In the mid 1960s music was on the move. The growing "rock revolution," and the need to bring its explosion of new musical styles and messages to audiences around the world, demanded an evolution in the technology of touri......In the mid 1960s music was on the move. The growing "rock revolution," and the need to bring its explosion of new musical styles and messages to audiences around the world, demanded an evolution in the technology of touring sound: lightweight, mobile systems able to reproduce the depth and complexity of the music with absolute impact and clarity. Communication had become the critical factor in live sound. Bruce Howze, a creatively inclined loudspeaker designer working in Pennsylvania with influential bands such as Jefferson Airplane, was keenly aware that 2-way sound systems based on equipment from movie theaters were no longer viable. These had unacceptable limitations in coverage, clarity, and portability, largely due to their massive size, weight, and the lack of midrange output of their loudspeakers, a result of their limited 2-way design. The Fiberglass Revolution Determined to solve these problems, Howze came up with an original idea that would revolutionize the technology of live sound. To improve the clarity and coverage of loudspeakers and reduce their weight, he designed and engineered lightweight horns and enclosures from fiberglass, a radically different material for that application. This breakthrough eventually led to the foundation of Community Light & Sound in 1968 and landmark products such as the LMF, a round compression-loaded fiberglass horn driven by a 12" cone that specifically addressed the lack of midrange output. The focus on the importance of the midrange frequencies and use of fiberglass immediately set Community apart from its competitors and became central to its ongoing legend. Hand-shaping, custom molding and the hand-lamination of fiberglass materials require extra time, care, and attention to detail. This unique process gave the LMF and subsequent designs a significant weight advantage over wooden and die-cast metal horns. More importantly, the natural sound characteristics of the glass fiber composite, coupled with the LMF’’’’s precisely formed shape, produced an articulate, detailed sound with increased projection. It also eliminated gaps or "holes" in the midrange frequencies, allowing vocals to be clearly heard and understood. A decade later, Community was growing into a family of creative audio professionals, a true "gathering of excellence" dedicated to applying new thinking and common sense solutions to live sound in all types of venues. Today, Community uses FRP composites, carbon fiber, polyethylene and other materials to create a wide range of all-weather, all-purpose loudspeakers that excel in any type of indoor or outdoor venue. Refining Communication in Live Sound Starting with Howze’’’’s ideas as the source, Community’’’’s innovations have produced industry-leading products such as the M4 midrange driver, known for its unmatched power and extremely low distortion. The M4 later became one of many Community midrange drivers to use carbon fiber for the diaphragm, a material that provides greater strength without the negative effects of commonly used metallic diaphragms. One of Community’’’’s most unique and influential products, the M4 further refined the concept of a dedicated single component vocal range driver, bringing greater clarity and a natural, intimate sound to the vocals. Commenting on the M4, Howze has said, "People tend to think in terms of extending the bandwidth and getting more bottom, more top. They sort of miss the point that all the information is in the midrange and, if you don’’’’t get that right, the rest of it just doesn’’’’t mean anything." Expanding beyond breakthrough efforts with vocal-range, horn-loaded products, Community has become known for a range of unique solutions that make sense. The company was the first to conceive of 3-, 4-, and 5-way loudspeaker system designs now used throughout the industry. This idea allowed us to optimize individual components and significantly reduce distortion in full-range system designs. Transcending Limitations Over the years, Community has led the way in providing powerful and articulate full-range sound with exceptional "throw" (projection capability) in massive outdoor and indoor venues. We developed the world’’’’s first giant triaxial full-range, weather resistant horn system the first compact, full-range weather resistant horn system and the first high quality all-purpose, all-weather loudspeaker system, the WET Series. The design, construction, testing, and effective positioning of these systems allow our clients to not only reproduce audio more efficiently, but actually involve spectators and audience members in the total entertainment experience. We’’’’ve designed the clarity, balance and projection of our larger systems into a range of versatile theater and club systems so that musicians and DJs can effectively communicate their music and lyrics with maximum power, deep bass impact and an exceptional response throughout the midrange and upper frequencies. Our permanently installed loudspeaker systems bring new standards of clarity and coverage to schools, auditoriums,