AUDIO AT THEIBC 2000 CONVENTION Amsterdam is an excellent location for large conventions - easy access, wide range of hotels, and a very pleasant compact city to wander around, but if you’d had tackled this year’s IBC Convention with any sense of completeness, there wouldn’t have been much time for the latter this year. The Convention has grown exponentially and now occupies all 14 halls and many of the other meeting rooms available at the RAI Centrum. It will almost certainly have to start looking for a new venue in future years. For the audio-only visitor, the IBC has always been something of an oddity. Hall 9 is nominally referred to as the ‘Audio Hall’, containing about 80% of the show’s audio exhibitors which is convenient. However finding the other remaining 20%, dispersed throughout the other video and broadcast halls is a daunting task when you consider that walking from one end of the expo complex to the other can take ten minutes. Some companies had chosen to be in with the video post production suppliers - Euphonix, Soundtracs; while others had sister companies that were video orientated Avid/Digidesign, Lightworks/Fairlight; and others such as SADiE were just unlucky in the draw. While IBC 2000 posted superlatives on square footage or exhibition space and visitor numbers, new products were less in evidence, partially explained by the proximity of the LA AES Convention that followed a matter of a week later, with many manufacturers delaying their launches accordingly. MICROPHONES The application of digital control and processing to the extremes of the audio signal chain, that first appeared at the end of last year, was again in evidence. Audio-Technica’ s AT895 Adaptive-array Microphone System is a good example. It houses 5 capsules in a form just about small enough for hand holding together with a processor box. Clever manipulation of the signals allows the performance of the mic to be adjusted to substantially reject background noise, either as an interview mic or shotgun replacement. If technology can add multiple applications, this mic becomes cost-effective. Multi-faceted Canford Audio presented an alternative approach to microphone use in high ambient sound with a bandwidth-limited addition to their lavalier mic range. Engineered for voice frequencies, it maintains a relatively flat output between 100 Hz and 10kHz. Most of the other microphone manufacturers were concentrating on their wireless systems. AKG focussed on the new PR81 portable wireless receiver allowing easy mobile use; Sennheiser majored on their 3000 and 5000 wireless series in both portable and studio forms; Lectrosonics introduced several new UHF | wireless products including the UH300 and UH110 XLR plug transmitters that fit any XLR equipped mic, and a number of receiver systems that includes a computer interface option. For those occasions where a wireless boom mic might be needed, Micron were showing the Phantom Boom, a battery operated phantom power feed for a boom mounted condenser mic that can then interface with a belt style transmitter. This gives the operator complete independence of cables. Audio Ltd introduced their Envoy range of wireless systems that offer a wide range of capsule options. Most interesting however is the infrared technology now being used to remotely control mics - operating frequency, on/off, battery status and other functions set or interrogated by a small device about the size of a key fob. A software package was also shown that allows comprehensive control of a wireless system including a survey for other nearby users and deadspots. Rycote, best know as a manufacturer of furry windshields, were showing a range of tiny hairy versions for miniature mics, looking for all the world like a rather frightening insect but they work and prompt the question why it hadn’t been done before mini mics still suffer from wind noise problems after all. SPEAKERS The other end of the signal chain was less well represented. Dynaudio, Miller & Kreisel and PMC had all tailored their displays for 5.1 surround use. However, PMC’s compact active AML1 speakers tentatively introduced earlier in the year are now a full product and available in a wide range of colours while maintaining a convincing performance from such a small box. Genelec’s stand could be felt across most of the audio hall. A new 1093A compact active subwoofer system was generating output down to 20Hz. A selection of broadcast suitable monitors from their product range were shown including their S3OD and 2029B monitors that are equipped with digital inputs and introduced earlier in the year. MIXERS A wander around the IBC confirmed that digital consoles totally dominate the large scale mixer market, and while they don’t have it all their own way in smaller models there are clear signs they may soon will. SSL’s featured console was the digital Aysis Air Mobile, a more compact and operationally simplified version of the Aysis Air designed specifically for large scale outside broadcast applications or space limited studios. The RIO Grande option to increase I/O capacity on the consoles was also announced. Just a few stands away, AMS Neve were also all digital but their featured console was the Libra Live Series II, being shown in Europe for the first time. This is also a |
