At the recent, 2003 NSCA Expo, Allen & Heath announced that the company is extending its PA series of stereo live sound consoles with the introduction of the PA20 and PA28 mixers, unpowered siblings of the recently-launched PA-CP (Constant Power) models.
The PA series is targeted at live sound customers including PA and AV rental companies operating smaller systems, bands, music venues, churches, and schools. Shown for the first time at the recent Frankfurt Musikmesse in Germany, the PA20 has 16 mono plus two dual stereo channels, giving a channel count of 20 inputs while the PA28 has 24 mono and the same stereo configuration. Main features are a new padless preamp, internal FX unit, SPDIF output and parametric output EQ.
The mono channels feature an XLR input with individual +48V phantom power and a TRS jack input which feed a new two-stage padless preamp which directs line sources to the second stage for improved matching and performance. The EQ is a specially designed four-band type with shelving LF and HF, a fixed LM band at 250Hz and a swept HM. four auxiliary sends are included, with two pre-fade sends for foldback, one post-fade for internal or external FX and another post-fade for additional FX or special feeds. Mute and PFL switches with LEDs, peak metering and a full 100mm fader are also provided.
PA12-CP and PA20-CP provide a main output with 100mm fader, mute switch and LED on TRS jacks, plus a mono sum output with level control which can be switched to subwoofer mode. Pre / post fader analogue and digital recording outputs are provided on RCA phono and SPDIF connectors.
The four-band semi-parametric EQ which proved to be such an important feature on the amplifier outputs on the powered mixers is also available on the main outputs of PA20 and PA28. Also included in the mixers' comprehensive featureset are integral editable FX, 12 segment LED meters, XLR lamp socket and background music facility.
Allen & Heath's Sales & Marketing Director, Bob Goleniowski welcomed the addition to the PA series: "We've had such a great reception with the PA-CP range that we know we're backing a winner with the PA20 and 28. They've got such a remarkable set of useful features, unheard of at this level, that they're going to appeal to a huge range of users in the growing live music market."
Allen & Heath designs and manufactures professional audio mixing consoles for an international clientele in the live sound, installed systems and nightclub markets.