MARTIN AUDIO MLA BUILDS MOMENTUM FOR MSI JAPAN

One of Japan's leading PA companies, MSI Japan, has been achieving growing success since purchasing a large number of Martin Audio MLA enclosures for its inventory in August 2013. In fact by the end of the year they were providing MLA systems for more than five tours at one time. Iwao Tsurusawa, director of MSI Japan, explained why the MLA system has been proving so popular.

'When we used the MLA system in the Tokyo Dome for the first time [with TVXQ in June 2013], it was even more accommodating than we had imagined as we were able to run it without using the delay tower. The production director was deeply impressed by the performance of MLA and specified it for use thereafter in large venues.

'It has not only performed excellently in huge venues, but also earned a good reputation in medium venue shows. Working with one of our long-time clients in a medium sized hall, the artist concerned awarded high marks for the unprecedented 'natural' sound quality and user-friendliness of the system. And so from the beginning of this year they have started to use the MLA system regularly.

'Without question, the number of clients and production teams now recognising the outstanding performance of the MLA system is rapidly increasing. In other words, we are establishing MLA systems in various sized venues,' says Mr. Tsurusawa.

So, can we confidently say that the MLA system is living up to clients' expectations?
Mr. Tsurusawa explains, 'Basically, by using other branded systems we have to deploy delay towers. In some cases, we have tried to set up the systems without delay towers to maintain high sound quality, but have never achieved the desired results. By using MLA we have saved time and effort in setting the towers, at the same time ensuring high sound quality, and living up to our clients' expectations. In addition, by not needing to apportion space for delay towers, we have freed up more available seats for the client, and for audience needs.'

Furthermore, the MLA system has been great for open-air stadiums such as Seibu Dome and Pacifico Yokohama (in addition to Tokyo Dome), which have historically been dogged by offsite noise pollution. MLA could deal with this efficiently, and consequently neighbourhood complaints have drastically decreased, he says.

This has not only been beneficial from a technical aspect, but also enables good profit to be made. 'For this type of huge venue we generally need to deploy between two and four delay towers by using other branded systems, and so now the production teams can make budget cuts on speaker systems and related expenses. And as for us, we are happy that MLA doesn't require a lot of time to set up and disassemble.'

Mr. Tsurusawa believes that MLA will help to underpin the future prospects of MSI Japan.
'All the existing speakers in our inventory have been purchased in the past decade, so we take into account the deterioration of the systems and are concerned about their ongoing maintenance. Furthermore, it was to accommodate the growing demands of production teams these days, that led to us to invest aggressively in MLA in August 2013, although we had been working with MLA systems for nearly two years. We believe MLA will now be our main weapon for the foreseeable future.'

Finally, Mr. Tsurusawa reveals that in addition to the popular December music festival Countdown Japan 13/14, held at Makuhari Messe, MLA systems are being provided to a pop band's theatre tour, a famous group's arena tour, a popular idol group's concert and a grand music festival.

'We are sure MLA's outings will grow in frequency during 2014,' he says. 'This year already one dome tour and two arena tours have booked to use MLA.'