Thursday, July 01, 2010
Yamaha To Offer New DSR Series Of Powered Loudspeakers
Full-range models driven by 1,300 watts of class D amplification and include FIR filter processing
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems has announced the quarter 4 availability of the DSR Series of powered loudspeakers.
The new active loudspeaker series takes full advantage of Yamaha’s experience in digital sound design and acoustic technology.
The series consists of the DSR112, DSR115, DSR215, and DSR118W subwoofer.
The full-range models feature a 1,300-watt power specification (LF:850 watts, HF:450 watts; DSR118W subwoofer rated at 800 watts) with class D amplification, as well as FIR filter processing (FIR-X Tuning).
Further, a D-Contour multi-band dynamic processor provides consistent clarity at both high and low output levels.
The coverage pattern of the CDW horns is 90 degrees by 60 degrees.
The PFC switching mode power supply, amplifiers, and transducers are continuously monitored by extensive DSP protection.
Yamaha DSR112 and DSR115 have built-in pole mounts and M10 rigging points for installation, and the DSR112 also has a multi-angled cabinet for floor monitor applications.
“We believe that once our customers have a chance to listen to the new DSR speakers, they will be quite impressed with the sound quality, clarity and SPL,” states Al Cardenas, acoustic systems manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems.
The DSR112, 115, 215 and 118W have a target MSRP from $1,199 to $1,649, respectively.
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Website
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Shure Announces Formation Of Netherlands Distribution Organization
Shure distribution Netherlands is the newest subsidiary of Shure Europe.
Shure Incorporated has announced the formation of Shure Distribution Netherlands.
The new Shure subsidiary began operations on June 1, 2010, and will be responsible for the distribution of Shure products in the Netherlands.
The subsidiary, based in Culemborg, will also provide sales, marketing, and applications support to Shure’s pro audio and consumer partners in that country.
“We are looking forward to serving our customers with outstanding products and services,” said Willen van Zuilekom, Managing Director of Shure Distribution Netherlands.
“Being close to the market will allow us to even better understand customer needs and offer strong solutions.”
“With the formation of a Shure-owned distribution organization in the Netherlands we take the next step in supporting the positive development of our business in Europe,” said Markus Winkler, Managing Director of Shure’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Business Unit.
“Close relationships with our customers are key, and we are proud to have industry experts like Willem and Eric on board to foster those relationships.”
Shure Incorporated Website
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Test Those Cables On A Regular Basis!
A hard-earned lesson from the field. When things go wrong, be sure to check the "simple" things first.
Operating the sound system from the mix position during a recent Sunday worship service, “it” all began when the first note from our grand piano was distorted.
Hmm…
We’d checked the piano channel and sound prior to the service, and all was fine.
My first reaction to the distortion now being produced was to reduce the gain on that console channel, thinking perhaps the piano player was “nailing” the keys very hard.
Yet the problem remained. Next, I did a pre-fade listen (PFL) in my headphones – yes, it was definitely distortion on the piano channel, no question about it.
To capture sound from this grand piano, we use a magnetic pickup from Helpinstill Designs, which sends the original vibrations of the strings (the source of the piano’s sound) directly to the mixing console.
Anyway, my next thought was that someone had accidentally bumped the pickup so that it was hitting some of the strings. Oh well, nothing could be done until the service ended, so I just did my best to work around and minimize the problem.
But a quick look right after the service showed that the pickup had not been disturbed. Finding nothing else apparently wrong either, we set up a couple of microphones to capture the piano in case we encountered the same problem during the next service, scheduled to start in less than 30 minutes.
And sure enough at the service began, here it came again - big-time piano distortion! We quickly switched over to the mics, which covered us without major incident.
But now I was completely perplexed. What could it be? Perhaps the pickup unit itself was failing – my most logical guess at this point.
Prior to that evening’s service, we needed to move the piano to a different location on the platform. Looking at the microphone cable linking the pickup to its jack in the floor box, it finally dawned on me to check that cable. Sure enough, it was going bad.
Thus, a $10 mic cable was compromising the sound of our $30,000 grand piano fed to our professional caliber sound system! It often is the simple things, isn’t it? And yet another hard-earned lesson for yours truly.
To avoid this disruptive and embarrassing problem, all I had to do was invest in better cables, and further, regularly (say, once a month) check the performance of each one with another small investment: a cable tester.
The truth is that our church already owns a very good cable tester made by Whirlwind (called, appropriately enough, the Tester), but I’d simply gotten out of the habit of using it regularly. Big mistake.
There are many models of cable testers available, and most are very simple to use and understand. A suitable one can be had for far less than $100 from your local contractor or retail store.
A device like the Whirlwind Tester can be interfaced with a variety of audio connectors, such as XLR, 1/4-inch and RCA.
Once connected, the tester quickly shows, via a simple read-out on the unit’s front panel, if the cable and connector are working properly. Many will also show polarity (don’t call it phase!) reversal.
A “hands-free” design is preferred to allow manipulation of the cable to locate intermittent problems. In particular, I “wiggle” the ends of the cable right next to the connector to check for intermittent problems, because this is the most likely location where they occur.
Cable testers and testing may not be the “glamour” aspect of audio, but it’s a bedrock that allows the more glamorous parts (such as mixing) to flourish. Why let one of the least expensive aspects of a system be its weakest link?
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Liberty Wire & Cable Rebrands As Liberty AV Solutions
Liberty's name change gives better definition to the company’s expanding role worldwide.
A global leader within the professional AV marketplace known for its wide-ranging catalog of wire and cable,
Liberty Wire & Cable has officially changed its name to Liberty AV Solutions.
Debuting with its new name, a revamped booth, and a number of new brands and product lines at this year’s InfoComm, the company changed its name to better reflect its new presence as a comprehensive connectivity infrastructure AV solutions provider.
“Unveiling Liberty AV Solutions as our new name marks a significant milestone in the history of our company,” said Liberty AV President John Dace.
“The name Liberty Wire & Cable no longer adequately represented our business, our products, or our position as a leader in connectivity infrastructure AV solutions.”
“The new name embodies our ability and continuing commitment to help our customers find labor savings, as well as one-stop-shop solutions through a unique combination of products and expertise.”
In conjunction with the name change, the company also revealed its Dedicated to Digital commitment, which is backed by a line of products and services designed to aid customers as they transition from analog to digital, SpeedRax rack and mount line, and Tripp Lite® Power Protection and Satellite Connectivity Solutions.
“Growth necessitates change,” said Dace. “The new name more accurately reflects the company’s leadership position, and the new product advancements provide the professional AV industry with the products they need to maintain an edge in today’s market.”
The company’s new web address is www.libav.com. Effective immediately, all future business activity will be conducted using the new name. There has been no change in the company’s management or ownership.
Liberty AV Solutions Website
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Zaxcom Introduces Miniature Timecode-Referenced Audio Recorder
The ZFR200 is an ideal tool for high-RF environments.
Zaxcom has announced the ZFR200 audio recorder, designed to act as an ultra-compact and lightweight replacement for wireless microphones.
The ZFR200 records on microSD cards and features an integrated SMPTE timecode reader/generator.
The unit features a high-strength nylon polymer casing that provides water and corrosion resistance and weighs just 3.5 ounces.
The ZFR200 can receive remote control and timecode signals via Zaxcom’s IFB100, the new ZaxNet 2.4-GHz wireless network, or a manual timecode jam.
A timecode jam enables audio professionals to use any quantity of ZFR200 units in sync all day, with the integrated timecode generator ensuring one-frame accuracy over a six-hour period.
The ZFR200 can output audio as either 24-bit/48-KHz timecode-stamped broadcast wave (.wav) files or timecode-stamped MP3 files. Each unit is powered with a single AA battery with up to 14 hours of run time.
“Our new ZFR200 is an excellent tool for reality television and similar productions where the production team is faced with interference issues, poor RF range, or no available wireless frequencies,” said Glenn Sanders, Zaxcom’s president.
“By recording directly to microSD cards on the bodypack, the ZFR200 is an excellent low-cost, low-weight replacement for wireless mics.”
Zaxcom Website
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Tech Tip Of The Day: Half Power
Is a 1000-watt amplifier really that much more powerful than a 500-watt amplifier?
Q: My buddy told me that if I go to a 500-watt power amp from a 1000-watt power amp, the volume will be half as loud.
But someone else said they are really about the same. Or, that the difference wouldn’t be large enough to notice.
Who’s right?
A: All other things being equal, and they rarely are, a 1000-watt power amp will indeed be ~3dB louder than a 500-watt amp.
As you’ve mentioned, 3dB is a noticeable difference, and is the standard difference used to define half power.
So, if you choose to use the 500-watt amplifier in lieu of the 1000-watt amplifier, you should expect to see a halving of your overall output assuming everything else actually is equal.
What do I mean? If your speakers couldn’t handle 1000-watts in the first place and you were running the 1000-watt amplifier at less than full power, you will obviously notice less of a difference, if any.
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com
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Harman Professional Expands Operations In India
Ankush Agarwal appointed to manage marketing initiatives.
In the first step of a comprehensive expansion of its operations in India, Harman Professional has announced the appointment of audio industry veteran Ankush Agarwal to the role of Marketing & Communications Manager.
Agarwal’s appointment is part of a greater overall initiative to bring increased focus to the Indian marketplace, and will be followed by more appointments to Harman Professional’s sales, technical support and service teams in the months ahead.
Having previously served as Marketing Manager for Sennheiser India and with Hyundai Electronics before that, Agarwal brings a unique blend of marketing and professional audio sales experience to the team in India.
He’ll use that experience to drive Harman Professional’s marketing and public relations strategies in the region and build upon the foundation laid by Sushil John, Systems Director, India.
Both Agarwal and Mr. John will report to David McKinney, Senior Director of Sales, Asia, Harman Professional.
They’ll work together to develop new initiatives in the region that will serve to support both customers and channel partners.
One of his first projects will be to provide support for Harman Professional’s presence at the PALM India Show in Mumbai this upcoming June, where the latest products and technologies in professional A/V are introduced to the Indian market.
“We are all very excited to have Agarwal join our team in India,” said McKinney.
“His fresh perspective on marketing, his creative ideas and his vast experience in the audio industry will ensure that he makes an immediate impact working along side Sushil John as they build on the great work that Sushil has done over the past five years in India.”
In addition to the expansion of its marketing team, Harman Professional will also be adding a full sales, technical support and service team that will provide a greater level of customer service to its stakeholders in the region.
Harman Professional Website
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Midas Klark Teknik Appoints Erikson Audio Canadian Distributor
The agreement enhances Midas Klark Teknik's ability to serve Canadian customers.
Midas Klark Teknik’s Canadian representation has been brought under the control of Erikson Audio, a distribution division of JAM Industries based out of the company’s Montreal headquarters.
With the move, existing Midas Klark Teknik reps for Canada who operate under the PAG banner will be supported by the Erikson infrastructure.
For the first time, all inventory and spares will be warehoused in Canada, enabling clients to benefit from prompt access to product and demo units, with pricing stabilised in Canadian dollars. Localised technical support and servicing will also be enhanced by the deal.
Jeffrey Carman, division manager, Erikson Audio will oversee the performance of Midas Klark Teknik in Canada, with support provided by product specialist Bill Kinal who has over 25 years’ pro-sound experience working with artists across the board from heavy rockers Iron Maiden to violin virtuoso Yitzak Pearlman.
“The Erikson Audio team has worked hard over the years to grow into a respected pro audio distribution company,” said Carman.
“The quality and prestige of Midas Klark Teknik represent a culmination of all of that hard work. We are extremely proud to be representing Midas Klark Teknik in Canada.”
Midas Klark Teknik Website
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