The company was looking for a high quality, general-purpose power amplifier, which could be used with a range of point source PA and stage monitoring systems and could also effortlessly cope with the diverse range of events that Brit Row services.
"We wanted to find a model of amplifier that can work in a wide variety of situations, will deliver consistently high performance levels and will be extremely reliable," says Brit Row director Mike Lowe.
"We have a wide range of systems in our rental stock, therefore having to maintain and service as few types of amplifier as possible has obvious benefits. So we set about finding what we felt was the ideal 'all purpose' unit which would offer the greatest combination of flexibility and performance."
To find the right model, Brit Row embarked on a lengthy and rigorous testing programme, with five key criteria that had to be satisfied. "They had to provide the right amount of power, they had to be able to deliver into a 2 ohm load without falling over, they had to be very versatile, very reliable and of course they had to sound extremely good," says Mike.
"Anything and everything on the market which met our power and technical requirements was looked at, on paper at least. Through a lengthy testing process, we then gradually whittled the list down.
"Throughout the process we were comparing them with the amplifiers we already have, because they will have to work alongside them and take up the workload as those amps are gradually 'pensioned off'. We were also testing them with literally vanloads of different speakers.
"Ultimately, the Yamaha T5n amps proved the best suited to our requirements and we're very happy with that choice."
Ruggedly designed to deliver optimum performance even under the most arduous conditions, Yamaha's Tn range of amplifiers employs patented EEEngine technology, which combines the audio quality of Class AB amplifier circuitry while maintaining the efficiency of a Class D amplifier.
Developed to deliver ultra-stable operation into a two ohm load, T5n amps deliver 2500W of power and include onboard networking capability for remote control and monitoring. Exhaustive vibration-reduction measures have resulted in unprecedented sound quality, with extraordinary midrange and high end detail complementing solid, commanding bass frequencies. The durable exterior, large cooling fans and fan guards, easily replaceable filters, and other reliability features also help to deliver total dependability.
"We were extremely impressed with the sound quality and audible detail of the T5n," says Mike Lowe. "We have only had to make a few very subtle changes to the DSP presets on our systems, like changing EQ points by less than half a dB to precisely match the settings of our existing amplifiers. We are also impressed with the networking capability and have ordered several of the ACD1 amp control units."
Immediately after delivery some of the T5ns were put to work powering side-fills on production rehearsals for Oasis' forthcoming tour dates. "Oasis can be quite demanding on side-fills, so it was a good test!" smiles Mike.
He continues: "The company has the resources and the will to quickly rectify any problems, but we don't anticipate any because of their reputation. I've bought Yamaha equipment right back to the PM1000 console and they produce the most reliable products."
"Brit Row's testing and evaluation process was the most extensive and detailed I have ever experienced from a rental company," adds Tim Harrison, Yamaha sound reinforcement product specialist. "Long hours of extremely detailed and precise listening tests were performed to determine that the
