Loudspeakers

A point-source speaker is one cabinet with a fixed coverage pattern, such as the d&b 10S at 75° × 50°. A column speaker stacks many drivers vertically to control vertical coverage, such as the JBL CBT 70J-1 with switchable 45° or 25° vertical coverage.

A line array is a set of modules hung in a curved column to cover long, deep audiences evenly, such as the JBL VTX A12 or d&b Y8. Choose by room size and shape: point source for small rooms, columns for speech, line arrays for large venues.

Choose powered speakers for events and rooms without an amplifier rack, and passive speakers for permanent installations with central amplifiers. The JBL PRX915 is powered, with 1,000 W RMS and 133 dB maximum SPL, and the Electro-Voice ELX200-12P has 1,200 W and 130 dB.

Passive installed models such as the d&b E8 and 10S, Bose ArenaMatch and JBL CBT run from external amplifiers, which carry DSP presets and keep electronics out of the ceiling or outdoor positions.

Choose a model with an outdoor rating. Bose rates the ArenaMatch AM10, AM20 and AM40 for direct-exposure outdoor installations, with stainless steel grilles and coated woofer cones, and the Bose AMU208 is IP55.

JBL rates the AWC129 IP56, with 90° × 90° coverage and a 200 W 70 V / 100 V transformer, and d&b offers weather-resistant versions of several xS and E-Series speakers. For coastal UAE sites, plan for sun, humidity and salt air at cable entries and brackets.

Bose ArenaMatch offers nine coverage patterns. Modules come with 10° (AM10), 20° (AM20) or 40° (AM40) vertical coverage, and each takes a 60°, 80° or 100° horizontal waveguide.

This lets an array be built with fewer modules for stadiums, outdoor entertainment centres and outdoor restaurant and bar areas. The AM10 weighs 36.3 kg and covers 55 Hz to 18 kHz, and can be run passive or bi-amplified.

A beam-steering column uses DSP and many individually powered drivers to aim its vertical beam electronically, so sound reaches the audience and less reaches reflective ceilings and walls. This improves speech clarity in reverberant halls and places of worship.

The Bose Panaray MSA12X in this collection has 12 amplifier channels, 600 W, 160° horizontal coverage and a steerable vertical beam of ±30° for one module or ±40° for two or three modules, and weighs 14.5 kg.

Maximum SPL varies by size and type. d&b rates the 24C column at 126 dB, the E8 at 129 dB, the 10S at 130 dB and the Y8 line array module at 139 dB.

JBL rates the powered PRX915 at 133 dB, and Electro-Voice rates the ELX200-12P at 130 dB. Compare the figure with the room size and programme: speech in a meeting hall needs far less level than a concert or a dance event.

JBL CBT (Constant Beamwidth Technology) columns are passive line array columns with switchable or asymmetrical vertical coverage. The CBT 70J-1 switches between 45° for medium throw and 25° for long throw, and the CBT 100LA-1 uses sixteen 50 mm drivers with 40° or 15° settings.

The CBT 1000 adds adjustable coverage with tapered horizontal coverage and bass response below 40 Hz, so one column can cover a room at high SPL with little spill onto walls and ceiling.

Some can. The Electro-Voice ELX200-12P and its ELX200 siblings use the QuickSmart Mobile app over Bluetooth to control up to 6 speakers from the audience area.

The JBL PRX915 includes DriveRack processing with automatic feedback suppression, a system limiter and 180 ms of speaker delay in 100-microsecond steps, so speakers can be time-aligned in larger setups.

Meeting rooms need speakers matched to the conferencing system. This collection lists the Shure MXP-1, MXP-3, MXP-5 and MXP-6 Microflex speakers, which the Shure MXN-AMP can power, up to 4 at 8 Ω or 8 MXP-5 or MXP-6 on 70 V, and the Yealink CS10-D Dante ceiling speaker.

For ceiling-mounted options from Bose and JBL, see the Ceiling & Wall-Mount Speakers collection. Large function rooms may use columns such as the JBL CBT series.

Venue cabinets usually run at low impedance: d&b rates the E8 and 10S at 12 Ω, and Bose rates the AMU208 at 8 Ω with its transformer bypassed. Line array modules and columns are low impedance too.

Distributed systems use 70 V or 100 V lines instead, with a transformer in each speaker, such as the 200 W multi-tap in the JBL AWC129. Match the amplifier channel to the total load and use the maker's presets.