UK - RCF dealer HD Pro Audio has carried out a sound reinforcement installation at the Whitechapel Gallery in East London, using the Italian manufacturer’s flexible NXL 44-A active column speaker.
The team from HD Pro Audio had been discussing a substantial speaker upgrade with the gallery for several years, proposing various options. “We had originally been referred to the client by industry colleagues as being well placed to put a suitable PA package together,” states HD Pro Audio MD Andy Huffer, who managed the project.
The NXL 44-A - the centrepiece of a package which also includes floor monitors and mixing console - features three 10” neodymium woofers and is driven by a powerful onboard Class-D (2,100W peak) amplifier.
The pre-existing PA “wasn’t up to the task of modern event requirements” and the gallery was seeking the versatility and flexibility that the NX series line source offered - essentially for their live events, as well as general speech reinforcement in different locations. In fact, it debuted with an appearance by Mica Paris, as part of its annual Art Icon Gala event in their larger gallery space. It then went onto reinforce the sound for a special Channel 4 screening of the documentary series Defiance: Fighting the Far Right.
HD Pro Audio operates an agnostic policy when it comes to brand specification. Huffer was convinced that a pair of NXL 44-A, matched with the SUB8003 subwoofers, believed this represented “the ideal option for covering a wide, reflective space without overly exciting the room, as they have a narrow vertical dispersion.” He adds: “Having heard them originally at RCF’s factory in Italy a few years ago, I knew they would work well in there.”
With amplification and DSP on board, it also forms an elegant solution, as it can be fed straight from the mixer. And since the speakers sit on wind-up poles, attached to the subs they can easily be reappropriated to the desired location.
Reflecting on the challenges, Huffer says the biggest was the ability to deliver all technical requirements associated with a greatly enhanced performance within a limited budget.
The Whitechapel Gallery agrees that all objectives have been achieved. “After working with Andy and HD Pro Audio for a number of years, we were overjoyed to get the new system in. The powerful but directional tops deliver exactly what is needed in our larger, more lively spaces, enabling us to confidently deliver our ambitious events programme,” states a member of the gallery’s technical production team. “The new system is such a massive step up from our old one in terms of audio quality, we’re excited to see what the future holds.”
