Exclusive Distributor Newsletter #9
Amp Control Rundown and Dante in APA...
It’s been a while since our last exclusive newsletter, but we hope you’ve been keeping up to date with what’s been happening here at XTA via Facebook, where we do continue to post news about the latest installs, and other snippets of info.
ISE news first. We will be attending the show and will have a stand in hall 7 showing off the first release of AmpControl, and demoing the new Dante card that is now available for APA.
The addition of the Dante card to APA’s already formidable line-up of features opens up amazing new avenues of routing and sourcing audio.
This is due to the fact that not only will APA source channels from the network, it can also send audio back out onto the network with total flexibility as to where this audio has come from.
Imagine this scenario – an amplifier is driving two subs, and two low-mid drivers, in stereo. Only two of the four available analogue inputs are therefore being used locally, leaving the other two spare.
Assigning outputs to power amp channels from processing channels.
The other two unused inputs can therefore be fed into the APA’s DSP and back out again onto the network, and we can even route the unused inputs direct to other network outputs, providing direct break-in functionality if required.
Assignment of network outputs either from local inputs or other network inputs.
It needn’t stop there either – you are free to take channels directly off the network, process them, and put them back on the network (or share them with the local amplifier output processing too), or switch unused inputs to AES and feed your desk master LR (very handy on a digital desk that doesn’t have Dante) into this digital input and straight onto the network where it can be picked up by all other amplifiers.
Select an AES source to process though unused DSP channels on the amplifier, to go back out on the network.
On top of all this, the first release of AmpControl has been updated considerably beyond the version you would have seen at tradeshows or any demonstrations from Richard or Jason. Individual amplifier overviews allow you to see all processing in a single screen, with multiple metering points sowing input levels to check your signal, compression and limiter meters and single click checking of all EQ without leaving this screen!
Clicking on an output channel’s EQ shows a preview of the settings.
Gains, delays, sources for input processing channels, compressor bypass, mute, polarity – all these tweaks can be made from this diagram page and if you need more comprehensive control, then either choose the tab (like AudioCore), or double click on the section you want to edit to jump straight there…
All channels’ compressors and limiters can be seen on a single page if required.
We’re thinking ahead to use on tablets and other devices too, with the ability to make the EQ curves full screen and hide all table controls, so it becomes really easy to drag curves and adjust EQ – a quick double click on the top bar maximises the control window, and then pressing “Hide” moves all EQ numerical data out of the way. Notice that you still get quick access to the gain, compressor and limiter controls, with the associated metering.
Maximising a window will enlarge all meters, EQ curves and controls. Hide controls for the biggest possible EQ view that is draggable in real time.
You might have also noticed that all these screenshots from the software also are slightly different to usual – they’re all captured from a mac! We are delighted to be able to offer AmpControl on both Windows and mac operating systems.
Output EQ is augmented by direct access to channel gain, compressor and limiter settings so EQ effects on dynamics can be instantly evaluated.
We will be rolling out this software and its associated firmware to you all over the next couple of weeks, as we are just compiling some additional information to help you with installation, and explain how to update firmware etc. If you wan tot get ahead of the game, a lot of this information has already been uploaded to the website and is all available under the APA product page, if you click on the “Documents” and “TechNotes” tabs.
We are also putting together some training videos, exclusively for you, and hope to have these online before ISE. To finish up, please download and freely distribute the invitations linked below to send to your customers, getting them free entry into the show (and you of course!)
Download ISE Free Tickets Invitation: English
Download ISE Free Tickets Invitation: French
Download ISE Free Tickets Invitation: German
Download ISE Free Tickets Invitation: Italian
Download ISE Free Tickets Invitation: Spanish
