Niles' News CM Ceiling Mount Loudspeaker Offer High Design and Superior Sound For Any Application

Niles®, The First Name In Custom Installation®, introduces a new line of cost-effective ceiling mount loudspeakers featuring the same unique combination of design aesthetics, advanced technology and installation versatility found in Niles’ highly-popular third generation DS Directed Soundfield Ceiling-Mount Loudspeakers. The new CM Architectural Loudspeakers deliver Niles’ legendary high performance sound quality and blend discreetly into any environment thanks to the paintable, low-profile, magnetically-attached grilles.

“When Niles introduced the third generation of its DS Directed Soundfield Loudspeakers in 2010, we ingeniously presented a loudspeaker line that addressed the challenges professional installers face every day,” said Mike ‘Sparky’ Detmer, president of Niles Audio. “The introduction of our new CM Architectural Loudspeakers completes our ceiling mount lineup by providing installers a vast assortment of application-specific loudspeakers that fit into the same-sized cutout making them perfect for projects of any scale and any budget. Installers can specify and install systems using any combination of our new CM and DS loudspeakers thanks to the similarities in size and performance found in each series.”

The new CM Architectural Loudspeakers thin-bezel and ultra-low profile provide a crisp, clean finish, and the magnetically-attached grilles greatly reduce installation time. The series includes round grilles standard and square grilles are available. The grilles can be painted to coordinate with any surrounding décor for added installation flexibility. The grilles are rust-resistant, eliminating service calls for loudspeakers installed in moisture-prone areas such as saunas, bathrooms and even outdoors under eaves.

Niles’ patent-pending spring-loaded mounting clamps compensate for a number of environmental conditions that would cause the mounting surface for the new CM series to expand or contract, such as high heat and humidity. The mounting clamps help to prevent material compression and stripping of screws by providing tactile feedback during the installation process to indicate when the installer should stop drilling.

All speakers in the line feature the same premium components found in Niles’ DS Directed Soundfield series including copper caps, high-level crossovers and Kapton voice coil formers to deliver the exceptional sonic performance expected from Niles loudspeakers. Additionally, the loudspeakers have been voiced specifically to handle dynamic content from Blu-ray discs as well as compressed music from sources such as iPods, Pandora and Rhapsody to ensure the best in audiophile performance from virtually any source.

Niles’ CM Architectural Loudspeakers are organized into logical groupings, enabling installers to easily specify the right loudspeaker for every application. The groupings and models for each include:

• MP (Multipurpose) – A versatile ceiling mount loudspeaker that is ideal for multi-room audio and home theater settings. 
• CM7MP – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $149.95
• CM8MP – 8”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $174.95

• PR (Performance) – Strikes the perfect blend of value and performance to deliver high performance sound in a wide variety of applications.
• CM4PR – 3.5”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $249.95
• CM7PR – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $199.95
• CM8PR – 8”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $224.95

• HD (High Definition) – Provides superior sound quality and longevity by utilizing advanced components, materials and circuit design.
• CM7HD – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $249.95
• CM8HD – 8”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $274.99

• BG (Background Music) – Perfect for secondary listening zones that need a cost-effective solution.
• CM7BG – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $99.95

• SD (Shallow Depth) – Designed for applications where the depth behind the wall is limited such as MDUs.
• CM7SD – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker for Left/Right/Center; MSRP $249.99

• FX (Surround Effects) – Ceiling mount loudspeakers for the rear and side channels in a wide variety of home theater and multi-channel music applications.
• CM7FX – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker with surround effects; MSRP $349.95

• SI (Stereo Input) – Provides stereo sound from a single loudspeaker; ideal for locations that cannot support more than one loudspeaker, such as a small bathroom or hallways.
• CM7SI – 7”, 2-way loudspeaker with stereo input; MSRP $149.95
• CM8SI – 8”, 2-way loudspeaker with stereo input; MSRP $299.95

In addition to the range of 7” and 8” CM models available, Niles is also introducing the long-awaited CM4PR to the new lineup. The DM4PR is a 3.5" ceiling mount micro-loudspeaker designed with computer optimized Linkwitz Riley cross-over components and includes Niles Rear Wave Control. This highly compact but extremely versatile loudspeaker has virtually unlimited applications where space and design are a factor.

All CM Architectural Loudspeakers come with Niles’ Limited Lifetime Warranty. For more information on Niles’ CM Architectural Loudspeakers, please visit http://www.nilesaudio.com.

In The Age of The "RoboCop", Training Is Still Stuck In The Past, Says The Response Network

As every aspect of contemporary law enforcement moves fast-forward into the Age of the RoboCop, training remains mired in the past — a fact that, if not corrected to meet today’s budget and liability realities, will soon threaten the readiness of America’s law enforcement professionals, according to Bradley J. Naples, President & CEO of The Response Network, creator of the law enforcement community’s only 100% online in-service training portal, PoliceCommunity.net.

"From command centers to the inside of the patrol car, every aspect of contemporary law enforcement is being transformed by the latest advances in 21st Century technology," Naples said today. "And yet, for some reason, we remain firmly anchored in the early 20th Century when it comes to providing our law enforcement professionals with in-service training that is cost-effective, consistent from officer to officer, and based on the very best subject matter experts. This is starting to change, thanks in part to the enormous pressures budget cuts are placing on agencies, posts and departments, all of whom must find viable new ways to deliver more and more training, more and more cost effectively.”

The answer to the community’s needs lies with the Internet, according to Naples. “The vast majority of today’s officers have been raised on the Internet and are very Internet centric in virtually every other part of their lives,” he asserted. “As an educational delivery vehicle, the Internet is a proven, robust, secure and reliable platform. It is the perfect way to deliver training courses, creatively and cost-effectively.”

According to Naples, a large number of law enforcement professionals are already utilizing the Internet to achieve their general education goals, as is witnessed by the explosive growth in for-profit online universities. “The same goals and objectives can be achieved for in-service training and that’s what PoliceCommunity.net is designed to deliver — superior quality in-service training courses that are as engaging as they are educational.”

It is becoming clear, Naples explained, that online education and training is actually a more effective method than in-person face-to-face training, where individual performance isn’t as easy to measure. For law enforcement, where a day of face-to-face training seminars means a day an officer is off the streets, online on-demand training makes even more sense, giving departments the flexibility to deploy the officers if needed rather than be shorthanded while also paying for travel costs to attend an in-person training session.

Naples believes it is only a matter of time before every commanding officer in the nation sees the value of online in-service training. “The climate in law enforcement today consists of smaller budgets, more technology, and more young officers who grew up on the Internet and mobile technology. Some senior law enforcement professionals remain skeptical of the value of online in-service training simply because it is new and they are used to paying for seminars and travel costs, and they think good training has to be expensive. But the new reality clearly demonstrates that, through the Internet, training doesn’t have to be expensive anymore.

“To break the acceptance barrier, online training must incorporate appropriate elements from Hollywood and the gaming industry,” Naples asserted. “It must engage, connect with, motivate and make officers passionate about their field. With our customizable and specialized courses, we provide law enforcement officers an exciting, accurate training experience. And best of all, because our program is available anywhere, anytime, it can actually make officers want to learn.”

PoliceCommunity.net currently offers nine general subject domain courses representing more than 50 hours of in-service training, with three more courses scheduled to come online before the end of this calendar year, and an additional ten courses now in-progress.

All of the general courses can be customized to meet the needs of each subscriber, from major city agencies to rural law enforcement POSTS, and integrated with all local policies and directives. No other online training solution provides for this complete integration of national subjects with local directives in a solution that can be administered and tracked by the subscribing agency. The portal is available to law enforcement officers for an annual subscription of $74.95.

Over the last year large and small law enforcement agencies have endorsed the PoliceCommunity.net training concept including the Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan Police Department, the Virginia Beach, Virginia Police Department, the Newport News, Virginia Police Department, the Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office, the Saint Augustine, Florida Police Department, the Saint John's Sheriff's Department, the Clayton, Ohio Police Department, the Park Ridge, Illinois Police Department, the Aberdeen, South Dakota Police Department, Ocean City, Delaware Police Department, the Story County Sheriff's Department in Ames, Iowa, and the Lincoln, New Hampshire Police Department, among others.

The Response Network’s training programs are endorsed by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP), Brit Insurance, The FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Association of Public Safety-Communications Professionals (APCO).

Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police Partners With The Response Network for Online Training

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP) has entered into a strategic partnership with The Response Network (TRN) to provide Virginia law enforcement agencies with specific online in-service training courses offered exclusively by TRN at its PoliceCommunity.net online training portal. PoliceCommunity.net provides an integrated, simple-to-use approach to online in-service training that is considered by many law enforcement agencies to be “The Standard” for training law enforcement, public safety and security professionals.

Simultaneous with the announcement of this strategic partnership, The Response Network today introduced its first new online in-service course developed exclusively for the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and all other Virginia law enforcement professionals — “The Virginia Commonwealth Law Enforcement Legal Updates and Changes in the Law.” Regular legal training is mandated for all Virginia sworn law enforcement officers. The course is available at www.policecommunity.net.

Under the terms of the partnership agreement announced today by Bradley J. Naples, President & CEO of The Response Network, TRN will immediately begin developing customized courses for the VACP as Virginia law enforcement officers begin taking TRN’s current series of courses. There are a number of Virginia law enforcement agencies that are already TRN subscribers. The Virginia Beach Police Department, Newport News Police Department, and the Hampton Police Division already have moved to adopt and use TRN’s online training for in-service training.

In addition to its partnership with the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP), The Response Network’s training programs are also endorsed by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), Brit Insurance, The FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Association of Public Safety-Communications Professionals (APCO).

“This strategic agreement leverages the technical training expertise of The Response Network for the benefit of the VACP and Virginia law enforcement agencies,” said Naples. “We look forward to working with the leadership of the VACP to provide an ongoing series of cutting edge, cost-effective online in-service training courses that engage and educate Virginia law enforcement officers.”

According to Dana Schrad, Executive Director of the VACP, “The VACP has been studying ways to provide law enforcement agencies with a comprehensive, creative and cost-effective way to maintain their required state of preparedness. We believe that The Response Network’s online training portal is the only solution that can meet the standard we have set for quality, creativity and cost-effectiveness. The Response Network’s online in-service training courses are nothing less than compelling. They engage as they educate and that is no small achievement. We look forward to developing a series of courses that will benefit the Virginia law enforcement profession.”

A growing number of agencies nationwide have adopted The Response Network’s online training program, including metropolitan Detroit Police Department, the Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office, the Saint Augustine, Florida Police Department, the Saint John's Sheriff's Department, the Clayton, Ohio Police Department, the Park Ridge, Illinois Police Department, the Aberdeen, South Dakota Police Department, Ocean City, Delaware Police Department, the Story County Sheriff's Department in Ames, Iowa, and the Lincoln, New Hampshire Police Department, among others.

The VACP, formed in 1926, is an incorporated non-profit professional association. Its membership of more than 600 is made up of active and retired federal, state, local, campus and private law enforcement and criminal justice agency executives, administrators and managers. Membership also includes persons in law enforcement related businesses, support industries or government agencies. The purpose of the VACP is "to promote the professional development of all executive and management personnel within duly constituted law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia; to encourage close cooperation of all law enforcement agencies in the prevention of crime, detection of crime and the apprehension of those responsible for the commission of crimes; to promote the highest standards of the police profession through selection and training of law enforcement officers and generally pledge and strive for the highest degree of respect for law and order throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia."

Sunfire Rocks The World With Dynamic Series Subwoofers, Delivering Bigger Bass Performance For Budget Conscious Consumers

Sunfire®, a specialist in the design, manufacture and marketing of luxury home theater products for the worldwide custom specialist and retail markets, today announced the worldwide introduction of its powerful, yet budget-friendly Dynamic Series of subwoofers. Tuned for both low frequency home theater effects and powerhouse musical bass lines, these new subwoofers boast up to 600 Watts Peak Power.

The Sunfire Dynamic Series’ 8”, 10” and 12” subwoofers are the perfect blend of form and function and the ideal choice for systems where small size and high output are required. Sunfire's new digital amplifier delivers from 400 to 600 Watts of cool running peak output in the three models, with unprecedented performance at this price point. Each subwoofer features a Sunfire-designed woofer and acoustically matched passive radiator – twice the speakers for twice the bass. The DS family is also the first in the Sunfire line built around energy efficient Class-D amplification, dynamically adjusting the output of the subwoofer's power supply to suite the requirements of the incoming audio signal. Add a low-power standby mode with signal-sensing power on/off and you have a solid performer over time, while continuously variable phase, crossover and volume controls mean fast and precise setups. An optional 2.4GHz wireless transmitter and receiver make “no-new-wires” possible, even in challenging environments. Up to 4 receivers and subwoofers are supported from a single transmitter.

“For the last fifteen years, Sunfire’s customers have been obsessed with performance,” said Mark Weisenberg, Sunfire General Manager. “Our new Dynamic Series builds on our pedigree of subwoofer excellence and delivers unsurpassed bass-for-the-buck. Now more enthusiasts than ever will be able to enjoy the Sunfire experience in their homes.”

Other products found in this price range simply focus on the quantity of output over a limited frequency range, limiting the quality of performance to only a few kinds of material. Today’s consumer watches and listens to a wide variety of content – TV, movies, music, games, etc. – using the same system, which demands both quality and quantity. Sunfire engineers designed these speakers with the company’s proprietary Frequency Filtration Design™ (FFD), preserving a spectral balance across the entire bass frequency range to deliver superior balance and definition PLUS high output no matter what source material is being used. In subwoofer terms, music demands definition over a wider range of bass frequencies, while movies are equalized for optimum performance at slightly different frequencies to accentuate the special effects. The Sunfire Dynamic Series achieves both. Small rooms, big bass - no problem!

The Sunfire Dynamic Series is available in three sizes, the SDS-8 8” driver, at 32Hz-150Hz, with a peak power of 400W, the SDS-10 10” driver, at 30Hz-150Hz, with a peak of 500W and the SDS-12 12” driver, at 28 Hz-150Hz, at 600W peak power. The SDS-8 lists for a U.S. MSRP of $350, the SDS-10 for $450, the SDS-12 for $550 and the optional 2.4 GHz wireless kit for $150. The speakers are available for immediate delivery.

Sunfire Dynamic Series:
• Front firing active woofer, down firing passive radiator
• Fiber composite, poly-coated woofers
• Sealed cabinet with low distortion, computer-optimized woofers
• Optional 2.4GHz wireless transmitter and receiver for no-new-wires installation
• High efficiency Class-D digital amplifier
• Low-power standby mode with signal-sensing power on/off
• Continuously variable phase, crossover and volume controls
• High-pass, line-level outputs
• Gold plated connections
• Black ash cabinet
• SDS-8 8” driver, 32Hz-150Hz, Peak 400W
• SDS-10 10” driver, 30Hz-150Hz, Peak 500W
• SDS-12 12” driver, 28 Hz-150Hz, Peak 600W