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113th AES
Are we having fun yet?
 By
Keith Clark
PSW Editorial Director
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What’s the pro audio industry business climate? These
days, it depends who you ask. At AES, opinions varied wildly,
ranging from doom and gloom to “we’ve got more than
we can handle”. This extended across the major segments
- recording, live/concert and install.
One thing’s for sure - the new product march continues,
with virtually every manufacturer in attendance presenting
at least one major development, and more in most cases.
 I’ve
enjoyed talking with Community’s
John Wiggins over the course of the past decade, and have
admired the way his company rather quietly goes its own direction
in developing new loudspeaker solutions. This show was no
exception.
While most of the other “big boys” have focused
on line arrays, Community has chosen instead to look at the
mid-level/regional touring and install markets. The result
is a series of loudspeakers expected to formally hit the market
right after the first of the year. The new TFR64A three-way
trapezoidal system (2 x 12-in LF, 1 x MA200A MF and 1 x 2-in
HF) is a compact, easy-to-fly and adjust package measuring
just 24.7-in x 25.25-in x 33.5-in. It is joined by a dedicated
HF loudspeaker and subwoofer (single 18-in), both fitting
the same footprint so they can easily be formed into TFR arrays.
It’s the first production series of Community product
to include flytrack, which is pretty wild when you think about
how long the company’s been around and how many models
it’s produced through the years. Development continues
on this series, so look for a big introduction around Winter
NAMM time. (Sorry - since this is a “top secret”
development, Community didn’t have any models at the
show and thus no photos.)
 Renkus-Heinz
also continues to buck the line array trend. Ralph Heinz took
time out to show me a new R-H ST Series loudspeaker that includes
an optional CobraNet
networking option.
As with many R-H products, there are lots of flexible options.
In addition to CobraNet compatibility, the ST’s can be
ordered in self-powered and external powered versions, and
a wide range of versions and components can also be specified
by the customer.
 Speaking
of CobraNet, Rane
showed the latest in its line of CobraNet compatible processors
using the company’s Drag Net DSP software and highlighted
by the new RPM 26z programmable multiprocessor.
It offers 100 percent “drag and drop” configuration,
Ethernet control, two analog line-level inputs, a two-channel
AES3 digital input and six balanced line-level outputs.
With access to the full collection of Drag Net processing
blocks, including the new Priority Auto Mixer/Ducker and AGC,
comprehensive systems can simply be drawn and activated.
 A
stop by the Meyer
booth led to a great conversation with John Meyer regarding
the new MAPP Online program that aids in confirming the accuracy
of predicted loudspeaker response. Our attention turned quickly
to the spherical loudspeaker drawing considerable attention.
Nope - not a new production model. Rather, John explained
that it was developed to aid in providing an analytically
correct solution.
In other words, this shape provides the ability to determine
a computationally correct (try saying that fast three times!)
model. Thus the spherical loudspeaker is measured in Meyer’s
anechoic chamber, with the data in MAPP Online. The data helps
verify MAPP’s prediction accuracy. (The speaker’s
also pretty cool to look at…)
 As
the JBL
VERTEC line array system continues to gain increasing acceptance,
the company is offering an expanding set of flexible solutions
within the line array footprint. The results were on full
display here, in the form of the new VT4881, VT4887 and VT4888
VERTEC models for medium and small sound reinforcement apps.
(And these join the new VT4880 subwoofer debuted earlier this
year.)
In a delightfully brief and focused press conference, On Stage
Audio’s Mario Educate and Jim Risgin talked about how
they’ve been using these new VERTEC models in the corporate
audio realm. Specifically, On Stage is one of the leading
corporate firms working, recently flying a VERTEC rig for
General Motors business conferences in Las Vegas. In other
news, JBL is distributing EASE 4.0 through its channels.
 Allen
& Heath is justifiably known for its consoles but
is also branching out into the world of DSP. “Big Al”
Nichols gave me the tour on the new iDR Series, a collection
of flexible mixing and processing pieces that can be mixed,
matched assembled for effective live and install sound applications.
The heart of the system is the iDR-8 box that includes dual
Motorola DSPs and interfaces with iDR System Manager software
that allows creation and optimization of the DSP backbone,
These two elements also work with a selection of devices including
I/O expanders and remote wall panels that supply access to
functions like level control and source select. In total,
it’s a pretty slick package.
 For
the first time in person, I met Geoff Lissaman of dbx,
a big supporter of the PSW’s Live
Audio Board (LAB). And in fact, he notes that the new
DriveRack 260 being unveiled at the show was driven by input
from LABsters.
Like other DriveRack units, the 260 includes classic dbx compression
and limiting plus features like automatic feedback elimination,
a user-selectable auto EQ function, pink noise generator and
full-time RTA and a setup “wizard” for sister companies
JBL speaker and Crown
power amp tunings.
A new corporate look can be invigorating, and QSC
called the press troops together to unveil the replacement
to their iconic yet sometimes confusing logo. (Is that “OSC”
or “QSC”?) CEO Barry Andrews explained that the
new look, to be phased in over the next couple years, seemed
appropriate given the company’s evolution as total systems
provider, most evidenced by recent DSP and loudspeaker offerings
in addition to the staple power amplifiers.
 For
example, QSC highlighted the new DSP-4, which offers two channels
of independent DSP and attaches to the back of most 2-channel
DataPort-equipped QSC amplifiers without occupying any additional
rack space.
In addition, the full complement of new ISIS multipurpose
loudspeakers was on hand, and decked out with the new logo
to boot. As the core module for portable live sound reinforcement
systems, the ISIS 215PCM subwoofer provides power amplification
not only for itself, but also two channels for driving full-range
or biamp "top box" speakers as well. Plus, the subwoofer
amp and the top-box amp each have the processing equivalent
of a DSP-3.
 Crest
took a low-key approach that saw a new line of power amps,
primarily intended for touring, make their debut. Called the
Pro 200 Series, the three new models offer the same sonic
quality as the Professional Series, but higher power at a
lower weight and in a smaller enclosure. All three occupy
just 2RU and weight 25 pounds.
New Crest General Manager Rick Gentry provided the overview,
and noted that Crest continues to work on infiltration of
NexSys 4 Ethernet-based control and monitoring through more
of the product line.
 Easily
one of the hottest new products had to be the new DiGiCo
D5 Live, a new digital console for live production. DiGiCo’s
Mr. Doyle and Mr. Webster appear to have a winner - check
out PSW Live Editor Chris Kathman’s AES report for more
scoop on exactly what’s causing the stir with the D5.
The D5's behind the crowd shown left.
At the show, my friend Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher,
one of the busiest on-call mixers in LA, pointed out that
the D5 appears pretty darn intuitive to use - “Never
having seen it, you can look at the D5 for about10 minutes
and be ready to confidently mix on it 5 minutes after that,”
were his exact words.
 What
would AES be without new recording products? While PSW’s
Barry Rudolph has done
a great job highlighting the cool new stuff in this genre,
a couple of highlights I saw include new Digidesign
Pro Tools version 6.0 for both Mac OSX and Win XP, which Barry
says is quite hip and happening in addition to inducing major
traffic jams at the Digi booth
 And
as always, Brad Lunde, head honcho of Transamerica
Audio Group provided some much needed levity. While the
GML booth resided in the middle of the impressive “Brad-land”
aisle he set up to show off the wares of all of the fine companies
he distributes, we couldn’t locate “Mr. GML”
- better known to most of you as the renowned George Massenburg.
We wanted George for the photo opp with his new GML 2030
Mastering Dynamic Gain Controller unveiled at the show. Sans
George, we did the next best thing, getting a “photo
of a photo” of George with the unit, with an able assist
by Mr. Lunde. By the way, the 2030 looks like an excellent
piece, providing the proven GML Series III control and architecture
for mastering apps.
 Right
before kickoff of AES in Los Angeles, I was saddened to receive
word that Michael MacDonald was departing as JBL president,
effective immediately. As luck would have it, I ran into Michael
in the lobby of our hotel, and he’s looking fit, rested
and ready for the next challenge. All I can say is that I’ll
always appreciate his caustic humor, his honesty and the quality
work he did with JBL. Great things are in his future.
As my friend, monitor engineer extraordinaire and Mix
magazine SR editor Mark Frink asks, “Are we having fun
yet?”
PSW Editorial Director can be reached at keith@prosoundweb.com
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