The Tannoy QFLEX8 is a compact, digitally steerable column array loudspeaker designed to deliver precise, controlled audio coverage in small to medium-sized commercial and architectural environments. It incorporates eight independently controlled full-range drivers, each powered by its own dedicated Class-D amplifier channel and managed by sophisticated onboard digital signal processing (DSP). The system's defining technology is its digital vertical beam steering, which allows the vertical dispersion pattern of the sound beam to be electronically shaped and aimed. This enables system designers to direct audio energy specifically toward the listening area—such as seating in a restaurant, congregation in a chapel, or passengers in a waiting area—while dramatically reducing sound spill onto reflective ceilings, walls, or unoccupied zones, thereby enhancing speech intelligibility and musical clarity.

Control and configuration are managed through the intuitive BeamEngine graphical user interface software. By inputting the room's dimensions and drawing the desired coverage area on a screen, the software automatically calculates the complex matrix of delays, levels, and equalization required for each of the eight drivers to create the optimal beam pattern. This eliminates the traditional guesswork involved in aiming physical cabinets and setting up delay speakers. The QFLEX8 is a fully self-contained, powered system, integrating amplifiers, processing, and network control into a single, slender enclosure. This all-in-one design reduces installation complexity, requires no external amplifier racks, and offers both analog and digital Dante audio inputs for flexible system integration.

The QFLEX8 is particularly effective in spaces with challenging acoustics, such as those with high ceilings, hard surfaces, or irregular shapes. Common applications include retail stores, boutique hotels, conference rooms, lecture halls, and worship spaces. By confining sound to the intended zone, it reduces excitation of room reverberation, lowers the potential for feedback, and minimizes noise pollution in adjacent areas. The QFLEX8 represents a modern, intelligent alternative to conventional loudspeakers, providing installers with a powerful tool to achieve consistent, high-quality audio coverage in environments where aesthetic discretion and acoustic control are equally important.