Premise - a must for the youngest and not only: Yamaha or a company with 3 tuning forks is certainly one of the longest-running companies and strongly engaged in the design / construction of musical instruments, electronic equipment for musicians, music reproduction and recording.
Founded in 1887 has always distinguished itself in the production of quality instruments, which later became a reference point for many musicians. All this without ever forgetting the entry level and mid-range products which, benefiting from the know-how of the house, have allowed many musicians to make music with satisfaction.
Just a few examples to recall some products / instruments, key players in world music in recent years. Who does not know the acoustic pianos C3 e C7 , or studio monitors NS10, the basses of the series TRB, including one of the first 6 strings still a standard today and continuing, electronic keyboards DX7 o Design:, Acoustic or Electronic Drums, mixers, from the simplest to the huge, digital, stage or studio ones. The musician or music lover will surely know one or more of these "music machines", for those who are less accustomed to the sector, even if not identifying a specific model, listening to music will surely identify the sound of these instruments as familiar, because millions of records and concerts were done with them.
Project
I just got the feeling that in building the Stagepas 1K, Yamaha wanted, keeping in mind the philosophy of the project, to combine the basic laws of acoustics / electroacoustics (subwoofer + satellite / Array line) with the most modern technological achievements (digitization and DSP, PWM amplifiers, connection via bluetooth, software management, materials ...) trying to reduce the phenomenon of "short blanket" (see note*) which has always existed in electroacoustics. Furthermore, performance, simplicity (built-in mixer, effects, intelligent single-control equalization, Hi-Z inputs, immediate editing…) and easy portability, were the project's goal.
*Nota"short blanket". In electroacoustics, when designing a speaker system, choices must be made continuously because favoring one parameter inevitably disfavors another.
Alias: “if we cover the head we uncover the feet - short blanket”. Let's start from the fact that there is no ideal speaker and that for example, the characteristics required of a speaker to reproduce low frequencies well will be completely different from those necessary to reproduce high frequencies.
All of you, even just visually, know very well the differences between a woofer and a tweeter. Again, excursion, resonant frequency, magnetic complex, dispersion, diameter, etc ... are interrelated parameters. Even the complete speaker (speakers + cabinet + plus crossover) is linked to precise design and construction constraints in relation to the chosen speakers and the selected project (one-way, two or more-way, horn configuration, bass reflex / pneumatic suspension, type and crossover frequencies for the crossover ... ..) In short, when designing a system, you must have in mind what is the goal you want to achieve and consequently, choose the right way to go, privileging some aspects and accepting some waivers.
In the case of the Stagepas 1K for example, the choice of positioning a woofer as close as possible to the floor allows on the one hand, the minimization of the destructive interactions between the direct emission of the woofer and that of its reflected image from the floor (which acts as a true acoustic mirror) and on the other, an increase in the level of the overall “energy” response (direct emission + floor reflection). Obviously, to do this, the cut-off frequency must be low enough not to affect the reproduction of mid-high frequencies. In the case of the Stagepas 1K we have a crossover frequency of 240 Hz. The reproduction of the medium-high range is entrusted to a “line array”, that is, a vertical arrangement of 10 speakers small diameter 1,5" with J-curve, which work as a “single” sound emission source. The choice of appropriately designed speakers, with a small diameter and with a particular configuration, allows to obtain a Horizontal x Vertical dispersion respectively of 170 ° 30 °.
Subwoofer
Il Subwoofer It is constituted by a 12 inches. Yamaha, as stated, while trying to reduce the size and weight of the speaker, in order to improve its portability, tried not to sacrifice the quality of the response. Also, with technology Twisted Flare Port ™ the air noise of the reflex port is reduced.
The electronics and controls, housed in the subwoofer cabinet, consist of an amplifier in Class D from "1000" W dynamic (Subwoofer: 810W, Line array speakers: 190W) and a Digital mixer with various inputs and controls. Regarding the inputs of the mixer we find: three mono microphone / line channels and a stereo input. Two of the mono channels also feature Hi-Z connections for direct interfacing with guitars and basses without the use of additional DIs. The stereo input, in addition to standard 6,3 jack and 1/8 ″ mini line jack inputs, also supports playback of Bluetooth devices .
Among the sound control functions, there is the equalizer consisting of a single potentiometer for a setting of multi-band equalization optimized, the reverb derived from the famous multi-effect of the house SPX , the "Mode" control potentiometer that manages a multiband compressor allowing you to adjust the compression settings optimizing them for various applications such as "Speech" or "Music."
Stagepas Editor
There is also a Stagepas Editor as a software application (downloadable free of charge) that allows you to remotely control the parameters of the mixer, through devices Android ™ o iOS. Below two screenshot from my smartphone while adjusting the units while sitting on the couch at the listening point. The Stagepas Editor also allows you to save the settings / adjustments made and recall them as needed.
Each unit consists of two components: the subwoofer which also houses the electronics and the line array. In order to position the mid-high unit from the subwoofer at the correct height, two are also provided spacers so as to have 3 combinations for different heights. Everything is mounted very easily given the presence of dedicated mechanical / electrical joints. Obviously, with two units we will have a stereo system that we could connect as dual mono (each unit completely independent L and R) or "linked" (function widely foreseen by the project). Having a stereo pair certainly represents the optimum for a correct spatial and stereophonic reproduction however, in some circumstances, where this need is not indispensable or required, I imagine a speaker, a traveling musician with minimal equipment for performances with guitar and voice, etc ..., a single unit could already be more than enough for the purpose, reducing costs and facilitating even more transport.
For transport, a convenient bag is supplied in which you can insert the whole unit, in addition there is a platform, which can be purchased separately, equipped with wheels to further facilitate movement.
The good characteristics of horizontal dispersion (170 °) and a fair vertical dispersion (30 °) that go well beyond the standard of a line array system (on average between 110-140 degrees horizontal and 10-15 degrees vertical) allow, also by adjusting the height (with the appropriate spacers) and the orientation of the upper part of the stagepas, to sound with satisfaction even the near field (a few meters away from the speaker), expanding the possibilities of use. We can therefore think, for example, of using the Stagepas 1K in monophonic mode o stereo, in various applications: - playing music in the rehearsal room or in suitable home environments (to try / study / have fun and listen to music when you are looking for more live-oriented sensations, also given its balanced and natural performance) or, sound reinforcement of spaces with public => One men show, small groups, DJ sets, small concert halls, conferences ...
Try it now
After a little familiarization with the system, testing inputs, adjustments and more, I entered in theline input ST the jack coming from the line output of my sound card and sent the player to play with the continuous reproduction of musical pieces with a fair harmonic complexity and impact. All this to let the speakers "run in" a few hours, a practice that I always do when it comes to listening / testing structures that base their operation on movement.
Test with electric guitar
Then I connected my electric guitar to a single unit and precisely to input 2 of the mixer Yamaha Mike Stern MS1511 (customized by me to make it closer to my needs) and activated the control Hi-Z. I must admit that my approach towards the direct Hi-Z input of the mixer was slightly biased, that is, I thought it was a good and useful possibility but still a "fallback of necessity" and that I would probably have obtained the usual sound quite "off" , but: EUREKA! I didn't expect much! There is a clean and dynamicguitar sound. With the addition of a little reverb I found myself in an instant to improvise and have fun on harmonic / rhythmic bases performed by my PC and reproduced by the Stagepas 1K through the ST input. Just the time to mix the volumes of the two channels and let the fun begin, with excellent involvement. The sound, the frequencies, the instruments are there and are projected with a real, very live feeling tonally correct.The character of the Hi-Z input reminds me a lot of that of my "old" Yamaha bass processor. FX500Bwhich, even if dated (by now it has several decades), on some occasions I still use it with great pleasure in bypass just like DI, because it is very performing. I was pleased to find that sound in part. Obviously, those who play the electric guitar will hardly be satisfied with the clean sound alone. So if the need is that of a sound that goes far beyond the Clean, no one prevents us from interposing between the six strings and the Stagepas a multi-effect/amp simulatorobtaining, while respecting practicality and portability, a wider range of sounds that meet our multiple needs. As you can imagine I did it, I interposed one of my multi-effects / amp simulators and the result was of considerable interest, allowing me to cover various musical genres with the simple click of a pedal.
Test with Electric bass
Returning to the Hi-Z input, the clean and dynamic sound was confirmed even when I connected mine to the mixer 5-string electric bass. Even the whole Stagepas 1K stereo system performed very well in the reproduction of this instrument for speed and response, obviously we should not expect the sound of a top of the range 15"cone amp expressly designed for electric bass, it would be a comparison unfair.
Mini performances
Thanks to the collaboration and complicity of my daughter Carla (songwriter and musician), we improvised a small exclusive live performance just for the two of us. The vocals were clear and well reproduced so the basic loop and the added guitar in real time.
"Pure" listening
I then “dared” with a “pure” listening test, that is only reproduced music, known songs by favorite artists, “at home” with the stereo system mounted and rightly arranged. I was sitting comfortably on the sofa and the distance that separated me from the speakers was just over 3m. Under these conditions I eliminated the spacers so the mid-high units were positioned at the same height as the ears. After some tests, I tilted the Stagepas a few degrees backwards (with simple 2,5 cm rubber studs positioned under the speaker at the front) to improve vertical dispersion with respect to the listening point. Mind you, it's not a system Hi-Fi and it does not want to be, it was not born for this, but how close it comes to the quality of the sounds (fortunately today we are increasingly distant from the old professional systems with full volume and little substance). As already written, I dedicated the right amount of time to positioning / tilting / adjustment (almost all flat) to adapt the system to my environment, my position and the listening distance.
Whoever plays, knows well the feeling you get inlistening live, when you are positioned between musicians and instruments, with the sound of the drum, the slap of the bass, the hammer of the piano beating on the strings, transforming the percussion into vibration and sound, the power of a full and distorted guitar chord, those bass always a little long and of the series: “but what do you want is the environment, it's the live”… .. Well these feelings, even if rightly in scale, are found. Dave Weckl, Pino Daniele, Joe Bonamassa, Tom Kennedy, Michael Petrucciani, Keith Jarrett, Jeff Lorber, Chick Corea … .. just to name a few, they were very close, especially if the reproduction was done at high volumes. The more I turned up the volume (without ever exaggerating beyond the appropriate condominium limits) the more involvement increased and increased to such an extent that sometimes I could not resist and I connected, with a lot of modesty and with bowed head, my guitar starting to improvise with them, ... advantages of having a professional amplification system available.
During the various listening sessions, which increased in number and duration, I rediscovered a different way and pleasure of listening to music. Certainly some purists will surely tell you that compared to Hi-Fi systems the highs are not sufficiently extended, the dispersion in the environment and the scene are limited, the bass is not perfectly damped, the controls are not totally excludable, at very low volumes it does not perform as a medium / high volumes, the sound seems to have a tendency to "free range" and not very refined, etc ... it is true, however, in contrast to the involvement, what a taste that live sensation, that rediscovery of some dynamic passages ...
We are in 2020, given the pandemic period and the significant and inevitable restrictions regarding gatherings, outdoor and public rehearsals have currently been suspended. However, there are all the conditions for doing well and I expect positive confirmations. The thing that intrigues me most from today, will be to verify if what we have tested so far will also be confirmed in large / outdoor environments and in the presence of the public and if the "quantity" will also be associated with quality, that is the ability to play loud and satisfy the listening of a “sufficiently” large audience. The plate data and the conditions are there. As you have read so far, the time available was dedicated to the study / analysis of the system and to numerous "domestic" tests, making a virtue of necessity.
If you are a group heavy metal and you need to shake the walls with seismic waves or sound a stadium, perhaps you should turn your gaze elsewhere (the Yamaha catalog itself is full of solutions) instead, in all the cases described above, a system of this type could be an excellent solution, combining sound, portability and simplicity. Definitely a system to listen before deciding on any purchases.
Salvatore Savio Aversano
Ps If I had to give some advice to Yamaha (obviously not requested), I would write to consider a bundled stereo package / model, or a pair of Stagepas 1K designed and sold directly for stereo reproduction with a single mixer (so as to possibly reduce even costs), perhaps with a more direct line-in signal path (totally excludable equalizers and dynamic processors), plus a Pan-Pot adjustment on each channel and Last but not least the addition of a ½ spacer, so as to greatly expand the possibilities for positioning the unit in height from medium to high. Nobody asked me anything but I try, you never know.
Thanks Cav. Music House Quinto Fabio (SA), for giving me the opportunity to use two implants Stagepas 1K, for all the time necessary to carry out the TEST.
Further technical characteristics declared
- Frequency Response (–10 dB) 37 Hz - 20 kHz
- Maximum Output Level (Measured peak, IEC noise @ 1m) 119 dB SPL
- Dimensions (W x H x D) Line array speaker: 67 x 582 x 86 mm Spacer (each): 67 x 555 x 86 mm
- Subwoofer: 334 x 550 x 418 mm
- Weight: Line array speaker: 1.8 kg Spacer (each): 0.6 kg Subwoofer: 20.0 kg
Useful Information
Producer: Yamaha
Distributor: Yamaha
Model: Stagepas 1K
Advised price: 879,00 Euro including VAT
