Name: MLD
Rating: 4.7 (23 reviews)

In order to match the performance and tonal balance of MLA, the MLD has been designed around the same acoustic format and electronics package. Coherent arrays of MLA and Downfill can easily be constructed to seamlessly cover the audience planes.

Features

Downfill for MLA system
Three-way all-horn design delivers
LF/MF/HF peak SPL’s of 139/139/140dB
120°H x 20°V coverage
52Hz-18kHz ± 3dB full bandwidth frequency response

Applications

Large-scale touring sound reinforcement for
outdoor festivals, stadia, arenas and concert halls
Premium fixed installations in
concert halls, theatres and sports venues

The MLD Downfill is an important MLA System component. Using just one – or at most - two Downfills to cover the first few rows maximises the projection and efficiency of the entire array.

Line array systems project, or throw better when the inter-cabinet angles are small. Unfortunately real-world requirements often dictate that the flown array must cover right up to the stage barrier. Arrays designed in this manner take on the familiar, highly-curved, banana shape. This is wasteful of array elements as almost half the array ends up being used to cover the first thirty metres/one hundred feet - leaving fewer boxes to reach the back seats.

The solution is to add a cabinet with a wider vertical dispersion. In the Downfill’s case this is 20°. Using only one - or at the most two - Downfills at the bottom of an array results in a lower curvature more directional array that projects much further and covers right up to the stage barrier.

The Downfill’s benefits are not confined to the vertical plane. With an extremely wide horizontal dispersion of 120°, the Downfill reaches to front-row-central as well as the ends of the front rows.

Our HiBlade™ patent-pending technology ensures ultra-high frequencies propogate right out to the edges of the dispersion pattern. Conventional 120° horns without this device tend to lose high frequency sparkle rapidly, as the listener moves off axis.

Links

User guide Brochure Datasheet

Specification

Acoustical
TYPE	Three-way cellular drive, active array element
FREQUENCY RESPONSE (1)	52Hz-18kHz ± 3dB
MAXIMUM SPL	LF: 133dB continuous, 139dB peak (3) MF: 133dB continuous, 139dB peak (4) HF: 134dB continuous, 140dB peak (4)
Drivers
LF	2x12” (300mm)/3” (75mm) voice coil, ultra-long excursion, neodymium magnet drivers, Hybrid® bass horn loaded
MF	2 x 6.5” (165mm)/2” (50mm) coil, neodymium magnet drivers, horn loaded
HF	3 x 1” (25mm) exit neodymium magnet compression drivers, horn loaded
Rated Power (2)
LF	800W AES, 3200W peak
MF	400W AES, 1600W peak
HF	150W AES, 600W peak
Dispersion
	(-6dB): 120º horizontal (-10dB): 140º horizontal 20˚ vertical
Crossover Frequencies
	320Hz: 8th-order Linkwitz-Riley 4kHz: Vanishing Point™ FIR filters
Audio input
CONNECTORS	Female XLR input, male XLR link output
ANALOGUE INPUT IMPEDANCE	20kΩ balanced to ground
MAXIMUM ANALOGUE INPUT LEVEL	6.15Vrms (+18dBu), over voltage protected
NOMINAL SYSTEM GAIN	28.5dB
AES/EBU IMPEDANCE	110Ω balanced, Receive and transmit termination
Network
CONNECTORS	2x IP68 rated 8-way, quick-release type
PROTOCOL	U-NET
Amplifier Module
TYPE	Six channel Class D, fixed-frequency
PEAK OUTPUT POWER	6000W
AVERAGE EFFICIENCY	75%
COOLING	4 x temperature controlled internal fans 1 x low-speed internal blower 1 x temperature controlled external fan
MAXIMUM AMBIENT TEMPERATURE	45°C (113°F) for full output
Power Supply
TYPE	Switch mode, fixed frequency with PFC AC INPUT OPERATING
RANGE	100 – 240V ~ AC, 50 - 60Hz
CONSUMPTION	900W
MAINS CONNECTOR	16A IEC309 (Ceeform) – IP44 rated
General
ENCLOSURE	Vertical trapezoid with 10º wall angle, multi-laminate birch and poplar-ply construction
FINISH	Textured black PU coating
PROTECTIVE GRILLE	Black HEX perforated steel
FITTINGS	Proprietary rigging system Bar handles on each side Protective Rubber side-cheeks incorporating skids Wheel-board Transit cover Weather protection cowl
IP RATING	IP 24
DIMENSIONS	(inc. wheel-board) (W) 1136mm x (H) 454mm (458mm) x (D) 680mm (840mm) (W) 44.7 x (H) 17.9in (18in) x (D) 26.8in (33.1in)
WEIGHT (ex. wheel-board)	91.5kg, 201lbs

Architectural Specs

MLD

The loudspeaker shall be a self-powered, three-way downfill array element. Its transducers shall consist of two 12” horn-loaded low frequency drivers, two 6.5” midrange drivers each coupled to a constant-directivity midrange horn, and three 1” exit compression drivers each coupled to a constant-directivity high frequency horn. The drivers shall be configured to be driven as one low-frequency cell, two midrange cells and three high-frequency cells.

The loudspeaker shall incorporate a Class D amplifier module with six channels of amplification and DSP for independent drive and control of each cell. The amplifier shall deliver a total of 6kW peak output to the transducers and include networking capabilities to enable remote control and system monitoring. Its power supply shall employ Power Factor Correction and operate from 100-240V, 50-60Hz AC.

Audio connectors shall be male and female XLR type and the AC power connector shall be an IEC309 CEE Form.

The loudspeaker shall have 120° horizontal dispersion and 10° vertical dispersion. Vertical dispersion of the complete array shall be determined by a combination of the splay angles between adjacent enclosures and dedicated array control software. The on-axis frequency response shall be 52Hz-18kHz +/- 3dB and the loudspeaker shall produce a maximum SPL of 139dB peak (LF), 139dB peak (MF) and 140dB peak (HF) at 1 metre.

The loudspeaker enclosure shall be constructed from multi-laminate birch and poplar ply with a textured black polyurethane coating. The drivers shall be protected by a perforated steel grille and the enclosure shall incorporate an integral rigging system to enable it to be flown as a downfill element within an array up to 24 enclosures suspended from a dedicated flying frame.

Dimensions excluding wheel-board (W x H x D) shall be 1136mm x 454mm x 680mm (44.7in x 17.9in x 26.8in). Weight shall be 91.5kg (201lbs).

The loudspeaker shall be the Martin Audio MLD.

Drawings