Re: Behringer line array
Dear all,
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Andrew Pardoe and I am a Senior Manager, Acoustics at TURBOSOUND. I have 18 years of engineering experience and have worked at several world renown audio brands including TURBOSOUND several years back. I have recently re-joined the company to design transducers as well as complete speaker designs. I was involved in the Milan speakers we just launched and in the re-design of the ELX line array which will be re-introduced under the TURBOSOUND brand.
TURBOSOUND has always designed transducers either wholly or in partnership with a transducer manufacturer. In the earlier days this was mainly PD (Precision Devices). Even when using transducers from such well known brands as PD, B&C, Celestion and others, the driver design would be specified, tweaked and often completely designed by TURBOSOUND engineers to uniquely match the horn or loudspeaker enclosure as necessary.
Around ten years ago, with the launch of the Aspect series of point source loudspeaker systems, TURBOSOUND started manufacturing compression drivers in house with unique and also patented designs. Since then and with the launch of TURBOSOUND line arrays, mid-range drivers have also been manufactured in house currently at the Partridge Green facility, soon to be moving to Kidderminster where MIDAS and KLARK TEKNIK products are manufactured. As Joe Sanborn correctly stated, the company also buys drivers from sources such as B&C, Celestion, PD etc.
TURBOSOUND is committed to only using the highest quality components from the most technologically advanced suppliers, and manufactures components in house where significant performance improvements can be realised. We have since enlarged our transducer and acoustic engineering team accompanied through a large hiring initiative. The goal is to invest heavily in acoustic and driver research and technology.
When MUSIC Group acquired MIDAS three years ago, they invested US$ 4 million in a large R&D building in Manchester which is now a high-tech research centre. Also, within the last 3 years since the company purchased MIDAS, they increased the number of engineers from the original 8 to 60 currently and more are being hired. If you ever have a chance, drop by as it has become an impressive place and the guys are working on incredible stuff.
The same is now happening with TURBOSOUND and strong investments are already flowing into the brand. We are soon opening an acoustic research centre in Manchester so the MIDAS DSP engineers can work hand in handwith the acoustic engineers. Since the acquisition, the company has acquired a license for patented multi-beam steerable line array technology because products of this kind are on the roadmap.
The NAMM show will be a big eye opener with a huge roll out of new TURBOSOUND products. If you can’t get to the show make sure you read up about the new products on the internet.
I hope this answers your questions.
Happy New Year everyone.
Andrew Pardoe
Senior Manager, Acoustics
MUSIC Group
TURBOSOUND
