Adamson has chosen to alter its path at this point to embrace the technologies involved in this integration. It’s a list that includes AVB (Audio Video Bridging) network protocols, advance signal processing through to monitoring and control surfaces, applications supported by hardware development including the network node, switched mode power supplies and class D topology.
In this pursuit, the engineering department was expanded five-fold while research budgets and capital investment followed. Brock Adamson’s vision of which products would first carry onboard amplifiers and endpoints have evolved, Oliver explains, “but the reality that technology in professional audio will continue to converge, has not.”
Moving forward, Adamson will continue to expand its product offerings in the S and IS-Series loudspeakers designed for temporary/touring applications and fixed installations, respectively. A new range will follow next under the CS-Series name.
“The analogy I use, when we’re talking about positioning our products, is similar to a brand like Audi,” Oliver says. “They leverage their manufacturing technology – using the same core technology and chassis design – and then position each model for different demographic segments.”
It’s essentially multiple products, with gradually improving feature sets identified by a unique nomenclature. “Our IS-Series, for example, it has the raw performance you expect from Adamson, standard cabinet design, waveguide and driver technology, but simplified rigging as it is targeted at fixed installation,”
Oliver notes. “The S-Series uses the same key components, with better rigging and tour ready packaging. When you move up to the CS-Series (coming soon), the feature set increases again to include onboard class D amplification and AVB endpoints, allowing for component level control of each element.
“With the CS-Series, we’re the first company on the planet to have successfully built a loudspeaker with an AVB enabled redundant network endpoint that is capable of utilizing a daisy chain topology,” he continues. “Under the leadership of Morten Lave (Adamson’s software architect), we’ve become co-authors of Milan (a part of the AVNU alliance), which will ensure that the CS range is interoperable with future products in professional AV.”
The company will continue to incorporate Lab.gruppen amplification in its ground-powered offerings, he adds. A significant aspect of the workflow is built from proprietary Blueprint AV prediction software, with the company continuing to push the evolution of this platform as the next generation of products come to market.
“Blueprint was built from the ground up, with every line of code written in this building,” Oliver states. “Workflow is a priority in any system offering and our goal is to unify it on one platform. At the 2019 NAMM show, we’ll be showcasing a Beta version. With the building blocks in our new technology, software will define system performance and network control.”
The new version will also be backward-compatible with previous products.
“We’re not planning on changing our product approach,” according to director of research and development Benoit Cabot. “We’re building on the technology that has defined Adamson products to create speakers with features that extend product performance to new levels. That’s the objective.”
