Top Gear Live uses Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers in Birmingham and London

Renkus-Heinz active loudspeakers were deployed during the Top Gear Live events taking place at the Birmingham NEC and ExCeL London venues in November 2011.

The rig was constructed around the track and was installed by POLARaudio in conjunction with the prominent hire company, Stage Audio Services.

The partnership between POLARaudio and Stage Audio Services on the Top gear Live project was logical according to POLARaudio’s Business Development Manager, Mark Bromfield: “Stage Audio Services have been supplying professional audio systems for over 25 years and during this time have enjoyed a great working relationship with POLARaudio.”

The all-new Birmingham and London Top Gear Live events saw the team including presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May as well as the Stig taking part in head-to-head challenges, power testing and time trials. It also saw a panoply of guests including the likes of Gethin Jones, Rupert Grint and Nürburgring-master Sabine Schmitz.

The whole performance centred on the indoor track which was developed in partnership with Group Lotus Motorsport—who also designed the original Top Gear test track.

The Renkus-Heinz IC Live series loudspeakers were used at both events and were placed around the mutli-purpose track.

Overall, eight IC Live R were positioned in front of the audience area.

The IC Live R is an 8-channel Portable self-powered digitally steerable array. At Top Gear Live it was deployed along with the IC215S-R which is a dual 15 inch Band-Pass subwoofer.

Both the IC Live R and IC215S-R include Renkus-Heinz’s RHAON technology. RHAON (Renkus-Heinz Audio Operations Network) provide s a full set of remote control and supervision functions. It also offers the ability to store up to ten pre-set configurations on the memory.

The use of the IC Live with Digital Beam Steering ensured that the speakers could be directed with precision in the large exhibition space.

What is more, with the IC Live software the team at Top Gear Live were able to define the opening angles for as many as four sonic beams for each IC Live array module. Equally, as the IC Live arrays are engineered for portable applications with a comprehensive hardware system it makes setup simple and quick.

“IC Live was the ideal choice for the guys to use at the Top Gear event,” added Bromfield, “they are discreet yet powerful loud speakers, they cover large areas from a single column and the digital beam steering means the sound coverage is exact and allows quick and easy set up”.