Essex-based Event Sound & Light (ESL) is the latest to Martin Audio MLA loudspeaker array network partner, having purchased in an MLA Compact (System 24) through LMC Audio.

Formed in 2003, ESL has provides complete production infrastructures, and chose the MLA Compact to provide more potent onsite sound for larger audiences and also to satisfy the requirements regarding offsite environmental noise.

‘MLA technology represents a new direction in the way loudspeaker arrays are configured and controlled,’ says company Director Paul Galley. ‘It represents a radical departure from conventional line array thinking, and delivers much more consistent sound.’

Nevertheless, the purchase was only ratified after thorough market research: ‘We had reached a point where our existing line array could only provide coverage for audiences of up to 5,000, so that a bigger format was necessary,’ Galley says. ‘We started looking at various systems, taking into account whether the brand appeared on riders and whether demo stock was available. We were determined to invest in future technology rather than running the risk of devaluing our investment.’

The company already had a long-standing relationship with Martin Audio’s Lead Product Support Engineer, Andy Davies, and a product demo was arranged by Martin Audio and LMC Audio at the Bedford Millennium Studios: ‘It was the ability to control the sound, in particular, that interested us, and we were completely blown away,’ Galley says. ‘MLA Compact fitted our budget and when we looked at the cardioid design of the MLX subs, and hard avoid cancellation in the software, the decision was a no-brainer.’

Initially, two demo rigs were provided – for a festival and a religious event. ‘The latter was in a hangar with extreme reverberation time, and since there was trading taking place on the periphery we had to taper off the sound so they could work.’

As a result of this ESL placed an order for 18 MLA Compact cells and six of the large MLX subs. At the same time, LMC purchased four of Martin Audio DD12 Differential Dispersion enclosures for front fill, which, according to Galley, ‘sounded as big as the line array in its own right’.

Customer feedback was both immediate and positive. Involved at both events was ESL’s premier sound engineer, Jason Fenn, who was mixing FOH: ‘Working in what was essentially a cavernous and reverberant barn for the religious event MLA was able to deal with the horrific acoustics incredibly well,’ he says. ‘Using Martin Audio’s Display 2 software we were able to map the venue and tell the array to avoid the flat hard walls while keeping the same SPL and sonic quality in the audience area. While a high SPL wasn’t needed, the coverage from the first row of the audience to the last needed to be the same, and MLA did exactly that.

‘The real treat was getting in front of the array at an outdoor music festival. We were able to open the MLA up and really give it some beans but all the while keeping within the off-site noise threshold. The clarity of the system is just so pure, it felt like I was mixing on something 6m away rather than 60 – it was just there in your face with the smoothest, best-quality sound I have ever heard.’

The monitor engineers value MLA’s ability to create hard avoid areas for directly behind the array: ‘The rejection of those horrible low mids floating around on stage are pretty much non-existent and with the combination of the MLX subs in cardioid formation makes for a happy stage and a very happy front of house engineer. Every guest engineer that turned up over the weekend commented on how amazing the system sounded, with a lot of engineers stating that while this was their first time mixing on an MLA system it certainly wouldn’t be their last.’

In conclusion, Galley says: ‘The word is already out on the street that we have this system and the councils/clients are noticing that we are taking noise control seriously.

‘Having MLA means we can now handle bigger events and get the system out on dry hire within the rental network. As for touring, with MLA appearing increasingly on riders, this will put us on the radar. We have 12 MLA certified engineers who are impressed with the ongoing support. It’s reassuring to see that as we have invested in Martin Audio, so they are returning the favour.’