Distributed in 94 countries, Mix is the world's leading magazine for the professional recording and sound production technology industry. Mix covers a wide range of topics including: recording, live sound and production, broadcast production, audio for film and video, and music technology.
PL Series microphones from Electro-Voice got the punk rock seal of approval on this year’s Warped Tour, drafted for duty alongside the heavy-duty EV sound systems deployed annually for the tour’s Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands and Hurley Stages.
The PL80 was used as a main vocal mic on both stages, joining the standard-issue EV N/DYM, RE, and Cobalt series models used for backing vocals, instrument, and drum mic’ing. The PL mics impressed acts and engineers alike with their rugged reliability and sonic finesse - taking a licking a keeping on ticking is a prerequisite for any gear on this tour.
Every band that takes the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands Stage gives it their ‘A’ game, and every year Electro-Voice ensures they make a suitably supersonic impact, with a road-proven PA built around X-Arraymore
Miami-based Drummer Boy Sound Productions, Inc. (DBS) supplied sound reinforcement for an HIV awareness concert on June 27 called “Show You Know.” Admittance to the concert was free for free following an on-site AIDS test by each participant. Event organizers Rize and Shine, Inc. were able to test 5,000 people before the event began.
A variety of R&B, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Pop artists took the stage at the concert, including City of God, Dangerflow, Kane, Lavie, Hinds Feet, Stitches with special headline guest Pitbull, and Trick Daddy. The system at the benefit was a Dynacord Cobra system. DBS CEO Harold Cummings comments:
“I have been a fan of the Cobra for about four years now because it always delivers and sounds amazing. Lavie, who has a soulful Erica Bahdu style of singing, loves the crystal clear sound of the rig. She said, ‘As more
New York-based PA rental company Highway Sound recently got a call that power pop band Fountains Of Wayne would be performing an outdoor concert on Fire Island during their acoustic tour and needed small PA for their show. Jim Baron of Highway Sound comments:
“Residents of the community were basically donating the funds to make this event happen, so we wanted to provide good bang for the buck. The band needed eight monitors and we knew that the PA would need to project 100 feet for the more than 300 people that were expected to attend. And, because no cars are permitted on Fire Island, we also needed the system to be compact enough to be brought back and forth aboard a small ferry. In the end we went with Electro-Voice ZX Series speakers. We set the band up to play right on the more
Patriot Place, with the help of Warwick, R.I.-based Ambient Sound Inc., recently specified a new Electro-Voice sound system for “Rock the Plaza” events at the 1.3 million square-foot shopping, dining, and event destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., home of the New England Patriots. The new system has provided a significant upgrade to the popular outdoor concert series, a weekly showcase for local musicians that runs from April to October each year on Patriot Place Plaza. Mario Pregoni Live Sound Production Manager for Ambient Sound, comments:
“Rock the Plaza” showcases upwards of four bands each weekend. Prior to this year, Patriot Place supplied the stage and bands had to bring their own PA equipment. The problem was that the equipment that the bands were bringing in wasn’t always adequate and the audio quality of these concerts started to suffer. This is a big more
Mexican folk singer Vicente Fernández, known in Latin America as “El Idolo de Mexico” (The Idol of Mexico), or simply as “El Rey” (The King), has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide during his 35 years as an international superstar. Fernández recently embarked on a 2009 Colombian tour with stops in Bogota, Medellin, and Ibague, and chose sound equipment from Electro-Voice for his shows. The entire system was provided by Colombia-based People Sound.
The system on Fernández’s Colombian tour comprised an extensive array of X-Line loudspeakers, XLC-127DVX Delays, PLASMA stage wedges, Xi front fills, and P3000–H2500 amplifiers. The rig was controlled through EV’s brand-new, state-of-the-art IRIS-Net V2.0 with FIR presets. The high-profile tour brought with it the very best audio professionals in Latin America, and each one was blown away by the new X-Line presets in IRIS-Net 2.0. Samuel Puentes, owner of People Sound, comments:
“We were absolutely impressed by the new FIR presets for X-Line. With this new preset, we have all we could ever want from an already great EV system. There are PA systems out there that have pristine audio quality, and others that deliver high SPL, but until now nothing could do both. EV definitely achieves this with FIR-Drive. We are very happy with the result, and the very experienced crew that we worked with on this tour was really happy as well.” The IRIS-Net file for the tour was programmed and tuned by Diego Torres, System Tech at People Sound, who was also very impressed with the quality of the equipment from EV.
Colombia’s geography also posed unusual challenges to Fernández and People Sound. At 8,000 feet, Bogota experiences relatively low temperatures, but Ibague rests much closer to sea level, and is extremely hot and humid. To cope with the extreme changes in climate as well as the unforgiving Colombian terrain, Fernández needed his system to be controllable, coherent, and tough – delivering tight audio and solid coverage on varied situations. Nicolas Betancur, Inside Sales Engineer for Latin America, Bosch Communications Systems, comments:
“Vicente Fernández’s Colombian Tour presented some imposing challenges in terms of both performance and travel, and our Electro-Voice equipment conquered each obstacle. We at the Latin America Team with Bosch Communications are tremendously proud of EV’s performance, especially on a tour as important as this. An artist of the magnitude and cultural importance of Vicente Fernández, together with an experienced audio crew, expect only the best at every show they go to. Each show is full-house, each show is a responsibility. EV delivered.”
Jeff Dunham is a genuine cultural phenomenon who has amassed legions of loyal fans with his thousands of sold-out arena, theater, and comedy club performances, countless television guest spots, and three top-rated specials on Comedy Central. Building on this success, Jeff Dunham is taking North America by storm in 2009. Dunham’s newest tour, “ Spark of Insanity,” is playing to sold-out arena crowds. An Electro-Voice sound system from LIVE! Technologies is ensuring Dunham’s show sounds its best.
The tour‘s extensive run includes stops at American Airlines Arena in Dallas and the HP Pavilion in San Jose. To meet the challenges posed by such imposing venues, Dunham and his crew needed a state-of-the-art touring rig with a reputation for outstanding audio quality and reliability. LIVE! Technologies prescribed world-tour-proven Electro-Voice X-Array and X-Line loudspeakers for the job.
The “Spark of Insanity” touring rig comprises twelve X-Line boxes on mains, six X-Array enclosures for side hangs, and a pair of Xw12A speakers for the monitor mix, all powered by EV P3000 amplifiers. The system’s low-frequency control and uniform power response help Dunham’s voice reach the very back rows of every arena every night with warm, intelligible sound, enhancing his unique delivery and wide range of characters.
About LIVE! Technologies
Founded as a sound and lighting touring company, LIVE! Technologies has adapted and grown over time. Trusted by acts and music festivals since the beginning, LIVE! has built their reputation, list of services, and expertise over the past thirty years. Additionally, LIVE! Technologies has answered the call of corporate clients and event planners by expanding their offering with production management and creative services.
LIVE! Technologies’ crew: Matt Reid, Lighting Director; Brian Mann, Lighting Technician; Montie Temple, FOH Engineer; Doug Maynard, Audio Technician; Brandon Mendenhall, Video Director, Kelly Walsh, Video Technician; Timothy Bates, Camera Operator/Carpenter; Steve Quinn, Crew Chief/Head Rigger Steve Quinn. LIVE! also provides two truck drivers: Mike Skrastins and Matt Claus. In addition to the “Spark of Insanity” tour, the crew has worked together on numerous productions. For more information about LIVE! Technologies, visit www.reallivepros.com.
With an original sound that is equal parts indie rock and hip-hop, duo Chester French has been on the fast track to fame ever since their first hit single “She Loves Everybody” debuted on Nov. 18, 2008.
After months of shows and TV appearances, the release of their first album, “Love the Future,” and a US tour with Lady Sovereign, the pair of Harvard alumni will embark for Europe, returning home in July to begin opening for punk rockers Blink-182 on their North American summer tour. For every performance Chester French will perform through Electro-Voice microphones, enthusiastically mixed by Tour Manager/FOH Engineer Sean Peel.
Peel, a longtime Electro-Voice user, is a busy freelance tour manager and FOH Engineer who trusts his EV mics to stand up to the rigors of touring. For years, EV’s first generation PL80 mics set the world standard for live performance microphones. The new PL80’s sound, along with its rugged, natural-feeling design, has made it Peel’s go-to vocal mic.
“I love the PL80,” says Peel. “It’s awesome — I’m glad it’s back with a vengeance! The PL80c (with classic finish) is just like it was back in the day, but with all the advantages of state-of-the-art materials. And not only is it a great live microphone, it even works great when we’re recording TV and doing in-studio stuff like that. But it still makes its real mark in live sound because it does what other mics can’t. To me, a lot of vocal mics start to have problems when they get to high-frequencies and the sound gets really weak and brittle, but the PL80 has a very warm-sounding high end – you get all the top end you want without any shrillness. It’s especially good in louder live rooms. For these reasons it’s just a cut above the other standard-issue vocal mics out there. Plus it looks really cool!”
And not only does the PL80’s sound impress, its design is also encourages users to hold the mic correctly for optimal effect. Peel explains: “Singers tend to cup the mic with their hands around the element with other mics; with the PL80 they grab the handle of the microphone, and hold it right. When you hold it better you’re going to sound better, too.”
In addition to PL80 vocal mics, Peel uses EV N/D468s mics on drums, RE200 condensers on cymbals, and the N/D868 on kick drum.
“The N/D468 is basically the best standard drum mic there is,” says Peel. “You can’t get any more standard than the 468. It’s been on drum kits forever. Because of its design, it can stick in really tight places – you can’t get any better than that. And on top of everything it’s got that incredible sound that EV mics have always had – a great combination of warmth and definition. I put 468s everywhere on drums and RE200s on cymbals. I think The RE200 is the best cymbal mic out there. It really captures that swishy sound that I always want out of a cymbal. And of course the 868 on the kick is another industry standard mic from EV. I like the 868 because a lot of times it’s not about the click, it’s about what the drum sounds like, and the 868 delivers that.”
Chester French were recently featured as musical guests on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on April 21, 2009, the same day as the release of “Love the Future.” Peel brought his PL80 vocal mics to the Late Night studio at 30 Rockefeller Plaza for the performance:
“Of course I wanted to use these PL80s on the show because I knew they would sound better. But, understandably, the NBC engineers were used to their own mics and were hesitant. When I took one of the PL80s out, one of the older engineers said, ‘Hey I remember those mics from when I was a kid!’ Long story short: I convinced them to use my mics, we did the show, and they said, ‘Wow! This is a great microphone! It sounds great, has great rejection around it, and it sounds awesome on television.’ Everyone was very impressed.”
Peel also reports that even before their appearance on Late Night, the band was sold on performing with EV microphones.
“The band loves the mics, too,” says Peel. “They’re holding up on the road, they sound great, and our lead singer can hear his in-ears really well – that’s another thing about the PL80 – people can actually hear their vocal mic and it doesn’t sound distorted in your ear. And the mics are holding up really well, night after night; they’re solid, they’re metal, they’re tough – you can’t bust them. Even when your singer decides to drop the microphone.
“Electro-Voice rocks my world,” adds Peel. “These are my tools of the trade. EV puts out a great microphone – when it comes to mics, EV has more that are warmer sounding than any other mic manufacturer out there. And that’s what counts when you’re doing a live show and you’re trying to capture a recording sound at a live performance. It’s all about warmth at EV, and that’s what it’s all about for me.”
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: Electro-Voice has been building the world’s most trusted touring sound systems since the industry began. Tour X condenses every ounce of EV’s tour-proven engineering expertise into a complete line of multi-purpose loudspeakers designed to deliver the ultimate audio experience for portable or installed applications.
Comprised of the TX1122 (12” two-way), TX1152 (15” two-way), TX1181 (18” sub), TX2152 (dual 15” two-way), TX2181 (dual 18” sub), TX1122FM (12” dedicated monitor) and TX1152FM (15” dedicated monitor), each model in the Tour X line seamlessly balances aesthetic form and road-ready functionality.
A host of unique features make Tour X the most exciting loudspeaker line available today.
Key features:
• Unique Backbone Grille for superior strength and distinct style
• All-new 500W (continuous rated) SMX woofers and road-tested DH3 and ND2 compression drivers
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: Brand-new from Electro-Voice, makers of the renowned, world-tour-proven Precision SeriesP3000 amplifier, are Q Series amplifiers, four models that offer outstanding audio quality, reliability, and value for a wide range of mobile audio applications.
The new series continues EV´s proven concepts in amplifier technology, providing superior dynamic headroom, transient detail, and a full protection package. Based on Class-H layout for maximized efficiency and reduced weight in a 2U design, the amp family features additional switchable LowPass Notch (LPN) filters, providing extra fundament and kick as well as protective low-cut when driving compact 12” or 15” full-range speaker cabinets without subwoofers.
The Q Series flagship offers the horsepower to challenge its Precision Series predecessor, the legendary P3000 — proven on countless world tours. It provides the same power from a 2U case at modest weight, making it a perfect subwoofer or high-power-top-drive.
Q99 (2 x 900 Watts @ 4 Ohms / 2 x 1250W @ 2 Ohms);
With ample power headroom, the Q99 represents an excellent combined top & sub drive for most club-sized systems.
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: The N8000-1500 represents all that is state-of-the-art in pro audio signal processing. Based on the technology in the Electro-Voice NetMax N8000, this technology has proven itself time and again in the most demanding installations and live performances. Ranging from the World Cup to LIVE8, from the Houston Rodeo to Kenny Chesney’s ground-breaking tours, NetMax has established itself as a roadworthy tool that can take even the most sophisticated PA systems to the next level.
Now, NetMax advances to the next level with the N8000-1500. At the heart of the N8000-1500 is the new DSP-2 engine. Composed of three dual-core processors, the DSP-2 expands the total processing power of the N8000-1500 to 1500 MIPS. But it doesn’t stop there. The unique modular nature of NetMax means that each input or output card added to a chassis provides an additional DSP engine and another 100 MIPS of processing power. This means that a fully loaded chassis provides 1,900 MIPS of processing — almost double the power of the original N8000. Combined with the optional CobraNet interface, NetMax’s unique monitoring and supervision options, FIR-Drive, and the multitude of control options provided by IRIS-Net, the N8000-1500 represents the most powerful pro audio processor on the market!
Superior Audio Performance
The highest level of audio applications demand the highest audio performance, and NetMax delivers. High quality audio converters deliver a stunning dynamic range of 114 dB from analog input to analog output, including all signal processing. The pristine signal path ensures that audio remains pure and uncolored for the most accurate signal processing and reproduction. NetMax also addresses other considerations for live audio applications, such as latency. The N8000-1500’s auto-compiling DSP engine provides a fixed latency of 2.19 ms from analog input to analog outputs – far less than many competitive products.
FIR-Drive
IRIS-Net control and supervision software has always provided new and unique solutions for the pro sound market, providing tools, customization, and control that no other systems can touch. EV’s latest innovation is FIR-Drive technology for the line array control platform within IRIS-Net. The FIR-Drive Line Array Controller provides a comprehensive system drive preconfigured with all the tools needed for the most demanding applications, including individual processing elements for main, array, and zone EQ, multiple subwoofer configurations, flexible auxiliary processing, and full routing options. Best of all, the control interface is laid out in a single high-density interface, allowing easy control of all array parameters from a single page. The N8000-1500 has the FIR processing power required to handle today’s sophisticated, highly detailed line array systems, providing the ultimate in performance, sound quality, and pattern control.
Full System Monitoring and Supervision
Arguably, the most important aspect of live sound is ensuring that the PA is healthy and performing properly. IRIS-Net and NetMax provide a unique set of tools for monitoring and supervising all aspects of a system, including temperature, network status, fault conditions, and even cable integrity. When used with Tour Grade series amplifiers equipped with RCM-26 cards, an operator is able to monitor the health of the system down to a transducer level, using tools such as the One Button System check to show the status of all amplifiers, cables, and drivers in a matter of minutes, not hours. NetMax provides the supervision and control to ensure that the PA system is always operating at its best.
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PL Series microphones from Electro-Voice got the punk rock seal of approval on this year’s Warped Tour, drafted for duty alongside the heavy-duty EV sound systems deployed annually for the tour’s Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands and Hurley Stages.
Miami-based Drummer Boy Sound Productions, Inc. (DBS) supplied sound reinforcement for an HIV awareness concert on June 27 called “Show You Know.” Admittance to the concert was free for free following an on-site AIDS test by each participant. Event organizers Rize and Shine, Inc. were able to test 5,000 people before the event began. 
New York-based PA rental company Highway Sound recently got a call that power pop band Fountains Of Wayne would be performing an outdoor concert on Fire Island during their acoustic tour and needed small PA for their show. Jim Baron of Highway Sound comments:
Patriot Place, with the help of Warwick, R.I.-based Ambient Sound Inc., recently specified a new Electro-Voice sound system for “Rock the Plaza” events at the 1.3 million square-foot shopping, dining, and event destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., home of the New England Patriots. The new system has provided a significant upgrade to the popular outdoor concert series, a weekly showcase for local musicians that runs from April to October each year on Patriot Place Plaza. Mario Pregoni Live Sound Production Manager for Ambient Sound, comments:
Mexican folk singer Vicente Fernández, known in Latin America as “El Idolo de Mexico” (The Idol of Mexico), or simply as “El Rey” (The King), has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide during his 35 years as an international superstar. Fernández recently embarked on a 2009 Colombian tour with stops in Bogota, Medellin, and Ibague, and chose sound equipment from Electro-Voice for his shows. The entire system was provided by Colombia-based People Sound.
Jeff Dunham is a genuine cultural phenomenon who has amassed legions of loyal fans with his thousands of sold-out arena, theater, and comedy club performances, countless television guest spots, and three top-rated specials on Comedy Central. Building on this success, Jeff Dunham is taking North America by storm in 2009. Dunham’s newest tour, “ Spark of Insanity,” is playing to sold-out arena crowds. An Electro-Voice sound system from LIVE! Technologies is ensuring Dunham’s show sounds its best.
With an original sound that is equal parts indie rock and hip-hop, duo Chester French has been on the fast track to fame ever since their first hit single “She Loves Everybody” debuted on Nov. 18, 2008. 
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: Electro-Voice has been building the world’s most trusted touring sound systems since the industry began. 
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: Brand-new from Electro-Voice, makers of the renowned, world-tour-proven 
Orlando, Florida, June 17, 2009: The 
