AS THE AUX SENDS TURNS
As the Aux Send Turns By Brad Baisley
A professional audio blog
Jan 16 2012
ProSoundWeb.com / Live Sound International article on ReAmping in the live audio setting.
I have done my fair share of gigs where I had audio AND backline duties. Even if you are just an audio guy sometimes you have to get involved in backline. Wireless gear is one of those places. On tours with a lot of wireless gear, it all has to be coordinated together to form a cohesive system. Interference is almost guaranteed if the systems are not properly coordinated. I’ll be blogging about this soon! Most of the time, the audio engineer is responsible for coordinating all the frequencies.
Another place where an audio guy might have to get involved in backline is interfacing the audio output of wireless receivers with backline equipment. On smaller tours where the guitar pedals, RF gear and amplifier are all in close proximity, this is an easy task. It can usually be accomplished with short runs of 1/4″ cable with no issues. In large scale touring the distances between the equipment can be much larger. 1/4″ cable is usually less than ideal in this situation. Last year on tour Kenny Barnwell and I came up with a great way of interfacing wireless gear, pedalboards and amps with a few boxes from the fine folks at Radial Engineering.
I was recently asked by Peter Janis from Radial to help him write an article about my technique using ReAmp boxes in the live sound environment.
I’d also like to throw in that the Radial JX44 has an integrated dual SGI system for driving pedalboards. This is a great feature! The JX44 is the ultimate tool if you want to switch multiple wireless systems and amplifiers and use a pedalboard. It is cost prohibitive for some folks though. The technique in my article can be implemented at a somewhat lower cost.
Jan 21 2012
NAMM show stuff Part 1
I’m not at NAMM 2012, but have been keeping up with all the press releases. I want to mention a few things I found interesting!
Line arrays:
JBL VTX V25. This is going to be a great system! Paul Bauman and JBL did amazing work with the Vertec V5 presets. I expect that this new flagship line array will sound even better and go up much quicker. I have already noticed in the literature that JBL is making provisions for the boxes to ride in stacks of four. This will be such an amazing improvement over the current cover and wheelboard per speaker arrangement. They are touting the new dual voice coil compression driver. I think it’s going to be great. They are claiming that the all the drivers are lighter weight. I would like to point out however that the VTX V25 is over 20lbs a box HEAVIER than the Vertec 4889. None of the literature mentions that the new VTX series is built from carbon fiber composite enclosures like the 4889 was. I’m guessing they are not and that would account for the overall weight increase. It will not be a problem really, since these will likely not have to be
flipped in a truck like the 4889′s. Anyhow, these boxes are sure to be winners paired with the new 4 channel Crown amps and the iTech 12000HD monsters.
http://www.jblpro.com/products/tour/vtx/
Cheap line arrays:I’m honestly surprised it has taken this long for manufacturers to come up with more entry level line arrays. Sure, Peavey sort of made one, and there have been a few smaller back-shed rental companies come up with proprietary boxes. But now, at NAMM 2012 I have noticed that Behringer has come up with an honest to goodness line array. It even ‘looks’ like a pro level line array. The rigging looks really “similar to” the QSC Wideline rigging. Checking out the specs, it comes in a dual 8-inch ELX82 or dual 4-inch ELX42 (HOW CUTE) flavors. They appear to be biamped boxes. I guess they’ll come up with some pre-sets for their ‘iNuke’ series amps. I’d be genuinely curious to hear how they sound…
.Jan 21 2012
NAMM 2012 part II – iPads for monitor control!
As a monitor guy people might find it odd that I would want musicians to mix their own monitors. However, I would love for those who wanted it to have a ‘more me’ control without wires or complicated hardware. More (or less) ‘ME’ is one of the most common requests that I get as a monitor guy. I don’t mind doing it, it’s an easy request to accomodate. However, when a musician is on the other side of the stage it is sometimes hard to get the monitor engineers attention with a large set in the line of sight, or bright moving lights shining in ones eyes. A simple more-me solution would be great because the musician can get what he needs and I can focus on other elements of the mix. Currently, I use an iPad to control Avid Venue consoles. The interface is sometimes slugish and the interaction is not always easy. It works, but could be better. Avid offers ‘Personal Q’ ‘more-me’ type mixers for Venue systems. However the mixers
are EXPENSIVE, requiring additional hardware, and they are cabled – not wireless.
It’s about time that digital consoles come to the masses! At NAMM 2012, a bunch of manufacturers are showing neat small digital consoles, or analog consoles with iPad components. I forsee this iPad interaction eventually trickling UP to higher end gear.
Line6 Stagescape M20D. This thing looks like it could be revolutionary. The interface appears to be idiot proof, I think my mom could run this thing. It seems to me that the what is not completely automatic is very much ‘what you see/touch is what you get. Along with conventional processors like EQ’s and compressors the console gives you a touchpad interface where you tap on the description of the sound you are trying to achieve. Think, ‘bright/dark, punchy/boomy etc. The console can also be controlled by multiple Apple iPads. This is great because the FOH guy can walk around tweaking the FOH mix, while musicians can tweak their monitor mix. The way it integrates with their loudspeaker offering is neat too. The speakers have a multitude of accelerometers and sensors to determine their placement and have buttons to tell them their intended use. If this wholes system works as advertised I think it really could bring better audio to lots of people and places.
http://line6.com/stagescape-m20d/
Mackie DL1608. This is similar to the Line6 offering though it doesn’t seem quite as intuitive for inexperienced users. It relies solely on a iPads for control. Again, individual musicians can each have their own iPad for monitor mixing control.
http://www.mackie.com/products/dl1608/about-the-dl1608/
Other interesting iPad products:
Auria – 48 Channel iPad DAW. This app will somehow record 24 tracks simultaneously and accept VST plugins. Amazing!
Behringer iX series of analog consoles – traditional Behringer analog consoles which utilize an iPad for Master-bus control and effects.
Jan 21 2012
NAMM 2012 part III
Wireless and IEM products. Since I’m a monitor guy, I deal lots with wireless and IEM products. They’re getting better all the time. Here are a few that I found interesting from NAMM 2012:
Sennheiser debuted a pro-sumer wireless system that looks like it actually won’t suck like most pro-sumer wireless systems. The XS series is a diversity system with scan and sync functions much like the professional gear I use.
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/professional_wireless_microphone_systems_handheld_xs_wireless_series
Shure ULX-D series digital wireless.
In order to compete with digital offerings from Line 6 and Brace, Shure has come up with a digital successor to their popular ULX series. Things I dig around the ULX-D series: compact METAL belt pack (same form factor as the PSM900/1000 series, NETWORKABLE (thank you!), scan and sync Axient compatible.
Speaking of Axient, it appears that Shure is finally ready to launch their much-hyped Axient system. For professionals, I believe that this will be the wireless system by which all others are judged for the next several years.
Diversity IEM systems: In response to Shures PSM1000 diversity IEM system, a couple of manufactures have introduced their own.
AKG updated their IVM system with the IVM 4500. These are going to be a huge improvement over the original IVM. Aside from RF diversity, these look like they are going to be much better build quality…
SM-Pro Audio W.A.S.P. Australian designer (Chinese builder) SMpro has introduced a wireless diversity IEM system. The neat thing about this system is that it has integrated WAVES DSP processing. It appears that you change DSP paramaters over USB using a laptop computer. For engineers using analog consoles, this could be a really cool way to improve musicians monitor mixes. I have no idea if this system will ever get to the USA or if it will sound any good, but the idea is cool. It looks like the belt pack is pretty huge too…
http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/headphoneamps/wasp
Jan 21 2012
NAMM part IV – lunchbox amps
I’m a huge fan of the ongoing lunchbox vacuum tube guitar amp craze. Tube amps are amazing. They sound great and have a feel that most solid state amplifiers have a hard time mimicking. For me, I have no need for a 100watt tube amp, because I mainly jam in my living room – by myself. I want tube amp tone, but witout the volume. That’s where lunchbox amps come in. They are tiny tube guitar amps which usually use one or two small amplifier tubes. Here are some interesting lunchbox amps from NAMM 2012.
Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier 25 – I love the signature Mesa/Boogie rectifier tone. Until now, you basically had to have a 100watt amp. Enter the Mini Rectifier:
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Rectifier_Series/Mini_Rectifier_25/miniRectifier25.html
Marshall 50th anniversary series 1-watt amps. These are limited edition mini amplifiers from every decade of legendary Marshall tone:
http://www.marshallamps.com/product_range.asp?productRangeId=33
The Orange ‘Tiny Terror’ was one of the first great lunchbox amps. Now they have an ever smaller ‘Micro Terror.’ Cute!
http://www.orangeamps.com/micro-terror/
Fender outed some really cool amps at NAMM 2012! From the 6x 6550 Super Bassman to their ‘Pawn Shop’ series of amps. The pawn shop amps is supposed to be reminiscent of hot-rodded amps built from antique tube table radios. The vibe of these amps seems really cool.
http://www.fender.com/products/pawnshopamps/index.php#PSA-header-container
Finally -on the high end, boutique manufacturer ’Two-Rock’ introduced their Exo-15. Two Rock is a really popular company – currently being used by John Mayer among others. I love the industrial design of this amp. There are so many tin-chassis amps stuffed in a tolex-covered-plywood-cabinet amps out there. The metal design of this amp is really refreshing, and I’m sure it sounds great too.
http://www.two-rock.com/products/single-channel-classic/exo-15.html
No related posts.
I just wanted to post a direct link to my blog in case anybody wants to keep up that way. I’m not sure that every one of my posts will (or needs to) hit roadie.net. Thanks!
http://astheauxsendturns.wordpress.com/