UK audio rental company W E Audio, recently made a significant investment in the latest Martin Audio Wavefront Precision line array portfolio in order to broaden its scope for large-scale international touring.
Founded by Wayne Barker, the Oxfordshire-based company has upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large-format line array and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus and XE500 wedge monitors. In order to achieve further scalability and flexibility, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays.
Last month saw the production company’s highest profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date – on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design is based around 12 WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front fill, Torus T1230 speakers on out fill and 16 SXH218 subwoofers – powered by iK42 amplifiers in bridged mode.
System tech Ryan Bass, praised the speed and ease of getting the PA rigged and how he faced the unique challenge of sub placement due to the stage design (with a set of steps emerging down from the stage, allowing Seal to engage with the audience). His careful attention to the subwoofer placement ensured uniform delivery across the venue, providing a seamless audio experience in keeping with Seal’s dynamic stage presence.
The artist’s sound engineer Tim Weidner – an association that dates back three decades – reports the Martin Audio rig had made the transition from his more familiar studio habitat to the FOH position, a seamless one. ‘As far as setting up the system I leave this to the team. All I know is at the end of the day whether the PA sounds good or not. And this particular PA sounds fantastic, probably one of the best I’ve heard. I’m very impressed with how punchy and clear it is.’
Coming from a studio background, Weidner says he could simply relax into the mix knowing that it had been set up properly, and enjoy the mixing process. ‘These guys really make it easy, so it’s been good fun. In fact, it reminds me of sitting in between the speakers in a control room – [the Martin Audio PA] is just not harsh, whereas other systems that we’ve used have been a little bit harsh, especially in the high mids. This was very smooth, and the low end is very tight, so I love it.’
The behaviour of WPL has fully justified the investment, which had been the outcome of a rigorous evaluation process. As Barker explains, W E Audio had explored multiple options before choosing to maintain their relationship with Martin Audio – a move that reflects the strength of the partnership.
‘WPL offers the flexibility and reliability we need,’ he says. ‘Our clients expect quick, seamless deployment and exceptional sound quality, and WPL delivers just that. It’s the ideal choice for our evolving needs.’
‘W E Audio’s investment is a great example of the synergy between our two companies,’ adds Martin Audio Sales Director, Brad Watson. ‘The ability to quickly deploy high-quality sound solutions aligns perfectly with our mission to provide best-in-class audio technology.’
