Welcoming the gradual return of live music to concert venues and worship spaces, Atlanta Sound & Lighting has been upgrading its rental stock with a focus on technology, flexibility and ease of use. Notable among recent acquisitions are MFX-15MC multi-functional monitors and X12-128 dual 18-inch subwoofers from Electro-Voice, powered by TGX series DSP amplifiers from EV’s sibling brand Dynacord. Setup and control come via Dynacord’s latest SoniCue Sound System Software.
Along with market-leading power density and reliability, Dynacord’s flagship TGX (live sound) and IPX (install) amplifiers include powerful DSP for loudspeaker optimisation, plus integrated Dante networking and bulletproof system protection features. ‘Our original plan was to invest in new line arrays, but that was before we tried the new TGX amplifiers,’ says President and General Manager, Scott Waterbury. ‘They were nothing short of a revelation.’
When the TGX demo rack arrived, ASL lead audio tech Derek Babb, along with engineers Roby Dail and Steven Keith, put them through their paces. ‘Instantly, they loved the results,’ says Waterbury. ‘The big surprise was how they made our existing stock sound newer and better. They breathed new life into everything we tried them on – especially our EV XLC and XLD arrays. So we ended up buying four full Dynacord TGX racks.’
ASL then brought in some Electro-Voice loudspeakers for evaluation, including the new MFX monitors and X12-128 subs. Both found favour with the Atlanta Sound & Lighting crew. Available in 12-inch and 15-inch coax configurations, the MFX series features tour-grade ruggedness and a rotatable 40º x 60º coverage pattern, ideal for either short-throw stage monitoring or pole-mounted FOH applications.
‘We went with the fifteens for their bigger low end,’ Waterbury says. ‘They’re also shockingly lightweight, which adds to their flexibility. In fact, we used them vertically at a corporate event that required a low-profile look. We put them along the edge of the room with multiple time delays, which was super-easy using SoniCue and the DSP from the amps. The client loved it.’
Speaking of low-end, ASL has begun upgrading their beloved Xsubs to the current top-of-the-line X12-128, which is the recommended sub for their existing X2 full-range line-array boxes. ‘Both these subs are dual-18s, but the improvements in the X12-128 are huge,’ notes Waterbury. ‘The output is astonishing, but it’s the sound that sold us. Things we used tweak with EQ are just naturally in the box. You just bring the channel up and there it is – that warmth, the roundness, and a big punch when you want it. It has upgraded every system we’ve tried it with – both EV and others.’
Another thing that sold the Atlanta Sound & Lighting team is how Dynacord electronics and Electro-Voice loudspeakers work together across various of products generations while adding the latest powerful system control.
‘When you do everything from festivals and tours to installs and rentals, reliability and flexibility are critical to our purchase decisions,’ Waterbury says. ‘Now we have four TGX racks and another dozen IPX amps – in addition to our existing Dynacord C3600 amps – and they all talk to SoniCue. No matter what system we put out there, it all runs on the same piece of software, which is fantastic.’
