Community Professional Loudspeakers is launching its new Distributed Design Series of ceiling loudspeakers.

Designed for exceptionally high quality sound with very wide, uniform coverage, the series debuts Community’s Drop-Stop™ and Twist-Assist™ features, to make the installation process easier, faster and safer. Each model is available as a complete unit with everything needed for standard installations. The drive unit and face plate assembly and the back-can can also be purchased separately.

The Drop-Stop feature provides spring-loaded legs which support the back-can on the included rails and C-ring, so that the installer no longer needs to hold the can against the tile while tightening the clamps.

If the loudspeaker back cans are pre-installed to a conduit system for termination at a later date, the product’s Twist-Assist locking system allows the baffle and loudspeaker assembly to be self-supporting while the installer fastens the screws to the can.

"Most ceiling loudspeakers typically have a half-inch or greater 'step' in their baffle where the grille is attached, with the low frequency driver rear-mounted behind the grille plate," explains Community Founder and President Bruce Howze.

"These designs produce a host of unwanted reflections and diffraction effects. We've designed the Distributed Design Series with baffles less than 1/8-inch from the grille, creating an uninterrupted planar surface between the baffle and ceiling surface for diffraction-free HF driver acoustic loading and a smooth, predictable pattern. The result is optimal coverage without dead zones or overlaps."

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The Zvox Z-Base 550 home theatre system is only 3.5" high, 28" wide and 14" long-- everything (speakers, amplifier, virtual surround technology, powered subwoofer) fits inside its compact cabinet

It also contains only x1 stereo RCA to stereo RCA connection cable, and the company describes it as "truly plug and play".

Inside are a 60 watt amplifier, 5.25" subwoofer and x5 2" main speaker ferrofluid and neodymium magnet drivers. PhaseCue technology handles the virtual surround sound.

The cabinet itself is medium density fiberboard.

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Nuvo ships the freestanding Renovia, its retrofit home audio solution.

The Renovia uses existing powerlines to eliminate excessive wall-cutting. Thus it avoids the disruption associate with traditional installation and requires no electrician on site.

The system distributes audio and metadata through powerline carrier technology. Renovia says this enables integrators to provide audio solution in "uninstallable" situations, such as homes with brick, stone or concrete walls.

The Renovia covers up to 8 zones, where each zone uses one of Nuvo's zone amplifiers (freestanding or in-wall). Renovia's hub contains an AM/FM/SIRIUS-ready tuner and centralises the system's x6 audio sorces.

The system works with a number of source like Nuvo's iPod dock and Music Port (MPS4 or MPS3-E) component to handle internet radio.

Any of Nuvo's in-wall or wireless remotes can control the Renovia.

Go Nuvo Renovia

The Philip Starck designed Zimku wireless speakers feature an iPhone/iPod docking station together with wifi and bluetooth support for streaming from computer, MP3 player or cell phone. The speakers (x2) communicate wirelessly and can be placed anywhere in a room.

Parrot bases its Zinku concept on a combination of DSP and flat panel NXT technology. A set of exciters vibrate the speaker membrane's honeycomb structure. This results in uniform energy distribution through the room.

The loudspeaker's bottom part contains a woofer (in downfire position) and a bass-reflex system (equipped with neodymium magnet). Placing this housing close to the floor amplifies the bass reproduction.

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PROCISE is Crestron's latest entry in commercial and residential audio. It is a PSPHD high-definition 7.3 surround audio processor.

Audyssey automatic room compensation ensures perfect speaker settings - even in non-acoustically treated rooms, says Crestron.

The elegant-looking system supports Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. An integrated HDMI switcher with HDCP support ensures DRM protected content compatability. Intelligent pairing through ethernet enables communication with PROAMP-7X400 or PROAMP-7X250 7-channel amplifiers.

Mono and stereo outputs deliver an unprocessed surround sound signal mix.

The processor contains 30 inputs in total, including XLR interface to pro-grade amps, powered subwoofers and source components.

Crestron PROCISE's tools software allows configuration and adjustments via USB or Ethernet, while customers can lock the front panel controls to prevent unauthorised access.

Go Crestron Procise Audio Processor

Libratone introduces its new high-end wireless speaker, the Libratone Beat. The company claims the wireless sound quality matches that of cable-connected speakers.

The speaker uses a 1x5" bass, 2x3" midrange and 2x1" ribbon based tweeter with power outputs of 50W from bass and 2 x 25W from the midrange/tweeter configuration. This is combined with Libratone's patented acoustic technology. Unlike regular speakers built within a closed cabinet (providing sound in one direction) the Beat's tweeters and midrange drivers disperse sound from the back of the unit in 2 directions at an angle. This sound bounces off walls creating what Libratone calls "360° sound".

The Beat works best if placed with its back to a flat wall due its midrange drivers and tweeters' position.

Signal range varies from up to 10 m when using the iPod 30-pin transmitter to 30 m from the USB transmitter.

When the transmitter is out of range from the speaker its connected to, the speaker stops and the transmitter connects automatically to the next closest Beat.

The speaker is made in Scandinavian design style, with a wood body, satin chrome handle, and cashmere wool covering.

Models are available in 4 different colours.

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