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We discovered three big news on the d&b stand: the D20 amplifier, little brother of the D80, the stage monitor MAX2, successor of the German manufacturer’s renown MAX and, on the simulation-prediction software side, version 8 of ArrayCalc, which now has the ArrayProcessing extension.
The D20 looks just like its big brother, D80, from which it also inherits its on-board signal processing, its LCD color touch screen user interface, and the same two-rack-unit chassis, as well as the configuration and monitoring software R1 V2. It can be configured via Ethernet through the OCA protocol (Open Control Architecture). Just like its predecessor, it includes a web server, allowing the use of the interface and functionality of the LCD screen on a PC or MAC using your favorite browser.
It differs from the D80 in that the available power on the four channels of class D amplification is 4 X 1600 W into 4 ohms, but the D20 still has a universal switching power supply with power factor correction. This allows it to overcome, to a great extent, variations in mains voltage and allows it to offer a very efficient ratio of power consumption to power output.
Within the d&b range, the D20 should serve as the amplification platform for small and medium systems, namely the E and T series point-source enclosures and the Y and V-Series line arrays. For the J Series systems and M2 stage monitor, the D80 is still required. Therefore, this new amplifier is basically a replacement for the D12.
MAX2 is based on MAX, the wedge monitor widely used throughout the world, which it replaces. This coaxial stage monitor, constructed in marine-grade plywood, offers a wide frequency response from 55 Hz to 18 kHz, with a 75° conical dispersion. It incorporates a 15″ transducer with a ferrite magnet, which includes a coaxial 1.4″ compression driver. Both transducers share the same magnetic component.
This passive enclosure can also be pole-mounted on a sub and used as a small PA system. Four M10 inserts allow it to be mounted on a bracket. Specific presets are programmed in both the D20 and the D80, with which the MAX2 is capable of developing a maximum SPL of 135 dB. With its nominal 8 ohm impedance, the MAX2 has an applicable power rating of 1600 W peak (10 ms) and 250 W RMS.
ArrayProcessing is an added feature in version 8 of the d&b ArrayCalc prediction software that can calculate, determine and improve the overall behavior of a line array system, both in terms of tonal balance over the spatial distribution of the audience and in terms of sound levels. ArrayProcessing functions by creating a set of FIR and IIR filters (and delays) for each module in an array, to correct the energy distribution and the frequency response in all the zones of the listening area.
Consequently, it takes as many channels of amplification as there are boxes within an array pre-set with ArrayCalc, although the boxes can have different horizontal coverage, for example J12s (120°) at the bottom of an array of J8s (80°). ArrayProcessing can only be used with the D20 and D80 amplifiers because the software requires the OCA control protocol on the amps. Due to filtering, this feature adds a latency of 5.9 ms to the 0.3 ms latency of the amps, for a total of 6.2 ms.
