Loudspeaker manufacturer Tannoy has unveilied a new digital beam-steering loudspeaker array, the QFlex 64 – the flagship of its Qflex line.
QFlex 64 complements the six existing models in this line, with QFlex 48 previously being the largest column available, offering new possibilities for the product in particularly demanding applications: ‘The ability of any steerable column to control directivity vs. frequency is proportional to its length. Our new QFlex 64 is nearly twice as long as the existing QFlex 48 model. As a result, what a QFlex 48 can do at 200 Hz, a QFlex 64 will be able to achieve down at 110Hz,’ explains Philippe Robineau, Tannoy Director of Engineering. ‘Of course, in environments with challenging acoustics, having effective beam control down to 150Hz is important to achieve exceptional levels of intelligibility, especially in spaces with particularly high RT60.’
Tannoy’s QFlex is a range of digitally steerable, self-powered column array loudspeakers aimed at the high performance installation market. Purpose-designed for applications with problematic acoustics (where good intelligibility is required), QFlex technology gives the system designer a unique set of tools for controlling sound in large, acoustically challenging, highly reverberant spaces – typically involving expanses of reflective surfaces such as glass, metal, concrete or stone.
Typical applications for the QFlex 64 are large public concourses, major transport hubs (such as long railway station platforms) and other long-throw situations, where great intelligibility and LF control over distance is critical.
QFlex offers even coverage and sound pressure levels across the full listening plane. By creating an asymmetrical pattern, the array can produce equivalent SPL results in both the near and far field. Precise full-range beam control, effective to frequencies beyond 12kHz, allows system designers to steer a QFlex beam away from surfaces that cause reflections.
The QFlex 64 uses 64 individual drivers each with its own amplification channel and DSP, in a 5.5m-high column enclosure, improving low frequency directivity control (down to 110Hz), increased effective range and throw, and greatly improved headroom and SPL.
The QFlex 64 also benefits from a new feature update (which will apply across the whole QFlex range), providing two onboard steering presets. This allows users to quickly reconfigure an installed QFlex column to an alternative coverage pattern with the flick of a remote switch (or via third-party control such as AMX or Crestron). This is well suited to multi-functional spaces such as conference spaces which may be used in different ways for any given event. This feature upgrade will be available across all QFlex models shipping from Spring.
‘This new model has the most advanced featureset and performance capabilities of any product Tannoy has ever produced,’ says Product Manager, Mark Copeland. ‘Its development has been driven specifically by market demand, to meet the needs of specific installation requirements of some of our key customers – further highlighting Tannoy’s continuing commitment to give our customer the best-in-class products that technology will allow.’
More: www.tannoy.com
