News

McCauley Sound Expands Monarc Family

New York City (October 30, 2003)--McCauley Sound chose the recent 115th AES Convention for the North American launch of four new Monarc system models for large and medium sound reinforcement applications. The MLA6 and MLA3 full-range line-array modules are designed for "superior audio fidelity, compact form-factor, high output power, lightweight system packaging and ease of use," according to McCauley. Monarc line-array systems are designed for deployment in theaters, houses of worship and performing arts centers with a goal of providing audio professionals with a "broad, flexible range of sound reinforcement solutions." The Monarc line also now includes the MLS6 subwoofer, a companion to the large-format MLA6; and the MLS3, a matching subwoofer for the mid-size MLA3.

When first introduced in 2001, the Monarc MLA5 "was able to take a radical reinterpretation of line-array theory and materialize this concept into a line-array product which not only delivered the seamless vertical coverage that makes line-array technology so desirable, but was able to do so while also substantially improving usability, tonal quality, durability and price," explains Thomas McCauley, president and head of engineering. "Our new introductions to the Monarc family continue this trend, while bringing a number of improvements to the table. The MLA6 expands on the MLA5's already stellar sonic abilities; giving users even more headroom and throw. While it's all-new, all-neodymium complement brings the weight down to less than 200 pounds."

The MLA6 replaces McCauley's MLA5 line-array system as its flagship large-format line-array system. McCauley says the Monarc MLA6 adds additional headroom in the HF section to further extend long-throw capabilities and an upgraded travel and service hardware package to make the system even easier to move and service. The Monarc MLA6 is said to be 100 percent backwards-compatible with the original MLA5, allowing owners of both designs to cross-rent and network their systems.

The MLA6's Integrated Rigging System allows a complete MLA6 column to be rolled into place, interconnected, set to angle and lifted into the air without the need for any tools, additional parts or special hardware, while requiring no manual lifting or strain by the user, according to McCauley. Internally, the MLA6 employs a volumetrically loaded, dual 15-inch, low-frequency section. In "a radical departure from conventional line-array theory," the MLA6 utilizes twin HX32 4-inch, voice-coil, 10-inch midrange drivers, which "by virtue of their concave Honeycomb Nomex construction, nearly eliminate mid-band harmonic distortion and measurably boosts intelligibility, while dramatically increasing road durability over many of the competition's multiple mini-driver designs," according to McCauley. Finally, the MLA6's Intercell Summation Aperture and Adaptive Density Inverse Flat Lens technologies are said to work in conjunction with the cell's mid/high complement to integrate mid- and high-frequency energies into a single, vertically continuous wavefront which is undisrupted across the entire height of the array.

The new Monarc MS6 subwoofer system is designed to be flown with the Monarc MLA6 and features dual, high-performance McCauley 18-inch woofers. The final component in the new system is the new Monarc MLA3, a midsize line array which employs the same Intercell Summation Aperture technology as found in the MLA6. Scott Holden, senior applications engineer, says, "Our goal here was to take this great tonal quality of the original large-format system and match it in a midsize product. Ideally, you should be able to close your eyes and not tell them apart. Not only did we achieve this, but we did it without compromising our original concept."

McCauley Sound
www.mccauley.com