Europe - After 40 years on the market, the General Purpose (GP) truss series from JTE is still one of the world’s most popular multi-purpose systems. Quality performance for medium-sized projects is delivered via its safe and stable plated connection system and classic bracing pattern.
This type of truss is also the industry standard for film productions, which use it to build huge “lanterns” or “reflective panels” for indoor/outdoor applications.
The General Purpose truss series consists of two sizes, the 30.5 x 30.5 cm (12” x 12”) GP30 and 52 x 52cm (20.5” x 20.5”) GP52, which are able to handle a wide variety of support structure needs and loading capacities.
The GP30 is a mid-sized, heavy-duty 30.5 x 30.5cm (12" x 12") general purpose truss designed for conferences, exhibitions, and small venues.
A bigger brother to the GP30, the GP52 measures 52 x 52 cm (20.5’’ x 20.5’’) and is suitable for most lighting applications, flying PAs and other general purpose uses. It’s an ideal choice for rental and staging companies.
(Jim Evans)

Germany - d&b audiotechnik has announced the availability of two new software enabling technologies: CPL for SL-Series (coupling), and Temperature Humidity Control (THC) realtime high frequency compensation for loudspeaker arrays.
The CPL for SL-Series technology allows the extraordinary d&b SL-Series line arrays to be easily adjusted for specific venues. THC provides high frequency compensation due to temp/humidity as part of the d&b ArrayProcessing software: fluctuations in both temp/humidity can now be addressed in real time via the R1 Remote Control software - simplifying control and saving time. These software updates are available now.
“Visiting many SL-Series installation sites and working with the users and tech teams in the field, we realized that there was still room to improve the system workflow,” says Werner ‘Vier’ Bayer, d&b product management. “These two new enabling features will greatly improve daily workflows basis and elevate on-site system performance. I encourage all users to update their system software as soon as possible. “With the existing d&b line array CPL (Coupling) function, which is used to shape the array frequency response for rooms as well as personal preference, the system's frequency shelving function can prevent access to the full frequency range potential of the system - meaning that the SL-Series LF headroom below 100Hz is not fully available when CPL is engaged. The new CPL software allows SL-Series to shape LF and LoMid responses independently with individual controls for LOW and MID

USA - In a joint display with ETC, High End Systems (HES) enjoyed record success at the recent LDI exhibition in Las Vegas. HES showed a variety of new products in the 200+ fixture rig, including the SolaHyBeam 3000, TurboRay and SolaPix automated luminaires.
High End Systems’ TurboRay won PLSN’s Gold Star Award for Best LED Wash Light. The fixture has already seen high profile use in many concerts, television and other live events. Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner commented, "We are so happy that the TurboRay has been acknowledged as the ‘Best LED Wash’ by PLSN this year. It is especially gratifying that the wash capabilities of the TurboRay are recognized among its huge variety of other specialties, like its complex aerials and marvellous face look. It just affirms what lighting designers have been telling us all along, TurboRay is ‘much more than a pretty face.’”
Along with the new SolaWash 1000, the SolaPix family and the SolaHyBeam 3000 were also unveiled at this year’s LDI show. With their small footprint and next generation brightness, SolaPix 7 and SolaPix 19 take the traditional concept of a pixel wash and push it to its maximum potential. Patent pending Halographic Pixel Definition and the FleX Effects macros each give SolaPix a unique ‘edge’ in the marketplace.
Designed for beam control, aerial effects and raw power, SolaHyBeam 3000 features an “exceptionally efficient White Light LED engine”, a large front aperture and optimised long throw optics for superior light output throughout the fixture’s

USA - PixMob, a Montreal-based company designing crowd experiences through LED wearables, won the new Sustainability Award at this year’s LDI for the PixMob Recycling Programme.
Since the beginning of the programme in 2018 with Taylor Swift’s Reputation stadium tour, PixMob successfully recycled over 1m wristbands, an initiative recognised by the LDI Awards panel.
“It’s an honour for us to receive this award because the Recycling Programme represents the first step in our plan to reduce our environmental impact and eliminate single-use plastics in our supply chain,” explains Jean-Olivier Dalphond, president of PixMob. “To achieve this milestone, we had to reinvent how we work, from our deployment of the Recycling Programme at venues to our message to the audience.
“Artists have also sought to be involved and get the fans behind the effort. As a result, we’ve seen the rate of wristbands returned at events progressively increase from 20% in 2018 to upwards of 60% in 2019. We also had to create a refurbishing process at our headquarters, an essential step for the wristbands’ lifecycle to become a closed loop.”
PixMob was founded in 2010 by Vincent Leclerc and David Parent. The technology gained traction by creating massive human light shows at the 2014 Super Bowl, 2014 Winter Olympics, 2015 NBA All-Stars, and over 2000 events since, including tours with Shawn Mendes and the Spice Girls.
This is the second consecutive year PixMob is awarded at LDI. In 2018, PixMob won the Best Debuting Product Award for its Moving head an

Germany - The RTI PIKO RGB 28 has been released by Ray Technologies as the first product with the latest RTI laser module generation. “This new laser module technology really changes the way professional laser systems are built. The compact form factor and the great visibility combined with the quality of the beam profile make those new laser systems stand out even more,” states Jordi Luque, head of R&D at Ray Technologies.
The new RTI diode modules are designed in a way to keep both spot size, as well as divergence equal on both x- and y-axis.
The beam specifications of the new RTI PIKO RGB 28 are given with only 4mm diameter and less than 0.9mrad divergence - which applies to both axis, so it’s an actual value not an average and provides higher quality results than specifications with mixed calculations. The extremely small beam diameter allows for the use of very small 4mm mirrors, which results in reduced inertia and thus very good scanning performance, says the company.
(Jim Evans)

Europe HK Audio has unveiled Polar 10, an ‘affordable new columnar PA for musicians, entertainers, DJs, presentations, schools and audiovisual applications’.
Polar 10 features include a four-channel mixer with five programmable user presets, Bluetooth 5.0 audio streaming, and assertive bass response.
Polar 10 consists of a subwoofer and two columnar elements. The contours of the subwoofer’s birch ply housing are not just cosmetic; the enclosure is acoustically shaped and sized to deliver quality audio results in combination with a specially developed 10” woofer sporting an extra-long voice coil.
The midrange/HF column comes in two sections for easy transport. The top section is loaded with six high-performance 3” midrange drivers and a low-distortion, 1” constant directivity horn. The system delivers well-balanced, exceedingly natural sound, rendering everything from low-mid frequencies all the way up to 20 kHz with remarkable authority. Tuned to project an expansive 120° throw pattern and engineered to impede feedback, it gives users freedom choice when it comes to positioning the PA in venues. Placed behind the speaker or performer, it can also serve as a stage monitor to take the place of wedges in many scenarios.
The newly developed E.A.S. connect system links the three components. This smart set of couplers requires no cables. Setting POLAR 10 on a raised stage is not a problem; it can still be aimed at the correct height by simply leaving the column’s bottom section – which is a spacer – out of the stack.
Rüdig

The Netherlands - Highlite International will be present during CUE 2020 from 13 to 15 January at Rotterdam Ahoy (NL), hall 1, stand 1.402. Here, they are going to showcase a wide array of lighting, audio and video applications from DAP Audio, DMT, Showtec and Infinity. The biennial exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the latest technical facilities for indoor and outdoor stage presentations.
Infinity will show the Furion Series: powerful and intelligent LED-based moving heads, equipped with wireless DMX. There will be special attention for the Cue 2020 Audience-award nominee Furion B401 Moving head Beam. The B401 is equipped with a multicolour bump functionality. This feature gives light engineers sheer endless possibilities in combining colours. Besides Furion Infinity will also show the Chimp light controllers and the Signature LED based theatre luminaires.
In the design of the Highlite stand DMT Premiere LED Screens have been incorporated. These screens with their very fine pixel-pitches are well equipped for indoor applications like corporate events or product presentations.
Showtec offers a very powerful outdoor washer: the IP-65 rated Showtec Helix S5000 Q4 with 40 Prolight Opto RGBW 4-in-1 10W LEDs and wireless DMX. A true eye-catcher can be found in the Showtec Edison-range with their vintage look and feel. The Phantom 280 hybrid is also present, combining a spot, wash and beam into one fixture. DAP Audio takes care of the sound around the stand by delivering the Odin T-8A Line array Satellites in combination with the S-18A subw

USA - JBL Professional has released JBL DSi 2.0 Series cinema amplifiers designed for the company’s range of cinema loudspeakers.
The first ever JBL branded cinema amplifiers, DSi 2.0 Series builds on the legacy of Crown DSi Series amplifiers to combine the of Crown’s CDi DriveCore Series amps with a new high-power design to deliver “superior efficiency, reliability and audio fidelity”. The DSi 2.0 Series includes three power configurations - 350W, 700W and 1,200W - available in analogue and analogue-plus-digital versions with Dante/AES67 and SNMP connectivity.
“As cinema audio systems continue to grow larger and more complex with 5.1, 7.1 and immersive audio formats, venue owners require more efficient ways of powering, controlling and managing networked audio systems,” says Karam Kaul, vice-president of audio, Harman Professional Solutions.
“The JBL DSi 2.0 Series combines cutting-edge technology from Crown DSi and CDi Series amps with a new high-output design for superior sound quality. Cinema managers and integrators looking to maximize their power investment and future-proof their systems can count on the DSi 2.0 Series to deliver robust, reliable performance in a compact and cost-efficient package.”
The DSi 2.0 Series consists of six amplifier models, suitable for cinemas, theatres and premium large-format rooms. The LA4 and LA4-D deliver 1,200W at 8Ohms, the MA4 and MA4-D deliver 700W at 8 Ohms, and the SA4 and SA4-D deliver 350W at 8 Ohms.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Broadweigh Bluetooth won Best Debuting Product award in the Rigging and Staging category at this year's LDI Awards. This latest win rounds of a successful year for the brand which launched its Bluetooth system at ABTT 2019, where it won Widget of the Year.
Speaking of the product's success, Robert Wilmington-Badcock, MD of Mantracourt commented: "We are extremely pleased to receive such a coveted award for Broadweigh Bluetooth. It's something that we've worked extremely hard on to get it just right. It's such an exciting time for us as a company - as we end the year and move towards 2020, you can expect to see a series of bold developments from Broadweigh as we strive to provide better solutions dedicated to the entertainment industry."
LDI 2019 recorded the highest number of registered attendees in the show's history. "We certainly felt it was the perfect platform for launching Broadweigh Bluetooth in the USA," says Wilmington-Badcock. "It was a privilege to have the opportunity to showcase our range of kit that we believe so strongly in, to such a knowledgeable audience. The scope to gain first hand feedback from existing and potential new customers is second to none. When we create our products, our aim is always to take a potential user's wish-list and see if we can turn requests into real products. Judging by the reception we got during our few days in Vegas, it seems we've succeeded."
Broadweigh's stand at the show was also a hit, welcoming visitors with live demonstrations of its products. The stand itself was designed by one of Broadwe

USA - Miami-based DAS Audio America, the North American subsidiary of Spanish pro audio manufacturer DAS Audio, will celebrate its 25th anniversary during the Winter NAMM 2020 tradeshow in Anaheim. Much of the activity will take place on the tradeshow floor, at booth #17224 and neighbouring Anaheim Hilton hotel. This event will take place at the Anaheim Hilton inside the Avalon Room on Thursday, 16 January 2020 at 6:30pm. Those who wish to attend should visit DAS Audio at the company’s NAMM Show booth to acquire a pass, which must be collected prior to 5pm that day.
The company will be launching two new product lines: the Icon Series and E11EVEN Sound by DAS Audio.
Jaime Villegas, general manager of DAS Audio of America, comments: “During our 25 years in the United States, we’ve been fortunate to take an active role in growing DAS Audio into a highly respected global loudspeaker brand that can be found on tour and in leading facilities the world over.
“Here in the US, DAS Audio loudspeakers continue that success with deployments at American Airlines Arena (home of the Miami Heat), Criss Angel’s Mindfreak Show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, and numerous other high-end venues. Winter NAMM will be another important show for us, and I expect that visitors to our booth will be impressed with everything DAS has to offer. We look forward to seeing everyone.”
(Jim Evans)

Portugal - NEXT-proaudio has introduced the i Series, the company’s new installation line. Th range comprises the i4 (a 4” LF transducer and a 0.8“ dome tweeter), the i6 (a 6” LF driver with a 1“ HF driver), and the i8 (a 8” LF transducer with a 1“ HF driver).
All speakers are housed in IP65-rated plastic white or black cabinets designed for indoor and outdoor applications, with the speakers benefitting from dust and splash protection. The speakers are equipped with a four-position Phoenix connector located on the back plate, whilst the screw connector provides a faster and easy way to wire the system allowing the speaker to perfectly fit the wall shape while keeps invisible.
This speaker is designed for PA applications in restaurants, bars, shopping centres or conference rooms. For greater versatility, the speakers can be used at 100V or 16Ω. In high impedance operation, a multi-tap transformer is available with three different taps to be used according to the pretended 100V power and impedance needed.
(Jim Evans)

Europe - Coda Audio has released a beta version of its upcoming 3D prediction software.
The Coda System Optimiser enables users to design audio systems, from small to large-scale productions. The software is currently under development, with users invited to register to access the beta version from the Coda website (codaaudio.com). The System Optimiser will eventually be compatible with the company’s entire loudspeaker range.
David Webster, global marketing director at Coda Audio International, comments: “This is a ground-up development, so taking the long view; it’s very important to us that audio professionals out in the field are directly involved with the evolution of our 3D system optimisation software. A beta release gives us the opportunity to allow early engagement for Coda system-users operating in real-life environments.
“Our System Optimiser allows the pinpoint design of Coda systems from the smallest fixed install to the largest, most complex stadium production and does so with great ease, in incredible detail, delivering results in seconds, not minutes. The team is looking forward to working with our clients and taking account of their feedback during this development stage, before we roll the product out across the entire Coda range.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has released the JBL Professional One Series 104-BT and 104-BTW desktop reference monitors with Bluetooth.
JBL One Series 104-BT reference monitors enable content creators and audio professionals to stream ‘accurate, studio-quality audio via Bluetooth or play back audio using a standard wired connection’. JBL One Series 104-BT monitors deliver ‘clear, detailed sound while mixing and editing’. With an array of easily accessible input options, smart features and a compact design, JBL 104-BT monitors provide great sound in every listening scenario, with the added flexibility of wireless streaming. Black (104-BT) and white (104-BTW) finish options are available.
“Music production has evolved beyond the recording studio, and today’s creative professionals and music lovers need reference monitors that deliver neutral, accurate sound to create mixes that translate well in a variety of listening environments,” says Chris Hansen, director, recording and content creation, Harman Professional Solutions.
“With class-leading sound quality, impressive output and high-bandwidth Bluetooth 5.0 streaming capabilities, JBL 104-BT monitors provide an accurate, reliable sonic reference and a truly enjoyable listening experience. They’re perfect for musicians, producers, podcasters and professional audio engineers who want a compact reference monitor with the added benefit of Bluetooth at an accessible price.”
The JBL 104-BT reference monitor features a coaxial driver that pairs a contoured low-frequency woo

USA - ChamSys has become one of the first lighting console manufacturers to release software capable of importing GDTF personality files directly.
The company’s ChamSys MagicQ software is free to download for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It supports an output on up to 64 universes without additional hardware or dongles, making it an ideal test platform for GDTF.
In addition to importing the basic channel information from GDTF, the MagicQ inbuilt MagicVis 3D visualisation and plot views will automatically make use of 3D and 2D information provided in the GDTF files.
Demoed at LDI, ChamSys MagicQ software with the ability to import GDTF personality files received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception from all who saw it.
Chris Kennedy, ChamSys’ software director, comments: "ChamSys is a strong supporter of GDTF and the philosophy behind it. The entertainment lighting industry badly needs a common personality interchange format for lighting fixture manufacturers to describe the features of their new fixtures, and GDTF can only advance this.
“We have always embraced open protocols, and we continue this philosophy with GDTF support,” continues Kennedy. “ChamSys currently supports a library of over 28,500 different fixture personalities, and we’re committed to continue working with fixture manufacturers to improve the electronic description of their fixture capabilities through GDTF."
(Jim Evans)

Japan - Evidence of the increasing popularity of Calibre UK’s solutions, and of its rapidly growing network of partners, could be found at the recent Inter BEE (International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition) in Japan.
At the Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, Calibre’s range was present on the stands of two exhibitors - Techno House and ARK Ventures. Techno House distributes the HQPro1000 and LEDView scaler/switcher products, while AZBAY - of whom ARK Ventures is a customer - is responsible for sales of Calibre’s innovative All-in-One LED Display solution.
“The technology leadership built into our platforms is finding widespread acceptance in growing numbers of highly complex projects in a broad range of applications,” said Willy Tsai, managing director of Calibre UK. “End users and resellers alike are recognising that, when it comes to the collaborative enterprise solutions that are at the heart of growing numbers of corporate initiatives, Calibre has what it takes to deliver success.”
Capturing many visitors’ attention was Calibre’s multi-award-winning All-in-One LED display. Specifically designed to ease and speed deployment of a videowall, Calibre’s solution is - unlike competing products that claim all-in-one functionality - a truly integrated (no need to attach external devices such as a media player or wireless control sender), simple-to install platform characterised by its smooth surface, its slim profile and the fact that the whole display is 100% certified. At the heart of the All-in-One family is Calibre’s powerful HQUltr

USA - In addition to the 11 new lighting fixtures and LED video panels announced in the run-up to the event, ADJ used LDI 2019 to launch four extra products.
The Encore Profile Pro range is a new series of professional LED-powered ellipsoidal fixtures designed for theatrical, broadcast and performance environments. The Focus Spot 6Z and Focus Wash 400, meanwhile, are head luminaires that join the ranks of ADJ’s popular Focus Series.
The Focus Spot 6Z harnesses the power of a 300W cool white LED engine and pairs it with precision-engineered optics to create an impressively sharp and bright output. While still retaining a compact design, this is ADJ’s most feature-rich Focus Series moving head to date.
Bringing a dedicated wash luminaire to the Focus Series for the first time, the new Focus Wash 400 features a 400W HEX LED engine (red, green, blue, amber, cyan and lime) that generates an output of 11,000 lumens with a high CRI. Its large Fresnel lens generates a homogenized output, while its motorized zoom function allows for a variable beam angle of 12-55°.
The new Encore Profile Pro WW is an LED-powered ellipsoidal designed for professional theatrical and other performance lighting applications. It utilises a potent 250W warm white LED light source with a colour temperature of 3200K and a high CRI in excess of 97.
"There’s no doubt that this year’s LDI was the best one yet for our company,” reports ADJ USA’s national sales manager, Alfred Gonzales. “Our team did a fantastic job of creating a stunning stand design that sh

USA - Claypaky launched a North America operation and enjoyed award success at the recent LDI tradeshow held in Las Vegas.
The company’s European and American team joined forces on the stand, designed in keeping with the ‘It's Real’ marketing campaign that marked the launch of the laser-source beam moving head, Xtylos, in North America. Dedicated demos took place every hour and visitors also saw the Mini-B, the HY B-EYE, the Axcor series fixtures; the Sharpy Plus, and three fixtures which made their world premieres - Sharpy Plus AQUA, ReflectXion and CloudIO.
Meanwhile, Xtylos took home two LDI Awards, winning the Best Debuting Product Award and the Best Advancement in Lamp Technology Award.
Claypaky CEO Marcus Graser comments: “We have invested a lot of resources in recent years, not just to create an innovative luminaire, but to conceive and develop a totally new technology combining the strengths of Osram and Claypaky, which could benefit our entire industry. We are pleased with the awards the Xtylos has received, which are an acknowledgement of our continuous and constant efforts to generate Innovation.”
Claypaky also launched a North America operation, which is based in Dallas, Texas. The facility houses a product demonstration space and technical service training centre. There are also finished goods in stock and the team provides support, repairs and parts, to enable the company to decrease delivery times.
Julie Smith, who manages the USA Claypaky customer care operation, explains: “I recently partnered with Claypaky

Europe - In the latest back-to-basics video release on Area Four Industries’ internet channel A4i.tv, Eric Porter tackles the main information you need to know about shackles in less than two minutes. He covers the two main types of shackles used for rigging, their proper use, the important markings found on them and where they should be used.
The video is available on www.a4i.tv/2019/11/26/shackles-eric-porter

UK - Artistic Licence has announced that all of its premium ethernet gateways - including artLynx quad, artLynx RJ45, dataLynx II and netLynx quad - now support multi-way protocol conversion. Each port can be optionally configured as a DMX input (previously they were outputs only). This enables the product to route, split or merge Art-Net, sACN and DMX/RDM data with great flexibility.
Says the company, “As the inventors of Art-Net, we always strive to ensure our Art-Net conversion products are the best on the market. This is never more so than with our latest firmware release, now shipping on all new product sales of artLynx quad/RJ45 (4-Universes, DIN rail), dataLynx II (12-Universes, rack-mount) and netLynx quad (4-universes desk/table-top). We have also just launched a 4-universe PCBA module, oemGate quad, for manufacturers wishing to incorporate the technology into their own products.”
Already loaded with features such as electrically protected outputs and support for the latest protocols (including RDMnet LLRP), these products have taken on a new dimension with the addition of DMX input support.
“The gateways previously served to convert Art-Net or sACN into DMX/RDM. This is a very common scenario where lighting data is routed via network protocols (Art-Net or sACN), then turned into DMX control for moving lights etc. However, if a data port on the gateway can not only output DMX, but receive it as well, a wealth of new functionality is opened up.”
Not all lighting desks and controllers generate Art-Net or sACN directly - there

USA - Chauvet Professional was awarded the 2019 LDI Large Booth Design Award. Described by the award organisers as a “welcoming and easily walkable” exhibit that “beautifully integrated” lighting and video, the stand engaged visitors with its visual displays.
Ryan Warffuel and Max Koehler of Antics Studio created this panorama with help from the Chauvet Professional team, using over 200 of the company’s IP65 outdoor-ready products, including the newly-launched Maverick Storm 1 Spot, Maverick Storm 1 Wash, COLORado Solo Batten, Strike 1, and F5IP video panel.
To underscore the IP65 ratings of the fixtures on the booth’s main wall, a “live rainfall” appeared in front of the lighting units. For added emphasis, the video wall that ran between the lighting fixtures showed vivid images of flowing water that bordered the geometric patterns of the panel display.
“Max and Ryan did a fantastic job balancing video and lighting in the booth design,” says global brand manager Caroline Chauvet, who accepted the award on behalf of the Chauvet Professional team. “We’re excited to receive this honour. Big thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this come to life, and to all the visitors who stopped by our booth.”
Also featured in the display were F2 video panels as well as the arena-tour grade Maverick MK3 Profile, Maverick MK3 Spot, and Maverick MK3 Wash moving heads, which were arranged in a compelling V shape suspended structure.
Another area of the Chauvet Professional exhibit featured an inviting theatrical themed di

USA - Spotrack discussed the new features of the soon-to-be-released Spotrack 2020 edition of the system at the BCT Entertainment stand during the LDI tradeshow in Las Vegas.
Spotrack enables an operator to remotely control from any location, any number of moving lights as followspots. It works with any moving light and any lighting console, in any performance space and can be used in all entertainment sectors from anywhere in the venue.
In conjunction with Ushio Japan and Strong Lighting, the Spotrack team also conducted regular live demonstrations of this and its new followspot interface, SpotrackEvolution, on the Apex Stages stage.
Whilst the forthcoming Spotrack 2020 sees the addition of many new features that allow users more flexibility, some in response to customer feedback, it has been principally upgraded to enable the use of SpotrackEvolution. Used with Spotrack 2020, Evolution allows the use of an existing follow spot, via a simple upgrade in the form of a small hardware accessory, to be used as a controller for Spotrack.
Also on show was the company’s entry level TracMe system, the smaller, competitively-priced sibling of Spotrack, which can control up to four moving lights from any vendor in a single universe, opening access to the technology to a greater range of application.
(Jim Evans)

Europe - James Thomas Engineering’s conical truss Multicubes has been designed to increase the strength of truss structure corners, while offering six different truss connection points with integrated location holes for expanding your structure’s versatility.
All multicubes are available in regular and heavy-duty versions, and are compatible with JT22 Quatro, JT30 Quatro, JT30H Quatro and JT40H Quatro truss. “The heavy-duty multicube provides enough strength to reach the maximum loading capacity of your truss,” says the company. “Male and female receiver accessories are available for convenient, trouble-free connections.”
Bookcorners’ aluminium profile is constructed with bolted male or female receivers, compatible with the quatro and trio formats in the JT30 and JT40 truss series.
(Jim Evans)

France - APG will preview its new iX range at the JTSE trade show in Paris this week. Comprising a full line of fixed installation speakers, and based on the successful coaxial concept, the new iX range is characterised by a combination of ‘uncompromising drivers and a non-diffraction acoustic baffling that allows pure point source directivity’. For some of the iX models, APG has created coaxial devices that strike a perfect physical alignment between low and hi transducers.
The iX line is made up of five coaxial speaker models: iX5, iX6, iX8, iX12 and iX15; all of which are two acoustic way speakers loaded in bass-reflex for low-frequency extension. APG will also announce at the show a future extension of the range with two unique models of pseudo-coaxial speakers – the iX2.5 and IX2.6 – which will be optimised for vocal applications.
From an acoustic point of view, the iX range offers ‘stunning musicality down to low mid and even low frequencies and is characterised by an impressive SPL to size ratio and exceptional sound clarity’.
The iX range’s non-diffraction baffling reduces feedback without the need for equalisation. This factor makes the iX range suitable for a variety of purposes, including immersive sound.
The speakers are also well-suited to a variety of applications, including main FOH or distributed sound reinforcement in all types of venues. It is also possible to combine iX speakers with the popular Uniline and Uniline Compact systems from the French manufacturer.
All iX models have been ergonomically optimis

USA - Robe rocked one of its busiest and most dynamic LDI expos to date in Las Vegas, winning two awards, one for Best Creative Use of Light and the other for the T1 product series.
The second instalment of its #ReturnToTheFuture live show created a serious buzz. This show is a performance trilogy highlighting Robe’s latest LED and moving light technologies including the just-launched PLASA award-winning Esprite and the new Tetra2 moving LED batten.
#ReturnToTheFuture part 2 highlighted Robe’s newest products in the context for which they were designed.
The energized 7.5-minute performance played five times a day and had an original DeLorean MMC12 as the set centrepiece, six dancers and around 200 Robe lights - including Esprites, Tetras, T1s, SilverScans, MegaPointes, Spiiders, Tarrantulas, SuperSpikies, LEDBeam150s and PixelPATTs. These were rigged in the roof and all around the sides of the double-decked booth. The spacey fun-filled show included fog and flame jet special effects and a water feature.
Drapes for all areas of the booth which included separate meeting and demo areas were all designed around the #ReturnToTheFuture garage / laboratory theme.
The booth was packed with people right from before the first live show on the first day and it stayed that way throughout the expo, keeping the Robe North America sales team extremely busy making new contacts and reconnecting with existing clients and industry friends.
They were joined on the booth by Robe’s CEO Josef Valchar and sales director Harry von de