SMPTE 2011 was well received this year with larger visitor numbers, especially on day one and two. Radio console manufacturers were out in force to display their various consoles and routers. Due to the closure of Klotz Digital’s office in Lane Cove, the large install base of Klotz systems in Australia finds broadcasters understandably nervous. This was presumably one of the reasons why other console manufacturers such as LAWO, Stagetec, Logitek, Studer, Axia and Elan Audio were out in force to offer their products to the market.
One conference goer told radioinfo: “There is a heap of radio studio gear, and particularly consoles, I’ve never seen so many at a SMPTE show. Theory is that there’s going to be a bit of a vacuum as Klotz gear starts to be retired.”
Professional Audio Technology’s Patrick Salloch, who distributes, installs and supports LAWO products in Australia, sees great opportunities for Klotz competitors such as his company in coming years:
“This is without a doubt the changing of the guard in Australia. I feel very confident that broadcasters will again make their decisions based on the technical merit of the products. Local presence, technical support, spare part availability and the product range will also play a major part in future buying decisions of radio broadcasters.
“Having a console is one thing. Having a range of consoles for various applications which offer established and new broadcast technologies is also a necessity. System scalability and flexibility will be important next to the given requirements of reliability and ease of use. Broadcasters want to be able to configure their own systems and long gone are the days where you have to pay a manufacturer for minute system changes.”
Professional Audio Technology was displaying the new LAWO mc2 66 console, which could also be seen in the Gearhouse broadcast truck in Hall 3.
Also on display were the LAWO Crystal and Sapphire on-air consoles, next to a Sequoia Multitrack system, Focal studio monitors CMS40’s and CMS65’s and Bel Digital Audio Equipment.
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