USA – For Alton Brown’s stage show, Alton Brown Live: Last Bite, Eighth Day Sound is providing a d&b audiotechnik system including V-Series loudspeakers with ArrayProcessing, B22 subwoofers and D90 amplifiers with onboard Milan-AVB networking.
More details from d&b audiotechnik (www.dbaudio.com):
Alton Brown, the celebrated food scientist and entertainer, is captivating audiences nationwide with his latest stage show, . This unique culinary variety show, featuring science and food monologues, cooking demos, audience participation, and songs, relies on a robust and adaptable sound system provided by Eighth Day Sound, featuring d&b audiotechnik V-Series loudspeakers with ArrayProcessing, B22 subwoofers, and D90 amplifiers with onboard Milan-AVB networking.
The tour, a demanding six-day-a-week endeavor playing in a diverse range of venues with varying layouts, designs, and often challenging load-in conditions, required a sound system that could deliver exceptional audio quality and time-saving deployment.
A notable aspect of the Last Bite tour is its early adoption of d&b audiotechnik’s Milan-AVB connectivity for digital audio distribution. Eighth Day Sound’s Ian Mollick, front of house engineer and primary system engineer for the tour reports, “As we were the first tour using Milan-AVB with a d&b system, we cautiously opted to have an analog backup available to switch to through the R1 remote control in case we lost our digital signal. I’m happy to report that hasn’t been a concern, our primary Milan-AVB network has been rock solid.”
Andrew Nolish of Eighth Day Sound and co-system designer added, “It’s worked seamlessly with other digital protocols on the network, and we’ve been successfully running Milan-AVB and Dante simultaneously, side-by-side on the same switches, without a problem. Plus, it simplifies patching and increases flexibility through its ability to run network audio right to your amplifier.”
The addition of Milan-AVB network connectivity bolsters the overall d&b system vision by enabling users to embrace their existing workflows be it either on the Dante or Milan-AVB platform, optimizing both design and deployment times.
“In addition to the flexibility Milan-AVB provides, great sound was table stakes for this tour,” emphasized Mollick. “Because we change venues every night, our system also had to deploy quickly, easily, and flexibly to accommodate the different flying configurations and acoustics of the rooms.” Andrew Nolish of Eighth Day Sound and co-system designer, added, “We needed something that quickly gets us 90% to optimal in a wide variety of situations. That’s where d&b audiotechnik comes in.”
The d&b audiotechnik system was also chosen for its compact design and easy truck pack, coupled with its high output and consistent coverage, making it ideal for the tour’s demanding schedule and diverse venues.
The typical deployment process for each night begins with a room shoot in the morning to calculate the array hang, often utilizing a single-point hang with tie-back due to venue limitations. Mollick sets up the front-of-house position, while an assistant audio engineer handles the minimal stage-side requirements. Following lunch, Mollick uses Rational Acoustics SMAART software to time-align and tune the system.
Mollick highlighted the effectiveness of d&b’s ArrayProcessing software as his secret ingredient on this tour, stating, “Where much of the show is just Alton talking, ArrayProcessing has been a huge help in maintaining vocal clarity throughout the tour, even in venues with incredibly deep balcony underhangs. There have even been a few nights where I’ve forgone using underfills at all because ArrayProcessing has kept the clarity and level consistent all the way back, and I’ve actually preferred the sound of just the main PA in the room.”
The results of the d&b audiotechnik system have been overwhelmingly positive and when asked about recommending d&b audiotechnik for similar tours, both engineers were enthusiastic. Mollick stated, “I like the sound quality and clarity. The rigging is super simple and fast. ArrayProcessing has been incredibly effective… I’d tell them I love it.” Nolish concurred, “Many brands make great sounding speakers, but for this application, d&b audiotechnik offered an ideal combination of sound quality and efficient and flexible workflow, from the prediction software to the mechanical deployment. The high-quality user experience from start to finish made it the best choice for this gig.”
About the System Configuration
For the Alton Brown Live: Last Bite Tour, Eighth Day Sound deployed 12x V8 enclosures per side, 2x B22 subs, and Y10P and E8 front fills, all powered via D90 amplifiers and networked with built-in Milan-AVB connectivity.
