JBL Vertec VT4886 Line Array Speakers - In-Depth Review

♪♫♪♫..............................[Music Playing] The JBL VT4886 is one of the most high output compact line array systems in the world today. Let's talk a little bit about this. It's like a sports car. They've packed a ton of technology, a lot of drivers, a lot of engine into a very small package. First of all, unique for any subcompact line array is, this is a 3-way system. it's got two 6-inch drivers. It's got 4 mid-frequency drivers and two high frequency drivers. That means it's a full 3-way system. It has very smooth response throughout the entire frequency range and incredible ouput in a very small package. So in a situation where you need, say you have a low proscenium height low platform height, low ceiling, but you need high ouput, rock and roll levels, this is an outstanding choice. You can see that the rigging on the side here is adjustable. You've got pins, so the classic Vertec-type of a rigging system is the pin-type system. You can adjust the angles on that so you can fine tune the throw on it. Just like the large Vertecs. In fact, this is called the "Baby" Vertec. Vertec line arrays are used in large venues all around the world, huge concerts. The Vertec name is synonymous with incrredible sound. In a great package with JBL drivers and you know the history of JBL drivers. They're just great, solid drivers and I'll show you those in just a moment. Let's take a look at the back panel. If you're going to pack this much power into a small package, you better have a heatsink, and this one has a heatsink. Now this is a passive loudspeaker. It doesn't have a built-in amplifier. So that's why you've got the Neutrik Speakon connecters here. You're going to have to have an amp rack and some digital processing and run speaker wires up to these speakers. But that's how they pack this much output into this small of a package. Now let's go ahead and take a look at the components that are inside the VT4886. First of all, we'll talk about the low frequency 6-inch drivers. Those use JBL's famous "differential drive" technology. That means there are two voice coils on each of these. That gives you double the output. Plus, they have incredible heatsink. I'm going to go ahead and swing this around and show you. All the massive amount of heatsinking capability on this mid-range driver. That can handle the power, that can dissipate the power, which minimizes power compression Power compression happens when you go ahead and have a lot of power going through this, a lot of sound going through the speaker over a long period of time. The heat builds up and the amount of the output out of the box actually goes down. That doesn't happen with the JBL because of the heatsinking capabilities. And let's take a look at the mid-range now. The mid-range, as I mentioned, there are 4 of them. in a wave-guide so you get some directivity that's happening on this box. Each of these mid-range drivers is in a full heatsink, and you can see that right there. It's a massive heatsink. It's a thinned heatsink. Let's take a look at the back. It looks just like a radiator on a high performance sports car, engine, so you've got the fins. You've got slots there for air. And then you've got the high frequency drivers at the back. Now one of the interesting things that JBL has done is that they have, inside of these, taken care of some of the inside horn resonances that can happen by using a special foam-type of a ...absorber, which helps what we call "phase response," or impedence miss-matches, so that the impedence of the air and impedence of the horn are matched. Which means you get better transmission of energy coming from the horn to the air. And, in fact the low frequency driver has one too. You can see it right here. This goes right in front of the low frequency driver. It's a phasing plug so that all the sound that comes out is in phase. So, in short, the components that you're seeing here are incredibly engineered and tested JBL components of super hgih quality. The VT4886 JBL Compacy Line Array, again, three-way line array. Outstanding output in a very compact package. There are a lot of ways to deploy this. You want to have safe rigging. You do have to have the digita processing, and you do need to have an amplifier rack. So call your CCI Solutions Systems or Retail Product Specialist and we'll help you through anything you need to do the safely hang the VT4886. ♪♫♪♫.....................................[Music Playing}