This years recipients of the PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced at a ceremony at Monday night at the PLASA show.
Clay Paky, Outline Audio, LumenRadio, Robert Juliat, Comar, DMB Audio and CAST were named as winners due to their innovative products that stood out from the hundreds that were launched at this years event and the 64 nominated for the awards. The PLASA Show is regarded as the industry’s major international launch pad for new products and nominees for the innovation awards must: “advance the industry by demonstrating a new style of thinking, improving technical practice or taking a key step forward in terms of safety,” according to the judging criteria.
In one of the show’s numerous innovations for 2010, visitors were able to watch the PLASA Awards for Innovation judges assess this year’s exciting nominations in a series of live presentations on the interactive Innovation Gallery at the entrance to Earls Court 2. Voting was completed by PLASA members and show attendees and seven awards for innovation and one gold award were presented by PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths.
This year the judges also decided to make three special commendations, which went to:
The Shure PSM 900 in-ear wireless monitoring system which was specially commended by the judges for it’s combination of flexible technologies, including CueMode and RF mute, that allows the user to save significant time in setting up on-stage mixes.
The Clay Paky Alpha Profile 700, commended for the high level of engineering embodied. Clay Paky have both improved on its existing technology used in larger fixtures and scaled it to fit a smaller unit which, in the words of the judges, “now allows designers to be more creative on a smaller scale”.
Also specially commended was the RevEAL CW colour-mixing LED washlight by Prism Projection, which the judges found to have “notable colour rendering, particularly in the natural and pastel colours, which makes it viable for use in theatre”.
2010 PLASA Awards for Innovation
Clay Paky Sharpy, a newly developed beamlight that uses a combination of innovative engineering and optical technology to achieve a distinctive, bright high-output from a 170-watt source. In the words of the judges, “we never thought we’d see a 170W light that we could use in Wembley Arena”.
Outline Audio Mini Compass i-Mode. This loudspeaker’s combination of generic IT and innovative line array technology, the judges found, represents a step forward for the industry in systems integration. The cabinet’s built-in web-browser support makes it possible to control a complete loudspeaker array from a plethora of industry standard devices.
LumenRadio CRMX Nova Flex. This device impressed the Judges for its ability to act as a complete cross-protocol wireless lighting control system. It was also noted for its recent use of RDM in an architectural application, giving feedback from external sensors – thereby providing an energy efficient outdoor lighting solution.
Robert Juliat Aledin. The judges felt that Robert Juliat’s usual high standards have not been compromised in the search for a useable LED profile spot. The design allows the LED module to be retrofitted to the manufacturer’s existing tungsten fixtures. The 85W source will be upgradable to a 150W version as soon as the technology is available.
Coemar Spa Reflection FullSpectrum. By locating rear facing LEDs at the front of the fixture the reflector creates a homogenised beam that the Judges felt successfully eliminates a lot of the problems associated with existing LED wash lights, especially the issue of multiple shadowing.
d&b audiotechnik B4 subwoofer. The judges commented that, while cardioid subwoofers are not new technology, the concept of a passive cardioid sub certainly is. The judges were exceptionally impressed that, rather than using traditional DSP active technology, the B4 uses PSP – ‘plywood signal processing’.
CAST BlackTrax – First Phase. This product uses WYSIWYG as a host platform to provide real-time three dimensional object tracking data to feed into a variety of position-dependent lighting, sound and rigging control systems. The Judges felt that the flexibility and accuracy of the Cast system has taken this existing concept and successfully re-energised it.
Gold Award – Martin Audio Multicellular Line Array (MLA). Each and every driver in each and every line array element is controlled individually by its own channel of amplifier and its own channel of DSP processing. The judges commented that “coupled with the calculation software and the built-in networking, these features allow Martin Audio to take array tuning and deployment to new levels previously unobtainable using the human ear”. They also felt that this level of integration to be revolutionary as it potentially allows the MLA to create a stable and phase coherent waveform throughout the audience listening plane, not just at the front of the cabinet.
“The recipients of these awards showed once again how the most innovative thinkers in our industry continue to push the boundaries of what can be achieved by combining technological insight with exciting creativity,” said Matthew Griffiths.
