With the introduction of PANTHER, Meyer Sound once again demonstrates its longstanding commitment to environmentally friendly touring. The new large line array speaker is the company's first product designed with sustainability in mind, from conception to completion.

The CO₂ footprint is significantly reduced during manufacture, transport and use compared to previous products. Meyer Sound also places an ongoing emphasis on sustainability in all future product development, corporate locations, technical support initiatives and educational programs.

The design criteria for PANTHER required a significant reduction in size and weight as well as a reduction in power consumption of at least 20% compared to previous generations of line array loudspeakers to achieve the same acoustic performance. The result is a system with a maximum sound level of more than 150 dB and weighing less than 68 kg. PANTHER possesses the compactness of the LYON line array loudspeaker, but offers nearly the same power and long throw capacity of the much larger and heavier LEO system.

“Reducing power consumption is an important factor whether the system is touring or installed,” said Tim Boot, Meyer Sound's director of global marketing. “But what really matters for mobile applications is size and weight for portability. If you need just one less truck, a tour across North America can already reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ten tons or more. Of course, Meyer Sound’s self-powered systems have always had an advantage in that they don’t need amp racks.”

PANTHER's sustainability considerations were a key factor in choosing the sound reinforcement system for Ed Sheeran's + – = ÷ x (“Mathematics”) tour, according to Chris Marsh, the tour's production manager and FOH engineer and principal shareholder of rental company Major Tom Ltd.

“Sustainability is one of our main concerns when planning a tour today,” says Marsh, “and we do everything we can to be environmentally friendly. The fact that PANTHER is smaller and lighter is a really big deal. The system will take up less space in the trucks for the UK and European shows and it will also make a huge difference when we need to transport it by sea or even air.”

The benefits of PANTHER's reduced carbon footprint aren't limited to global touring, notes Tim Boot. “Smaller rental companies also transport the systems thousands of kilometers a year, even if they only operate in a specific region. The weight reduction of PANTHER makes the difference here – and if you can use smaller trucks, that leads to significant savings.”

Although PANTHER is the flagship for touring use, the same attention to sustainability is reflected in other recent Meyer Sound products, most notably the ULTRA-X40 and ULTRA-X20 point-source loudspeakers. The same sustainability goals will be at the heart of all future product developments, and these include the manufacturing processes and sustainability certifications of key component suppliers.

An emerging trend in green touring is that artists only carry mixers and monitor systems and rely on the venue's permanently installed main system. Venues investing in PANTHER systems will also benefit from greater energy efficiency and the associated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs.

The development of more compact, lighter and more energy-efficient loudspeakers is just one aspect of Meyer Sound's overall commitment to sustainable corporate governance. Meyer Sound has been recognized as a Bay Area Green Business since 2016. This award includes targeted programs to reduce energy and water use on the Berkeley campus and eliminate manufacturing waste.

The reduction of emissions is also influenced by the life cycle of a product. Meyer Sound products are designed for a service life that is regularly measured in decades - according to the manufacturer.

Although Meyer Sound's contribution to green touring focuses on reducing emissions associated with concert production, the broader green touring initiative also includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions from venues and adopting a more sustainable approach to transport to and from audiences, among others reducing non-recyclable waste.

You can find out more at www.meyersound.de

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