ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Josh Bien, an actor who also serves as assistant technical director at the Albuquerque Little Theater and technical director for the Vortex Theater and Blackout Theatre, has enhanced the sound for each with Lectrosonics gear.
The proscenium-format Albuquerque Little Theater, which seats nearly 500, is in its 80th year of operation and stages family theater, musicals and other shows. The Vortex is a black box theater and hosts smaller productions. And Blackout, a nomadic troupe, takes residency at Albuquerque's The Box performance space.
Pending FCC restrictions in the 700 MHz band prompted a wireless gear upgrade, and Bien chose Lectrosonics' Venue receiver systems with a mixture of LMa and MM400C transmitters, crediting the gear for its audio quality.
"We wanted equipment that didn't have that ‘wireless' microphone sound," said Bien, who added that the Venue's modular 6-channel design makes it easier to transport, "which is important to a nomadic troupe such as Blackout."
The Albuquerque Little Theater now has 16 Lectrosonics LMa beltpack transmitters and three Venue series receiver mainframes – two fully stocked with six VRS receiver modules and the third outfitted with the four remaining channels.
The Vortex Theater is outfitted with two Lectrosonics MM400C water resistant miniature transmitters and a Venue receiver housing two VRS receiver modules, while the Blackout Theater is equipped with six LMa beltpack transmitters and a Venue receiver with six VRS modules.
All models feature Lectrosonics' Digital Hybrid Wireless technology, touted for its higher dynamic range and lack of sonic artifacts, part of why Bien chose it over alternate wireless systems using a compandor.
"Everyone has been really impressed with the Lectrosonics sound quality," Bien said, adding that, along with its "natural" sound, the gear offers benefits including ease of operation and transmitters that can be easily hidden in clothing.
The Albuquerque Little Theater has also been equipped with a Lectrosonics DM1624 audio processor that helps simplify mixing chores for the volunteers who find themselves behind the audio console.
"The DM1624 enables us to confidently place volunteers at FOH because, other than the occasional muting of channels, there isn't much more that they need to be concerned with," said Bien. He also credited Lectrosonics for its technical support, including the charts Lectrosonics provided "to assist us with frequency coordination on the microphones," Bien said. "They even sent a technician on site to help me set up the DM1624."
For more information, please visit www.lectrosonics.com.
