Ashly Audio has released v1.1.8 firmware for its AquaControl software suite. Key among the new software capabilities is a upgrade to the ducking feature on the Ashly Audio mXa-1502 integrated mixer/amplifier.
The original AquaControl ducker 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 on the rear panel of the mXa-1502.
These features remain, and are joined by Priority Source Control – ducking parameters are assigned to the source rather than the ducked programme, allowing different trigger sources to control the ducked programme in more varied ways – and a new Hold parameter, adjustable in 1s intervals, up to 60s. This holds the ducked programme 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 programme is slowly returning in the background as soon as the ducking trigger is removed.
Independent Ducker Assignment allows independent adding or removing of input channels from the ducking hierarchy, making it easier to interpret the relevant settings by eliminating unnecessary data. Additionally, while 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 -30dB up to 0dB, the ducking ramp now has a dynamic range of 100dB in 1dB increments for smoother transitions from muted levels.
The upgrades offer flexibility and smoothness to enable greater customisation of priority signal management to deliver a better customer experience in schools, hotels, retail stores, and restaurants.
‘As always, we are making upgrades based on partner feedback,’ says EVP of Sales & Marketing, Noel Larson. ‘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.’
More: www.ashly.com
