Element ICT Grows with JBL BRX300

Just over a year ago, Chris Manton from Sydney’s Element ICT sat down with CX to discuss the newly acquired JBL BRX300 compact line array for their hire stock. “I was honestly blown away that something with the capabilities of the BRX300 exists at that price point,” said Chris. At that stage, the system comprised two subs and eight top boxes. So where to from here? More BRX of course!

The first few gigs mid 2021 debuted the new purchase, with an addition of two extra array modules each side, loaned by CMI, who convinced them it was worth growing it out. According to Chris, flying six array modules with two subs blew them and the audience away. This was enough to convince them to continue running this configuration for a while before purchasing their own additional subs. There’s nothing like try before you buy!

Over the last year, Chris explains they have “grown it to as big as they can take it.” What started out as two subs and four array modules has now doubled to four subs and eight tops each side with full array frames, after recently purchasing the final four array modules. With eight tops per side being the maximum you can fly with the array frames, it makes no sense to keep adding subs and four more arrays per sub, since you can’t fly the additional configuration, Chris notes.

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Their now fully specced set up has enabled Element ICT to provide a system that can be sliced and diced to create whatever they want and works for all general purpose indoor and outdoor work, with versatility being a key component. Priding themselves on being a solution-based business, having flexibility in what they can deliver is paramount.

The new steroid-pumped larger system saw one of its first outings at a four- day Christmas in July event in Canberra, which included everything from rock acts to 30 piece stage bands. The general consensus was that despite it not being a fully modellable array and steerable, the throw and clarity it delivers is surprising. Translation: darn awesome! Backup dual 18 subs to augment the system in the big open-air space were even brought along, with their services left unrequired.

Alongside the new fully grown out system, a newly purchased ground support stage made its debut in Canberra with its inclusive set of production services. After sitting on it for a year and finally taking the plunge, Element ICT teamed up with DQ to design and build the semi-customised structure. According to Chris, an existing design was utilised, with PA wings added in “giving us the ability to fly and use that array correctly and all the right heights, but also to give us that presence as well so it’s a 15m width at that point.” It also comes decked out with rigging for all lighting, including in-house lights, fully automated, full of movers and general audience lighting.

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This is no ‘truck based on wheels’ kind of stage, but a true ground support structure, with Chris pointing out the “key benefits over truck stages are its capabilities from a wind loading and also from a flown weights perspective”, making them a much tougher stage.  It also makes more of a statement with a roofline spanning 7m high. The drive behind this was to crack into the sub-stage festival market, preferably established festivals, which is the current vision for the organisation.

A great asset in building the stage with DQ was the ability to have CAD available in the cloud. This meant the CAD design was available up in the cloud so they could work with DQ customising it along the way. By just going online, the ability to zoom in, spin in three dimensions, double check right components in right locations and marrying it with the inventory that gets loaded on the truck, made this a real game-changer. All information can then be passed onto ground crew, riggers and engineers as required for verification. Forget static photos; this allows people to visualise and understand the context of what they’re looking at from all different dimensions. Great for those spatially challenged among us. All of this rapid growth in the last year has led to more larger scale work for Element ICT, as Chris reflects on how far they’ve come in a short space of time. Being a solutions-based business, he also notes that they are “uber flexible to the point of distraction sometimes.” Their major point of difference: “Let’s put the customer first and see if we can solution with them rather than just give them out-of-the-box solutions and making them fit their requirements.”