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Optimal Audio

Optimal Audio launches Column Series – shipped with complete installation kit

Optimal Audio has announced the launch of the Column Series, a pair of passive column loudspeakers designed for indoor and outdoor commercial installations. Column 8 and Column 16 extend the brand’s versatile loudspeaker range centred on three things integrators have asked for: a complete installation kit in the box; IP54 rating as standard; and native integration with the wider Optimal Audio ecosystem. 

Column 8 features eight 2.2″ full-range drivers in a slim cabinet 610mm in length, delivering 150-degree horizontal by 7-degree vertical dispersion making it ideal for even coverage without spill onto ceilings or floors. Column 16 steps up with sixteen drivers in a 1.1m cabinet for larger and more acoustically demanding spaces, with a tighter 5-degree vertical pattern for improved control. Both models are passive, 8 ohm, with 70V and 100V transformer taps, and both are rated IP54 when fitted with the rear panel connector cover, included in the box 

“Column loudspeakers were a natural next step for us,” said David Morbey, Product Manager at Optimal Audio. “When you look at where commercial audio actually gets deployed, in houses of worship, conference venues, concourses and the busier end of hospitality, a column is often the right answer acoustically. Column 8 and Column 16 extend our addressable market, at a price point where integrators can specify them without a difficult conversation.” 

Both models are available in black and white, and both are paintable to match the surrounding architecture. Each model also ships with the complete installation kit as standard: a pan-and-tilt wall bracket, metal safety strap, rear panel connector cover, and spare grille cloth for use when painting cabinets. The Column Series is fully compatible with Optimal Audio’s Zone and WebApp with factory-tuned Speech and Music DSP presets available – giving integrators a known and proven starting point for voicing, rather than a blank EQ in the room. 

Morbey pointed out, “This range delivers on the small stuff that matters in practice.”  

He added, “Most of the category charges separately for the bits and pieces an integrator actually needs on the day. We’ve put the lot in the box. Combined with IP54 as standard and native integration with the rest of our ecosystem, you end up with a product that just works on arrival – which is what Optimal Audio has always tried to do: powerful in application, simple to use.” 

The Column Series will be shown and demoed for the first time at InfoComm 2026, Las Vegas, on booth N6833, with orders taken immediately and first deliveries commencing September 2026. 

Photography: Daniel Dobrovszki, Armin Speil, Oliver Toth, MateLeblanc

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Categories
LEA Professional

Hospitality Solutions: LEA Amps Power Thirsty Lion

As Thirsty Lion expanded into North Texas, the hospitality brand needed a scalable, high-performance audio solution capable of delivering consistent, multi-zone sound across dining areas, bars, and patios. Platinum AVL deployed LEA Connect Series amplifiers, and the venue gained a cloud-enabled, networked audio system designed to simplify installation, streamline management, and elevate the guest experience.

The Spec

🏢 Venue: Thirsty Lion | Dallas, TX

👷‍♂️ Integrator: Platinum AVL

🎶 Audio Spaces: Main Dining Areas, Outdoor Spaces, Rooftop Patio

🦈 Product Used: Connect Series CS354 & CS702 (Multiple) 

Thirsty lion gastropub

Founded in 2013, Thirsty Lion has built its reputation on creating an energetic dining atmosphere centered around craft food, local beer, cocktails, and social engagement. To support that experience, each location requires flexible, high-quality audio capable of adapting to multiple spaces throughout the venue.

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When the company expanded into North Texas, Thirsty Lion partnered with Paul Mar, system designer and engineer at Platinum AVL, to design and implement a professional audio solution that could deliver reliable, consistent sound while remaining simple to manage and scale.

Paul selected LEA Connect Series amplifiers for the installation, utilizing the platform’s built-in DSP, WebUI control, and cloud-based remote management capabilities to streamline deployment and long-term operation.

“We needed an audio solution that could provide flexibility, reliability, and ease of management across multiple zones. LEA Professional gave us the tools to efficiently deploy and manage the system while maintaining the audio quality the client expected.”

The system supports audio distribution throughout the restaurant’s dining spaces, bar areas, patios, and private event zones, helping create a consistent guest experience across the entire venue.

“With LEA, we were able to simplify installation and gain remote visibility into system performance, which is incredibly valuable for hospitality environments. The platform gives us confidence that the system will remain easy to support as the brand continues to grow.”

The Conclusion

As Thirsty Lion continues to expand its footprint, LEA Professional provides the scalable, networked amplification platform needed to support consistent, high-quality audio across every location. With flexible multi-zone control, cloud-based management, and reliable system performance, LEA helps hospitality venues create memorable guest experiences while simplifying installation, monitoring, and long-term system management.

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Categories
Martin Audio

BREMER MEDIA AND EVENTS STEPS UP WITH MARTIN AUDIO TORUS

NLD – Bremer Media and Events, a leading AV rental company based in Rotterdam, has significantly bolstered its high-end audio inventory with the acquisition of a flexible Martin Audio TORUS sound system. As technical experts for a diverse range of large-scale events and co-managers of the Onderzeebootloods venue in Rotterdam – a former submarine wharf – Bremer required a solution that could meet the demands of a colossal industrial venue while remaining agile enough for more intimate deployments.

Bremer is not a traditional rental house. Since their recent acquisition of FrameWave, the company has shifted focus to provide comprehensive creative event design and technical support – offering a complete service from idea to technical execution.

“We offer a very broad range of services, where AV is an essential part of the bigger picture,” explains Bremer Media and Events Operations Director, Rick van der Vegt. “Our ambition with the Martin Audio investment was to guarantee consistent quality and be less dependent on the rental market. We were looking for a scalable sound system, capable of handling large-scale events with ease.”

The search for the ideal solution for their needs began two years ago, through a referral to Ampco Flashlight Rental, Martin Audio’s distributor in The Netherlands.

THE BEAUTY OF TORUS IS ITS INCREDIBLE SCALABILITY

Rick van der Vegt, Bremer Media and Events Operations Director

Martijn de Jong of Ampco Flashlight Sales picks up the story: “Bremer decided it was time for the next step. Previously, they often had to rent equipment for larger jobs but wanted their own scalable, high-end audio under their management.”

Rick van der Vegt attended several demo events at Ampco Flashlight’s studio in Utrecht to put the TORUS system through its paces, and impressed by its sonic signature and versatility, subsequently invested in a comprehensive package.

Bremer’s inventory now comprises 6x T1215 and 2x T1230 constant curvature array elements, 8x SXC118 cardioid subwoofers, and 6x FP12 FlexPoint loudspeakers, all powered by 5x iKON IK42 4-channel amplifiers.

“The beauty of TORUS is its incredible scalability,” notes van der Vegt. “One day you are deploying a small sub-top set for a seminar; the next, everything is rigged together for a major production. That is exactly the flexibility we were looking for. Depending on the brief, TORUS allows for a powerful front-facing array or a distributed system across a wide area.”

In addition, rider acceptance was a decisive factor. “The price-performance ratio is excellent, and it is a system that is widely accepted by visiting engineers,” he adds. “We can now facilitate small festivals with absolute confidence.”

The system has seen immediate action, ranging from events as diverse as high-profile corporate meetings at the Onderzeebootloods, to the high-energy environment of the Rotterdam Marathon.

Martijn de Jong concludes, “Whether it’s a high-impact DJ set, a live band, or a business conference, the combination of TORUS T1215 and T1230 cabinets ensures dispersion and impact are always exactly as desired.”

Reflecting on the successful investment, Rick van der Vegt praises the collaboration: “The process with Ampco Flashlight was exactly the way we like it – approachable and down-to-earth. Martijn speaks our language, and his advice helped us find the perfect match for our needs. Now we are proving it in practice.”

Photography: Daniel Dobrovszki, Armin Speil, Oliver Toth, MateLeblanc

Thanks to

Distribution Partner: Ampco Flashlight Sales
Integration/Installation Partner: Bremer Media and Events

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Categories
Optimal Audio

Optimal Audio Takes the Floor at the Shanghai Metropolitan

CHN – Optimal Audio has stepped out in style at the Shanghai Metropolitan VIP Lounge, with an installation of Cuboid loudspeakers tuned into the discerning regular crowd – gentlemen who cut their teeth at the legendary Paramount and Metropolitan ballrooms in their younger years. Entertaining this calibre of style-focussed guests who can tell a waltz from a tango at the first bar requires audio quality that hits the right note. 

The venue’s exacting brief called for low end that was firm and tuneful rather than booming, tempo that held through every waltz and slow waltz, conversation in the booths that could carry without shouting, even coverage under an octagonal dome prone to echo, and a finish discreet enough to sit alongside crystal chandeliers and original Shanghainese woodwork. Cue Optimal Audio Cuboid 10 and Cuboid 12 loudspeakers. 

In the lounge area populated with seating booths, Cuboid 10 takes the lead. Its clean hand-off at the crossover provides warm and detailed mid-range, perfect for the old standards on the playlist and sitting comfortably under conversation rather than fighting it. The user-rotatable HF horn delivers 90-degrees of horizontal dispersion maintaining evenly lit sound, corner banquette to corner banquette. 

The dancefloor benefits from Cuboid 12 enclosures where the 12-inch drivers – reaching down to 62Hz – deliver deep and solid tones whilst keeping the rhythm tight and defined. With headroom to spare, they’re never stretched and the sound holds its shape late into the evening. 

The trapezoid wooden cabinets of the Optimal Audio Cuboid loudspeakers sit naturally with the venue’s heritage interior, whether wall-mounted, suspended, portrait or landscape. Flexible mounting and the rotatable HF horn mean coverage reaches the corners as confidently as the centre.  

Another challenge met neatly by the characteristics of Optimal Audio Cuboids was the venue’s dominating ceiling dome. The unruly reverberance of the dome’s acoustics was tamed with the passive two-way design of the Optimal Audio Cuboid enclosures. The outcome was a sound system that ran reliably and distortion-free across long sessions, which matters in a venue where an evening’s dancing isn’t measured in songs but in hours. 

Photos: Adam Firman/Lina Stores

Click here for original article.

Categories
Martin Audio

KIIT Bhubaneswar Hosts 61st Femina Miss India Grand Finale with Beauty, Brilliance, and Martin Audio WPL Sound!

IND – KIIT Bhubaneswar presented the 61st Femina Miss India at KIIT Cricket Ground, Bhubaneswar, bringing one of India’s most prestigious pageant platforms to Odisha with grandeur, elegance, and national attention. The event celebrated talent, confidence, personality, and stage presence, creating a memorable evening for the audience and participants. Sadhvi S. from Goa was crowned Femina Miss India World 2026 and will represent India on the global stage at Miss World. Rajnandini Pawar from Maharashtra was named Femina Miss India 2026 – 1st Runner Up, while Advaita from Jammu & Kashmir was crowned Femina Miss India 2026 – 2nd Runner Up.

For a production of this scale, Foress Sound and Light Professionals deployed a Martin Audio FOH system featuring WPL line array elements and SXH218 Hybrid® horn/reflex subwoofers. The WPL system delivered long-throw clarity, strong vocal intelligibility, and consistent coverage across the cricket ground, while the SXH218 subwoofers provided powerful low-frequency depth for music, walk-ins, stage sequences, and high-impact moments. Together, the system ensured that every announcement, performance, and celebratory moment was presented with the clarity, energy, and professional sound quality required for a landmark event like the 61st Femina Miss India.

Photography: Daniel Dobrovszki, Armin Speil, Oliver Toth, MateLeblanc

Thanks to

Distribution Partner: VMT Enterprise
Integration/Installation Partner: Foress Sound and Light Professionals

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Categories
Martin Audio TiMax

Breaking barriers in 360°

A dancer supports the upright bass, played by Patrick Phillip
Image courtesy of No Limits, Hong Kong

When the UK-based Paraorchestra performed at Hong Kong’s No Limits festival, it transcended the realms of a conventional touring production. Caroline Moss reports on the boundary-defying concerts

The Paraorchestra was founded in 2011 by British conductor and musical polymath Charles Hazelwood to improve the integration of disabled people into music and the performing arts. He felt that while talented musicians with disabilities existed in abundance, including his own daughter, they lacked meaningful professional opportunities. Just a year after Hazelwood announced the formation of the Paraorchestra at a TED conference, it participated in the London 2012 Paralympics Games ceremonies, playing alongside Coldplay at the closing event. Since then, the orchestra has evolved into an ensemble which commissions original works and explores unconventional formats while breaking down barriers.

A defining piece in the Paraorchestra’s repertoire is The Nature of Why, composed by Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory. The composition draws inspiration from Richard Feynman, the Nobel prize-winning physicist whose interviews explored the deeper meaning of questioning itself. Gregory structured the work into nine movements, each responding to fragments of Feynman’s reflections on the nature of “why”. Front of house engineer Simon Honywill, who’s worked with the orchestra since 2018, has been advancing the sound design for The Nature of Why for each outing.

“Even though we might not have seen each other for several years, when everybody comes together it’s just joyous,” says Honywill. “I feel very much a part of the ensemble, and it was particularly exciting being involved from the start. I would sit with Will as he was literally composing it on the spot, while the choreographer was working with the musicians, and it evolved before my eyes. And I had a lightbulb moment when I was struggling with how I was going to come up with a sound design that worked, because almost all the performers were going to be mobile.”

DPA miniature mics mounted on the wrists of marimba player Harriet Riley
Image courtesy of No Limits, Hong Kong

Honywill’s idea was to present the performers in the round in the same space as the audience members, who would be free to move between musicians and interact with them or simply stand back to take in the ever-changing performance. However, this came with its own set of challenges, namely, how to reinforce singers and musicians who are constantly on the move and deliver a sense of direction to help the audience locate a soloist or singer. Early iterations of the show attempted to solve these using overhead microphone grids and zoned reinforcement, effectively creating an “acoustic bubble”. While functional, Honywill felt that the result lacked precision and clarity; the mix felt diffuse and performers struggled to hear their performances clearly via a monitoring system which was also the PA.

“As the show developed, it became apparent that it was very special as it was so connected to the audience, because they’re up close and personal to all the action,” he continues. “You might be standing there watching somebody dance and a massive marimba is suddenly wheeled past you, and Harriet Riley, who’s playing it, is lifted up in the air. The idea behind the sound system wasn’t necessarily to make it big and loud, it was about giving people directional clues as to where the action was.”

So, when the Paraorchestra was booked to play at Hong Kong’s No Limits festival in March, Honywill decided to up the ante by adopting TiMax spatial audio technology to track the performers as they moved around the space. Every year, from February to March, No Limits showcases music, dance, theatre and film programmes by international and local artists of different abilities. This was an ideal platform for showcasing the Paraorchestra’s mission of reimagining the relationship between artist and audience.

“Charlie Hazelwood was determined to give the show a bit more spatial information, so I went away and did some research, realising that the only way to go, really, was to use a TiMax immersive sound solution,” Honywill continues.

For the five performances of The Nature of Why, staged at Hong Kong’s Kwai Tsing Theatre in Kowloon, a 15m-diameter, circular performance area was surrounded by a ring of seven Martin Audio FP12 loudspeakers at a height of 2.5m, augmented by an SXCF118 cardioid subwoofer. Above, six TiMax Tracker D4 tracking sensors in the grid triangulated the real-time positions of performers and key instruments. Using the TiMax SoundHub alongside TiMax Tracker, the production team transformed the show’s sonic architecture. Around 20 mobile sound sources were fitted with trackers, with some performers equipped with multiple units; the marimba alone required three to reflect its physical scale. Signals from Honywill’s microphones of choice – DPA 4061 and 4099 miniatures – were routed individually to the TiMax system via Dante, bypassing conventional subgroup mixing. This was appreciated not just by the audience but by the musicians, who reported being able to hear themselves clearly within the ensemble despite constant movement, improving confidence and musical precision and enhancing performances.

The audience inhabits the same space as the Paraorchestra performers
Image courtesy of No Limits, Hong Kong
L–R: Viola player Siobhan Clough and electric harpist Steph West
Image courtesy of No Limits, Hong Kong

“While the audience members were free to walk outside of the performance area, all the action took place within the circle,” explains Honywill. “Using TiMax to track the performers did one of several things: it provided really good directional information, but the musicians could hear themselves really clearly. Using a system like TiMax, every source has its own unique amplitude and phase relationship to the sound system. There’s no problematic phase interaction between sources, so the clarity is exceptional, and gives that positional information within the space. The show is an intense, emotional experience and the music is a very unusual combination of instruments.”

The ensemble encompasses an 11-piece string section, solo viola, upright bass, marimba, French horn, electric guitar, two percussionists, two singers, clarinet, keyboard and electric harp. The percussionists play an array of instruments from temple bells and chimes through to bongos and bass drums. Shure Axient radio microphone systems, together with additional infrastructure, were provided by the venue, with local crew adapting to unconventional deployment methods, including DPA 4061 microphones mounted on the wrists of percussionists to maintain proximity across multiple instruments.

The local crew did a good job of understanding the accuracy required in loudspeaker and microphone placement, providing all the radio equipment and managing the radio mics,” says Honywill.

A Yamaha Rivage PM5 console positioned outside the performance circle was used to mix the five shows. During rehearsals, Honywill made adjustments on an iPad from within the space itself. While the TiMax equipment travelled with the production, the Martin Audio loudspeaker system was supplied by the British manufacturer’s APAC sales agency, Generation AV. As well as providing the speakers, Generation AV also provided local expertise in the shape of technical manager Jeremiah Joseph. “Jeremiah acted as my system tech and TiMax engineer; he was a valuable addition to the team and very talented,” says Honywill.

“TiMax has given the performance a new dimension – it’s made the sound such an essential part of it, enabling me to elevate the whole thing sonically to a new level and giving it a bigger energy. It’s not devastatingly loud, but the difference between being within the loudspeaker system and outside it, from an energy point of view, is very marked. You’re either in the show or you’re out of it.

A visually impaired attendee explores a bass clarinet played by Lloyd Coleman

“It’s taught me a lot about spatial mixing – it just gives everything its own space in the mix. Having a unique phase and amplitude pathway from each source to the loudspeaker makes a huge difference to what actually comes out of the speakers. And, from an audience point of view, it’s actually a lot easier to listen to.”

This was borne out across the five shows spanning three days, plus an open dress rehearsal, where audience reactions were consistently intense, according to Honywill. Generation AV’s director David McKinney invited 15 regional clients to one of the shows. “I did a presentation afterwards and they were, to a person, completely blown away,” recalls Honywill. “One veteran consultant was actually moved to tears.”

Up to 250 audience members per performance inhabited the same 15m-diameter circular space as the performers, free to roam within the performance circle.

The crowd were free to move between musicians, dancing and interacting with them, or standing back to take in the ever-changing performance. Moments of spontaneous intimacy were common, including one when a young child followed viola player Siobhan Clough through the space, eventually becoming the sole audience for a personal rendition. In another, a visually impaired attendee explored a bass clarinet through touch while it was being played by Lloyd Coleman, experiencing its vibrations physically.

“Every show is different, and that is largely down to the way people react,” Honywill explains. “The audience don’t know what to expect but, when they realise what they’re involved in, it generates an amazing buzz.”

Ultimately, The Nature of Why demonstrates that when barriers fall away, something extraordinary becomes possible. It functions as a lesson in how technology can deepen human connection rather than distract from it by the seemingly simple method of removing barriers, whether between differently abled musicians or between performers and audiences.

Click here for original article.

Categories
LEA Professional

LEA Amps for Immersive Recording Studio

Nestled on the outskirts of Music City, Secret Sound—a cutting-edge studio designed by industry legend Chas Sandford, known for his work with icons like Tina Turner, Brooks & Dunn, and Rod Stewart—turned to LEA amplifiers when upgrading to Dolby Atmos. 

The Spec

🏢 Venue: Secret Sound  | Franklin, TN

👷‍♂️ Integrator: The Pad Group

🎶 Audio Spaces: Entire studio

🦈 Product Used: Connect Series 702D &  704D (Multiple)

Secret Sound

Chas Sandford’s Secret Sound studio is a state-of-the-art mixing and tracking environment located on 53 secluded acres in the heart of Franklin, TN.

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“In reviewing the specific requirements for our installation, LEA Professional amps checked all of the boxes perfectly,” said Sandford. “It was a breeze setting them up, we basically set them up once and forgot it. Once the system was tuned, I was floored by how great it sounded! The system performs flawlessly and sounds fabulous.”

Like many others in the music industry, Sandford’s quest to enjoy music at its highest level brought him to NAMM, where he served on a panel for Creating Your Own Atmos Studio. The panel was facilitated by Dave Malekpour, President of The PAD Group (Professional Audio Design, Inc.), who used Secret Sound to explain why Dolby Atmos could benefit Sandford and how to implement it effectively. Sandford was hooked and worked with Malekpour to make it a reality using the studio’s preexisting gear, including Augspurger monitors.

“Sandford wanted to use his existing isolation rack, which had limited space available,” said Malekpour. “We chose LEA amps primarily because of the Dante connectivity and the ability to fit into one rack space with four channels of great specifications and super low noise. An added benefit was that the amplifiers themselves don’t make a lot of noise or generate a lot of heat — they were just really efficient and effective in this installation.”

Malekpour installed a combination of multiple Connect Series 702Ds and 704Ds in the studio to power the PMC speakers. Both 1U amplifiers are well-suited for installations requiring high flexibility, making them the perfect choice for Secret Sound. With 96kHz-capable Dante and AES67 connectivity options, the IoT-enabled 2-channel 702D and the 4-channel 704D provide 700 watts per channel, support Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and feature Smart Power Bridge technology. With three ways to connect, the studio can engage the built-in Wi-Fi access point, connect to the building’s Wi-Fi, or connect to the local area network via Cat5 or Cat6 cable.

CS702D
CS704D

The Conclusion

“Amplifiers have a big impact on how the speakers perform, how the low end is delivered, and the naturalness of it,” said Malekpour. “And the LEA amps are a great product, literally Dante-enabled little powerhouses. I highly recommend them, and I think I’ll use them again probably every chance I get.” 

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Categories
Linea Research Martin Audio

RADIO RIOT BRINGS BIG GIG SOUND TO THE PUB CIRCUIT WITH NEW MARTIN AUDIO BLACKLINEQ SERIES

UK – Radio Riot are a three-piece pub and function band delivering Britpop and guitar-driven covers spanning five decades. Like the best function acts, they bring the same energy and ambition to every show regardless of venue size. And in choosing a truly portable sound system capable of consistently delivering a big gig sound, lead singer and guitarist David Preston turned to Martin Audio’s new Blackline Q Series of loudspeakers.

Preston has been playing with bassist Luke Stephens and drummer Dean Fowler since the age of 19. “We did originals, covers, and an Oasis tribute band over the last 25 years together but around 9 years ago stopped because life got busy,” he explains. “We all missed it, so we got back into it last year with Radio Riot.”

For Preston, who brings a professional audio background to the project, production standards are non-negotiable regardless of the venue. “We want to create a big gig feel,” he says. “Everything is mic’d up no matter what the venue, whether it’s a small function room, a cricket club or a pub. We want the full show, every time.”

That ambition extends to the backing tracks, which incorporate keyboards, strings and synths. “When we’re doing songs like ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ or ‘Town Called Malice,’ we need those strings and keyboards to land properly,” he notes. “We spent a year and a half building the show before we played our first gig.”

In search of a PA capable of delivering that big-gig impact from a system that could also fit in the boot of a car, Preston turned to Martin Audio’s BlacklineQ – a new series of passive loudspeakers driven by a Linea Research 44M06 amplifier.

EVERY VENUE WE’VE PLAYED, THE BLACKLINEQ COVERS THE SPACE EXACTLY AS WE NEED IT TO

David Preston, Radio Riot

“With self-powered systems, you sometimes hit limiters too early,” he explains. “Stepping up to external amplification gives you much more headroom and quality and allows us to control the PA far better.”

The portable rig comprises a pair of Blackline Q15 tops and a pair of Blackline Q118 subwoofers.

The Q15 is capable of a peak SPL of 133dB, featuring a 15-inch LF driver with a 4-inch voice coil and a 1.4-inch exit HF compression driver with a 3-inch dome. Its 70°– 90° horizontal × 50° vertical Differential Dispersion horn ensures wide, consistent coverage across the audience area.

Completing the system, the Q118 is an 18” compact, high-performance subwoofer extending low-frequency response down to 38Hz, with a peak SPL of 136dB.

“I love the top-end clarity that the Q15 delivers,” says Preston. “And because we always mic up the full backline, the subs handle whatever we throw at them. The PA handles the whole band even when we have all the synths, keys, or full-range horn parts on the track as well, and we can still break the system down easily and load it into our cars.”

That portability and handling are important for a band loading in and out of venues quickly. “It’s a system we can put up and power on quickly,” he says. “The subs are light enough to lift into a car on your own, and even the 15s aren’t unreasonably heavy—it’s essentially a one-man operation. What we’re running now is smaller than we had before but delivers the same power with considerably more clarity.

For system control, Preston runs Martin Audio’s System Engineer 8 software on a tablet, using the Linea Research amplifier’s onboard DSP for system EQ. “I do my main overall PA EQ within the amp rather than the mixer. The quality is more accurate and simply sounds better,” he explains.

Ultimately, it is the sound that defines the system’s success. “Every venue we’ve played, the BlacklineQ covers the space exactly as we need it to,” says Preston. “They’re really good-sounding speakers with great definition.”

For Preston, the investment speaks for itself. “If you’re willing to spend a little more over a mid-range self-powered system, it really makes a difference,” he concludes.

Photography: Daniel Dobrovszki, Armin Speil, Oliver Toth, MateLeblanc

Click here for original article.

Categories
BlueSound Professional Company News

Bluesound Professional partners with Generation AV for Asia

APAC – Bluesound Professional has entered into a sales representative agreement with Generation AV to boost its growth in APAC and bring its audio solutions to a broader audience. Lenbrook Asia continues to serve as the brand’s local distributor.

With headquarters in Singapore, Generation AV represents audio and video brands in Asia, supported by a team with decades of regional experience, and is well-placed to represent Bluesound Professional’s scalable audio streaming solutions. “We’re excited to partner with Bluesound Professional to showcase their innovative hardware and software,” said David McKinney, managing director of Generation AV. “We pride ourselves in supporting top-tier brands that redefine auditory experiences, and Bluesound Professional’s high-performance networked audio solutions are an ideal fit. From retail spaces and bars to restaurants and hotels, we’re eager to introduce their technology to even more environments across Asia.”

Bluesound Professional has already completed several installations in the region. “Partnering with Generation AV is a key step in expanding our presence in Asia,” commented Graeme Harrison, vice president and general manager of Bluesound Professional. “The team’s enthusiasm, expertise and experience will be invaluable as we continue to drive strong sales growth in Asia, solidifying our position as leaders in networked audio. On a personal note, it’s great to be working with David again, and we’re excited about what we can achieve together.”

The Bluesound Professional and Generation AV team during Bluesound Professional training in Singapore last month
Bluesound Professional

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Categories
LEA Professional

From Poolside Beats to Lounge Ambience: LEA Amplifiers Set the Mood at Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club

The Dominican Republic is a land of unparalleled natural beauty and vibrant culture, where lush landscapes and pristine beaches meet the rhythmic heartbeat of its people. Among the many treasures of this diverse island, Puerto Plata is a shining gem on the northern coast, offering a captivating blend of history, adventure, and natural beauty. A town steeped in colonial significance, Puerto Plata served as a key port during the colonial era, and its historic architecture still stands as a testament to its past. ☀️

The Spec

🛎️ Venue: Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club | Puerto Plata

👷‍♂️ Integrators: Musitempo

🔊 Audio Spaces:  Entire Venue

🦈 Products Used: CS704D & CS354D

The Venue

Located oceanside in Puerto Plata, the Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club resort boasts a diverse array of accommodations, where guests can enjoy breathtaking ocean or mountain views, fully-equipped kitchens, and both private and communal pools, creating a serene and pampering retreat. The resort offers a wide range of recreational activities, including golf, scuba diving, and various water sports. Guests can also enjoy nightly entertainment, dance lessons, and a supervised Kid’s Club, ensuring fun for all ages.

The original audio design was a series of independent systems by area. Each restaurant, bar, and other rooms had their own audio equipment, resulting in excess gear installed in multiple IDFs. Resort staff contacted Fernando Hernández Voigt, Founder of Musitempo, to help optimize the system and centralize operations. He included LEA Professional amplifiers as part of the retrofit.

“We had to retrofit the system while the resort was operating, so rewiring and centralizing everything while not disrupting guest activities was pretty challenging at times,” said Voigt. “Luckily, with the speaker tunings available from LEA, we didn’t have to go zone by zone and tweak the speaker settings. It was basically plug-and-play.”

The Install

Musitempo installed Connect Series 704D amplifiers and Connect Series 354D amplifiers to power the hotel’s loudspeakers. The IoT-enabled 4-channel 704D provides 700 watts per channel, while the 4-channel 354D offers 350 watts per channel. Both models support Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and feature Smart Power Bridge technology. Dante-enabled models include the same features as Network Connect models, plus 96kHz-capable Dante and AES67 connectivity options

CS704D
CS354D

The Connect Series delivers an industry-first professional amplifier family to feature cloud connectivity, a revolutionary advancement and a significant benefit for anyone maintaining the systems. With LEA Cloud, AV teams like Musitempo can remotely control and monitor the amplifiers regardless of the location or time of day, and with no subscription model or hidden costs, it’s completely free to use.

Musitempo also utilized LEA’s free SharkWare software to configure a base profile and push it out to all the pre-staged LEA amplifiers. SharkWare includes amplifier grouping, offline design, granular user access control levels, locked speaker tunings, and a graphical EQ. Additionally, the software enables users to view and adjust channel settings, including input settings, signal generator, crossover, equalizer, limiter, and load monitoring, for all LEA Connect Series amplifiers.

The Conclusion

With the completion of the retrofit, the resort now has a world-class audio system to match the beauty and grandeur of the property. Resort staff have simple UIs to control everything, like source selection and volume by zone, making their jobs much easier.

“Hotel management feels like they’re in the future. That’s the way that they basically describe the way the system works. Now, instead of guest complaints, they’re getting praised,” said Voigt. “LEA was an integral part of the solution. We couldn’t be happier with how the system turned out.”