A Barking Dog

I was all set to check in at the Holiday Inn Express, or so I thought. Due to circumstances beyond my control (they screwed up) I traded my HI Express room with free high speed Internet and breakfast for a Days Inn and Suites that was really a low budget weekly on the doorstep of Little Saigon that was lucky to have electricity or even phone service. In other words, some place I might have stayed during my “formative years” about a quarter century ago. When I came home from my first real tour in the early 80s I did a stint in the weekly rental scene in the shadow of the convention center, none of which exist anymore. I grew up in the area surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center and it’s quite a different place these days. They say you can’t go home again and that’s true. The people living in those houses now have no idea who you are and would probably have you arrested for trespassing.

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Back in the cramped spaces of the Orange Umbrella was a neat little addition to the Vertec family. The ability to add power amp and controller modules to the Vertecs you already own to turn them into self powered boxes. The module is basically an iTech that was roughly the same size as the rear panel. The panel is removed exposing a preinstalled molex connector to which the module attaches. Because the Vertec rigging is a stiff pivot point, the change in center gravity effects only the weight dispersion at the bumper at the top of the hang. It’s a pretty slick retrofit. I’m not a JBL dealer so I wasn’t able to get prices and the pics I snapped are aweful, not useable. I thought JBL might have info and pics on the site by now but they don’t. They’ll be ready to ship soon I was told by a rep so I’d reckon the info will be posted soon. I’ve always liked the Vertec and thought is was a great box and this is a dandy addition.

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While we are on the subject of new product news from NAMM (these guys didn’t show at NAMM), Meyer Sound Labs has introduced two new Milo boxes, (Milos have been a fav of mine for almost a year or so now) a narrow horizontal box 60 degrees x 10 degrees nominal and a wider Milo 120 degrees x 10 degrees nominal. I’d reckon they are priced in line with regular Milo so bring a Varsity sized wallet if you’re interested in getting some.

The Meyer site has the info…

It’s a few hours after another edition of Winter NAMM has been put to bed. I left the show floor two days ago. My last NAMM was 2002 where I was an exhibitor, not just part fo the cattle. Prior to that I had at least attended most years and in my former life did several gigs there over the years. During the few years I was exhibiting the dynamic with what were once my suppliers and vendors changed to one of being my colleagues. Over the years changes in personnel and losing contact with many folks left me knowing far fewer people than in years past over the last couple of decades. This year on the floor I knew hardly any of the people working in the booths and I doubt any of them knew about either me or more importantly the LAB. Of the people I did still know, most of them are now in senior positions at various manufacturers so I’m still able to get a door or two kicked open if required.

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