What was the idea behind the launch of the LARA line array system?
“LARA is the result of years of research, design, and evolution. We have learned a lot from our previous line arrays and the needs of new event productions. Nowadays, technology grows exponentially, and when we introduce a new product, we have to be aware that a state-of-the-art solution launched today may be obsolete in a year. When we design a product like LARA, we oversized its amplification and processing capacity to offer our customers the capacity to simply update the system firmware and enjoy future technologies without the need for them to reinvest.”
What benefits does the LARA line array system bring to the live events market?
“LARA is a self-powered cardioid system. The cardioid technology applied to subs and tops generates a very noticeable difference in the noise generated on stage, and it significantly reduces the noise pollution caused in the surroundings of any live event. Self-powering minimises the number of cables needed to power the system and increases the control FOH engineers and technicians have over each box. In addition, thanks to the three-point rigging, the reduction in cables, and the self-positioning technology, the assembly time of a LARA PA is minimal.”
Which particular features will FOH engineers, sound technicians, distributors and customers benefit from?
“LARA is a very ambitious project since, in addition to the development of the system, we have also presented our new ALMA software. In both projects, the participation of sound engineers and technicians has been key to identifying areas for improvement. Our obsession has been to design an intuitive and powerful solution to meet our users’ needs and even surprise them. It is a system with an SPL of 146dB, measured under linear conditions with no distortion, and a great dynamic range; besides outstanding sound quality and power performance, it is also extremely efficient in energy consumption, thanks to Powersoft’s PFC technology.”
What has the response been like?
“The response has been spectacular, and it has exceeded our expectations. The first weekend after launching LARA at Prolight + Sound 2022, the system was playing at the same time at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, at the VyStar in Jacksonville, at the Forum in Barcelona, and the Recinto Hipico in Cáceres. It is part of two tours in Spain and has been included in the riders of very relevant artists. The feedback from the engineers and technicians has been fundamental in the design of LARA, from rigging hardware to software.”
How has LARA been integrated into the design of upcoming projects?
In March 2022, we held a pre-presentation event in Miami attended by more than 150 technicians, FOH engineers, rentals, distributors, and customers. The feedback we received at that event, and what the sound engineers who have already been able to use it tell us, makes us dream of huge possibilities. Still, we are well aware that there is much work to be done; being accepted by the riders of international tours is not only the responsibility of the sound system, if not that support, training, and technical service are key. We are working very hard to get where we want to be. So far, we’ve gained access to live events with sound engineers on riders that we didn’t expect to get into so quickly.”
This article originally appeared in issue #270 of TPi, which you can read here.
