dante, both have identical features, with 16 mono mic/line, one stereo and two FX return inputs; six Mix sends, two FX send, one stereo and two matrix output channels. Also standard: a 9″ multi-touch screen, 96k Hz resolution, 18 onboard effects, 18in/18out USB audio interface and DAW remote functionality. https://usa.yamaha.com/products/proaudio/mixers/dm3/index.html
