.
At Integrated Systems Europe 2026, Amadeus presents the production-ready NUMAX Series, marking the next stage in the evolution of its high-performance loudspeaker systems.
First unveiled at ISE 2025, NUMAX has since undergone extensive development and validation, and is now revealed in its finalized form, ready for deployment in demanding live performance and cultural environments.
The range comprises three models: NUMAX XV, a point-source loudspeaker, NUMAX XV Focus, a variable-curvature line-source system for flexible audience coverage, and NUMAX XV Wide, a constant-curvature line-source system.
The NUMAX Series addresses the limitations commonly encountered in mid-scale loudspeaker systems, particularly traditional point-source designs and constant-curvature line-source systems including reduced projection, limited spectral extension, quasi-omnidirectional low-frequency behavior, and insufficient midrange richness and articulation.
“NUMAX is the result of several years of work, and without doubt the most complex project we have ever undertaken at Amadeus. It represents the outcome of nearly ten years of spatial audio projects carried out with HOLOPHONIX, informed by feedback from experienced users who carefully analyzed the limitations and areas for improvement of deployed systems particularly for productions requiring impact, projection, clarity and dynamic articulation in the midrange, as well as strict control of directivity, including at low frequencies,” states Gaetan Byk, CEO and Owner of Amadeus.
“The frequent need to add multiple subwoofers often conflicts with the desire to maintain an uncluttered stage aesthetic, free of visible equipment disrupting the audience’s view,” notes Numa Galipot, Acoustic Engineer at Amadeus.
“In venues with limited load-bearing capacity, subwoofers are positioned wherever feasible, on the ground, side bridges, or rigging grids, introducing complex issues with temporal alignment, phase coherence, and spatial consistency.”
“With NUMAX, we deliberately returned to the philosophy that shaped the early years of Amadeus in the 1990s: a time when mechanical design, acoustic architecture, the refinement of passive filtering and transducer development were not optional, but foundational – long before DSP began compensating for physical weaknesses,” adds Adrien De Giovanni, Head of Research and Development at Amadeus.
“From custom co-developed transducers, to our first proprietary coaxial isophase waveguide combining a cone diaphragm with a compression driver, to the first embedded cardioid section ever designed by Amadeus, these innovations make the NUMAX Series one of the most ambitious and technically advanced developments in the history of the brand, delivering exceptional transparency, dynamics, neutrality and sonic realism” concludes Adrien De Giovanni.
The Low-Frequency Section
The primary low-frequency driver features a 15-inch cone in a bass-reflex configuration, extending frequency response down to 40 Hz. The result is a high-power, full-range speaker system perfectly suited for spatialized sound reinforcement in medium- to long-throw applications; with effective coverage up to approximately 45 meters.
Each model in the NUMAX Series is a four-way speaker design incorporating five transducers. The four diaphragm transducers were developed in collaboration with the French manufacturer PHL and are produced in the Paris region. The 15-inch driver features a magnesium chassis and a neodymium magnet, chosen to ensure a lightweight yet high-performance speaker.
Optimized to operate within the 40 Hz to 350 Hz range, it has a power handling capacity of 1000 W AES. The bass-reflex port termination has been meticulously optimized to minimize turbulence and reduce perceptible distortion, even for the most discerning listeners at close range. Precision-sculpted from a polymer block using a 5-axis CNC machine, this component ensures impeccable craftsmanship and performance.
This extended low-frequency response down to 40 Hz maintains coherent sound localization across the full spectrum, eliminating the need for conventional subwoofers, with only infra-subwoofers required to extend the system below 40 Hz.
To further reduce on-stage low frequencies, the NUMAX Series integrates two custom-designed 8-inch drivers, strategically positioned on the rear panel to achieve a cardioid directivity. These rear-facing drivers share similar mechanical behavior to the front-facing 15-inch driver, ensuring the system maintains consistent cardioid performance regardless of sound level. The 8-inch transducers operate in the 50 Hz to 180 Hz range and are paired with an 8-inch high-excursion passive radiator, maximizing system compactness. These drivers blend coherently with the front low-frequency transducer, enhancing low-frequency projection.
“Thanks to the passive tuning of the 15-inch low-frequency driver, the system delivers exceptional bass extension down to 40 Hz, maintaining a coherent impulse response regardless of the listener’s position. The rear-facing 8-inch drivers forming the cardioid section have been specifically engineered to exhibit matched phase responses over the overlap bandwidth, ensuring coherent summation and predictable cardioid behavior. As a result, the integrated cardioid design significantly reduces low-frequency sound pressure levels on stage,” explains Adrien De Giovanni.
Mid and high frequency section
NUMAX is built around a proprietary MF/HF coaxial assembly, engineered to operate as a single acoustic source. Covering more than two octaves, this midrange driver is responsible for timbral density, vocal richness and intelligibility. Achieving such bandwidth with both very low distortion and very high sensitivity required a complete ground-up development, including the motor structure, chassis, suspension system and diaphragm.
For midrange and high frequencies, the NUMAX Series features a custom coaxial design, combining an 8-inch cone driver with a 3-inch compression driver, delivering output through a 1.4-inch throat for seamless and precise sound reproduction.
The midrange driver operates within a frequency range of 350 Hz to 2 kHz, while the compression driver takes over from 2 kHz to 20 kHz. This configuration adheres to the traditional coaxial structure, where each diaphragm is equipped with its own magnetic structure, minimizing magnetic intermodulation distortion.
The midrange and high-frequency drivers are acoustically summed at the entrance of a shared isophasic waveguide, named NUWAVE, ensuring intrinsic impedance matching by construction. This phase piece introduces a significant innovation, featuring a single common pathway. Both drivers’ outputs are merged at the entrance of the phase piece through a specific compression of the mid-range. The sound pressure waves are then guided through distinct channels across a common core to ensure a plane wave propagation and limit distortion from orthogonal modal behavior.
“The NUMAX XV Series embodies Amadeus’ long-standing pursuit of sonic excellence. Its three-way system, combining a custom cone midrange driver merged with a traditional compression through a specific compression piece, ensures flawless reproduction of mid and high frequencies. This design minimizes magnetic and acoustic intermodulations between transducers, delivering unmatched directivity and coherence across the entire height of the array, without compromising sound quality,” adds De Giovanni.
Waveguides and directivity control
At the waveguide’s exit, a large horn controls the dispersion of acoustic waves. Various horizontal dispersion options, ranging from 90° to 120° (-6 dB), are available. These horns are easily removable and replaceable for versatility.
The NUMAX XV point-source model offers a vertical directivity of 45° and features a compact height of just 426 mm. It is specifically designed for point-source applications where suspending multiple speakers in a cluster is not feasible due to weight or aesthetic constraints.
The NUMAX XV Focus model features variable vertical curvature, allowing inter-element angles of 0°, 2.5°, 5°, 7.5° and 10°, providing precise control of array geometry and coverage according to venue constraints. Its acoustic design corresponds to a nominal 10° vertical dispersion per enclosure, ensuring predictable coverage when configuring arrays.
The NUMAX XV Wide model offers a constant-curvature 30° vertical coverage, designed for medium-throw and wide-coverage applications, particularly well-suited to short arrays and extended vertical audience areas. Both models share the same acoustic architecture and can be combined within the same array, ensuring consistent tonal balance, phase behavior and directivity while enabling flexible system design.
High-Quality Craftsmanship and Technical Excellence of the NUMAX Series
The passive filter used in the NUMAX Series is crafted from French-made components, hand-assembled, and generously resin-coated to protect against vibrations and ensure durability against environmental effects over time. Though invisible, this meticulous craftsmanship, rooted in Amadeus’ legacy of high-fidelity studio monitors, is essential to deliver the brand’s sonic character. The same techniques and expertise are applied with great care to the NUMAX Series.
Power for the NUMAX Series
The NUMAX Series operates in bi-amplified mode for its main acoustic section, with one amplified channel driving the low-frequency driver, while a second amplified channel feeds the mid/high section through an internal two-way passive crossover network (between the midrange driver and the compression driver).
When the cardioid section is used, a third amplifier channel powers and processes the rear low-frequency drivers, enabling precise control of low-frequency directivity and fine adjustment of the cardioid behavior. Up to four NUMAX XV Focus and/or XV Wide enclosures can be linked and driven from the same three amplifier channels, provided the amplifier supports 2 Ω operation.
The NUMAX Series uses a four-way acoustic architecture powered by three amplifier channels (LF, MHF, LF Cardioid), with power distributed across three independent amplifier channels for optimal headroom and control. For NUMAX Focus and Wide, the system supports 1000 W AES @ 8 Ω (LF), 400 W AES @ 8 Ω (MHF), and 600 W AES @ 16 Ω for the cardioid section, with peak power handling up to 4000 W (LF), 1500 W (MHF), and 2000 W (cardioid). For the NUMAX XV point-source model, the cardioid section operates at 4 Ω.
The system delivers up to 139 dB peak SPL (front section) and 142 dB peak SPL with the cardioid section active, measured at 1 m under free-field conditions, and is fully compatible with high-end amplification platforms. All official presets are developed within the Powersoft ecosystem, primarily for the UNICA, T Series and X Series platforms.
Mechanical Design & Rigging
The rigging system for the NUMAX XV Focus and NUMAX XV Wide models allows up to 10 enclosures to be flown in a continuous line array, with a safety factor of 8:1. Enclosures can be vertically coupled using the dedicated Amadeus NUMAX bumper, or horizontally paired using specially designed brackets.
Each enclosure is equipped with integrated Ø8 mm locking pins and features four rigging points, enabling fast, secure and repeatable deployment. All models in the NUMAX Series feature a reversible mechanical design, allowing each enclosure to be configured for left or right clusters when required, without compromising rigging integrity.
The system also supports ground-stacked configurations of up to three enclosures, providing flexibility for temporary setups and space-constrained deployments.
A dedicated touring cart is currently in development and will be released shortly, designed to ensure fast, safe and efficient handling during transport and setup.
Low-Frequency Extension (Upcoming)
A dedicated subwoofer will complete the range. Designed for both flown and ground-stacked deployment, it will extend system response below 40 Hz for infra support, while also providing substantial additional headroom up to 80 Hz with a wide and flexible overlap region. The subwoofer is designed to be fully phase-matched with the NUMAX Series, ensuring coherent summation and seamless integration. The product is planned to be announced in Q2.
The Finishes and Materials
The NUMAX Series cabinets are crafted from Finnish birch plywood and coated with a high-durability black paint, specially designed for heavy-duty touring use. The low-frequency drivers are protected by perforated steel grilles with a 70% open area, covered by acoustically transparent, double-layered, non-flammable polyester fabric.
An optional palette of standard or custom finishes is available upon request. As with all Amadeus products, the finishes can be fully customized without limitation. Over the years, Amadeus has crafted bespoke speaker cabinets in materials such as Corten steel, natural oak, brushed or sandblasted wenge, and veneers as unique as eucalyptus, gold leaf, or natural stone powder. With its exceptional craftsmanship, technical precision, and customizable aesthetics, the NUMAX Series is an ideal solution for demanding live sound applications.
Listening
We had extended listening time with Numax at the Amadeus booth during ISE 2026, contending with ambient noise measured at 75–80 dBA in Hall 7. As usual at trade shows, high SPL levels across stands created a dense acoustic environment.
Numax required a long development cycle because it was conceived as a single platform in three configurations: point source, variable-curvature line array, and constant-curvature line array each incorporating cardioid LF loading. The result merges established electroacoustic know-how with contemporary design to deliver a refined, forward-looking sonic signature.
For the demo, Gaëtan Byk deployed an 8-channel Powersoft Unica amplified controller, bridging two channels per enclosure to increase voltage swing for the power-hungry 15” PHL LF driver and fully exploit amplifier headroom.
The point source Left-Right system delivers a fully integrated full-range response, from deep, controlled low frequencies to highly resolved highs. LF attack is tight and articulate, while the midrange and upper-mid are fast, dry, and extremely revealing. Vocals emerge from the mix with near studio-monitor precision. Whether all FOH engineers will favor that level of transparency is open to debate, but those seeking high-output systems combining finesse and authority particularly for installed applications should audition Numax.
Much of this performance results from the R&D work led by Adrien de Giovanni, especially on the 8” transducer, its phase device and coupling to the 3” compression driver, and optimized transducer parameters. Details remain proprietary, but Numax clearly stands apart and deserves evaluation under optimal acoustic conditions.
Finally, credit to Amadeus and HOLOPHONIX: a compact team with deep expertise and a commitment to refined, often bespoke systems capable of meeting the stringent requirements of theatres, performance venues, and demanding classical or operatic spaces.
Pour plus d’informations sur la série NUMAX
