HAYWARD, CA – Founded in 1973, Sound on Stage has been a driving force in live events in the San Francisco Bay area for decades. A training camp for some live sound engineers and a proving ground for several generations of audio gear, SOS was one of the first companies to gear up with an Avid VENUE live sound system and now has a VENUE D-Show system, two Profile systems, and three SC48 consoles.
"We fight over them all the time," said Dennis Deem, chief engineer. "They're typically booked months in advance."
"We mainly differentiate between the systems based on space considerations," Deem added. "The SC48 is smaller and self-contained, and is great for a lot of gigs where space is at a premium. In a festival setting like Outside Lands or Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, it's great to be able to maneuver the console without having to worry about getting through crowds of people."
Deem noted that the feature sets are pretty much comparable across the VENUE line, streamlining both training and operation. "The biggest difference is really only in processing power. If we're dealing with a national touring act that requires a lot of processing horsepower, a lot of digital I/O, and a lot of plug-ins, we'll opt for the Profile or D-Show systems, with their four DSP engines."
With a busy touring schedule throughout most of the year, being able to rely on the VENUE system's built-in DSP is an important asset in planning every show. "Knowing I can have a compressor on every channel or drop a parametric EQ on any send is a huge asset – not just in terms of power and flexibility, but because it means I don't need to worry about having enough outboard gear for the unexpected, like a surprise guest showing up," Deem said. "Not having to take along a rack full of outboard gear is priceless."
Deem also credited the systems for their snapshot automation. "Even in situations where you might not think it's a factor, snapshots are huge. In a festival setting where you only get a minute or two for sound check-if at all-having a recallable starting point is tremendous."
Deem also credited Avid's support. "Even though dependability is never an issue, it's tremendously reassuring to know I've got a knowledgeable tech on site for larger events," he said. "I've never had a manufacturer provide the level of support that Avid does."
For more information, please visit www.avid.com.
