Outline Introduces GTO -Low Bass Extension Cabinet at AES 2011

Outline, the Italian loudspeaker manufacturer introduced its GTO-LOW bass extension cabinet during AES 2011, last week in New York. Designed as the dedicated bass extension cabinet for the GTO (Grand Touring Outline) Series line array speakers, GTO-LOW features the same dual 15" drive units, physical dimensions and rigging hardware as the standard GTO cabinet. The cabinets deliver the extended bass response necessary to enhance the sound quality of the GTO line array, the company says.

"The GTO-LOW is a remarkable addition to the GTO Line Array family of speakers," says Tom Bensen, senior vice president and managing director of Outline North America. "The reflex ports are in the same configuration as the main GTO cabinets, which preserve the low-frequency continuity of the array when the cabinets are combined. This allows combinations of GTO and GTO-LOW to be deployed in a wide variety of ways depending on the application, venue and available space. GTO-LOW and new GTO-DF cabinets make our best line array system even better."

GTO-LOW modules have the same footprint and rigging hardware as GTO, so they can be easily incorporated within a GTO array to extend its overall height. Depending on the exact configuration of cabinets, inclusion of GTO-LOW cabinets within a GTO array provides enhanced low-frequency directivity and extends the low-frequency response of the array. The company says benefits include the removal of unwanted low frequencies on stage, much greater control over low frequencies in reverberant spaces and more precise overall system control in acoustically challenging venues.

While the GTO-LOW has the same external shape as GTO, there are some significant internal differences. Because of its very high power handling and frequency response, the whole structure features extensive internal bracing and a single-piece front baffle to maintain structural integrity. Despite all this extra internal engineering, GTO-LOW still weighs only 159lbs, including the rigging hardware, which uses neodymium drivers.

The GTO-LOW delivers a frequency response of (-10dB) 28Hz to 300Hz or (±3 dB) 40Hz to 225Hz with power handling of 1,200 watts AES continuous and 4,800W peak. The frequency response of GTO-LOW is sufficiently flexible as it can be adjusted significantly through a range of values to suit various mid/high elements beyond standard GTO and can easily handle up to 200Hz. In standard mode, the frequency response of the GTO-LOW mirrors that of the low-frequency section of the GTO cabinet (50Hz to 100Hz), but the user may also choose to extend the range of the GTO-LOW cabinets down to 40Hz if the application requires. The maximum SPL at one meter for one cabinet is 131dB continuous and 137dB peak, with 143dB continuous and 149dB peak for a four cabinet array. Impedance is 2 x 8 Ohms.