Напольная акустика — Backes & Müller BM Line 60

The BM Line 60 is a fully active line-array loudspeaker from the German company Backes & Müller, which describes it as a closed concept in which every electroacoustic function sits inside the cabinet. The first public showing took place at the High End exhibition in Munich in May 2022 as the smaller sibling of the BM Line 80 and BM Line 100. The maker lists it from EUR 150,000 per pair.

Key specs that matter

Each column carries 23 drivers. A single 1-inch VALTEC cylindrical wave radiator sits in the centre, flanked by ten 16 cm midrange units, while twelve 20 cm bass drivers are mounted on the side of the enclosure. Twelve built-in amplifiers deliver a combined output of more than 3,000 W per speaker. The stated frequency range runs from 22 Hz to 24,000 Hz. One unit measures 74 cm wide, 179 cm tall and 64 cm deep and weighs 150 kg. Black and white are the standard colours, and further RAL shades can be ordered, with piano lacquer, solid wood, metallic paint and leaf gold also offered as custom surfaces.

Engineering and use context

VALTEC stands for Variable Acoustic Lens Technology, and the vertical horn behind it was developed together with the Fraunhofer Institute. Instead of steering the beam with electronic delays, acoustic lenses shape the output of the midrange and treble section and aim it at the listening position. The same lens reduces energy sent towards the floor and ceiling, and the vertical angle is set with a dial on the back panel. Backes & Müller notes that the principle was first used to align radio and radar beams. Signal processing is handled by the in-house FIRTEC processor, a digital crossover that compensates the arrival-time differences between the drivers so that every section is controlled with exact timing. The woofers use DMC control, in which sensors monitor the real movement of each bass cone in real time, so that low-frequency output stays controlled independent of playback level and room loading.

Pairing

Because amplification and crossover are built in, the speaker needs only a source or preamplifier signal. The analogue connection is a balanced XLR socket, and digital material arrives either through the BM EasyLink digital connection or through an XLR input for full-scale AES signals. An optional B&M PPG control unit and a remote handset can be added for operation from the listening seat.

Alternatives

The BM Line 80 is the larger floorstanding line-array model from Backes & Müller and sits between the BM Line 60 and the BM Line 100.