In partnership with Miami-based pro audio production company, Mix3 Sound,
Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) brought its largest ADAPTive sound system ever to
the 2016 Apostolic and Prophetic Conference (CAP) in Miami. The Adaptive system
allowed an audience of more than 20,000 at the American Airlines Arena to enjoy
excellent sound quality across a wide range of presentations, including sermons,
speeches and prayer sessions, as well as live and recorded music.
In an industry long dominated by the mechanically-articulated line array and J-
curve approach to meeting sound coverage requirements for events and
installations, Adaptive Performance is ushering in a whole new level of performance
options for fixed installations and events.
The EAW ADAPTive sound system deployed at CAP was the largest to date, with 116
modules in use across 16 column arrays. Each acoustical component within a
module is independently powered and processed using advanced electronics. These
electronics are contained in each module’s Power Plant, providing all amplification,
DSP, system diagnostics, and all necessary networking components in a field-
replaceable and highly weather-resistant package.
According to EAW Engineer, James Bamlett, who assisted Mix3 Sound with the CAP
project, because of the 360-degree seating and the in-the-round staging of the
event, the system needed to be flown very high. A big advantage of the Adaptive
system is the ability to provide coverage straight down from a high position. Since
the vertical coverage of the system is adaptable from 90° down to 90° up,
supplemental down fill or up fill enclosures are unnecessary.
“Having this level of control allows us to easily make any changes necessary
without having to lower the system,’ said Bamlett. “The video walls were not on
any of the original drawings, but with the EAW ADAPTive System we had the ability
to change the coverage of the system to avoid hitting these video walls without
having to re-hang the arrays. This would not have been possible with a traditional
line array system. Just through our software, we were able to change the pattern of
the system and avoid reflections off the video walls.’
Adaptive Performance™ is an EAW core technology that allows FOH engineers and
system technicians to provide ideal sound coverage in any environment. Utilizing
proprietary software and hardware, EAW ADAPTive systems give users the
remarkable ability to pre-define and re-define their coverage in position, after the
system has been deployed or even mid-show. Additionally, EAW’s unobtrusive
arrays hang in a straight column, with no physical articulation needed, so load-in,
set-up and tear down are quick and easy. For installed applications, the system has
a small footprint, and can be hung once, with all coverage parameters meticulously
defined through the system software.