Next-Proaudio Introduces LA212X Line Array Element at Prolight + Sound 2013

	The Next Proaudio LA212X line array element

Following the success of the LA12 line array system and after an extended period of hard research and development, the Rio Tinto, Portugal-based Next-Proaudio announces the introduction of its line array element LX212 which will be shown at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, Germany, April 10-13.

The company says the LX212 overcomes most of the acoustic problems usually found in vertical array systems. The result is a combination of a sonic excellence, transparency, and consistency across the coverage area even at the highest sound pressure levels.

The LX212 is a three-way fully horn-loaded, axially symmetric, line array element, capable of producing clear, detailed, and a powerful audio performance over distance, with an exceptional 90-degree horizontal constant dispersion control. Being completely symmetric, this line array is capable of generating virtually identical acoustic sound patterns on the right and left which allows for an easy, accurate, and symmetric alignment.

It incorporates a number of technologies to produce a coherent vertical wave front, extreme sound pressure levels with exceptional accuracy, and specially consistent horizontal coverage over a wide frequency range, kept down to 280Hz. Maintaining directionality control over this wide bandwidth raises the ratio of direct-to-reflected energy, thereby increasing system intelligibility.

The bass section makes use of two 12" speakers with three-inch voice coils strategically placed on either side of the speaker in a dipolar horn arrangement. The horn-loaded mid- and high-frequency sections are coaxially mounted in the center of the cabinet, dramatically extending lower vocal directivity control and providing extremely smooth mid/high transition. The generously dimensioned mid-frequency horn uses a 10" driver, while the high frequency section consists of two 1.4" exit HF compression drivers with 2.5" voice coils mounted to a dedicated wave-shaping device. To preserve the acoustical integrity and the natural warmth, all the horns, wave guides, and phase correctors are made of low resonance plywood or acoustically neutral polymers.

The speaker transducers employed are exclusively made by the reference European manufacturer B&C. The LX212 cabinet is constructed from genuine Baltic Birch plywood and has a black textured finish. The front of the loudspeaker cabinet is protected by a rigid metal grill and the side and rear panels incorporate four handles. Two Neutric NL8 connectors wired in parallel are mounted at the rear.

Knowing that the high frequency section is in the mid/high frequencies that the ear is particularly sensitive to detail, the company says Next Proaudio engineers dedicated much care and attention in the design and development of this unit, optimizing its performance.

This HF section is composed by two 1.4" exit HF neodymium compression drivers with 2.5" voice coils mounted on a dedicated wave shaping device. This unit is carefully designed so that each path-length from the throat to any part of the mouth is precisely identical, which provides accurate high frequency summing and the generation of a flat, isophasic wavefront.

The company says the wave then exits by a diffraction slot to a constant directivity wave guide that spreads out evenly across the horizontal plane, producing a cylindrical wave that couples coherently, with minimal lobing, in the vertical plane while uniformly disperses on the, non-coupling, horizontal plane.

The mid-frequency section is equipped with one high-performance 10" speaker (three-inch voice coil), mounted coaxially behind the HF drivers, loaded by a, mathematically complex, directivity control device that cleverly eliminates the HF section acoustic "shadow."

Due to the physical diameter of the 10" driver, the company says it is impossible to achieve interference-free, close coupling of wavesources at the frequencies necessary to crossover with HF drivers, so a proprietary wave splitter device was developed. This device causes the 10" driver to behave as twin adjacent five-inch drivers mounted at half the physical distance. The company notes the distance between these adjacent virtual drivers is close enough to couple coherently in the vertical plane extending the upper frequency limit for line source behavior, projecting sound waves farther than traditional systems with a more evenly distributed sound output pattern.

In addition, the LX212 mid-frequency section employs a correction phase device which equalizes the speaker's cone acoustical path lengths and according to the company, thereby minimizes high-frequency cancelations and distortion caused by phase differences, increasing the speaker's ability to produce clear, accurate, and realistic sound. This device and the associated horn are optimized to create a high compression ratio which rises conversion efficiency to reach an incredible sensitivity of 115dB at 1W/1m in full space.

Two 12" (three-inch voice coil), high Bl (force factor), neodymium low-frequency drivers are loaded by two proprietary hybrid-horns. The horn mouths are horizontally separated by a "tuned" distance that uses the tuned dipolar array effect to achieve exceptional low frequency horizontal dispersion control with the nominal angle being maintained down to 280Hz.

In a live situation, the low frequencies optimal directional control provided by this technology will prevent LF signals from the sound reinforcement system to reenter the live stage leaving it much more cleaner the company says.