Following six years of development, British loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion-One
has launched Vero – the new, large format touring sound system that promises to
re-define audio and operational performance expectations and deliver the next level
of tour sound.

Vero began life when Tony Andrews considered the possibility of designing a sound
system that configures in a linear array. Having spoken of his concerns about the
intrinsic sound issues of line-array systems for many years, this may have
appeared to some as an unusual step. While Andrews recognised the time and
manpower benefits of rigging a vertical array, he definitely wasn’t prepared to
compromise the audio standards that he and John Newsham have lived and
breathed for over 40 years.

Andrews and Newsham set out on a journey, which has seen many twists and turns
along the way. The result, quite frankly, is ground-breaking.

Vero is a complete system, with each element specified or designed for the highest
possible performance. The system includes speakers, amplifiers, cabling, rigging,
transport dollies, weatherproof covers and software.

Vero has been in beta testing for the last three years, during which every part of
the system has been thoroughly refined. To give one example of the attention to
detail: three types of dolly wheel were tried, tested and rejected before the fourth
qualified as being the correct option for the challenges of tour, festival and big
arena gigs. Extremely high design standards run throughout, meaning the system is
very easy to use. While this is of imperative importance, it is Vero’s sound that
truly sets it apart.

The design of the drivers and the geometry of both the waveguides and flying
system have been optimised to ensure sonic integrity. Preservation of the original
audio signal through a system’s component chain is a fundamental requirement for
great sound. With Vero, spectral balance, directivity and level control are achieved
by natural means so that transient and harmonic information remain intact.

Vero’s designers have achieved amazingly coherent summation of audio energy
from finely angled adjacent enclosures for high intensity projection to the far field.
Enclosures can also be arrayed at greater angles to extend vertical coverage for the
near field. This enables accurate physical control of sound density from a Vero
array.

(GES) enables sound density to be easily and accurately tailored whilst preserving a
uniquely detailed sonic picture.

The Vero speaker range features six highly efficient, low distortion horn-loaded
loudspeakers – the V60 mid-high, V90 mid-high and V315 mid-bass with a choice of
V221, V124 or V132 bass. The V60s, V90s and V315s all have identical dimensions,
enabling them to be flown in the same vertical array. The ground stacked V221,
V124 or V132 bass enclosures offer a choice of size and low frequency extension.

Tony Andrews concludes: “Good audio is an art. It isn’t plant hire. The part it plays
in people’s enjoyment of music is severely underestimated. The overall result with
Vero is industry leading coherence and accuracy, resulting in a big sound of
dimension and intimacy. Vero presents a very spacious and realistic sound stage,
meaning that artists, engineers and concertgoers can enjoy unprecedented dynamic
range and fidelity, which is how audio should be.’