NEXO’s flagship modular line array, the STM Series, has been installed in its most exotic location to date – the To’Ata Showground in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti.
Available for concerts and rentals in different configurations that can accommodate 3200-6000 people, To’Ata Showground is the primary cultural events venue in French Polynesia. It is also home to the Heiva, a spectacular 2-month festival of dance and sport which dates back to 1881. Teams and troupes arrive from all the islands, more than 8000 participants in all, with the best chant and dance groups competing on the To’Ata stage.
Te Fare Tahiti Nui (TFTN), the public service organization which manages the venue, was tasked with choosing a PA system that could match the showground’s versatility. Working closely with Comimpex, the NEXO distributor in Tahiti, TFTN opted for the scalable STM Series modular line array which could provide the best quality without compromise in different configurations. 
NEXO field support engineer Val Gilbert flew to Tahiti to set up the system. “This is a perfect example of the true benefits of modularity. The entire setup can be re-configured to provide an optimized solution for all their events, despite the challenges of reduced sight lines when the production companies want the loudspeakers to be invisible on camera during the traditional events.”
The To’Ata house system now comprised 18 sets of STM M46 main and STM B112 bass modules, with STM M28 omnipurpose cabinets for downfill, outfill and front fill. The system, which has 18x STM S118 sub bass modules, is powered by 6 of NEXO’s Universal Amplifier Racks. The venue has also invested in Yamaha CL digital consoles, so as to have a full digital package from stage to loudspeaker.
“This inventory allows them to cater for large-scale concerts,” adds Val Gilbert; “they are also able to break the system down into smaller ground stacks to cover the tiered seating stands when they open up the arena floor for the Heiva dancers.”
Jean-François Leou, director of Comimpex, adds that this is not the first high-profile site for NEXO in Tahiti. His company previously won the tender to install GEO S12 line arrays in an 800-seat indoor theatre, also run by TFTN.
