Allen & Heath QU-16 Rackmountable, Digital Mixer

Okay, here is the new Allen & Heath QU-16 Rackmountable, Digital Mixer!

I was checking out some new products on the Allen & Heath website and I discovered the QU-16 digital console.
Currently, I work with local band "Borderline" using their own sound system which contains an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard WZ316:2 analog mix console.The new QU-16 digital mixer would make a perfect upgrade from the current mixer in the system. I like the idea of having everything you would need all packed inside this mixer.

Here is a picture of the new Allen & Heath QU-16 digital mixer:

There is also a introduction video of the mixer with a quick run through of the mix console fixtures:

First Time Mix on a Yamaha 03D Digital Mixer

Coming up on August 1st, I will be mixing sound for a two band gig using an older Yamaha 03D Digital Mixer. The bassist in the feature band owns this console and a QSC powered speaker system to go along with it. The owner Dave told me that he will give me a crash course through the operations of the console before the show. He said most everything is already saved in memory as scenes making my job a little bit easier.

Just wanted to ask which of your sound engineers out there either own or have mixed on the Yamaha 03D digital consoles. If you have, I would surely appreciate and tips or hints or shortcuts into the operation of the mixer. Personally, I am just starting to mix on the occasion digital mixer but, the majority of my gigs are still mixed on an analog console. To help myself out, I downloaded the user manual for the Yamaha 03D console so that I read up on it and get a head start into mixing on that console.

In case you are not familiar, here is picture of the Yamaha 03D from a product brochure that I downloaded from the Yamaha website.

DPA d:facto Vocal Microphone A Hit With London Clubs

So here we have a new condenser, vocal microphone on the scene proving very popular with the vocalists and engineers in the London clubs. With the regular industry standard vocal mics in use daily, it probably is hard for vocalists to try using new gear. Of course, the sound quality is the number one thing that they should be concerned with during their performances.

Here in Canada, I have not yet worked with any musicians, or artists that are currently using the DPA d:facto microphones. It is the usual suspects like Shure, AKG and Sennheiser in regular use. Maybe these DPA microphones with gather some attention "on our side of the pond.", once engineers here get a chance to try them out on a show.

I remember the first time I mixed show using Audix microphones instead of Shure, I did noticed a difference kind of vocal sound in my mix. Now Audix mics are becoming just a popular as the industry standard Shure mics on shows. Maybe DPA d:facto microphones could be the next popular standard vocal mic of choice.

Here is a link to an article that I found on the Prosoundweb site talking a bit about the DPA d:facto microphones in use in the London clubs.
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/dpa_dfacto_vocal_microphone_a_hit_with_london_clubs/studyhall

Stage Power Cable Assembly Idea

This past weekend I worked as a sound technician at a local club mixing sound with 4 separate acts. During the setup of the band gear onstage, I was asked a few times if I had an AC extension cord for their equipment. The venue only has a few cables to use but, has a couple of wall-mounted power strip bars on the upstage wall. This setup is great for the backline musicians but, for the front line performers there is nothing permanent. So, usually you have to run separate AC cables across the front of stage to where each performer requires the power. Sometimes musicians will just use power bars joined together by plugging in one to the next. Obviously, this is not the best way to hookup power.

I was thinking about a solution for power that allow every performer to have an AC Drop near their location using just two specially designed power cables. It is simple. Take the standard design of a regular power bar with 8 AC outlets on it and stretch it out into a 50ft AC drop cable. Run one of these cables to the front line musicians and one to the backline musicians and you are set. Now, I used 50ft cables as an average length cable with 10ft spacing between each duplex outlet box. (see my diagram below) Of course you could make the cable assemblies either longer or shorted depending upon your application and use.

 The cable design would use a standard 15 amp rated u-ground plug on one end and standard 15 amp duplex outlet receptacles in each metal box. The limitations would be the total available current from the AC source outlet. With gear like EFX pedalboards and standard instrument amplifiers, you should have more than enough current to run it all with these cable assemblies. This cable setup would reduce the amount of cabling "clutter" onstage for a neat and clean stage appearance.

Now, it's time to go out and price the parts required to make these cable assemblies. Once I get the pricing, I will report back to you with an update. Cheers!

Peavey :: EU™ 112M

Recently, I had a chance to use the Peavey EU 112M stage monitors on a gig. The band Borderline that I work for was trying a couple of the new monitors to see if they really liked them. The Peavey EU 112M is a great sounding stage monitor with a low profile design. The enclosure features a rounded grill cover giving the cabinet a streamlined appearance.
For the gig, I actually daisy-chained two EU 112M's together and the signals were fed from channel A of a Peavey CS1200 power amp. It was a single monitor mix fed to both EU 112M's.
After some adjustments to levels on the monitor mix graphic EQ for output level, I had the EU 112's singin' pretty well.
After the gig, the guys in the band decided that they would trade in there older Peavey monitor speakers for the newer Peavey EU 112M's.
If you are interested in finding out more info about the stage monitors, please click on link below to view cut sheet for the product.

Peavey :: EU™ 112M