First let me introduce you to ISP Technologies. Buck Waller, CEO of ISP Technologies, has been in the audio business for over 25 years combining his previous company (Rocktron Corp. which he sold in 1999) and this one. With over 28 patents to his name, Waller started ISP Technologies to continue developing products based on innovation and striving for perfection in delivering optimized sound performance in the pro audio arena. At ISP Technologies our claim is that we can outperform any comparably priced system at any price point i.e. $5,000 to $500,000 in a side by side shoot out. In fact, we are often asked to do just that, finding ourselves on stage next to equipment costing nearly twice as much, yet ISP still outperforms them. We welcome you to host your own demo by bringing in any competitor’s gear & listening to it alongside ours, & when it’s over ask yourself 2 questions: “which sounded better and which costs less?”
In most cases the answer will be the same–ISP Technologies. When you can get superior sound & save money in the process it’s like having your cake & eating it too. It goes without saying that the perfect speaker should be as transparent to the sound it is reproducing as a CD is to a recording. The CD does not alter the sound in any way and the CD input and output signals should be identical, which means, of course, they will sound the same. Ideally, the ultimate speaker should also be as transparent as possible. You may not know the technical reasons or even the correct terms to describe the problems with inadequate speaker systems but your ears can instantly identify which system is superior. Terms such as “harsh, muddy, and brittle” are often used to describe lesser quality sound, while terms such as “smooth, silky, and, my favorite, natural sounding”, are routinely directed at our monitors, traditional speaker cabinets & line arrays.
Of course no speaker system today is as transparent as a CD but ISP continues to push for this level of perfection with the release of the new 4-way High Definition Line Array series including the HDL4215 and the new HDL4210, both of which were designed using ISP’s proprietary LINESIM software. The performance of the HDL series line array boxes are simply stunning & offer a new level of performance not previously available due in part to its 4-way design. ISP Technologies is the only manufacturer to our knowledge that is making 4-way line array boxes.* All other line array boxes are either 2 or 3-way.** These systems are offered as either 2-way or 3-way boxes for a number of reasons, including lower cost and ease of design. ISP Technologies HDL series actually provides true 4-way performance at the cost of a 3-way system, allowing for clarity and transparency that can only be achieved no other way. Think of the compromise you get with a standard 2-way cabinet with one 12-inch woofer and a high frequency horn. At low sound pressure levels you may actually get a 2-way system to measure relatively flat in frequency response. The problem is that no one uses a speaker at a tenth of its maximum output. In fact, most systems will need to be used near their peak outputs at sometime during a performance, and at peak output the 12-inch woofer simply cannot reproduce the bass, low-mid and high mid frequencies without experiencing what is commonly called distortion. The result is that at loud levels most 2-way and many 3-way systems suffer from a loss of midrange clarity and definition. In other words, the louder you play the more the midrange response changes, which means the speaker cabinet will become unable to deliver clear and accurate sound.
The result is that most line arrays suffer from what is termed midrange ’suckout’. Also, many 3-way systems must compromise on the high frequency end. By using large diaphragm drivers they end up experiencing either extreme high-frequency rolloff and loss of efficiency, or extreme dips and peaks in the 10 to 15 KHz region due to diaphragm breakup, which is very annoying to listen to. By careful component selection & coordinating how they interact with each other, the HDL series provides the highest level of clarity, definition and fidelity available, resulting in lower distortion & a high frequency sensitivity of 108 dB @1W/1M out to 18 KHz, which is simply the best performance of any horn driver by any manufacturer we are aware of! This also means when you look at peak performance levels the HDL series maintains the same level of clarity, definition and fidelity that it has at lower volume levels. The result is more consistent midrange over wider angles, with greatly improved clarity on the voice. In order to achieve very uniform and extended high frequency response, we offer 2 different box types, depending on the vertical coverage required and their position in the line. The HDM4210 is also available in full active configuration with built-in 1000 watts RMS power amplifier based on ISP Technologies patented D-CAT power amplifier technology, which provides higher current output than any other power amplifier design. Higher current capabilities translate into better transient response, which also means better impact and punch from the system. The D-CAT power amplifier module can be replaced in less than 2 minutes because the power supply is located in the cabinet and the amplifier module is removed from the back with 4 screws and a single NL8 speakon connector. ISP is now working with select systems contractors to provide demonstrations of the new HDL4210 Line Array System.
If you are looking for the best possible sound available at a price less than a 3-way line array you should audition the new HDL series. Call for demonstration dates and times. *Clair Brothers does offer a 4-way box but in reality it’s a 3-way box with a built-in subwoofer, while ISP’s HDL line arrays are 4-way, making it a 5-way system when used with a separate subwoofer. **The Meyer Milo is 3 1/2-way, in that both 12-inch woofers operate below a certain frequency.
Supplemental data for the more technically minded:
Think of the compromise that you get with a 2-way design with, for example, a 12-inch woofer and a high frequency compression driver. The typical crossover point for a 2-way design is approximately 1.2KHz, which means that the 12-inch woofer needs to produce frequencies from 20Hz to 1.2KHz, a range of approximately 6 octaves. At low sound pressure levels you may actually get a 2-way system to measure relatively flat in frequency response. The problem is that no one uses a speaker at a tenth of its maximum output. In fact, most systems are continuously driven to peak, or near peak outputs for most performances. At peak output the 12-inch woofer simply cannot reproduce the bass, low-mid and high mid frequencies due to cone breakup that causes intermodulation distortion and a loss or attenuation of the midrange frequencies. Serious distortion results from the fact that the speaker cone, if modulating the mid frequencies with the low frequencies, causes the intermodulation distortion. The result is that at loud levels the 2-way and even 3-way systems suffer from a loss of midrange clarity and definition.
This means that the louder you play the system the more the midrange response changes and you loose the ability to deliver clear and accurate sound. A 3-way line array box is also compromised in terms of it’s off-axis midrange smoothness, since the cone midrange drivers must cross over to the HF drivers at 1.2 KHz, typically. At this high of a frequency, the off-axis path difference between the two midrange driver lines is easily in excess of 1/2 wavelength, leading to a 6 dB or more dip in response in the middle of the midrange. This is on top of the response dip in this range due to the line curvature and cone breakup. The result is that most line arrays suffer from what is termed midrange ’suckout’. Also, 3-way systems must compromise on the high frequency end since the 1.2 KHz crossover frequency requires use of a large-diaphragm (3 or 4”) driver. These large diaphragm drivers have either extreme high-frequency rolloff and loss of efficiency, or extreme dips and peaks in the 10 to 15 KHz region due to diaphragm breakup, which is very annoying to listen to. The 3 KHz upper crossover in our HDL series 4-way systems allows the use of a 1.75” diaphragm driver, which features response beyond 18KHz. The extremely powerful neodymium magnets in these drivers result in a sensitivity of 108 dB @1W/1M out to 18 KHz, which is simply the best performance of any driver by any manufacturer we are aware of! The use of two of these drivers per box in the HDL4210 minimizes distortion and maximizes output. By bandwidth limiting the frequency response of each component in each of 4 bands the HDL series maintains a lower amount of intermodulation distortion providing the highest level of clarity, definition and fidelity available. This also means when you look at peak performance levels the HDL series maintains the same level of clarity, definition and fidelity that it has at low levels.
The ISP Technologies boxes cross over at 800 Hz from the lower midrange cones to four special midrange compression drivers. At this lower frequency the wavelengths are longer, which reduces the path difference at 45 degrees to less than 1/2 wavelength, resulting in a less audible dip. The result is more consistent midrange over wider angles, with greatly improved clarity on the voice. In order to achieve very uniform and extended high frequency response, precision HF horn geometries are required. This results in our offering of different box types, depending on the vertical coverage required and their position in the line. The HDL4210N is a 12-degree vertical near-field box, and the HDL4210F is a 6-degree vertical far-field box