Notable Tech Products at NAMM 2020

Looking for new technology for your church? The NAMM Show is the launch platform for hundreds of new products for church techs. Here's an early look at what's new for 2020.

by

Whether your house of worship is big or small, the annual NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., has a staggering amount to offer. First, NAMM provides a unique opportunity to hear from industry experts, experience new product trends, and demo the latest in production technology. And second, with a huge amount of technology and information focused in one place, NAMM is where industry professionals go to gather insights, ideas and strategies for the next decade.

However, with thousands of brands to see and hear, a busy schedule of performances, and industry awards and talks, there is almost too much information to process over the show’s four-day run.

To make the job easier, CPM rounded up the following products church techs should know about at this year’s NAMM show.

Allen & Heath | www.allen-heath.com

This year is the NAMM debut for A&H’s Avantis console. Key elements of interest for churches: Avantis can make use of the entire existing range of Allen & Heath I/O hardware, so stepping up from the company’s previous generation GLD or even a Qu Series doesn’t require replacing your stage boxes. If you need large numbers of inputs and outputs, the Avantis can connect up with A&H’s GX4816 expander via a simple Cat5e cable connection for full 96kHz audio and expansion to the company’s ME Personal Monitoring System.

What is most notable about the Avantis console is under the hood. It is designed around a powerful FPGA processor (vs. older generation DSP chips). This supports the lowest latency in its class (less than 0.7ms) and phase coherence. There is also support for stadium-class DEEP effects and dynamics plugins without adding latency. A&H has effectively combined innovative hardware and software approaches in this most notable console.

In addition, for the first time at NAMM 2020, A&H will be showing off its new Custom Control app that recently walked away with a New Product award at WFX. This software tool offers the ability to design custom touchscreen interfaces for easy control of A&H dLive audio systems. What really makes this product ideal for churches is that the interface options can be very simple for non-technical users or provide extensive audio control for experts. For instance, a simple iPad interface could offer up a single dedicated volume control knob for the church cry room, without requiring technical audio expertise from the church staff. So, churches can have super-techy, tactile control in the main sanctuary for the experienced audio engineer and simple custom touchscreen interfaces across the campus for adjusting the volume of the sermon in remote rooms, muting the worship band, turning on speaker outputs, etc. 

With Dante becoming the de facto audio-over-IP standard for churches of all shapes and sizes, A&H will be showing off two different form factors of the DT168 and DT164-W “turnkey” Dante expanders that help churches add an additional set of 16 inputs and eight (or four) outputs at 96kHz. As simple as it sounds, this useful product is getting the attention of audio professionals.

Ashly Audio | www.ashly.com

At last year’s NAMM show, Ashly unveiled the mXa-1502 mixer amp, an integrated digital audio mixer and a two-channel power amplifier, that claimed multiple Best of Show awards. Not resting on its laurels, Ashly announced 14 new products through 2019 that included all-new CA Series Amplifiers that are the most efficient Class-D Amps Ashly had ever tested. In a departure from the company’s typical product offerings, Ashly will be unveiling multiple speaker offerings at NAMM 2020 designed specifically to accentuate the company’s amplifier, mixer amp and processor offerings. Seven models in all, these new offerings include IS series column speakers with a passive subwoofer and the AW series of passive all-weather speakers with and without a built-in transformer.

Ashly has been reinventing itself with new products that are the direct result of the company’s proclivity for research and actively listening to what customers want. As a result, in addition to weather resistance, its stylish AW model speakers boast a unique crossover design, along with special Protea or AquaControl DSP control. This provides for wide sweet-spot and outstanding intelligibility. In addition, AquaControl, a web-based control app, can provide remote connections so that troubleshooting can be done from afar.

Ashly’s new IS Series dual-impedance column speaker designs employ eight two-inch or eight 3-inch speakers and can be configured to allow a remarkable 32 speakers to be powered by one amp. The companion SP 12.1P 12-inch passive sub handles low frequencies and power up to 350 watts. The IS Series promises to deliver better audio by putting great sound and better intelligibility where churches need it.

PreSonus | www.presonus.com

ioStation 24c has been the single most requested new product by PreSonus users for some time. Arriving at NAMM 2020, the ioStation gives DAW users both an audio interface and a production controller in one unit, ideal for church content creators.

The new interface/controller combines the recording capabilities of the popular  PreSonus Studio Series USB-C 24-bit, 192 kHz audio interface that features two XMAX Class A analog mic preamps, along with a high-definition 24-bit, 192 kHz analog-to-digital converters with the functionality of the best-selling FaderPort USB production controller. Support for the Mackie Control and HUI protocols allows control within Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Ableton Live, and more. Of course, deep integration with included PreSonus Studio One Artist software and the included PreSonus’ Studio Magic Plug-in Suite will let users mix like a pro and at lightning speed.

PreSonus is also introducing a new StudioLive ARc series of mixers that combine a multi-channel 24-bit, 96 kHz, audio interface with an analog mixer front-end. This hybrid design simplifies recording and mixing, using a single intuitive console. The three models are StudioLive AR8c with 4 mic preamps and 6 balanced line inputs, StudioLive AR12c that sports 8 mic preamps and 12 balanced line inputs, and StudioLive AR16c with 12 mic preamps and 16 balanced line inputs. Each mixer has new effects and an onboard stereo SD recorder for recording a rehearsal or a mobile podcast interview or quickly capturing songwriting ideas.

Shure | www.shure.com

Running up to NAMM 2020, Shure put seven years of research into its new, subminiature TwinPlex omnidirectional condenser lavalier and headset mics. In addition to popular TV shows and Broadway stages, Shure studied the mic’s performance in local and regional churches, as well as national Houses of Worship, including Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Willow Creek Community Church and Hillsong Church. The more natural sounding and durable mic features a new cable design with dual redundant ground, nano-coated, sweat-resistant caps, and over 60 options for color, sound, output and accessories. Past the multiple color options offered, the cable and capsule can even be painted to match unique wardrobes.Remarkable about the TwinPlex mics is a warmer, natural low-end that sounds more like a handheld mic than a small lavalier. Its all-new dual-diaphragm design captures sound arriving from any angle and sums the signals to render exceptional consistency regardless of how the mic is placed or how the talent is moving. With twice the surface area of other mics of this size, it has the lowest noise floor, widest dynamic range, and remarkable low-frequency response. This natural low-end also makes TwinPlex lavaliers ideal for placement on string instruments like Violin, Viola, and Cello.

Tascam | www.tascam.com

Tascam has packed a lot into the new Model 12 hybrid mixer/interface/recorder debuting at NAMM 2020.Model 12 is a perfect mixing solution for small format live performance, recording and production environments, and, like its bigger brothers, Models 24 and 16, it features a multi-track recorder, USB audio interface, effects, comprehensive mixing and routing capabilities plus Bluetooth wireless.

The Model 12’s multi-track recorder, can capture Inputs and two Main Mix sources simultaneously to an internal SD card with 24-bit/48 kHz quality. You can even overdub and punch-in/out quickly and easily, so recorded tracks can be immediately mixed, mastered or exported to a computer for further editing.

Also notable from Tascam this year is the SS-CDR250N two-channel CD/Solid-state recorder designed for network applications. Along with a variety of remote control options, including dedicated apps for iOS, Android, Windows or Mac, the unit offers an FTP client function for the automatic uploading and downloading of recorded files.

Yamaha | usa.yamaha.com

Yamaha’s all-in-one PS, the StagePas 1K, promises portable churches the big sound they are looking for with a high-frequency array speaker packed with 10 small-diameter 1.5-inch drivers that provide professional-level accuracy and clarity. The system features a 1000W Class-D amplifier and a 5-channel digital mixer integrated into the back of the subwoofer.

The mixer’s 1-Knob EQ handles multi-band processing simultaneously, high-quality SPX digital reverb and an output Mode to adjust optimized compression settings to suit various applications, such as Speech or Music. By selecting the setting closest to the application, a more professional edge can be added to the sound without having to learn and apply complex compression/sound engineering principles

Yamaha’s free StagePas Editor iOS/Android app allows users to operate their remote parameter adjustments of volume and EQ. In addition, settings can be saved and recalled for more efficient rehearsals and better performance workflow.

Two additional announcements for church audio designers: NEXO is launching two new P Series point-source cabinets. The new and more compact P8 and P10, with 8-inch and 10-inch LF drivers respectively, are suitable for a variety of applications as PA speakers or monitors. And, with a nod to sanctuary aesthetics, Yamaha Pro Audio is announcing a white version of its popular powered DZR/DXS-XLF and passive CZR/CXS-XLF loudspeakers and subwoofers. The new white finish will help church audio designers deliver great sound without violating the look of a worship space.--BIO--Andy McDonough is a regular contributor to Church Production Magazine.