Crown Audio Introduces HiQnet™ Band Manager™ As Breakthrough Software Application for Portable PA System Configuration and Control

19 January, 2009, Elkhart, Indiana, United States

Delivering an unprecedented sound management solution to the portable PA market, Harman International has introduced HiQnet Band Manager™ software. The free-of-charge application provides a sleek function-driven interface designed to simplify system setup and management while enabling audio professionals, musicians, and engineers to configure and control a rack of Crown XTi series amplifiers. Band Manager unlocks all the loudspeaker processing capabilities of the XTi Series. Once it has automatically discovered up to eight USB-connected XTi amplifiers, represented in a virtual rack, all the setup required is to load each amplifier with the JBL-provided speaker tunings and set which amplifiers are driving front-of-house. Band Manager makes smart use of browser-style navigation and the 'Home' screen displays monitor strips for each amplifier in the rack and front-of-house EQ and level control. EQ for stage monitors and all other processing is accessible on an individual amplifier basis. On booting Band Manager, all amplifier settings are sucked from the connected devices but they can also be saved to disk for quick recall if the rack is used often in multiple venues.

Band Manager is a cut-down version of its parent software, HiQnet System Architect™, a much larger application which provides full-system control of over 70 professional audio devices from across the entire Harman Pro group, including the XTi Series. Anyone who has already used System Architect with the XTi will instantly be familiar with the amplifier control layout since Band Manager makes use of the very same software plug in. Directly tailoring Band Manager to the needs of portable PA market, though, enables far quicker configuration of a rack of XTi amplifiers by bringing only the essential tools into direct focus. For those who need the more advanced control, any rack configurations saved within Band Manager can be opened in System Architect. By using the plug in concept, Band Manager is all ready to control other future portable PA HiQnet devices.

Commenting on the introduction of Band Manager, Andy Flint, Crown marketing manager for portable PA stated, "Band Manager Provides users with a simple and intuitive interface capable of unlocking the vast array of system setup and management tools included in the XTi product line's integrated processing. This is another excellent example of Harman's experience and dedication to the portable PA market.

While Band Manager is being introduced to operate in conjunction with Crown XTi amplifiers it is planned it will take control of other complimentary Harman HiQnet products in the near future. "As a group, we envision Band Manager being used to manage an entire portable PA sound system all the way from microphone to speaker. When introducing software control, making the management of a potentially complex audio system as simple as possible is the most important goal. It is no longer enough to just provide the user with the highest quality equipment, you need to offer great, user-friendly tools to open its potential as well," added Flint.

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.

Crown is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated www.harman.com. Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NYSE: HAR."