John Gatski is the Publisher & Executive Editor of Pro Audio Review.
With the multitude of trade shows and conventions these days, it’s good to see the incorporation of InfoComm and NSCA into one larger, more efficient trade show. The show gets underway June 14 in Las Vegas.
Many of the sound-only systems integrators and the AV systems professionals are interested in the same products, and this show — with a combination of great venue in ‘Vegas and the hundreds of manufacturers showing their products — make it a much easier show to manage. From the costs of traveling to the time it takes to attend different trade shows at different times, it makes much more sense to put these two in one place.
Although it will contain a shared expo of manufacturer booths, NSCA and InfoComm are still separate organizations and will continue to have their own education seminars, sessions and selective meetings. The organizations are different, just shared efficiency for all.
As a trade magazine covering many shows during the year, an integrated trade show makes our lives easier in covering the latest products under one roof — gotta love that! I could think of a couple more trade shows that need some integration.
If you are attending the show, stop by the NewBay Publishing booth, C2026, and say hello. We will have representatives at the show from several of our titles including PAR, Pro Sound News, Systems Contractor News, Government Video and TV Technology.
Speakers and Power
With the domination of self-powered speakers in pro audio, Heather Johnson has compiled an interesting Q/A with speaker manufacturers and amp manufacturers discussing the merits of self-powering speakers as well as using the old passive speaker/separate amp formula, the once-upon-a-time way to monitor.
There are some really good powered monitors out there these days, from high cost, big power/driver models to the utilitarian Asian-made compacts, there are models for every need. Self powering and onboard electronics’ advantage is that the speakers sound can be tailored very specifically for their intended environment, and usually they can be produced at a lower price — especially with some of the newer, efficient amp technologies.
But I still like separates. I own a few pairs of self powered speakers and have tested a bunch of them over the years, but my primary system still has separates.
I know a lot of mastering engineers who swear by them. So at PAR, we still review both kinds speakers and an occasional set of passives (mostly from the audiophile side) and separate amps. Amplifier technology has continued to evolve — from classic Class A/AB bipolar and MOSFET output with traditional power supplies, to improved Class A output, to super efficient digital amps. Heck, I have a singled-ended stereo amp, all Class A, that has only two active devices per channel, producing only 7 watts to each channel, but amazingly transparent.
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