BELLINGHAM, WA – It didn't take long for John Bauer, technical director at the not-for-profit Mount Baker Theatre, to make the leap from analog to digital. After viewing Soundcraft's Vi1 console at LDI last year, he ordered a demo unit and found it waiting for him upon his return. Before long, he was comfortable using the unit himself.
"The Vi1 is a console you can jump right on, whether you are a seasoned pro or a new user, which is why we were able to transition to the digital board so quickly," Bauer noted. "There were distinct improvements in the Vi1's sound, so we are very happy with our console choice," he added.
Bauer then brought the building committee and crew members in for a hands-on demonstration. A key selling point, according to Bauer, was the easy-to-use interface of the Vi1.
"The transition to digital with the Vi1 was clean, clear and easy," he said. "Tom Der [of Soundcraft] let us hold onto the demo board until ours was delivered, which allowed us to jumpstart our projects without wasting time. When our board came in, we took out our memory sticks from the demo and plugged them right into our new board."
As a test before the final board was shipped to the theatre, Bauer assigned his head engineer to a gig, without prior warning that it was a 12-piece band. With the Vi1, the engineer had the console labeled and channeled in five minutes – passing Bauer's test.
"Several of the bands we've had in house have already expressed their excitement for the Vi1 and we expect to attract more parties into the theatre with our technological upgrade," he said.
The Mount Baker Theatre stages a variety of Broadway and off Broadway shows, local productions of Broadway shows, symphonies, local musical acts and dance recitals. As a non-profit organization, the theatre works to enrich the culture and reinforce a sense of community within the region.
For more information, please visit www.harman.com and www.mountbakertheatre.com.
