Keep ringing the bell

Martin Audio Proposes MLA Solution to Replace Big Ben’s ‘Bongs’
Martin Audio has waded into the controversy surrounding Big Ben’s bongs that are currently planned to be silent for an astonishing four years, while essential repair works take place — and at the same time protect workers from proximity to the sound of the bells over time. The Great Bell has sounded on the hour for 157 years, but the bongs will sound for the final time this year before being disconnected. Martin Audio, founded by audio engineer David Martin in 1971, wants to pick up this challenge, having pioneered the use of all-horn-loaded bass designs in world-class touring loudspeaker systems.
Indeed, the uproar from UK citizens, some MPs and media has been significant and so Dom Harter, Managing Director of Martin Audio, decided to propose a solution to The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP. He suggests that the deployment of MLA (Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array) would enable the bell sounds to emanate external to Big Ben while at the same time offering “rear rejection” in order to provide protection for the workers during refurbishments.
One of the features of MLA is that we are able to steer sound accurately; in addition to this, it is able to generate very high sound pressure levels in front of the loudspeakers whilst maintaining a dramatic reduction in sound behind them. Therefore, theoretically, we could replace the bell over the four-year period with four hangs / stacks of our MLA units and generate the same kind of level and output as Big Ben by playing a recording which could be fired off on the hour by a computer all this whilst maintaining safe working levels around the clock tower. The company is currently waiting for a reply to its proposal.
For more information: https://martin-audio.com