Column Speakers
Active Audio column loudspeakers
Why directivity control?
Public address systems are primarily intended to deliver a clear and intelligible message to the audience. But a venue’s acoustic conditions may affect transmission quality, especially in case of significant reverberation and/or background noise.
To overcome the adverse effects of reverberation, loudspeakers with accurate directivity control must be used, so that they project the sound straight to the audience instead of increasing reverberation. Furthermore, loudspeaker directivity ensures that all members of the audience perceive the same sound level. The sound level is fine-tuned to clearly separate speech from the background noise, but without being overpowering to guarantee comfortable listening..png)
Ever since it was founded in 2002, Active Audio has been a people-driven venture. That venture began when Xavier Meynial, then Professor of Room Acoustics, created the company in 2002 to promote both his own research and the work of the Acoustics Laboratory of the University of Le Mans. The DGRC patent was filed in 2005 and quickly spawned the StepArray range.
Active Audio’s DNA took shape when the company decided to focus its core business on delivering sound reinforcement solutions for acoustically-challenging environments. Leveraging its expertise in room acoustic issues and investing considerable resources in signal processing, Active Audio began pioneering, developing and manufacturing products designed to improve intelligible speech.
A new chapter was added to the company’s history books when new shareholder Régis Cazin took over management of Active Audio and provided the resources for reducing the product development cycle. Active Audio continued expanding and developing its presence in the international marketplace, with an array of products increasingly acclaimed by its customers, led by the Ray-On range.
In 2014, Jacques Mahul, founder of the Focal-JM LAB Group, joined the company, thereby injecting new driving force and paving the way for new products and new strategic alliances.
The Active Audio brand is currently distributed in over 30 countries, and the network continues to grow year after year. Once again, the company moves forward by maintaining a people-oriented approach: Active Audio draws strength from a network of recognized distributors in the spirit of true partnership.
In 2016, Active Audio acquired the majority stake of APG to extend its position in the market and its offering.
The years go by, but Active Audio’s DNA remains unchanged. We mastermind cost-effective systems that are designed to make everyday life easier and provide the end user with high-performance products boasting rock-solid reliability.