It’s hard to believe that more than ten years has gone by since the company that employs me purchased a d&b audiotechnik V8 line array with M6 and M4 monitors. The rig has served us well for the concerts and events that we do, and when we are not using the wedges as monitors, we find they come in handy for front fills and speaker on a stick shows. About nine years ago, d&b released the V10P point-source speaker, and about five years ago, we did an A/B analysis only to find that — as expected — the M6 paled in comparison to the V10P as a FOH speaker. Not surprising, since the M6 was designed as a short throw monitor wedge and the V10P as a point source speaker. While the M6 still sounds great and can easily be used as an FOH speaker for certain events, there is a lack of relevance when we use the M6 instead of the V10P. With audio gear, it’s easy to fall behind. New and improved items come on the market every day, and while the older gear is still viable, it starts losing its relevance. One day you wake up and the cutting-edge technology that was once your mainstay has been dulled by the latest, greatest and sharpest state-of-the-art equipment.
Keeping Up
It’s difficult to stay on top of all the new gear, and it’s also expensive to keep investing in it as well. One has to choose one’s battles, so to speak, when it comes to new purchases. It’s important to know who your clients are and what they require, as well as what they will accept. If DiGiCo SD consoles are working and being accepted by one’s clients, when is the time to upgrade to the Quantum series, and will the upgrade enhance the relevance of the audio provider? The assumption is that the time to upgrade is when one is unable to fulfill the client’s audio needs, but by that time, the audio provider may be losing out. The idea, I think, is to keep an eye on the future and try to see where the industry is going. Watch the riders, read the trades and try to get in on the latest gear as it’s on its way up.
The audio industry is a capricious, one and while old gear may still work — and sound good enough to use — the new gear has additions and upgrades that make the older gear obsolete. There are a variety of reasons for a piece of gear to become irrelevant — it could be a lack of I/O in the older consoles. It could be that engineers have moved on from a particular brand or it might just be that the manufacturer is not making replacement parts anymore, as they promote their newest and shiniest piece of technology.
Connections
Staying relevant is not only relegated to knowing which speakers and consoles are the current flavor. With more digital devices becoming part of the audio world, connectivity also becomes an issue. For example, the widely used USB-A, which is used with laptops and computers, is limited by its compatibility, whereas the newer USB-C connector, by design, is more versatile and can be used with smartphones and tablets as well. USB-C is on the way to becoming the industry standard due to its reversable form and twice the data transmission rates of the USB-A. It also carries more power, can charge larger devices and cuts down the charge time for a cell phone or tablet. USB connectors were introduced in the mid-1990s, and throughout the years, the various upgrades only improved the speed and power of these units. Also, Thunderbolt cables are compatible with USB-C ports, although not every USB-C port will support Thunderbolt. Just to be clear, Thunderbolt ports are the future of USB connectivity, and while cables and ports aren’t as sexy as other audio gear, understanding the usage and differences of USB and Thunderbolt is one way to stay both connected (yes, I know) and relevant.
While it’s important to keep up with the ever-changing demands and trends of audio equipment to declare one’s relevance, it’s also a prerequisite to stay well-informed regarding social mores and the changing attitudes of the younger engineers and techs joining the audio and touring ranks. Those of us who cut our teeth in the audio field during the last century have to become aware of the new awareness. Certain words and concepts that we found suitable then are now outdated and offensive in today’s workplace. One might have considered themselves to be a forward thinker way back when, but some of that thought may be irrelevant in our current time and place.
Jerry Seinfeld said “comedy is dead,” and he may be right. Not just professional comedy on stage and in the movies, but in our everyday lives as well. What we thought was funny or acceptable as we joked around backstage, riding a tour bus or at one of the endless hotel rooms we’d call home has not necessarily translated into the new relevancy. Early ‘80s movies such as Porky’s, Fast Times at Ridgemont High or the 1978’s Animal House would probably not get made in our current day and age. Even a later movie such as American Beauty would probably have a hard time getting produced. Television shows such as All in The Family, The Jeffersons and even MASH would have a hard time finding a producer, and maybe even Seinfeld would have run into censorship problems.
Granted, there are still some 21st century, non-PC shows, such as Shameless, that pushed the boundaries of comedy, but in general, we are all walking on proverbial eggshells when it comes to dealing with modern-day sensitivities. For better or worse, human resource (HR) companies have been brought in to navigate and censure, or at the least educate those of us workers who might not be aware of the possible sensitivities of our co-workers. We are shown mandatory videos and we take quizzes on how to pilot through the modern work environment in a politically correct manner. While most of us may think that these videos are somewhat inane, it’s important, in regard to one being gainfully employed, to understand what one can say and do to stay relevant.
