I don’t know if it is just summer or what, but I have line arrays on the brain. Last month, I wrote about the MINA, Meyer’s latest addition to the MILO family and one of the most interesting small line arrays on the market. Now, I am fascinated with the K-Array KH4 a high-performance self-powered two-way line array.
The K-Array speakers are made by HP Sound, an Italian company that started in the early 1990s. In 2005, the company decided to tackle the problem of the cost of transporting and rigging large sound systems. The problem, as HP Sound saw it, was that the volume and weight taken up by wood and air and transducers was expensive and inefficient. The solution outcome was the K-Array KH4.
It is definitely is one of the most unique speakers I have ever seen. It weighs in at 103.62lbs and measures 44.09” x 23.62” x 6.3”— 6.3” deep. That’s absolutely incredible. I have to admit I find the pictures of the flown KH4 array to be a bit of a turn on—the gentle curve, the integrated flying and stacking hardware. It’s hot. The KH4 uses 12 8” cone drivers with 2.5” voice coils for low-mid frequencies and is powered by six power amplifier channels. For mid-high frequencies, it uses five 1.75” voice coil compression drivers mounted on 1”x4” constant directivity waveguides. This method allows the drivers to form an array in the center of the speaker—an array inside an array, freaking sexy.
Now let’s talk about power and coverage from these 6.3” deep speakers. The KH4 can do full range of 80Hz to 19klHz at 133dB continuous or an operating range of 120Hz to 19kHz at 139dB continuous. It has a horizontal coverage of 120°. Used standalone, the speaker has a vertical coverage of 37°. If the KH4 is hung in an array, the vertical coverage can get down to 7°.
For the bottom end, the KS4 dipole subwoofer can be used to finish off the frequency range. It is the same size cabinet and yet delivers a frequency range of 45Hz to 150Hz at 132dB with a crossover at 120Hz. I swear I am getting weak in the knees just thinking about it. Both the KH4 and the KS4 have integrated DSP with remote control features.
There are so many applications for these speakers. The KH4 array obviously would be great for any gig where space is an issue, which, I believe, is most gigs. Imagine having an array that is less than 2’ deep covering a 3,000-seat venue. Imagine hanging these babies on a wall or set piece and covering it with some shark’s tooth scrim and having the speakers disappear. Just imagine all of this power in such a tiny box. I am glad HP Sound imagined it and brought to life an impressive suite of line-array speakers.
K-Array speakers are distributed in the US by Sennheiser, or visit the K-Array worldwide contact page for more info.