Up to date
New Products, Joint Ventures, and Going Green
FP+ Series Launched
By early 2007, Lab.gruppen was shipping new amplifiers that further cemented the company’s dominant position in high-end touring: the FP+ Series. Though similar in many respects to the C Series, the FP+ Series incorporated a number of refinements that afforded even higher power (up to 6500 watts per channel at 2 ohms) for unprecedented power density. Quickly adopted by leading tour sound companies around the world, the FP+ Series set new benchmarks for sonic performance, reliability, and overall return on investment.
C Series Expanded
To meet growing demand for Lab.gruppen quality in low-power, high channel-count applications, the C Series was expanded with the addition of four new amplifiers. Known collectively as the “C…X” models, the new amplifiers included additional features such as a switchable high-pass filter, universal power supply, and built-in GPIO facilities. Both four- and eight-channel configurations were introduced, with the bridgeable output stages using a highly refined and patented application of Class D technology.
PLM™ Series with Dolby® Lake® Processor Technology
In September of 2007, Lab.gruppen caused quite a stir at the PLASA show in London with the debut of the PLM 10000Q, the first in a new series of Powered Loudspeaker Management™ (PLM) systems. PLM was made possible by an historic agreement, signed less than a year beforehand, that allowed Lab.gruppen to seamlessly integrate the latest Dolby Lake Processor technology into a power amplifier platform based on the FP+ Series. In addition, the PLM Series integrated the Dante™ low-latency, self-configuring audio network as standard, along with breakthrough technologies for load verification and real-time performance monitoring
of both the amplifier outputs and connected loads.
A Commitment to Environmental Responsibility
Amid growing concerns about threats to the environment, Lab.gruppen has assumed leadership in “green” manufacturing, and in designing exceptionally energy-efficient amplifiers. All Lab.gruppen products are fully RoHS compliant, and the Lab.gruppen factory contributes to the world leadership of Swedish industry in use of renewable fuels and the conscientious recycling or safe disposal of waste materials. Additionally, all Lab.gruppen amplifiers and powered loudspeaker management systems are extremely efficient in operation, and this efficiency is extended by zero current draw on standby when installed with the NomadLink® network (C Series and FP+ Series).
Lab.gruppen Acquires Dolby® Lake® Processor Technology and Lake Brand
Lab.gruppen marked another major milestone in the company’s history with the announcement in January 2009 of its acquisition of the Lake trademarks and the exclusive rights for use of Dolby® Lake® Processor (DLP) technology for both Touring and Permanent Sound Reinforcement markets, from Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB).
The technology currently referred to as “DLP technology” as used in the PLM™ Series will, in the future, be called “Lake technology or Lake Processing”. The Dolby Lake Controller (DLC) PLM Edition software will be forthwith known as “Lake Controller software” as new versions of the software are expected to be compatible with both the stand alone DLPs as well as the PLM Series products.
Lake technology is used in several successful products including the original Lake products, Mesa Quad EQ™ and Contour™; the Dolby Lake Processor from Dolby Laboratories and the PLM Series Powered Loudspeaker Management™ systems. Specifically, this agreement allows Lab.gruppen to further develop the Lake Controller software and firmware and to utilize the Lake brand name and allied technologies in Lab.gruppen-branded and stand-alone products for use in the Touring and Permanent Sound Reinforcement markets as demands dictate. Lab.gruppen has secured exclusive access to the source code and algorithms for these markets that are at the heart of the DLP and PLM and this will allow the company to create further generations of the programs for use with existing Dolby Lake Processors and with the company’s PLM Series of Powered Loudspeaker Management systems.