Bose Previews Unique Array Loudspeaker, Amp
The Bose Professional Systems Division introduced the RoomMatch series of array module loudspeakers and PowerMatch PM8500 configurable power amplifier.
Bose RoomMatch array module loudspeaker
The Bose Professional Systems Division introduced the RoomMatch series of array module loudspeakers and PowerMatch PM8500 configurable power amplifier. Company officials told PRO AV the products are aimed at the fixed installation market and include new technologies that give sound engineers extra scalability and configurability for venues including arenas, performing arts centers, and house of worship. Bose said the new system allows integrators to consistently deliver high-quality sound regardless of room size, shape, or acoustic properties.
“Our engineers challenged conventional wisdom for both loudspeaker and amplifier design,” said Akira Mochimaru, general manager of Bose Professional Systems Division, in a statement. “The result is a new approach for the industry, one that lets sounds designers and integrations meet the acoustic challenges of any fixed-installation sound system with more flexibility and less compromise to audio performance.”
In a meeting with PRO AV, Mochimaru said Bose had begun working on the solution 17 years ago in response to a custom installation project in the Middle East. The company gave up on the system once, but through ongoing R&D eventually struck the correct balance between coverage control and tonal balance that Mochimaru said are the defining characteristics of the new array modules.
RoomMatch modules are designed to overcome acoustic performance limitations of conventional line-array and point-source loudspeakers, according to the company. They are available in 15 different coverage patterns and can be used alone or with other RoomMatch modules in what Bose calls a progressive directivity array.
RoomMatch waveguide technology directs sound more precisely, reducing wall and ceiling reflections, Bose officials said. With multiple available waveguide patterns, designers can customize sound coverage for almost any room.
Eash loudspeaker has two 10-inch woofers and six extended mid-range compression drivers. Bose said the two groups eliminate the need to mid/high crossover, resulting in better vocal clarity. To reduce distortion, the woofer uses a proprietary ultralinerar motor, a tapered port, and an individual acoustic enclosure. The compression drivers have a proprietary bridge phase plug to remove resonant modes.
Sound designers scale sound pressure level by creating a progressive directivity array to achieve a consistent response over nearly any vertical angle, according to the company. Bose says this is accomplished with a continuous-arc diffraction slot, which the company created, that provides interference-free acoustic summation of six compression drivers, and the ability to define precise vertical coverage between 0 and 60 degrees for each RoomMatch module.
The new PowerMatch 8500 amplifier works with both RoomMatch array modules and other loudspeakers. It can allocate its 4000W rated power to between two and eight channels. Using what Bose calls QuadBridge technology, the PowerMatch amp is configurable in single, bridge, or QuadBridge modes. Configurations are selectable in software and include 8x500W, 4x1000W, 2x2000W, or mixed combinations.
The PowerMatch 8500 runs off a standard wall outlet, Bose said. Its dual-feedback loop architecture monitors and controls the current and voltage to help prevent circuits from being overdrawn. Company officials said it combines the sound quality and reliability of Class-AB amps with Class-D efficiency.
The Bose PeakBank power supply incorporates a proprietary regenerative four-quadrant design with fast-tracking power factor correction (PFC). Bose said its PFC offers higher power and efficiency over standard PFC.
Bose said the RoomMatch speakers and PowerMatch amplifier will ship in September.
