Powersoft Amplifiers Backbone of New System at Beacham Theatre

Powersoft amplifiers were recently installed at the newly renovated Beacham Theatre to power the EAW KF740 house PA system. The Beacham Theatre is a 1,250-capacity live music venue and state-of-the-art nightclub in the heart of downtown Orlando.

The owners retained Heavier Than Gravity, a local design and install firm in Orlando, to handle the transition. Jeff Kenney, owner and designer of Heaver Than Gravity, specified a complete EAW house system featuring KF740 line arrays. Having been impressed with K Series amplifiers from Powersoft for years, he decided to take this opportunity to put them to work.

"The rig needed substantial power and the amplifiers competing with Powersoft just didn't make any sense," Kenney explains. "While I'll admit that it is nice that Powersoft amplifiers are only 1RU and extremely efficient, performance is key -- and that is what won the day. We have more than enough headroom and have never had to push the system. They are amazing amplifiers."

Kenney specified nine Powersoft K Series amplifiers -- two K3, two K6, four K8 and one K10 -- to power the main P.A. A Powersoft M14D powers the four loudspeakers that serve as lip fills on the stage while a Powersoft M30D powers the loudspeakers that cover the mezzanine/upper balcony. Kenney also used two Powersoft K3s, four M30D, and one M28Q (four-channel) to power stage monitors and stage monitor subwoofers.

"The amps breathe in clean air venting out of the stage, keeping them away from audience air which can be less than ideal for amplifiers," notes Kenney. "I'm not concerned about cooling because we have never had to push the system hard enough to worry about heat."

Powersoft K Series amplifiers share a common chassis offering worldwide power supply operating range, Power Factor Correction, and extra light-weight 17.6lbs in one rack unit size with DSP, Ethernet and SmartCard options. All models offer over 90-percent efficiency, deliver a damping factor of >5000 @ 20-200Hz and can be equipped for control from Powersoft's Armonía Pro Audio Suite software.

The M Series features Powersoft's bridgeable, switch-mode, fixed frequency Class-D topology. The standard models are fitted with a suite of protection circuits along with Powersoft's output filter and ripple cancellation network.

The Beacham opened to rave reviews in January 2011. Kenney has been extremely pleased with the feedback he has received from bands, front-of-house engineers and the audience. "At the end of the day, what really matters is if the system sounds good, and it sounds great," Kenney concludes. "When everyone is happy you know you put together the right system."