xS-Series additions seek new permanent home
Published: PRODUCTS
Following on from the installation-specific 10D and 30D amplifiers released by d&b audiotechnik last year, the German manufacturer has now unveiled new point-source speaker models intended for permanent installation in environments such as nightclubs, live performance venues, houses of worship, and sports venues. Named the 24S and 24S-D, the two new models join d&b’s xS-Series, which also features redesigned front grilles to make the series less obtrusive. Accompany the point-source models is the single 21-inch 21S-SUB subwoofer.
Differing in their horizontal dispersion characteristics, with 75-degree x 45-degree (h x v) for the 24S and 110-degree x 45-degrees for the 24S-D, both models house dual 12-inch LF drivers in a dipolar arrangement together with a single hornloaded 1.4-inch exit compression driver, which is rotatable for mounting either vertically or horizontally. According to the manufacturer, ‘by separating the LF drivers they achieve constant directivity control in the same plane as the dipole down to approximately 500 Hz’. The result of which is said be less transmission of energy into the reverberant field as well as increased gain before feedback.
Both models offer a full-range frequency response from 55Hz to 18kHz, but for those catering to bass-heavy applications, the matching single 12-inch bass reflex subwoofer run in standard mode offers a frequency response from 35Hz to 100Hz. It can also be run in Infra mode and used to support other d&b subwoofers, extending the LF performance to 33Hz with an upper limit of 85Hz. In combination with the installation-specific 30D amplifier, the 24S, 24S-D and 21S-SUB produce SPLs of 138dB, 137dB and 134dB respectively.
In terms of construction, d&b’s gone for a larger volume cabinet design to aid with low frequency reproduction but states the cabinets ‘are modest enough to preserve sight lines and overcome rigging and placement restrictions’.