Dynamic Productions USA, with offices in New York, Miami and Las Vegas, recently became the first production house in North America to take delivery of the new LARA large-format line array system from DAS Audio, specifically adding 32 LARA four-way, cardioid, self-amplified loudspeakers and 32 LARA-SUB active cardioid subwoofers to its inventory.
“We took delivery of the new equipment in August of this year and it’s been a very positive experience for us,” says Dynamic Productions CEO Brian Rosenblum. “We were the first company in the United States to purchase AERO-40A loudspeakers, and now we’re excited to say we are the first to own LARA. DAS Audio’s products and service have never let us down!”
LARA line array enclosures incorporate dual 12-inch woofers with a 4-inch voice coil plus another two 8-inch transducers in cardioid configuration. Midrange is delivered by an additional two 8-inch loudspeakers with 2.5-inch voice coils, while the high-frequency section consists of two DAS M-78N compression drivers with 3-inch voice coils working with a 100-degree horizontal dispersion waveguide. Onboard power is supplied by a class D amplifier stated to provide up to 6,000 watts (RMS) that is divided into 8 channels—three of them in bridge mode to feed the two 12-inch woofers and the two compression drivers. The remaining two channels feed the front two 8-inch transducers and the rear two 8-inch transducers.
LARA-SUB are equipped with two DAS 18UXN neodymium low-frequency transducers with 4-inch voice coils in a bass-reflex configuration. A single rear-facing 18UXN transducer is used to create the cardioid dispersion pattern to help eliminate unwanted energy behind the system. The enclosure is also powered by a class D amplifier with independent channels powering each of the transducers.
“The LARA system packs a lot of ‘punch’ for its size and weight,” Rosenblum notes. “It used to be that, to get 140-plus dB of SPL out of an enclosure and 120-plus dB at FOH from a system, a dual 15-inch box was needed, well not anymore. LARA proves that you can achieve those specs in a dual 12-inch format. Plus, the LARA system includes cardioid technology. That means less noise onstage, less noise backstage, and less noise in the surrounding area, all of which is critical in multi-stage festivals.
“Equally important, the fact that it’s a powered system means that heavy amp racks are non-existent. With its built-in hardware, the system packs well into our trucks — either straight box trucks or tractor trailers. The new control and monitoring software ALMA, released with this system, is also straightforward and easy to use.”
He also cites the support provided by the company. “DAS Audio’s service and support is second to none. From Carlos Henao, their national sales manager, to Geovanni Ortiz, their applications engineer, to the support staff in the office; someone is always there to help. We couldn’t be happier.”
The new LARA rig was recently deployed for a corporate event for PepsiCo, the maker of Pepsi, a concert for about 3,000 VIP guests in an outdoor event space next to a marina in Miami with A-list artists on the bill. “Not only did LARA meet all the technical specs that the artists required, but the cardioid technology helped ensure the marina ‘tenants’ were minimally disturbed by the sound,” Rosenblum concludes. “The system performed flawlessly, and DAS Audio’s DASaim digital steering helped maximize uniformity throughout the audience area. We have been fans of DAS Audio for well over a decade and our new LARA system reinforces that attitude!”
