HiQnet™-enabled products deploy at growth rate of 100% over last year;
More products, key installations and users within both the contractor and tour sound communities demonstrate HiQnet is providing real value to audio professionals.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA, March 15, 2007 — The Harman Pro Group today announced that worldwide sales of HiQnet™-enabled product was up 100% from $24 million in 2005 to over $50 million in 2006. The remarkable achievement — attributable to the increased availability of HiQnet enabled product coupled with strong sales across the group — underscores the increasing momentum of the HiQnet system configuration and control protocol among contractors and tour sound professionals.
“In 2005, HiQnet achieved critical mass whereas in 2006, we‘ve seen a significant broadening of use among audio professionals in a number of markets, most notably contracting and tour sound,” explained Rick Kreifeldt, Vice President Harman Pro Group, System Development & Integration Group (SDIG). “Just as we are encouraged by the strong growth, we are determined to increase the capabilities of HiQnet further and make it more powerful, useful and easier to deploy in a wider array of products for a broader range of applications!”
In 2006, Harman Pro Group increased the number of HiQnet-enabled product from JBL Professional, Crown, BSS Audio, dbx and AKG from 38 product families to 61. The milestone HiQnet product introductions for 2006 included Crown‘s CDi, DSi and XTi series amplifiers, JBL Professional‘s VP Series loudspeakers, Soundcraft‘s flagship Vi6 digital console, the dbx DriveRack 4820 and the AKG WMS HUB 4000 Q. In addition, 2006 also saw the introduction of two updates to HiQnet System Architect™ configuration and control software, providing better workflow, remote connectivity and advanced product support.
2006 was also a breakout year for HiQnet in tour sound as it debuted on Toby Keith‘s blockbuster tour Big Throwdown II Tour with Sound Image and was later successfully employed on Brooks & Dunn, Tool and Eric Clapton.
In the installed market, the range of HiQnet applications broadened to included worship, stadium, education, performing arts and hospitality. Just some of the new HiQnet projects recently installed or being completed around the world include El Rey Jesus Church in Florida, USA; Microsoft School in Philadelphia, USA; Emirates Stadium, London, UK; Lisinski Concert Hall, Zagreb, Croatia; The Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino, Las Vegas, USA; Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, UK; Chester Downs race track, Pennsylvania, USA; Tweter Center, Massachusetts, USA; Red Rock Casino, Las Vegas, USA; WaMu Theater, Seattle, USA; and the O2 Arena and Empire Theatre cinema, London, UK.
These new installations are additions to a growing list of successful existing installations worldwide. The “firsts” in major markets across the globe include:, The EDGEA® at the Aotea Centre in Auckland, New Zealand; The MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Canada; Stade De Suisse Stadium in Berne, Switzerland; Hong Kong Stadium in Hong Kong; and the prestigious Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, California; Lloydminster Multiplex in Canada and the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in Australia.
Based at a new state-of-the art software development center in Salt Lake City, UT, SDIG works closely with the engineering groups in each Harman Pro Group division and partner customers in the contracting and tour sound markets to continually develop and improve HiQnet to address the challenges and the opportunities that they face on the drawing board, the job site or the performance venue.
“The evolution of HiQnet has truly become a community effort,” Kreifeldt noted. “By working so closely with the individuals who will use HiQnet, we‘re ensuring that it is not simply technology for the sake of technology, but instead a true solution that brings to bear the best thinking in software development, advanced networking and audio systems design to solve the challenges faced by our customers in all of the markets that the Harman Pro Group serves.”
About HiQnet:
Harman HiQnet™ is the world‘s first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. Harman HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across the Harman Pro Group and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
About the Harman Pro Group:
The Harman Pro Group (
) is the world‘s largest provider of professional audio products and system solutions for commercial sound, contracting, tour sound, recording and broadcast, musician, portable PA and cinema applications. The Group is headquartered in Northridge, California and includes industry leaders AKG Acoustics, BSS Audio, Crown International, dbx, DigiTech, JBL Professional, Lexicon, Soundcraft, and Studer. The Group is part of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE: HAR), a leading supplier of high-quality, high fidelity audio products and infotainment systems for the automotive, home and professional markets.
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