They wasted no time in placing an order for the rig, comprising 20 x MLA, 2 x MLD enclosures and 14 x MLX subs (along with Merlin network management system, rigging and peripherals), with Martin Audio's German distributor, Atlantic Audio. Complete Audio MD, André Rauhut remarked, "I now own a system which is truly unique."
The MLA, which collected a Gold Award in this year's PLASA Awards for Innovation at the PLASA Show in London this week, boosts the rental company's cutting-edge inventory which already includes Martin Audio's W8L Longbow, W8LC and W8LM conventional line arrays. "The MLA is a genuine technological advancement - far exceeding the commonly-hyped systems in the market, and the next step in the genealogy of line array-based systems," he said. "Martin Audio has taken an entirely revolutionary approach to designing a sound system."
Combining Martin Audio's touring legacy with unique optimisation software - and a breakthrough cellular array design - MLA delivers coverage and consistency which has not been possible with traditional touring line arrays.
The result of many years of intensive R&D, MLA's methodology replaces trial-and-error array design with intelligent numerical optimisation of the array's output based on a highly accurate acoustic model.
The multi-cellular format has six individual cells in each enclosure - each with its own onboard DSP and power amplification.
A 24-enclosure array has 144 cells - too great a number to optimise manually or by ear. Thus Martin Audio's proprietary Display 2 system design software automatically calculates FIR DSP filters for each cell and a redundant-ring audio network (U-NET) downloads the settings into each array enclosure. Martin's VU-NET software provides real time control and monitoring of the system.
André Rauhut and Fettes Brot's FOH engineer, Oliver Voges, had jumped at the opportunity to beta-test the system, discovering that by applying these principles and system components, MLA would deliver exceptionally consistent sound up to 150m - translating the engineer's mix throughout the audience with a precision, power and clarity not previously possible. At the same time they noted how small and lightweight the MLA system is - despite the onboard amps and DSP - a factor that makes the system economically attractive.
"This was the proof I needed," said Rauhut. "Before touring with Fettes Brot I only had the opportunity of hearing the MLA under controlled circumstances, but out on the road everyone - the sound engineers, venue promoters and audiences - were all amazed at the sound clarity and consistency."
For more on the MLA's use with Fettes Brot, see the July 2010 issue of Lighting&Sound International magazine.
(Lee Baldock)
