by Bob Archer | Mar 10, 2026 | D-Tools, News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE
Inaugural D-Tools User Conference Draws Global Integration Community to Atlanta
Nearly 150 gathered in Atlanta to Share Best Practices and Shape Industry Innovation.
ATLANTA – March 9, 2026 — Integrators from across the globe gathered in Atlanta for the inaugural D-Tools User Conference (DTUC), a three-day event focused on helping integration businesses improve operations, share best practices, and gain deeper insight into the tools that power their workflows.
Held February 23–25 at the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown, the conference brought together nearly 150 business leaders, project managers, sales professionals, and operations specialists from across the systems integration industry. Under the theme “Share What Works. Build What’s Next.”, the event combined industry insights, peer collaboration, and best practices for both D-Tools System Integrator (SI) and D-Tools Cloud platforms.
Attendees left with practical strategies for improving profitability, streamlining workflows, and preparing their businesses for the next phase of industry growth.
Leadership Sets the Vision
The conference opened with a keynote and town hall session led by D-Tools outgoing CEO Randy Stearns, and newly appointed CEO G. Paul Hess, who addressed key industry trends, including economic outlook, artificial intelligence, and the future roadmap for the D-Tools platform.
Stearns expressed optimism about the industry’s outlook. Stearns noted that in general, the economy in 2026 looks solid, with inflation down, corporate earnings up, and the turmoil of tariffs and supply chain mostly resolved.
“Labor is a bit soft, but that actually creates opportunities for efficient, well-run integration businesses,” said Stearns. “I’m optimistic about 2026—and, frankly, about the next few years—for both our industry and your businesses.”
Hess echoed those thoughts, touting the unique role that D-Tools plays within the integration community to help improve workflow and deliver industry-level insights.
“Many dealers today are juggling a stack of tools—CRM, ERP, project management, accounting, service tickets, and more,” Hess said. “When those systems don’t talk to each other, workflows become fragmented. Our mission at D-Tools is to create a unified platform that helps integrators build profitable proposals, gain better visibility into their business, and execute consistently.”
Industry Experts Share Business Strategies
The D-Tools User Conference brought together more than 150 business leaders, project managers, sales teams, and operations professionals from across the systems integration industry. Participants were treated to an array of business-focused presentations by leading authorities in the industry.
Matt Bernath, president of industry consulting firm VITAL, stepped attendees through an important exercise to determine their labor profitability, and then identified key ways they can boost their labor profit.
Ron Callis, CEO of One Firefly, gave a thought-provoking presentation on how AI is transforming online search. He noted that for the first time, Google search volume fell in 2025, while AI search increased by 400%. Callis outlined specifically what integrators need to do to capture AI search volume.
Joseph Kolchinsky, founder and CEO of OneVision Resources, discussed how the integration industry is following the same path that the IT industry took 30 years ago and is migrating to be a service-based business. He explained how integrators can adopt a service mentality and capture customers who are willing to pay.
Jason Sayen, founder of I AM SAYEN, revealed that on average, companies lose $12,506 per year per employee due to miscommunication. He stressed the importance of establishing workflows and conducting handoff meetings between each phase of a project. All that, he noted, needs to be in place to effectively adopt and utilize business management software such as D-Tools.
Finally, Chris Smith, principal of The CoTeam, gave valuable hiring advice to attendees who are generally starving for quality labor. His suggestions included using Indeed paid ads (not free) to advertise your job openings, making sure you include the salary range, make the offer letter compelling to the candidates and not an HR-driven job description, and to consider hiring “human first” and “technical second.”
One attendee summed up the sentiment shared by many participants: “Every session felt keynote-worthy.”
Product Discussion and Peer Collaboration
In addition to general sessions, the conference featured breakout tracks dedicated to D-Tools SI, D-Tools Cloud, and I3 partner analytics, allowing attendees to dive deeper into the tools and workflows that drive their businesses.
During these sessions, the D-Tools team shared product updates, previewed upcoming features, and gathered feedback directly from users. Roundtable discussions encouraged peer-to-peer collaboration around real-world operational challenges, including project workflows, vehicle policies, invoicing processes, and managing change orders.
“We came to the D-Tools User Conference to network with other AV integrators, to hear how they are running their business, as well as to get deeper insights into the D-Tools platform and where it’s going,” said John Cappuccio, Operations Manager at Techifi in Lake Oswego, OR. “It’s been great.”
“If you’re not attending the D-Tools User Conference, you are missing out,” says Earl Naegle, Head of CI, Retail & Ecommerce at Neptune / Peerless-AV. “This has been two extraordinary days filled with valuable content, interaction, and networking. I can testify… You should be here.”
“One of the key things I am taking away from this conference is that many people at D-Tools come from the integration industry,” said Joe Stadler, CFO at Third Coast Tech in Waterford, MI. “That perspective really shows in how the platform evolves.”
Community and Industry Collaboration
Throughout the event, attendees had the opportunity to interact directly with D-Tools product development, support teams, and company leadership.
Sponsors participating in the conference included AV Pro, Somfy, Sonos, Sony, Future Ready Solutions, Neptune / Peerless-AV, SurgeX / Ametek, and Wesco Distribution, creating additional opportunities for networking and industry collaboration.
<<photo captions>>
<<DTUC hero image>> The 2026 D-Tools User Conference in Atlanta gathered 150 industry professionals for three days of idea sharing, networking and innovation.
<<G Paul Hess>> New D-Tools CEO G. Paul Hess offered his vision ahead of continuing to make D-Tools an essential software tool for integrators and suppliers.
<<DTUC opening reception>> In addition to educational sessions, the event featured numerous networking opportunities for attendees.
<<DTUC roundtable discussions>> One of the most important sessions at the D-Tools User Conference was a two-hour peer-to-peer roundtable networking discussion covering key operational topics.
About D-Tools, Inc.
D-Tools, Inc. is a global leader in business management software for system integration firms. Its System Integrator (SI) and D-Tools Cloud platforms streamline sales, design, project management, and service operations. Serving over 8,000 companies in 90+ countries, D-Tools helps integrators increase efficiency and drive growth.
For more information, visit www.d-tools.com or follow D-Tools on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Tim Bigoness, D-Tools — (925) 270-4102 — timb@d-tools.com
Katye McGregor Bennett, KMB Communications — (406) 446-1283 — katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
# # #
by Bob Archer | Mar 9, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE| IMAGES CAN BE FOUND HERE
HYPERSUB™ Launches Frontier F-24 DUO
New F-24 DUO Subwoofer Offers Architectural Infrasonics with Dual-Opposed 24-inch Drivers and Matched 224D/C Amplification
SAN RAFAEL, CA (February 23, 2026) — HYPERSUB™ expands the Frontier line with the F-24 DUO, a force-canceling, dual-opposed 24-inch infinite-baffle subwoofer module engineered to deliver cinema-scale infrasonic low frequencies, while disappearing into risers, baffle walls, or other structural cavities.
Hand-built in Canada and powered by the dedicated HYPERSUB 224D/C rack amplifier (2 × 2,400 watts RMS with installer-tunable DSP), the F-24 DUO extends system capability for large and very large rooms and integrates seamlessly with HYPERSUB F-15 and F-21 arrays for reference-grade, RP-22-aligned performance.
“The HYPERSUB F-24 DUO adds architectural infrasonic authority with a dual-opposed, reaction-force-canceling manifold and matched DSP amplification,” says Nyal Mellor, system designer for HYPERSUB and founder of Acoustic Frontiers. “This enables integrators to hit RP-22 targets predictably, even in the biggest rooms.”
Built for Infrasonics. Designed for the Room.
The F-24 DUO’s dual 24-inch, long-throw neodymium drivers operate in a force-canceling manifold that minimizes cabinet reaction forces while maximizing acoustic output. The module is optimized for infinite-baffle installs and is sized for discreet architectural integration. The manifold fits a standard 20-inch × 30-inch HVAC grille for stealthy placement behind fabric walls or within seating risers.
Precision Power, Predictable Results
Purpose-paired to the HYPERSUB 224D/C (2 × 2,400 W RMS at 4 ohms), the system provides 10-band PEQ per channel (bell, low/high shelf, notch, all-pass), along with low/high-pass filters, level, delay, polarity, and limiting. Connectivity includes 2 × balanced XLR inputs and 2 × speakON outputs. The F-24 DUO is engineered to work in concert with Trinnov Waveforming and Dirac ART workflows for coherent arrays and consistent seat-to-seat results.
Measured, Not Marketed
Measured, Not Marketed
Every HYPERSUB is validated to a 1% performance tolerance and over 2,000 QC checkpoints per system using standardized tests aligned with CEDIA/CTA RP-22. The result: published specifications translate into controlled, repeatable performance in real rooms, not just on paper.
At-a-Glance: Frontier F-24 DUO Highlights
- Alignment: Infinite baffle; dual-opposed 2 × 24-inch carbon-fiber drivers (equivalent cone area ~1 × 32 inches).
- Design intent: Infrasonic low-bass reproduction.
- Amplifier: HYPERSUB 224D/C rack amp, 2 × 2,400 watts RMS; 10-band PEQ/channel; low/high-pass, level, delay, polarity, limiting. I/O: 2 × XLR in / 2 × speakON out.
- Force-canceling manifold: Eliminates cabinet reaction forces; fits 20-inch × 30-inch HVAC grille for stealth installs.
- Estimated performance (pending final lab validation): Max Linear SPL 123 dB (AES75, 1 m, free space) and Broadband Peak 130 dB (ANSI/CTA-2020B R-2020, 1 m, half-space).
- Room size use: Large and very large theaters, typically in conjunction with F-15 and/or F-21 systems.
- Warranty: Frontier systems include a 4-year warranty, extended to 6 years when calibration is performed by a certified HYPERSUB representative.
System Context: Frontier Families That Scale
HYPERSUB Frontier systems are specified from the room outward and driven by purpose-built amplifiers, which allows integrators and systems designers to compose full-bandwidth solutions that maintain headroom and control, while extending response deep into the infrasonic range.
Availability, Training & Dealer Support
The F-24 Duo is available now through hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB supports its partners far beyond what typical spec sheets, CAD drawings, and owner’s manuals offer by providing the information and tools integrators rely on to achieve predictable results. HYPERSUB delivers detailed and accurate measured specifications, including independently measured frequency response and maximum SPL output at NWAA Labs, validated to both AES75 and CEA-2010 standards. HYPERSUB also strengthens a dealer’s ability to achieve defined RP22 performance levels through engineering services that model the in-room performance of the specified system—predicting SPL capability, frequency response, low-frequency extension, and seat-to-seat consistency before a single cabinet is installed.
For specifications, media assets, and dealer inquiries, visit www.hypersubwoofers.com.
Editor’s notes:
- Final SPL/extension numbers for F-24 DUO are estimated in the current sell sheet and marked TBC pending validation; this release reflects those values verbatim to maintain accuracy.
- F-15/F-21 reference specs and system pairings are included for context and verified against current HYPERSUB documentation.
About HYPERSUB™
HYPERSUB builds reference-grade subwoofer systems that unite room-centric system design with Harbottle Audio transducer and amplifier engineering. Engineered and handcrafted in Canada, every model carries a 1% Performance Tolerance Guarantee, ensuring each unit measures within 1% of its reference specification—backed by NWAA Labs verification and alignment with CEDIA/CTA RP-22. HYPERSUB systems are designed to become the foundation of today’s most demanding home theaters. Learn more at hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB Press Contacts:
KMB Communications
Katye McGregor Bennett: katye@kmbcomm.com
Bob Archer: bob@kmbcomm.com
www.kmbcomm.com
by Bob Archer | Mar 9, 2026 | Apex Technologies, KMB Communications, Meridian Audio, News, RoseWater Energy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE
LK & Associates Launches “ShowKase” Experience Center at DCOTA, Bringing Luxury Residential Technology to Life for Integrators and the Design/Build Community
New destination where “technology becomes an experience” will support specification, collaboration, and education across AV, lighting, shading, power, and more.
DANIA BEACH, FL (March 9, 2026) — LK & Associates, Inc., an award-winning technology sales and marketing firm serving Florida and Puerto Rico, today announced the opening of ShowKase, a new experience center located inside the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA) in Dania Beach, Fla. ShowKase is designed to help custom integration professionals—and the architects, interior designers, and builders they collaborate with—experience, compare, and confidently specify best-in-class residential technologies in a design-forward environment.
Positioned within DCOTA—an established hub serving the design community—ShowKase is designed to foster collaboration between the technology and design/build trades, serving as a regional destination for luxury residential specification across Florida and Puerto Rico, while providing vendor partners a platform to showcase innovation in real-world applications.
“ShowKase reflects our continued investment in raising the standard of how technology is experienced and specified,” said Seth Kaplan, President of LK & Associates. “We’ve built an environment where immersive audio, cinematic video, architectural lighting, shading, power, and outdoor solutions converge—helping integrators and the design/build community visualize possibilities, accelerate decisions, and deliver exceptional outcomes for their clients. At the same time, it provides our vendor partners a dynamic platform to demonstrate innovation in a way that simply isn’t possible on paper.”
ShowKase will spotlight a curated lineup of premium brands and solution categories aligned with LK & Associates’ long-standing focus on audio, video, lighting, shading, power, furniture, mounting, and outdoor living.
Featured ShowKase premium vendor support partners include Samsung, Coastal Source, Vantage, Proluxe by American Lighting, Sound United, and AiSPIRE by WAC Lighting.
The space also hosts high-performance, immersive experiences from over 20 additional vendor partners, most of which are represented by LK & Associates. The list of brands currently includes Acousticsmart, Amina Technologies, Apex Technologies-US brands Apex Power, Meridian, Protopixel, and HD Anywhere, Blackdove, Bowers & Wilkins, Deco TV Frames, Draper at Home, Epson, Future Automation, Heos, IC Realtime, Lucifer Lighting Company, Marantz, Modular Lighting Instruments, MP Lighting, Optique, Revelite, Rosewater Energy, Salamander Designs, Seura, Storm Audio, SurgeX, Theory, and WhyReboot.
The launch of ShowKase also reinforces LK & Associates’ broader commitment to education, training, and project support—helping integrators and trade partners stay ahead through strong product knowledge and tailored solutions across the region.
For information about ShowKase, scheduling private demonstrations, or future training events, contact showkase@lka-fl.com. To learn more about LK & Associates, visit lka-fl.com.
About LK & Associates
Established in 1986, LK & Associates, Inc. is a sales and marketing company dedicated to the custom electronics industry within the State of Florida and Puerto Rico. The firm is committed to best-in-class service and account management on behalf of its manufacturer partners, delivering results through strong work ethic, passion, experience, and lifelong relationships. LK & Associates serves audio/video retailers, custom integrators, and distributors, and supports the design/build community by presenting the custom technology industry as a go-to solution for the modern home. To learn more about LK & Associates, visit lka-fl.com.
About LK Stockroom
LK Stockroom is the stocking arm of LK & Associates, providing just-in-time inventory solutions for LK’s dealer base in Florida. To learn more about LK Stockroom, visit lka-fl.com.
Media Contact
Katye McGregor Bennett, KMB Communications, (406) 446-1283, katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
# # # ENDS
by Bob Archer | Mar 6, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
Global events may be at the top of the headlines but that doesn’t mean the electronics industry is slowing down.
Most of the news in the electronics industry this past week does come more from a national or even global perspective, but specific to the audiophile and custom electronics side of the market, there are some noteworthy items worth checking in on.
Cybersecurity a Growing Concern in the Residential Market
Starting the KMB Comm Week in Review is a post on LinkedIn from Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) that analyzes at the topic of cybersecurity in the home. The item examines the ever-increasing level of Web-enabled components and the possible opportunities these products offer hackers interested in obtaining sensitive data.
The author, Jeff Sonnleitner, notes that cybersecurity is a field that is constantly changing and ultimately, integrators will have to lead by example.
Visiting the Listening Chair website to check out the latest vintage gear column the website recently posted, the product for the staff at Just Audio chose to write up the Beam Box from BIC. The Maryland-based store points out the role of this product in the consumer audio market back in the early 1970s and how important FM radio was to users.
Just Audio states the Beam Box was designed for audiophiles, and the dealer admits the product was never intended to be a mass-market product. To learn more about this product, which is available according to Just Audio for less than $100 click here.
KMB Comm Roundup of National Technology News
With the dust beginning to settle from the Paramount deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Wall Street is now examining the details from the acquisition.
A recent story from Yahoo Finance says that shares of Paramount Skydance Corp. have dropped 8% after Fitch ratings downgraded the media company’s debt rating to junk status.
The story points out Fitch downgraded Paramount to BB-Plus, and it says that Paramount Skydance is on a negative watch pending the release of more information related to the WBD acquisition.
Conversely in a post on LinkedIn, the social media website says that Netflix stocks increased in value after showing discipline on not extending itself to acquire WBD.
Moving away from financial news, the next KMB Comm technology item comes from the audiophile website eCoustics. The website has published a story that seems more appropriate for April Fools Day, but it’s just an announcement on a partnership between Spotify and Liquid Death.
The eCoustics story explains the popular streaming service has formed an alliance with the beverage company to offer the Liquid Death x Spotify Eternal Playlist Urn. According to the story, the cremation urn mates to a tool that will produce a personalized Spotify playlist that is meant to “live on after you’re gone.”
The idea is the companies are providing memorial products driven by music algorithms to help create forever soundtracks.
Wrapping up the KMB Comm look at technology news for the week of March 2-6, is another item from Yahoo Finance.
In a move that Apple fans should approve, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company announced its new $599 MacBook Neo. The Yahoo website story asserts the new, reasonably priced MacBook computer is designed to appeal everyone from general users to students, and businesses interested in the Apple platform.
Available in a choice of four colors, the story adds the Neo incorporates a 13-inch screen and it utilizes the company’s A18 Pro processor, which Yahoo Finance says is like the chip the powers the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
To learn more about KMB Communications and its clients, check out KMB Comm news items here.
by Bob Archer | Mar 6, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | IMAGES CAN BE FOUND HERE
HYPERSUB™ Launches Frontier F-15 Series
Slim, Space-Savvy HYPERSUB™ Frontier F-15 Delivers Deep, Controlled Bass to 25 Hz—with Reference-Grade Headroom.
SAN RAFAEL, CA (January 26, 2026) — HYPERSUB™, has announced the F-15, a slim sealed-box subwoofer system in the company’s new Frontier Series, engineered for real-room performance in small- to medium-sized home theaters. Handcrafted in Canada and paired with HYPERSUB’s dedicated 422D DSP amplifier, the four-cabinet F-15 system brings low-distortion, high-impact bass to rooms where depth and placement flexibility are essential.
“Integrators tell us they need predictable, reference bass without bulky boxes,” says Nyal Mellor system designer for HYPERSUB and founder of Acoustic Frontiers. “The F-15 answers with shallow-depth cabinets, precision-matched amplification, and lab-verified output so the experience is as credible on paper as it is in the seats.”
Engineered for Rooms, Not Just Racks
Each F-15 cabinet houses a custom 15-inch driver with more than 3 inches of point-to-point excursion and a neodymium motor in a sealed, 12-inch-deep enclosure, ideal for behind-screen and tight-space installs. The cabinet is constructed from void-free birch with hardwood corners, refined beveled edges, and a black-oak veneer finish for premium durability and fit-and-finish.
Key system specifications include: 25–200 Hz (-6 dB rel. 100 Hz) frequency response, 118 dB Max Linear SPL (AES75-2022, 1 m, free-space), and 124 dB Broadband Peak SPL (ANSI/CTA-2020B R-2020, 1 m, half-space).
Precision Power, Predictable Results
The system is purpose-paired to the HYPERSUB 422D rack amplifier (4 channels × 2,200 watts RMS at 4 ohms), providing installer-configurable DSP with 10 bands of parametric EQ per channel (bell, low/high shelf, notch, all-pass), plus low-/high-pass, level, delay, polarity, and limiting. I/O includes 4 × balanced XLR inputs and 4 × speakON outputs. One F-15 cabinet is driven per channel for headroom and control.
Integration-First by Design
F-15 systems are modeled and specified to meet CEDIA/CTA RP-22 frequency-response goals and are designed for seamless deployment with Dirac ART and Trinnov Waveforming workflows—reducing seat-to-seat variability while maintaining extension and impact.
At-a-Glance: HYPERSUB F-15 System Highlights
- System format: Four sealed F-15 cabinets and one HYPERSUB 422D rack amplifier.
- Driver: 1 × 15-inch carbon-fiber cone, neodymium magnet, with more than 3 inches of excursion.
- Frequency response: 25–200 Hz (-6 dB rel. 100 Hz). Max Linear SPL: 118 dB (AES75-2022, 1 m, free-space). Broadband Peak SPL: 124 dB (ANSI/CTA-2020B R-2020, 1 m, half-space).
- Enclosure: 12-inch depth; void-free plywood with hardwood corners; black-oak veneer.
- Dimensions (H × W × D): 25-13/16 inches × 18-3/4 inches × 12-15/16 inches (per cabinet).
- Amplifier: 4 × 2,200 W RMS at 4 ohms; 10-band PEQ/channel; low/high-pass, delay, polarity, limiting; 4 × XLR in / 4 × speakON out.
- Use case: Small–medium rooms (expandable with F-24 DUO for very large rooms).
- Warranty: 5 years.
Availability, Training & Dealer Support
The F-15 system is available now through hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB supports its partners far beyond what typical spec sheets, CAD drawings, and owner’s manuals offer by providing the information and tools integrators rely on to achieve predictable results. HYPERSUB delivers detailed and accurate measured specifications, including independently measured frequency response and maximum SPL output at NWAA Labs, validated to both AES75 and CEA-2010 standards. HYPERSUB also strengthens a dealer’s ability to achieve defined RP22 performance levels through engineering services that model the in-room performance of the specified system—predicting SPL capability, frequency response, low-frequency extension, and seat-to-seat consistency before a single cabinet is installed.
Frontier systems include a 4-year warranty, extended to 6 years when calibration is performed by a certified HYPERSUB representative.
For specifications, media assets, and dealer inquiries, visit www.hypersubwoofers.com.
About HYPERSUB™
HYPERSUB builds reference-grade subwoofer systems that unite room-centric system design with Harbottle Audio transducer and amplifier engineering. Engineered and handcrafted in Canada, every system carries a 1% Performance tolerance, ensuring each unit measures within 1% of its reference specification—backed by NWAA Labs verification and alignment with CEDIA/CTA RP-22. HYPERSUB systems are designed to become the foundation of today’s most demanding home theaters. Learn more at hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB Press Contacts:
KMB Communications
Katye McGregor Bennett: katye@kmbcomm.com
Bob Archer: bob@kmbcomm.com
www.kmbcomm.com
