The RCF ART 9-AX Series brings all the colors of sound in a rugged active loudspeaker. The AX Series shares all the electro-acoustic features of the ART 9 Series, by integrating an extremely powerful Class-D amplifier, high-performance processing, and innovative transducers enclosed in a robust composite material cabinet. The AX Series is differentiated by including Bluetooth® streaming/pairing, remote control, and an onboard 6-channel digital mixer with a large color touchscreen.
The ART 9-AX Series adds intriguing features to the ART 9 line up offering a completely versatile and portable sound system for small to medium live sound applications. AX could be used as a main audio system, fill, or stage monitor, and is also a true problem solver for pro audio applications, from mobile to fixed installations. ART 9-AX is poised to become the multi-purpose active speaker of choice for sound providers, musicians, bands, and DJs.
ART 9-AX Series features a highly useful internal 6-channel digital mixer with DSP, built-in effects, Bluetooth® audio streaming and control, wireless pairing between speakers, output delay for alignment, and high-quality preamps. All functions and settings are accessible from the rear panel via the capacitive 2.4” color touch screen with a practical rotary/push encoder, or with RCF’s LiveRemote app, available for iOS and Android devices.
The internal mixer can be used in two modes: Easy Mode for quick and immediate configuration or Advanced Mode for professional tuning and signal routing. LiveRemote provides complete control of the internal ART 9-AX engine — recall/save presets, set the desired volume levels, adjust EQ, compressors, and effects — to optimize and customize the audio system.
The rear input panel is equipped with XLR/TRS combo connectors with 48V powered microphone preamplifiers featuring high-quality THAT Corporation chips. A stereo minijack line input and two-channel Bluetooth® streaming input are also available. The advanced internal DSP provides a 6-channel digital mixer, complex routing options and an internal crossover to use the speaker with subwoofers, offering versatile operating modes: alone or connected with other speakers and/or subwoofers, combining wired and wireless links. Wireless pairing to another ART 9-AX is helpful when you have physical constraints and cannot run signal cables. A 5-band parametric output equalizer allows effective speaker tuning, while the output delay allows easy setup of speakers as delay lines.
The powerful two-channel 2,100 Watt Class-D Amplifier, mounted to a die-casted aluminum heat exchanger at the rear of the unit, avoids the need for fans or additional moving parts. The newly improved 1.75” RCF compression drivers with Polyimide-Kapton dome and reinforcement ribs is a 10 times stronger transducer than previous models.
The new True Resistive Waveguide (TRW) results from several refinements in both the transducers’ and vented port design with Finite Element Analysis and constant measurement in RCF anechoic chambers. Acoustically, the TRW waveguide mimics a resonance-free pure resistive load, reducing the classic horn’s high-frequency distortion. With its vertically asymmetrical sound shaping, the coverage angle of the waveguide provides constant directivity to the entire listening area with improved stereo imaging.
RCF-designed woofers for the low-frequency band gain more stability over high currents with less distortion. Each transducer is selected after passing high-power tests with a continuous 200-hour signal to ensure maximum reliability, even in harsh conditions.
These components work in harmony with two RCF-exclusive DSP algorithms, one for phase linearization and crossover design, the other for woofer excursion management. FiRPHASE, an innovative RCF digital technology based on FIR filters, provides a coherent sound emission with a 0 degrees linear phase, adding minimum latencies to the system. Thanks to FiRPHASE, the shape and position of the vented ports, the speaker acts close to an ideal single-point source for an even more realistic sound image.
Bass Motion Control, (RCF woofer excursion management feature) works by creating a complete map of the dynamic behavior of the transducer to generate a custom algorithm that only limits over-excursions. This offers total signal reproduction freedom, avoiding high-pass filters and broadband limiters as in the other similar products while maintaining sustained reliability. The speaker can play the input signal at all volume levels for the entire audible spectrum, providing all the nuances of the sound with a deep and very detailed bass response, even at extreme volumes.
The sleek black cabinet uses a special polypropylene composite material with a radically new construction concept. The M-brace design reinforces the center of the cabinet connecting the four inner sides with the amplifier, preventing any deformation for a completely inert body, with perfect acoustic damping even at high volume levels. The M-brace design also performs as a reinforcement structure for greater resistance to mechanical stress.
ART 9 AX speakers are easy to move and transport, with ergonomic handles on both sides and the top. The bottom side includes a steel pole socket for mounting on a stand or subwoofer pole. Each model can also be flown, wall- or truss-mounted using multiple M10 rigging points and special accessories.
Three new speakers add up to the six models in the ART 9 family, ranging from 10” to 15” woofers. ART 915-AX is the most powerful model in the series, with a maximum SPL of 131 dB. It shares the same compression driver, also available in ART 912-AX and ART 910-AX, which differ for 12″ and 10″ woofers, respectively. The new driver’s exceptional clarity and minimal distortion produce remarkable SPL levels while maintaining an excellent weight/power ratio.
For more info, visit: ww.rcf-usa.com or check out the video tour at: https://youtu.be/M27Zx7ZGcVE
