At the ISE show in Amsterdam, the world takes its first look at the new GEO M10 line array, a high-output sound reinforcement system for long-throw theatre and live music applications. With characteristic innovation and ingenuity, this exciting contemporary design uses a single 10” driver to deliver an unprecedented ratio of LF response to cabinet size for this class of mid-size line array.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
The GEO M10 system is a true power package, twice as more powerful as its sister GEO M6 compact line array, launched 2 years ago. While the M10 design aesthetic is comparable to the elegant new-generation silhouette of the M6, the larger M10 cabinet draws on structural and acoustic innovations first released in NEXO’s ground-breaking STM Series modular line array, in particular the STM M28.
So, what’s in this injection-moulded reticulate urethane co-polymer enclosure? The M10 takes its name from the single 10” neodymium LF driver, paired with a 1.4” HF titanium diaphragm HF driver. With a footprint of 531(W) x 288(H) x 355(D) mm, this 2-way passive module will deliver a frequency response of 59Hz-20kHz with nominal peak SPL of 131dB.
There are two versions of the M10 cabinet, offering 12.5° and 25° of vertical dispersion. Both have 80°/120° horizontal dispersion which can be configured manually, without tools, by removing the magnetic grille and adjusting NEXO’s innovative flange fixing system.
The choice of a single 10” design does not come out of the blue. NEXO’s first line array – GEO S8, a single 8” 2-way cabinet – has proved to be one of the most successful in the market. And when it comes to 10” drivers, NEXO is the market leader with its ubiquitous PS10 Series – launched in 1993, enhanced in 2009, it is one of the best-selling loudspeaker models in professional sound.
There are several advantages to the use of a single 10” driver, instead of the more commonly found double-6” designs. The principle benefit is a much lower frequency response from a 2-way cabinet. The box keeps a narrow profile, and its height provides for tighter inter-cabinet angles.
As shown by the hugely popular GEO S8 compact line array, the single-driver design offers better vertical control. NEXO’s proprietary Directivity/Phase Device (DPD) extends upper line source coupling frequency limits between the adjacent 10” drivers, so the adjacent loudspeakers couple as coherently as if there were twice as many 6” drivers, mounted at half the physical distance.
Cabinet size has been a critical consideration for NEXO’s R&D engineers, guiding their choice of components and enclosure materials, down to the lightweight neodymium driver. In all, the M10 weighs just 21kg, and its impressively compact dimensions mean minimal visual impact and improved sightlines, an important consideration for its target market of theatres, auditoria and conferencing venues.
The GEO M10 is partnered by a dedicated subbass cabinet, the MSub15. Weighing 36kg, the new sub is presented in a robust touring package with steel grille, or in an elegant installation version with cloth grille. It has large composite bumpers on each corner, and side handles. It flies with the M10 in an aesthetically pleasing and low profile array, operable in omni or cardioid mode, thanks to front and back connection plates. The MSub15s are the same width as the M10 cabinets, but taller – two subs are equivalent in height to three M10s.
M10 can be flown or ground-stacked, with or without the MSub15. Up to 12x M10 or 8x MSub15 modules can be combined in a single flown column, or, for instance, 3x MSub15s can be arrayed above 9x M10 cabinets, using one of two dedicated bumper accessories. Alternatively, the M10 elements can be ground-stacked on top of the MSub15s, with between -12° to +12° of tilt.
The rigging system for the GEO M10 evolves another step from the original designs in the GEO M6 and the STM Series. The internal 3-point rigging system now features automatic locking and no loose parts. Two different bumper options are available, both with optional expansion bar, as well as an extension accessory for ground-stacking.
Highly cost-effective amplification is via NEXO’s NXAMP4x4 TDcontroller; with up to four M10 cabinets per channel, and up to three subs per channel, the system can be controlled over a network using a Dante, Ethersound or AES/EBU digital expansion card.
Available in black and white, touring and installation cabinet versions as standard, M10 can also be ordered in the full range of RAL colour options. It has full TUV certification.
