GEAR REVIEW
EAW AC6 POWERED ADAPTIVE COLUMN LOUDSPEAKER | Mitch Bohannon
This past week I had the opportunity to demo the new AC6 loudspeaker from Eastern Acoustic Works ( EAW ) in our sanctuary . Other than the experience of having my mind blown , I can imagine so many different needed applications for this loudspeaker . So , if you happen to be in the market for portable sound or in need of a new installed sound option … read on .
First of all , a single AC6 column consists of six 6 ” drivers and thirty , yes 30 , soft-dome tweeters . This unit can reach a Max SPL of 143 dB and passes power through with True1 PowerCON connections . The AC6 columns pair with the EAW SBX subwoofers or with the ADAPTive OTTO subwoofer . These are weather resistant when paired with rain shields , so they are ready for wherever you need to use them . There are 28 fly track mounting points for precise positioning . Audio input points are ready to receive signal through Phoenix connectors , standard XLR , AES or Dante .
Now we are living in the age of “ smart ” technology . Most every reader right now has a smart phone in their pocket , a smart watch on their wrist , and they can check in on their dog at home with their computer by using their smart home features . In the world of audio , the bar was raised with the ADAPTive technology included in this new series from EAW . Each column provides you with fully steerable sound coverage with a 120 ° fixed horizontal dispersion and an adaptable vertical range of 1 ° to 180 °. That ’ s not the only smart feature … the columns are self-healing which means , if there is a failure somewhere in the system , it will automatically compensate for that failure in a way that will minimize the audio impact in the room . In addition , the columns have proximity IRDA sensors , so they are “ aware ” of other columns attached to the system . When communicating through these sensors , all components work together as an individual sound source . The sensors know each module ’ s location in correlation to the other speakers . This technology really speeds up the setup process and eliminates human errors .
So why would you want ADAPTive or “ steerable ” audio anyway ? Isn ’ t the goal to simply fill the space with as much sound as possible ? Well , let ’ s go over a few scenarios .
First , I have a buddy currently planning an install with this system in a local Catholic Cathedral with marble floors and high , echo-laden ceilings . With the ADAPTive technology , he 104 November 2023 Subscribe for Free ...