HIGH PROFILE HK AUDIO PRESENCE AT L.I.M.S.

Though the inaugural London International Music Show (LIMS) held earlier this year has been declared an unqualified success from both a trade and consumer point of view, everyone who attended the show in whatever capacity couldn't have failed to be impressed by the sheer scale of the event.

Introduced as a single show amalgamation of three previously separate shows which were dotted throughout the summer and autumn - namely the BMF, Drummer Live and the London Guitar Show - it was a bold move, which obviously appealed to a wide range of music fans, thanks in no small part to the addition of major guitar names like Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Ritchie Kotzen and bassist Billy Sheehan, with appearances on the Marshall stand from Swedish axe star, Yngwie Malmsteen.

Having previously been associated with providing live stage concert systems plus seminar room and smaller on-stand demo systems at the major UK music shows, including both the London Guitar Show and Drummer Live, for the past few years, German pro audio specialist manufacturer, HK Audio was once again much in evidence throughout LIMS which, in addition to the three main show sections outlined above, also featured the Unplugged Show and the Sound Recording Technology (SRT) Show.

The Drummer Live section of LIMS had some major percussion names appearing onstage over the course of the weekend. For maximum sonic impact, the FOH production company engineers from Q Audio were working with HK Audio's mighty COHEDRA line array. Arranged in '2 x 12' format, the Drummer Lives stage system comprised 12 x CDR208C + 12 x CDR208S mid-hi enclosures, 24 x CDR210S subs, powered by 2 x PR16 + 2 x PR8 amp / controller racks. 8 x HK ConTour CT115 cabs were employed in a monitor capacity, six used as front of stage wedges, with the additional two used as centre-fills. The onstage drum fill comprised a further 2 x CT115 units, under-pinned by 2 x CTA118 active subs.

Additional percussion performances were to be found on the Mike Dolbear Stage, which featured some mega players including Geoff Dugmore, Jerry Brown, Ian Kershaw and Yard. A ground-stacked active HK ConTour Array system this time comprised 2 x CTA118 subs powering 2 x CTA208 mid-hi's per side. One of HK's self-powered, portable, active ACTOR DX systems was used as the drum-fill, with 1 x ADX112 top + 1 x ADX115SA sub per side of the drum riser, plus 4 x HK Audio D.A.R.T. monitors laid out around the drum rig area.

Elsewhere at LIMS, the more mellifluous FOH output of the Acoustic Stage was handled by another of HK's acclaimed active systems, the 1.6kW ELIAS PX, with 2 x 200w F.A.S.T. monitors also deployed.

Another important and popular feature of music shows are the 'up close and personal' Seminar Room demos, which were easily dealt with by a very punchy set-up consisting of 4 x 400w ConTour CT112's + 2 x ELIAS PX EPX115A active subs, with 4 x D.A.R.T. 310w monitors.

HK Audio was also put to good use on various other exhibitors' stands throughout the show: Marshall Amplification and Elixir Strings both had an ELIAS PX + DART monitors; Numark had compact but impressively powerful 1200w L.U.C.A.S IMPACT, while PRS distributors Headline Music utilised a 1,200w self-powered LUCAS ALPHA. Vox Amplification also chose to employ the minimal dimensions of a 400w LUCAS SMART, which was also featured as the 'immensely convenient system with a great sound taking up a minimum of space' in the Music Industries Association (MIA) lounge area.

Acclaimed Brit amp manufacturers Cornford Amplification and the Academy of Contemporary Music used the considerable output of the 900w LUCAS PERFORMER, while music equipment distributor Strings & Things plumped for the 2kW L.U.C.A.S MAX. On the John Hornby Skewes stand - exclusive UK & ROI HK Audio distributor - demonstrator Gav Coulson played a selection of Fret-King and Vintage guitars through a 1.2kW-rated L.U.C.A.S IMPACT.

> Click here to visit HK Audio