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Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Rat Sound Deploys L-Acoustics KARAi At Orange County’s Galaxy Theatre

Orange County’s 40-year-old Galaxy Theatre changed ownership back in August and has now undergone a significant metamorphosis into two separate live performance spaces: the intimate 350-capacity Constellation Room and much larger Observatory, which can accommodate an audience of over 1,000.

One of the primary improvements made to the venue in the process was the installation of L-Acoustics KARAi line source arrays provided by Certified Provider Rat Sound Systems of Camarillo, California.

Jon Reiser, along with business partner Courtney Michaelis and a third silent partner, are the team behind transforming the Galaxy from a lackluster aging venue into an edgy hipster hangout that consistently attracts some of the brightest up-and-coming acts like Foster the People, Crystal Castles, The Naked and Famous, Young the Giant, Tyga and Warpaint. Reiser is no stranger to SoCal’s indie music scene having previously spent five years as a partner and talent buyer for Costa Mesa’s Detroit Bar.

Shortly after purchasing the Galaxy, Reiser brought in L.A.‘s Foster the People to play the newly dubbed Observatory. Knowing that the club’s pre-existing PA system wouldn’t be adequate to cover the crowd for such a popular band, he turned to Rat Sound to provide a temporary dV-DOSC rig while simultaneously initiating the design process to permanently integrate a new KARAi system.

Today, the Observatory features left and right arrays each comprised of six KARAi elements flown adjacent to two SB18i subs. Four SB28 subs are also located down on the floor—two housed in bunkers inside the stage plus one on each side of the stage.

A custom enclosure built across the front of the stage houses four coaxial 8XT front-fill speakers, while a single 115XT HiQ flown in the center of the house two feet downstage of the stage lip serves as a downfill. All systems are powered and processed by LA8 amplified controllers housed in racks at the monitor mix position.

Rat Sound provided not only the installation of the L-Acoustics arrays, but the rest of the venue’s sound and lighting systems and acoustic treatments as a full turnkey package.

Rat Sound director of installations David Myers notes that the rental dV-DOSC system helped minimize the venue’s downtime to only two nights despite the significant amount of remodeling and equipment upgrades.

“With the new acoustic treatments and KARAi system in place, the Observatory sounds phenomenal,” says Myers. “KARAi is extremely coherent; it’s like having the artist right in front of you in a studio environment. And the bands, engineers, promoters and audiences are all loving the sound. The Naked and Famous recently played the room and their front-of-house engineer told us after the show that we had totally spoiled him for the rest of the dates on their tour.”

Reiser adds, “The Naked and Famous immediately booked another show with us for March and I know that a big part of that was because of how impressed they were with the system and production level. We’ve had a lot of really great shows in here lately—including Scott Weiland, two nights with Young the Giant, and an epic New Year’s weekend with ATB and Tiesto—and everyone’s walked away at the end of the night being very happy with the house sound.”

L-Acoustics

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Monday, February 06, 2012

Adamson Subwoofer Technology Chosen For German Science Experiments

The professorship of Mechatronics at the Helmut-Schmidt University and University of the German Federal Armed Forces in Hamburg has chosen 16 Adamson Systems B-118 subwoofers for a new sound reinforcement system used as the primary sound projection source with an aircraft passenger cabin model.

This experimental loudspeaker rig will be used for studying the effects of noise emissions of the controversial propfan engines inside of the cabin, and the effectiveness of active noise cancelling measures.

The B-118 subwoofers are utilized to re-create a specific acoustic signature of the engine at realistic sound pressure levels.

The department, headed by Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Delf Sachau, is internationally respected as a leading research institute for cabin acoustics and active noise cancellation technologies and has multiple partnerships with global players in the commercial aerospace industry.

The new system was installed by Adamson Europe’s Jochen Sommer, in cooperation with Dr.-Ing. Oliver Pabst and Dipl.-Ing. Kai Simanowski.

The B-118 subs were chosen to meet the project’s needs for compact, powerful low-frequency loudspeakers with a frequency range of 40 to 400 Hz, along with extended high-pass characteristics.

Further, the subs needed to be cost effective, as a greater number of units was needed in order to achieve increased flexibility in respect to pattern control through physical placement of each cabinet, and individual processing.

The subwoofers are driven by two Lab.gruppen C48:4 amplifiers and controlled by a single Xilica XA-2040 processor.

The B-118 employs a single AW18 driver, which has an 18-inch woven Kevlar diaphragm driver. With its extremely high stiffness to mass ratio, Kevlar helps eliminate the effects of cone fatigue while providing enhanced long term reliability.

The AW18 continues to be used in a variety of Adamson loudspeakers, including as the LF extension in the Y18 cabinet, as well as in the SpekTrix Sub enclosure.

“The Adamson speakers met our specifications and demands in terms of output, reliability, and acoustic focusing. Further positive effects of the controlled low frequency radiation are greater energy efficiency, and reduced spill towards neighboring test rigs. Flexibility and control of this system offers new possibilities for our acoustic research projects,” states Dipl.-Ing. Kai Simanoswki.

Adamson Systems

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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

AED Rent First Adopter Of JBL Professional VTX VT25 Line Array Loudspeakers

Belgium-based AV rental system provider AED Rent has signed on as the first adopter of the just-introduced JBL Professional  VTX V25 line array loudspeaker, as well as a strategic partner in the VTX Network.

AED Rent is known in Europe as a market leader and a total system provider.

“Our mission statement is quite simple: To develop and maintain a flexible group of companies on a Pan-European base that offers a total solution for the professional in the AV industry,” says Glenn Roggeman, CEO of the AED group. “AED Rent is not just a rental company but an equipment bank, not only in sound, but also in lighting, rigging and video equipment. What makes this business quite unique is large quantities, industry standards, state-of-the-art products, and a young rental fleet with fast and accurate service.”

“We chose to purchase the JBL V25 because I think JBL has it spot-on for the future,” he adds. “JBL has always been known as the best component builder. Today, thanks to Paul Bauman, they not only have the components, but also the speaker boxes to make a terrific system.”

The VTX V25 is a full-size, 3-way, high-directivity line array element. The VTX V25 features two 2000-watt, 15-inch Differential Drive woofers mounted in die-cast aluminum baffles, with four 8-inch Differential Drive mid-range transducers and three of the revolutionary new D2 dual-diaphragm dual-voice-coil compression drivers mounted on a 3rd generation waveguide and patented RBI Radiation Boundary Integrator assembly.

“The technology JBL is using in the V25 is on the cutting edge,” Roggeman states. “If you see how much power the system is driving, it’s way above any competition. If you see the weight of the cabinets—82 kg—this is another attractive element, because in the future, environmental issues will play a bigger role in our business. A cabinet of 110 kg that needs to be transported will be more expensive than a cabinet of 82 kg.”

“We are thrilled that AED Rent has chosen to support the groundbreaking VTX V25 product,” says Paul Bauman, senior manager, Tour Sound, JBL Professional. “AED Rent’s technical expertise and leading position in the industry will be tremendous assets in our introduction of the V25 to the market.”

AED Rent
JBL Professional
Harman Professional

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Electronic Versus Physical: An Analysis Of Shaping Array Directivity

Electronic modification of an array’s directivity is not always a substitute for good old mechanical arranging or aiming. Here's a look at the differences

Modifying the directivity characteristics of loudspeaker arrays through electronic delay has become increasingly popular.

Whereas 20 years ago the only option was expensive dedicated digital delay units, and a few years later the original BSS Omnidrive was a luxury, the advent of inexpensive digital processing has changed the game.

The design of complex arrays using a relatively high number of processing channels, as required to electronically modify the directionality of an array, is now affordable and widely implemented.

However, virtual (electronic) modification of an array’s directivity is not always a substitute for good old mechanical arranging or aiming, as the two methods have widely differing radiation characteristics off-axis (i.e., to the back and sides).

Let’s look at the differences in the two approaches, how they differ across a number of array types, and suggest applications where each of them should be used with subwoofers.

Arrival Times
The reason why physically moving a loudspeaker backward is different from delaying it electronically may not be intuitively obvious, but is easily shown graphically.

Figure 1a shows two loudspeakers (“A” and “B”) located left and right at equal distance from both a listener positioned in front and another listener positioned behind.

Leaving aside subtleties such as the location of the time origin of the loudspeakers, since it does not influence the basic concept being discussed here, sound from loudspeakers A and B will arrive at the same time to both listeners.

If we move back loudspeaker B (Figure 1b), then loudspeaker A is closer to the front listener, so sound reaches that listener earlier. Behind the loudspeakers, of course, the opposite occurs.

If we return the loudspeakers back to their original positions, and then apply electronic delay to loudspeaker B (shown in Figure 1c as a diverted path length to the listeners), we see that the output of loudspeaker A arrives earlier than B in both cases (in front and behind).

Thus, it is graphically clear that physically moving enclosure B produces a significantly different result to electronically delaying it.

Focus On The Effect
Let’s now look at the implications within the context of a vertical array of loudspeakers, and predict the coverage of a column of omnidirectional sources.

I often prefer to display results via polar plots, because with plane mappings it’s often difficult to understand the behavior at distances other than those close to the system being modeled.

Also note that I’ll use mostly omnidirectional sources instead of “real-world” sources (with a certain degree of attenuation at the back, i.e., not perfectly omnidirectional) to focus on the effect that the arrangement is causing on the directional response of a single loudspeaker.

In Figure 2a and 2b, we have physically tilted a 12-element array that is 23 feet (7 meters) long downward by 30 degrees.

The front part of the radiation points down 30 degrees, and the back part points up 30 degrees, while left and right (i.e., 90 degrees to the sides) are pointing straight, as if the array had not been tilted at all.

Figure 2a shows a three-dimensional directivity balloon resembling some sort of “flying saucer” at an angle, while Figure 2b shows polar plots for the third octave bands between 80 and 160 Hz (the main lobe gets narrower as frequency increases).

In Figure 3a and 3b, the sources are delayed so that the main radiation is (electronically) steered 30 degrees down (by applying increasingly larger delay times from top to bottom).

The balloon looks a bit like a fat cone, showing that the 30-degree downward angle is taking place all around the array, not just in front of it.

This behavior is emphasized by manufacturers of electronically controlled (“digitally steerable”) column loudspeakers, correctly emphasizing that the use of their products yields better coverage than a single, down-tilted conventional enclosure.

Pointing Lobes
To provide another example illustrating the differences between mechanical tilting and delay steering, we modeled one of each in a room, this time using loudspeaker data with realistic nonperfect omnidirectionality.

The resulting pressure maps have been plotted onto the walls as well as the floor, and we’ve also drawn lines, at different horizontal angles, that represent the direction in which the main lobe is pointing.

In Figure 4a (mechanical), the lines follow the shape of a disk, which means that some of the lines are pointing to the walls, and the mapping indeed shows that significant SPL is being radiated towards the walls.

In Figure 4b (electronic), the lines form a cone and sound is mostly focused on the floor.

The 125 Hz octave band was used for the room predictions; while it is probably somewhat unrealistic of typical subwoofer bandwidth, the narrower coverage is helpful to exaggerate the effect for clarity.

It can also be seen that the covered area is roughly rectangular for the mechanical case and rounder for the electronic one. (Some may recognize the CADP2 graphics. What a beautifully elegant piece of software that was! RIP.)

Exploring Arcs
From the explanation earlier in this article, we can guess that an electronic arc (where input signal is increasingly delayed as one goes from the center to the edges of the array) will display identical front and rear radiation for omnidirectional sources.

A physical arc, in the far field, also provides symmetrical front and rear behavior – but - at close distances, rear levels will be higher.

This is because circular arc sources arrive simultaneously at the circle’s center, i.e. the array’s “virtual origin.” Accordingly, physical arc best practices should avoid any arc that displays an inconvenient center, particularly at center stage.

Figure 5a, 5b and 5c present polars for a physical arc of eight subwoofers spanning 120 degrees with a radius of 10 feet (3 meters).

In the near field (Figure 5a), the buildup of sound pressure at the back can be observed, with the array being an average of around 6 dB less sensitive at the front for theoretical omnidirectional sources (though this number changes widely with frequency as seen on the plots).

This translates approximately to the same level back and front for a typical real-life subwoofer (with a certain degree of directionality). Also, in the near field, the rear pattern is narrower at the back.

As we get farther from the array though (Figure 5b), the polars become symmetrical, with the same levels being radiated to the back and front. This was calculated at a distance of 98 feet (30 meters) from the center of the array.

Figure 5c shows the far-field results, made up of equidistant enclosures that would “virtually” follow the same arc as the physical arc above.

Unlike the physical arc, the electronic version shows the same levels back and front both up close and far away from the array.

In general, an electronic arc is preferred because it does not suffer from pressure build-up behind the array, and it requires less space in front of the stage.

And unlike array steering, where each element requires a different delay time, we can use an even number of elements, so that pairs can share the same delay, meaning one amplifier channel can power two boxes if needed.

Given today’s prices, an extra DSP unit dedicated to subs does not seem too much of a luxury. Mathematically, calculating required delay times for a straight line array of equally spaced boxes may be complicated.

However, a piece of string can be used to mark a circular arc on the floor as physical reference for measuring “virtual” distances for pairs of subs.

Case Study A: Flown array of subwoofers on an open-air concert. When flying a subwoofer array, if the array is mechanically tilted, the rear radiation lobe will point upward (Figure 6a) and minimize trouble.

Yet it might be tempting to go with a “clean” hang and implement electronic steering, in order to digitally down-aim low-frequency (LF) radiation.

Doing this, however, means that corresponding rear radiation will also be aimed downward, presenting potential noise problems with nearby housing, as shown in Figure 6b.

Case Study B: Opening up left-right subwoofers. Invariably, when left and right subwoofers are used, interference creates the notorious power alley, where LF system response is audibly louder.

Additionally, bass coverage is not uniform since interference patterns change with frequency.

One way to minimize left-right interference is to aim subwoofer arrays away from each other in order to reduce overlap.

If we aim the array physically (Figure 7a), the back radiation lobe will point to the stage, increasing LF spill (again, the extent of this will be reduced through the use of cardioid subs, be it off-the-shelf cardioid models or array elements made up of a cardioid arrangement).

However, if electronic steering is used (Figure 7b), the back lobe will point away from the stage.

This is actually the same as Case Study A, except for the fact that we are dealing with horizontal, not vertical, coverage.

Case Study C: 360-degree subwoofer array. Certain arena applications might call for 360-degree horizontal subwoofer coverage, as well as some degree of downward firing toward the seating.

Achieving this with mechanical aiming is just plain impossible, but it can be accomplished through the electronic realm.

The suggested design makes use of a somewhat unusual configuration. Since real subwoofers are not entirely omnidirectional (a typical 18-inch subwoofer box may show 4 to 6 dB less at the back relative to the front), to achieve the same level at both back and front, we use a “face-to-face” deployment.

And it might seem a bit counterintuitive, but a physically phase-aligned pair can also be achieved if the correct spacing is used between the two.

To avoid flying too much weight, we could alternate every other element in the array as seen in Figure 8, an arrangement that also minimizes obstructions to the expansion of the wavefront.

This two-column arrangement with electronic steering would generate the directivity balloon seen in Figure 3a (except that the sides would be slightly squashed), with the horizontal and vertical polars that can be seen in Figure 9.

As with any low-frequency array, a longer array generates a narrower radiation pattern, which means that different venues would require different lengths to suit their geometry.

From the point of view of level consistency, the arrangement in Figure 8, with real non-perfectly omnidirectional sources, would send slightly less SPL to the sides (in our case, around 3 dB less for a real single 18-inch front-loaded subwoofer), which would be desirable on a rectangular arena to compensate for the difference in distance to the closest and farthest tiers.

On the other hand, given the uniform downward profile, this configuration would be ideally suited, angle-wise, for circular venues such as a bullfighting ring or a Mexican Palenque.

Watch That Space
As we know from line array “laws” there is a maximum spacing between sources for any given frequency.

If that spacing is exceeded, the array loses the ability to control directivity, with higher frequencies showing lobes at the wrong angles and eventually losing directivity control. This is even more so for an electronically steered array, which requires a tighter element density.

Figure 10a shows a three-dimensional representation of the directivity balloon of an electronically steered array with excessive spacing (4.5 feet).

A significant top lobe can be seen that will surely create reverberation issues at that frequency in an indoor venue.

Figure 10b presents 80 to 250 Hz one-third octave polars for the same array where the three highest frequencies have gone haywire across the top part of the curve.

In contrast, a mechanically tilted array of subs (Figure 10c) with the same spacing only shows misbehavior at 250 Hz, which corresponds to a wavelength that correlates roughly to the spacing between sources, so it’s no surprise.

José (Joe) Brusi is an independent electroacoustical consultant. And thanks to Joan La Roda for the field phase measurements of the alternate face-to-face subwoofer configuration.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Martin Audio MLA Boosts Brixton Academy For Chickenfoot In Concert

When Brixton Academy was built in art deco style during the cinema boom of the late 1920s, it was never expected to be hosting concerts for high-octane rock bands like supergroup Chickenfoot (led by former Van Halen legend Sammy Hagar).

Ghosts of Brixton’s cinema past remain within this Grade II-listed building, and the bulging balcony facade has proved the downfall of many a sound system, returning the firepower off the stage and bouncing the sound waves back at the band.

But Martin Audio was able to pull off a rare feat when the Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) made its debut there, provided by Capital Sound.

To the benefit of front of house engineer Michael “Ace” Baker, Martin Audio R&D director Jason Baird and system tech Mark Edwards simply notched out this chunk of the coverage pattern in the dedicated optimization software.

“Chickenfoot is one of the loudest bands that have played through the system, so we stood onstage and switched the MLA’s DSP from a setting that didn’t notch it out to one that did, using the tablet PC over the WiFi link,” explains Baird. The difference was plain to hear, with an obvious reduction in reflections off that deep balcony front.

Baker had wanted to pilot the MLA since hearing it in demo Las Vegas last summer. Knowing that his monitor engineer Jim Jorgensen was about to join Martin Audio he applied pressure, so that by the time production arrived in Brixton, there were nine MLA elements and an MLD downfill ready to be rigged each side, with six MLX subwoofers ground stacked on either flank.

“I had been hugely impressed with MLA and could see the math behind it, but there’s only so much you can learn under demonstration conditions. I had to get the system out there,” Baker says. “Some people were doubting whether this was a true rock ‘n’ roll box––but this is one of the most rocking boxes I have ever mixed through.

“In fact it is a true concert arena PA, capable of producing a ‘big’ PA sound rather than just pumping out pure volume. I noticed it particularly around the kick drums and toms and yet I’m barely tickling it, there’s just so much headroom.”

He was also impressed that despite the consistency of coverage in the house, none of it was blowing back at the band onstage. “That’s what got me so excited. Initially, all that computer stuff looked like something I wouldn’t be able to handle, but then Mark showed me how simple it was––all you need to be able to do is measure correctly and you are done.”

Baker says that MLA has given him the freedom to exploit “extra places where it can go, the incredible spatial and panning effects that I was running through.”

The engineer started working with rock legend Sammy Hagar four years ago––who in this configuration was fronting a top line-up comprising Joe Satriani (guitars), Michael Anthony (bass, vocals) and drummer Kenny Aronoff (filling in for Chad Smith, who was off with the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

At Brixton, he was able to mix the sound flat on a Yamaha PM5D and that, according to Mark Edwards, is because MLA sets itself up to produce a neutral, balanced sound. “Because the system is so responsive to system EQ, if there’s a bit too much sub in the room it is easy to notch a tiny bit out.”

“There are a lot of good systems out there but only a few have been truly groundbreaking;” Baker concludes. “Right now, this is the one that has everyone talking about it. There will be a lot of touring ahead this year and MLA is the system I want to use from now on.”

Martin Audio

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Road Test: Alto TRUESONIC TS115A

Evaluating new self-powered compact loudspeakers

Alto Professional recently sent me a pair of TS115A loudspeakers to check out, and they turned out to be a gig saver - but more on that in a bit. Let’s look at the specs first.

Part of the company’s TRUESONIC Series, the TS115A is a 2-way self-powered model that utilizes a 15-in woofer for the lows and a 1-in neodymium compression driver for the highs.

The injection molded cabinet measures 26.8 (h) x 16.9 (w) x 15.2 (d) inches and weighs 39.6 pounds.

Stated frequency response is 53 Hz to19 kHz at +/- 3 dB. The power rating is listed at 800 watts peak (670 watts LF, 130 watts HF) or 400 watts continuous (335 watts LF, 65 watts HF).

These boxes are attractive, with a nice steel grill that covers the entire front of the box. I prefer full grills because they better protect the box, and also they look a bit more polished and “corporate” to me.

The cabinet has a built-in handle pocket on the top, as well as large handles on each side and a pole socket on the bottom that uses a clamp for added security/stability. Six M10 flypoints are also provided – two each on the top, bottom and rear.

The rear also includes two input channels with Neutrik XLR-1/4-inch combo connectors. Directly above them are individual gain pots for each input. A male XLR is provided for Line output, and there are “ground” and “contour” switches on the right side of the panel, as well as signal and power LEDs. An IEC power cord socket and power switch are located at the bottom.

Trial By Fire
Normally I set up Road Test gear in my shop first to do some testing and become familiar with its operation before taking it out on a gig – but this was an exception. One might even call it trial by fire.

The TS115As had just been delivered to my home when my neighbor Matt, a part-time DJ, asked me to help him with a problem with his system.

He had a gig that night so had set up his system in his garage to test it, and quickly discovered that his powered subwoofer and satellite loudspeakers had issues. After a bit of troubleshooting accompanied by a lot of head-scratching, it became clear that the amplifier to power his full-range boxes, built into the subwoofer, was dead.

I offered him the use of the TS115As. Straight out of the box, one loudspeaker made the “long trip” next door, where we hooked it up to give it a listen. Right away we were both impressed with how nice it sounded and how loud it got.

Next, I engaged the contour switch to see what it did, and realized immediately that it added a “loudness” curve (a.k.a., smiley-face EQ), boosting both the bottom end and the highs. But it had ample bass with and without the contour switch engaged, so Matt decided to leave his sub at home and do the gig with just the pair of TS115As.

To The Rescue
Because some cabinets have different-sized stand-mount sockets, I set up one of Matt’s aluminum tripod stands to make sure that they fit. The side handles on the box made it easy to grab the cabinet and position it on the stand, and I really like the adjustable clamp that allows you to get a secure fit to different sized poles. 

The top handle to me was less than handy as it just does not seems to fit my hands well, and I’ve since found that it’s uncomfortable to carry the box for a long distance by just the top handle pocket alone. That said, the top handle is very convenient when you have to just grab the box and move it a short distance. 

Matt actually used the TS115As on two consecutive gigs, reporting back to me that they had more than enough volume and that they were also easier to move and set up than his three piece system with the large, bulky subwoofer.

Because he does jobs ranging in size from small parties to larger dances, he doesn’t need subs for every event, but because his sub houses the full-range amps, he always has to bring it, regardless.

In fact, Matt was so impressed that he asked me where he could buy his own pair, and asked to use my Road Test models until he could get his own.

A few gigs later, I got my set back, and the next day received a call from my daughter’s choir teacher, who asked if I would be available to operate the school’s portable PA system for the upcoming fall choir concert at the gym.

I discussed the school system with the teacher, and decided that it wouldn’t cover audience members seated at the far sides on bleachers. So it was the TS115As to the rescue again!

For the concert, I placed them on their sides like floor wedges and covered the bleacher seats. Because they’re powered cabinets, it was easy to integrate them into the system, and they covered the area with ease.

Back In the Shop
After the concert, I finally had an opportunity to take the cabinets to my shop and do some listening.

For source material, I used a few of the (now very familiar) tracks we played at the Compact System Demo at WFX in Dallas.

With the boxes set flat, they sounded good with a variety of material. With the contour switch engaged, they sounded better on some tracks, but not as good as the flat setting on a few others. If I were doing DJ work, and didn’t have subs, I think I’d just leave the contour switch engaged.

Next, I added a small 15-inch front loaded sub. The TS115As played well with the sub – it would make a great small band (or again, DJ) rig. The TRUESONIC Series also includes some active subwoofers that would be great paired up with these full-range cabinets.

Last, I tested the dual inputs, which to me is one of the best features of the box. Instead of just one line input, there are the two separate inputs with gain pots, with the knobs labeled “line” on the left side of the range, and “mic” on the right side of the range. 

I plugged a Shure SM58 microphone into one of the inputs and turned up the knob. While no substitute for a mixer with tone controls, it would certainly do in a pinch if you needed to make announcements or had a small speech only gig.  Then I plugged an iPod into both inputs and it also worked well. 

Natural Sound
I also wanted to check out the rigging but didn’t have any M10 eyebolts handy. I did notice that the top and bottom fly points are very accessible, but the two on the rear would require longer bolts due to the way the cabinet is molded.

While not a deal breaker, I found it a bit odd that apparently, two different bolt lengths are needed for one box.

My last test came when I took the TS115As to a small corporate meeting. Normally I would have used a smaller 10-inch and horn box, so these were a bit overkill, but they looked good and worked great.

With a little EQ work, I had a nice, natural sound with the podium mic as well as a lavalier.

Go to the Road Test Forum on ProSoundWeb to read Craig’s full review and other comments from the community, as well as to ask questions about the TS115As.

Craig Leerman is senior consulting editor for Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb. He is also the owner of Tech Works, a production company based in Las Vegas.

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JBL Professional Debuts PRX400 Series Portable PA Loudspeakers

At the NAMM 2012 Show, JBL Professional introduced the new PRX400 Series of passive portable loudspeakers, designed to bring true professional-quality performance, power handling and durability to more affordable price points.

The PRX400 Series includes the 15-inch PRX415M, 12-inch PRX412M and dual 15-inch PRX425 loudspeakers, as well as the 18-inch PRX418 subwoofer.

The PRX415M and PRX412M can be used as either mains or monitors, and when used with the PRX418 subwoofer, provide a sat/subwoofer system capable of delivering 135dB of full-range, high-quality sound.

The PRX425 dual-15-inch, 2-way speaker is ideal for DJs and bands that require powerful low-frequency extension from the convenience of a stand-alone cabinet.

“Since their introduction, our PRX600 Series portable PA loudspeakers have been tremendously popular with touring musicians, DJs and in a variety of live performance venues,” says Richard Ruse, senior director of worldwide sales, JBL Professional. “Our new PRX400 Series models offer the same exceptional sound and rugged reliability in a passive loudspeaker format, at pricing that offers outstanding value in its category.”

PRX400 loudspeakers are designed to work hand in hand with Crown Audio XTi2 Series amplifiers, which incorporate enhanced pre-set performance tunings for PRX400 Series loudspeakers, including crossover points for a sat/subwoofer setup, and optimized parametric filter that bring out the full potential of PRX400 Series loudspeakers.

PRX400 tunings will also be available in the dbx DriveRack PA+ signal processor/complete loudspeaker management system.

The new loudspeakers utilize high-quality, tour-tested drivers and components to deliver clear, detailed and dynamic sound for bands, DJs, nightclubs, schools, houses of worship or other professional touring and installed sound applications.

They also feature Neutrik SpeakON combination connectors and are built from lightweight, tough 18mm birch/poplar multi-laminate hardwood covered in JBL’s resilient DuraFlex covering. All models are outfitted with rugged 16 gauge steel grilles.

All full-range models incorporate twelve M-10 suspension points and hardened steel eyebolts for safe hanging in light-duty installations.

Built-in dual-angle pole-mount sockets enable the PRX415M and PRX412M to be mounted either straight out or at a 10-degree downward angle to deliver the best audience coverage pattern.

With a 10-degree down angle, the speakers can be aimed down at the audience, keeping sonic reflections off the back wall for better clarity and more efficient coverage. In addition, all cabinets have ergonomic handles made from road-tough, lightweight glass-filled nylon.

In common with all JBL Professional products, PRX400 Series loudspeakers have survived JBL’s 100-hour power test, in which they are submitted to 100 hours of continuous, high-level input. The speakers also go through a barrage of unforgiving environmental and strength tests including harsh temperatures and humidity, ensuring they will perform perfectly anywhere.

All PRX400 models incorporate JBL’s Sonic Guard speaker protection circuit that automatically attenuates the signal going into the high-frequency section of the speaker if too much input signal is detected, and restores normal operation when the overload condition passes.

JBL Professional
Harman Professional

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d&b audiotechnik White Range Loudspeakers Meet Challenges At St Paul’s United Methodist Church

St Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church (presently known as St Paul’s United Methodist Church) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is listed on the United State’s National Register of Historic Places and is essentially the work of architect Louis Sullivan, the so-called “father of skyscrapers.”

Sullivan’s aspirations however, were high, beyond what the church’s congregation could reasonably afford back in 1912. The restraint exercised back then by architect W.C. Jones, when he re-drew Sullivan’s plans under instruction from the church, meant that two years later Bishop William Quayle was able to dedicate the freshly completed St Paul’s.

The church building remains true to Sullivan’s clean modernist design, sacrificing only his more elaborate ornamentation. In the intervening 97 years, just the lightest of touches has been required to keep this building aligned to purpose, not least a new organ in 1946; however the acoustic of the sanctuary had always been problematical.

“The church’s acoustic is quite a challenge, the sanctuary is a semi-circle,” begins Wes Nygren, the man responsible for soliciting technological proposals at this most traditional of churches.

The fact of St Paul’s Historic listing added a dimension of complexity that many found challenging, as Nygren explains. “We consulted with different people but found we were not able to get proposals from any of them; not one single person we consulted would submit.”

Succinctly, the shape of the room produced a confused sound image but due to the Historic listing, acoustic modification of the church’s interior demanded a very particular sensitivity. Fortunately Nygren and the church elders were made of sterner stuff and spread their research further afield.

Jason Kartak hails from Audio Logic based some three hundred miles away in Bloomington, Minnesota; he found the conundrum of St Paul’s just the sort of challenge he enjoys.

“The room is large, it holds a congregation of eight hundred, so some amplification had always been desirable, but their 1980s vintage horne-based system produced more problems than it solved,” Kartak says. “To the front of the pulpit is one huge parabola and reflections from the front edge of the balcony were a disaster.”

Audio Logic first submitted plans in late 2009 to apply acoustic treatment to the balcony front and other areas of the Sanctuary; these are under consideration and as is the nature of such things, will pass through many revisions before all vested interests are satisfied. As was stated earlier, this is a long and considered route.

Meanwhile Kartak has turned his attention to the audio system, which has brought immediate benefits. “For the hall itself, again, historic building restrictions apply; we ended up having to create suspension systems concealed above the ceiling for the three clusters we eventually installed. We drew up a design based on the d&b audiotechnik White range, a new range of loudspeakers that launched when we were maybe 12 months into the project.

“The White loudspeakers, in this instance the xA-Series, provide a really elegant solution for a visually sensitive environment such as this, as well as proving highly economical; fund raising had been underway for some time and unknown to us hit budget pretty much as we submitted the proposal.”

The three clusters are identical; each has a 10A-D 110-degree cabinet at the top, and then beneath a pair of 10A 75-degree boxes flanks another 10A-D.

“The services here are very much in the traditional fashion, heavily speech based with choir and organ accompaniment to the hymns,” Kartal continues. “However, there is a discrete nod to contemporary worship, but that’s with a small ‘c’, as such we have installed three 27A-SUBs, an inherently cardioid cabinet, in an array up in the organ loft.”

Nygren assessed the whole process:  “The people at Audio Logic have been very patient with us as we went through the process. They first suggested an acoustic treatment to the walls; it’s only an inch thick but we have to adhere to the recommendations of the preservation architect, who found the proposal unacceptable, so we will have to find another way to deal with that.

“But the new audio system equipment is now installed, and very sensitively to the Sanctuary’s interior. Audio Logic has been very attentive throughout as far as any problems are concerned, and they have corrected or amended as needed. It has been very pleasant dealing with them; when they first presented their proposal we price checked and they were very competitive. As for the new d&b system, it has definitely improved the situation.”

d&b audiotechnik

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Yamaha Announces DXR Series Of Active Loudspeakers

Yamaha has announced the DXR Series of active loudspeakers. The four full-range models—the DXR8, DXR10, DXR12 and DXR15—deliver exceptional sound pressure levels and high-definition sound in a more compact, versatile design.

High-efficiency 1100W Class-D amplifiers and Yamaha-mastered DSP, combined with an intelligent onboard mixer with flexible IN/OUT connectivity, a very functional enclosure design, makes the DXR Series ideal for front-of-house, floor-monitoring, rigged applications, and a multitude of commercial applications.

The DXR is quite advanced in that it features a three-channel signal input on the speaker’s back panel enabling end users to mix their own settings as well as a unique Mixing/Link function for daisy-chaining additional powered speakers. Inputs include XLR, ¼” TRS, and RCA jacks, with signals from the inputs mixed inside the DXR unit. Each channel has its own level control and the XLR input can accept MIC/LINE sources. Each DXR cabinet features a built-in, selectable-frequency High Pass Filter (HPF) for use with a subwoofer.

The DXR speakers provide DSP-assisted EQ (Dynamic COUNTOUR) tailoring the frequency response when used as floor monitors or mains. Proprietary FIR-X filtering ensures that the DXR cabinets perform under all circumstances, even at very high levels. FIR-X tuning technology achieves a more accurate and smooth response, better clarity, and imaging than what is possible with crossovers that are currently available.

All models incorporate integrated rigging points for installation using standard rigging eyebolts, and optional U-brackets are also available for additional installation versatility. All models also feature built-in, dual-angle pole mount sockets for vertical or angled applications.

Joining the new DXR series are the high-powered DXS12 and DXS15 active subwoofers that will further enhance the DXR speaker’s performance.

Newly developed D-XSUB technology dynamically controls the low frequency range, and by adding BOOST mode, you’ll experience more punch in the overall sound. The new sub’s XTENDED LF mode will enhance the bottom end of the low frequency range. Ideal for commercial installation in churches, schools, regional performing arts venues, and a multitude of applications requiring high SPL, the DXR and DXS provide stunning clarity and an unsurpassed level of reliability.

“The DSR Series launched last year has been very well received by the commercial marketplace, and we have utilized every internal resource of our development team, including collaboration with NEXO, to ensure that the DXR and DSX are as well received as the popular DSR,” states Marc Lopez, Marketing Manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.

The new Yamaha DXR Series is now available at a suggested MSRP ranging from $829 to $1,199. The DSX will be available in February with an MSRP for the DSX12 sub of $1,049 and $1,199 for the DSX15.

Yamaha

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Electro-Voice Launches ZXA1-Sub

Electro-Voice launched the ZXA1-Sub at NAMM 2012 – the matching subwoofer for its best-selling ZXA1 compact self-powered loudspeaker.

The ZXA1-Sub is designed to provide the ultimate combination of portability, performance, and power in a lightweight, stylish, small-format package.

Though equipped with a heavy-duty EV-engineered 12” woofer, a state-of-the-art 700-W amplifier, a durable 15-mm wood enclosure, and a maximum SPL rating of 126 dB, the ZXA1-Sub weighs-in at just 46 lbs and sports a trim 15.75” x 17.5” x 18” profile.

With easy-to-use controls and connectivity the ZXA1-Sub makes enhancing a compact sound system with professional-quality low-end easier than ever.

Key features:
• Integrated 700-W Class-D amplifier
• EVS-12S 12-inch woofer
• 126-dB maximum SPL
• Dual XLR stereo inputs and outputs
• Pole mount for full-range systems
• 9-ply/15-mm wood enclosure, internally braced, with textured paint
• DSP with low-end boost and polarity control
• 46 pounds, with integral handle for easy carriage
• Compact 15.75” x 17.5” x 18” profile

Electro-Voice

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Sunday, January 15, 2012

“Zappa Plays Zappa” Thrives In Brighton With Turbosound Aspect Loudspeakers

Via the technological wonderment of enhanced video, the late, legendary composer Frank Zappa joined his son Dweezil and band on stage in Brighton (England) in December as part of the long-running and critically acclaimed Zappa Plays Zappa show, with the band playing in its entirety in original track order one of Frank’s best known albums Apostrophe (‘).

The current line-up of Dweezil Zappa, Scheila Gonzalez, Pete Griffin, Billy Hulting, Jamie Kine, Ben Thomas, Joe Travers, and Chris Norton has toured the ZPZ show - a tribute to Frank’s prolific output of over 60 albums performed in exacting detail - around the world for several years now and continue to do so on a fairly regular basis, bringing the intricate delights of his unique musical styles to many die-hard Zappa fans, and this show brought the current 13-date European tour to an emphatic end although also sadly marking the departure of bassist Pete Griffin.

Mansfield-based ESS were contracted to supply audio for the UK dates, including Turbosound Aspect point source loudspeakers. The band and crew were relaxed and on top form for this last show of the tour at the Brighton Dome, with the iconic venue providing the perfect surroundings for ESS’s Aspect rig to get to grips with the band’s complex arrangements and the room’s conducive acoustics.

ESS systems tech Andy Hague explains his preference for deploying a point source system in a theatre-style venue like Brighton. The Dome, which seats approximately 2,000 people, is typical of a huge number of UK venues whose origins date back to the late 19th century in that it features a balcony, which of course lends the room its intimate atmosphere. And it’s well known that utilizing a PA with continuous vertical coverage in such a large, potentially reflective surface can end badly.

“My approach is to try to point audio specifically where it’s needed to deliver just the right amount of energy, and try not to over-excite the room with unwanted reflections - what we’re actually trying to do is what the Americans like to call sound reinforcement,” Hague explains.

Hague describes the Aspect setup: “We’re flying four TA-890 high packs a side off a two-wide bar, and ground-stacked we’ve got four high packs and five low packs. Three low packs in a vertical column on the outside and two lows underneath so we get the height and required vertical spread from the high packs without being visually obtrusive. Granted it’s not an optimum configuration of low packs from a coupling point of view, but by subtle use of the gain controls we can achieve what we want to do. In Brighton this configuration totally minimised sightline issues.

“The flown TA-890H boxes are splayed at 25 degrees and the high packs on the ground are tilted down and up to give the right vertical coverage. For front fills we have TQ-440s and for outer fills again TQ-440s. Everything is run left / right because there is some fairly major stereo panning on this show. It’s all on XTA processing and MC2 amplifiers.”

Front of house engineer Glynn Wood, who is full time with Dweezil Zappa and also lists Vanessa Mae as a long-term account, is no stranger to Turbosound. “I’ve been using Turbosound boxes for pretty much as long as they’ve been around so I knew they would be fine even though I’d only come across Aspect once before. The TMS-3 remains a good sounding box, as does Flashlight and Floodlight, and I’m happy to walk into a gig and see Turbosound in the air or on the floor.

“Of course all PAs sound different, and Flashlight sounds different to Aspect which sounds different to TMS-3s, but what Turbosound has is a sound that will cut cleanly and not abrasively - sometimes it’s so clean you don’t realize just how loud it is. I rather like that and it’s no small wonder that Pink Floyd used Turbosound for so many years.

“I had used the Aspect system once before in Philadelphia in December last year and I was rather intrigued by these rather strange shaped boxes. I like the throw of the Aspect boxes, they do seem to go for quite a distance and with some judicious graphics I can make them sound very clear and articulate. With Andy as my system tech - a man who knows the system infinitely better than I - we were able on this tour to get it sounding as I would like it every day with relative ease.

“The rig can give a lot of bass/low mid energy which I prefer to reduce, particularly because we have a lot of vocals with ZPZ, eight in fact. I also am a Waves plug in endorser and used the excellent Q10 Paragraphic EQ which is truly superb for system EQ, it’s incredibly smooth and a little dip with one of those seems to be equal to a much bigger lump with other EQ’s. I find the Aspect boxes to be a little fierce around the 8kHz area and the Q10 deals with that remarkably well, but they can be very smooth, very clean and can project vocals very well even in a busy mix.”

The tour kicked off at the Barbican in York - not everybody’s idea of the perfect venue - and culminated at the Brighton Dome, where expectations were high and the mood was good.

Both Wood and Hague found the room very much to their liking.

“I have to say the job they did on refurbishing the Dome was wonderful,” says Wood. “It’s the first time I’ve been back in here since the early 80s with Sister Sledge, when I seem to recall it being fairly horrible.

“Now it’s one of the best sounding rooms I’ve had the pleasure of mixing in even though it is round.

“When you come into a venue like this with a PA that has fixed dispersion in both planes you’re going to struggle to keep it off the balcony and the unsold seat areas,” adds Hague. “And that’s exactly why Aspect works so well in here.

“I’m a great believer in horses for courses, and in these theatre-style venues I know that all I have to do is point and shoot into the specific areas where I want to throw audio. Aspect is extremely adaptable in that respect and in these venues it really works. With all the flexibility that Aspect offers I can have the PA sounding pretty much any way the engineers want.

“We’re getting a lot of praise for the bottom end on this tour. But you don’t have to put a lot of gear in here; I’ve done the room before, for Robert Cray we had only one sub, four low packs and four high packs a side and it was plenty. We’ve done very big rooms with only two Aspect high packs a side, the tight vertical dispersion allowing you to squirt sound under the balcony. The sheer output of these boxes gives great dynamic system performance - and you don’t realize how loud it is, because it’s so clean.”

Wood is also a fan of the TSW-218 subs. “With the low/low mid energy in the system being a little strong for my taste I had the bass boxes turned pretty low and then used the subs to give the real low end some space,” he says. “I found that the kick and bass guitar sounded much cleaner by doing this.”

With no wedges on stage Wood is glad of the chance to let the PA do its job. “When ZPZ first started back in 2006 there were 24 2x15 wedges on stage complete with side and drum fills,” he explains. “Altogether it was around 106db A-weighted at FOH with the PA off. Turning the PA on didn’t really make it any louder, so the move to in-ear monitors in 2007 was a fantastic step up to sonic excellence.”

He admits that it’s a major challenge to get so many instruments and voices to sound clear and articulate all at the same time, but the passion is evident: “What’s not to like about mixing the best band in the known universe? The stunning musicianship of Dweezil and the band and the enormous wealth of Frank’s material make for a heady musical confection that’s hard not to love. Aspect really does project vocals very well and with something as wordy as Frank’s music you need all the help you can get. It’s very open in the midrange.

“My approach is judicious use of compression and to try to create space around it. Virtually every Frank Zappa tune is complex and I spend a lot of time before going out on tour learning the tunes we’re going to play and what takes the lead role at any particular time. I then make show notes and try to stick to them until I’m completely familiar with how the tune should sound. I also record the show every day, and then Dweezil and I will go over it to fine tune arrangements.

“ESS did a terrific job on this tour,” he concludes. “Andy and monitor tech Andy were both top notch and I would happily tour with them again. We had a good time. When we tour with ZPZ it’s a hard slog - we do two and a half hour shows and have very few days off - but we do it because we love it, and it’s always fun bringing Frank’s music to existing fans and also a new generation of kids who want something more than the dreadful tedium of current pop music.”

Turbosound

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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Festival Altavoz: Delivering Diverse Styles Across A Huge Coverage Area

The sound reinforcement system assembled for the roughly 80,000 music fans in attendance was no small undertaking

For three wild days and nights, music enthusiasts of every popular genre in Medellin, Columbia recently had the opportunity to enjoy live performances of their favorite artists at the 8th Annual Altavoz International Music Festival, more commonly known as Festival Altavoz.

Key acts at this year’s festival included Mexico’s alternative rock band Plastilina Mosh and Latin Grammy Award-winning rockers Molotov, the English punk band The Adicts, as well as Argentina’s Bajo Fondo Tango Club.

Held at Estadio Cincuentenario, a large multipurpose arena and surrounding grounds that serves as home to a variety of sports and entertainment events, the sound reinforcement system assembled for the roughly 80,000 music fans in attendance was no small undertaking.

Medellin-based event services and production company Hangar Musical designed and deployed the system, along with handling video, lighting and staging.

Hangar Musical’s Santiago Velez, who served as technical producer for the festival, notes that the concert system was developed to serve the wide variation of artists and musical styles. “The acts were able to work with a flat, balanced system that gave them complete freedom to mix however they wanted,” he adds.

Far & Wide
The outdoor coverage area was quite large, measuring roughly 300 feet long by 200 feet wide.

To provide commensurate long throw and broad horizontal coverage, Hangar Musical crew deployed a system headed by 32 DAS Audio Aero 38A 3-way, medium format, powered line array elements - flown 16 modules per side at a height of 33 feet.

Low-frequency support was delivered by a combination of 12 Aero 182 arrayable subwoofers - ground stacked six enclosures per side - augmented by yet another 12 DAS LX-218A powered subwoofers (also six enclosures per side).

The extreme sides of the wide audience area, the Hangar Musical crew flew ten DAS Aero 12A powered 2-way mid-high line array enclosures.

These were positioned five modules per side, 20 feet up in the air and were angled 45 degrees from the house mains.

Meanwhile, the far corners of the stage hosted two Aero 12As per side, stacked, to bolster front fill.

Velez and his crew also added delay loudspeakers to insure coverage reached all the way to the back of the area, flown from towers positioned roughly 165 feet from the main stage.

This portion of the setup included four DAS Aero 50, 3-way, large-format line array enclosures per side, driven by Lab.gruppen FP 9000 power amplifiers rack-mounted beneath the delay towers and which were accompanied by another three Aero 182 subwoofers per side.

Considerable Numbers
Velez utilized Lake processors to dial-in and optimize the main stage portion of the system, with a dbx DriveRack processor deployed for the delay system.

Four outputs of the DriveRack fostered a cardioid arrangement. Another DriveRack signals for TV and radio coverage of the event.

“Antonio Villamizar, our setup engineer, did an amazing job working with the system and the Dolby Lake processors to make the system fully functional for everyone,” says Velez. “The sound system exhibited deep bass, perfect mids for the vocals, and high frequencies reaching all areas. The coverage was excellent at all frequencies.”

Approximately 115 feet out from the stage, the front of house position was equipped with two Yamaha digital consoles primary mix engineer Federico Lopez: a PM5D and an MC7L. These consoles managed a large number of inputs – primarily microphones, both cabled and wireless. A third Yamaha board - another MC7L – was provided for monitor mixer Byron Ospina.

The microphone package included several models from the Shure Beta and SM Series lines. Mics from AKG (D 112, 414, and C451), Sennheiser (MD 421 and MD 441), Audio Technica (AT4033) and RØDE (NT5) were also available in considerable numbers, as were Shure wireless mic systems, including six PGX24/Beta 58 packages.

Up to 10 DAS Road 15A powered, 2-way stage monitors were deployed on stage as needed, bolstered by ground-stacked Aero 12A arrays for stage fill.

“All of the artists told us they were able to give a great show since they were comfortable with the stage sound,” Velez concludes. “The reaction from the crowds was equally gratifying. The hip-hop and electronic fans had all the bass they wanted. while the metal and punk fans heard all the distorted guitars without hurting their ears. The event was a huge success.”

R. Maxwell is a freelance technical audio writer.

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Pascal Launches New Ultra-Compact 1000-Watt Amplifier Module

Pascal A/S, a manufacturer of high-power OEM amplifier modules, has launched the new, ultra-compact S-PRO2 amplifier module, designed to power a wide range of loudspeakers, line arrays and subwoofers.

The new S-PRO2 is a complete power pack offering 2 x 500 watts (RMS) at 4 ohms, and 1,000 watts in bridge mode. The integrated universal power supply including power factor correction (PFC). It measures only 2 x 3.1 x 8.5 inches (5.1 x 8.0 x 21.5 cm).

It incorporates proprietary Pascal UMAC class-D technology, as well as Pascal UREC power supply technology and PFC functionality that provides universal mains and regulation for worldwide AC mains compatibility and consistent power performance.

“Our new S-PRO2 is our response to client demand for an ultra cost effective 2 x 500 watts,  all-in-one amplifier module with an unprecedented price per watt ratio,” states Pascal sales manager Peter Frentz. “Yet it delivers extremely audiophile sonic performance.”

The S-PRO2 includes a wide range of protection features as well as auxiliary power for DSP cards.

All amplifier channels are over-current protected on outputs. Current clipping is engaged when the amplifier channels exceed its specified peak current output.

A built-in DC protection circuit will attenuate any DC signals on the amplifier inputs, produced by an input signal containing a DC signal.

Power supply over- and under-voltage protection is implemented, which means that the power supply will enter a protection mode when the operational off-line voltage exceeds or drops below the specified upper and lower operational off-line AC voltages.

Temperature protection of power-stages and heat-sinks is implemented to secure the amplifier module from overload.

The S-PRO2 is also has Energy Star Compliance, particularly handy in installations. When the amplifier is put into Sleep Mode, major circuitry parts are powered down, which leads to low AC
mains power input specification of less than 0.5 watt. In sleep mode the +7.5-volt and +/- 15-volt rails are still active, which enables a possible network/DSP to remotely power up the amplifier again.

A high frequency protection is implemented in order to protect filter components from overload, protecting the amplifier from excessive HF signals on the outputs.

Pascal

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Road Test: Danley Sound Labs SM-60F & TH-Mini

Evaluating a Danley Sound Labs high-pack/subwoofer combo in the field.

The Danley Sound Labs SM-60F is a passive, full-range loudspeaker that utilizes Tom Danley’s Synergy Horn concept, where multiple drivers covering different frequency ranges all play into a single horn.

It’s loaded with 2 x 8-inch woofers and a 1 x 5-inch mid/high coaxial driver. Dispersion is 60 x 60 degrees.

The Danley TH-Mini is a compact subwoofer that uses a single 12-inch driver in a tapped horn configuration.

At only 24 x 15 x 22 .5 inches and 76 pounds, it’s easy for one person to move around. This 8-ohm box will handle 700 watts continuous and 1,400 watts program.

As I do with all new gear, I set up an SM-60F to try out before taking it on a show. I drove it with a QSC RMX 2450 amplifier and listened to some CDs full range. (Note that it is also available with a built-in amplifier as an option.)

They sounded great! I noticed detail in some songs that I usually don’t hear on my regular 15-inch, 2-way high packs.

They sound as good if not better than many reference studio monitors I’ve heard.

Next up was the TH-Mini, which I drove with a QSC CX1102 amplifier, and crossed at around 100 Hz. It had the walls of my shop rattling with headroom to spare.

I then placed the SM-60F on top of the TH-Mini and played around with the crossover settings to see what sounded the best, running the SM-60F full range with added subwoofer as well as crossing both boxes over.

Both ways sounded good, and would give me more options at gigs.

Stand Note
The only negative thing I ran into during this initial evaluation is the stand mount on the SM-60F and the lack of a pole mount on the TH-Mini.

The stand mount sits toward the back of the cabinet, making it rather front-heavy - in fact, too much for my usual “corporate” speaker stands, which are 50-pound cast iron lighting bases and black pipe. (I prefer these instead of tripods because they look better, and can use taller pipes to get the loudspeakers up higher in the air.)

Too be fair, there’s no way to move the stand mount forward on the box, because an 8-inch driver is in the way.

If I bought these boxes and wanted to use them on stands, I’d make a frame that bolted to the bottom of the SM-60F using the fly points, and locate a stand mount at the center of gravity.

Then I could use them worry-free on any tripod stand or my corporate pipe and base stands. For purposes of this evaluation, I put them on Hamilton metal tripods - with the weight centered over a tripod leg, the stands were stable, and just to be sure I also used sandbags to weigh down the rear of the tripods.

As for the pole mount on the sub, the company can put one in if you ask when ordering.

You can also retrofit it in, but talk to the folks at Danley first so they can tell you a good location on the box so you don’t hit an internal brace. 

Every Detail
The first gig I used them was a small dance band playing a corporate affair at a hotel ballroom.

With the band set up near the corner of the room, I placed two TH-Minis by the wall, side by side, and hid them behind a large potted tree.

One SM-60F went on a tripod, and I could almost get away with using just this one box except that the room was rather wide and a 60-degree box only covers so much area. 

So I located a second SM-60F next to the first, had great coverage, and each loudspeaker was hardly breaking a sweat! The band was quite impressed with how great the boxes sounded, especially how much bass the TH-Minis produced for their small size.

I had no problems thumping the dance floor later in the evening with two 12-inch subwoofers. Mixing on the rig was a pleasure - I could hear every detail clearly.

Next I took them to a corporate meeting, originally planning to use both tops and subs, but had little need for the subs, so they sat backstage. The SM-60Fs sounded great for the walk in music, and had more than enough bottom end for the video playback.

One thing I noticed was that I seemed to have more gain before feedback when using the SM-60s on stands with a podium microphone than with the loudspeakers I had used in the same room in the past. Again, they sounded great.

Big Bass
On another gig, I used the TH-Minis with some of my regular high-packs, a typical small DJ setup for a corporate party held in a large ballroom, one loudspeaker per side by the dance floor, and the subs center stacked.

The DJ was skeptical that the Minis were big enough for the gig, so I cued up “What is Hip” and watched his jaw drop. The DJ could not believe how much bass the TH-Minis put out.

Later in the evening when only the hardcore party people were left, the DJ played some newer urban bass heavy stuff, and we both were pleased at how nice the subs thumped. Probably not my first choice for a sub if I were a DJ playing serious bass heavy music, but for a regular corporate/party/DJ gig, the Minis would be a great choice.

Monitor App
For yet another gig, I used an SM-60F on a stand as an area monitor, and covered the backstage with a low-volume program feed.

While a little big for this application (I usually use a 10-inch coaxial or a 10-inch and horn-loaded box), it sounded great, and I liked the tight coverage pattern that helped keep the sound only in the area I wanted to cover.

I put the other SM-60F on a stand and it became the video world monitor. Again, a bit big for that application, but the video crew remarked how great the box sounded.

The last show I used them on was a typical corporate general session. The SM-60Fs served as front fills, and I placed them side by side on a small trunk in the center of the stage.

The two loudspeakers covered what normally would have taken three to four of my usual front fill cabinets. The coverage of two cabinets next to each other seems seamless, and they just sound like one wide single loudspeaker.

In all, I really love both the SM-60F and TH-Mini. I think both would make a great addition to my inventory, as well as any inventory where you need smaller boxes that can outperform their size.

Go to the Road Test Forum on ProSoundWeb to read Craig’s full review and other comments from the community, as well as to ask questions about the SM-60F and TH-Mini, 

Craig Leerman is senior consulting editor for Live Sound International/WroSoundWeb and has headed up the PSW Road Test Forum for six years. He is also the owner of Tech Works, a production company based in Las Vegas.

 

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Monday, January 09, 2012

On Point Audio Debuts ACTIVE Series Loudspeakers With Powersoft Amplifiers

New line of loudpeakers features Powersoft amplifiers and digital signal processing.

On Point Audio has introduced the new line of ACTIVE Series loudpeakers featuring Powersoft amplifiers and digital signal processing. They will be on display at the NAMM 2012 in booth 6894.

Powersoft amplifiers combine state-of-the-art design and rock-solid construction quality that match perfectly with On Point Audio’s top-grade transducers, with a 50 V/ μsec slew rate fostering unconstructed transients.

The OPA 10 ACTIVE is a 10-inch, two-way loudspeaker with 1,000 watts of DSP controlled Powersoft power, with a 90-degree x 40-degree rotatable horn. It is equipped with 10 x M10 inserts and a 35 mm pole socket for flexibility for portable or installed applications.

The OPA 15 ACTIVE 15-inch, two-way loudspeaker that utilizes the company’s proprietary Narrow-Profile 15-inch woofer. thereby permitting an enclosure size smaller than some 12-inch systems. It has a high-Q 60-degree x 40-degree horn and 1,000 watts of DSP-controlled Powersoft power. Both the OP10 and 15 have 13-ply birch enclosures.

The OPA SUB ACTIVE is an 18-inch subwoofer system with a 1,000 watt Powersoft amplifier in a compact enclosure made of rigidly braced 18-mm birch 13-ply Marine-grade birch. It comes with heavy-duty rear-mounted casters as well as a screw-on pole for suspending two-way systems.

“The On Point Audio ACTIVE systems represent the perfect marriage of premium-class transducers, state-of-the-art Powersoft® electronics and rocksolid enclosures. Everyone who has heard these systems have blown away by their sound, build quality and flexibility,” says On Point Audio president and founder Doug MacCallum.

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