d&b audiotechnik’s Column loudspeakers featuring Mechanical Beam Steering have
been installed in Amsterdam’s famous Muziekgebouw aan het IJ by Ampco Flashlight
Sales.

The Foyer Deck of the Muziekgebouw, which resembles a balcony hanging freely in
the aquarium-like front of the building, surrounded by glass, is renowned as
extremely challenging, acoustically.

However, due to the Foyer Deck’s magnificent views over the old part of
Amsterdam Harbour, many event producers still want to hold their events within the
space, which is mainly used for speech rather than music.

After many years of trial and error with different kind of solutions and brands, the
technical crew of Muziekgebouw chose d&b audiotechnik xC series Mechanical
Steerable Column loudspeakers.

The speakers are painted in the same colour as the steel construction holding the
building and are completely integrated by means of extension arm to have a
storage position and a operational position for the Column. In the storage position,
the loudspeaker is completely non-obstructive and can hardly be distinguished from
its surroundings.

“I’m thrilled that the technical team at the Muziekgebouw selected the Column
loudspeakers featuring Mechanical Beam Steering,” says Rolf Dijsktra from Ampco
Flashlight Sales. “We believe that this d&b audiotechnik system represents
incredible engineering yet a simple solution to a complex acoustical problem at the
venue.”

d&b audiotechnik’s 24C 2-way passive column loudspeaker features six 4″
neodymium drivers and a HF array comprising six 1.1″ dome tweeters providing a
nominal horizontal dispersion of 90°. The HF array has a nominal vertical dispersion
of 20°, which can be adjusted constantly between 0° and -14° to target audience
listening areas. The beam produced by the low / mid drivers is tilted downwards by
5°, offering significant directivity down to 370 Hz.

The 24C can be combined with the 24C-E passive extension, increasing vertical
pattern control down to 190 Hz. The 4″ drivers are arranged in a unique cardioid
setup radiating through waveguide elements at the front and damped ports at the
rear of the cabinet. This design provides a constant directivity pattern of 90° in the
horizontal plane with a broadband attenuation to the rear of approximately 18 dB. A
cardioid dispersion pattern produces minimal energy behind the loudspeaker,
reducing reflections and resulting in balanced level distribution across the listening
area while increasing gain before feedback when working with open microphones.