Powersoft encourages the development of bass music at Scotland Yard Soundsystem

With the power of Harmony Plus, the X-series amplifier platform Powersoft marks the key point for the British sound system. Scotland Yard speakers include Hog subwoofers, SVQ186BPH and Limmer speakers 308, in addition to a Smaart equipment and a mixing console Allen & Heath SQ5.

To Scotland Yard Soundsystem, one of the most exciting modern additions to Bristol's legendary bass music scene, power and quality are everything. Since its creation in 2015, this group of builders, engineers, artists and musicians, based in the south west of England, has become an influential figure in UK sound system culture, offering a comprehensive audio experience, Backed by the power and sound quality of Powersoft K and X Series amplification platforms.

“Scotland Yard Soundsystem is a handcrafted sound system, DIY/open source”, comenta Jonny Bovill de Scotland Yard, reflecting on the founding of the system a decade ago. "Aesthetically, we wanted to pay homage to the classic dub systems that we respected and admired, while inside we wanted to provide it with the essence of the most modern and powerful point source systems”.

This combination has proven popular at an eclectic variety of events, from intimate basement parties and dinners at various venues to raves with capacity for 3.500 personas. Throughout this entire process. “Powersoft amplifiers have been fundamental for the evolution of the system”, said Bovil.

“We have used Powersoft since the conception of the sound system. At first, We were using some K series amplifiers as part of a mix of equipment [from different manufacturers] that we managed to gather. But we always aspired to reach a point where we could fully use Powersoft; in terms of performance and quality, "They are widely respected in the scene.".

This respect deepened when Bovill upgraded the K series to the X series, booked for a New Year's Eve concert at the O2 Academy, with capacity for 1.600 personas, a Bristol. “I couldn't get enough K20 for the installation, so I rented some X series amplifiers. After using them and listening to them at that event, I knew I had to get them.. I couldn't believe how much air they could continually move through our subwoofers; The overall quality and performance impressed me”.

Designed for both touring and sound system installations, X-series crossover platform offers reference power amplification and full speaker management features, including all signal processing functions, in a single lightweight unit. Both versions of the X series (the four-channel X4 and the eight-channel X8) include Ethernet, full DSP functionality, routing and serial matrix, as well as full integration with Powersoft's ArmoníaPlus systems management software.

With the X Series now integrated into your workflow, Scotland Yard team built modular system that can be scaled, split or adapt to virtually any configuration. In addition to praising the capacity of Powersoft amplifiers, Bovill recognizes the merit of ArmoníaPlus (A+) for making this flexibility possible. “We develop our own speaker presets (equalization, delays, crossovers and limiters), which has saved us a lot of time when designing systems for events. We can assemble the towers in the A+ workspace, add our amplifier rack, connect the channels and that's it, with processing applied to your destination”.

Scotland Yard speakers include Hog subwoofers, SVQ186BPH speakers (kick drum/bass) and Limmer midrange and treble speakers 308, in addition to a Smaart equipment for alignment and an Allen mixing console & Heath SQ5. Sometimes, a Sage Dub preamp is incorporated into more informal sessions.

Long regarded as the capital of UK sound system culture, the scene in Bristol is still booming, according to Bovill, which means that sound quality is very important if systems want to stand out from the competition.