WEBSTER, New York, March 17, 2021 — The Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School is like many combined schoolhouses in rural America – part educational facility, part community meeting space, and often the most well-equipped location in town to host a live performance. Stissing Mountain easily checks all three capabilities for Pine Plains, New York, home to around 2,500 residents.

To ensure its facilities meet the community’s varied needs, the Pine Planes Central School District recently upgraded its AV capabilities utilizing a core of Ashly Audio amplification and control solutions.

“When you have a space that is truly the preeminent meeting and performance hall for a community, your primary concerns need to be that the system works well and is extremely intuitive to control,” said Thomas DePace of Advance Sound Company – the firm that integrated the new system. “What we found in Ashly Audio was a system that confidently checks those boxes and brings with it a ton of flexibility.”

In total, DePace integrated an Ashly NE24.24M with a Protea DSP Audio Matrix Processor providing 12 inputs and 12 outputs, an Ashly NE24.24M with a Protea DSP Audio Matrix Processor with four inputs and four outputs, an Ashly NXE1.52 Network Power Amplifier providing 2 x 1,500 Watts @2 Ohms, an Ashly NXE8004 Network Power Amplifier delivering 4 x 800 Watts @2 Ohms and an Ashly NE8800MM Network Enabled Protea DSP offering eight inputs and eight outputs with two 4-channel Mic Cards.

“We’re using that full array of Ashly amplification to power multiple Danley speakers throughout the facility,” DePace said. “Everything from larger speakers across the main auditorium to monitors and stage fills. The Ashly setup also has a very nice way in which it allows for mixing the system. The NE8800MM, for example, is providing all of the auto-mixing. It’s a decent amount of gear, and yet it’s all tied together with the perfect control: the Ashly FR-8.”

The FR-8 is one component in Ashly’s line of control offerings that looks to elegantly streamline control for those who don’t have a background in live production. The FR-8 is an Ethernet device that provides fader-based remote-level control for NE products with DSP capabilities. The FR-8 controls up to eight user assigned inputs, outputs, or mixer outputs and can command multiple Ashly product lines.

“We were able to set it up so perfectly that I have no doubt that when the principal or custodian need to use the system it will be very easy for them to do so,” DePace said. “When your customer is a small or medium-sized organization, having that confidence is a huge benefit.”

The system DePace integrated also highlights Ashly’s interoperability. Components from Crestron, Christie, Panasonic, Allen & Heath, Sennheiser, and Danley also run throughout the integration.

“To use all of these manufacturers and recognize the core of it – from power to control – is Ashly is really impressive,” DePace said. “Honestly, this is the first time we used Ashly Audio solutions. After hearing and seeing how well it turned out, we know we’ll be using many more in the future.”

WEBSTER, New York, April 21, 2021 — Ashly Audio has launched another major update to its new AquaControl software suite, free-of-charge. Key among the new software capabilities is a powerful upgrade to the ducking feature on the Ashly Audio mXa-1502 integrated mixer amp. This new feature readies the mXa-1502 for integration into even more locations.

“As always, we are making upgrades based on partner feedback,” said Noel Larson, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Ashly Audio. “One of the ways Ashly supports the needs of our partners is to continue update our control software and to make those upgrades free whenever possible. We want to add the capabilities that empower more effective integrations, and this new ducking feature does exactly that.”

The original ducker in AquaControl software offered 12 levels of priority, user-adjustable threshold, attack and release, duck depth, and could be triggered automatically by the incoming priority signal or by electronic contact closure triggers found on the rear panel of the mXa-1502.

Those features remain, but now offer the following improvements:

• Priority Source Control – Ashly has assigned ducking parameters to the source rather than the ducked program, allowing different trigger sources to control the ducked program in more varied ways.
• Hold Time – A new HOLD parameter is adjustable in 1-second intervals, up to 60 full seconds. This holds the ducked program at the assigned ducking depth after the trigger source is removed and allows the adjustable ramped return to begin after that hold period has concluded. This eliminates slow ramp times and gates to mask the fact that the ducked program is slowly returning in the background as soon as the ducking trigger is removed.
• Independent Ducker Assignment – Independently adding or removing input channels from the ducking hierarchy is now enabled. This makes it much easier to interpret the relevant settings by eliminating unnecessary data. You see only the settings of channels involved with the ducker and nothing more.
• Increased Return Dynamic Range – The original ducker had the return ramp level jump from mute to -30dB in a single step and then began the adjustable return time in 1dB steps from -30 up to 0dB. Ashly has improved this by allowing the ducking ramp to use a dynamic range of 100dB in 1dB increments. This provides for smoother, less abrupt transitions from muted levels.

The result of these upgrades is a priority ducking system that offers flexibility and smoothness of operation, free from incorrect triggering and uncomfortable volume changes. This enables greater customization of priority signal management to deliver a better customer experience in schools, hotels, retail stores, and restaurants.

The new ducker is part of AquaControl firmware release v1.1.8 and is available as a free download.

WEBSTER, New York, Jan. 12, 2021 — Ashly Audio, manufacturer of pro sound solutions, is proud to announce its partnership with Electro-Acoustics Systems (EAS) to expand product availability in the Southeast Asia region.

Over the past two years, Ashly has introduced a number of new and exciting solutions that enable comprehensive integrations in more locations and more types of businesses around the globe. The partnership with EAS brings Ashly’s integrated products and cutting-edge technologies to more AV professionals and their clients.

“In EAS we have found the perfect partner to further expand Ashly’s distribution throughout the Southeast Asia region,” said Andy Lopez, Export Sales Manager at Ashly. “We look forward to many exciting projects and a long-term partnership that allows us to offer our comprehensive product range to an even wider range of customers.”

EAS is a leading systems integrator and supplier of professional AV solutions across Southeast Asia. EAS offers solutions for many different markets, including corporate, restaurant, education, transportation, and theme parks. Ashly offers a range of solutions that improve audio outcomes across these multiple environments, making the partnership between Ashly and EAS a natural fit – and a win for both the channel and end user.

“Electro-Acoustics Systems is pleased to represent Ashly Audio as the Master Distributor for Southeast Asia,” said Lam Tong Loy, Founder & CEO of EAS. “Ashly is a brand synonymous with reliability and durability, critical factors for systems integrators, consultants and end users when deciding which brands to use in their designs and setup. EAS is excited to represent Ashly’s impressive range of audio solutions from speakers, DSP matrix and control software, power amplifiers and digital mixers. We have a long-standing relationship with Ashly and are excited to be partnering with Ashly for the entire Southeast Asia region on its exciting new chapter to offer an even wider range of solutions to our resellers, integrators and clients.”

Among Ashly’s newest offerings are the mXa-1502 – a cutting-edge, integrated mixer amp solution – two new speaker offerings in the AW Series On-Wall speakers and IS Series Dual-Impedance Column Speakers, and new amplifier lines in the CA Series Power Amplifier line and FA Series Power Amplifier line.

About Electro-Acoustics Systems
Electro-Acoustics Systems Pte Ltd (EAS) is a leading multimedia systems integrator in Southeast Asia providing a comprehensive range of services from design and installation to complete project system maintenance, and product distribution for leading pro audio, AV/IT, LED displays and theatrical lighting brands. EAS is known for implementing the latest cutting-edge technologies, large scale unique projects and building reliable systems for its clientele ranging from government, judicial, education, transport, healthcare, hospitality, corporate, performing arts centers, sports stadiums, convention centers, theme parks, experiential experiences, broadcasting, houses of worship and more. Established in 1982, the company is headquartered in Singapore and was the first AV systems integrator established in Southeast-Asia. EAS is driven by its mission and values to work in synergy with our clients to provide value beyond what latest technologies can offer. For more information on EAS, please visit easpl.com.sg

WEBSTER, New York, Nov. 18, 2020 — Sligh Middle Magnet School in Tampa, Florida has an audio system worthy of a superstar performance thanks to professional wrestler Thaddeus Bullard’s charitable organization, the Bullard Family Foundation.

Bullard’s foundation supports programs that provide opportunities to those in struggling communities to achieve more than what statistics might imply of them. His website states that he avoided the reach of statistics because teachers and local leaders took an interest in his success and “his community began investing in him.”

Now it’s Bullard who is investing in the community, and a critical part of that outreach sees him supporting schools. Thus, thanks to funding from The Bullard Family Foundation, Sligh Middle Magnet School – a premier Medical Studies and Explorations program in Hillsborough County Public Schools – now has one of the most impressive audio setups in the Tampa area located in its gymnasium. And at the heart of the installation is Ashly Audio.

“The school district’s budgeting doesn’t ordinarily allow for this caliber of sound system in public middle school athletic facilities,” said Joey Donovan, Vice President of Audio at Donovan Audio Designs (pro audio division of ACCI). “But Thaddeus’s vision for this gymnasium included its use for performing arts, dances and other social events, appearances by his celebrity friends – Dave Bautista is a frequent visitor – and speeches. When I pointed out to him that it was a gym, and it wasn’t acoustically feasible to use it for such demanding uses, he asked me what it would take to make it work. Ultimately, we installed more than four times the normal amount of acoustical treatment you would normally find in a gymnasium in order to accommodate a high-performance sound reinforcement system in the space.”

The system relies on five Ashly Audio KLR-5000 High Performance Power Amplifiers and one KLR-2000 High Performance Amplifier to power the custom Ramsdell Pro Audio stereo line array loudspeaker system. The KLR Series is a high-efficiency, high-power amplifier offering that is an ideal choice for high-output speaker systems, line arrays, dual 18” subwoofers and much more. The KLR line is also versatile, as each unit provides a 3-position gain switch for both channels, a 3-position mode switch (bridged, stereo or parallel mono) and a 3-position 12dB/oct HPF switch (30Hz, 50Hz or off).

The system also makes use of the Ashly Audio Protēa ne24.24m Series DSP Matrix Processor, which uses modular expansion cards to provide up to 24-channels of audio matrixing and processing. Each input and output expansion card has an individual DSP processor. Matrixing allows you to route any input to any output and control individual levels once they have been assigned. Donovan called the ne24.24m “the absolute brains of the system.”

Further, Ashly Audio neWR-5 Programmable Multi-Function Network Decora Wall Remotes were installed to offer an intuitive level of control to those at the school. The neWR-5 offers integrators flexibility in what settings are offered to the end user, ensuring they control only what is necessary to effectively use the system.

“It’s designed to be as easy as possible,” Donovan said. “You can go in there, grab a microphone, and with one press of the control panel your system has come to life.”

“At the start of this there was a discussion of what it would take to really make a gym sound amazing,” Donovan said. “And with the support from the Bullard Family Foundation we were able to do what was needed to make that happen. You can see by what we put in there which brands we trust at this level, and Ashly is obviously incredibly important in that equation.”