IRVINE, CA – For a recent event featuring Dirty Heads, Lovelytheband, Eddie Zuko and Bikini Trill at Live Nation’s FivePoint Amphitheater in Irvine, CA, MixOne Sound’s William Catlin configured and deployed a dBTechnologies ViO Series system that included multiple ViO L212 line arrays and ViO C12s for mid-fill. “We chose the dBTechnologies ViO Series for this event for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it’s reliable, rider-ready, easy to deploy, and sounds great,” Catlin said.
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For over 15 years, MixOne Sound, based in Orange, CA, has been a trusted provider of audio, video, lighting, and staging solutions for a diverse range of high-profile entertainment clients, including House of Blues, Comic-Con, Blizzard Entertainment, and Live Nation. Recently, they delivered an exceptional live sound experience at Live Nation’s FivePoint Amphitheater event in Irvine, California, deploying dBTechnologies ViO Series, comprised of multiple ViO L212 line arrays and ViO C12s for mid-fill, to captivate audiences with performances by Dirty Heads, Lovely The Band, Eddie Zuko, and Bikini Trill.
MixOne Sound considers their choice of dBTechnologies ViO Series a key contributor to their success at this and other shows because they provide the impressive SPLs demanded by artists and venues, combined with ease of configuration and deployment, along with advanced DSP and control functionality that allows them to tailor the perfect sound reinforcement system for any venue.
William Catlin, a key member of the MixOne Sound team configured and deployed the ViO system for the event. He shared with how he used the dBTechnologies ViO system to solve some of the challenges presented by the FivePoint Amphitheater venue and why MixOne continues to rely on dBTechnologies for superior live sound. Joseph Olea, FOH engineer for Lovelytheband also shared his experience with the ViO system at the show.
The FivePoint Amphitheater presented unique challenges for MixOne Sound. With strict sound level limits, significant venue elevation, and other acoustic considerations, the team needed an audio solution that could deliver exceptional results. “We chose the dBTechnologies ViO Series for this event for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it’s reliable, rider-ready, easy to deploy, and sounds great,” Catlin said. “The ViO system is incredibly user-friendly, from setup to rigging. The intuitive nature of the system ensures we can deploy it efficiently.”
“FivePoint Amphitheater has a strict 100 dB limit at front of house, and the venue has a significant rake, with about 35 feet of elevation up to the back seats. To meet these specifications, we went all in with the VIO System for this event, but we needed to make sure it was carefully configured,” said Catlin. “We deployed 28 L212 speakers for the mains, with 14 on each side, along with 24 318 subs, two triple stacks per side, and six double stacks in the middle, ensuring ample coverage. It’s worth noting that the outfills also presented a challenge, as they weren’t as closely spaced as we’d prefer. To compensate, we used an array of L212s, six on each side, six ViO L210 front fills, along with some ViO C12s on the deck for outfills ensuring we didn’t have any sonic dark spots.”
“I did the configuration work in Composer, and that worked really well. We loaded in and after pulling up the scene for the event, I only needed to do a minimal amount of EQing to get the tuning dialed in. The per-box processing and networking capabilities are a game-changer and allowed us to fine-tune every aspect of the system. It even offers features like sub arc time alignment, where all I have to do is drag my subwoofers into the arc setting, letting it know how many boxes I have stacked and then it makes the timeline sub arc for me complete with symmetrical or asymmetrical changes depending on how the stage is set.
“The deployment made our lives and the lives of the venue staff much easier,” Catlin added. “The fact that the ViO boxes are active powered simplifies our setup because we can forgo the need to have separate amps, and the rigging is very intuitive. People commented on how easy it was to fly.”
Looking back at the event, “the night went well and the feedback from the four front of house engineers was very positive,” Catlin said. “Many of them hadn’t experienced the ViO System before and were genuinely impressed that everything was ready for them when they were ready to go, and how well it performed.”
Joseph Olea, FOH engineer for Lovelytheband, was also impressed with the system. “During soundcheck there was one song that starts with just guitar. Right as the vocals came in, I was floored by the dBTechnologies ViO system,” he said. “I thought ‘Holy cow, this loudspeaker array sounds plain and clear and I don’t think there’s anything I need to do to improve this.’ I was really impressed with the crossover between the mid and the high frequency elements and William did a great job with the sub deployment. There was no lack of punchy low end at all. I was very happy.”
Catlin wasn’t surprised at his response. “I told the front of house guys that the ViO system, when tuned correctly is flat and transparent like a studio monitor,” he said. “And it allows you to mix the way you want to mix.
“I recommend dBTechnologies all the time, even over systems that cost much more,” Catlin continued. “I tell anyone who needs a top-tier system that they’ll be impressed from setup until long after they walk away from the show. And you can tell dBTechnologies really cares about the people who use their products. MixOne’s history with dBTechnologies has been very positive. Right from our early days with their equipment and the team in Italy, we’ve received tremendous, hands-on support,” he concluded. “They’ve been responsive and engaged, always willing to help us navigate any challenges we face.”
