L-Acoustics has released the LC16D network audio converter, designed to simplify the process of interfacing legacy digital formats with the Milan AVB time-sensitive network.

LC16D is a high-capacity AES/EBU- and MADI-to-Milan AVB audio network converter housed in a compact and rugged 1RU chassis. With up to 80 legacy format inputs and outputs, LC16D can interface with up to 128 channels to and from the network. It offers dynamic mapping of audio channels and comprehensive synchronization options, all controlled via an intuitive, embedded web interface. LC16D features flexible power options, with the innovative use of Power over Ethernet and seamless Milan AVB audio connections, providing robust redundancy features as standard.

The LC16D is simple to use; the embedded web interface enables full control and monitoring from any device with a web browser and internet connection. The ten user configurations make storing and loading different channel mappings easy, while comprehensive clocking options make synchronization effortless and distribution of clock sources across connection formats possible.

The unit acts as a bridge between legacy digital formats and a Milan AVB network, offering expanded connectivity and audio interfacing options in a budget-friendly format. It has a wide range of applications in the rental, corporate, and fixed installation markets, as well as for broadcast, residential, and recording studios.

At festivals, large-scale broadcasts, or other special event applications that use several interfaced digital consoles, LC16D’s integrated asynchronous sample rate converters on each AES/EBU input eliminate the need for complex synchronization management, allowing digital consoles to continue using their independent clock domains. This simplifies the connection process and creates a plug-and-play AES/EBU-to-Milan AVB interface while also expanding the connectivity capacity of the drive system.

The LC16D can be used as a floating converter for fixed installations deployed anywhere a legacy digital connection needs to interface with a Milan AVB network. The combination of AES/EBU and MADI inputs allows any digital console to be connected simply and efficiently, while the converter’s outputs can be utilized to generate and distribute additional feeds as required.

“The first ever network converter from L-Acoustics, LC16D bridges legacy formats to the future of networking,” said Scott Sugden, Director of Product Management, Electronics at L-Acoustics. “The powerful, feature-rich, and cost-effective LD16D will ease and accelerate the adoption of the Milan AVB protocol.”

LC16D will ship in Q4 of 2023. View the LC16D launch video at: https://youtu.be/cDb0aHHFXNM

Building upon the announcement from earlier this month that it has joined forces with industry pioneer DiGiCo, Fourier Audio is proud to finally reveal the transform.engine, previously known as codename “Project Core.”

Housed in a 2U touring-grade chassis with dual redundant power supplies, the new transform.engine is a Dante-connected server designed to run all VST3-native software plugins in a live environment, bringing premium studio software to live sound and broadcast applications. Fully compatible with any VST3 plugin that can run on Windows, the new device gives engineers and creatives access to the very best studio-grade processing on a robust platform that is specifically designed for the rigors and complexities of live productions.

Designed as a turnkey solution for plugin hosting, the transform.engine is easily controlled by a remote Windows or macOS client application, reducing the need for complex setups. Users can simply connect to the engine via a standard Ethernet cable, install their plugins, and get directly to processing.

For paramount reliability, Fourier Audio’s patent-pending audio software engine provides a rock-solid sandbox with plugins ring-fenced from each other. Should a plugin crash, the rest of the system will not only be unaffected, but the transform.engine will immediately restart that plugin, quickly restoring the original integrity of the mix.

Designed to be integrated directly into live audio workflows, transform.engine will soon put control of plugins directly under the fingers of engineers on their own worksurfaces, starting with DiGiCo consoles. However, similar to products from sibling brand KLANG:technologies, the new Fourier Audio device is fully capable of operating in conjunction with virtually any professional digital console on the market via Dante, using the Windows/macOS application to control the engine.

The transform.engine can also process audio standalone with no computer required. Controlled remotely by a Windows/macOS application, with plugin user interfaces “teleported” and controlled in ultra-low-latency over the network, the product has been tuned to deliver the lowest-latency solution on the market for hosting VST3 plugins, while preserving the reliability and performance of the server.

Scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2024, the transform.engine will feature an optional software subscription bundle.

“In the meantime, we’re inviting studio software manufacturers to contact us about potentially offering their plugins as part of transform.engine’s ever-expanding open ecosystem of live tools,” says Fourier Audio CEO Henry Harrod. “We want to introduce them to a whole new market segment that they’ve not previously had access to. At the same time, we want to offer live sound engineers not just ‘good’ emulations of various studio plugins, but the absolute best-sounding authentic versions of every plugin they might possibly want from the professional recording world. It’s a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone.”

Fourier Audio CCO Gareth Owen points out that transform.engine’s reliability will be one of its greatest hallmarks. “There are a lot of other VST hosting approaches out there, but when you have a theater, arena, or stadium full of people listening to your show, there’s no margin for error,” he says. “With the backing and support of DiGiCo, which is celebrated for its decades of designing tourable, reliable, and long-lasting hardware, we are building the ultimate plugin solution.”

Fourier Audio’s team of engineers, led by CTO Peter Bridgman, has followed two years of intensive R&D with a recent collaboration with DiGiCo to deliver a brand new hardware platform for transform.engine. DiGiCo Technical Director John Stadius has been working very closely with the Fourier Audio team and his excitement is evident: “It has been an exciting challenge for our teams to design a brand new bespoke hardware platform. The Fourier Audio team reminds me of an early-stage DiGiCo, and that enthusiasm really motivated us all to get it done. I couldn’t be happier with the end result and what it will mean for live sound engineers.”

For more details on the new Fourier Audio transform.engine, visit www.fourieraudio.com.

As the L-Acoustics V-DOSC line source array altered the trajectory of modern pro audio loudspeaker design in the 1990s, the company’s unveiling of L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology in 2016 represented an equally seismic shift in the sonic landscape of today’s live events. Extending spatial processing to a wider range of productions and venues, L-Acoustics now rolls out the next generation of its 3D audio processing engine, L-ISA Processor II. The new processor offers users more power, performance and flexibility, and is available in four different output configurations through a one-time, tiered license fee.

Similar to its predecessor, L-ISA Processor II is a hardware solution that provides advanced object-based mixing for immersive audio productions. While both units offer control of spatial audio processing and virtual acoustics for up to 96 audio objects based on speaker positioning information and mixing parameters—including pan, width, distance, elevation, and aux send—the new L-ISA Processor II doubles the original unit’s potential output count of 64 up to 128 outputs for greater power and versatility on larger, more complex events.

Seeing that most productions are unlikely to utilise 100-plus outputs, L-Acoustics is offering L-ISA Processor II in a choice of four output counts—16, 32, 64 or 128—from the same device, with various capacities accessible via different lifetime licenses at tiered pricing levels. For example, a small club or theatre may need no more than 16 outputs, while a mid-sized house of worship or performing arts centre might require as many as 32. With L-ISA Processor II, those customers now have access to all of the very same immersive tools, 128 inputs and premium-quality 96 kHz sampling as large-scale musicals or massive tours running triple-digit outputs, but at a scalable cost.

“Rather than roll out multiple versions of our new L-ISA Processor II, we designed a single device to flexibly satisfy a variety of applications and budgets,” says L-Acoustics Product and Technology Outreach Manager, Scott Sugden. “Previously, our L-ISA Processor could represent up to half of a smaller immersive project’s budget. But with L-ISA Processor II, the investment can very closely match production needs, which will open up immersive processing to many more venues and shows. By providing scalable licensing, exciting immersive capabilities can become a real possibility for almost any project.”

Housed in a rugged 3U chassis equipped with Neutrik connectors, L-ISA Processor II is the road-worthy and reliable heart for any L-ISA project, remotely controlled by L-ISA Controller software. Boasting a powerful multi-core architecture, the new device is equipped with Milan-AVB dual-network redundancy eliminating the need for a secondary unit in mirror mode, further optimising budget. The product also features MADI connections, allowing signals to come in on MADI and exit via Milan-AVB.

Deployed on hundreds of productions around the globe—from live concerts and theatrical tour to houses of worship, theme parks, and other installs—the original L-ISA Processor is the most usable and highly-adopted immersive audio tool on the professional market.

Pairing with L-ISA Studio software allows users to create immersive designs for the stage and studio on their laptops. Both iterations of L-ISA Processor are also compatible with DeskLink, which places direct control of L-ISA objects on the channel strips of DiGiCo, SSL and Yamaha mixing consoles. Partnerships with vision-based tracking systems like BlackTrax, Robert Juliat’s SpotMe, Modulo Pi, and Zactrack continue to be supported by the new product as well.

“With L-ISA Processor II, we’ve lowered the cost barrier that once prohibited small to mid-sized productions from even considering immersive designs,” adds Executive Director of Creative Technologies, Guillaume Le Nost. “Now that L-ISA has been opened up to a much wider potential user base, we’re looking forward to seeing how some of our new customers will be choosing to ‘wow’ their audiences with intimately engaging audio. And on the other end of the spectrum, we’re even more excited to see how some of the largest production houses will really push the envelope of their designs with the newly-doubled output count of L-ISA Processor II.”

Currently in pilot phase, L-ISA Processor II will begin shipping to customers in the first quarter of 2022.