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Audio Product Diversity…Are You Prepared?

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Pro Audio, Uncategorized

History of supply chain issues

As most who work in the current Professional and Commercial AV industry know, maintaining an inventory of audio products has become a daily exercise. The supply chain and chip issues continue to shape what products we have access to and how audio systems are implemented in many cases. Most manufacturers of products, such as wireless microphones, digital signal processors (DSP), and amplifiers are still experiencing lengthy product delays.

Tom Keefe groom's men

To understand more, we must look back to some of the factors which led to this shortage. Covid-19 severely slowed production of either components or finished goods from Asia, and especially China, starting in 2019. This was exacerbated by a devastating fire at the AKM chip factory in Japan in 2020. This plant produced a large amount of the computer chips and DACs (digital audio converters) used in professional audio equipment. This slowed the production of audio components to a crawl. Another aspect was the “just in time” strategy that was employed over several years to provide products as they were needed, but no large inventory was stockpiled. This worked well if there were no delays in the supply chain, but when all these issues were coupled with shipping delays due to Covid throughout the world, the perfect storm was created in the global supply chain.

Demand has outpaced supply, and at this point, we will continue to see constraints of these products through 2023, according to the AV market watchers. Asia Pacific and the United States are the largest regions of growth, and the demand for wireless audio devices has continued to advance. With a large majority of the work force now working from home, either fully or partially, we are all using mobile devices, laptops, and other technology more than ever.

direct view LED panels

Many audio systems also use Dante network technology, developed by Audinate, to provide network interfaces that allow remote control and programming, as well as the transfer of audio signals. Most professional audio manufacturers have Dante capability embedded in their products for audio network compatibility. When you think of the growth of conference products, video bars, wireless microphone technology, and mobile devices, all of these use computer chips and require this technology to operate.

Understanding the importance of supply chain diversity

Today, one of the most critical aspects of commercial and professional audio equipment distribution is diversification. As a distributor, Exertis Almo is on the front lines of this ongoing battle to provide our customers with these products while the industry rebounds from the storm. Our team of Product Managers, Buyers, and Business Development Managers constantly monitor the supply chain of our vendors to assure we can supply the products that are needed for business today.

This is where product diversity plays a major role in the value-added proposition that we, as a distributor, provide to the integrator or dealer. As we close out 2022 and move into 2023, distributors work closely with audio manufacturers so we can provide products for all the applications our sales team’s customers engage in. Some manufacturers have avoided this by changing their technology and delivering products as soon as they become available. In many cases, project completion schedules dictate alternative products being procured to meet a deadline.

This is very evident with products such as wireless microphones, amplifiers, signal processing, and control systems. Exertis Almo continuously monitors our vendors supply chain, inventory, and delivery schedules to assure we have solutions for those instances when the specific audio product may not be available for a significant time. By working hand-in-hand with our customers, manufacturers, and our product management team, we can pivot quickly to find a solution for most applications.
This approach is proving invaluable to our customers. The diversity of audio products runs throughout our organization, from simple product orders to our services division. When an integrator calls on us to provide design and installation for a given project, we take the same approach of finding the best available solutions while understanding the time sensitivity involved.

What can Integrators do to help offset this problem?

Order equipment as early as possible for a given project

Be flexible in your design as you may have to pivot should a particular component have extended delays beyond the completion date of the project

Work hand-in-hand with your supplier or distributor to assure products are allocated and available in your completion time-frame

Remember that product diversity is critical when completing projects

Tom Keefe groom's men

As the AV industry continues to navigate through this “storm,” all aspects of supply chain, manufacturing, and product diversity are being analyzed. From the diversity of chip manufacturers building new factories to launching new technologies, the future of the industry looks bright. The distribution of Commercial and Professional audio products will continue to be based on our relationships with manufacturers, our customers, and maintaining diversity both in our practices, as well as the products we provide, to assure the best results for every application.

So, when we say, “that product is constrained, but we will see what is available,” know that our team is making every effort to fulfill the customer’s needs and see that projects are completed and function with the highest degree of integrity. Product diversity is driving the AV market and will continue to be a common concern as we move through the medium to long-term future. While there are no silver bullets, the issues detailed here are front-of-mind and being addressed seriously, country by country. This is not a sprint, but a marathon that will make us stronger in the end. Let Exertis Almo be the resource you can depend on for your AV product needs!

Ref: https://www.commercialintegrator.com/business_resources/the-supply-chain-explained-and-demystified-part-2/

Ref: https://www.avnetwork.com/features/professional-audio-manufacturers-struggle-with-supply-chain-slowdowns

John Fuqua

About the Author

John Fuqua | CTS, Dante

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Audio Applications, Amplivox, Audix, Bose, Denon, Marantz, Rane, Shure, Sennheiser, Yamaha UC

The Dreaded Gymacafatorium: 3 Keys to successful multi-use audio design

by | Dec 6, 2022 | Pro Audio, Uncategorized

What is a Gyma-cafa-torium?

The “multipurpose space.” It’s the room that’s intended for everything but does not do any one thing well, and it’s the bane of audio system designers around the globe.

Your client has come to you asking for a sound reinforcement system in one of these “gymacafatoriums.” But first, let’s start with an etymology lesson:

auditorium

💡 auditorium (n.):

“part of a public building where people gather to hear speeches, etc.,” 1727, from Latin auditorium “a lecture-room,” literally “place where something is heard,” in Medieval Latin, especially “a reception room in a monastery,” noun use of neuter of auditorius (adj.) “of or for hearing,” from auditus, past participle of audire “to hear.”

From this lengthy definition, it seems that being able to hear is pretty important.

Normally, we think of an auditorium as some sort of rectangular box with fixed seating and a stage or platform at one end, but if it’s a “place where something is heard,” the infamous gymacafatorium is really an auditorium, regardless of the sign placed above the entrance.

If people need to be able to communicate in a space, doesn’t that really make every space an auditorium, by definition? If you can’t hear the audio content, you’re not communicating.

3 Keys to Auditorium Audio Design

There are three components when making an auditorium function as a place where something is heard:

These are the physical and acoustical properties of the space. This involves the size, shape, and the absorptive, reflective, and transmissive properties of the floor, walls, ceiling, and any other materials in the space. Think of absorption, reflection, and transmission as a triangle. The sum of the degrees of a triangle always equals 180, and it is the same principle with sound energy in a space. If it’s not absorbed, it’s reflected. What’s not absorbed or reflected is transmitted into an adjoining space.

The shape of the space is also a consideration. Avoid domes and curved walls, as these will focus sound energy in undesirable ways.

If the space also functions as a gym, it’s typically a bigger room with a high ceiling. Normally, it will have hardwood floors, painted CMU (concrete masonry units or “cinder block”), and some sort of steel ceiling. The result is little in the way of energy absorption, thus providing for lots of reflective energy.  Even if they have wall pads, they aren’t of much help for absorption.

If it’s just a cafatorium, your ceilings may be 10 feet or so. These rooms typically have tile floors, painted CMU or gypsum walls, perhaps large windows, hopefully with acoustical drop tiles. Even with acoustically absorptive drop tiles, that’s absorption on only one of the six sides of the box, so these are typically noisy spaces as well. The low ceiling may limit you to using ceiling loudspeakers.

As the late John Murray still reminds us with Don Davis before him, “the only thing you can EQ is the loudspeaker.”  In other words, the electronic adjustments performed during the equalization process can only affect the response of the loudspeaker.  Once the sound leaves the loudspeaker, it’s out in the wild.  The room itself, the room acoustics, will imprint its signature on the sound before it arrives to the listener.  You can’t do anything about what happens to the sound between the loudspeaker and the listener unless you change the acoustical characteristics of the space.

Engaging a qualified acoustician at the beginning of any project of significance can help you design great sounding spaces. Many years ago, there were some commercials related to car maintenance that used the line, “Pay me now or pay me later.”  It’s also true of the acoustician.  The trouble here is that hiring the acoustician after everything has been built usually comes after a number of equipment upgrades that were intended to “fix the sound.”  Additionally, implementing acoustic treatments after building completion tends to be a whole lot more expensive.  Including the acoustician as part of the initial building design team can be a very economical decision.

All too often in the gymacafatorium, the HVAC system is way too noisy.  After all, it was designed to be a gym, right?  Reducing background noise levels to acceptable limits can be costly if the HVAC system requires a major refit or replacement to something that’s acceptable.  There are easy ways to measure the current background noise levels for an initial assessment.

ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, has a chapter in their reference works entitled Sound & Vibration.  It’s a great little chapter and includes Design Guidelines for HVAC-Related Background Sound in Rooms, and it provides RC (Room Criterion) numbers for various types of spaces.  If these guidelines were followed, a lot of spaces would be much more pleasing.

If you’re working in schools, a recommended resource is the ANSI/ASA S12.60 American National Standard Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools.  While I might prefer using RC or NC (Noise Criterion) numbers, it uses dB SPL.

hvac background noise

Loudspeaker selection and placement are critical here.  The methods range from modeling to well-educated estimates to some Homer employing a LAR (Looks About Right) approach.  Skilled sound practitioners typically have a pretty good handle on what works in a space, and they know it is not a one-size-fits-all world.

In a perfect world, large spaces should be modeled using various loudspeakers to see what make, model, and location directs the sound energy only where it’s needed and keeping it off of all unnecessary surfaces.  The outcome of modeling is that “this” particular loudspeaker(s) needs to be in “this location” and aimed in “this” direction.  Modeling is a prediction which leads to a more assured outcome.

If ceiling loudspeakers are the choice, various manufacturers have simple calculation programs that allow you to enter the space’s dimensions, loudspeaker model, tap wattage, and overlap pattern desired. The result is the number of loudspeakers, loudspeaker spacings, dB SPL level at the listener position, and even the total power amplifier wattage required for the space.

JBL ceiling mounted loudspeakers

Prioritize the Process and Get Support

Acoustics, background noise, and the loudspeakers. Note that I left the loudspeakers until last. All too often the thought process is all backwards, when number one priority should be getting the room right.

Regardless of where you are in the process as an integrator and working with your client, we have the support staff necessary that can assist with the best approach to meet your client’s needs.

Contact us today.

Tom Kehr

About the Author

Tom Kehr

CTS-D, CTS-I, Network+, LEED Green Associate, ISF-C, ATD Master Trainer

In-House System Designer and Trainer

Supported Applications: System Design

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Blending Education & Entertainment: I Present JBL Fest 2022

by | Oct 21, 2022 | Events, Pro Audio, Uncategorized

“This was the best work trip I’ve ever attended.”  That statement carries a lot of weight when your career requires you to travel to different industry events and you regularly get to see what our country has to offer.  However, that was the exact phrase that an Exertis Almo employee said to me when I asked him what JBL Fest 2019 was like.  For the 2nd consecutive year (not counting 2020/2021 due to the pandemic shutdown), our sales team at Exertis Almo was selected to participate in a sales incentive with the grand prize being a trip for 2 to Las Vegas to attend JBL Fest 2022.  This year, we had five lucky winners (and their spouses) descend onto Las Vegas from Sept 27th-Sept 30th.  Christina Smith, Kenny Razor, Kyle Smith, Cassidy Alley and Doug Schulte all did an incredible job to earn this opportunity, and congrats to all of them!  I took on the role of “Unofficial Tour Guide” to make sure they got the most from the trip and did not miss any of the swag opportunities either.  Allow me to do the same for you as I attempt to paint a picture of what this experience was truly like.

JBL Fest 2022 team backdrop

Leading up to the 27th, I made sure to review the itinerary which included the Harman Tech Forum, Installed Audio Masterclass, Content Creation Master Class with world famous DJ Morgan Page, and multiple concerts and club events each night.  Once landing in Las Vegas, you are greeted in the baggage claim area by multiple people holding JBL Fest signs and helping usher you to the waiting bus in the parking lot to take you to the destination.  Admittedly still jetlagged from the 3-hour time difference and 2:30am wakeup, I was happy it was a short ride to the Virgin Hotel where immediately you hear the bass thumping, see a bright JBL-orange truck and a solid-gold dancer just in the parking lot.  It was tough NOT to hang out in the parking lot with everyone else.  Once checked in you immediately feel thrown into the experience of JBL Fest.  Bright colored signage everywhere and an oversized chair that replicates JBL earbuds are sitting in the lobby.  The short walk from the registration area to the room was well worth it when you open the door to your room and find there is a concert stage directly outside your room  (more on that a little later on 😊 ).  Once I was settled and rested, I decided to head down to the JBL Hospitality Lounge where I was checked in and “tagged” with an orange JBL bracelet that acts as your “tracker” for all the events you attend and it’s your VIP pass.  I am all about branding, so I certainly did not mind wearing a JBL bracelet for a few days.  Once finished with check-in, I was told to go into the lounge and pick up my “welcome gift,” while assuming it was a fidget spinner or pop socket; you know, the usual swag that is handed out.  Instead, I’m given a Herschel/JBL branded backpack that was filled with JBL noise cancelling wireless earbuds, a premium wireless battery pack, a premium wireless phone charger, and a JBL fanny pack (which now sits on my Michael Scott standup at home, haha).  I do not want to give off the impression that I can be bought with premium swag, but this sure was a nice way to welcome guests to the event!

After a brief bit of downtime to explore the hotel, it was time to meet up with the rest of the Exertis Almo team and head to Club JBL for the 1st night of concerts, headlined by pop star Bebe Rexha.  Food, drinks, and sitting feet away from future NFL Hall of Famer, Rob Gronkowski, made this a great first night for everyone — ending with Bebe Rexha singing some of her more radio-popular hits from the past few years.  Waking up on Wednesday, it was time to roll as we had our busiest day ahead.  Starting with the Harman Tech Forum, which featured several panel discussions on the future of the metaverse, where the automotive industry is heading, and learning how athletes and celebrities are using technology to become more accessible to their fans.  Capped off with a Shark Tank-like presentation of innovative ideas, we also heard from President and CEO of Harman International, Michael Mauser.  Afterwards we took a brief hiatus to head to the Maui Jim Gifting Experience.  Essentially, you went outside to a group of tables where they were designed to look like a sunglasses retail store.  You were instructed to try on as many pairs as you wanted and select which you liked best.  They literally hand you a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses for FREE! Just chalk that up to another piece of premium swag that Harman treated to their

guests.  With our new sunglasses in hand, we then headed the Pro Audio Installed Masterclass.  Among the presenters was Saben Shawhan who is the Director of Audio Applications at Harman Pro.  Saben is a personal favorite of mine, and he certainly did not disappoint this time around.  Standing on a mock stage with speakers all around him, Saben went through a brief slide presentation on each series including the CBTs, PRX One, Eon One MK2, and the new SRX900s.  However, the fun part was the actual product demo.  Featuring an eclectic mix of music to highlight the strengths of these different speakers, we went one by one to fully immerse yourself in each.  While all were extremely impressive, I think my chest is still feeling the bass knock on the SRX900s from the heavy techno music that was playing.  Holy cow did that speaker really impress me!

JBL Fest 2022 product launch
JBL Fest 2022 presenter

As if I was not already feeling excited and inspired enough, I was then approached by Whitney Bosch and Frank Joseph from the Harman Marketing team with what I can only describe as quite an honor –having a private 1-on-1 meeting with Michael Mauser himself.  To have Michael touch on our sales growth at Exertis Almo and then ask for my thoughts and feedback on the improving supply chain and how to continue improvement was something I will never forget.  There are certain moments in your career when you might experience an emotional “high” or a “flow state” as I’ll describe later…..and this was certainly one of those times.  Thank you to Whitney and Frank for affording me that opportunity.

After heading back to my room feeling as excited and inspired as ever, I started to hear some “disruption” outside my window to find that the sound check was starting for the night’s musical guests, The Kid Laroi and Doja Cat.  I would like to think that I have a wide-spanning taste in music; there is something about live drums and guitars that just perks the ears regardless of the musical artist.  I wound up standing by my window overlooking the stage for a good 35 minutes just watching and listening.  After being a gracious guest for drinks with the Harman Marketing team and toasting the successful event, we headed to the VIP section outside on the lawn for the evening concert.  First stop was the bar where you receive a blinking glow-in-the-dark JBL cup to enjoy the drinks all evening, and then I found my way to the balcony ledge with a clear view of the stage just in time for Kid Laroi to appear.  While I do not know all his music, the best moment of his set was when he played “Stay” which is easily his biggest hit song and clearly recognizable to everyone in attendance.  I overheard a lot of people saying, “oh this is that song from Tik Tok,” truly a sign of the digital world we live in.  Once Doja Cat came on stage and ran through some of her hits, it was time to end the evening with another day of fun ahead on Thursday. 

JBL Fest 2022 concert

While the final day was a lot more relaxed and mellow, I was ready and waiting for the Content Creation Masterclass featuring DJ Morgan Page.  Morgan conducted a presentation on his “Quick Tips,” which essentially are a guide for how to reduce complexity in whatever you do and as he puts it: “grease the wheels of resistance.”  Every attendee received a box of his quick tips cards, which I am guilty of looking at ever since I returned home.  One point that I raised previously was in regard to experiencing “flow state.”  As Morgan described, a “flow state” is when you find yourself in such a groove with your work that time is flying by, and you are in such enjoyment with what you are doing that you remain in a state of constant flow.  That really resonated with me and as I attempted to describe it here, this trip was my “flow state.”  The final event of the trip was offsite at Hakkassan nightclub featuring world famous DJ Martin Garrtix.  Lights, smoke, loud club music, and plenty of drinks and good conversation to go around. It was the ideal way to end the trip.  Having “foolishly” booked a 3:30am Uber ride the next morning to head home, I knew the wise thing was to end the night and go back to the hotel.

JBL Fest 2022 team outing

As I sit here composing my thoughts and memories from the trip, I just received a message from Christina Smith, Exertis Almo Director of Sales and one of the lucky incentive winners for JBL Fest.  Christina says, “this time last week we were all arriving in Vegas” to which I replied, “and now I sit here writing about it.”  This was easily the best trip of my entire career as it was so methodically planned out by everyone at Harman that it truly was the perfect blend of education and entertainment.

If you would like to learn more about the products, I mentioned above or how Harman continues to come up with new innovation, please contact us today.

Robert Voorhees

 

Robb Voorhees | CTS, CTP, DSCE, CTNS, Dante

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Business Communications Services, and Harman: AKG, AMX, BSS, Crown, DBX, JBL, Soundcraft, Martin Lighting

(Re) Meet the Audio Team

by | Sep 22, 2022 | Pro Audio, Uncategorized

GET TO KNOW US BETTER

Meet or re-meet the Exertis Almo audio team. Distinguished, experienced, and accessible. They are here to partner with you on all things audio.

Robert Voorhees

Rob Voorhees, CTS, CTNS, CTP, DSCE, Dante

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Business Communications Services, and Harman: AKG, AMX, BSS, Crown, DBX, JBL, Soundcraft, Martin

Rob has worked in Pro A/V for 6 years with another 15 years in telecommunications and networking with extensive experience in account management and vendor distribution relationships. Rob strives to be the product expert for his respective lines while being a trusted business partner for our integrator partners and their clients. Additionally, he is experienced in brand management, channel sales, and product marketing.

Fun fact: From playing drums in high school to working at CD/Tape shops, Rob is an avid music lover.  His mantra is: “Do What You Love.”

John Fuqua, CTS, Dante

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Audio Applications, Amplivox, Audix, Bose, Denon, Marantz, Rane, Shure, Sennheiser, Yamaha UC

John’s 29 years of experience includes professional audio, video and lighting system design for all types of projects to include HoW, Performing Arts facilities, higher education and pro sports facilities throughout the United States. He has considerable technical experience having worked as Design/Sales Manager, Director of Commercial Systems and Vice President of Technical Systems for a large integration firm. Since 2016, he has been the Audio Product Manager for Exertis Pro AV and is currently a Business Development Manager at Exertis Almo where he oversees sales support and coordination of key audio lines. He is well versed in the latest audio technology and hardware.

Fun fact: John was born in Alaska and enjoys golf, travel, and hot rods.

John Fuqua
Angie Greene

Angie Greene, CTS, DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Nureva and Avocor

Angie has spent 30+ years within the IT & AV industry primarily in sales and sales management and has worked as a Business Development Manager for the last 3 ½ years. In her Business Development Manager role, she works with some of the largest integrator and reseller firms to provide sales, installation, service and support for their project needs. Angie brings a wealth experience and product knowledge to her current position. She is also member of the AVIXA Women’s Council.

Fun fact: Angie is a self-proclaimed “A/V geek.” When out & about, she’s constantly taking note of the A/V equipment being used everywhere – especially to her friends’ amusement.

Tom Kehr, CTS-D, CTS-I, Network+, ISF-C, LEED Green Associate, ATD Master Trainer

In-House System Designer and Trainer

Tom is a System Designer and Trainer for Exertis Almo. Since 1986, Tom has been involved in designing, installing, operating, purchasing and training of professional audiovisual systems. Tom has also been heavily involved in church audio, leading ministry teams and training volunteers in both permanent and portable venues. In addition, he owned a regional sound reinforcement company for over 16 years. Prior to joining Exertis Almo, Tom was a senior staff instructor for AVIXA and before that, a senior designer for a large Washington, D.C. area design/build firm. He is a member of SynAudCon and AES and is a licensed amateur radio operator.

Fun fact: Vacuum tubes rule.

Tom Kehr
Rob Ziv

Rob Ziv, CTS-D, CTS-I, ISF-C, DSCE

VP of Business Development and Strategy

Rob Ziv oversees all our audio and related solutions at Exertis Almo.  While logging 30+ years in the industry, including many as a recording engineer and educator, he has worked for major studios, AV integrators, and a studio design company.  In addition to holding multiple industry and manufacturer certifications, he has an MBA in Executive Leadership. His background includes CIS, Telecom, and finance, and he was awarded the AVIXA CTS Holder of the Year in 2019.

Fun fact: Rob provided technical and engineering support on projects for Keith Richards, Prince, Eric Clapton, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Raitt, Aaron Neville, and many others.

Exertis Almo has the largest, most complete selection of brands and products top professionals demand — all backed by our legendary service, support, and design assistance. With every project, we work hard to make sure your business is sound. 🎧

Over 100 years of combined experience

Competitive Pricing | No Minimum Orders | 1 Purchase Order | Flexible Credit | In Stock Products | Generous Return Policy

Audio Applications
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Contact your Exertis Almo team for more information.

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Back-to-School AV Challenges for Educators in 2022

by | Aug 29, 2022 | Cameras, Education, Pro Audio

As we are in the final days of summer, teachers are preparing their classrooms for their incoming students, preparing lessons plans, and having teacher meetings.

And in some areas of the country, the school year is already back in full-swing! And with the effects of the pandemic, many people are eager to get their children back to an in-person learning environment. That being said, there are some unique challenges facing our educators again this year. In the state of Florida alone, there are over 9,000 teacher and staff vacancies for this upcoming year. In early 2022, the National Education Association chronicled the results from a member survey, which found that “a staggering 55% of [educators] are thinking about leaving the profession earlier than they had planned.” My brother is a 7th grade teacher and I have a few friends who work in education, and I can tell that they have had similar discussions or have heavily considered other occupational options.

If we have a large amount of students coming to the classroom and limited educators for them, that likely means classroom sizes have expanded too much for instructors. In addition, there’s still
the option to provide remote education for those that have chosen to continue that learning approach for their children. In many cases, teachers are instructing remotely and in-person at the same time.

I can only imagine the challenge to trying to keep everyone’s attention while focusing on particular lesson plan! Also, it’s a challenge when the audio is poor and you cannot effectively hear the speaker, or there are multiple conversations happening at the same time. I’m an adult (or I’m supposed to be), so I imagine it is even more difficult for young students to focus and retain information when audio is overpowered by background noise. I’d compare it to Charlie Brown’s teacher (blah, blah, blah).

The Nureva XT Bundle for Education, which includes the CV300 classroom camera kit and HDL microphone and speaker system, will help to alleviate some of the challenges that educators face today. Although, I do wish we had a magic wand to help them address more obstacles in modern education, beyond audio solutions.

First, the product does not use RF technology, which is utilized in most audio devices available. Instead, Nureva uses the patented Mist Technology, which allows for audio-fullness throughout a classroom. Imagine millions of bubbles in the air, catching and distributing the sound from the speaker evenly throughout the room, floating into all of the nooks and crannies.

But wait, there’s more. By placing primary focus on the speaker, Nureva’s “What You Don’t Hear” technology minimizes distracting background noise or side conversations form students during a lesson (I was certainly guilty of this in school!). This allows the speaker to be heard consistently while moving around the room, creating a great learning environment for both in-person and remote students. Plus, the technology notices changes in the speaker’s tone or enunciation, to enhance a particular point for students, keeping them interested and focuses on the subject at-hand.

XT Bundle Brochure (PDF)
Nureva Nureva CV30 classroom camera kit

CV30 classroom camera kit

Nureva HDL300

HDL300-B audio conferencing system

In our own industry, we are facing many challenges: product availability issues, delayed projects, and staffing difficulties. With Nureva, you’ll enjoy efficient installation (in approximately 15 minutes). In fact, Exertis Almo has prepared a special installation SKU that you can order, so they can take care of it for you! You can keep skilled staff on your higher-end projects and leverage us for the help.

Angie GreeneIf you’d like to learn more about the Nureva line or book a live demo,
please visit our website, or contact me.

Angela (Angie) Greene, DSCE
Business Development Manager, ScreenBeam and Panasonic

Portable, Powered, Perfect ANYWHERE AUDIO

by | Aug 17, 2022 | Pro Audio

Portable, Powered, PERFECT! – the need for ANYWHERE AUDIO

Allow me to paint a picture for you: the weather outside is in the high 80’s, bright sun, not a cloud in the sky and you decide to take full advantage and head to the beach for the day. You pack all the essentials- sunscreen, drinks/food, maybe a book or tablet, and possibly the most important essential- your small Bluetooth speaker! Portable Bluetooth speakers are certainly nothing new. Nowadays they are everywhere and are even used as free swag while attending various conventions or trade shows! However, what is “new” is the current wave of portable and powered loudspeakers that have taken the Pro A/V world by storm and is allowing end-users to have what I call “anywhere audio”. The ability to bring your audio with you regardless of application, space dimensions, or overall needs.

The “portable PA” category continues to grow, and as it does, you are now faced with more options than you have ever had in the past. There is a portable option for just about everyone! The speaker you choose is normally dictated on what you are using it for, as well as the size of the listening area. Over the past 2+ years, there has certainly been a drastic increase in outdoor activities, whether that be fitness classes, educational or corporate presentations, outdoor dining, or outdoor performances. When you have so many unique applications, it becomes imperative to match up the right speaker. We also cannot ignore the current supply/chip shortages affecting the world, as the ability to choose a powered speaker (rather than sourcing a separate amplifier) can also be viewed as a benefit of this category. Let us examine some of these features that determine the difference between a good experience and a poor one.

When discussing loudspeakers as a category, there are a few questions that I will always ask during the conversation. First, I want to know if portability is a desired need. In other words, will this loudspeaker be permanently installed, or will there be times when it needs to be carried from one place to the next, and with ease? Portable loudspeakers can range in size and weight, from approximately 17lbs up to 85lbs (and more) in most cases. While 85lbs is pretty heavy, it is still considered portable and will normally have fixed handles on the speaker cabinet or an optional carrying case to assist in moving. The second question is whether the speaker needs to be passive (it requires an external amplifier and mixer to power and control) or powered (amp and mixer/dsp are built into the speaker).

JBL portable PA speaker

JBL- JBL-EONONEMK2-NA

As we can probably all attest, not everyone is an experienced audio engineer. Having an all-in-one solution, such as a powered/portable loudspeaker, might be extremely attractive for those who are beginners and simply want to turn the speaker on and go. For the sake of this discussion, we will discuss powered options due to their ease of set-up, control, and functionality. Some of the vendors who are players in this category also have Android/Apple apps that can turn your phone or tablet into a control panel. I have seen times where a musician is performing while someone is controlling the mixer of the speaker from an iPad. The simplicity makes this category quite popular, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sound engineer. Another question we certainly want to ask is HOW the speaker will be used.

As mentioned above, there are numerous applications we have seen over the years, and the ones I mentioned are only a small fraction of the overall segment. For example, if someone intends on simply connecting a phone via Bluetooth to listen to music outdoors, then that indicates there might not be the need to look at the higher end of the price spectrum or the Peak SPL (maximum loudness). However, If the end-user is planning on connecting a wired or wireless microphone for presentations, that opens up several different products to choose from. Most products in the portable PA category offer some type of built-in mixer (some analog, some digital) and they come in all different sizes (2 channel, 5 channel, and so on). Along with this, they will offer additional features, such as feedback suppression, ducking, and vocal special effects. Feedback suppression is a signal processing device which is used to prevent or “suppress” audio feedback, like when a microphone is too close to a speaker and creates a distinct noise. Ducking is a feature you may routinely experience if you are in a club and the DJ begins to talk on the microphone. As the DJ speaks into the microphone, the music gets turned down so everyone can hear them. You are “ducking down” the volume of the audio on one signal so you can hear another audio signal.

While there are several other qualifying questions we can ask, I think the last of the integral questions is finding out the size of the listening area. The Peak SPL ranges from 110db up to 131db, which allows these to be used in a variety of spaces, like small classrooms or large houses of worship. As an example, a coffee shop would likely avoid a large 15” loudspeaker blaring music, but a conference or trade show would need 2-4 of that same speaker for proper audio for presentations. Due to this variation in listening, we can also look at additional factors, like whether a tripod mount can be used or if the speaker can be wall-mounted. A recent project I worked on for a church used 2 portable PA’s, which came with a column array. They loved the idea of mounting the array on the wide and hiding the base in the corner out of sight. The options are certainly plentiful in this category!

Harman Professional Solutions is one of the bigger players in the portable PA space with their JBL line. JBL offers a portable/powered loudspeaker for all of the applications I’ve mentioned here, and they continue to expand on this category each year. In fact, while supply shortages have remained and parts allocations have been tough to come by, JBL has cranked out not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 6 different powered/portable speakers: Eon710, Eon712, Eon715, Eon718s, Eon One Mk2, and the Prx One. Best of all, each of these products is in stock! These are just a sample of the 6 different series that JBL offers in the portable PA market. They have continued to listen to customers and turn out some of the best sounding speakers year after year.

You can now probably consider yourself knowledgeable enough to be dangerous when it comes to this category and the features to look out for. The term “portable” no longer only applies to those tiny speakers we take to the beach, and in the Pro AV realm, our customers can now experience the “Anywhere Audio” that I admire.

Audio Solutions

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