ALLEN & HEATH GO ‘EVERYTHING I/O’ WITH NEW REMOTE AUDIO EXPANDERS

Hot on the heels of its new Dante-enabled I/O boxes, Allen & Heath continues to expand its ‘Everything I/O’ ecosystem with the addition of two new remote audio expanders, the GX4816 and the DX012.

Addressing customer demands for a high-channel-count remote expander, the 96kHz GX4816 is a central hub for all your stage I/O, with a single cable link to SQ or dLive systems. Featuring 48 dLive mic preamps and 16 XLR outputs in a 4U chassis, GX4816 unlocks new I/O possibilities with 2 DX ports provided for further expansion or connection to a ME personal mixing system.

Perfect for feeding IEMs and amplifier racks, the DX012 is a 1U output expander, once again for SQ or dLive systems. With flexible switching, its 12 XLR outputs are configurable as 12 analogue, 8 analogue + 4 stereo AES, or 4 analogue + 8 stereo AES outputs. A second DX012, DX168 or DX164-W can be cascaded to the unit. Alternatively, a redundant connection can be made to compatible hardware.

The new units add to an already extensive array of I/O options, including the 48kHz AR2412, AR84 and AB168 audio racks for Qu and SQ digital mixers; the modular DX32 rack, the portable DX168 and the wall-mount DX164-W for SQ and dLive systems; and the recently introduced, Dante enabled DT168 and DT164-W. Larger systems can also be facilitated by the DX Hub expander.

“Convenience is key”, comments Allen & Heath’s Head of Product, Nic Beretta. “Many of our customers have been asking for an all-in-one, 48 input package to reduce complexity and cabling on stage. The GX4816 does that and is also a bridge to our ME personal mixing system. Similarly, the DX012 allows users and installers to deploy outputs precisely where needed, for example side stage, feeding amp racks or IEM transmitters while minimising analogue runs.”

“While our mixers tend to hog the spotlight, our commitment to meeting a diverse range of I/O requirements is proving a real success with our users,” adds Rob Clark, Allen & Heath’s Managing Director. “From owner/operators who need compact, flexible solutions, through to rental companies who value our approach to common I/O across our product ranges and our strong Dante integration, we’re looking forward to bringing further innovations to this market.'“

For more information or to schedule a demo email sales@audiobiz.com or call 815-271-3000

15th Annual Audio Biz Dealer Appreciation Golf Outing -18 Holes of Stellar Customer Service

If you’re looking for an AV integrator or consultant on September 13, 2019, look no further. Chances are they are located at Randall Oaks Golf Club in West Dundee, IL, at the Audio Biz Dealer Appreciation Golf Outing.

Each year Audio Biz hosts an annual golf outing for their valued partners, full of friendly competition, drinks, BBQ, and the occasional mulligan. You’ll also find all the premium manufacturers like Shure, QSC, Listen Technologies, Allen & Heath, Liberty AV, Blizzard, SKB Cases, Link, and more sponsoring holes and giving away swag, gear, and fun prizes.

The invitation reads: Don’t bring a dime. The day is on us.  – Audio Biz

Customer Appreciation Maximized

Audio Biz takes care of its customers each and every day, but for one special event, at the end of the summer, they take customer appreciation to a whole new level. When Audio Biz rolls out the red carpet for its customers and consultants on September 13, which marks the 15th anniversary of the annual event, the sole objective for everyone in attendance is having fun and forgetting about business for a few hours.  It doesn’t matter if players are good at the game or complete novices. It also doesn’t matter who wins or loses … well, maybe a little bit, if you’d rather not take home the “You Suck” toilet bowl trophy that’s awarded with fanfare to the event’s losing 4-man scramble team.

This is a ‘no business, all fun’ event, says Audio Biz sales manager Beth Mickel. She conceived of the low-key, relaxing, all-expenses paid golf outing in 2004. After getting the green light from the rest of the Audio Biz team, she commenced with her plan to positon Audio Biz as a company that develops meaningful relationships with its clients beyond the boardroom. “People liked the idea of focusing on fun, and the event just kept building momentum,” she says. 

Creative Contests and Traveling Trophy

Since the inaugural outing in 2004, the Audio Biz bash has gained a solid reputation as being the “go-to” event of the year, with this year’s attendance reaching 120. “We like to say the entire AV industry shuts down for a day when we host this event,” jokes Travis Brown, Audio Biz sales rep. Audio Biz invites customers and consultants to make a whole day of it, though the 9 a.m. check-in until the hand-off of the traveling trophy to the winning team.

There’s a good mix of golf and goofing off, with contests (some completely non-golf related like darts) held throughout the day. At certain manufacturer-sponsored holes, golfers can square off to see who can drive the ball the farthest, put the ball closest to the pin, or hit the longest putt. A fan favorite is the Shure-sponsored hole, where a special contest involves driving the ball the longest … while wearing oven mitts. Golfers can buy mulligans, and the cash goes into a kitty—typically tallying over $1,000--that’s raffled at the end of the day. Many of the manufacturers in attendance donate gear and gift cards to raffle and receives an impressive bag of swag. Oh, and let’s not forget the open bar. “Even if you don’t golf, you can come and just have fun,” Mickel says.

The day culminates with food, drink, and plenty of reminiscing about shagged balls, poor putts and the general shenanigans that had everyone laughing and marking their calendars for next year’s day of golf and goodwill—all courtesy of Audio Biz.

Link Spotlight: How Many Strands Are in Your Speaker Cable?

Electrical Cable is NOT Speaker Cable!

Many production companies are using standard 12 gauge electrical grade cable between their power amplifiers and expensive line arrays. Using electrical cable poses potential problems that can adversely affect the reliability, performance, and overall sound quality.

A typical piece of stranded electrical cable contains less than 66 strands per conductor, making it rigid and limiting the surface area. The surface of a conductor has less resistance than the center, so the more surface area, the less overall resistance. eurocable™ speaker cables are known for their extreme flexibility due to the very high strand count (128) of the individual conductors. This composition results in a single conductor that is 4mm² (11 AWG) and still fits in a 12 AWG pin. The significantly higher strand count also allows Link to guarantee that your rig will experience less than 1dB of signal loss over a 50-meter run.

As you begin thinking about your speaker cable set-up and requirements, below are some examples to help get you started.

More Options to Fit Your Specific Requirements

Today’s professional line arrays require granular control to leverage DSP and high-density power amplifiers effectively. The eurocable™ series of multicore speaker cables and LK multi-conductor speaker connectors are explicitly designed with touring applications in mind and are available in 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36 and 48 conductor configurations. The CVS LK36N40AD2 and LK48N40AD2 also contain digital pairs to transport conventional laser and inclinometer signals.

All eurocable™ speaker cables are flame resistant and are designed with a no-center conductor, attributing to their superior strength in field applications where long hanging lengths are required. Channel pairs are clearly labeled and arranged using our unique production process to ensure identical distance for the red (+) and black (-) conductors.

Multicore Speaker Cables

• Strategically designed for touring applications

• Flame resistant, extremely flexible

• Available in 4, 8, 16, 24, 36 and 48 conductor configurations

• CVS LK36N40AD2 and LK48N40AD2 contain digital pairs to transport common laser and inclinometer signals

Audio and Power Speaker Cables

• Ideal for use on stage, delay and main speaker systems

• Self-powered SPKAL series

• Available with 3x1.5 mm² and 3x2.5 mm² power cable

• Designed to ensure interference-free operation with the benefit of running one cable for power + audio

• Features 26 AWG 110 ohm double-shielded digital pairs for audio and data signals

For more information on Link email sales@audiobiz.com or call 815-271-3000

TouchMix-30 Pro – New Firmware v2.0 & Windows DAW driver

TouchMix-30 Pro – New Firmware v2.0 & Windows DAW driver

With firmware version 2.0, TouchMix-30 Pro now supports 3 custom fader banks of 8 channels each, allowing versatile, personalized channel display for the most demanding users and applications. Firmware v2.0 also gives the TouchMix-30 Pro the capability to interface with select third party control surfaces with motorized faders using Mackie Control Protocol. Two modes of operation exist: TouchMix-30 Pro mixer wired to the control surface, or iOS tablet paired with the control surface and connected to the TouchMix-30 Pro mixer via Wi-Fi. The complementary new channel strips display presents controls and indicators for the selected fader group.

The new, updated Windows DAW driver allows for a more robust connection to Windows computers and enable plug-in’s to run on Windows DAW’s and on Waves MultiRack.

Shure Wireless Workbench Update WWB 6.13 is Now Available

WWB 6.13 is Now Available

The latest version of Wireless Workbench is now available for download at our website.

Wireless Workbench 6.13 has significant updates and new features. We recommend you update to this version as soon as possible. This continues to be a free download.

Key Updates, Features & Benefits:>

Advanced Zone Management

• Users can potentially calculate more frequencies by being more deliberate about zone relationships, which can now be configured to respect channel-to-channel or channel-to-intermodulation spacing.

​FCC Approved TV Database Integration for the U.S.

• Provides users with up-to-the-minute information about available VHF and UHF TV and public safety channels in the United States.

Bug fixes of varying severity (see release notes).

Shure Unveils Designer 3.1 System Configuration Software

At InfoComm 2018, Shure announced the latest version of its Designer software application that provides system integrators, designers, and sales staff improved workflow efficiency to configure Shure products during design and build cycles—offline and online. Designer 3.1 provides users with a single software tool to design and commission system installations, enhancing the performance and usability of Shure products, while reducing onsite configuration time. The latest software gives users one place to design, route, and configure.

“With this latest iteration of Designer, AV professionals will be able to better determine the suitable device type and count remotely when creating configurations,” said Katie Farine, Product Owner at Shure. “Users will gain better control over their designs with the ability to import floor plans and design audio coverage and routing while also having the capability to create and reuse room templates across multiple locations.”

Designer 3.1 provides support across an expanded portfolio of Shure products, including the Microflex® Advance™ MXA910 Ceiling Array and MXA310 Table Array Microphones, IntelliMix® P300 Audio Conferencing Processor, and ANIUSB-Matrix USB Audio Network Interface. As one single tool, the software enables smooth synchronization in real-time with audio routing between Shure networked products. Users can manage device presets at a location level to more easily configure and load settings for multipurpose or combinable spaces. Device passwords and Shure Network Audio Encryption can also be enabled for an entire location at a time, making managing security settings across multiple devices easier than ever.

“With expanded support of Shure networked microphones and signal processing products, Designer 3.1 will be especially appealing to users who are currently designing and configuring Shure’s latest equipment,” continued Farine. “The Designer software update improves workflow efficiencies to make our users’ jobs easier.”

Designer 3.1 can be downloaded for free, later this year, on any computer running Windows 7, 8.1, or 10.

QSC expands AcousticDesign™ Series with new Transformer-less Surface-Mount Loudspeaker Option

QSC introduces the new AD-S6, a transformer-less surface mount 6.5-inch two-way loudspeaker. As part of the AcousticDesign™ Series, this new loudspeaker is ideal for foreground and background music (BGM/FGM) applications, as well as installations specifically requiring higher SPL foreground sound reinforcement.

“The AD-S6 is an ideal addition to our Premium Business Music solutions that were specifically designed to meet the high-performance needs of foreground applications,” said Travis Nie, Product Manager, Installed Loudspeakers, QSC. “We are excited to expand our popular AcousticDesign Series with a loudspeaker that is nearly identical to AD-S6T, but with the AD-S6 we lowered the cost by removing the transformer and providing 16 ohm nominal impedance, making it ideal for use in low impedance distributed systems.”

The AcousticDesign Series loudspeakers deliver pristine audio reproduction for installations requiring a refined audio experience, combining exceptional clarity, performance, coverage and aesthetics for installed sound applications. This line includes a wide range of sizes and models that deliver consistent and balanced sonic characteristics, and share the same high-end aesthetic quality enabling users to mix-and-match enclosure types. Available in black or white, they also include the patented X-Mount™ mounting system providing unprecedented ease-of-installation that minimizes commissioning time and expense.

Features

• 6.5-inch weather treated woofer

• 105° conical DMT coverage

• Maximum peak SPL 116 dB (16 Ω)

• DMT (Directivity Matched Transition™) ensures smooth, uniform frequency response over the coverage area

• X-Mount™ system enables the loudspeaker to be easily installed and deployed at a variety of angles with no slippage over time

• Advanced voicing filter sets using QSC Intrinsic Correction™, available through either Q-SYS processing or CXD amplifier platforms

• Lightweight ABS enclosures offer long-term durability and lasting good looks

• Sealed input panel cover and powder coated aluminum grilles for added weather resistance

• Meets IEC60529 IP-54 for dust and splash resistance

• Available in black (RAL 9011) or white (RAL 9010)

• Complete EASE, CF2, CAD, and BIM information available online

For more information or to place an order call 815-271-3000 or email sales@audiobiz.com

Shure Announces MXA910 With Intellimix

We’re very excited to announce a significant update to the MXA910 Ceiling Array Microphone, firmware version 4.0.12! Enhancements include:

• IntelliMix® DSP including AEC, Noise Reduction, Automatic mixing, AGC, Compressor, Delay, and EQ. IntelliMix® uses Shure’s patent-pending acoustic echo cancellation technology to deliver a single channel of auto-mixed, noise- and echo-free audio.

• Patent-pending Autofocus™ technology continually fine-tunes the position of each lobe in real time, for consistent sound when participants lean back in their chairs, or even stand up.

There is no additional cost for this update, which is available now from the Shure Update Utility. 

Please also make sure to download new version 3.2 updates to Designer and SystemOn, which support the new MXA910 4.0.12 firmware – they’re available at http://software.shure.com. 

Additionally, P300 users should update their devices to version 3.1.6, which is also available today and features support for the new MXA910 firmware.

For questions or support call 815-271-3000 or email sales@audiobiz.com

Rane TERMINAL 1010x Audio DSP Multiprocessor

TERMINAL 1010x

Audio DSP Multiprocessor

The Terminal 1010x takes the DSP Experience to the next level with an intuitive front-panel that enables users to control 10 analog balanced inputs for Mic/Line/+48V and 10 balanced outputs. There are also 6 flexible RAD Plus PoE ports to connect breakout boxes and wall plate remote controls and 4 Universal GPIO logic ports for external devices such as alarm systems, sensors, lights, projectors, etc. There is also a slot for an optional DANTE™ 32x32 card for network connectivity.

Native Analog 10-in/10-out

• 6 RAD+ Ports support RADs and DRs - adds 12-in/12-out, for a total 22-in/22-out

• Optional DANTE™ card adds 32-in/32-out on the network

• Expansion Port for future hardware releases

• Online Wizard for quick-start using Halogen software

• Enhanced front panel control and monitoring

For more information or to schedule a demo, call 815-271-3000 or email sales@audiobiz.com

Liberty AV The ‘ARK’ Series Room Kits

Every-AV-Thing in Education

Affordable, simple to deploy products designed for the education space. With many different levels of education focused products, Liberty can create the perfect package for your classroom saving you time, money, and helping drive efficiencies on every job.

Digitalinx HDMI HDBaseT Wall Plate Extension Set with USB

Item # -DL-1H1A1U-WPKT-W 

• HDMI support up to 4k with PoC power
  

• Pass USB2.0 High Speed to reciever & 2 port USB hub on RX

• Pass-Through audio independent of HDMI for audio only sources

• Learn more

Digitalinx HDMI, VGA and USB 2.0 Extender Set with Display Control

Item # - DL-HDBT2-WP-KIT

• HDMI, VGA, & Audio extended up to 100m with PoC power

• USB 2.0 High Speed w/ 4port hub on receiver

• Simple Display Control powers display on/off when source is connected 

• Learn More

NEW: DigitaLinx "ARK" Series - (HDMI + VGA or HDMI x3)

Item # - DL-ARK-3H1VC or 4HC

• 3 piece room kit w/ auto or manual switching, display control, and audio amplification

• 4k compatibility w/ fast switching and scaling up to 4k

• Control plate and web GUI for system and display control

• Two options - HDMI + VGA or HDMI x3

• Learn More

For more information or to schedule a demo, call 815-271-3000 or email sales@audiobiz.com