LONDON – The new self-powered Meyer Sound UP-4XP loudspeaker recently made its debut at the Royal Albert Hall's renovated Elgar Room. The UP-4XP is noted for combining the advantages of a remote DC power supply and the acoustic power output of a three-way self-powered system.
With its peak SPL of 121 dB at one meter, the UP-4XP has prepared the Elgar Room for live events ranging from late night gigs to after-show parties, comedy nights, cabaret and theatre performances.
As part of a £1 million makeover, Sound By Design created a sound reinforcement system of four UP-4XP and four UPJ-1P loudspeakers for the diverse activities at the 350-capacity Elgar Room, with equipment supplied by Amber Sound.
"Our brief from the Royal Albert Hall was to create a flexible new performance space that would sound great," said Griff Hewis of Sound By Design. "The UP-4XP fit perfectly for what I needed for the bar area, and allowed me to use an all-Meyer system to ensure high-quality sound for this space. It also provided logistical advantages as it can be powered from the rack-mounted power supply unit."
As noted by Ollie Jeffery, senior technical manager at the Royal Albert Hall, the UP-4XP is the right match for the well-known venue, which also features a Meyer Sound M1D and M2D line array loudspeaker system in its main auditorium.
"To have the first set of Meyer UP-4XPs in the U.K. was a priority for me when I considered the spec and I am more than happy with the way they sound," said Jeffrey. "For the first time since the Hall's opening in 1871 we have somewhere other that the main auditorium in which to host music and other events."
The UP-4XP loudspeaker features a combination of fidelity and power capability with a wide, symmetrical pattern to cover a broad listening area. It also has an operating frequency range of 66 Hz to 18 kHz.
As a standalone loudspeaker, the UP-4XP can be used for vocal reinforcement, frontfill coverage, and delay coverage for under-balcony applications. The UP-4XP can also be paired with an optional subwoofer to create a full-range system.
The UP-4XP is designed to offer a smooth high-frequency response with a single one-inch metal dome tweeter on a 100-degree conical horn. The three-channel amplifier package includes three class D amplifiers (500 W total), active crossover, and frequency and phase correction circuitry.
The amplifiers are designed to store power in order to accommodate light-gauge wiring and long cable runs. In addition, very low heat emission allows for soffit mounting.
The MPS-488 48V external rack-mount power supply, which is sold separately, distributes power and audio to multiple UP-4XP loudspeakers. Other available options include weather protection, custom color finishes, and a U-bracket for wall and ceiling mounting.
The UP-4XP was originally conceived for Le Rêve, the Franco Dragone production at the Wynn Las Vegas, and the prototypes there are still in use.
