ManagerMAX Surround Bass Management System Shown at NAMM

Martinsound, Inc. introduced its ManagerMAX Surround 5.1 Bass Management system at NAMM Winter Show 2002. Designed in conjunction with the TMH Corporation and Tomlinson Holman, the architect of the TMH Qualified standard, ManagerMAX is one of a series of affordable TMH Qualified modular solutions, each designed for a specific surround sound application, marketed and sold worldwide by Martinsound.

Implemented correctly, bass management is critical in overcoming the inherent shortcomings of low frequency reproduction in typical 5.1 listening environments. In the control room, high-end full range monitors may benefit from the redirection of subsonic information to a subwoofer that is positioned for optimal low frequency reproduction at the mix position. And as every home theater system 5.1 decoder incorporates bass management, it is critical to utilize it during the production process.

ManagerMAX does bass management right, enabling users to optimize their 5.1 monitor system and control room for the most accurate monitoring of surround material. The system incorporates five continuously adjustable second order high-pass filters that work synergistically with the natural roll-off of the speakers, along with a six-position fourth order low-pass filter for the redirected low frequencies.

A defeatable seventh order elliptical low pass analog LFE filter is also included, which emulates the typical brick-wall filtering in digital surround encoders, making it easy to audition the affect of the LFE encoding process. The redirected bass and LFE channel are summed and given consideration for the in-band gain required for the LFE, making it a snap to setup the subwoofer.

Martinsound's new TMH Qualified products, which additionally include BalancerMAX Surround 5.1 Systems Interface, MicroPannerMAX Surround 5.0 Panner, FilterMAX Surround 0.1 LFE Filter and CheckMAX Surround Alignment and Diagnostic Tapes, provide studios making the transition from stereo to surround with a range of crucial components for the 5.1 production chain. Whether used singly, cascaded together using the six-channel link connectors, or complementing other Martinsound MAX products, the new series of compact, 1U half-rack units will extend the capabilities of any existing production system, allowing users to diversify and attract more business.