New Operating System Offers Unprecedented Feature Control
ORLANDO, FL, JUNE 7, 2011 – Outline, the makers of high quality, industry leading speaker systems for touring, installation and studio applications, will showcase its iMode Intelligent Digital Loudspeaker Control Platform at InfoComm 2011 (Booth 683). Living up to Outline’s concept, “from console to enclosures in just one step,” iMode technology embeds a Linux-based CPU - with integrated DSP chip, parameter control software and web server - right into its powered speaker systems, thereby streamlining setup and control by eliminating the outboard gear between the console and power amplifier. Winner of a coveted PLASA Innovation Award in 2010, iMode represents the next step in the marriage of loudspeakers, amplifiers and IT.
“When looking at what the next logical step should be for advancing digital parameter control for its self-powered loudspeakers, Outline decided to go to an entirely different level than anyone in the market by developing iMode,” says Tom Bensen, senior vice-president and managing director of Outline North America. “Not content with simply adding a DSP chip to the integrated power amplifier, Outline has essentially put the computer in the speaker cabinet itself. This allows a user to tune a speaker through any Internet-capable computer, including iPhone and iPad-type smart devices. The entire concept of iMode eliminates reliance on a string of outboard signal processing equipment and external power amplifiers, as the audio signal comes to the speaker cabinet directly from the mixing console.”
Designed to streamline installation and simplify engineering chores, iMode brings the programming capabilities and control of an external computer into the heart of Outline’s self-powered speaker systems. The iMode platform is the company’s first truly ‘intelligent’ platform realized through a lightweight and compact form factor that is entirely self-contained within the loudspeaker enclosure. Through the use of advanced digital signal processing (DSP) and a built-in web server with CGI, Java and other web technologies embeded, users can control the sound system via any standard web browser (no special software required), just as one would navigate a Web site. With standard IP-based communication, the iMode platform is truly future-proof, controllable via netbook, smartphone and any Internet-savvy device.iMode operates on a Linux operating system with an Outline-customized kernel. Chosen for its extreme stability and compatibility, the operating system provides a robust foundation for iMode’s advanced functions. Audio conversion is done at 24-bit/192 kHz resolution. Users have real-time control over a series of parameters, including levels, delay, EQ and shelving filters. iMode also allows the user to monitor performance parameters throughout the system, including VU-meters, selected preset parameters, clip and limiter status, amplifier overheating and protection. These parameters can be accessed by using an iPad with a dedicated Outline software app, or via any standard web browser on any Internet capable device.
Trade success beyond all expectations for the most compact
array ever manufactured by the Italian company
Flero (Brescia), 2nd April 2012 – Judging by the continually increasing
orders, the latest version of the compact VLA launched by Outline at Germany’s
ProLight+Sound trade expo has aroused considerable interest, to the point of
resulting in a trade success that exceeded all expectations in just a few
days.
The Flero manufacturer states that the credit is certainly due
in part to the interesting performance/price ratio, but also to the “plug &
play” package offered – 8 Eidos 265 LA + 2 Flysub 15 + two T5-DSP amplifiers – tailor-made for medium and small rental
firms.
Outline describes it as a “little big” array, as it is able to
take a place at the top end of the category, and has the figures to prove it.
Eidos 265 LA uses two 6.5” loudspeakers and a compression driver with a 2.5”
diaphragm (1.41” throat) loaded with a (100° horizontal dispersion) waveguide.
The aforementioned package obviously has a dedicated subwoofer (Flysub 15 - with
a long-excursion 15” woofer), which is also brand-new and equipped with the same
rigging hardware, perfect for both flying and stacked applications.
“We designed it with the sturdiness, reliability and
reproduction quality for which we are recognized by the world’s major rental
firms. This system’s field of application ranges from live work to permanent
installations. It’s extremely easily handled for transport from one venue to
another and equally simple to install in a theatre or conference room, but above
all, thanks to its factory presets, can be up and running loud and clear in a
few minutes, without any additional work”,comments Outline Loudspeaker
systems Designer Francesco Simeoni.
“The only aspect that distinguishes it from its big
brothers, such as the Mantas and Butterfly for example, is the size of audience
it’s able to cover, in relation to its maximum SPL, which is among the highest –
we’re proud to say – even when compared with key competitors equipped with
larger diameter transducers”, concludes Simeoni.
The rigging hardware for flying the Eidos 265 LA, as well as
that for the Flysub 15, is manufactured without any compromises. The combination
of the material used – a special aluminium alloy – and a series of treatments of
a mechanical and chemical nature ensure the structure superlative hardness (500
HV). Outline explains that this latter factor is decisive for contributing to
maintaining efficient operation as well as excellent resistance to stress,
corrosion and abrasion through time.
In fact, the system foresees the installation of up to 16
cabinets in a vertical line array, or set-ups including Flysub 15 subwoofers
(for example: two Flysub 15 and eight Eidos 265 LA). However, the dispersion
characteristics of the Eidos 265 LA also enable just a few elements to be used
with wide splay angles (up to 10° between elements).
For filtering the signals fed to the LF and HF sections, Eidos
265 LA has an on-board passive crossover manufactured with top grade components
(coils with very low resistance and metallized polypropylene capacitors).
Further processing is done by the DSP in the Outline T5 power amplifier: the aim
is to optimize electro-acoustic performance and ensure ample safety margins for
the utmost reliability of the entire system.
A video on the Eidos 265 LA can be downloaded from Outline’s
Web site (link – 71 MB), and is also available for
excellent iPad viewing (link – 129 MB).
If compared with the complexity of high frequency waveguides,
on which long white papers have been published, to a layman, subwoofers may seem
to be little more than sturdy wooden boxes intended to reproduce the “less
noble” part of the sound spectrum.
In actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Modern
professional subwoofers for no-compromise reproduction of the infra-low
frequency range are among the most ingenious units that could be conceived from
an acoustic point of view.
Nowadays, the power involved and the relative mass of air moved
by a modern long-stroke transducer can cause a long series of side effects that
are harmful for precise reproduction of music, as well as running the risk of
physically dismantling cabinets.
If one considers the extremely hard working conditions they are
subjected to in the professional sound reinforcement field (including continuous
loading and unloading on and off trucks), it is easy to understand how the
apparently trivial choice of screws, incorrectly positioned bracing, badly
designed joints, vents that do not have optimum lines and a choice of physical
parameters for high loudspeaker signals not perfectly calibrated according to
the acoustic loading, can make an enormous difference in terms of systems’ sound
pressure, reproduction quality and overall reliability.
The profitable on-going cooperation relationship that Outline
has had for years with the world’s major rental companies on one hand and on the
other its increasingly in-depth research to optimize development, manufacture
and testing processes (material, components, technology, measurement
instruments, etc.) have also been fundamental for the success achieved in the
realization of these new subwoofers.
GTO-SUB
This passive subwoofer equipped with two long-stroke 18”
loudspeakers, designed and developed for the reproduction of infra-low
frequencies, completes the GTO (Grand Touring Outline) series. Like the other
elements in this series, the GTO-SUB features innovative rigging hardware
manufactured in light alloy - used in the aerospace field - designed to be as
strong as steel but weighing 66% less. Sixteen modules can be flown in a
vertical array (12 in the case of particularly inclined arrays). The design of
the cabinet and the flying hardware are also suitable for "cardioid" arrays
(which avoid undesired power emission behind the system, "moving" it to the
front in the frequency range involved) in both flown and stacked set-ups. The
GTO-SUB’s frequency response ranges from 28 Hz to 160 Hz (-10dB) and the SPL of
each single element is 145 dB (peak value in half-space conditions), with
extremely low distortion levels. The loudspeakers’ peak power handling capacity
is 9600W AES. More information and photos are available on the data sheet.
Outline GTO-SUB
FLYSUB 15 iMode
Powered subwoofer - equipped with a long-stroke 15” loudspeaker
- designed specifically for the reinforcement of the low frequencies of the
Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. vertical line array. Equipped with Outline’s proprietary iMode
technology and an extremely efficient Class D amplifier (1000W EIAJ on 8 Ω). The
rigging hardware, perfectly compatible with that of the Mini-COM.P.A.S.S.
system, ensures the fastest possible installation. The cabinet’s raked lines
enable a wider range of geometric configurations in a VLA context, taking into
consideration the mechanical stress for which the materials ensuring the
necessary safety margins were carefully selected. The FLYSUB’s acoustic
loading was calculated for operation that also highlights the top end of the
reproduced frequency range (upper bass frequencies), for a perfect match with
the Mini-COM.P.A.S.S., which is thus relieved from the work of reproducing the
lowest frequencies. This results in greater dynamics and distortion is reduced
to a minimum, a great advantage for overall sonic quality. To achieve these
results, the 15” loudspeaker (manufactured to precise Outline specifications) is
fitted with a dual spider to enable the system to stand up to hard use and
ensure performance is maintained through the years: upgraded ventilation to
handle power peaks; careful measurement of electroacoustic parameters based on
powerful signals to obtain a well-balanced design able to be exploited to the
maximum in the system’s field of application (excursion, current, temperature).
The FLYSUB’s frequency response ranges from 35 Hz to 550 Hz (-10 dB) and peak
SPL is 136.5 dB. More information is available on the data sheet.
FLYSUB 15
Passive subwoofer designed for use with the new EIDOS 265 LA vertical line array (which is also a passive
system). Features the same dimensions and mechanical and electro-acoustic
specifications as the FLYSUB 15 iMode, but requires an external amplifier and
DSP when used. More information is available on the data sheet.
DBS 18-2
According to the opinion of the most authoritative industry
members, Outline’s Subtech 218 was a 2x18” that was hard to improve on. With the
new DBS 18-2 - a passive sub with two 18” long-stroke loudspeakers - Outline’s
R&D department has managed to win this demanding challenge. The aim -
anything but easy - was to achieve even more precise natural reproduction of the
infra-low frequency range and reduce distortion to a minimum. Thanks to the
ingenious “Decoupled Baffle Subwoofer” acoustic configuration - another
innovation as far as loudspeaker design is concerned - Outline has achieved
objectively exceptional sturdiness and an extension down to the lowest
frequencies that is hard to beat, all without noise due to turbulence caused by
high-speed air movement. So it was precisely a combination of several devices
that resulted in such convincing sonic quality in the frequency range involved.
Here are a few figures: the DBS 18-2’s frequency response ranges from 28 Hz
to 160 Hz (-10 dB) and the SPL of each element is 143 dB (peak value in
half-space conditions). The loudspeakers’ peak power handling capacity is 9600W
AES.
Powered version of the DBS 18-2: the unit has the same
dimensions and mechanical and electro-acoustic specifications, but features
Outline’s proprietary iMode technology and a Class D amplifier (3000 W EIAJ on 8
Ω). More information is available on the data sheet.
EIDOS 108 S
Passive Subwoofer of the EIDOS series, equipped with a 8” long-stroke loudspeaker
fitted with a dual magnet: a transducer able to handle 1000W AES (peak) whose
electro-mechanical properties were decided following numerous tests under
extreme conditions. The dynamics and precision of the low frequency range of the
EIDOS 108 S ensure a “big” sound – much bigger than the dimensions of the
cabinet would lead to imagine [25 cm (9.84'') x 55 cm (21.65'') x 50 cm
(19.69'')]. Depth, precision and fast transient response are the key
characteristics of this system, which, in spite of its dimensions, is able to
confidently operate from the bottom end of the frequency range (38 Hz) and can
be easily positioned anywhere, thanks to its “user-friendly” format.
Outline reminds users that the new APP, crammed with new
functions for the control of the Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. iMode system via iPad, iPhone
and iPod touch is available from the APP Store (link).
Don’t miss the appointment with Frankfurt’s Musikmesse, from
March 21st to 24th 2012 (Hall 8.0, Stand F80).
Whilst not perhaps immediately familiar to Western audiences,
the name AR Rahman could hardly be better known in his native India. In fact,
with total sales in excess of 300 million units, the Indian composer,
singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, multi-instrumentalist and
philanthropist is one of the world’s best selling artists. A prolific writer of
film scores (including ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘127 Hours’), he is noted for
his integration of eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world
music genres and traditional orchestral arrangements. The two-time Academy Award
winner is also a member of Mick Jagger’s new band ‘Superheavy’.
In early December 2011 the great man and his troupe performed
at the Dubai Cricket Stadium for a capacity crowd. Production was provided by
the Muscat-based Talentz Centre LLC, the largest production operation in Oman
and whose expertise in large-scale events takes them all over the region,
including the UAE. The company has invested significantly in Outline Butterfly
systems with the MD, Baltazar Fernandez, quoting the products’ consistency,
quality and flexibility as key factors in his company’s ability to handle
visiting international acts.
The company deployed their compact Outline Butterfly system
comprising a sixteen per-side flown main L&R system with eight further
enclosures per side as ‘wraps’. Twenty Outline Subtech 218 subwoofers provided
low frequency reinforcement, and the whole system was powered by Outline
T-Series amplifiers. Despite the size of the venue and crowd, only one mono
delay tower comprising eight Butterfly high packs and four Subtech subwoofers
was required.
The Dubai Cricket Ground poses particular challenges for
visiting production companies, being well known for its ‘slapback’ echo
generated by a combination of the roof covering the seated area, the huge video
screens and the plastic material used to protect the playing surface during
events. Outline’s senior technician Francesco Ferretti was on hand to assist
with tuning the system using the company’s own ‘Open Array’ 3D prediction
software (see screen shot). The accuracy of this system plus the extremely tight
dispersion characteristics of Butterfly meant that the unwanted reflections were
kept to a minimum resulting in exemplary coverage and intelligibility throughout
the audience area.
FOH engineer KJ Singh said, ‘Despite its small footprint, I was
very impressed by the clarity and power handling of the Outline Butterfly system
we used for the AR Rahman concert in Dubai. Mr. Francesco from Outline did a
fantastic job of tuning and aligning the system very quickly and it was amazing
to hear its wide, even dispersion, especially considering the difficult acoustic
environment that we were in. I am a convert!’
About
Outline… Outline
s.r.l., based in Brescia, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of high quality
loudspeaker systems in both powered and un-powered formats. Founded in 1973 by
Guido Noselli, the company has a rich history in the development of high quality
loudspeaker enclosures, test and measurement systems, and holds numerous
technology patents. With offices in Italy and the USA and over 50 distributors
on five continents with more than 4000 venues and users to its credit, Outline
has assumed its place among the leaders on the professional audio
market.
World's largest music festival serviced by Gabisom with major Outline
GTO line-source system
The 2011 edition of the now-legendary Rock in Rio festival
featured a bill that included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns ‘n’ Roses,
Coldplay, Metallica, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, Katy Perry, Rihanna,
Shakira, Motorhead, Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria), Lenny Kravitz, Snow
Patrol, Maroon 5 and many more.
The sheer scale of the event is extraordinary, certainly when compared with
even the largest European festivals - the 150,000 square metre (about the same
as 28 American football pitches) area of the Parque do Atleta in Jacarepaguá can
accommodate 800,000 people.
Gabisom Audio Equipment, sound provider for
the show and one of the world’s largest audio rental companies, deployed an
Outline GTO line-source system on the ‘Sunset’
stage, one of the most prestigious stages at Rock in Rio, featuring a diverse
array of acts including Joss Stone and local favourites
Sepultura as well as Titãs+Xutos Pontapés, Afrika
Bambaataa, Matanza and Milton Nascimento (watch the videos).
Gabisom’s choice of GTO followed extensive testing carried out
during the summer with the assistance of Outline technical staff, in order to
verify the systems’ performance prior to its ‘baptism of fire’ at Rock In Rio.
Faced with an audience of up to 60,000 at the Sunset Stage, the Brazilian rental
company installed a twelve-per-side GTO system, supplemented with GTO-LOW bass
extension and GTO-DF downfill elements. Just eight Outline LAB 21 subwoofers
were ground-stacked to provide the necessary low frequency performance.
Sound engineer Fernando Luis Leite had a busy
event, mixing FOH for both a 'classic rock jam' featuring Ed Motta and Andreas
Kisser of Sepultura, as well as Brazilian act 'Baile do Simonal' who produced a
unique mix of samba, rap, baião, soul, jazz, afro-beat, pop, funk and rock for
the huge festival crowds.
Fernando said,'The Outline GTO was a very pleasant
surprise for me. The two bands I mixed are totally different, one playing
classic rock with five guitars, and the other a pure Brazilian sound with lots
of percussion and horns, but the GTO system handled them both really well. It
throws long distances very effectively while maintaining excellent
intelligibility even at serious volume. The Rock In Rio crowds expect it to be
loud and it was - we were working at around 115dB(A) at the mix position but I
was really satisfied with its performance’.
Brazilian metal legends Sepultura were mixed on the Sunset
Stage by Stanley Soares, who also handled FOH for French industrial
percussionists ‘Tambour du Bronx’. He said, ‘I was very impressed with the
sound, very clear and tons of pressure, especially for an occasion where I was
working with both a very heavy rock band as well as a large group of
percussionists’.
He continued, ‘I realised right after I played some music
through the system that I would have fun - great tonality, amazing high and low
frequency response and besides the problems I had during the set change (which
were not related to the system itself) I had a good time’.
Outline’s Giorgio Biffi said,
‘Gabisom are one of the largest audio rental operations in the
world and are one of only a few companies able to handle several very large
events simultaneously. That they had the confidence to field a new system at
such a large and high-profile event is a great compliment to Outline, our people
and our products. As usual Rock In Rio featured some of the world’s top artists,
and acts operating at this level are normally mixed by some of the most
experienced and influential sound engineers who - quite rightly - expect the
very best out of the systems they face. The response from everyone who used the
GTO system was extremely positive, regardless of the type of music they were
working on. Once again, we really must say how proud we are to see our ‘Grand
Touring Outline’ technology working at the very highest level’.
About
Outline… Outline
s.r.l., based in Brescia, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of high quality
loudspeaker systems in both powered and un-powered formats. Founded in 1973 by
Guido Noselli, the company has a rich history in the development of high quality
loudspeaker enclosures, test and measurement systems, and holds numerous
technology patents. With offices in Italy and the USA and over 50 distributors
on five continents with more than 4000 venues and users to its credit, Outline
has assumed its place among the leaders on the professional audio
market.
Multi-million selling British singer-songwriter Will Young has come a long way
since winning the very first ‘Pop Idol’ series in 2002.
His debut single, ‘Anything Is Possible’ was released two weeks
after his triumph and subsequently became the fastest-selling debut single in UK
chart history. His debut album ‘From Now On’ topped the album charts while the
follow-up ‘Friday’s Child’ went five-times platinum.
Production for his recent sold-out UK ‘Echoes’
tour was provided by Britannia Row Productions who deployed
part of their extensive Outline inventory for the project. The main system
comprised an 18 per-side configuration of Butterfly CDH 483
enclosures, with two Mantas 120-degree cabinets underhung as
downfills. A dozen Outline Subtech dual 18” subwoofers provided
low-frequency reinforcement and the whole system was driven by Outline T Series
amplifiers.
System technician Dave Compton said,‘This
system is so modular and light it is perfect for these venues as we can fly lots
of boxes from a single point and not have to worry too much about the weight
limit. I have used it now for five years and it never fails to impress
me'.
FOH engineer Davide Lombardi confirmed‘It
always sounds great - I am using a Digico SD8 and record every night, it's like
having a huge near field monitor left and right of the desk. Will is a very
articulate singer and it is important that his vocal is clear to everybody, and
this system really delivers. It’s also great as far as the band are concerned,
we have some of the best musicians available on this tour and I can hear every
nuance, as can the audiences. Many of the PA systems I work on simply cannot do
this’.
About
Outline… Outline
s.r.l., based in Brescia, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of high quality
loudspeaker systems in both powered and un-powered formats. Founded in 1973 by
Guido Noselli, the company has a rich history in the development of high quality
loudspeaker enclosures, test and measurement systems, and holds numerous
technology patents. With offices in Italy and the USA and over 50 distributors
on five continents with more than 4000 venues and users to its credit, Outline
has assumed its place among the leaders on the professional audio
market.
Outline is proud to announce a new distribution partnership which will service
key territories in eastern and central Europe.
Outline Central-Europe Ltd is the brainchild of Tamás
Fazekas, CEO and owner of Zaj System House based in Budapest, and whose
association with Outline and their products stretches back to the mid-90’s.
Outline C-E breaks with the traditional national distribution
model in that it is a territorial representative for the brand, responsible for
Outline sales, service and support in no less than ten separate countries -
Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia,
Ukraine, Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Outline’s Sales Director Chris Hinds said,
‘This is an exciting and innovative solution to the problems that normally
face national distributors in smaller territories, where the relative lack of
sales potential and limited spending power inevitably restricts the growth of a
brand. By assigning the commercial responsibility for numerous territories to a
single distribution partner, customers in those countries will enjoy the
economies of scale that are normally the privilege of those in wealthier and
better-developed markets. Further, our distribution partner will also benefit
from those same economies of scale through realising the much greater sales
potential, allowing them to grow their business and reinvest in further
growth’.
Mr Fazekas commented, ‘This is a major
change in the distribution model that is normally employed in these countries.
Obviously there is huge responsibility on us to deliver a true multi-national
pre-and-post sales service to clients throughout the entire region, but the
challenge is one we are equipped and ready to meet. Clients across all ten
countries can look forward to the benefits of a true pro-dealer network, a
multi-lingual help desk for support, dedicated Outline training events in their
countries and regional demonstration systems and personnel. As far as Outline
products and support is concerned, their businesses will enjoy the same
commercial advantages as competitive companies operating out of the UK, Germany,
France or Italy’.
About
Outline… Outline
s.r.l., based in Brescia, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of high quality
loudspeaker systems in both powered and un-powered formats. Founded in 1973 by
Guido Noselli, the company has a rich history in the development of high quality
loudspeaker enclosures, test and measurement systems, and holds numerous
technology patents. With offices in Italy and the USA and over 50 distributors
on five continents with more than 4000 venues and users to its credit, Outline
has assumed its place among the leaders on the professional audio
market.
miniCompass wireless remote control application for use with any miniCompass i-Mode enable Loudspeaker when connected to an wireless LAN access point. Freeing the sound engineer to move around the venue whilst monitoring, adjusting and controlling: Gain, Delay, EQ, Phase, and Group functions
Outline s.r.l, the leading European manufacturers of loudspeaker systems and associated technologies for professional audio, are delighted to announce the appointment of The Audio Specialists b.v. as their exclusive distribution partners for Benelux and Germany, with immediate effect (www.theaudiospecialists.eu).
TAS is the brainchild and property of former E-Audio Benelux Managing Director Axel Nagtegaal, under whom the company achieved spectacular results for a number of leading pro-audio brands in Benelux, including Midas, Klark Teknik, Electrovoice and others. Mr. Nagtegaal and his team pioneered the concept of 'service hatch' distribution in pro-audio, where a territorial distributor effectively becomes the local office for the manufacturer(s) they represent. This unique model was instrumental in his prior successes in Benelux and will be re-applied to his new distribution venture.
Mr. Nagtegaal explains his choice of Outline as a distributed line for his company: ‘The Outline product portfolio contains a whole raft of innovative and relevant technologies that really make it so much more than just another ‘me too’ brand. The MiniCompass system, as just one example, is simply brilliant in its approach to dealing with challenging acoustic spaces. In fact the whole Outline product range is packed with clever and practical ideas for solving everyday sound reinforcement problems’. He continues, ‘Needless to say we will be providing a full pre-and-post-sales service for all categories of pro-audio customers, including extensive demonstration capabilities for the whole Outline range, as well as flexible finance packages for qualifying professional rental companies'.
Chris Hinds, Outline’s Sales Director for Europe said, ‘Outline has so much potential in so many markets, we just need first-class distribution partners to help us realise those possibilities. We are very lucky indeed to have secured the services of someone whom many consider to be the best pro-audio distributor in Europe, especially when that partnership covers such important territories. The future is bright, the future is TAS!’.
OUTLINE MINI-COM.P.A.S.S. LINE ARRAY TAKES CENTER STAGE FOR BROADWAY SMASH ‘RELATIVELY SPEAKING’
Double Parabolic Reflective Wave Guide (DPRWG) Ensures Even Coverage of Highs NEW YORK, October 21, 2011 ? Outline, the maker of high quality, industry leading speaker systems for touring, installation and studio applications, is proud to announce its Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. powered line array speakers were chosen as the center stage, primary front-of-house speakers for the Broadway hit Relatively Speaking, playing at the Brookes-Atkinson Theater in Manhattan. The play, directed by actor/director John Turturro and penned by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, consists of three one-act plays that deal with the topic of family relationships. As each play is essentially dialogue-driven, clarity is of great importance for the success of the production. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S., with its patented Double Parabolic Reflective Wave Guide (DPRWG) technology and integrated power amplifiers, allows for extremely directed high frequencies, ensuring intelligibility throughout the main audience areas.
“The challenge for designing the audio system was finding a speaker/amplifier system capable of capturing the articulation and emotions of the dialogue and delivering it to the audience,” says Carl Casella, the sound designer for Relatively Speaking. “Outline Mini-COM.P.A.S.S., which is comprised of four 5-inch loudspeakers for low/mid range and two 1.75-inch compression drivers on the proprietary DPRWG wave guide, lends itself perfectly to vocal articulation, whether sung or spoken. The loudspeaker is incredibly smooth in its frequency response and the sound is very consistent from cabinet to cabinet, so the quality control is there. Using Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. allows the audience to relax and get involved with the play, rather than straining to hear or understand the dialogue.”
Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is capable of up to 150 degrees of coverage, but the ideal for the Brookes-Atkinson Theater is 120 degrees on all the different cabinets, according to Outline’s open-array 3D prediction software. A single array of seven cabinets does the job. The top of the array consists of four cabinets covering the balcony area with a spacer break at the bottom. Three more cabinets are hung below to cover the main seating area. The software accurately provided a map of the coverage that the loudspeakers should provide and the array was set accordingly.
“Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is a self-powered, steerable loudspeaker that goes from 60 to 150 degrees of coverage in 15-degree increments, symmetrically or asymmetrically, so it can be used in a very wide range of applications,” continues Casella. “I’ve used the Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. in a number of different situations, from outdoor portable stage applications for music, to college commencements and other applications, where the ability to vary the high frequency pattern from loudspeaker to loudspeaker maximized the sound quality for each project. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is also lightweight, as it only weighs 52 pounds with its flying hardware. Each cabinet is able to deliver up to 1000 watts of clean sound from the integrated power amplifier without significant power draw on the theatre’s AC mains. This is remarkable for a cabinet of this size.”
According to Casella, the expectations for the success for Relatively Speaking are very high, with tickets already selling out months in advance. “This is a very special play that demands the very best from everyone involved. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. delivers a sound quality commensurate with the expectations.”
