System Acoustic Design
Considerations
Direct radiator acoustic systems can offer great vocal band clarity but don’t usually offer the efficiency and directivity of horn loaded systems. Horn loaded systems, if the overall dimensions are large enough, can offer great directivity control, but typical multi-way horn designs, particularly high Q co-axial designs, are also naturally resonant. Resonant systems suffer from poor time domain response and, as a consequence, can have poor intelligibility. The EV solution is to combine a two element critically spaced midbass line array with ultra-efficient neodymium magnetics. This produces the high SPL levels and vertical directivity of a properly horn loaded low/mid section while maintaining the clear vocal reproduction of a well damped direct radiator system. The Electro-Voice ND12A neodymium midbass driver developed for X-Arrayhas been optimized for ultra high level, high intelligibility 300Hz to 2kHz response. The ND12A incorporates EV’s Ring Mode Decoupling (RMD) technology to dampen mechanical domain resonances that “color” vocal fundamentals in normal direct radiator systems. RMD, found in most EV drivers, ensures level independent tonal response and produces a level of intelligibility unique to EV systems. The second 12 inch driver, a specially modified DL series, works with its own crossover section and critical spacing to the ND12A to greatly improve midband vertical directivity and system output below 300Hz. The result is clear, clean vocals, with the SPL capabilities required for large spaces.
The SX600 also features EV’s DH2T medium format compression driver coupled to our unique Varipath constant directivity high frequency horn. The HF horn pattern is optimized to a 65° horizontal by 65° vertical included angle to produce both long throw and wide front to back audience coverage. The high power handling and low distortion performance of the DH2T assures excellent vocal articulation with extended high frequency coverage to beyond 16kHz.
