Blue Array lifts audio to new heights with Fenix
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The Hercules 8, made from aluminium, is the tallest tower by Fenix at 8m high. The system lifts line array systems, trussing or LED screens with a maximum load of 300kg from the floor and is height adjustable.
“We initially tried out the smaller AT-906 Fenix towers, only to find that we had some weight limitations which forced us to go for the bigger towers,” explained Nathan Thiart, senior sound engineer at Blue Array. “It was a happy coincidence because we definitely had a need for something of this stature.”
Blue Array specialises in audio and always outsourced the structures and scaffolding needed for the PA or delay towers. Nathan had recently seen a few write-ups on the Fenix range and presented the solution to Kobus van Rensburg, owner of the company.
“Stacking a PA is fine when doing an event for a smaller audience, but when it comes to coverage, the audio does start thinning out towards the back and it’s here, when flying a PA, that you can address the problem and utilise the line array.”
The Fenix towers are less conspicuous when it comes to events. “Putting up the water ballasts and towers, often clad in black, are not attractive,” said Nathan. “There are times when clients feel you are taking away from the image they hope to create or blocking the stage view. At Liefde by die Dam the lawns are raked, and when someone is seated 80 +m away from the stage, they have quite a small view of the stage.”
The units were delivered by Jaco Beukes of DWR Distribution who gave a short training session followed by a tutorial video to demonstrate the set-up. “It was super quick and where any other tower structure would take days to figure out, this took 15 minutes, “said Nathan.
