With so many choices for gear on the market today, it's a wonder that anyone can make heads or tails of it. Cutting through the marketing hype to determine what is really needed for a good audio system can be challenging for professionals, as well as the staff and volunteers at smaller venues like churches or theatres that may not eat, sleep and breathe live sound on a daily basis. FOH sat down to talk with Steve Raslevich, president of Northern Sound & Light (NSL) to get some insight into the market. NSL often gets calls from customers who know what they want after browsing the information on the NSL web site, but still need help interpreting the marketing verbiage using the real world experience of the sales staff. What should people be aware of when shopping for new gear?
Steve Raslevich: With technology constantly improving and changing, there are still fundamentals that apply to live sound gear, whether the preference is analog over digital, or wood enclosures versus plastic. There are three major groupings of live sound gear that people tend to buy: consoles and outboard gear; amps and speakers; and microphones and input gear. With some online research and a few tips from a pro, it becomes easier to select and buy pieces that will perform well under most conditions.
What is happening with consoles and outboard gear lately?
With each new product revision, it seems like each manufacturer is trying to come out with more features at a better price point. In the console market segment, this trend is no different. Most recently, manufacturers have been cheating on the number of mic preamps to bring down the cost to manufacture or to fit into a certain form factor. Some of the better named console manufacturers have not played this game yet with their mixers, but customers still need to do their research.
What do you mean by "cheating" on the mic pres?
Some companies that list a mixer as having 24 channels may not mean that it has 24 mic preamps; rather, it may be 20 mic preamps and 4 line inputs. Depending on the use of the mixer, this may be okay. If the main function is simple tape playback, then the number of preamps may not even matter. Bottom line is that the customer must think about what he or she needs the mixer to do. Are there stage monitors, front fills or balcony fills that may need their own subgroup? Is there a good EQ section? How many aux inputs are provided? How many effects returns? We've found that our customers generally prefer about 32 channels, which is enough to accommodate a small to medium venue.
Another raging debate is the preference of analog versus digital technology. High-end digital boards run into the 40+ input range and give ultimate flexibility in exchange for a more complex setup. A major manufacturer has tried to bring digital mixing technology into the mainstream at a lower price point, but, unfortunately, it was plagued with issues when it first debuted. For new users, it may have left them with a bad taste for digital; however, the demand for digital is strong since other audio components are going in this direction. As the only digital board under $10,000, this product can still be a good gateway into digital mixers given fixes in quality and reliability.
Despite demand, old timers who would rather have a knob for each function may still prefer analog mixers. Analog boards allow the sound engineer to see every setting at a glance. However, the pro side for a digital board comes if it is for the same show every night — all you have to do is unload it and make small tweaks based on the venue.
How do you determine what you really need in a console?
It's best to invest in the higher quality mixer with the features that are really needed, instead of a lesser quality mixer that is loaded with bells and whistles, some of which you may never need or use. Cuts in quality and performance were most likely made in the features you need in order to pay for the extras you don't. Like features, consider how many input channels are required to accommodate the majority of performances and not necessarily all. The venue may need a 24-channel workhorse, but once a month there may be a live act who wants a 40-channel desk. For the price difference, it's better to rent another mixer for that one show.
What about the outboard gear? Where does that fit in?
Much ado has been made about outboard gear — compressors, limiters, gates — with more control given at each step. In reality, outboard gear is not needed to mix audio. Yes, that is a rudimentary system. But given that there may be other places to spend those dollars, it isn't a necessity.
As with the console market segment, many outboard gear manufacturers have grabbed market share by lowering prices. Marketing hype makes it seem like they can provide more performance without cutting any corners. Recently, a new entry-level EQ caught our eye. The marketing materials state that it is balanced but, in reality, the input is balanced, but the output is not. While an unbalanced output is okay in shorter runs, it would be detrimental if used to drive long lines back to the stage from FOH. Since we pay attention to those details, we can provide our customers the insight to make a smart purchasing decision. In the end, the customer needs to have a realistic expectation of what the system can do.
What about amps and speakers? These days you could be talking about the same piece of gear, no?
There has not been any significant loudspeaker technology in years. The line array craze is over, but there are still people who are absolutely convinced they need one, regardless of the application. Recently there has been a surge in interest for powered speakers — the compelling merger of amps and speakers. As with any product, there are pros and cons to using these types of speakers.
On the pro side, it is much more convenient to send just a power harness and a line out to the speakers. Powered speakers save space around the stage wings, which is valuable real estate, especially in small to medium venues. On the con side, failures are bad enough, and get worse when the flown powered speaker fails in the middle of a performance. With the built-in electronics, it's not exactly easy to bypass and keep going.
So what about quality? Are manufacturers improving quality on powered speakers?
Overall, yes. Failures do not happen frequently, but they do happen–most often at the most inopportune times. To that point, quality is always a concern. We noticed that customers never ask which manufacturer makes the amp inside the powered speaker. The burning question is never the brand name, more so how many watts to ensure there is enough for the rig.
Buying requirements for speakers are the same no matter whether they are active or passive. Coverage, frequency range (speech or music) and loudness (at given distances) are important to consider, as are any problems in the coverage area. Customers often confuse a speaker's wattage handling capability with the sound pressure level (also known as dB or the sensitivity rating) versus watts. We always steer them to the spec sheets on our web site to look at the sensitivity and other characteristics of the box.
I'm sure you get a lot of customer calls about microphones. How do you help people figure out what they need for their application?
There is one product that has been the king of handhelds for a few reasons: it's not too expensive and it's a reliable workhorse. It also scores well with handling and tonal quality. We suggest customers not only consider the performance of a microphone but also who and how it will be used. For instance, if a handheld vocal microphone is going to be passed around frequently, we would suggest considering a dynamic over a condenser, as condensers typically are more sensitive to the shock of getting dropped and also moisture.
A recent favorite of ours has a new product that has put a new twist on an old concept. Its one-piece construction and micro design inspired the microphone classification of "earset," which is somewhere between a headset and a lavaliere. It keeps a very small lavaliere element held close to the mouth for better performance and better gain before feedback.
Whether using a handheld or a wireless, customers need to understand the difference between moisture-resistant and waterproof. Some microphones have an antisweat ring so that the moisture drips off of the ring and doesn't go into the mic element but are not truly waterproof. The distinction is important since there is always moisture whether from sweat or saliva.
Any final thoughts on buying gear?
Whether shopping for audio or a new car or a sweater, people will want the most features and best value for the money. Trade shows, magazine ads and new product reviews are good sources of information, but the best way to form your own opinion is to get out there and listen. Visit churches, theatres or any venue with live sound, and talk to the guys and gals who use this stuff everyday. They can give invaluable insight into what works, doesn't work and what truly stinks despite what the glossy brochure may tell you.
