Avante Imperio
Avante is a relative newcomer on the loudspeaker scene, launched as a sibling company of Elation Lighting and American Audio (and others) in 2017. CPM’s first test of the company’s products is this review of the new Imperio "mini array" speaker system. Imperio brings line array performance to smaller venues or mobile applications at a budget-friendly price point.
The Imperio speaker has a pair of 4.75-inch Neodymium woofers that deliver bass response down to 150 Hz. Six 1.75-inch high-frequency drivers sit on top of the woofers, themselves using line array principles to deliver a tight dispersion pattern of 90 degrees horizontal by 15 degrees vertical. All of this comes in a compact ABS plastic cabinet, 7 inches by 9 inches by 13 inches in size, and weighing just 14 pounds.
Imperio is a self-powered speaker with 240 watts (RMS) of Class-D amplification split between woofers and high-frequency drivers. This drives Imperio to a maximum SPL of 117 dB at one meter. Internal 24-bit DSP offers eight presets to optimize speaker output for various line array configurations. Thankfully, graphics on the back of the Imperio cabinet show which DSP setting is used for each common array setup. This sure beats having to dig for the manual each time. Imperio also offers an input trim control (-6 dB to + 3 dB range) and signal present/limit LED.
Imperio's output is usable well beyond 45 degrees off-axis, which is a plus when you need wider coverage.
With a low-frequency cutoff of 150 Hz, Imperio was obviously designed to work with a subwoofer. For this purpose, the Imperio line includes Imperio SUB210 with two 10-inch woofers. Imperio SUB210 uses a 6th order bandpass design, which naturally rolls off unwanted midrange and high frequencies. An internal amplifier generates 700 watts (RMS) respectively, resulting in a peak SPL of 124 dB. The subwoofer has an input level control, phase switch, selectable 90 Hz/120 Hz crossover, and signal present/limit LED.
Speaker array construction set
One notable aspect of the Imperio line is that the speakers have been designed from the start to connect to each other both physically and electrically. Like parts of a construction set, the speakers have mounting hardware top, bottom, and back. You don't place an Imperio speaker on the ground--its bottom mounting brackets protrude. Nor does it have a pole cup for a traditional speaker stand.
Instead, Imperio cabinets connect top to bottom with pins and holes and brackets marked with degrees. With inter-cabinet angles of 0, 4, 8 and 12 degrees, you can configure a short- or long-throw array from as few as two cabinets or as many as eight. You can easily create a custom "J" curve to optimize dispersion for your venue. You then dial in the appropriate DSP setting based on the arrangement of the array.
Connecting an Imperio system is simple: you just daisy-chain XLR inputs and outputs.
The real flexibility of Imperio comes with its ability to achieve a variety of array shapes in both hanging and on-the-ground configurations. You'll have to purchase some additional Imperio hardware, but here are the mounting options available (most offer short- and long-throw variants). You can fly the subwoofers with an Imperio flybar, hanging up to four Imperio cabinets underneath. With subwoofers on the ground, you can fly up to eight Imperio cabinets from a single flybar. At just 14 pounds each, a full Imperio array of eight speakers weighs about 150 pounds with cabling and flybar. That's makes for a light, compact system capable of achieving 135 dB maximum SPL.
Back on the ground, you can mount up to four Imperio cabinets atop each subwoofer (with Imperio flybar). With an Imperio sub pole and adapter, you can put a pair of Imperio speakers high atop a subwoofer. Finally, the pole adapter allows you to put one or two Imperio cabinets on a traditional speaker stand. The Imperio system offers an impressive array of configuration options (pun intended), and well-designed hardware makes the system easy to set up and adjust.
Wired up and powered on
Connecting an Imperio system is simple: you just daisy-chain XLR inputs and outputs. Power also passes from cabinet to cabinet on twist-lock connectors. Once power is connected, the speakers are on--Imperio has no power switch.
I tested Imperio in both overhead and on-the-ground configurations with a variety of source material. I found the system to have a smooth yet detailed sound. The system as tested (four Imperio and one SUB210) gets very loud, yet maintains its clarity and headroom when pushed hard. Overall, I found the sound of the Imperio system to be pleasing. I played back some of my favorite tracks and simply enjoyed the experience.
Vertical dispersion is indeed tight with Imperio, but I found the 90-degree horizontal rating to be a bit conservative. Imperio's output is usable well beyond 45 degrees off-axis, which is a plus when you need wider coverage. If you're trying to throw long, it also means you're wasting a little bit of output to the sides.
Imperio SUB210 has a nice sound, and its output is adequate up to four Imperio speakers. Beyond that, you're going to need an additional subwoofer (or two, or three). With a rated low-frequency cutoff of 60 Hz, I found the SUB210 to be a bit lacking in the deepest bass. If you're a stickler for those longest wavelengths, you may want to supplement Imperio with at least one 18-inch sub. Some may find they're better off purchasing only the Imperio speakers and using their own subs.
Imperio comes in at a competitive price point, with a street price of $500, while the SUB210 is just under $1,000. Four Imperio speakers and one sub come in at $3,000 for smaller venues, while a 16-box/four-sub system would fill a large sanctuary for around $12,000.
Avante has definitely aimed Imperio at the church market, and I think it's going to be well-received. Imperio is compact, lightweight, affordable, and generates a lot of high-quality sound. That the cabinets are available in black and white is a real plus, since many churches find light-colored cabinets to be less visually distracting.
One could say that Imperio takes the line array concept to its logical conclusion: it creates an array of speakers which themselves contain a small line array. That's quite a chain of tiny drivers all working together, and the resulting output is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
