Within the program for FrontRUNNER the AV section was able to sneak in an audio specialist event on Monday night, to launch the new DB Technologies DVA Line Array. With delegates from Production and Install Companies from all over Australia seated, fed and eager to learn, CMI presented a small demonstration on the DVA as well as other new products in the CMI Audio Catalogue.

Dealers, all ears, while listening to presenters showing off gear

Mike Mayne the Product Specialist from Wharfedale presented the Whafedale range and showed everyone a brief look at what is coming up in the future for this active and innovative manufacturer. After this, Andrew McIntyre ran through the products in the CMI Audio Catalogue which just seemed to go from strength to strength. During his presentation, Martin Reichhart all the way from German Music and Sales (Hughes and Kettner, HK Audio) jumped up and gave everybody a run down on the HK audio Philosophy and the history of the company. Then into a short break whilst the beer flowed and the jokes were told and then came the moment everyone was waiting for, the listening to the black boxes.

We were shown through all the Line Arrays starting with the HK Contour Array then the COCO then the Cohedra and finally we were graced with Mark Cooper playing some songs through the new DB DVA. Mark was also using the new Digitech Vocalist pedal and there wasn’t a soul in the room that could resist the urge to ask if it came in a rack unit. Two products that really seemed to have everyone talking were the HK Contour Array and the DB Technologies Opera 110 Mobile. This product has a lot of appeal because the battery powered speakers sound fantastic and have huge cost saving features such as labour saving plus gaffe and cable savings as well. Regarding the HK Contour Array, the most attractive thing for everyone apart from its quality of sound, was the price and the fast return for the rental dollar due to the fact that you can run it as a sub satellite system as well as a full Line Array. Apart from the DVA, being an addition to the line array systems offered in our catalogue was the System Lifter, this little beauty has the ability to hang over ½ a tone and is a great solution for flying your systems quickly and easily in any environment. It is 4.5 m high easy to assemble and has a small footprint.

The new DB DVA

Also making an appearance was the new HK Audio LUCAS ALPHA System but more on that later. After all this was a trip to the Casino accompanied by some great story telling, beer drinking and some rather large hangovers. Thanks to all those who took time out to come along, it was a fun night and no doubt we will do it again soon.