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Loudspeakers Commercial Products Amplifiers Digital Products Custom Products Legacy Products |
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| KF730 Technology |
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7THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING SMALL
As with all EAW products, the KF730 was created through the extraordinary efforts of EAW’s renowned engineering department. EAW
continuously invests not only in recruiting brilliant minds, but also in the
creation of new technologies that raise the baseline of our engineering
work. As a result, our engineers start projects at a point where others
might consider themselves done. Then, with advanced modeling
programs and rapid prototype cycles, they solve the problems that
other manufacturers just ignore.
In the case of SLAM, the basic problems of constructing a flexible,
effective line array had already been solved in the KF760 Series. But
SLAM would need to deliver similar performance in a much smaller
package without sacrificing output or fidelity. A defining issue of the
KF730 involved finding a way to maintain broadband horizontal
pattern control, a common problem with all line arrays.
BIG HORNS HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS SMALL
The solution was to design a big horn that would fit into a small box. EAW engineers felt that one large horn could load dual 7 in MF cones1 and
dual 1 in exit HF compression drivers.
By designing the horn mouth to fit the entire face of the compact module, we were able to achieve unmatched horizontal pattern control throughout the MF/HF passband. With the mid/high problem solved, engineers now
dealt with the LF design.
EAW has led the audio industry in developing advanced LF technologies.
In the KF730, engineers determined that if dual 10 in LF cones were
mounted on the sides of an enclosure that held the MF/HF horn proposed
above, driver spacing would extend horizontal pattern control well into
the LF range. During development, the look of the LF section did prove a
little different, but extensive listening tests backed by measurement
proved the theory.
larger picture
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A 3-D horizontal polar plot of the KF730, demonstrating its exceptional pattern control. The edge the colored area represents the
-6 dB point from the highest output at any frequency. Broadband
energy for the system remains focused within a 110° included angle
with minimal deviation. Note that the large MF horn is 100° at the
250 Hz acoustic crossover. The pattern of the spaced LF devices
matches the MF pattern, maintaining control to 100 Hz.
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Part II - System Use
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How small is “small?” A KF730 module measures only 28.5 in (724 mm) wide, 17.6 in (447 mm) deep and 13 in (330 mm) high.
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To keep the horn mouth as large as possible, the LF drivers were moved to the sides of the system. Proper spacing then creates an off-axis null in the horizontal plane, putting more acoustical energy on-axis. The look is different, but performance is significantly better. After the system was designed, EAW engineers had
no place left to locate side handles. Necessity being the mother of invention, they devised a way to fit
them into the woofer cavity.
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