ABOUT Opus Audio
OPUS AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES
Opus is an audio system manufacturing company, based in the South West of England, that is dedicated to building the best sound systems that money can buy. Their no compromise approach to sound quality has resulted in their designing, and building ALL of their system controllers, amplifiers and speakers at their research and manufacturing centre in Cornwall.
NO LIMITS IN THE PURSUIT OF PURE SOUND
The current opus systems in use are :
1/ Iso systems - with the ISO-6 and the ISO-8, the sound quality, when used with opus amplifiers, is just epic! For such a small box, nothing else comes close. They have a very tight vertical dispersion characteristic, and almost 160 degree horizontal coverage, so very few boxes are needed to cover a wide area. Ideal for theatre side and balcony fills, any vocal applications and fantastic studio monitors, especially with opus SB212 sub bass speakers. Also a rather nice home hi-fi!
2/ PSD systems - these are the other favourite of the theatre world. Incredible clarity, and projection. Generally used as the main system in theatres, with the ISO boxes as zone and fill speakers. Much too nice for clubs!
3/ MP Multi Purpose systems - The MP speakers from opus were designed as monitors for their larger systems, however, run with their Opus HD amplifiers, double 15" or double 18" bass speakers and XS controllers, they make superb sounding, and incredibly simple little PA SYSTEMS. Completely indestructible, no engineer is required to run this system, so bands, dj's or private party's can rent it for minimal cost. The MP400 is a 2 way passive speaker, with a 12" cone and a 1.4" compression driver on a CD (constant directivity) horn. The MP550 is a 2 way passive speaker, with a 15" cone and a 1.4" compression driver on a CD horn. System cabling couldn't be simpler. All our systems use identical 4 core multi-core cables, and your amp rack will be pre wired so that just one cable needs to be run to each stack, and all speakers connect together with short links, in any order! Internal wiring sorts out bass and high frequencies for you. Fully analogue parametric equalisation is done inside the XS system controller, so no graphics are necessary. Multi-band limiting is done inside the amplifier, and set for each drive unit used, so no external limiting is required. If an input level (mixer) is over driven (clipped) a compressor/limiter will not un-clip it, and the result will be a clipped (distorted) and compressed (squished) signal, amplified perfectly. It would sound disgusting. Therefore, if the system is likely to be driven hard, then use one of our modified mixers, which will not distort, even with EVERY knob on maximum.
4/ CS Concert Series systems – The favourite top box of Opus Pocus. The CS 750 is a 2way active top box, for use as part of a 3 way active system. Ie, with sub bass speakers. There was other speakers in the CS range, although it eventually became apparent that the 750 was the best, so it is now the only currently manufactured speaker in the 'series.' Stereo CS systems are run with either 1 x OPUS XS234, or 2 x OPUS XS134 system controllers which is a completely analogue crossover, with asymmetric filter slopes, driver time alignment, and 3 band parametric equalisation especially for the CS system. This, with drivers selected after years of listening tests, and Opus' HD amplifiers makes the CS into probably the best sounding '2 cones & a tweeter' top box in the world!They can be used as single top boxes, in 100-300 person rooms, or as part of a horizontal array with 2, 3 or even 4 CS a side, like the Liquid tent at Glade with a 2000 person dance floor. More top boxes gives wider horizontal coverage, not more volume. Work is under way on an ultra compact version, more suitable for our mobile PA hire companies.
5/ AT Array Technology systems - are the ultimate in quality at high volume. A 3 way active top box, for use as part of a large 4 way active system, is typically used with Opus HB series bass speakers for volume, or SB series for quality (not that they are quiet!). There are two AT speakers, The AT1000 is the slightly smaller and the AT2000 is the big daddy.
AT1000 is pure Opus quality. The highest fidelity (fidelity = truth. I.e. true reproduction of input signal) at incredible volume, means that this speaker is just as happy in theatres as it is doing rock concerts, or dance parties. Currently being used in ‘BONEY M - the Musical’ in the West End of London.
AT2000 is the ultimate speaker for large or outside venues. Up to 149db SPL, yet completely without the distortion, unevenness or even pain normally associated with high volume sound systems.
6/ SB Bass speakers - the bass reflex series.
The new SB218mk2 is the firm favourite among our Opuspocus network. It’s the best sounding bass that Opus does. We used 14 of them with our CS top boxes at the Glade Festival Liquid Stage – 2006.
The new SB215: recently installed in ‘MONKEY’ in Swansea, and based on my ‘wheelie bins.
’Wheelie Bins': are a personal project of my own, not really an opus speaker, and are far more versatile and manoeuvrable. The result of 2 years of listening tests, and gigs. Maybe not quite as good sound as the SB218, but damn close. 1 or 2 a side for an MP top box. 2,3 or 4 a side for 1,2 or 3 CS top boxes.
7/ HB Series Bass Speakers - the horn loaded series. Horn loaded bass speakers are often very loud at certain frequencies, giving the impression of a very loud speaker, but getting a horn loaded speaker to give a good response at all frequencies is a real art.
The HB215 is a very efficient, standard Opus trapezoid shaped horn loaded double 15" bass speaker, for use in large night clubs, and outdoor festivals and concerts.
The HB121 is a horn loaded single 21", designed to be stacked in blocks of 4, 6, 8 or even 10 boxes, to work together as one massive bass generator.
8/ Monster bass speakers - Currently 2 available,
The SB224 is a double 24" bass reflex speaker, each cone driven by a single Opus HD2500 amp channel. Originally designed for a theatre requiring ultra low frequencies for thunder sound effects, epic organ music etc, but also works very well with SB218 and 215 bass speakers on dance music systems.
The SUPASUB is a mental 6000w hornloaded bass monster. 6 custom made 15" drivers into a 3m horn. Quite difficult to tranport, but alway worth it!
