Polar Kinetic, or PK Sound, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is relaunching with a renewed spirit that greatly capitalizes in the company's success powering massive EDM music festivals worldwide, and promoting it's systems ability to control the directivity of a loudspeaker using robotic line array elements. While robotics have been explored in large scale sound reinforcement systems in the past, PK Sound has found its approach of variable robotic actuation to be about more than functionality. It's new generation systems can manipulate a vertical line source to 0.1° of resolution and adjust the horizontal coverage of each individual module. With this precision, it becomes possible to significantly expand stereo imaging, avoid challenging obstacles and drastically reduce noise pollution.
The company has been perfecting its system approach to engineer and manufacture these products with unrivaled flexibility in coverage and control, meeting the stringent demands of the widest-possible range of applications with the fewest products required. While in its earlier days PK Sound focused on maximizing pure acoustic performance in very large power and massive scale, PK Sound is now refining the principles of sound field control with advanced mechanical design, intelligent electronics, and next-generation software for optimized, high-performance systems that can benefit a wide range of applications.
"Throughout 2020, we refocused our teams and made significant investments in infrastructure, research and development, and strategy in preparation for a major push towards our goal of PK Sound becoming a top global brand in the professional loudspeaker space," says Jeremy Bridge, CEO and founder of PK Sound. "As we reemerge post-pandemic, PK will be a leader in reimagining a more collaborative and mutually beneficial pro audio industry."
This approach has been highlighted with the appointment in January 2021 of James Oliver (pictured below), the former Director of Marketing and Sales for Adamson Systems Engineering, as PK Sound's new Chief Strategy Officer. Oliver actually joined the company earlier in 2020, and is now responsible for the development, communication, execution, and sustainment of the company's new strategic initiatives, reporting directly to Jeremy Bridge.
Among the company's priorities is now the expansion of a global distribution network and rental/touring support alliance. "Joining PK was the easiest transition of my career. The culture of the organization and technological advancements of the product line are completely in tune with the live events industry of tomorrow," comments Oliver. "Over the past year, we have piloted a significant strategic shift in the organization to capitalize on our technological advantages and reimagined the relationship between the service provider and manufacturer. The industry will be different when we return, and we intend to be at the forefront of this change," he adds.
Precise, Real-Time Robotic Control
As the flagship of PK Sound’s core system offering, the new Trinity Black systems work in tandem with the new PK Cell touring rack and upcoming dynamics software platform for optimal performance. They are exclusively available in North America and Europe to members of the PK Alliance network.
"Over the past year-and-a-half, we’ve developed a modular, scalable, and globally standardized core system offering spearheaded by Trinity Black to cover the widest array of applications with the fewest products possible," explains Jeremy Bridge. "Our focus on converging technologies allows us to continue developing and augmenting performance – even after systems are in the field."
The sound clarity and SPL up to 149.3dB in a Trinity Black element can be precisely controlled with variable coverage in both the vertical and horizontal planes, allowing system operators maximum flexibility in making coverage adjustments after the array is flown. Directivity is tailored to meet the architectural design of the venue or space using industrial linear actuators with a duty cycle of up to 109 years.
The patented Coherent Midrange Integrator (CMI) Waveguide seamlessly combines mid and high frequencies, coupled with meticulously engineered low frequency apertures for smooth and controlled directivity. This allows a Trinity Black line array to offer variable adjustability from 50°-120° both symmetrically and asymmetrically for precisely tapered arrays, with vertical angles that are set and adjusted remotely with precision accuracy.
Horn-loaded 12" transducers manage low frequency response, while the mid frequency band is supported by 4x 6.5" midrange transducers affixed to the CMI Waveguide. Two dual-diaphragm high frequency transducers, coupled directly to an integrated planar waveguide, significantly reduce distortion across the high frequency band. A 6,000W Class D amplifier maximizes headroom while maintaining the audio quality even at exceptional output levels.
To complement the robotic motors, IR sensors and inclinometers allow each Trinity Black module to recognize its position and angle within the system, improving accuracy and safety. Finally, a combination of FIR and IIR filters are applied to ensure smooth frequency response across the listening area.
Emulating the L-Acoustics K systems' successful strategy, Trinity Black systems are exclusively owned by PK Sound to maintain the highest standards of performance and service and are available via dry-hire rental only to PK Alliance member companies.
www.pkalliance.eu
www.polarkinetic.com
