Category: Linea Research

Based in Pombal, Sons do Marquês has supplied the highest quality audio products to the Portuguese rental and installation markets for over 20 years. Audio installers and rental companies across Portugal will benefit from Linea’s full range of products with market-leading feature- and performance combinations, the company says.

Linea Research focuses on high performance and cost efficiency in each product across the company’s entire catalogue, the company says. The high-performance levels rely on the design of each part operating together in synergy. To achieve this, every product, from switched-mode power supplies and high-power Class D amplifiers to networked Digital Signal Processing and control software, is developed in-house.

Sons do Marquês MD, Rogerio Lopes, says, “The Linea Research range of amplifiers will be a popular choice in Portugal and already there is interest from larger rental companies and for multi-zone installation project, in the 8-channel M- and C- series models. Linea Research enhances our offering to existing clients seeking an extensive preset library combined with a powerful range of amplification and DSP technology.

Linea Research sales manager, Martin Hildred, adds, “We are delighted to partner with Sons do Marquês in Portugal and the company is the ideal partner to strengthen our distribution in the territory. Rogerio and his team have extensive industry knowledge and an established network through Portugal where the products offered by Linea will add value to the existing offering.”

UK-based Linea Research, innovator of specialist professional audio solutions, has strengthened its global presence with a series of key, strategic distribution appointments. As Prolight + Sound Guangzhou (China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou – 23 – 26th May 2024), opens its doors, Linea Research is delighted to announce Guangzhou Guidance as its distributor and technical service hub for China. Guangzhou Guidance will manage the Linea Research product ranges across mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

As a highly regarded specialist sales partner, the team at Guangzhou Guidance, headed by Rico Xu, will take responsibility for the full spectrum of Linea Research products in the region, from the M Series amplifiers for touring to the C Series for installation, through the XiB4 range of four-channel DSP amplifiers to Linea’s Advanced System Controller, the ASC48.

Guangzhou Guidance’s Rico Xu, said, “We are very pleased to begin the sales and technical service partnership with Linea Research with exhibition of the products at the prestigious Pro Light and Sound China trade exhibition. The quality of Linea Research amplification and DSP solutions perfectly aligns with the other brands we promote in the region. We are excited with the response we have received so far in China and look forward to introducing all our partners and customers to the Linea Research products at the Pro Light + Sound Show.”

Martin Hildred, sales and Marketing Manager for Linea Research, added, “Guangzhou Guidance proved to be the perfect fit for the Linea Research product range, aligning our amplification and DSP product ranges with complimentary brands of equal high calibre. Rico and the Guidance team are an energetic and passionate group and understand clearly how to position Linea Research in China. We look forward to a strong and fruitful partnership together.”

Linea Research announced that it has been named a winner of the King’s Award for Innovation, one of the UK’s most prestigious business awards that recognizes the company’s innovation in the field of audio technology in developing a range of high-performance amplifiers and processors for live sound, installation and studio applications.

The Linea amplifier platform incorporates advanced technologies and components to deliver high power and low distortion sound in a compact package. Novel design choices in switched mode power supply design, class D amplifiers, and networked DSP allow for more precise control over the performance of a loudspeaker system and ensures that the amplifier can protect itself against adverse conditions.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from the King’s Award for Innovation,” says Ben Ver, engineering director and co-founder of Linea Research. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and to the innovative spirit that drives our company forward.

“We are committed to pushing the boundaries of audio technology and delivering the best possible solutions for our customers,” Ver continues. “This award is a great honor and a motivator for us to continue innovating and improving.”

The Linea Research approach focuses on research, holistic ground up development and system efficiency which combine to generate exceptional performance. The products are manufactured in the UK with each element designed and assembled in-house, demonstrating the company’s commitment a high standard of audio quality.

Linea Research has announced the first beta release of System Engineer 8, the company’s new control and telemetry platform designed to provide software control over the M and C Series of networked DSP amplifiers and the ASC48 advanced system controller.

System Engineer 8 divides into three main sections for navigation. Discovery and synchronization of connected devices is designed to be instantaneous, and the three workflow views, Setup, Presets, and Tune, are intended to simplify navigation making system configuration faster and more intuitive.

The Setup view allows the operator to configure the device’s global features. It includes a new input routing mixer/matrix, channel assignment, networking, and bridging. Preset view is where presets can be created, edited, and saved to the computer. Users can preview a selected preset in the browser window before dragging and dropping it into an intended device. Presets can also be created offline using a virtual device ready for deployment once connected to the hardware.

Tune view is where detailed configuration takes place. Dedicated Quick View buttons for Mutes, Gain, Delay, EQ, X-Over, Polarity, Impedance and Current provide Quick View information for each module in the Explorer section. Users can cick on the information in the module and it will expand in the Detail section below for editing and adjustment. Within Tune view, EQ Toggle is a new feature that allows users to toggle between different equalization on the same audio signal. This feature is available on the input, output and groups.

System Engineer 8’s Grouping functionality allows several modules to group for unified control with Overlay EQ, Delay, Gain and Mute. Modules can be assigned to any of the twelve available groups or assigned to multiple groups, particularly useful in controlling larger systems and installations.

System Engineer 8 is currently available on Beta release and can bownloaded from the Linea Research website here. The company states that because this is a Beta release, some features are still in the refining stage. New features are in development and will be added, with a final release due next year.

Focusrite plc has announced the acquisition of Linea Research, the UK-based designer and manufacturer of power amplifiers, controllers and software, becoming the ninth brand of the Focusrite Group in joining Focusrite, Novation, Ampify, ADAM Audio, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Focusrite Pro and Sequential.

Headquartered in Letchworth Garden City, UK, Linea Reserach was formed in 2003 by a team of experienced audio professionals, with products that include a range of power amplifiers as well as digital signal processors, audio networking and software products. Two of the original founders, commercial director Davey Smalley and engineering director Ben Ver, will continue to lead the business post-acquisition.

Focusrite’s subsidiary Martin Audio is a major customer of Linea Research, with technology that’s behind the iKON amplifier series that powers Wavefront Precision line arrays. The acquisition is intended to strengthen the critical source of supply of amplifier modules for Martin Audio and will enable greater integration of loudspeaker and amplifier technology in products. It is also the intention to continue to develop the sales of Linea Research products through third-party distribution and to OEM loudspeaker customers.

“It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Davey, Ben and the entire Linea Research team to the Focusrite Group,” says Tim Carroll, CEO, Focusrite. “We know the team and the business well given that Martin Audio is a major Linea Research customer. This will lead to many synergies and is expected to improve gross margin for both Martin Audio and the wider group. Linea Research’s products are globally recognised as best in class and we are all excited about the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead with the collective expertise of the Linea Research and Focusrite Group R&D and sales teams.”

A joint statement from Smalley and Ver, adds, “We are delighted to be able to continue the Linea Research success story from within the Focusrite Group. Having seen the support and growth of the brands within the group, we believe this provides us with a secure foundation to further our R&D efforts and product portfolio, strengthening the Linea Research brand while continuing partnerships with our long-standing OEM partners. This can only be a good thing for our customers, end users and very much our staff.”