Radio Design Labs, Inc.®, abbreviated RDL®, is a manufacturer of electronic audio, video and control products headquartered in Prescott, Arizona, USA. Its products are distributed worldwide for use in commercial and resid......Radio Design Labs, Inc.®, abbreviated RDL®, is a manufacturer of electronic audio, video and control products headquartered in Prescott, Arizona, USA. Its products are distributed worldwide for use in commercial and residential audio and video installations and in broadcast and recording facilities. The company is known as the pioneer of application-specific electronic modules. The company produces modules in several trademarked product series including STICK-ON®, RACK-UP® and FLAT-PAK™. History Radio Design Labs was established in January, 1986 in Carpinteria, California, United States. The company name was chosen for its founders’ extensive engineering and sales experience in the broadcasting industry. The purpose of the business was to design and manufacture electronic modules and equipment for the broadcast, commercial sound, video, audio-visual and recording markets. The company set out to distinguish itself by three characteristics. First, all products would be designed and manufactured to exacting standards of professional performance and longevity previously reserved for broadcast and recording equipment. Second, the core product groups would be comprised of single-function modules enabling many features to be added to audio and video system designs. Third, the company would offer a broad base of technical and system design support to its customers led by an engineering staff with field experience. These principles have guided the company throughout its history. In September 1993 the company relocated its manufacturing division to Prescott, Arizona, United States. The sales offices remained in Carpinteria, California until December 2004 when all U.S. operations were consolidated to the factory campus in Arizona. RDL-Europe, B.V. was established as a subsidiary company in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1998. RDL-Europe serves as the RDL master distributor, providing inventory, sales and service for Europe (EEC) and surrounding regions. Application-specific Modules Audio and video systems in the years leading up to the founding of RDL were characterized by technical designs based on features available in commercial amplifiers and mixers. Examples include signal mixing, equalization, source selection and signal distribution. Available features often did not meet the optimal system design requirements, so system design flexibility was constrained by the functional limitations of the equipment used. RDL set about to change the way systems were designed through the use of single-function modules, also known as application-specific modules. Each module performs essentially a single function, such as mixing, equalization, source selection, signal routing, signal distribution, signal detection or remote control. The isolation of functions into single, low-cost high-reliability modules offered system designers complete flexibility to interconnect multiple modules in virtually unlimited combinations to create systems with previously unattainable features. This method of system design and installation was widely adopted within a few years of its introduction. RDL application-specific modules are used by nearly all system integrators in the United States and by progressive designers and installers worldwide. Audio products comprise the greatest diversity of function, including Power Amplifiers, Transformers, Processing, Paging, Microphone products, Mixing, Line Amplifiers, Test Equipment, Interface products, Pre-amplifiers, EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) products, Program Monitoring, Distribution, Signal Generators, Meters, Speakers, Crossovers, Filters, Attenuators, Phono pre-amplifiers, VCAs (voltage controlled amplifiers) and products to provide local and/or remote Switching. Certain functions offered in the Audio products group are applicable to other signal types. RDL Video products include Distribution, Attenuators, Line Amplifiers, Detectors and a variety of related video switching modules. STICK-ON Modules The first application-specific module, called STP-1, was sold in 1987. Within weeks, several additional modules were added to the STICK-ON series. The line quickly grew to nearly 50 different products. STICK-ON modules are compact monolithic plastic modules interconnected through high quality terminal blocks. An installation may consist of a single module, or multiple modules may be mounted in various RDL racking adapters. The STICK-ON series quickly became popular because the modules are compact and light-weight enough to be mounted right where they are needed. Adhesive mounting tabs are included with each product. Other Product Series Shortly after the introduction of the STICK-ON series, RDL introduced the first products in the RACK-UP series. These modules provide many of the STICK-ON series features and functions in a larger mechanical format with connectors. RACK-UP modules are primarily intended for rack-mounted installation. FLAT-PAK modules specialize in features common to back-board mounted installations. Other series including TX™ and AV-PAK™ modules meet the needs of various i