The occasion proved an ideal test for Nexo's new GEO tangent array system. Two hangs of 10 S805s were erected, together with a stack of eight CD12 HyperCardioid sub-bass, on a pontoon which was floated out into the lake, 100-200m from the audience. Although the CD12 sub-bass units were only used for the first fireworks, the system results were impressive. To achieve coverage over such a wide area, a Nexo Alpha system was also used - six stacks of six M3 plus six B1 and two S2 - all controlled by NX241 digital controllers and powered by Camco Vortex amplifiers. The console for the show was Zapsono's new Yamaha 02R 96 kHz digital console.
With such long throws, the Fêtes concert gave Zapsono the chance to experiment a little, assembling a 20-cabinet stack of Geo S805 to reach the members of the audience sitting between 350 and 500 meters away. "The sound quality and high frequencies were better than anything we tried before," says Frédéric Walder.
The GEO S Series includes the S805 vertical tangent array element, the S830 vertical/horizontal tangent array element, and the CD12 HyperCardioid Subbass, which uses advanced DSP to control frequencies as low as 40 Hz. GEO applications to date range from 500-seat theatres to20,000 people outdoors and 25,000 seat arenas.
(Lee Baldock)
