The new column loudspeaker is based on a patent-pending HF arrangement, allowing the ID84 to offer a peak SPL output of 135dB, and a frequency response of 90Hz-20kHz. Defined by the company as delivering a smooth and musical sonic signature, the ID84 was intentionally designed to stand apart from other column speakers on the market, being equally competent at speech and music reinforcement, and able to perform as a front-of-house reinforcement system in its own right.
The ID84 is simply a 2-way passive box, with no sophisticated beamsteering and processing and it is apparent this is a product intended to be affordable and fitted within a centrally processed networked structure or just used as a basic two-channel system in small event zones. Inside each column, NEXO uses six 4” long-excursion Neodymium LF drivers, and eight 1” HF drivers arranged in a proprietary pattern.
As Joseph Carcopino, NEXO’s Director of R&D, explains, this patent-pending arrangement “makes a big difference to the acoustic characteristics of the ID84. For the first time, we are using dome tweeters instead of compression drivers. These have very low distortion, and by using multiple units in this particular shape, we can achieve the desired efficiency as well as a very high quality sound.”
The ID84 offers even coverage that can be controlled by switchable dispersion. The user has a choice of two vertical directivities, selected by a switch on the back plate, offering with +0/-10 degrees ‘Narrow Mode’ or +0/-25 degrees ‘Wide Mode’ dispersion for 100 degrees horizontal coverage. Dedicated presets are available for each directivity. And the ID84 design shares the same phase response as other NEXO loudspeakers, making it easier to combine different models without risk of comb filtering or the need for complex electronic adjustment.
The slender meter-high design - weighing just 15kg (33 lbs) - is presented with two companion products, a low-frequency extension module (ID84L) and a partner sub-bass (IDS312), which can easily be configured to provide a scalable solution for acoustically challenging architectures in all kinds of public spaces and venues.
For the first time, NEXO engineers have crafted a rigid lightweight enclosure out of aluminum, with a steel spine to host the rigging system and facilitate the hanging of multiple cabinets. The side covers and front grille complete the contemporary aesthetic, which is available as standard in black or white, with custom RAL color options to match any installation environment.
The ID84 versatility results from the possibility to combine two modules coupled “head to toe” to increase throw, with each module keeping its own directivity options. Because the HF arrangement is located at one end of the ID84 column, inverting the second cabinet enables all the HF to be kept in the middle of the 2-meter line, ensuring the coupling.
For long-throw applications requiring even longer lines, the ID84L low-frequency extension cabinet can increase the possibilities of the ID84. This speaker extension has almost exactly the same footprint as the ID84, and contains eight 4" LF components. By doubling the line length, the vertical directivity of the assembly is increased in the low frequencies, leaving horizontal directivity unchanged. By coupling four units (2x ID84 with 2x ID84L), the HF arrangements can be paired at two mid-points, producing a cardioid configuration down to 90Hz.
Eight ID84s can be powered by one NXAMP4x1Mk2, which is NEXO’s primary amplifier recommendation, or a single ID84 per channel of any professional amplifier partnered with the NEXO DTD controller. By exploring a combination of mechanical steering and passive filtering, the ID84 offers some of the benefits of beam steering whilst keeping system costs down.
“Even though we could call this an ‘industrial monitor’, it has a very hi-fi sound,” says Joseph Carcopino. “If it is used in a FOH application, we can provide set-ups which give a very smooth and easy listening musical character. The ID84 can stand alone on a specially-designed base plate, or on the dedicated sub, a 3x 12”, which is high enough to position the HF of the ID84 at the optimum height. The minimal footprint and homogeneity of appearance will give it aesthetic appeal for small stages”.
The IDS312 subwoofer uses three high-excursion Neodymium drivers in a bass-reflex enclosure design. It weighs 31kg (68 lbs) and its frequency response is 40Hz-120Hz with a peak SPL of 138dB. The crossover between the IDS312 and the ID84 column has been designed to extend both the frequency response of the main speaker and the directivity by acting like a homogenous 2-meter high sound source.
The ID84, ID84L and IDS312 are all available in Installation, Touring and TIS versions. Connectivity is made through cable gland and captive two-core cables, and the Installation version is IP54-rated.
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