Road Tests

German pro audio manufacturer RME is no stranger to users seeking no-compromise digital audio interface products for studios, broadcasters — and recently — into an increasingly growing number of live production applications. The company was launched 21 years ago with the DAM1 (Digital Audio Monitor) and a PCI recording card and continues leading the industry, constantly improving and expanding the scope of its product range.

Mention the phrase “line array” and images of VerTec and V-DOSC systems usually spring to mind. But in terms of line array technology, systems with narrow vertical dispersion modules aren’t the only game in town. In fact, lately there has been a surge of interest in high-performance vertical column array systems.

I have to admit, I have always had a fondness for compact, 8- and 10-inch two-way speakers, because they are so useful in so many applications. Certainly, there’s no denying that self-contained, two-way 12- and 15-inch are far more common, but in a lot of rental and production applications, those provide way more audio than the job entails and are visually more noticeable, which always seems to be an issue with some event planners. So earlier this year, when RCF unveiled the second generation (Mk II version) of its ART series 708-A active speakers, I was curious as to how these multi-purpose newcomers would perform.

When I got word I’d be reviewing Allen & Heath’s dLive system, I was excited to check out its new flagship digital console. My colleagues — who regularly use Avid, DiGiCo and Yamaha consoles — had nice things to say about dLive. I wondered if the board could live up to the hype. My demo system arrived in a nice, tour-worthy road case, and consisted of an S3000 surface, a DM32 Mix Rack, and the optional M-Dante expansion card. But before we dive in, let’s take a look at the entire dLive lineup.

Mid-priced, small-diaphragm condenser microphones are an essential part of the sound reinforcement industry. And with good reason, too. Housed in compact bodies, these offer wide-bandwidth, fast transient response that’s ideally suited for percussion, stringed instruments, piano and more. While these mics are available for a very wide range of budgets — from $50 to well over $1,000 — mid-priced entries, such as the Shure KSM137 and Audio-Technica’s AT4041 offer an excellent balance of price and performance — two more reasons why condensers with $300 retail tags are well-established in the live audio market.

I’ve been around for a while (a good while) and thought I had seen and heard everything, particularly in the area of microphones, where it seems every possible idea or new product concept has already been tried or taken. So earlier this year, when I heard that MXL microphones was launching a new guitar amp mic, my initial reaction was a resounding “Meh!” You see, I already have just about every conceivable transducer that could be used to capture guitar amps.

When it comes to selecting dynamic mics for live instrument miking, the choices are nearly endless. So earlier this year, when Audio-Technica unveiled its new AE2300 model, I must confess that initially I wasn’t overly excited about the concept. However, what quickly piqued my interest in the AE2300 was its onboard switchable low-pass filter.

There are hundreds of models of 12-inch two-way, speaker-on-a-stick P.A. enclosures on the market from scores of manufacturers. And with good reason — this particular format offers a great combination of full range response with enough oomph to handle applications ranging from bread-and-butter corporate gigs to smaller venue music reinforcement in clubs, houses of worship — you name it. Add in an external sub(s), and such systems easily handle larger venues, all from a compact, easy to use system.

Software-based mixers have come a long way in the last five years. The release of the iPad served to solidify what a lot of us knew was an inevitable trend in digital mixing: “surfaceless” mixing consoles. While writing this review and working with the Waves eMotion LV1, I reminisced about the first time I saw someone using Lake Contour with a wireless tablet, and I also thought about discussions I had with other audio engineers about touch screen mixing in the early 2000’s.

The world of wireless audio for live sound is tough, and truthfully, it’s not getting any easier, with ever-increasing RF traffic, fewer available UHF bands and the uncertainty of a spectra landscape that may (or may not) change at the whim of any future FCC rulings. Specifically designed to address those very issues is Lectrosonics’ Venue 2 Digital Hybrid Wireless modular receiver. Lectrosonics’ Digital Hybrid Wireless process delivers a wide 20 kHz audio bandwidth, compander-free audio and uses an analog FM carrier to transmit a specially encoded signal that delivers digital audio quality while remaining highly spectrum efficient.

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Over the past few years, 64 Audio (formerly 1964 Ears) has come on strong as a provider with a full line of IEM earpieces for musicians and audio professionals alike. The A Series offers a choice of eight designs from $599 to $1,999 made from your custom earmolds. The U Series (Universal fit) has models starting at $399 (for the dual-driver U2) and ranges up to the U12, which are $1,599.