Electro-Voice XCN EDS User Manual

Xcn

X-Array™ T wo-W ay ,
MB/HF System

• MB and HF sections are identi­cal to Xn

• Ring-Mode Decoupling (RMD™)
provides accurate transient
detail

• Near-field 60° x 40° rotatable
coverage pattern

• Neodymium ND5 HF and ND12A
MB drivers

• Unique rear-hinge rigging

• Enclosure shell and rigging
identical to all of the half-size
X-Array™ systems

Description

The X-Array™ product line represents im­portant advancements in concert-sound­reinforcement technology. The design
goals called for the highest acoustic out­put capability with the highest fidelity in
lightweight, compact enclosures that were
easy to array. The development began with
a clean sheet of paper and took an inte­grated approach. The individual loud­speaker drivers, horns, enclosures, rigging
hardware and system configurations were
designed from the ground up specifically
for this high-performance application.

The Xcn is an active near-field, two-way,
MB/HF loudspeaker system with a rotat­able 60° x 40° coverage pattern. The high­frequency and mid-bass sections are horn
loaded with one driver in each frequency
band, and the HF horn/driver combination
is mounted coaxially inside the mid-bass
horn. The mid-bass and high-frequency
sections are identical to that of the full­size Xn X-Array™ system. The horns and
drivers were designed as part of the Xcn
development and represent a step forward
in state-of-the-art loudspeaker design in
terms of high acoustic output with low
distortion and low power compression.
Electro-Voice engineers developed a
new technology dubbed Ring-Mode

Decoupling (RMD™) to substantially im­prove clarity and intelligibility by reduc­ing both linear and nonlinear resonance
modes that color the sound.

The high-frequency driver in the Xcn is
the ND5, which is a 3.56-mm (1.4-in.) exit
high-frequency compression driver that
features a powerful neodymium motor
structure that was optimized for maximum
efficiency and reduced power compression.
A new 76.2-mm (3.0-in.)-diameter titanium
diaphragm assembly provides increased in­stantaneous peak output capability and
reduced dome breakup. The ND5 is
mounted on a 60° x 40° rotatable constant­directivity horn. This combination results
in substantially improved vocal clarity and
presence with a smooth response through­out the vocal range up to 20,000 Hz. The
horn and driver are nested inside the mid­bass phase plug assembly to minimize in­terference in the mid-bass band.

The mid-bass driver in the Xcn is the
ND12A, which is a 30.5-mm (12-in.) mid­bass driver that features a powerful new
neodymium motor structure that was opti­mized for maximum horn-loaded efficiency
and reduced power compression. A new

®

Kevlar
vides a smooth response with reduced
cone break up. The ND12A is mounted on
a mid-bass horn that has a coverage pat-

-reinforced cone assembly pro-

tern that transitions smoothly into the ro­tatable 60° x 40° high-frequency pattern.
The mid-bass phase plug provides opti­mal loading for the ND12A driver, deliver­ing smooth response and extended effi­ciency up to 2,000 Hz. This combination
results in improved vocal intelligibility and
clarity with a smooth response from the
lower-to-mid vocal range.

Ring-Mode Decoupling, (RMD™) is a
technique utilized and named by Electro­Voice to describe a process used to im­prove sound quality in loudspeaker sys­tems. RMD™ offers a solution to a very
fundamental problem. It has long been rec­ognized that two different loudspeaker
systems can sound different even though
they both may be equalized to have the
same frequency response. This difference
is due to a variety of resonances, or ring
modes, that color the sound. Although this
ringing may be very low in level compared
to the program material, it is still audible.
The source of these resonances may be
mechanical or acoustical in nature or a com­bination of both. In addition, they may be
linear or nonlinear, resulting in their char­acter changing with level. Furthermore,
these ring modes may be aggravated when
multiple loudspeaker enclosures are as­sembled into arrays. The result is a colora­tion that decreases intelligibility and clar-

Xcn T wo-W ay MB/HF System

ity with the nature of that coloration vary­ing with level. Often, the listener perceives
that coloration as imbalance in the fre­quency response, and will attempt to elec­tronically adjust the system to restore the
spectral balance. However this electronic
equalization has the negative effect of
changing the program material itself.

Ring-Mode Decoupling (RMD™) ad­dresses mechanical resonances with me­chanical solutions, and acoustical reso­nances with acoustical solutions. In the
Xcn development, RMD™ was applied at
every level – to the individual mid-bass
and high-frequency drivers, the mid-bass

Xcn Two-Way MB/HF System

and high-frequency horns, the mid-bass
chamber, the interaction between the mid­bass and high-frequency bands and the
interaction between multiple enclosures.

The design process included, for example,
the driver diaphragm, cone, suspension
and phase-plug geometry and materials,
horn geometry and materials, enclosure ge­ometry and materials, absorptive materi­als, etc. The result is a dramatic improve­ment in clarity and with a much more neu­tral sound (a lack of coloration), with the
loudspeaker system maintaining its sonic
integrity from the very-lowest sound-pres­sure levels, to the very-highest sound-pres­sure levels. This means that the front-of­house engineer will not have to retune the
EQ and level settings as the SPL is in­creased throughout the show. This also
means that the sound-system performance
will remain consistent in different array con­figurations and from venue to venue.

The X-Array™ systems utilizes a unique
rigging system. A hinge assembly is used
to link cabinets together at their rear cor­ners, while wire-rope/fitting assemblies are
used at the front to adjust the relative angle
between systems. (See the Flying the X-
Array™ Systems section for more details.)

The Xcn utilizes the half-size X-Array™
enclosure shell, which is identical to that
of the Xcb bass system. They have the
same footprint and rigging as the full-size
X-Array™ systems; however, the height
of the compact systems is approximately
half that of the full-size systems.

The durable Xcn enclosure is constructed

of 18-mm, 13-ply birch plywood and has a
wear-resistant black, textured paint finish.
The system is trapezoidal, forming an

18° wedge, and includes a heavy-duty
steel grille with a water-resistant charcoal­gray foam interlining. The enclosure fea­tures vinyl bumper pads on the front cor­ners and feet on the bottom to resist wear.

A variety of accessories are available for
the X-Array™ loudspeaker systems, in­cluding rigging hardware, dollies, covers,
electronic crossovers, amplifier racks and
speaker cabling. Consult the X-Array™ Ac-
cessories section for a complete listing the
available accessories.

Applications

The X-Array™ loudspeaker systems were
designed for optimal performance in both
concert-sound and permanent-installation
applications where studio-monitor sound
quality is required at concert-sound lev­els. The X-Array™ loudspeaker systems
work well individually, in small arrays and
in large arrays. The high-acoustic output
from these compact, lightweight systems
provide the highest acoustic-power-to­weight ratio, the highest acoustic-power­to-frontal-area ratio, and the highest acous­tic-power-to-bulk-volume ratio in the in­dustry. That means that X-Array™ sys­tems will be considerably smaller and lighter
compared to competitive systems having
equivalent acoustic output.

The 60° x 40° coverage pattern of the Xcn
makes it ideal for sound-reinforcement ap­plications with short- to medium-throw

requirements. With its response from 125­20,000 Hz, the Xcn is recommended for mid­bass/high-frequency applications, and
should be used with an X-Array™ bass
box (like the Xb, Xcb or Xds) for full-range
performance. The Xcn may be used indi­vidually or in multiples to construct arrays.
In addition, the Xcn may be used with the
MB/HF- or LF/MB/HF X-Array™ loud­speaker systems (like the Xf, Xn or Xcn) to
construct large full-range arrays. The Xcn
enclosure is identical to that of the other
half-size X-Array™ systems (like the Xcb).
The footprint of the half-size X-Array™
enclosures is identical to that of the full-

size X-Array™ systems (like the Xn, Xf
and Xb), as is the rigging hardware, mak­ing array integration easy whether flying
or stacking. The rotatable horn pattern of­fers tremendous flexibility to tailor the pat­tern to the application. For example, the
60°H x 40°V orientation would be well
suited for front-of-house, front-fill and side­fill applications while the 40°H x 60°V ori­entation would be well suited for down-fill
applications.

The Xcn is a two-way active system that
requires an active electronic crossover.
Both the Electro-Voice Dx38 and Klark
Teknik DN8000 digital crossovers are rec­ommended for signal control. (See the

Crossover, Equalization and Signal De­lay Controller section.) The Electro-Voice

P3000 amplifier is recommended for pow­ering the Xcn. (See the Amplifier Recom-
mendations section.)

Power-Handling Capabilities

The Xcn systems are rated as per the
“ANSI/EIA RS-426-A Loudspeaker Power
Rating, Full Range Test,” which uses a
shaped-random-noise signal to simulate
typical music to test the mechanical and
thermal capabilities of the loudspeakers.
A digital crossover was used to provide
the appropriate filtering and equalization.
The test parameters are as follows:

High-Frequency Section

: 75 watts

P

E(MAX)

Test Voltage: 30.1-volts rms

60.2-volts peak

(1.15 RE): 12.1 ohms

R

SR

Mid-Bass-Frequency Section

: 300 watts

P

E(MAX)

Test Voltage: 45.5-volts rms

91.0-volts peak

(1.15 RE): 6.90 ohms

R

SR

Amplifier Recommendations

Power amplifiers with the following ratings
are recommended for use with the Xcn
loudspeaker systems:

HF: 800 watts per channel

into 8 ohms

2

Xcn T wo-W ay MB/HF System

93-volts rms short term
132-volts peak

MB: 800 watts per channel

into 8 ohms
93-volts rms short term
132-volts peak

Xcn loudspeakers may be paralleled with
other Xcn systems as long as the amplifi­ers can drive the lower impedances. To
maintain a sufficient damping factor with
long cable runs, amplifier loads of four
ohms per channel are recommended. The
Electro-V oice P3000 amplifiers are ideal for
powering the X-Array™ systems.

Crossover, Equalization and Signal
Delay Controller

The Xcn is a two-way active loudspeaker
system requiring an active crossover,
equalization and signal delay controller.
For basic applications, the Electro-Voice
Dx38 2-in/4-out controller is recommended.
For more sophisticated applications, the
Klark Teknik DN8000 2-in/ 5-out controller
is recommended. Linkwitz-Riley crossover
filters with a minimum slope of 24-dB per
octave at 125 Hz and 1,760 Hz are recom­mended. Both the Dx38 and the DN8000
offer appropriate filtering, equalization and
signal delay capabilities to provide opti­mum performance of the X-Array™ loud­speaker systems. Digital parameter settings
for both controllers are available upon
request.

Electrical Connection and System
Wiring

Two paralleled Neutrik 8-pin Speakon
connectors are used for electrical connec­tion to the Xcn loudspeakers with the fol­lowing pin assignments:

HF: Pins 4 Paralleled
MB: Pins 3 Paralleled

The Xcn wiring diagram is shown in Fig­ure 7. Since the connectors are paralleled,
it does not matter which connector is used
as the input or output when paralleling Xcn
systems. Although Pins 1 and 2 are not
used by the Xcn systems, they are paral­leled on the input panel. This allows an X­Array™ bass box (like the Xb or Xcb –

which use Pins 1 and 2, but not Pins 3 and

4) to be paralleled with an Xcn, allowing all
eight conductors to be used with a single
cable run to the amplifiers. Note that when
four Xcn systems are jumped from one to
another, the amplifier home-run cable will
have four high-frequency drivers on Pins
4 (for a 4-ohm load) and four mid-bass driv­ers on Pins 3 (for a 4-ohm load).

Flying the X-Array™ Systems

The X-Array™ loudspeaker systems all
utilize the same rigging hardware and have
the same structural strength ratings. Thus,
different systems may be mixed in an array
to achieve the best acoustic results. The
rigging system allows for the smallest pos­sible spacing between adjacent enclosures,
and utilizes quick-release rigging fittings
for fast installation and tear down.

When flown, the X-Array™ enclosures are
linked together by two removable hinges
on the rear of the enclosures at the top and
bottom. This arrangement enables the en­closures to pivot vertically from the rear
corners. The relative vertical angle between
adjacent enclosures is adjustable and set
by two removable rigging straps on the
front of the enclosures at the top and bot­tom. Both the rear rigging hinges and the
front rigging straps are installed when en­closures are sitting on top of one another.
For ease of installation of the hinges and
straps, the enclosures self align using feet
and cups mounted on the top and bottom
of the enclosures. The relative horizontal
angle between adjacent columns of loud­speakers is set by adjustable grids at the

®

top of the array (or by custom-building at­tachment supports in permanent-installa­tion applications where grids are not used).

The removable proprietary rear rigging
hinges utilize all-steel construction and are
secured into a proprietary track assembly
on the enclosure (similar to the heavy-duty
aircraft L-track). The aluminum track is ex­truded as a single-piece track/angle-bracket
assembly and ties into the top, bottom and
rear of the enclosure. Metal bars inside the
enclosure tie the top and bottom track/
angle-bracket assemblies together, minimiz­ing the load applied to the wooden enclo-

sure. The rear extrusion will accommodate
the New Haven 32102-2 aircraft-type
double-stud locking fitting instead of the
hinge for applications requiring a lower
strength rating.

The removable front strap assemblies uti­lize all-steel New Haven 32102-2 aircraft­type double-stud locking fittings and wire
rope, and are secured into another propri­etary track similar to the heavy-duty air­craft L-track. The track is extruded as a
single-piece track/angle-bracket assembly
that ties into the front and side of the en­closure. The track/angle-bracket assembly
extends from the top to the bottom of the
enclosure, eliminating the load applied to
the wooden enclosure.

A complete line of flying-hardware acces­sories is available for the X-Array™ loud­speaker systems including a grid, rigging
hinges and rigging straps. The variety of
rigging hinges and front rigging straps
available include those for linking two en­closures together, securing the top enclo­sure in a column to a grid, and for picking
up the top enclosure in a column without a
grid. Consult the X-Array™ Accessories
section for a complete listing the available
rigging accessories.

The total weight of a column of X-Array™
loudspeaker systems that may be sup­ported by the X-Array™ rigging system
varies from 454-726 kg (1,000-1,600 lb) de­pending on the rigging configuration de­tails. An X-Array™ Flying Manual is
available from Electro-V oice and is included
with each X-Array™ system shipment. The
manual should be consulted for complete
structural specifications and detailed in­structions for safely suspending and us­ing the X-Array™ systems.

Field Replacement

Normal service for the Xcn requires only a
#2 Phillips screwdriver and a 3/16-inch hex­key wrench. The drivers may be accessed
as follows:

HF: First remove the grille, then remove
the screws securing the front flange of the
high-frequency horn. Lift the horn and
driver out of the shroud assembly. In the
event of failure, the diaphragm assembly

Xcn Two-Way MB/HF System

3

Xcn T wo-W ay MB/HF System

Xcn T wo-Way, MB/HF System

can be replaced with the driver attached to
the horn.

MB: Remove the screws securing the
hatch on the back of the enclosure and lift
the hatch out. Remove the screws secur­ing the 12-inch driver and lift the driver out
of the enclosure. In the event of failure,
the entire driver must be replaced.

The following service parts are available
from the service department in Buchanan,
Michigan USA:

HF: #84423-XX 16-ohm ND5-16

diaphragm kit

Xcn Two-Way MB/HF System

#827-2973 ND5-16 complete driver
MB: #812-2858 ND12A complete driver
LF: #818-2883 EVX-180B complete driver
The complete drivers are available only for

repair replacement and are not available
for general sale.

Architects’ and Engineers’
Specifications

The loudspeaker system shall be a three­way, active, coaxial, MB/HF system with a
frequency response from 125-20,000 Hz with
crossover frequencies at 125 and 1,760 Hz
and a rotatable 60° x 40° constant-directiv­ity coverage pattern. The loudspeaker sys­tem shall have a high-frequency compres­sion driver mounted on a 60° x 40° constant­directivity horn, and shall have a 16-ohm,

76.2-mm (3-in.) diameter voice coil, a

76.2-mm (3-in.) titanium dome, a 35.6-mm
(1.4-in.) exit, a neodymium magnetic motor
structure, and a 75-watt power rating.
The loudspeaker system also shall have
a 305-mm (12-in.) mid-bass driver
mounted on a mid-bass horn, and shall
have a 16-ohm, 63.5-mm (2.5-in.) diameter
voice coil, a neodymium magnetic motor
structure, and a 300-watt power rating. The
loudspeaker shall have a rigging system
enabling a column of loudspeakers to be
hinged at their back corners with relative
downward angles set by adjustable rigging
straps at the front. The enclosure shall be
constructed of 18-mm thick, 13-ply birch
plywood, and shall be trapezoidal forming
an 18° wedge, and be 596 mm (23.46 in.)
high, 584 mm (23.00 in.) wide at the front,
354 mm (13.93 in.) wide at the back and

759 mm (29.88 in.) deep and shall weigh

60.8 kg (134 lb). The loudspeaker sys­tem shall be the Electro-Voice Xcn.

Rigging Accessories
Grid: This ATM Fly-Ware™ “T”-shaped,

all-steel-construction grid was specifically
designed as a single column of X-Array™
systems. Multiple grids can be linked to­gether with couplers on front and back re­tractable arms, the position of which sets
the splay angle between adjacent columns.
Part number MEGS-4000-T. ATM
Fly-ware™, 2100 S. Wilmington Ave.,
Carson, CA 90810 USA, 310/834-5914

Xrhg Grid Hinge: Two Xrhg grid rigging
hinges are used to attach the rear of the
top enclosure in a column to the rear of an
X-Array
sists of two precision-machined steel rig­ging-track fittings connected by an alloy­steel chain. Part number 510-2999. Electro­Voice, 600 Cecil St., Buchanan, MI 49107
USA, 616/695-6831 or 800/234-6831

Xrhp Pickup Hinge: Two Xrhp pickup
rigging hinges are used to create custom
rigging assemblies to attach to the rear of
the top enclosure in a column when an
ATM grid is not used. Each hinge con­sists of one precision-machined steel rig­ging-track fitting with an alloy-steel chain.
Part number 510-3000. Electro-Voice, 600
Cecil St., Buchanan, MI 49107 USA,
616/695-6831 or 800/234-6831

Xrhl Linking Hinge: Two Xrhl linking
rigging hinges are used to link two enclo­sures together at the rear. Each hinge con­sists of two precision-machined steel rig­ging-track fittings connected by a heavy­duty steel hinge. Part number 510-2998.
Electro-Voice, 600 Cecil St., Buchanan, MI
49107 USA, 616/695-6831 or 800/234-6831
Xrsl Long Rigging Steel Straps: Two Xrsl
long rigging straps are used at the front of
two enclosures to adjust their relative ver­tical angles. The Xrsl may also be used to
attach the front of the top enclosure to the
ATM grid when upward angles are not re­quired. Each all-steel strap consists of two
New Haven NH32102-2 double-stud fit­tings connected by black plastic-coated

™

compatible grid. Each hinge con-

wire rope. Sound Manufacturing Inc., 3336
Primera A ve., Hollywood, CA 90068 USA,
213/850-5042 or ATM Fly-ware™, 2100 S.
Wilmington Ave., Carson, CA 90810 USA,
310/834-5914

Xrss Short Rigging Steel Straps: Two
Xrss short rigging straps are used to at­tach the front of the top enclosure to the
ATM grid. The Xrss may also be used at
the front of two enclosures when a limited
range of vertical angles are required. The
all-steel Xrss utilizes the same construc­tion as the Xrsl. Sound Manufacturing Inc.,
3336 Primera Ave., Hollywood, CA 90068
USA, 213/850-5042 or ATM Fly-ware™,
2100 S. Wilmington A ve., Carson, CA 90810
USA, 310/834-5914

General Rigging Supplies: A wide vari­ety of standard and specialty rigging hard­ware components for both touring and per­manent-installation applications is avail­able. Sound Manufacturing Inc., 3336
Primera A ve., Hollywood, CA 90068 USA,
213/850-5042 or ATM Fly-ware™, 2100 S.
Wilmington Ave., Carson, CA 90810 USA,
310/834-5914

Electronic Accessories
Klark Teknik DN8000 Digital Control-

ler: The DN8000 digital electronic loud-

speaker controller has a two-in/five-out ar­chitecture, with each output having pro­grammable high-pass and low-pass filters,
four-band equalization, signal delay, com­pressor- limiter-and noise-gate functions.
Program parameters for optimal perfor­mance of the X-Array™ systems are avail­able. Klark Teknik, Klark Industrial Park,
Walter Nash Road, Kidderminster,
W orcestershire DY11 7HJ England, 44-156­274-1515

Electro-Voice Dx38 Digital Controller:

The Dx38 digital electronic loudspeaker
controller has a two-in/four-out architec­ture, with each output having program­mable high-pass and low-pass filters, four­band equalization, signal delay compres­sor and limiter functions. Program param­eters for optimal performance of the
X-Array™ systems are available. Electro­Voice, 600 Cecil St., Buchanan, MI 49107
USA, 616/695-6831

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