PSC Demo/Open House + Raffle @ Location Sound, March 12, 2015

psc-products-for-March-12-demo-and-open-house

 

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, March 12 from 10 am – 1 pm
PSC Demo/Open House + Raffle @ Location Sound

Stop by LSC as PSC President, Ron Meyer demonstrates his new product offerings for production sound mixers:
M5 Pro Shock Mount
PowerStar Mini Triple Play Power Distribution System
Solice Mini Audio Mixer

WHY ATTEND?
Not only will you see all three products up-close, but you’ll also have Ron’s undivided attention for those questions you might have on the proper use of his new products.

DID ANYONE SAY “RAFFLE”?
We’re giving away (1) M5 Pro and (1) Triple Play to two unique and lucky winners! That’s a prize value of $112 and $365 respectively! Don’t miss out on your chance to win. Here’s the fine print: Sign-up the day of the event. No purchase necessary. You need not be present to win.

Refreshments, from Porto’s Bakery, will be served. No need to RSVP. If you’re in the area, just come right in!

 

Sound Devices 688 Takes Field Production To The Next Level

*** Location Sound is now accepting pre-orders for the Sound Devices 688 and SL-6. Special introductory pricing is good thru April 30, 2015. ***

Sound Devices 688 - Front View

Sound Devices introduces its next generation field mixer with the ground-breaking 688, a 12-input, 16-track portable mixer/recorder. The new 688 is the center of an extensible mixing and recording system incorporating MixAssist™, Sound Devices automatic mixing technology. The 688 accepts the new SL-6 SuperSlot™ powering and wireless accessory. A mixing bag comprised of a 688 with attached SL-6 plus SuperSlot-compatible wireless offers audio mixing, recording and wireless receiver control all from the mixer, with dramatically simplified power distribution and interconnection.

Representing a major evolution of Sound Devices’ mixer and recorder products, the 688 harnesses the best of Sound Devices’ successful 633, 664 and 788T-SSD. “The 688 is the most powerful portable mixer/recorder available,” says Matt Anderson, CEO of Sound Devices. “We’ve included features called-out by our customers, including 12-channels of MixAssist, 12-inputs, eight-outputs, digital mixing and routing, 192 kHz sampling, audio delay on both inputs and outputs, PowerSafe™ and QuickBoot. When used with the SL-6 accessory, the 688 provides tight integration and control of wireless manufacturers’ slot-compatible receivers with no cabling required.”

Sound Devices 688 with SL-6

The optional SL-6 powering and wireless system, available July 2015, dramatically simplifies interconnection between the 688 and multiple channels of wireless by accepting up to three dual-channel slot-compatible receivers. Using Sound Devices’ developed SuperSlot interconnection standard, the SL-6 offers all powering, audio interconnection and control needed for SuperSlot-compatible receivers. The SL-6 attaches directly to the 688 and offers built-in NP-1 battery powering for the 688 mixer, slot receivers, plus four additional DC outputs for external peripherals. The SL-6 also offers built-in antenna distribution.

“We are continually developing technologies that offer more flexibility and choice to our customers, and we have achieved this with the SL-6 and SuperSlot,” says Paul Isaacs, VP of Marketing and Product Design at Sound Devices. “With SuperSlot, Sound Devices developed an open specification that will certainly become the new standard for wireless integration with audio mixers and recorders.”

Regarded as the industry’s first non-proprietary, open wireless control and interfacing standard, SuperSlot is the result of Sound Devices’ collaboration with a number of leading wireless manufacturers including Lectrosonics, Sennheiser and Wisycom.

“Lectrosonics is excited to partner with Sound Devices with this new integration interface,” says Gordon Moore, Vice President of Lectrosonics. “By offering centralized control and interoperability, we see this as another step forward in making the life of the professional mixer easier. For existing owners of the SRb, an audio board upgrade will be made available through the Lectrosonics service department. All future Lectrosonics slot products will be SuperSlot-compatible. SRas will need the SRb upgrade plus the audio board upgrade. Unaltered SR receivers will provide audio through the slot but control functions will not be available.”

“We are excited to have collaborated with Sound Devices during the development of the SuperSlot format,” says Tobias Von Allwörden, Product Manager Broadcast and Media for Sennheiser. “As a new open standard, we look forward to hearing the feedback from the industry on this groundbreaking new protocol.”

“One of the most common issues in professional audio is setup and interoperability,” says Massimo Polo, Sales & Marketing Director, Wisycom. “It was a pleasure working with Sound Devices to enable our Wisycom systems to support SuperSlot. Wisycom has recently issued a new MCR42 firmware and a SLK-IKSS rear panel adapter update to accommodate this new technology. The overall wireless capabilities will also benefit from the Sound Devices SL-6’s antenna amplifiers and filters. We continue to develop new firmware updates to support frequency scan, and more, in order to further benefit our customers’ workflow.”

The 688, which is now shipping, is the first 6-series mixer/recorder to incorporate Sound Devices’ MixAssist technology. First introduced with the 788T, MixAssist has been expanded in the 688 to offer 12-channel automatic mixing capability. Using the most sophisticated algorithm on the market today, MixAssist automatically attenuates the level of inactive inputs and maintains consistent background levels regardless of the number of open microphones. Comb filtering and phasing artifacts are also reduced by intelligently attenuating microphones receiving the same audio signal.

The 688 provides six high-bandwidth mic/line XLR inputs, each complete with phantom power, high-pass filter, analog input limiter and variable pan, plus six additional line-level TA3 inputs for additional flexibility in complex productions. All inputs are assignable, pre- or post-fade to eight output buses, left/right plus Aux 1-6. The main left/right mix is available to three outputs simultaneously via transformer-balanced XLR and Hirose outputs.

The 688 also offers 16-track, polyphonic or monophonic broadcast WAV and MP3 file recording to SD and CompactFlash cards. All common sampling rates are supported, including 192 kHz on up to six tracks. The 688 features comprehensive metadata editing, sound report creation, Ambient™ time-code circuitry, two-second turn-on time with QuickBoot, and PowerSafe, a built-in 10-second power reserve to protect against loss of data.

Nov. 12 Open House at Location Sound: Sanken CSR-2 Rear Rejection Shotgun Microphone

Sanken CSR-2 available at Location Sound.LOCATION: Location Sound, North Hollywood, CA
DATE: Tuesday, November 12

TIME: 10 a.m – 2 p.m.

See and hear Sanken’s CSR-2 Rear Rejection Shotgun Microphone up-close! Its rich, natural sound makes the CSR-2 ideal for a wide range of applications such as location sound, public interviews, sports, drama, variety shows, and much more. Features include:

  • Long reach, highly directional shotgun microphone with switchable rear rejection
  • Rich, natural tone with wide-frequency response
  • Exceptionally narrow directivity with optimum reach
  • Suppresses background sensitivity using Sanken’s exclusive rear cancellation technology
  • Proprietary rectangular capsule design for compact, super-sharp directivity
  • Flat frequency response 70 Hz to 20 kHz
  • Easy to handle and operate using 48V phantom power

Jim Pace and Martin Ucik from plus24, Sanken’s US Distributor, will bring a variety of Sanken shotgun microphones from which to compare the CSR-2. Comparison testing doesn’t happen often so take advantage of this open house to hear how all Sanken mics stack up against each other.

Plenty of food and refreshments will be served. No need to RSVP. If you’re in the area, just come right in!

Video: RF Venue CP Beam Helical Antenna

The RF Venue CP Beam is a circularly polarized helical antenna designed for use in situations where the angle of polarization between a transmitter and a receiver is unpredictable. This makes the CP Beam ideal for transmitting to moving targets who are wearing In-Ear Monitors, or receiving signals from constantly moving handheld microphones. One example is the signal coming from a microphone held by a dancing singer. As the singer spins along with the microphone, the signal is thrown at all kinds of angles. Because the CP Beam sends and receives it energy in a corkscrew pattern, it can catch the signal no matter which angle of polarization it happens to be occupying.

To learn more about this product, view the video now or go to this RV Venue CP Beam page on our website.

Oct. 21 Open House at Location Sound: Rycote Cyclone Windshield

Rycote Cyclone to be featured  at a Location Sound Open House on Oct. 21Location Sound will host the very first open house showcasing the new Rycote Cyclone Windshield. Coming in from the UK are Simon Davies, Rycote’s Managing Director, and Chris Woolf, Rycote’s Technical Consultant. Scott Boland, President of Redding Audio (Rycote US distributor), will also be in attendance. All three will demonstrate how the Cyclone’s unique multi-suspension design delivers the best wind and shock isolation performance available.

Coffee, tea and plenty of carb-heavy refreshments will be served. No need to RSVP. If you’re in the area, come on in!

Sound Summit: Los Angeles

Sound Summit Los Angeles

On October 8, 2014, two days before the start of the 137th International AES Convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center, DPA Microphones, Lectrosonics and Sound Devices will host The Sound Summit LA event.

Representatives from the companies including Eric Mayer, president of DPA Microphones, Inc., Karl Winkler, director of business development for Lectrosonics and Jon Tatooles, co-founder and chief business development officer for Sound Devices, LLC will discuss best practices for utilizing all three brands during a production.

Fernando Delgado and his team from Stickman Sound will be in attendance and will demonstrate their unique audio solutions for a variety of hit shows, including The Ultimate Fighter on UFC and Top Chef. In addition, Daniel McCoy, C.A.S. (Ellen DeGeneres Show, Shark Tank) from ToneMesa, Inc. will be on hand to discuss his equipment and techniques for sound for picture.

Sound Summit is a great opportunity for audio professionals to collaborate and discuss their favorite techniques and tools for capturing high-quality audio. With the cooperation of some of the industry’s most well-respected audio professionals, attendees will benefit from a one-on-one, hands-on experience.

Register for this free Sound Summit event now!

Rycote Cyclone

The Cyclone from Rycote is a brand new wind protection system from our friends across the pond. With advanced technology for quietness, and an extremely friendly $699 MAP price, the Cyclone could be a real game changer. Stay tuned for when we get our demo’s in! Although shipping won’t be until late October, LSC is accepting pre-orders on the Cyclone Windshield.

In the meanwhile, check out this Cyclone video:

A Patent Issued 72 Years Ago Today, Made Wireless Communications Possible

August 11, 1942 – Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil are issued a patent for their “Secret Communications System”.

George Antheil, an Avant-garde US composer, and neighbor of Hedy, used a technique to control several player pianos from a single player piano roll. The system used the player piano roll to randomly generate the transmission frequencies to control various devices; in this case, radio controlled torpedoes.

The invention was originally rejected by the Navy because it was thought the device was too bulky to be installed in torpedoes; however, an updated version of the device started showing up on Naval ships, three years after the patent expired, and was used during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
hedy-lamarr-patent

Submitted by Val Asuncion, LSC Assistant Sales Manager

Lectrosonics L Series “Large Bandwidth” Wireless Microphone Line

*** UPDATE***

The all new L Series “Large Bandwidth” line of wireless microphone systems and components is now available. The L Series wireless line offers two brand new microphone transmitters, and the incredibly versatile, ultra-compact LR receiver. Key to this new line is a 75 MHz wide tuning range, and 25 or 100 kHz tuning steps, yielding up to 3,072 selectable frequencies.

The LMb Transmitter is economical and comes with a fixed 50mW RF power output. Excellent for stage, news and ENG broadcast work. The new LT Transmitter offers user-selectable, 50 or 100 mW power. The LT also has an IR (infrared) sync port for ease of frequency setup and operation with IR-enabled receivers. Both transmitters are powered via two AA batteries.

However, the star of these new products is the ultra-compact LR receiver. It’s designed for use with DSLR, small 4K, and other compact HD cameras. The LR’s diminutive size is exactly what many Lectrosonics fans have been waiting for. The wide tuning bandwidth, with tracking front-end filters, provides plenty of flexibility, while dual antenna diversity improves range and resistance to dropouts. A large, backlit LCD provides instant, clear information for setup and status monitoring.

Contact your favorite LSC Sales Rep for delivery details and to place a PRE-ORDER. Anticipated shipping date is mid-December.

Camera-Mountable Wireless Systems:
LR / LT
LR / LMB

Individual L Series components:
LR Receiver
LT Beltpack Transmitter
LMb Beltpack Transmitter

*** END OF UPDATE ***

DATA SHOWN BELOW WAS POSTED JULY, 2014. CHECK THE LINKS ABOVE FOR UPDATED SPECS.

Lectrosonics is poised to roll-out three new products this year dubbed the L Series “Large Bandwidth” line of wireless microphones. This new L Series units all share a wide tuning range of three standard Lectrosonics blocks, or 67.5 to 76.8 MHz, depending on the specific frequency band, and employ Lectrosonics’ patented Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology for compandor-free audio along with compatibility modes for inter-operability with older analog systems. The new L Series product group consists of the LMb Transmitter, and LT Beltpack Transmitter, and the LR Miniature Receiver.

LMb – Digital Hybrid Wireless® Wide Band Transmitter | Available Q4, 2014

The LMb is the latest successor in Lectrosonics’ line of economical beltpack transmitters designed for applications including theater, house of worship, TV, ENG, video and film production. The LMb features an all-metal housing, wire belt clip, 50 mW of RF power, 25 or 100 kHz tuning steps (yielding up to 3,072 selectable frequencies) and an integrated multifunction switch with menu-selectable modes for power, mute or talkback. A graphic LCD and membrane switch panel plus IR synch port make setup and operation a snap. Power is provided via two AA batteries.

LT – Digital Hybrid Wireless® Wide Band Transmitter | Available Q4, 2014
Like the LMb, the LT transmitter features 25 or 100 kHz tuning steps (yielding up to 3,072 selectable frequencies), an integrated multifunction switch with menu-selectable modes for power, mute or talkback, and a graphic LCD and membrane switch panel plus IR synch port for ease of setup and operation. The LT additionally facilitates user-selectable RF transmission power of 50 or 100 mW. A detachable antenna adds to the LT’s versatility by allowing for remote mount antennas. Also, the LT responds to remote commands from either the dedicated Lectrosonics RM remote unit or smartphone apps with this capability. Along with the standard Lectrosonics microphone input, a user-selectable 1 MΩ input is ideal for use with musical instruments, including guitars with passive pickups. The LT is housed in a newly designed machined aluminum housing featuring a super-hard EbNi ‘Ebony’ conductive finish. Power is provided via two AA batteries. Applications for the LT transmitter include TV and film production, ENG, stage, musical instruments, camera hops, corporate AV, and many others.

LR – Ultra-Compact Digital Hybrid Wireless® Wide Band Receiver | Available Q4, 2014

Designed to be ultra-portable for use with DSLR, 4/3, small 4K, and other compact HD cameras, the LR’s diminutive size belies the technology inside. The wide tuning bandwidth with tracking front-end filters provides plenty of flexibility while avoiding the vulnerabilities of wider pass bands. Tuning steps are user selectable at 25 or 100 kHz, yielding up to 3,072 operating frequencies. Compatibility modes enable the LR to operate with older analog transmitters. Dual antenna diversity improves range and resistance to dropouts. The RF spectrum analyzer and Lectrosonics’ SmartTune capability make quick work of finding clean frequencies on site. A large, backlit LCD provides instant, clear information for setup and status monitoring while operational. Detachable antennas allow for remote antenna mounting. The LT is housed in the latest machined aluminum shell with super-hard EbNi ‘Ebony’ conductive finish. The unit is powered with two AA batteries.

Highlights:

  • Compander free audio
  • UHF from 470-698MHz in three bands
  • Choice of tuning setups, 100 or 25 kHz
  • Machine aluminum housing
  • Powered by two AA batteries
  • IR sync port
  • Multifunction switch programmable for Mute, Power, Talkback (LT only) or Disabled
  • 24 bit/88.2 kHz sampling
  • LMb Only: 50mW RF power output
  • LMb, LT Only:
    • 75 MHz pass band covers more than 12 NTSC TV channels or 8 PAL channels
    • Compatible with all Lectrosonics receivers
    • Emulation modes
  • LR Only:
    • Wide band with tracking front end filters for RF reliability
    • Dual Antenna Diversity with detachable antennas
    • Balanced audio output
    • Smart Tune for rapid field setup and frequency selection
    • Backlit LCD
    • Compatibility modes
  • Dimensions (H x W x D):
    • LMb: 3.16 x 2.37 x .82 in | 80.3 x 60.2 x 20.8 mm
    • LT: 2.81 x 2.44 x .74 in | 71.4 x 62 x 18.8 mm
    • LR: 3.22 x 2.44 x .74 in | 81.8 x 62 x 28.8 mm

All three L Series units are available in four different frequency ranges for worldwide use:

  • A1 (470.100 – 537.575 MHz)
  • B1 (537.600 – 614.375 MHz)
  • C1 (614.400 – 691.175 MHz)
  • D1 (691.200 – 767.975 MHz)

​Overall system audio specifications are as follows:

  • Digital Conversion: 24 bit/88.2 kHz sampling rate
  • Frequency Response: 40 to 20 kHz ± 1 dB, THD+N = 0.3 % in Digital Hybrid mode, > 95 dB S/N ratio
  • Audio output levels are adjustable from -50 to +5 dBu in 1dB steps

All of the above devices have not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. They are not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.

Submitted by Angelica Dewlow, LSC Marketing Director