For the past few weeks, I have been playing with an incredibly sophisticated wireless system, the RF performance of which has been impeccable. Unlike most of the wireless units I have dealt with in the past, this system packs four receivers into a single rack space and has the capacity for another two receivers, allowing a total of six in one rack space. Each receiver has its own audio output on a rear-panel connector for routing to individual mixer channels. The front panel doesn't look all that sexy, so initial impressions say "installation market," but a closer look reveals that intelligent design for the install market easily trickles into the touring sound market (and vice versa). From an install perspective, one of the advantages of this system is the ability to pack a number of RF channels into minimal space: that Broadway production requiring 20 wireless mics can fit into four rack spaces. And since the units have throughput for the antennas, you won't have to be concerned with the stage looking like the top of the Empire State Building. From a touring standpoint, less rack spaces means less truck space (= less gas), simpler setup, and if I can put up two antennas for all of my wireless systems instead of a pair for each, then I'm out of the venue 15 minutes faster. Some nights that's a 50 percent increase in sleep time.
Too Sexy for a Panel
Now, about that not-so-sexy front panel. For the installer a boring front panel — preferably with a security lock out — means discouraging inquiring minds with roaming fingers (i.e., people sticking their nose in your business), resulting in less likelihood that someone is going to upset your settings. Of course, stage techs and engineers are just the opposite: we want tons of buttons and knobs that we can tweak, plus a big LCD display to impress the masses. Fear not, this wireless receiver has a USB port. You connect it to your computer, and through the manufacturer's utility software your computer communicates with the receivers, displaying useful information such as signal strength, receiver frequency, audio output level and battery strength. Awesome.
Measurement equipment has seen a similar migration from studio tuning and installs to touring sound. When I was a youngster in the sound industry (that'd be around 1872), a "portable" real-time spectrum analyzer required AC power, lived in a heavy suitcase, and cost a few weeks' pay in today's monetary terms. My Phonic PAA3 audio meter fits in my hand, runs on four AA batteries and if I want better visibility of the analyzer while mixing a show, I can hook it up to my laptop to see real-time, 31-band spectrum analysis in living color. I can even measure the reverb time of the room. Ain't that sumptin'?
License, please.
Similarly, when Metric Halo Labs introduced Spectra-Foo about 10 years ago, I imagined how cool it'd be if I could run it on a laptop in the field. More powerful, less expensive CPUs make that a reality now, and I don't give a thought to whether or not the CPU in my laptop can handle it. Is there any sound company that doesn't run SMAART alongside the FOH console?
On a much larger scale, check out the life pattern of the BBE Sonic Maximizer. Initially BBE aimed this technology at the pro sound market, but now has licensed their wares to myriad home hi-fi manufacturers, who employ the technology to improve the sound of their miniature bookshelf speaker systems. The results are impressive, if somewhat short of highend audio. Interestingly, the hi-fi manufacturers spend their own resources to improve the BBE system, then give it back to BBE, who licenses it out again. A strange model if ever there was one, but it helps the pro audio community because we get better products from BBE. One might make a similar case for the licensing of technology developed by Dolby or dbx. The beauty in the ability of these companies to license their technology is that it gives them a revenue stream for further investment in R&D. Pack dbx noise reduction into analog cassette decks and eventually you get the DriveRack.
The concept of the install market sharing with the live sound market is also evident in some of the ideas generated to solve problems. Take the delay stack. The idea of delaying distant speakers to match the audio emanating from the stage is just as effective in a theatre as it is at a large-scale outdoor concert. The only significant difference is in the delay time (it's probably a lot shorter in the theatre than in a soccer stadium). And the acoustic treatment used in that shed to improve the sound of the venue probably has its roots in the recording studio.
Like Les Paul, who invented multi-track recording when he thought, "I wonder what would happen if I put another head on that tape recorder," when you're walking around NSCA, imagine some of those wonderful products being used out of their intended context. The results could be amazing.
Steve La Cerra is the tour manager and front of house engineer for Blue Oyster Cult. He can be reached via e-mail at Woody@fohonline.com.
