When internationally acclaimed New Zealand reggae band Katchafire brought their signature roots-infused sound to Vidinha Stadium on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i, audiences were treated to an unforgettable evening of live music. Joined by local Hawaiian acts High Watah and Revival, the concert attracted approximately 3,000 fans and required an audio system capable of delivering powerful, high-quality sound coverage across the entire venue. For local production company Audio Visual Technology LLC, the solution came in the form of an exclusively AVANTE Audio-powered PA system.
Based on Kaua'i, Audio Visual Technology LLC was responsible for the complete production of the event. The company is led by industry veteran Kent Tanigawa, whose experience in entertainment technology spans more than four decades. Kent previously operated a successful DJ retail store, served as Technical Director for theater productions at Kaua'i Community College, and has worked in live sound production for more than thirty years. Twelve years ago, he established Audio Visual Technology LLC, which today provides audio, video, lighting, and backline equipment for events ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale concerts. For the Katchafire show, Kent deployed an AVANTE Audio system built around the company's Imperio Pro Series compact line array technology.
“For every event that I do, I try to use all AVANTE Audio products as it just makes my life easier!” enthuses Kent. “The scalability and ease of operation can’t be beat and I also love the sound quality; we own other systems, but I think AVANTE has the edge when it comes to clarity and depth.”
The primary PA consisted of two flown arrays, each featuring seven Imperio Pro IMP205 compact line array modules. To ensure seamless front coverage, two additional IMP205s were positioned as stage in-fills. For extended audience coverage, particularly toward the rear of the stadium, Kent also deployed two delay towers, each carrying four additional IMP205 modules.
Building on the success of AVANTE Audio's original Imperio compact line array system, the Imperio Pro Series delivers increased output, enhanced audio performance, and expanded functionality while retaining the same compact and highly portable form factor. Designed for fast deployment and flexible configuration, the IMP205 combines premium neodymium transducers, powerful Class-D amplification, and advanced DSP processing to provide exceptional sound quality and coverage from an impressively small enclosure.
“I bought the original Imperio compact line array modules as soon as they came out,” explains Kent. “I heard them on demo at NAMM and they were exactly what I was looking for. I needed a small cabinet, that was portable, easy to deploy, scalable, and that I could make sound really good – and that’s what the Imperio Series offered. When the Imperio Pro version came out, it was an obvious choice to upgrade, and we now have enough of those to do a big concert like this. But we do still have some of the original mark 1 boxes, which are still going strong, proving the quality and reliability of AVANTE Audio products.”
Despite measuring just 12.8" x 7.3" x 8.8" (324mm x 184.8mm x 224mm), each IMP205 houses two 5-inch neodymium low-mid drivers and six 1.75-inch IDVAT (Inverted Dome Vertical Array Technology) high-frequency transducers. Combined with a powerful 440W RMS Class-D amplifier, advanced 32-bit DSP processing, and FIR filter technology, the compact module delivers a maximum SPL of 128dB while maintaining exceptional clarity and consistency throughout the coverage area.
Low-frequency reinforcement was provided by a combination of flown and ground-stacked subwoofers. A single Imperio Sub 210 was flown alongside each main array, while eight Imperio Pro IMP118 active subwoofers were ground-stacked in pairs across the front of the stage. Four additional Imperio Sub 210 units were deployed at the delay towers to ensure balanced low-frequency response throughout the venue.
“With seven IMP205’s on each side, the system gave really good coverage,” comments Kent. “I decided to add an Imperio Sub 210 flown on each side just to fill in low-mids and help with the longer throw, and then the main Imperio Pro IMP118 subs on the ground did a great job with the bass. We had plenty of headroom and it sounded fantastic at front of house, with real depth, nice warmth and good clarity. The delay towers were then behind us at around 250 feet back from the stage and filled in the sound out where they had some food booths and beverage trucks. I talked after the show to someone who had been standing right at the back, and he said it sounded great there too.”
The Imperio Pro IMP118 active subwoofer is engineered specifically to complement the IMP205 array module, featuring an 18-inch high-power woofer with a 4-inch voice coil and bass-reflex enclosure design. Delivering frequency response down to 32Hz and substantial low-frequency output, it provides the powerful, impactful bass required for modern live music performances.
Meanwhile, the compact Imperio Sub 210 combines dual 10-inch drivers with a sixth-order bandpass enclosure design and onboard Class-D amplification to deliver focused, musical low-end reinforcement while maintaining the portability and flexibility demanded by mobile production companies.
Monitoring duties on stage were handled by AVANTE Audio Achromic A10 active full range loudspeakers. These served as wedge monitors for both the support acts and as backup monitors for Katchafire alongside the band's in-ear monitoring system.
The event once again demonstrated the versatility of AVANTE Audio's ecosystem, proving that compact, scalable systems can deliver the output, coverage, and sonic performance required for professional concert applications.
“Over the years I’ve become a big fan of AVANTE Audio,” concludes Kent. “For the size and ease of deployment, I think you can't beat the Imperio Pro Series. It’s a robust and versatile system that can be configured for a wide variety of types and sizes of event and is easy to store, transport, setup, and operate. It also sounds phenomenal as we proved on the Katchafire show!”
Kent and his team were also responsible for providing lighting for the event, utilising a variety of fixtures from AVANTE Audio's sister companies ADJ and Eliminator. More details on the lighting production can be found here.
Event
New Zealand meets Hawaii
Katchafire x High Watah x Revival
Venue
Vidinha Stadium
Hoolako St, Lihue, HI 96766
Production Company
Audio Visual Technology LLC
www.avkauai.com
www.instagram.com/avtechkauai
Production and Audio System Designer
Kent Tanigawa
AVANTE Audio System
24 x Imperio Pro IMP205
6 x Avante Imperio Sub 210
8 x Avante Audio Imperio Pro IMP118
8 x Avante Audio Achromic A10 (stage monitors)
Photographer
Sheadon Ringor
www.instagram.com/sheadonphotography
