All Products Filed in Distributed Audio

Friday, April 13, 2012

The New York-based company URC has one of the most loyal dealer bases in the entire world of custom installation and the company annually ranks among the best in terms of product reliability, dealer support and overall quality.

With its entry into the whole-house audio category the company is venturing into a new market that's outside of its core control expertise. Through the launch of products like its new SNP-1 Networked Media Player the company is proving it can deliver products that rival its control solutions. The SNP-1 is a device that electronics professionals can use to stream audio from websites such as Pandora, Rhapsody, Sirius XM and other Internet radio sites, and it can be combined with the company's PSX-2 iPod dock, as well as traditional legacy sources to provide clients with a complete and diverse whole-house audio solution.

The SNP-1 joins a growing list of URC whole-house audio components, and like those other components the SNP-1 can be controlled via a choice of URC two-way network devices, including the TRC-780 remote control, the TKP-2000 in-wall touchscreen and the TKP -100 in-wall keypad.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

With the economy seemingly getting better and summer rapidly approaching now is the perfect time for electronics professionals to present outdoor A/V to their clients.

Terra Loudspeakers is a Maine-based manufacturer of weatherproof loudspeakers and its latest product provides installers with a solution that not only provides dealers with an outdoor speaker product that can be used to cover a yard in sound, but it can also light up that property to provide an added level of safety and aesthetics. The LS.32 combination loudspeaker and LED light stands 32.5 inches tall and it can be ordered in a choice of either black, aluminum or copper to help its appearance match with its surrounding environment.

Terra says that installers can also order the LS.32 with its light configured to illuminate upwards or downwards in order to light up specific outdoor design elements such as a walkway or an architectural element. The LS.32 produces 270 lumens of light, and the speaker portion of the product incorporates a coaxial driver array that includes a 5.25-inch woofer. In addition, the LS.32 also includes provisions for 70-volt commercial applications and traditional consumer 8-ohm applications.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Lexington, Kentucky-based manufacturer Audio Authority is listening to what its dealers have to say. After asking for amplifiers that combined versatility and reliability Audio Authority has responded to its dealers requests by designing its new SonaFlex 16-channel amplifier (SF-16M) that combines features that can be applied to commercial and residential installations with the reliability of its Class D circuit designs all in a single package.

The SF-16M incorporates 16 RCA inputs along with two of its Cat-5 based FlexPorts to provide electronics professionals with a total of 20 mono/10 stereo inputs. The FlexPorts can be configured to accept balanced line/mic XLR, digital coax/optical and analog RCA sources and the amp's outputs can be configured as mono, stereo or a combination of both to service a variety of installation scenarios. Audio Authority says installers can also daisy chain as many as four of the amps for larger installations that require configurations as diverse as 32 inputs/64 outputs. The amp is also rated to deliver 45 watts with all channels driven or 60 watts with eight channels driven. The company adds the amp is also stable down to 2 ohms, and its sound can be customized through the use of bass and treble controls, high- and low-pass filters and seven bands of parametric equalization (EQ).

Other features include a choice of RS-232, IR and IP control, and the ability to set up 10 audio groups that can share volume settings, muting and sources.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Monitor Audio USA is one of the most frequently used brands in the custom installation market and back in the company's native Britain, the company's engineers are working hard to make sure Monitor Audio remains a go-to brand for installers.

The company's latest product release is its new Trimless Series of loudspeakers and this architectural line of speakers is engineered to provide the highest levels of sound quality without having their aesthetics disrupting the interior design of a modern home. The line of products features three products: the CWT140S, the CWT160S and the CWT180R, and these speakers utilize 4-inch, 6-inch 8-inch versions of Monitor Audio's MMP II woofers, along with its C-CAM gold-dome tweeter. The trimless speakers' tweeters pivot 15 degrees in all directions and the products' paintable grilles are magnetic.

Monitor Audio has also built the speaker to withstand the effects of water and humidity and the line of product employs fire retardant materials that meet UL specifications.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Since the mid 1970s the North Carolina-based company GTL Labs has quietly been serving the custom installation market with a variety of architectural speaker products.

GTL Sound Labs' latest product is the AE 82 in-ceiling loudspeaker and the company says this new speaker is designed for whole-house audio applications, as well as other hidden audio installations. GTL says the speaker is engineered to provide homeowners with a dynamic bottom end, clean midrange and natural top end to faithfully reproduce lossy and lossless audio files with clarity.

The company states the 8-ohm speaker is capable of providing a frequency response of 36Hz to 20kHz, and that it is 89dB sensitive which means a variety of traditional Class A/B and newer digital amps can effectively drive the speaker. The two-way speaker incorporates an 8-inch carbon-fiber woofer and two-inch titanium silk dome tweeter.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

A couple of years ago the Riverside, California A/V manufacturer Proficient introduced its first wireless audio solution it called AirFlex. Recently the company released its latest wireless audio system it calls Zero.

Proficient says the new wireless audio system builds upon the capabilities of the AirFlex and the company says the solution is capable of broadcasting audio signals as far as 90 feet to enable electronics professionals to offer existing home clients whole-house audio solutions that can be tailored to their exact requirements.

Some of the new features Proficient has built into the Zero wireless audio system include the ability to expand up to eight receivers per transmitter, and with the transmitter's three broadcast channels installers can dial in a level of performance that is consistent and reliable. The transmitter also incorporates an optical input that can be transmitted simultaneously with the analog inputs. Proficient says that transmitting all of the inputs allows a transmitter to send "left and right" audio for zone two or rear surrounds, as well as audio for a subwoofer in a home theater. The Zero receiver features a 2x35 watt-per channel amplifier and an LED display that shows system status.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is one of the most recognizable and unique manufacturers in the entire world of consumer electronics, and the Danish company is well known for its sleek industrial designs and pursuit of high performance.

The company's new BeoSound 5 digital music system is the company's latest product and it enables homeowners in new construction or existing structures to enjoy the benefits of whole-house audio without the need to pull cables. The BeoSound 5 incorporates B&O's proprietary playlist technologies, as well as a built-in CD ripper that allows homeowners to rip their CD collections into a digital library for easy access and management.

In addition, the BeoSound 5 can be used with one of the company's Encore components to create a whole-house audio system that employs wireless technologies to transmit audio and control signals. The BeoSound 5 can be wall mounted, stand mounted or it can be used as a tabletop unit.

Friday, January 06, 2012

James Loudspeaker has consistently produced some of the most unique and best sounding loudspeakers in the specialty world of audio for a number of years. Just recently the company added to its legacy with the launch of its latest product series the Small Aperture line of architectural speakers.

Included in the Small Aperture line of products is the 63SA-7 in-ceiling product, which the California-based company says is designed to provide installers with a speaker that produces a wide dispersion pattern and deep frequency response. The three-way 63SA-7 incorporates a 20mm tweeter, along with a 50mm midrange driver and James' 165mm PowerPipe subwoofer all concentrically mounted to enable the speaker to provide significant low-frequency reinforcement. James engineered the speaker so that homeowners only see a 76mm round opening (or square) and the speaker grille is designed to allow the speaker to match its surrounding decor, which includes light fixtures.

Installers ordering the speaker will order it in two parts: The preconstruction kit, which includes the subwoofer. It is installed before the drywall is installed. After the construction is completed the tweeter/midrange module is installed into the 76mm (3 inch) opening. To complete the install an installer chooses a grille trim kit to finish the job.

Friday, December 16, 2011

With the home entertainment market rapidly adopting computer-based technologies, there is an increasing amount of ways in which electronics professionals can introduce their clients to the benefits of a digitally based whole-house A/V solution.

Recently the New york-based manufacturer Autonomic announced that it has redesigned its MMS-2 server. Externally the company redesigned the appearance of the unit by rounding the curves of the component to make sleeker and more compact. Internally the company added a new, faster processor and a choice of Toslink and HDMI outputs.

Autonomic also says it has bolstered the product by adding Amazon Cloud compatibility to go along with MP3 Tunes and iCloud options. In addition, the company is also working with Savant to ensure compatibility with the Cape Cod-based company's App Programming Interface (API) to enable the product to seamlessly integrate into Savant's control and automation systems. Autonomic already offers modules for compatibility with solutions from AMX, Control4, Crestron, RTI, URC, and Apple iOS devices.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

As much as Apple's competitors may try they've been unable to supplant the Cupertinio, California-based company as the top mobile music player manufacturer. Remote Technologies Inc.'s (RTI) new RTiDock provides the millions of Apple iPod owning homeowners a solution that controls and syncs their iPod with their entire iTunes library.

RTI says its new dock provides installers with the ability to sync with iTunes over a network and it provides full control and navigation capabilities through a video display. The product can be installed in a rack mount environment or on a desktop, and the dock offers full RTI control system integration via IR, RS-232 or IP. RTI says the unit can be controlled by homeowners by using one of its handheld devices or by one of its wall mounted interfaces, and its graphical user interface (GUI) and component video output are designed to facilitate content navigation through the use of a video display or television.

The Minnesota-based manufacturer adds the product is designed to provide dealers with a reliable and convenient iPod integration solution for whole-house audio and home theater system installations.

Monday, December 12, 2011

The world of home audio has come a long way since the days of big speakers dominating the floor space within a home.

The Canadian manufacturer Aeria proves the days of big ugly speakers dominating a home are over through its problem solving product the 801 Series transducer. This device is an 8-ohm unit with no moving parts and it presents a nominal amount of impedance to allow a variety of amps, including digital amps to effectively drive the device.

The 801 Series is designed to provide installers with a stealth way of incorporating audio into an environment that can’t host audio under normal circumstances. The 801 Series can be used in scenarios in which a client doesn’t want holes punched in their walls or ceilings to provide a means of music in a space that otherwise would be silent.

Friday, December 09, 2011

Within the world of specialty electronics a good case could be made for the loudspeaker category being the biggest in the entire market. A good example of just how big the category is can be found when looking at the 30-plus year old manufacturer GTL Sound Labs. The U.S.-based company has quietly been in business since 1976 and it offers a complete line of products, which ranges from one-off custom products, to production products like the AE 963 in-wall loudspeaker.

The company says the AE 963 has been engineered to provide the highest levels of performance and the product is designed for either vertical or horizontal mounting to allow it to be used in a whole-house audio system or home theater system. GTL says the speaker employs a sealed enclosure that minimizes sound leakage into adjacent rooms, and internally the speaker houses a three-way design that includes a 9-inch carbon fiber woofer, a 5.25-inch poly paper midrange driver and a 3-inch silk-dome tweeter.

GTL adds the speaker fits into a standard stud bay and the speaker offers a frequency response of 26Hz to 20kHz.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Since the advent of Class D amplifiers the audiophile community has generally shrugged off these products, as cheap and inferior to traditional Class A and Class A/B amplifiers.

The Canadian manufacturer Anthem is looking to change the audiophile community's perception of Class D products through the release of its Anthem Statement M1 monoblock amplifier. The M1 uses a Class D architecture, which afforded the company the ability to design an efficient, small footprint amplifier that delivers high levels of power with low distortion. Anthem says the amp took nearly 10 years to engineer and it says that most of that time was devoted to the research and development of the technology to push it beyond its current performance levels.

Anthem says the M1 incorporates a proprietary load monitoring system that includes a digital signal processor that operates outside of the signal path to monitor line voltage, output current, ground faults, temperature and DC voltage at the output to ensure the amp works with 120 volt and 240 volt circuits. The company rates the monoblock amp to produce 1,000 watts of power into an 8-ohm load and 2,000 watts into a 4-ohm load.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

In the modern world of electronics IR technologies are almost taken for granted. Generally beyond the mass market segment IR is not taken for granted however and with products like Vanco's new line of IR Kits and accessories, professional electronics installers have tools at their disposal to take care of IR control issues.

With the newly released IR products from the Batavia, Ill.-based manufacturer custom installers can use a component or system's existing IR-based remote controls as part of a broader, more powerful control solution. Vanco says the new array of products are available in a choice of four kits, as well as other accessories and the products are designed to work in a variety of environments that include CFL lit rooms.

The line of products include devices such as eight-port receiver hubs, brass-tube receivers for concealed installs and other components. With the IR products installers can provide control for everything from Blu-ray disc players and cable boxes, to A/V receivers and advanced powered subwoofers.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Adding to its line of HDMI signal distribution products, the Erlanger, Kentucky-based company TV One has introduced its new IT-CT-633 HDMI Repeater to the market.

The IT-CT-633 HDMI Repeater expands the company's IT-CT-630 line of HDMI Extender products and it can be used to increase the transmission distance of HDMI as far as 250 feet (76 meters) for 8-bit 1080p signals and 98 feet (30 meters) for 12-bit 1080p signals. TV One also says that electronics professionals can further extend the signal transmission capabilities of the product by cascading the units within the parameters of allowable Cat-6 cable lengths.

TV One says the full line of 1T-CT-630 Series HDMI Extender products can handle a variety of installation scenarios that range from traditional residential HDMI 1.3 A/V 1080p to commercially based 1900x1200 DVI signals.