Article

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Ashly Audio Expands NE (Network Enabled) Series Of Power Amplifiers With Three New Models

The ne800, ne1600 and ne2400 – respectively delivering 400W, 800W and 1200W per channel at four ohms – offer easy setup, control and monitoring using standard 10/100 Ethernet protocol and Ashly’s Protea NE software. They may optionally be factory-fitted with Protea DSP, an AES/EBU digital input module and enabled for CobraNet or EtherSound network audio

Ashly Audio has expanded its NE (Network Enabled) Series of Ethernet-equipped products with three new two-channel power amplifiers that are designed to meet the needs of the performance installed sound and constant voltage markets.

The ne800, ne1600 and ne2400 – respectively delivering 400W, 800W and 1200W per channel at four ohms – offer easy setup, control and monitoring using standard 10/100 Ethernet protocol and Ashly’s Protea NE software. They may optionally be factory-fitted with Protea DSP, an AES/EBU digital input module and enabled for CobraNet or EtherSound network audio.

As standard, the new NE Series two-channel amplifiers include balanced analog inputs accessed via XLR and Euroblock connectors with Speakon/Euroblock output connectors.

Rear panel features include Ethernet access for Protea NE software control, DC voltage level control using an Ashly WR-1 wall-mount remote or equivalent, as well as remote power standby, plus switches for bridged mono mode, input sensitivity (26 dB, 36 dB or 1.4V) and an 80 Hz high-pass filter. Balanced analog aux outputs on XLR and Euroblock connectors provide buffered signals matching the inputs.

With the optional DSP module factory-fitted, and using PC-based Protea NE software, each amplifier input channel can be configured with DSP blocks that provide independent dynamics control, gain functions, graphic and/or parametric EQ, high and low-pass filters, time delay, metering and test signal generator.

The same DSP functions, with the addition of a fast, automated crossover setup, may also be applied to the outputs. Any input may be assigned to drive any or all amplifier outputs via the software matrix mixer.

With the optional Protea DSP module fitted, any input source, including AES/EBU, CobraNet, or EtherSound (if optionally fitted), may be routed to the aux outputs to drive other power amplifiers. Additionally, DSP blocks may be independently configured for each aux output as well as for the two main amplifier channels.

Software functionality also includes the ability to copy input and output settings to other channels. Up to 35 presets/sub presets of global and individual channel parameters and DSP configurations can be stored within the amplifier, and can be recalled in real-time via Ethernet from a computer using Protea NE software.

The factory-installed AES/EBU input module option allows two channels of 48kHz or 96kHz digital audio to be transmitted over a single cable, providing a fully digital signal path all the way to the power amplifier

With the optional CobraNet module – a combination of software, hardware and network protocol – fitted with any NE two-channel amplifier, may be included in a networked digital audio distribution system.

Ashly Audio Website

{extended}

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Aviom Previewing New Pro64 Control Application At ProLight + Sound In Frankfurt

Simplifies network management and streamlines workflow of Pro64 Series

Aviom will be previewing its Pro64 Network Control Application at this year’s Musikmesse/Prolight+Sound in Frankurt, at Hall 8, Stand J41.

While the Pro64 Series is designed with a simple, front-panel user interface that makes it possible to design sophisticated networks without PC-based programming, the company is introducing a software control application this year for those users who desire centralized control and status monitoring.

With the Pro64 control application, users have remote control of every Pro64 device in a network using a PC connected to the I/O module set as the Control Master.

Both network settings and audio parameters for each device can be managed from one location, simplifying network management, streamlining the workflow, and increasing the flexibility of the network as a whole.

“In designing the Pro64 Network Control Application, our goal has been to make the application as intuitive as possible from the user’s perspective, building on the inherent strengths of the Pro64 hardware,” Aviom’s Product Research and Development Manager, Ray Legnini, explains. “The addition of this application increases the flexibility of the Pro64 Series by giving our users even more setup options to meet their specific needs.”

Aviom Website

Take our Photo Gallery Tour of new products from this year’s Prolight + Sound - Musikmesse.

{extended}

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Clear-Com Broadens IP Communication Capability With New Concert Version 2.0 Software-Based Intercom

Building on the recently debuted standalone version, Concert V2.0 directly connects over Ethernet to the Eclipse matrix system (upgraded Version 5.1) with Clear-Com’s IVC-32 high-density IP card

Clear-Com Communication Systems has introduced the latest version of its software-based intercom solution, Clear-Com Concert Version 2.0, and will be showcasing it at the upcoming at NAB 2009 (Booth C6521) in Las Vegas. 

Via its “soft-panel” mode, Concert V2.0 provides access to a customizable user interface that emulates a traditional intercom station. When combined with Clear-Com’s Eclipse digital matrix system, Concert V2.0 forms the industry’s first hybrid Time-Divisional Multiplexed (TDM)/IP server network, blending the reliability of traditional TDM-based architecture with the inherent flexibility of IP.

Building on the recently debuted standalone version, Concert V2.0 directly connects over Ethernet to the Eclipse matrix system (upgraded Version 5.1) with Clear-Com’s IVC-32 high-density IP card. 

Each IVC-32 card provides 32 IP connections, and up to four IVC-32 cards can be slotted into a single Eclipse frame, allowing up to 128 new Concert soft-panel users to be added onto the intercom network without the need for additional infrastructure and hardware investments.

“Broadcasters in today’s environment are being asked to produce more highly-coordinated programs in less time and with fewer resources,” says Jake Dodson, Vice President of Product Management at Clear-Com. “These resources could be based in remote locations or in other parts of the organization that traditionally would not have access to hardware intercom panels. 

“The new Concert V2.0 can quickly and cost-effectively connect new users with traditional users, and thereby facilitate new workflows and ad hoc communications that were never before possible.”

The new “soft-panel” for Concert 2.0 users is a highly customizable panel that resembles a traditional intercom station, offering similar benefits and look-and-feel to those of a hardware counterpart. 

.

When used as a stand-alone intercom system, the new soft-panel offers standard intercom functionality such as push-to-talk, monitor and latch-to-talk keys for communication with other Concert users, as well as connection to predefined conferences.

At the heart of Concert is I.V.Core technology, an advanced Intercom over IP (IoIP) solution. I.V.Core comprises an intelligent decision-making engine that optimizes routing over standard networks, provides support for wideband codecs delivering high-quality audio, and features proprietary noise reduction and error recovery algorithms.

Clear-Com Website

{extended}

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Electro-Voice Extends NetMax Platform Even Further With New N8000-1500 Processor

The new FIR-Drive Line Array Controller in the IRIS-Net control and supervision software provides a comprehensive system drive pre-configured with all the tools needed for the most demanding applications

The new Electro-Voice N8000-1500 audio signal processor expands the NetMax platform even further.

At the heart of the N8000-1500 is the new DSP-2 engine, composed of three dual-core processors that expand the total processing power of the N8000-1500 to 1500 MIPS.

The unique modular nature of NetMax means that each input or output card added to a chassis provides an additional DSP engine and another 100 MIPS of processing power.

As a result, a fully loaded chassis provides 1900 MIPS of processing — almost double the power of the original N8000. This is combined with the optional CobraNet interface, NetMax’s unique monitoring and supervision options, FIR-Drive, and the multitude of control options provided by IRIS-Net.

High quality audio converters deliver a stunning dynamic range of 114 dB from analog input to analog output, including all signal processing.

NetMax addresses other considerations for live audio applications, such as latency. The N8000-1500’s auto-compiling DSP engine provides a fixed latency of 2.19 ms from analog input to analog outputs – far less than many competitive products.

The new FIR-Drive Line Array Controller in the IRIS-Net control and supervision software provides a comprehensive system drive pre-configured with all the tools needed for the most demanding applications, including individual processing elements for main, array, and zone EQ, multiple subwoofer configurations, flexible auxiliary processing, and full routing options.

The control interface is laid out in a single high density interface, allowing easy control of all array parameters from a single page.

IRIS-Net and NetMax also provide a unique set of tools for monitoring and supervising all aspects of a system, including temperature, network status, fault conditions, and even cable integrity.

When used with EV’s Tour Grade series amplifiers equipped with RCM-26 cards, an operator is able to monitor the health of the system down to a transducer level, using tools such as the One Button System check to show the status of all amplifiers, cables, and drivers in a matter of minutes.

Electro-Voice Website

{extended}

Friday, January 16, 2009

Lynx Studio Technology Introduces AES16e-50 With AES50 Interface At Winter NAMM ‘09

PCI Express Card offers up to 32 channels via network cable

Multiple connectivity options are available on the new AES16e-50 PCI Express Card from Lynx Studio Technology.

In addition to offering 16 channels of 192 kHz AES/EBU digital I/O via its two d-sub ports, the AES16e-50 has 32 digital I/O channels using AES50 technology. AES50 provides a bi-directional, point-to-point connection for multi-channel audio and system control over a single CAT5e or CAT6 cable.

The benefits include reliable high-bandwidth data transfers, low latency, and low clock jitter. Complete networks can be built using routers with multiple AES50 ports.

“We became aware of AES50 and HyperMac a few years ago as we began development of the AES16e. The ability to offer the capabilities of our industry standard AES16 card on a PCI Express interface, while adding 32 channels of I/O and control on a single cable, makes the AES16e-50 very innovative and powerful,” stated Bob Bauman, chief hardware engineer and Lynx co-founder. “We are looking forward to working with Klark Teknik, Midas, Sadie, Merging Technologies and other companies to help support AES50.”

The AES50 port on the AES16e-50 provides up to 32 channels at 48 kHz, 24 channels at 96 kHz and 12 channels at 192 kHz. The single network cable also transmits sample clock and control data, making the AES16e-50 ideal for permanent installations, broadcast and live sound applications. Sixteen channels of sample rate conversion is also included on the AES16e-50.

“We are very pleased that innovative and respected companies such as Lynx are seeing the future potential of these powerful standards,” stated John Oakley, managing director of Klark Teknik and Midas. “AES50 and HyperMAC are far and away the best networking technologies for live performance use. They are totally deterministic with very low latency over multiple network segments and offer very high reliability and redundancy.

“The simultaneous low latency and high channel capacity coupled with the ability to carry standard TCP/IP messages cannot be matched by any other technology.”

The Lynx AES16e-50 will have a US suggested retail price of $995 and will be available in the first quarter of 2009.

For more information:
Lynx Studio Technology Website

{extended}

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Audinate Names Lee Ellison CEO, To Be Based At New U.S. Headquarters

The appointment of Ellison coincides with the Australian company’s establishment of a U.S.-based headquarters, placing its sales, marketing and customer support organization closer to its growing customer base.

Audinate has announced the appointment of Lee Ellison as Chief Executive Officer. Ellison brings more than 25 years executive leadership experience, encompassing a broad range of technology sectors.

Most recently he served as CEO of SustainOne, a strategic consulting company, and prior to that, he was founding Sales and Marketing Officer of Dilithium Networks, and also previously served as General Manager of Glenayre’s Wireless Business Unit.

The appointment of Ellison coincides with the Australian company’s establishment of a U.S.-based headquarters, placing its sales, marketing and customer support organization closer to its growing customer base.

David Myers, the company’s co-founder and inaugural CEO, who moves to the role of Chief Operating Officer, stated, “Lee Ellison’s appointment as CEO continues Audinate’s planned expansion, significantly strengthens our management team and provides us with increased focus on meeting customer needs.”

“I am thrilled to join Audinate and help guide the company through the exciting times ahead as we continue to pursue our vision of becoming the leading supplier of multi-media networking solutions,” said Ellison.

Audinate’s patent-pending Dante technology has been selected by a growing number of major professional-audio equipment manufacturers as their future networking technology.

“We have an exceptional team of networking specialists delivering revolutionary technology to the audio and video industry,” added Ellison.

“Lee brings a successful track record of building companies to Audinate,” said Roger Price, General Partner with Innovation Capital and Audinate’s Chairman of the Board. “We are confident that Lee’s leadership experience will accelerate the growth of Audinate to enable the company to achieve its vast potential.”

“Starfish Ventures is pleased that Lee Ellison has joined Audinate as CEO,” noted Michael Panaccio, Investment Principal of Starfish Ventures. “To Starfish, the quality of a company’s management team is as important as its technology.

“With this outstanding executive team in place, we are confident that the Audinate Dante technology will be positioned to revolutionize the global digital media networking market.”

For more information:
Audinate Website

{extended}

Monday, December 22, 2008

Aviom Releases M-Control For Yamaha Digital Consoles

Free download provides direct access to the preamp settings on Aviom’s 6416m Mic Input Modules from the user interface of most Yamaha digital consoles outfitted with a 6416Y2 A-Net Interface Card

Aviom has announced the release of a major firmware upgrade for its Pro64 Series of digital snake and audio networking products. Available for free download from the Aviom website, www.aviom.com, the new release includes support for m-control for Yamaha digital consoles.

With m-control, a user has direct access to the preamp settings on Aviom’s 6416m Mic Input Modules from the user interface of most Yamaha digital consoles outfitted with a 6416Y2 A-Net Interface Card.

The m-control feature offers another control path for Aviom’s Pro64 Series mic pre. All settings on the 6416m can also be set from the device’s front panel, as well as controlled remotely from any point in the network with the MCS handheld controller.

A single MCS can be used for up to 64 channels of mic pre control, and multiple control points can be set in a single network. All three control methods can be combined freely in the same system, allowing system designers and operators a range of choices.

Ray Legnini, Aviom’s product research and development manager, explains, “This is a feature we’ve been asked for since the release of the 6416m and 6416Y2. Users have raved about the sound quality and simplicity of the Pro64 system, but they’ve wanted an even more streamlined workflow. Providing access to the preamp settings from the Yamaha console and through the console’s scenes is a tremendous timesaver for engineers.”

To utilize m-control, all Pro64 Series products must be updated to the m-control firmware.

For more information:
Aviom Website

{extended}

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Harman Professional Debuts HiQnet System Architect Version 1.9

Further advancing Harman HiQnet audio network configuration and control protocol, Harman Professional has launched HiQnet System Architect Version 1.9, a free download which delivers a host of new features including network troubleshooting tools, file compression and management and advanced control panel customization, to name just three. 

According to Rick Kreifeldt, Vice President, Harman Professional Systems Development & Integration Group (SDIG), the introduction comes just as the community of registered HiQnet System Architect users exceeds 20,000.

“It’s fitting that we pass the threshold of 20,000 registered users as we continue to add new features and improvements to System Architect,” Kreifeldt said. “I believe our commitment to systematically evolve and improve System Architect is a key reason that audio professionals continue to deploy HiQnet systems in an expanding array of applications. 

“The improvements do not stop here, however, and we will continue to listen to the community of contracting and tour sound professionals to make HiQnet System Architect the most current and progressive configuration and control tool available.”

As new members join the community of registered HiQnet users, Harman continues to add new devices to the HiQnet portfolio. 

Control of the three models of the new Crown I-Tech HD Series will be possible with the device plug-ins included with System Architect 1.9, which support the configuration of the FIR filters and LevelMAX limiters included in the new flagship touring amplifier, the algorithms for both of which were co-developed with BSS Audio. 

Currently, there are a total of 93 shipping HiQnet devices and a total of 66 System Architect-controlled devices.

Worldwide frequency restrictions and digital TV present a huge challenge for wireless systems operators, and to assist with keeping wireless technologies running, AKG has added the new ‘1 Click Setup’ to its System Architect HUB 4000 Q plug-in.

With a single mouse click, the tool runs an extensive environment scan and calculates intermodulation-free frequencies for the entire wireless system on the fly.

High among the new additions is a Network Troubleshooting tool, which actively monitors the network, diagnoses and alerts of any problems and, where possible, automatically resolves the problem or, if manual intervention is required, provides specific instructions on how to address the problem.

In addition to providing real-time monitoring and alerts, the tool also creates a backup log of any IP address changes which were made in the event that the previous configuration is required to be restored. 

One welcome use case will be for those less experienced with network configuration who have the frustrating situation of a HiQnet device being connected to the PC but not showing up in System Architect due to a network configuration error.  The Network Troubleshooting tool will see the device, and work with the user to resolve the issue in a few simple steps.

Also new to Version 1.9 is a compressed file format which dramatically reduces file sizes - in test cases as high as a ratio of 100:1. 

Separately, a new utility installed with System Architect 1.9 enables advanced users to expand and explore the contents of a saved file and thereby edit individual custom panels in an XML editor, and update images offline, etc. The same utility recompresses the file for opening again in System Architect.

Working closely with the user-base of tour sound and contracting professionals, SDIG engineers have carefully enhanced the Custom Control Panel design experience. This includes a more automated mechanism of creating controls on a panel and assigning them to system-wide parameters. 

By dragging any device parameter from the System Explorer tree or Advanced Parameter Search utility and dragging onto a Custom Control Panel in the design environment, the user will be prompted with a concise list of only the appropriate controls to which it can be assigned. In user tests this mechanism has proved a significant impact on the time taken to create Custom Control Panels. 

The same mechanism has been implemented for enhancing Custom Control Panel navigation panel: shortcut controls can instantly be placed on a Custom Control Panel simply by dragging the appropriate panel icon from the panel toolbox.

Other Custom Control Panel additions include a freshly-designed Parameter Address Editor dialog, which primarily provides a mechanism for editing parameter assignments of pre-existing controls, but the layout of which is also perfectly suited to enabling fresh parameter assignments. 

SDIG has also added the ability to copy and paste just the visual elements of a control without copying any parameter assignment. Together these enhancements serve to speed up not just the functional design process of a panel, but also the visual design element.

Additional user interface enhancement includes new window management improvements, offering menus to cascade all open windows or select an active window from a list.

Concentrating further on user experience and interaction, a Device Arrange Tool in the Venue View enables the reordering of a selection of devices by device name, device type, device address or device brand.

For more information:
Harman Professional HiQnet Website

{extended}

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Allen & Heath To Unveil Update To Digital Installation Series

Allen & Heath has chosen the forthcoming Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Amsterdam on 3–5 February 2009 to launch new digital In/Out expanders for the iDR digital installation series.

Exhibiting on Stand 9D108, Allen & Heath will display the new iDR D-in and iDR D-out units, which provide expansion options of up to 250m on CAT5 cable using the AES/EBU protocol.

“Previously, the iDR-8 and iDR-4 mixing processor units used analogue (mic/line) audio interfaces because that’s what our customers wanted. However, there is now a demand from broadcast, TV studios and large scale venues, to keep all audio interconnection in the digital domain, making use of common standards and increasing distribution distances,” explains Allen & Heath MD, Glenn Rogers.

From its extensive range of audio mixers, Allen & Heath will be exhibiting a selection of units from the iDR installation series and accompanying PL remote controllers, as well as the latest developments from the iLive digital mixing range, including the iDR0 network mixrack. The GR2 and GR05 analogue zone mixers will also be displayed, alongside the Xone:S2 club installation DJ mixer.

For more information:
Allen & Heath iDR Series Website

{extended}