One of the things I like best about tradeshows is that moment when a team gets to finally pull the wraps off something new. I realize that happens all day, every day at tradeshows, but some reveals are more momentous than others. Some have years of people’s lives, with breakthroughs, disappointments, compromises, politics, and hardwon achievement piled up behind them. People get married, have children, send other children off to college, buy houses, mourn losses, take up yoga, put on weight, lose hair….Life goes on against the backdrop of that product they’re trying to develop and build. Hopefully it gets built right or right enough to be proud of.
At NAB this year, I sat in on one of those moments in particular. In a show full of innovation, blood, sweat, and tears it seems incomplete to single one product out. But sometimes it’s those singular moments that can stand out when you are attending your 25th NAB.
This moment came when Shure’s John Born got to do the reveal on the new TwinPlex premium lavalier microphones. These were years in the making between R&D on the diaphragm, element, and off-axis response. There was equal effort in the mechanical design, the double shielded cable—which just felt great—and the sweat resistance, built for theater and nervous corporate executives. This was one of those reveals that had those years and life behind it. You can hear about a first look on page 46 where my colleague Steve La Cerra has also spent some time with the Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems.
Speaking of microphones, we’ve rounded up some wireless options. We’ve done the annual signal extender roundup (always a favorite) and my former colleague Margot Douaihy has returned to our backpage to ruminate about museums and technology
Finally, I had a chance to really sit down with John Storyk for more than a long email chain to talk about what he’s doing in Pro Audio education. It cheered me up for the future.
In other news, my colleagues at AV Network had a great day in Dallas with the AV/IT Summit. I hope you’ll consider joining them for the next AV/IT Summit in New York.
