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Prolight + Sound 2014 show preview

Like Easter, Prolight + Sound moves around the calendar: this year the Frankfurt show takes place on 12-15 March. This is a month earlier than the 2013 event, and only five weeks after ISE, which this year was a week later than previously (and will move to mid-February in 2015).

Although its prime focus remains live events, Prolight + Sound has for some years looked to capitalise on the growth of the fixed installation market with its Media Systems ‘product segment’, although this has tended to be more evident in pre-show publicity than on the showfloor itself. It would be ironic if some attendees felt that not enough time had passed since ISE to make a visit to Prolight + Sound worthwhile; but conversely, with ISE attendees frequently remarking that there is too much to see there, maybe the Frankfurt show will provide a chance to catch up on what people missed in Amsterdam.

The Prolight + Sound Conference, to be held in Hall 9.1 and the Cosmopolitan Lounge of Hall 9.T, falls into three main sections:

  • Media technology, in which speakers will pass on knowledge gained from practical experience and present product solutions and services from the fields of AV media technology and systems integration;
  • Event technology, which will include topics such as security in the event sector, legal issues, regulations and training options; and
  • The VDT Academy, which is an information event organised by the Association of German Sound Engineers.

Lighting and video

Meanwhile, on the showfloor, Analog Way will be showcasing its latest mixers and seamless switchers. A highlight is the Ascender 32, a powerful multi-screen seamless switcher with 32 scalers.

The system offers 12 seamless inputs with 42 input plugs: six HDMI, nine DVI-I, three DisplayPort, 12 3G/HD/SD-SDI and 12 Universal Analog. It can handle any source from composite video, up to 2560 x 1600, and outputs a variety of formats, including HDTV and Computer format up to 2560 x 1600 and 4K. It also includes an independent Dual-Link output for monitoring purposes, with a Live Source Mosaic layout. Other products on show are the Saphyr and Pulse2 mixer native matrix switchers.

Ayrton will launch three new products: NandoBeam S6, WildBeam R and IntelliPix R. NandoBeam S6 is a compact, ultra-fast moving head. Equipped with 37 RGBW LED emitters, arranged in four ‘crowns’ of independently controlled semi-ring sections, it shares the same lightweight optical system and ultra-fast 5:1 zoom as the smaller S3. WildBeam R couples seven individually controlled 15W RGBW LEDs with new 67mm collimators – a world-premiere combination – to create an astonishingly powerful, compact luminaire with a sharp 4.5° beam. Ayrton’s IntelliPix R is a modular beam projection panel of 25 independently controllable 4.5° LED emitters, arranged in a 5 x 5 array, which are designed to project graphics and media far into the air.

US manufacturer Chauvet is launching SlimPAR HEX 3 IRC, a low-profile LED Par with 6-in-1 LED technology (RGBAW+UV) and built-in infrared remote-control capability. The included IRC-6 remote enables wireless operation and control for point-and-shoot operation of static colours and automated programmes.

eyevis will present a range of high-res LED modules and LCD display solutions at Prolight + Sound. The EYE-LCD-9000-LD 90in screen boasts 1920 x 1080 pixels and Direct-LED backlight. Due to its connections for DVI, HDMI, VGA, S-Video and C-Video signals, the display can be used in control and conference rooms, for digital signage or at television studios for stills, video transmission or live connections.

squareTILES, meanwhile, consist of quadrilateral 21.6in screens which can be installed in a row, a column combined to a videowall area, or in an unusual configuration – an internal scaler with matrix functionality ensures almost any setting can be realised without additional display controllers. squareTILES can also be rotated whereby the internal image processing guarantees the correct display of the required image.

Griven will be debuting its MAXI WATERLED RGBW and PARADE X-24. The MAXI WATERLED is a more powerful version of the WATERLED MK2 and is said to provide a higher-performing light output that will enhance widescale underwater applications. PARADE X-RGBW-24 is the high-luminance flagship of Griven’s linear LED modules. Uniform colour coverage even on close-up installations, especially on large-scale architectural elements, and the newly conceived optics groups provide for powerful grazing lighting enhancement.

Robe’s MiniMe, Pointe and Robin Cyclone will all be on show in Frankfurt. MiniMe is a small, fast-moving LED driven fixture with 20,000-hour lifetime source. Custom artwork, still photographs and video can be simply uploaded for projection, while live video can be streamed through the HDMI input. The Pointe can project a static or rotating glass gobo to produce precision in-air and surface images with an even focal plane. Finally, the Cyclone effects moving head has an integrated fan in the centre of the head surrounded by a ring of 24 high-powered RGBW multichip LEDs. It features a zoom of 8º to 63º on the LEDs and a strong central airflow that can be combined with fog and haze to assist with creating atmospheric effects.

Robert Juliat will exhibit its range of lighting fixtures, including the Lancelot, Cyrano and Victor followspots on its stand. Lancelot is designed for live concert tours and stadium shows while Cyrano’s features (accurate dimming, easy operation of pan, tilt and iris, progressive frost, dichroic filters) continue to rank it as a desirable followspot for theatre and opera.

Robert Juliat’s Tibo and Zep LED profile and fresnel lanterns will also be on show along with, for the first time in mainland Europe, the new motorised yoke accessory designed specifically for RJ fresnels.

Audio

The EVAC 5EN 6W ceiling speaker is just one of the products making its debut on the AMC Baltic stand. The EN54-24-certified unit features a built-in 100V transformer with power taps, metal grille, steel fire housing and 5in full-range speaker. It will be joined by the VIVA 5 wallmount plastic speaker designed for background music purposes. The 30W loudspeakers have a frequency response of 8Hz-20kHz and a design that enables them to fit into a variety of contemporary interiors.

New from Audac is the SMA and SMQ series of Class D power amplifiers featuring WaveDynamics audio processing technology. They come in different output configurations with two or four channels and are available in output powers of 350W, 500W and 750W. Also on show are the latest additions to the company’s loudspeaker range.

The Resolution 3 SH Evo and EH Evo are the most recent editions to Funktion-One’s Resolution Series. They are the next generation of the segmented products that are derived from the full-bodied Resolution 3. Both new products have an enhanced vocal presence due to the substitution of a 1.4in compression driver for the previous 1in in the earlier Res 3 models.

The R3SH Evo and R3EH Evo both use the mid-high section of the Resolution 3. While the RS3SH Evo is a skeletal loudspeaker, the R3EH Evo is enclosed in a birch ply cabinet. Both offer high output and controlled directivity and can be used in a wide range of applications, including providing additional coverage to a Resolution 3 system, supplying the high-power mid-high section of a multi-way PA system or in demanding speech-based applications, such as theatrical voice reinforcement.

Nexo will preview its GEO M6 compact loudspeaker series in Frankfurt. The unit extends beyond the company’s traditional heartland of live music applications, towards the corporate AV sector and a wide range of fixed installation opportunities where speech reinforcement is the primary requirement. The series consists of the GEO M620 full-range unit for standalone, curved array or line array application, and the GEO M6B, a low- and mid-frequency extension box, for applications which demand more powerful reinforcement, such as live music.

The HAL Programmable Multi-Processor DSP will take centre stage on the Rane stand. According to the company HAL has “revolutionised system design and installation”. The easy-to-use architecture does not require any intricate matrix mixing or presets and no virtual wiring is required to distribute pages and background music to multiple, even hundreds, of zones. In addition, the HAL Multiprocessor and Halogen software check the status, location, Cat5 wiring integrity, and that audio is flowing in all peripheral devices, so users know a system is properly connected and ready to go.

Peavey will be in Frankfurt with its Elements C weatherproof loudspeaker enclosures. The IP45-rated series is available in three two-way, full-range configurations and as a flyable subwoofer. The Elements 115C and Elements 112C debut new 15in and 12in weatherproof Black Widow woofers and an RX 22 2in titanium diaphragm compression driver tweeter coupled to a Quadratic-Throat Waveguide rotatable horn. The Elements 108C combines a 75º x 75º horn with an 8in weatherproof woofer in a compact and durable enclosure. The Elements 212 subwoofer is a flyable subwoofer enclosure featuring a pair of 12in weatherproof woofers.

New from ProCab is the Classic cable series, consisting of an assortment of connection cables and adaptors for audio, video, power, digital and data. This complete range of pre-made cables includes those with gold-plated connections and a modern design wrapped in environmentally friendly packaging.

Exhibiting on the stand of German distributor Trius, Symetrix will highlight its latest DSP solutions and an upgraded version of SymNet Composer software. Composer 2.0 will be available for demonstration by Mark Ullrich (international sales manager) and Craig Richardson (vice president of global sales), complete with additions necessary to enable interoperability between Symetrix DSPs, network amplifiers and Dante interface products from two other manufacturers.

TOA will be showing the SR-D8 active line array speaker, which has already had a good reception from tradeshow attendees. Also on display will be new digital mixers, the M-864D and M-8633D. These will be demonstrated in conjunction with a trio of EN54-certified voice alarm systems, for small to large-scale buildings, to show off the former’s automatic resonance control feature. Finally, the stand will also host a range of Trantec wireless systems, including the S4.16 RX2 system, which has double the performance of the S4.16 in the same size of unit.

pls.messefrankfurt.com