Community's XLT500 Series Grows by Five

(Click for a close-up)

Community is officially take the wraps off of five new additions to its XLT500 Series of loudspeakers at this year's NAMM. Joining the full-range XLT500 and thunderous XLT415 subwoofer introduced last year, the quintet of multiple-use products is ideally suited for applications such as musical sound reinforcement, nightclubs, DJ systems, theatres, and anywhere else requiring intelligible, high-impact audio.

In total, the new XLT500 offerings include a pair of stage monitors (models XLT502 and XLT505), a compact, dual-15 subwoofer (model XLT509), a three-way, bass reflex trapezoidal enclosure suitable for portable PA (model XLT530), and a trapezoidal three-way device also built with transportable PA in mind (model XLT525).

Central among features shared by the full-range members of the group is Community's improved IntelliSense protective circuitry, which operates in conjunction with the loudspeaker manufacturer's PowerMeter LED indicators to insure that peak performance levels can be reached and maintained without risk of damage to system components. Found on both the front and rear panels of each unit, the PowerMeter LEDs flash green to indicate signal presence, yellow to warn that the loudspeaker is entering its first stages of protection, and red to show that full protection has been activated. Within protection mode, IntelliSense automatically attenuates speaker levels to within a safe range. Once gain has been reduced, the circuit resets itself, restoring full power and operation to the speaker.

Built using thermal conductivity technology developed for Communitys Air Force large-scale touring arrays, an exclusive UC-1 one-inch compression driver is found on all of the new XLT500 models with the exception of the subwoofer. Equipped with a bullet-type phase plug which enhances high-end performance by virtually eliminating phase anomalies and erratic phase response, the UC-1 brings added reliability to each of its host systems thanks to its ferrofluid-cooled design and non-metallic diaphragm, which eliminates harsh overtones.

Looking elsewhere within the collective XLT500 loudspeaker blueprint reveals the presence of high tech glass epoxy circuit boards and the use of 250-volt mylar capacitors for extended product life, plus a versatile cast metal rear panel housing both a professional-grade interlocking connector and 1/4-inch jacks. Providing added external strength while remaining extremely lightweight, a newly-developed, sandwich-core plywood is used in the construction of each model's enclosure. Corner protectors, recessed handles, a black-carpet finish, and stand sockets on some models serve as a final complement to the line.

Suggested retail prices for the new XLT500 Series components begin at $779 (model XLT500) and range up to $999 (model XLT525). While at NAMM, see them for yourself in the Community booth.