Rocha also explained that the specialized devices and their extraordinary resolution played a critical role in delivering EAW’s top priority for Anya, spectacular fidelity in a large-format system.
“The basic un-adapted acoustics package is outstanding,” he said, “so beyond the application of EAW Focusing, only minimal processing is required to deliver some radical changes to the shape of the wavefront. Despite the abundance of on-board DSP, Anya does not suffer from the tonal degradation associated with overly processed sound systems because the relative change from device to device is very small.
“And Anya tailors coverage so precisely to the audience area that the impact of room acoustics on fidelity is significantly reduced. Taken all together, these factors produce an infinitely scalable, large-format system that has the impact of a big PA but the fidelity of an enormous pair of studio monitors.”
Adaptive Performance also means that users can readily change the system’s coverage and output characteristics in real time without moving or changing the physical array. As the venue, trim height, audience area, performance location, environmental considerations or even atmospheric conditions change, Anya can change, too. This extraordinary benefit was immediately on display in the Gobi tent.
The original plan for the Gobi tent included out fill columns with not one but two Anya modules. On site, the combination of a slightly-too-low truss and slightly-too-high video screen placed the screen in front of the lower module. With Anya and Adaptive Performance, EAW engineers resolved the situation in a matter of minutes by simply updating the Resolution software model and allowing Anya to do the rest.
“Anya offers many features that I find very interesting and desirable,” Dave Rat said. “Primarily, Anya has the ability to completely overhaul the workflow of setting up large scale sound systems.
“Currently, line array systems require significant time and effort spent on room modeling and precision box-to-box angles prior to flying the sound system at the predetermined accurate trim height. If there is a miscalculation, the sound system must be lowered and rehung.
“With Anya, the sound system can be flown first, even without modeling. There are no box-to-box angles, and the trim height can be determined by sight lines in real time. After the system has been flown, I can simply place mics where I want the upper and lower coverage limits to be.
“Anya can precisely locate the mics and then cover the space in between. I am certain that being able to alter vertical coverage and vary the audio energy sent to different areas in real time without making any mechanical changes will prove advantageous in many applications.”
In addition to the seven Anya modules per side, the complete Coachella system included 16 SB2001 dual 21-in subwoofer systems deployed in spaced, cardioid arrays and six KF364NT powered three-way systems for front fill. Ten MW12 MicroWedge stage monitors provided on-stage reference for performers.
