After market evaluation stretching over a year, British rental company Capital Sound has made a significant investment in Martin Audio’s Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA).

Confirming the purchase of a large arena system (and complementary MLX subs), Capital Sound General Manager Paul Timmins reckons that the additions to his inventory with futureproof the company: ‘In the modern era, it is no longer a case of buying a system simply because we’ve been associated with the same brand for 25 years. We reviewed and demoed every major market system – but in the end it was vital that we backed “second generation” technology. However good the other systems were, only the MLA offered us this, with the right size and weight package.’

Technical manager Ian Colville, agrees: ‘From a technical standpoint, MLA quite simply is the next generation. Unlike line arrays, MLA calculates and controls each individual transducer throughout the array to create a uniform soundfield across the length and breadth of the audience area. Parameters that have traditionally been difficult to predict and control – SPL variation, frequency response and coverage cut-off– can be accurately defined in the prediction software and re-calculated, if necessary, on the fly.’

Output power was an important consideration, and a shoot-out against the Martin Audio Longbow system was arragged outdoors at Silverstone. Having been the first company in the world to use MLA (beta-testing with Enter Shikari at HMV Hammersmith Apollo in 2010), Capital Sound was able to assess its coverage and cut-off parameters during last summer’s outdoor season (at LED Festival), its speech and intelligibility on a comedy show at O2 Arena, and its ability to deliver high-octane sound in smaller venues (with Whitesnake).

The arrival of Andy Davies, mirroring the appointment of Jim Jorgensen at Martin Audio in the US, provided the company with application support in the touring sector, and Capital Sound sees a global community of users building: ‘We are aware of the sales that have taken place in the States and Pacific Rim, and are confident that this is becoming a fully global system, which will be recognised and used by rental companies around the world.’

The final factor behind the purchase was touring economics; with the fully powered and processed system not only obviating the need for separate amp racks, but also, in many cases, delay speakers, truck space becomes more efficient.

‘As our longest-serving partner, we are delighted that Capital Sound has joined our growing community of MLA users,’ says Martin Audio Sales Director, Simon Bull. ‘The fact that they carried out such an exhaustive review of other market leaders’ systems before reaching their decision makes the sale all the sweeter.’

Capital Sound has already earmarked the new MLA system for a major international arena tour, beginning autumn 2012.

More: www.capital-sound.co.uk
More: www.martin-audio.com