InfoComm 2026: A Stage for Next-Generation Professional Audio Drivers
InfoComm 2026 is a major professional AV trade show where manufacturers debut next-generation loudspeakers, amplifiers, professional audio drivers, and software tools that aim to improve performance, reduce system size, and cut deployment time for integrators and production companies. This edition puts a spotlight on Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) and Powersoft, two brands pushing new ideas in loudspeaker design and transducer technology. EAW’s latest additions to the Newport Series focus on integrated amplification and lightweight construction for touring and live events, while Powersoft’s new MM-Force and Spixel platforms target OEM designers looking to build compact, efficient systems. Together, these releases highlight how the market is shifting toward smaller footprints, higher output-to-weight ratios, and smarter, more connected components that can be modeled, monitored, and deployed with greater certainty than earlier generations of pro audio gear.
EAW Newport Series: Lightweight Line Arrays That Challenge Price-to-Performance
EAW is bringing new members of its Newport Series to InfoComm 2026, aiming to break established price-to-performance expectations for lightweight, high-output systems. The NT208L is a dual 8-inch active line array rated at 141 dB Max SPL with low-frequency extension down to 50 Hz, driven by a 2000W Class-D amplifier. Its field-adjustable horn supports Adjustable Horizontal Directivity, giving users four horizontal coverage profiles through toolless changes on site. Complementing it, the NT116S subwoofer can be flown with the NT206L line array or used as a standalone low-frequency module, with a Cardioid Mode that focuses bass into the audience and off the stage. According to Geoff McKinnon, senior director of engineering at EAW, “Newport cabinets use a new EAW horn and patented waveguide technology, while also being engineered to be the lightest in their class.”
Integrated Power and Smarter Rigging: Inside the Newport Workflow
Beyond the individual loudspeakers, the EAW Newport Series is designed as a tightly integrated ecosystem for sound companies that manage demanding schedules. Each enclosure includes high-efficiency Class-D amplification, removing the need for external amp racks and reducing truck space, warehouse footprint, and setup complexity. The cabinets are supported in EAW’s professional 3D SPL modeling and room optimization software libraries, helping designers predict coverage and output before arriving on site. At InfoComm 2026, EAW will also introduce its Online Array Assistant, a browser-based tool that provides rigging angles, pick-points, and switch settings to help crews get the array right on the first hang. For growing systems, additional subwoofers such as the NT119S and NT219S are in development to extend the Newport line, signaling an ongoing focus on scalable, active PA solutions for touring and installed sound.
Powersoft MM-Force: Low-Profile Moving Magnet Power for Tight Spaces
Powersoft is debuting MM-Force, a low-profile moving magnetic low-frequency driver designed to bring serious bass performance to shallow installs and compact cabinets. With a depth under 80 mm and available in 8-inch and 10-inch formats, MM-Force combines a dual-coil motor, square carbon fiber reinforced polymer piston, and a design rated for harsh environments. The moving parts are engineered to dynamically offset one another for vibrationless operation at the transducer level, which can help reduce unwanted mechanical noise in cabinets and structures. By pairing moving magnet topology with high motor strength, Powersoft aims to improve power efficiency while keeping size in check. For OEM designers, MM-Force plugs into a wider Powersoft ecosystem, aligning with the company’s goal to act as an end-to-end audio technology provider that goes well beyond the amplifier rack.
Spixel and AnyMATE: Compact Intelligence for Full-Range Professional Audio Drivers
Alongside MM-Force, Powersoft’s Spixel is an ultra-compact full-range driver built around the same high motor strength philosophy as its IPAL technology, but applied across the full frequency spectrum. In a 2.5-inch format, Spixel reaches a low-frequency limit of 100 Hz, enabling direct coupling with subwoofers at a single, low crossover point. This can simplify system design while maintaining consistent tonal character from low to high frequencies. Integrated AnyMATE technology adds onboard speaker identification, real-time monitoring, and visual diagnostics through an LED indicator and translucent dustcap, giving OEM partners better insight into transducer status once installed. According to Luca Giorgi, Powersoft’s sales and business development director, both MM-Force and Spixel “address genuine engineering challenges that loudspeaker designers have long had to work around,” from shallow low-frequency formats to reliable field intelligence.
