Martin Audio Longbow W8L User guide

All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

Section 5 Application Guide
Wavefront W8L Series Line Arrays
W8LLongbow, W8LC & W8LM
with
Advice on subwoofer and front-fill alignment
Click blue text then scroll down for separate spreadsheets for
W8LD, W8LCD & W8LMD down-fill controller settings &notes.
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Specifications, outline drawings and performance plots
5.3 Line array behaviour
5.4 How many do I need?
5.5 ViewPoint™ and System control
5.6 Horizontal considerations
5.7 Subwoofers and Front Fills
5.8 Climatic effects
5.9 Delay Systems
5.10 W8L Longbow Quick Start Guide (including W8LD patch examples)
5.11 W8LC Quick Start Guide (including W8LCD patch examples)
5.12 W8LM Quick Start Guide(includes W8LMD patch examples)
General information
W8L Series Applications Guide, Version 3,December 2006
Copyright by Martin Audio Ltd 2006;all rights reserved.
Martin Audio Ltd,
Century Point, Halifax Road, Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. UK.
The information presented in this document is, to the best of our knowledge, correct. Martin Audio
Limited will not, however, be held responsible for the consequences of any errors or omissions.
Technical specifications, weights and dimensions should always be confirmed with Martin Audio
Limited before inclusion in any additional documentation.In our efforts to develop and improve our
products we reserve the right to change the technical specification of our products without notice. Martin
Audio Limited tries, whenever possible, to minimise the effects of product changes on equipment
compatibility.
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

Wavefront W8L Series Line Arrays
5.1 Introduction
Martin Audio W8L Series line arrays are next generation line array systems which combine
innovative loudspeaker design techniques with line array technology to produce a family of
very powerful line arrays with extended frequency response, smooth coverage and
maximum dynamic impact.
The series includes:
The W8LLongbow 3-way full-range line array + W8LD down-fills
The W8LC 3-way compact line array + W8LCD down-fills
The W8LM 3-way mini line array + W8LMD down-fills
W8L Longbow, W8LD, W8LC & W8LCD systems are fully horn-loaded tri-amplified
systems All sections are 8 ohms for easy paralleling in pairs.
W8LM & W8LMD systems combine direct radiating and horn-loaded cone drivers for low
and mid frequency coverage with a horn-loaded high frequency section. The system may be
bi-amplified (low/mid & high) or driven using a single amplifier channel via
its internal 3-way passive crossover. W8LMs & W8LMDs are 12 ohms for easy paralleling
in threes or fours.
Where low frequency extension is required, W8L Series line arrays will integrate
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

with a range of Martin Audio subwoofers including the W8LS direct radiating
subwoofer system or Martin Audio WLX and WMX Hybridtm subwoofer systems.
See section 5.7for further details on the WLX.
W8L Longbow, W8LC and W8LM systems combine patentable driver loading
techniques -researched and proven by Martin Audio over many years -with no-
compromise vertically-coupled waveguides and true constant directivity horns to
achieve a level of efficiency and coverage consistency not usually found in this popular
format. W8L Series horns develop low curvature vertical wavefronts for smooth, comb-
free coupling at practical vertical splay angles. A feature not possible with spaced,
point-source drivers.
W8L Longbow Midrange section
Wavefront W8L Series line arrays feature integral, quick deployment flyware systems
which allow progressive curvature columns of up to 16 cabinets to be assembled. By
hinging at the front rather than the rear, the rigging system minimises gaps between the
acoustic elements which would otherwise interfere with the line array effect.
Viewed from the side, W8L Series enclosures are trapezoidal in shape with 3.75ºwall
angles to allow arrays of varying curvature to be constructed. A series of inter-cabinet
splay angles from 0º to 7.5ºare selected by links at the rear of the enclosure. The 7.5º
maximum splay angle allows tight curvature at the bottom of the array. 20º W8L Series
down-fill systems are also available (click here for more information).
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

W8L Longbow rear rigging
Caution:
W8L Series systems should be rigged and flown by
professional riggers or trained personnel under professional
riggers' supervision. Flying professional loudspeaker systems is
not a job for amateurs!
See the appropriate Flying System User Manual for further
details.
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

5.2 W8L Longbow, W8LC & W8LM single enclosurespecs
(For further details, down-fill specs etc., go to www.martin-audio.com)
Specification W8LLongbow
W8LC W8LM
Type Full-range
3-way line
array element
Compact
3-way line
array element
Ultra-compact
3-way line
array element
Frequency Resp (±3dB) 35Hz-18KHz 60Hz-18KHz 60Hz-18KHz
Hor Coverage (
-
6dB)
(-10dB)
90deg
120deg
90deg
120deg
100deg
120deg
Vert Coverage (-6dB) 7.5deg 7.5deg 7.5deg
Driver complement LF: 1 x 15”
Hybridtm
horn-loaded
cone drivers
MF: 2 x 8”
horn-loaded
cone drivers
HF: 4 x 1”
horn-loaded
compression
drivers
LF: 1 x 12”
Hybridtm
horn-loaded
cone drivers
MF: 2 x 6.5”
horn-loaded
cone drivers
HF: 3 x 1”
horn-loaded
compression
drivers
LF+MF:
2 x 8” cone
drivers.
1 ported direct
radiating LF,
1 Hybridtm
horn-loaded
LF/MF.
HF: 2 x 1”
horn-loaded
compression
drivers
Rated Power LF:
1000W AES,
4000W peak
MF:
400W AES,
1600W peak
HF
200W AES,
800W peak
LF:
400W AES,
1600W peak
MF:
200W AES,
800W peak
HF
100W AES,
400W peak
Bi-amplified
LF+MF:
400W AES,
1600W peak
HF: 75W AES,
300W peak
Passive
400W AES,
1600W peak
Sensitivity (spl at 1m, 1W) LF: 106dB
MF: 109dB
HF: 119dB
LF: 103dB
MF: 106dB
HF: 109dB
Bi-amplified
LF+MF:
100dB
HF: 106dB
Passive
99dB LF rising
to 105dB HF
Max SPL (spl calc 1m)
LF:
136dB cont.,
142dB peak.
LF:
129dB cont.,
135dB peak.
Bi
-
amplified
LF+MF:
125dB cont.,
131 dB peak.
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

MF:
135dB cont.,
141dB peak.
HF:
142dB cont.
148dB peak.
MF:
129dB cont.,
135dB peak.
HF:
129dB cont.
135dB peak.
HF:
125dB cont.,
131 dB peak.
Passive
124dB cont.
130dB peak.
Nominal Impedance LF: 8 ohms
MF: 8 ohms
HF: 8 ohms
LF: 8 ohms
MF: 8 ohms
HF: 8 ohms
Bi-amplified
LF+MF:
12 ohms
HF:
12 ohms
Passive
12 ohms
Crossover LF to MF:
220Hz active,
MF to HF
2.7KHz active
LF to MF:
300Hz active,
MF to HF
3KHz active
LF to MF:
300Hz passive,
MF to HF
2.2KHz active
or passive
Connectors 2 x Neutrik
NL8 or PAcon
sockets
(Input & Link)
2 x Neutrik
NL8 or PAcon
sockets
(Input & Link)
2 x Neutrik
NL4 sockets
(Input & Link)
Enclosure Vertical
trapezoid
3.75 deg top &
bottom walls.
Multi-laminate
birch ply
Vertical
trapezoid
3.75 deg top &
bottom walls.
Multi-laminate
birch ply
Vertical
trapezoid
3.75 deg top &
bottom walls.
Multi-laminate
birch ply
Finish Textured paint
Textured paint
Textured paint
Grille Perforated
steel Perforated steel Perforated steel
Dimensions mm
inches
(*incl wheelboard)
(W) 1314
(H) 490
(D) 755/855*
(W) 51.7
(H) 19.3
(D)29.7/33.7*
(W) 1000
(H) 367
(D) 550/683*
(W) 39.4
(H) 14.5
(D) 21.7/26.9*
(W) 620
(H) 241
(D) 400
(W) 24.4
(H) 9.5
(D) 15.75
Weight (incl. steel hardware) 120Kg
(264lbs) 58Kg (1 28lbs) 24Kg (53lbs)
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

W8L Longbow & W8LS outline dimensions
(W8LSshown)
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

W8LC outline dimensions
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.

W8LM outline dimensions
All material © 2007. Martin Audio Ltd. Subject to change without notice.