PLASA - a guide for the dazed and confused

I'm reliably informed that the Buddhists rate a brief wander around the PLASA hall as one of the great mystical experiences of modern times.

Psychadelic decor; the distant thunder of sub-woofers; a different gyrating, strobing light of every colour and description confronting my every step; and the waft of dry ice thick in the air, all contribute to turning a previously alert brain into a state of trance, where all concepts of space, time, and direction seem to have become completely irrelevant. But after jump-starting my heart with a Stygian caffeine brew and telling my mates "it's 9am and the evening's soiree is now over", I slowly gathered my senses for a day at PLASA.

In reality, PLASA was mesmerising. And with the towering stands and displays, it was quite easy to get hopelessly disorientated. Personally, I found the 'put away your show guide, wander, and look aimlessly' approach was far more satisfying than any systematic modus operandi. Given time, you will inevitably surface from the general exhibition melée and no doubt be confronted by an Earls Court bar and buffet. Recharge your batteries with an overpriced bottle of Carlsberg and then 'once more into the breach my friend'.

As well as mesmerising, PLASA was undeniably impressive. The class and quantity of the displays, coupled with the number of new products made for an incredibly worthwhile and rewarding show experience. Provisional figures tell us that more than 15,000 punters kept the turnstiles turning, and I don't think we need to get Mystic Meg on the company payroll to predict that PLASA 97 will be even bigger and better.

The next five pages are an essential read for an update on what came out of PLASA — an indication of what's new, and what's going to be new.

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Celestion hit the Road

Celestion were exhibiting the latest additions to their product range, the new Road and KR series, for the first time.

The Road Series is a line of robust moulded PA cabinets, appealing to working musicians on the road and to small venues looking for an affordable high-quality house system. Designed to survive the hard knocks of touring work, the four cabinets in the Road Series combine good gritty 'street-cred', rock'n'roll looks with complete roadworthiness.

The KR Series combines a more stylish appearance, that you might find on the cover of next month's Marie Claire, with excellent performance standards. Following on from Celestion's well-regarded SR Series, the KR Series provides 'accurate' sonic performance for the sound contractor or installer.

Celestion International Ltd. (Contact Details).

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AKG WMS 300 - affordable UHF

AKG put their emphasis on the WMS 300 UHF radio microphone system, offering UHF technology at the wholly reasonable price of £1021 inc VAT. WMS 300 is switchable to 16 spot frequencies within a given TV channel, and up to eight systems may be run simultaneously without intermodulation. In addition, much like Worzel Gummidge, the hand held transmitter accepts three different AKG heads (dynamic and condenser), which can be changed over in seconds, giving the engineer a choice of sounds to suit vocal requirements. WMS 300 is currently in use with several rock acts including The Prodigy (to continue the Worzel theme), The Cure, and Black Grape.

Harman Audio. (Contact Details).

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Turbo's HiLight of the show

Turbosound introduced a brand new speaker series called HiLight. Nothing to do with a Cadbury drink for bored, chocolate-crazed housewives, the HiLight Series is a new generation of horn-loaded products, built in a compact and cost-effective format, designed to bring the tradition of Turbosound arena technology into the clubs. HiLight should be equally well suited to theatres, auditoriums, and performing arts centres.

The new mid-high enclosure features a custom ten-inch driver coupled to a newly devised one-inch HF device that is said to exhibit far lower distortion than conventional compression drivers, consequently reducing listener fatigue. There is also a 'skeleton' version available.

Forming the LF sections of Turbosound's bi-amped systems are two new bass enclosures: a single 400 Watt 18-inch driver in a horn-loaded enclosure sharing an identical 'faceprint' as the high pack, and therefore suited for flown cluster applications; and a double 18-inch bin that should deliver all the LF energy you are likely to need, even for the most subsonic club floor-stonker.

Meanwhile, further additions to the Impact range were introduced. The Impact50 is designed to give professional sound quality and long-term reliability in music playback situations such as wine bars, pubs, themed restaurants, and retail shops. The Impact50, which cuts a stylish figure, is available in a whole range of colours for all those venues whose decor does not match the blue of their favourite Turbosound PA system.

Turbosound. (Contact Details).

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Tannoy get to the point

Based on their point-source technology, Tannoy have expanded their range of PA enclosures. The i12 is a direct replacement for the popular CPA12, featuring a new 12-inch dual concentric with double roll cambric suspension. The T12 is a new multi-application version of the i12 with a wedge profile. A new addition to complement these is the TX2, a controller designed to give extended high and low frequency response, with steep sub-bass filtering to increase power handling and improve LF control. The TX2 also offers a crossover facility providing an adjustable sub-bass output for combining the T12 and i12 with additional bass cabinets.

Tannoy Limited. (Contact Details).

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Soundcraft K2 — because its there

Soundcraft launched their latest addition to their K range of nicely priced live sound consoles. The K2 is an 8-bus board, designed for touring or fixed installations, featuring the same wide-range preamps as you will find on the K3, the Vienna, and the Europa. Other notable features include eight aux sends with external pre/post switching in pairs, LED input metering, a MIDI-controlled muting system with eight mute groups, sub-groups stereo return, 11x8 matrix, sweepable Q in the EQ section, and a built-in VU output meterbridge. Also of interest is a swap mode which allows the aux outputs to access the group fader — useful on honing those foldback mixes of course. The K2 is available in 24, 32, and 40-channel frame sizes.

Soundcraft Electronics. (Contact Details).

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Trilogy — thrice the fun

On the Studiomaster stand our attention turned to the Trilogy, a mixer that's been designed to be equally at home as an FOH desk, monitor console, or in multitrack studio usage. With balanced XLR mic inputs on every channel, three-band swept mid EQ, pre/post switchable auxiliaries, four stereo returns, and expandability via Studiomaster's own Trilink system, the Trilogy appears to be an able FOH performer.

Switching the desk into Stage mode, Auxes 1 to 4 are routed to the group faders for control over the four monitor mixes; with further monitor mixes available from Auxes 5 and 6 as well as the left and right bus, the Trilogy is equally at home as a monitor board. Meanwhile each channel has a direct output that can be routed straight to tape, in addition to the four groups, making the Trilogy well-suited to multitrack recording duties. The Trilogy is available in two formats, the 166 and the 206; with the rackmountable 166 offering a few less inputs.

Studiomaster. (Contact Details).

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EV new additions

Electrovoice used the show to launch new additions and upgrades to their speaker range. EV distributors, Shuttlesound, previewed the new Sx200a, the latest addition to the EV System 200. The Sx200a is the powered version of the existing Sx200. The cabinet weighs in at 47lbs and includes a Class A/B 350 Watts amplifier, with active analogue processing for both the high-pass and low-pass sections.

Two new additions to the T-Series are the 400W T351 and the T180 1000W 18-inch sub-woofer. The T351 uses a high-Q, 60 x 40 degree pattern designed to increase vocal intelligibility and throw, making it better-suited for arrayed configurations. The mids and lows are covered by a 6.5-inch mid-range and a 15-inch woofer — the woofer is Teflon-coated to protect against any violent peaks.

EV's DeltaMax system has been rejuvenated and given Series II status. Key aims for the DeltaMax upgrade were to improve vocal clarity, increase overall output, reduce overall weight, and to make DeltaMax "even easier to use" — in short, to make it a better speaker. With new drivers, woofers, and horns, new cabinet configurations, new hardware, new rotable horns in two models, and redesigned electronic controllers, these aims look to have been met.

Shuttlesound. (Contact Details).

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Martin speakers EMeritus

Martin Audio launched a completely updated look to their EM Series. The Series now consists of five full-range trapezoid enclosures, three dedicated sub-bass enclosures, and two controllers. The Series will no doubt confidently fulfill requirements for high quality reinforcement in permanently installed venues, ranging from discotheques, bars, theatres, conference centres, and churches.

Also launched was the ICT 500, an extension to the existing ICT range. This compact, full-range loudspeaker is designed for professional applications where a combination of reduced size and high output are required — such as live sound, music playback, theatre installation, and AV presentations. It offers high SPL capability, and its high efficiency and dynamic performance should ensure smooth natural reproduction. The ICT 500 has been engineered to combine high level reproduction with a very wide bandwidth, accuracy, and maximum intelligibility.

Martin Audio. (Contact Details).

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3G Fireball — hot new product

3G are making moves from the cheap and cheerful mixing market into a area they can probably call their own, the 'affordable' automated live console market. The Fireball is the result of a number of years of hard labour in the 3G R&D camp and features full snapshot automation — all eight auxiliaries, channel mutes, EQ defeat and motorised faders may be automated. The desk's current status may be stored as a snapshot (up to a maximum of 420), which can then be recalled as necessary from non-volatile memory. The Fireball also features global pre/post auxiliary switching (configuring it as a monitor desk), full stage FOH communications, oscillator with tune-up tone, and selectable peak hold metering.

3G Ltd. (Contact Details)

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d&b take it to the MAX

d&b audiotechnik were eager to demonstrate their new MAX Series of loudspeakers. The new range were given a thorough trial over the summer, with the MAX cabinets appearing at concert tours, festivals, theatre and dance productions. Wigwam Acoustics used MAX Series loudspeakers at Donnington, an event generally regarded as being almost as demanding on its speakers, as it is on the local residents.

The MAX Series loudspeakers include MAX, a coaxial, two-way 15-inch/two-inch passive loudspeaker and bassMAX, a passive sub-woofer. With a 60 degree radial dispersion, MAX is essentially a low cost, arrayable, multi-role loudspeaker. Adding bass cabinets to a MAX system ratchets-up an already versatile system creating a full-throttle PA for serious band use. Last and by no means least, MAX can be configured as a powerful active stage monitor to supply the additional vocal kick a monitor engineer sometimes demands of a system.

d&b audiotechnik AG. (Contact Details).

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Get in Control of your gig

For JBL, the spotlight was on their Control Contractor Series. Designed for installation in restaurants, pubs, retail stores, health clubs, theme and amusement parks, Control Contractor Series speakers are aimed at the entire market of indoor or outdoor, fixed installation, background music and paging system applications. There are four models in the range: Control 23, 25, and 28 speakers, and the SB-2 sub-woofer. The new series is designed to be easily arrayable, mountable, paintable, and able to perform capably in 'any' condition in virtually any position, making it the real Kama Sutra of speakers.

For many, it was the first chance to hear the new TR Series of sound reinforcement loudspeakers. The TR Series is a range of loudspeakers with a price that keeps them within the customary tight budget of gigging bands and is also well-suited to the mobile DJ. The TR Series speakers are rated at 200-plus Watts and have been factory tested to handle their rated power for at least 300 continuous hours without damage (to the speaker that is, not the poor punters during such a marathon). Of course, the JBL EON System is continuing to be of great interest, a subject you can look into further in our review on page 22.

Harman Audio. (Contact Details).

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Sennheiser heard amongst the Dyn

Sennheiser got their mics out for the lads. The 3000 Series RF system was given plenty of attention, which is intended as a more affordable replacement for Sennheiser's current EM2004-based systems. It comprises an entirely new 16-channel switchable frequency receiver, hand-held, and beltpack transmitter units and will be available with single or dual-channel receiver 19-inch 1U rackmountable units.

Also on the stand was the newly available System 1081 and System 1083, switchable frequency, hand-held, and beltpack UHF radio systems. Based around a 1/2U true diversity receiver unit, they feature 16-channel, switchable frequency operation and HiDyn plus noise reduction circuitry.

Of course, being the parent company of Neumann, the M149 tube mic (their first valve design for more than 30 years) was on display in a glass cabinet. A junior member of staff was permanently on hand, with a cloth at the ready, to wipe the drool off of the display.

Sennheiser UK. (Contact Details).

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Dynamix offer power

Dynamix Professional Audio announced the release of their Powermix Series of stereo, powered mixing consoles. The mixers come complete with two on-board, ART 16-bit digital multi-effects units, 600 Watts or 1,200 Watts of power, and a three year manufacturer's warranty. The Powermix's input channels have balanced/unbalanced low impedance XLR sockets, line inputs, and insert points. Each channel has a three-band EQ section with mid sweep and four auxiliary sends. The Powermix also has a subgroup section, offering four independent stereo channels with overall treble/bass EQ, individual level controls, and two auxiliary sends. The outputs feature fully protected speakon connectors and sub-bass outputs with a built-in active crossover. There are stereo tape outputs, while amp insert points allow the user to allocate the power amp to any application — for instance, you can split the power amp, run the front of house in mono, and still have up to 600 Watts for on-stage monitors. The Powermix comes in eight, 12, 16, and 20 channel versions, with or without on-board digital effects.

Dynamix Professional Audio Ltd. (Contact Details).

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New horn for Meyer

Meyer Sound announced the introduction of their newest products in the popular range of self-powered speakers, the CQ-1 and the CQ-2. Both of these new products feature a new high frequency horn that hopes to offer a consistent coverage pattern for all frequencies in both the horizontal and vertical axes. The CQ-1 has a coverage pattern of 80 x 40 degrees, and the CQ-2 has coverage of 50 x 40 degrees. Both products utilise a single 15-inch low frequency driver and have a frequency response of ±4dB from 40Hz to 18kHz. They are both capable of providing an SPL of 130dB continuous and 140dB peak.

Autograph Sales ltd. (Contact Details).

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BSS tamper-proof

BSS displayed their new knob-free Omnidrive loudspeaker management system. The FDS-380 is flagged as a tamper proof version of the regular FDS-388, but instead of including one of those push-down lids that goes click, click, click instead of opening, BSS have opted for a blank front panel without controls. Set up is achieved using the new Soundbench Windows-based software system, or via bulk MIDI dump from another isn't enough, security is further augmented by an internal password system. The FDS-380 can be configured as a three-way crossover, plus a full-range output for installations that require a full-range feed to remote locations such as the dressing room, balcony or posy VIP lounge.

BSS Audio. (Contact Details).

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Ohm resist compromise

Ohm were at PLASA demonstrating their different approach to PA cabinet damping, namely they don't bother. The Ohm approach is to reinforce the cabinet with a criss-crossing array of interlocking plates, pushing cabinet resonance higher than a damped counterpart — the theory being that the speakers run more efficiently with less power loss due to panel vibration. The downside to this approach is that one of these cabinets is so dense that unless you're a post-op Lee Majors, you might be risking a hernia attempting to displace it from its current locale! Otherwise the BR-S Series, which addresses a full range of PA applications, deserves some serious consideration.

Ohm Industries Ltd. (Contact Details).

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Trantec given marching orders

Trantec were able to display their new S5000 UHF Handheld mic for the first time. The new model is fully synthesised, switchable, and operates on 16 channels, with a standard 9V PP3 battery giving a life of ten hours. The mic is available with either an omnidirectional, cardioid, or hypercardioid head.

Designs for the mic have been on the drawing board for some time, but apparently, it took the unceasing cries of 'public demand' to get the mic off the drafting board and into the hands of first customers, Brighton-based MBI, in time for the Euro 96 championships at Wembley Stadium in June. The Handhelds were deployed for miking up the marching band at the opening ceremony and subsequent playing of national anthems. The rest as they say, is history.

BBM Electronics. (Contact Details).

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Rane on your parade

You'll no doubt soon be reading, or will already have devoured the Rane Mojo Series review (page 72), but that's not all that Rane had to shout about at PLASA on the Shuttlesound stand. A couple of new graphic equalizers were also under the spotlight, namely the GE215 and GE130. Combining the features of the GE13, GE27, GQ15, and GQ30, these new units are pitched at the professional sound and installation markets.

The GE215 is a two-channel, two-third octave unit, and the GE130 a single-channel, one-third octave one. Both feature 45mm sliders, constant Q filters, level controls, overload indicators, and 'fail-safe' bypass switches. Inputs and outputs are provided with fully balanced three-pin (XLR) and quick-disconnect Euroblock connectors. The GE215 and GE130 are double space, 19-inch rack-mount devices with UL/CSA power supplies and CE certification. Both are available immediately.

Shuttlesound. (Contact Details).