Gear Heads: Pioneer Pro Audio's XY Series

GEAR HEADS

PIONEER PRO AUDIO’S

XY SERIES

Late last year, Pioneer Pro Audio unveiled the newest addition to the XY Series - the XY-3B and XY-2. Both speakers have been designed to support both fixed installations and full touring solutions for rental and festivals. TPi checked in with Alex Barrand, Technical Manager Pioneer Professional Audio, to discuss the development of the products and the market reception to the speakers…

The XY Series has become renowned for providing excellent reliability and outstanding sound quality to nightclubs and music venues around the world. With the introduction of the XY-3B and XY-2, which offers the highest output in the Series, even more venues and live events can benefit from an XY Series sound system tailored to their specific needs. “When we decided to enter into the professional audio market, it was clear we didn’t have to re-invent the wheel for our first product line,” commented Pioneer Pro Audio’s Technical Manager Alex Barrand, as he outlined the lasts addition to the XY Series. “Instead, we took a look at the market and set out to improve upon existing products,” he continued.

For Barrand and his team there several area in which they wished to improve. Specifically - performance, build-quality and design. “From the

first design concept for the XY Series range I feel we have ended up with a solid-performing product line-up,” enthused Barrand.

The XY-3B was developed over the course of 3 years, with 3D printers used to help realise the concept of creating natural sound with high output. It’s been tested at numerous international festivals and outdoor events such as Xtrema Outdoor, Lovebox, and Tomorrowland. In the XY-3B, an 8-inch cone driver delivers clean and precise mid-range frequencies using Pioneer Pro Audio’s X-Phase system. The XY-2 speaker on the other hand is the mid-high section of the XY-3B. Designed specifically for large-scale venues and stadia, the XY-2 can be used for PA applications, as a DJ booth monitor or as a down fill in an XY-3B cluster setting.

“The key features of the XY-3B, make this enclosure suitable for a wide

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PIONEER PRO AUDIO XY SERIES

range of applications,” explained Barrand. First of all is the LF section capabilities of the speaker. Loaded with 2 x 12inch custom B&C drivers allows the XY-3B LF section to produce a tight and clean response. The custom drivers also feature a waterproof resin applied to both sides of the cone. This stiffens up the cone, soit can produce its tight response, maintaining the natural sound of a paper cone compared to other materials.

Meanwhile, for MHF section, the speakers are loaded with 1 x 8inch B&C driver and 1 x 1inch B&C compression driver, ensuring a smooth blend for the MHF section. The wave guide offers a 45 x 50 coverage pattern.

“Key to the MHF section is our custom X-Phase Baffle,” explained Barrand. “Its convex shape sits over the mouth of the 8inch driver and has multiple curve section openings, allowing the sound waves from the driver to pass smoothly. This allows for perfect alignment and increased projection coverage.”

“When we decided to enter into the professional audio market, it was clear we didn’t have to re-invent the wheel for our first product line. Instead, we took a look at the market and set out to improve upon existing products.”

Alex Barrand, Technical Manager Pioneer Professional Audio

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Throughout the R&D process, Pioneer Pro Audio kept up a dialogue with system engineers and end users. “This is the most important thing to include when developing new products and is always a key part of Pioneer Pro Audio’s R&D process,” explained Barrand. Coming from a system engineer background, it’s importantto me that manufacturers listen to the people in the real world who use these products every day. For the XY-3B system we were able to implement a great many features based on this feedback.”

To close Barrand spoke of the market reception the latest addition of XY Series had received from the wider entertainment market. “Most of the rental and install partners who have purchased the XY-3B system tend to use it for dance music, however there have been many instances where the system has been used for live bands. The comments we have received from some wellknown FOH Engineers have been very positive.” TPi www.pioneerproaudio.com