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KARA And Other Products From L-Acoustics
04 April 2010 16.59 BST
The new KARA modular line source system was the main event on the L-Acoustics stand.
With a design inspired by the K1 stadium system, KARA delivers the highest performance for the rental market. The system features a compact size and lightweight enclosure complying with rigging and visual limitations and the complementary SB18 subwoofer for reinforced LF contour applications. KARA delivers a considerable number of improvements over its predecessor: added LF resources for increased bandwidth and coherence, improved directivity control in the horizontal plane, vertical coverage capability and improved ergonomics thanks to an integrated rigging system and lighter weight.
With a horizontal directivity of 110° and a vertical inter-element variation up to 10°, KARA is fully configurable to match any audience geometry. Utilising the unrivalled characteristics of Wavefront Sculpture Technology (WST), KARA delivers clarity, precision, and a unique proximity effect, offering the audience an incomparable listening experience.
The LA-RAK touring rack and LA8 amplified controller preset library deliver an extremely advanced and precise drive system for KARA. A wide range of system configurations to accommodate various LF contour requirements and integration constraints are available for the sound designer and system engineer, allowing high levels of creative freedom.
KARA and SB18 will undergo a pilot phase until June 2010 with a handful of rental companies which will collaborate closely with L-Acoustics' R&D team and technical support to validate rigging, system setup and preset libraries. The system is then scheduled to ship in September 2010.
L-Acoustics also introduced the new SB18 high power compact subwoofer, which is the ideal complement to L-Acoustics’ WST (Wavefront Sculpture Technology) modular line sources and coaxial systems for applications requiring an extension of bandwidth with a flat to reinforced LF contour. Drawing on the latest innovations in electro-acoustics, signal processing and components, SB18 delivers an exceptional level of performance while offering the engineer and sound designer numerous modes of operation for rental and fixed installation applications.
The main L-Acoustics system components for LF extension and contour reinforcement are:
SB18 subwoofer with a low frequency limit of 32 Hz
LA4 and LA8 (LA-RAK) amplified controllers
The 18’’ transducers specifically designed for SB18 combine high excursion capabilities, low thermal compression and reduced distortion. The bass-reflex vents feature a progressive profile allowing laminar airflow and reduced turbulence noise, even at the highest operating levels. These combined properties contribute to the SB18 sonic qualities in terms of precision and musicality.
The SB18 design is based on a single 18’’ LF transducer integrated into a dual bass-reflex tuned enclosure to deliver both impact and high sensitivity. Its compact size, combined with superior damping characteristics, make it extremely well suited for compact FOH applications. Therefore, SB18 is particularly recommended for use with KARA (either coupled/flown or stacked configurations), KIVA, ARCS and coaxial LF contour reinforcement in both standard and cardioid modes.
Another announcement was the new LA-AES3 AES/EBU input card. First in the family of optional extensions for LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers, LA-AES3 offers one AES/EBU stereo input and one AES/EBU thru port (link) to connect an LA4 or LA8 to any digital mixing desk or audio distribution network, while maintaining a fully digital signal path.
Main features include:
One AES/EBU input, compliant with AES3, AES11 and IEC 60958 (S/PDIF) specifications, ESD protected
Seamless AES/EBU to analogue input automatic fallback option, with constant delay
High-quality hardware sample rate converter accepting program sampled from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz
Adjustable gain: - 12.0 dB to + 12.0 dB by 0.1 dB steps
One AES/EBU thru, electronically buffered with failsafe relay, ESD protected
Maximum cable length: up to 300 m (with certified cables dedicated to AES/EBU transport)
One USB port (reserved for future applications)
L-Acoustics also announced that it has joined the Crestron Integrated Partner Program (I2P). The result of this collaboration will be the development of a Crestron Integrated Partners control module which allows the LA Amplified Controllers LA4 / LA8 to be controlled and monitored in an open-platform Crestron system environment.
L-Acoustics head of fixed installation technical support, Cedric Montrezor, said: “The seamless integration of our platform into any Crestron-based system is an important move forward in our strategy to develop complete and integrated solutions for the permanent installation market. We are delighted to join one of the leaders in control hardware and touch panel manufacturing, and will soon be able to offer system designers and consultants solutions for our amplified controller platform to effectively communicate with other equipment within this open platform architecture.”
