Meyer Sound News : Meyer Sound System A Natural Choice for Taylor Guitars Showroom

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Meyer Sound System A Natural Choice for Taylor Guitars Showroom

Taylor Guitars chose Meyer Sound equipment for the sound system for their new showroom that is part nightclub, part auditorium, and part laboratory.

If you're a guitarist, the name Taylor Guitars hardly needs introduction. Known worldwide as a leading maker of acoustic guitars, Taylor recently chose Meyer Sound equipment for the sound system for their new showroom and evaluation facility in El Cajon, California. The showroom was a collaborative effort between studio designer Chris Pelonis and Taylor's Senior V.P. of Sales & Marketing, T.J. Baden. Pelonis and Baden worked in concert with Professional Production Associates of Escondido, CA to create a room that is part nightclub, part auditorium, and part laboratory.

Taylor's system consists of two flown CQ-1 Wide Coverage Loudspeakers and two UMS-1P Ultra-Compact Subwoofers for the main instrumental mix, with two UPM-1P Ultra-Compact Wide Coverage Loudspeakers and two additional UMS-1Ps for front fill. Two UPA-1P Compact Wide Coverage Loudspeakers and two UMS-1Ps are dedicated to vocals, which are amplified separately from the guitars to reduce intermodulation distortion between the signals. Two UM-100P Wide Coverage Monitors and two UMS-1Ps comprise the monitoring system. Taylor uses part or all of the same system for trade shows, depending on the size and nature of the show.

The Taylor showroom was designed and built with both performance and acoustic accuracy in mind. "At every step of the design process, we kept our musical goals in the forefront," said Baden. "All of our work was focused on getting the best possible sound. We spent a lot of time researching and discussing issues like ceiling height, absorption materials, and rear wall design." After the showroom system was installed, Lloyd Kinkade of Meyer Sound tuned it with Meyer's SIM System II Analyzer. The result is a natural-sounding space that is very friendly for live music yet flexible enough for company meetings and research.

"We wanted the space to sound good in performance, but we also wanted it to tell the truth about the sound. In addition to being a showcase, the room is also a place for us to try new guitar designs," Baden pointed out. The clear reproduction offered by Meyer Sound loudspeakers made them the natural choice for the company's acoustical proving ground. "I'm really interested in accuracy from a speaker system. I've been using HD-1s in my studio for years, and frankly, now I can't listen to anything else but Meyer."

As it turns out, Taylor's relationship with Meyer Sound has been a long and fruitful one. The company used a Meyer Sound system for its first tradeshow appearance at NAMM in 1994, and has used them ever since. "Since the beginning, Meyer Sound has been really good to us, and we've always loved the sound. We want people to really hear our guitars and Meyer's loudspeakers let them do just that," Baden concluded.

Uncompromising quality is part of the pedigree at Taylor Guitars. Founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug count themselves as the first American guitar makers to grow their business from a small custom shop to a production-level manufacturer without relinquishing ownership or creative control. As the company grew, it kept its eyes on the musical prize – automating processes to make them more efficient, and engaging in continuous research – all with the goal of making its products sound the very best. In that sense, Taylor Guitars and Meyer Sound are kindred spirits.

October, 2001

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