Real World Gear: Small-Format Line Arrays

Martin Audio W8LM “Mini”
The Hard Rock Cafe Boston, with more than 16,000-square feet of space in the historic Faneuil Hall area, offers a live music club with sound reinforcement provided by Martin W8LM line arrays.

Matrix 1 Sound, based in nearby Wakefield, provided the system design and installation, with the company’s Chaz Loews explaining, “we recommended the W8LMs since we’d already brought in larger W8LCs for their bigger shows.

They get a lot of national acts like Jewel, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, Phil Vassar and others traveling the northeast.

“Ultimately, they wanted a system that was unobtrusive because of the dining area, yet one with the punch of a full-size line array, so went smaller with four W8LMs per side because the ceilings are low and the throw is not that long,” he adds.

“The client was especially happy about the clarity and usable gain of the loudspeaker system.”

Technology Focus
Passive or biamp operation, and 12-ohm system impedance with up to four cabinets on one amplifier channel. ViewPoint array optimization software. DX2 factory controller presets for a wide variety of configurations.

Click to enlarge.

Companion W8LM Products
W8L Longbow 3-way line array
W8LC compact 3-way line array
WSX Hyperbolic folded horn subwoofer
WLX Hybrid folded horn/reflex loaded subwoofer
WMX Hybrid horn and reflex loaded subwoofer

Key Specifications
Configuration: Hybrid 3-way, centered HF
Weight: 64 pounds
Size (H x W x D): 9.6 x 24.4 x 15.8 inches
LF (1 x 12 Ohms): 8-inch reflex woofer with 2-inch VC
MF (1 x 12 Ohms): 8-inch horn loaded neodymium cone
HF (1 x 12 Ohms): Dual 1-inch exit compression drivers
Frequency response: 60 to 18 kHz (+/-3 dB)
Dispersion (H x V): 100 degrees x 7.5 degrees
Crossover: 300 passive and 2,200 Hz
Short-throw box: W8LMD 120 x 20 degree
Companion sub: WMX single-18 integrates into arrays
Rigging Angles (7): 0 to 7.5 degrees, 1-degree increments
Power: Passive or Bi-amp, 400/75 W

Take our Photo Gallery tour of more than 30 current models in the Small Format line array genre.