PLASA 2012 Audio Lab Announced

A new pro-audio feature at the heart of the PLASA 2012 show will include a full-volume demo area dedicated to the demonstration of loudspeakers and will provide visitors the chance to listen to products in a real-world environment.

"The famous Funktion One demo room has got some company at this year's show as we take over a whole new space at Earls Court for large scale demonstrations of the latest loudspeaker technology," comments event manager, Sophie Atkinson.

Martin Audio took huge strides forward with the launch of the award winning MLA System at the PLASA show two years ago. They return this year to take over the AudioLab, on Monday, September 10.

Approaching the problem of controlled coverage in poor acoustic spaces, Martin Audio engineers came up with the unique concept of OmniLine, where rather than applying DSP to a traditional column loudspeaker, OmniLine's vertical beam-forming is achieved by physically articulating individual modules to curve the array.

The actual array configuration for a specific venue is determined by powerful, patent pending optimization software, which makes intelligent judgements about the "goodness" of the array's SPL distribution against objective target functions.

Requiring only simple EQ and limiting, an OmniLine array offers the installer a product that is easy to install and cost effective in a competitive marketplace.

Being released at PLASA 2012, the high-output XD15 and XD12 bring new levels of performance to two-way enclosures, and are complimented by a range of custom brackets. Also at AudioLab will be the DD6 Differential Directivity enclosure which offers a number of unique features, coupled with surprisingly high output from such a diminutive loudspeaker.

Applications engineer Peter Child, together with members of the Martin Audio UK sales team, Al Brown, David Ferreira, and Kevin McNally will be on hand throughout the day and will be giving presentations on the above products at 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, and 4:30pm on Monday, September 10.

"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to deliver a number of worthwhile audio presentations at the PLASA show. All too often audio demos at shows are little more than 'these speakers deliver high SPL.' AudioLab's approach will give us a full day to inform our customers about our latest products in a sophisticated and relaxing environment," reports Al Brown national sales.

On Tuesday, September 11, Bose Professional Systems division will use a mix of live bands and recorded music to demonstrate the new award winning RoomMatch series of array module loudspeakers, powered by the award winning PowerMatch PM8500 configurable professional power amplifier. These products provide sound designers with unprecedented scalability and configurability for venues including arenas, performing arts centers, and houses of worship, delivering concert quality sound more consistently, regardless of room size, shape, or acoustic properties.

"Our engineers challenged conventional wisdom for both loudspeaker and amplifier design," says Akira Mochimaru, general manager, Bose Professional Systems division. "The result is a new approach for the industry, one that lets sound designers and integrators meet the acoustic challenges of any fixed-installation sound system with more flexibility and far less compromise to audio performance." RoomMatch introduces progressive directivity arrays (PDA), Bose's new category of curvilinear array. Designed to overcome the acoustic performance limitations of conventional line-array and point-source loudspeakers, PDA's use waveguide technology to direct sound more precisely by reducing unwanted reflections. Used together or alone in a choice of 15 coverage patterns, RoomMatch modules perform as a single loudspeaker to ensure optimal sound coverage for a particular listening area.

Taking over the AudioLab on Sunday, September 9, is Norton Audio. Specialists in sound reinforcement for theatrical, concert, and club environments, Norton's new P1 System is designed to be completely self sufficient, using a dedicated processor linear speaker in so that no complex adjustments or corrections to phase or frequency are necessary.

Simplicity of set up and operation are at the forefront of the design, as well as excellent directivity characteristics, focusing sound on the audience, with more opportunities for gain without feedback. The system comprises of a P1 Low speaker and a P1 Top, which is a point source.

There are also opportunities to see audio demonstrations taking place in the private hospitality rooms. Dutch loudspeaker manufacturer Duran Audio will host the AXYS demo room; on show will be products from the Intellivox, Flex, Scope, Source, Target, and Beam shaping subwoofer ranges; covering a wide range of applications from AV and theatres to airports. Funktion One will demonstrate their full range of products in the Funktion One demo room on level one. Not for the faint hearted, Sennheiser will also feature in the demo program as they hold daily product demonstrations and seminars in the Piccadilly and Mayfair rooms. This will include presentations on K-array speaker systems, DAS speakers, and their new DASnet control system, an APart live speaker comparison. Rane will demonstrate its HAL audio network and control solution and Neumann will be demonstrating the benefits of digital mics. KV2 Audio will host demonstrations throughout the show in the Kensington Suite. Attendees are invited to hear products from the r ES, EX, and ESD series.

The AudioLab can be accessed from the main entrance foyer area in Earls Court 1 (take the elevator to level 3).

Win one of only six customized Clay Paky Union Jack Sharpys made for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert and signed by lighting designer, Durham Marenghi. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this piece of history is register for PLASA 2012!