For years, Yamaha’s digital mixers seem to set a standard by which other consoles are judged. There is no question that the PM1D, PM5D and M7CL are legendary consoles that defined their respective time periods and market segments. The CL and QL series consoles are no exception, and the PM10 Rivage is poised to be another staple of large-scale productions, much like its predecessor the PM1D.
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Sennheiser’s latest addition to its robust wireless line is the evolution wireless D1 (ew D1) digital wireless microphone system. Utilizing the 2.4 GHz transmission range (2.4 GHz to 2.4835 GHz), it comes in configurations for handheld vocal, headset mic, lavalier and musical instrument applications. For this review, I checked out a handheld set and a beltpack/headet mic package.
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DPA Microphones continues to expand and improve upon its microphone solutions for pro audio users. This time around, the company sent me the d:screet 4071 omnidirectional miniature microphone to run through its paces. The 4071 is an update to DPA’s 4061 model, a workhorse praised for its sound quality that gets a lot of use on higher-end theatrical productions.
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In the past ten years, the audio industry has witnessed an explosion of multi-track recording software that has become more affordable and accessible to the average audio practitioner. During this same time period, a number of companies have introduced recording software aimed directly at sound reinforcement engineers.
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QSC started out only making amps. Very good amps. Eventually, the company branched out into speakers, and I was impressed with how their speakers sounded. Now QSC got a digital mixing board, and I’m beginning to think they’re on a winning streak here. In the case of the recent TouchMix digital mixer line, QSC chose wisely again, this time collaborating with legendary mixing console designers Greg Mackie and Peter Watts.
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Some time ago (FRONT of HOUSE, June 2013) we checked out the Cymatic Audio LR-16, a 16-channel recording solution for capturing 16-tracks of live audio from analog boards. At $499, it was priced right, but besides having a 16-rack limit, it also was built in a non-rack configuration — issues when considering gear used in a live environment.
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In-ear monitors are becoming more and more ubiquitous every day and wireless hardware systems are coming down in price, opening the market to a wide range of users, some fairly sophisticated about audio and other not so knowledgeable. In the hands of a trained pro monitor mixer who understands the needs and limitations of IEM systems (and users) the need for an in-line brick wall protection limiter may not be so important.
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One of the most essential, yet often overlooked items in the toolkit of any live sound pro is a good set of headphones. And if truth be told, there are a lot of headphones on the market, ranging from less expensive options to some awful-sounding, yet very pricey models that come emblazoned with the name of some famous music celebrity. However, the headphone needs of a sound reinforcement mixer (FOH or monitors) are quite different from those of a typical consumer — or for that matter, a studio engineer.
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If you ever needed to use a communications headset in a loud environment, you know that any headset that provides isolation is usually rather bulky. These aviation-inspired headsets do a great job for followspot operators working a loud performance, but they can be heavy and cumbersome. Point Source Audio offers a lightweight alternative with its new CM-i3 intercom headset.
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Every once in a while, I encounter some product or technology that represents a major paradigm shift in defining the future, and I recently had just such an experience at the 2015 Winter NAMM show. While Ultimate Ears all-digital production system for measuring and creating custom in-ear monitors is not currently available to the general public, it’s definitely on the near horizon.
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During last summer’s InfoComm show, AKG introduced the DMSTetrad, a four-channel 2.4 GHz digital wireless microphone system for live sound, corporate events, church and industrial installations. It is designed to be set-up quickly and be simple to use. And from a first glance at the receiver, it is indeed very streamlined looking with a knob, a volume pot and three LEDs per channel. Pretty straightforward.
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About a year ago, I had a hands-on introduction to the wonders of PreSonus’ Active Integration technology when I reviewed the StudioLive 32.4.2AI digital console (FRONT of HOUSE, Nov. 2013). The system — with iPad control via the Universal Control-AI app — was one of the easiest digital console interfaces I had ever encountered. It was quite literally play and go, right from the start, quickly accessing the power of the system with hardly a need to consult the manual at all.
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