Ampco Flashlight Sales has completed the installation of a d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw aan het IJ.
While acoustically challenging, the Foyer Deck – which resembles a balcony hanging in the aquarium-like front of the building – surrounded by glass, has views over the old part of Amsterdam Harbour that ensure event producers are eager to use the space – mainly for speech, rather than music.
After many years of trial and error with different systems and solutions, the technical crew at the Muziekgebouw settled on d&b audiotechnik xC series Mechanical Steerable Column loudspeakers as its preferred option.
The speakers are painted in the same colour as the steel construction holding the building, and are completely integrated by means of extension arm to have a storage position and an operational position for the column. In the storage position, the loudspeaker is completely non-obstructive and blends with its surroundings.
d&b audiotechnik’s 24C two-way passive column loudspeaker features Mechanical Beam Steering using six 4-inch neodymium drivers and an HF array comprising six 1.1-inch dome tweeters providing a nominal horizontal dispersion of 90°. The HF array has a nominal vertical dispersion of 20°, which can be adjusted constantly between 0° and -14° to target audience listening areas. The beam produced by the low/mid drivers is tilted downwards by 5°, offering significant directivity down to 370Hz.
The 24C can be combined with the 24C-E passive extension, increasing vertical pattern control down to 190 Hz. The 4-inch drivers are arranged in a cardioid set-up radiating through waveguide elements at the front and damped ports at the rear of the cabinet. This design provides a constant directivity pattern of 90° in the horizontal plane with a broadband attenuation to the rear of approximately 18dB. A cardioid dispersion pattern produces minimal energy behind the loudspeaker, reducing reflections and resulting in balanced level distribution across the listening area while increasing gain before feedback when working with open microphones.
‘I’m thrilled that the technical team at the Muziekgebouw selected the Column loudspeakers featuring Mechanical Beam Steering,’ says Rolf Dijsktra from Ampco Flashlight Sales. ‘We believe that this d&b audiotechnik system represents incredible engineering yet a simple solution to a complex acoustical problem at the venue.’
More: www.ampco-flashlight.com
More: www.dbaudio.com
