Mounted against a backdrop of vaulted gothic cathedral windows was the rather elegant xC-Series of column loudspeakers, comprising the 16C, 24C and 24C-E. Designed specifically to deliver the d&b System reality in those difficult reverberant environments, the company's long experience of working with passively crossed loudspeakers has produced a series of column loudspeakers with supremely effective horizontal pattern control.
Meanwhile, the freshly updated ArrayCalc simulation software from d&b attracted a steady stream of interested users. The new Venue Editor, which accommodates every curve and little nuance when creating virtual venues, is not simply a cool little tool; this greater degree of sophistication means time spent in the new ArrayCalc represents time and budgetary savings.
And the D80, slimmer and lighter but crucially, packing even more punch than its predecessors, the four channel amplifier represents the future of efficient and intelligent amplification. "There's been a great deal of interest in the new D80s, "reported Steve Jones from d&b GB Application Support and Education, "with the new software, ArrayCalc and R1 V2, these three components are a significant step towards achieving a seamless workflow, from system design all the way through to the final result."
Away from the buzz in the New Dock Hall, Oran Burns from d&b GB Education and Application Support delivered a masterclass: Sound System Fundamentals, a seminar so popular it was on the Professional Development Programme schedule both days of the show. With considerable skill Oran effectively deconstructed the complexity of pro audio back to the basic compression and rarefaction of air pressure, for an audience of seasoned, cynical veterans and eager young students alike.
(Jim Evans)
