ProAudio Review - February 2009 - (Page 56)

“With house and zone EQs set flat, there was a stark difference between my moderately expensive center fill cabinet I felt compelled to immediately go back to the EQ for the center fill and try to tweak it to match the clarity of the two Bag End cabs.” where subwoofer augmentation was appropriate. The first instance where I used the cabinets was providing a small concert PA for legendary folk music performer, Pete Seeger. We spaced the P-Crystals about 35 feet apart (atop small subs) and placed a center fill between them (as well as other distributed cabinets around the venue). Pete performed with two other musicians who played guitars (acoustic and electric) and sang. In addition to singing, Pete played a 12-string guitar and his signature banjo. During setup, I played some familiar music through the system and found that the P-Crystals responded best when using a crossover point situated at 90 Hz (LinkwitzRiley, 24 dB). As I walked the room during the sound check, I was struck by the Bag End’s excellent vocal clarity. On the stringed instruments too, the P-Crystals offered up fantastic images. The guitars sounded clean and open and intermingled nicely with the vocals. With house and zone EQs set flat, there was a stark difference between my moderately expensive center fill cabinet, so much so that I felt compelled to immediately go back to the EQ for the center fill and try to tweak it to match the clarity of the two Bag End cabs. Later, to test the cabinets with some louder music, I brought the Bag Ends to a dance band performance. The band featured three lead singers, a three-piece horn section and a full rhythm section driving the band. The crowd of about 150 was in a coverage area that was about 40 feet wide and 65 feet deep. The PCrystal’s horn dispersion was well suited to the hall, and the speakers yielded plenty of midrange punch and a very sweet top end in the semi-reverberant environment. Again, the boxes delivered excellent vocal clarity despite the congested mix that featured blaring horns, a cracking snare and a big dose of kick and bass. In the midst of one of the band’s most up-tempo tunes, I went over to assess the cabinet’s level of thermal stress. While not exactly scientific, I found that they were barely warm to the touch — impressive considering the output level at that point in the performance (over 100 dB SPL at one meter, according to my iPhone’s decibel meter). The cabinets had no trouble covering to a depth of about 50 feet from the stage, although there was a defined center sweet spot within each cabinet’s throw depending on horizontal positioning within the listening area (not unexpected with an enclosure that is geared to throw longer). Summary The Bag End P-Crystal R is truly a pro-grade powered loudspeaker and, at $3,480 street, its price reflects that. It delivers superb sonic images with a wonderful complement of drivers and a robust amplifier. The cabinet is rugged and attractive. The fact that the box has rigging points and can be horizontally arrayed makes it ripe for upscale installs. The P-Crystal’s efficient amp and superb sonics make it a great candidate for live sound work but, with such a hefty weight, it can be a modest challenge to transport and lift up onto a sub or a pole. Fast Facts Applications Portable and installed live sound Key Features Full-range loudspeaker with built-in 1,000w amplifier; two 12-inch woofers and high-frequency elliptic conical horn Price $4,560 list Contact Bag End Loudspeakers | 847 382 4550 | www.bagend.com BIO: Product Points Brilliant sound quality with articulate vocal reproduction Heavy, considering cabinet size Score This is a superb pro-level box that is ripe for high-end installs. 56 ProAudioReview | February 2009 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.bagend.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - February 2009

ProAudio Review - February 2009 Contents From Razor Slice To Mouse Click Hot Gear At Winter NAMM ’09: Studio Prioritizing Good Acoustics In Tough Times Digidesign Pro Tools 8 Allen & Heath ZED-R16 Analog Mixing Console Mike Rivers Nevaton MC Series Studio Condenser Microphones FMR Audio Really Nice Series Pre-Amp and Dynamics Modules Mojave Audio MA-201 FET Condenser Microphone Genelec 6010A and 5040A Powered Loudspeaker and Subwoofer Massey Plug-Ins De:Esser Hot Gear At Winter NAMM ’09: Live White Space Regulation: What It Means To Us Recording Live Sound Summit Church in Fort Myers, Florida Bag End P-Crystal R Loudspeaker Mark Olson & Gary Louris’ “Turn Your Pretty Name Around”

ProAudio Review - February 2009

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