CTNA using 40 Lab.gruppen PLM 1000Q

Creative Technology using 40 Lab.gruppen PLM 1000Q four-channel Powered Loudspeaker Management units to provide audio solutions for corporate clients.

For more that two decades, Creative Technology has been a leading supplier of audio, video and staging solutions to a wide cross section of corporate and entertainment production clients. “We offer the highest quality of equipment available for events around the world,” states William Nealie, Director of Audio Services for Creative Technology North America. “When the time came to increase our inventory of amp racks, we realized that the new Lab.gruppen PLM with built-in Dolby Lake processing would be a perfect choice for us. The PLM 10000Q would let us offer our clients maximum flexibility, incorporating system management through the latest in DSP technology.” Creative Technology recently purchased a total of 40 PLM 1000Q four-channel amplifier units for use in the North American market. In addition to their office in Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, the firm also operates overseas offices in the UK, Germany, Dubai, China and Singapore.

Creative Technology’s new PLM amplifiers have been loaded into 10 amplifier racks that each handle eight bi-amp or 16 full-range mixes. “We first used the new PLM-equipped racks in late-June with Herbalife [nutrition and weight-management company],” Nealie continues, “for an event within a 16,000-seat venue in Rio De Janeiro. We sent three racks for the event. Normally, we would need to send six, four-mix racks to cover this type of event; the reduced shipping costs represented a major savings for our client.”

Creative Technology started to look at intelligent amplifiers when it received an RFQ for a major automotive companies booth at the 2008 North American Auto Show. “Lab.gruppen FP+ 10000s were put into the bid,” Nealie recalls, “and then swapped out in June for these newer Lab.gruppen PLM models that feature built-in Dolby Lake processing. We have been using separate Dolby Lake and the older Lake Contour loudspeaker processors for a while, and were very familiar with their operations. Having the two functions - high-quality amplification and programmable processing – within a single unit was just what we needed, to dramatically simplify our amp rack systems.

“In fact, we arranged an A/B comparison between the new Lab.gruppen PLM amp/processors and our previous duo combination of Dolby Lake processors and FP+ 10000 amplifiers,” says Nealie. “The new PLMs sounded much better. We attributed the major differences to a lack of additional A-to-D and D-to-A stages between the Dolby Lakes and the analog-only FP+ amplifiers. We could hear an enhanced bandwidth in the low and high frequencies; the bottom-end sounded Fuller rounder while the high-end was more transparent, with better stereo imaging.”

The PLM 10000Q’s power-amplifier section is built on the proven foundation of Lab.gruppen’s newest FP+ Series with patented Class TD output stages that couple the efficiency of Class D topologies with the sonic purity of Class B designs. A R.SMPS regulated switch-mode power supply provides stable rail voltages, even with significant fluctuations in line voltage. Other features common with the FP+ Series include high power density, an Intercooler copper-finned cooling system, power-average limiting to prevent tripping of mains breakers, and a full suite of protection features.

“These new Lab.gruppen PLMs sound a whole lot better than the older Labgrouppen amps,” the director of audio services considers. “One added plus to the new 10000Q is that we can create a load file of all our speaker crossover settings and have them available in the amp’s user Library. The PLM’s built-in Dolby Lake processing holds all of the [crossover] parameters we need for a wide range of loudspeaker cabinets, subwoofers and stage monitors, which means that we can mix-and-match our amp racks with any speaker in our inventory. It has removed a major logistical headache for us as well. We are very, very pleased with the combination.”

The PLM 10000Q’s built-in Dolby Lake Controller software provides a unified interface for control and monitoring of all system functions – System EQ, delay, crossover slope, and limiting - via a, portable or Tablet PC or desktop computer. Exclusive Dolby Lake processing algorithms are included for raised-cosine EQ, linear-phase crossovers, LimiterMax loudspeaker protection and Iso-Float ground isolation, in addition to exclusive Lab.gruppen features: digital input gain and attenuation, as well as comprehensive load verification and monitoring via LoadSmart and SpeakerSafe.

LoadLibrary is a comprehensive database that provides a unique “fingerprint” or load characteristic for each loudspeaker model. Using this data and on-board DSP, LoadSmart compares predicted response by applying a brief test signal, allowing any potential problems to be identified instantly. During performance, SpeakerSafe monitors the loudspeaker-component parameters to help avoid power compression, and provides critical information about system-wide driver operation. The same Dolby Lake Controller interface can be used to control external Dolby Lake Processors, Lake Contour and Lake Mesa Quad EQ processors alongside the PLM 10000Q’s on-board processing.

Creative Technology’s North American inventory includes a number of L-Acoustics, Electro-Voice, and EAW products. Also available are a number of Apogee loudspeaker cabinets, and a large number of EAW JF260 two-way and KF300 speakers. “As you can imagine,” Nealie says, “our clients often specify their loudspeaker brand and model of choice – usually based on personal preferences or previous experience. We offer many options to match them with appropriate amplifiers and loudspeaker processors for each particular event’s design specifications. With these new fully-programmable Lab.gruppen PLM processor-amps in our inventory, we are able to offer a unique number of combinations for many types of events.”

Nealie reports that developing crossover profiles for the PLM's built-in Dolby Lake processor section to match Creative Technology’s vintage loudspeakers was a simple process. “We used the [SIA] Smaart [dual-channel FFT] software and a calibrated microphone to measure the frequency response of each cabinet and then prepared custom crossover setting for each of our EAW and Apogee systems.” PLM’s integrated Dolby Lake Controller also allows seamless integration with SmaartLive, the professional industry standard for real-time sound system measurement, optimization.

In addition to the enhanced audio quality offered by the new PLMs and their Dolby Lake DSP flexibility, Nealie cites another new development that offers exciting potential. “We plan to use the built-in Audinate DANTE digital audio interface to send digitized audio via standard CAT5 cables between each our rack units,” the director of audio services reports. “We tested the systems using an AES-format digital output card on one of our Yamaha PM5D production consoles, connected to the each PLM amp/processor over a daisy-chained Dante network. It worked flawlessly. We can also use the same CAT5 to carry remote control signals to each of the PLM amps, and integrate each unit to check performance. Dante’s extremely low latency and Zen plug-and-play protocol means that we have no timing issues between loudspeaker arrays. In fact, we are using Dante-enabled digital audio connections as out primary backbone, with analog audio as a backup. Should the digital audio fail for whatever reasons, the backup takes over seamlessly in less than a second.” All Lab.gruppen Powered Loudspeaker Management systems come equipped as standard with self-configuring Dante digital audio networking.