Farr Festival recently brought its custom-created performance spaces and entertainment zones to the Hertfordshire countryside, with Funktion-One sound reinforcement systems used across the festival site. Staged just half an hour outside London, the festival is a wonderland of themed spaces equipped with the best in acoustically designed sound systems.

Dave Millard, founder and owner of Full Fat Audio (FFA), has been an intrinsic part of the event since its early years nearly a decade ago. In addition to running FFA, he holds a sizeable stock of Funktion-One loudspeakers, which he pairs with his own amplifiers to create sound systems that are a perfect match for his bespoke aesthetic. Working with supplier support from Zion Audio, Millard uses this Funktion-One/FFA pairing to produce systems for all five of the festival’s stages and spaces.

Millard’s admiration for Funktion-One stretches back many years: ‘I’ve been using Funktion-one since about 2001. I mean, I was using Tony Andrews and John Newsham’s designs when it was Turbosound. It’s just something that appeals to me – it’s something that I get.’

The first of these stages to be encountered by festivalgoers – as they journeyed through the temporary ‘village’ scene, leading from the entrance towards the site’s woodland – was the House of Dinosaurs. Here comedy, games, yoga and spiritual wellbeing could be practiced and enjoyed, as music was delivered by two Funktion-One Res 2s, a pair of F115 bass enclosures and two BR218 bass reflex speakers. These are powered by FFA-8004 and FFA-10000 amps and controlled by NST Audio D48S matrix processors that feature DSP capability.

With its canvas tenting and Edison lightbulbs, there was something of the Darwinian expedition about the festival’s most experimental stage, Campfire Headphase. A programme curated by Inverted Audio magazine was delivered via eight Funktion-One F1201 loudspeakers – four at the stage and two pairs of delays. Bass came from four BR121 and six BR118 bass reflex speakers. Power was supplied by FFA-8004 and FFA-10000 amps, with NST Audio D48S provided the processing.

DJ Mr G hosted a new stage tucked away in the woods: the Smirnoff sponsored Ma Dahu’s. Four Funktion-One Evo 7EH speakers, six Evo 6SH speakers and 12 F215 Mk2 bass enclosures were joined by 16 of Funktion-One’s new bass enclosure – the F124. PSM318 DJ monitors onstage completed the package, with FFA-8004 and FFA-10000 amplifiers and NST D48S processors ensure a high-fidelity audio chain.

‘Mr G specifically wanted the biggest and baddest bass,’ Millard says. ‘The F124s give such depth to the bass – it’s such an abundant sound that’s so immense but not aggressive. The tonality of it is such a pleasure to use and you put it under any other Funktion-One speakers and it just sounds so natural and powerful. It’s quite magical.’

For The Shack, located deep in the site’s woodlands, audio comprised eight Evo 7EH speakers, six F215 Mk2 bass enclosures, 12 BR121 bass reflex speakers, four Evo 6SH and four AX88 for fills, and two PSM318 DJ monitors. Power and control came from FFA-8004 and FFA-10000 amps, alongside NST D48S processing.

Over at Adventures in Success, a non-stop party runs from Thursday through to the early hours of Sunday morning. Four Funktion-One Evo 6EH speakers, four F215 Mk2 bass enclosures, 12 BR121 bass reflex speakers, F101 fill, and a PSM118 with BR118 combo for DJ monitors comprise the audio. FFA-8004 and FFA-10000 amps and NST D48S processing.

The combination of Funktion-One’s horn-loaded bass and point source loudspeaker technologies provided unparalleled directivity and control. This was particularly effective in ensuring sound on the woodland stages – which were located in close proximity of each other – remained focused on the audience and didn’t spill between the areas.

‘By using end fire bass and bass beam width control, we could control the low frequencies successfully without compromising the crowd experience,’ Millard says. ‘The use of point source with very precise vertical and horizontal control is all part of our system spec. The bleed between the stages was minimal, which meant they could be enjoyed independently.’

As well as avoiding acoustic clashes, it also helped achieve low offsite noise levels. By respecting the surrounding environment and continuing to thrill the audience on site, the longevity of the Farr Festival seems secure for years to come.

More: www.fullfataudio.com
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