A Great Show - Enabled With GREAT gear!

[Dolomite]

Hi all, I'm a regular lurker around these parts and was once a member when working for a local-ish pro-audio supplier. Since going freelance at the end of last year though it's been all about getting work in of course, and enjoying my new found freedom of NOT having to answer to someone. So my time here has been of the hovering variety..

 

However, I'm now reasonably established and have a bit of a cushion so I can spend some time waffling on here as I need. I'm sure you'll all be extremely glad to know.

I just completed a little project last weekend that has made my recent listening & working experiences soooo much better though, and I though I'd share it and give you a heads-up.

 

Before the kids came along and we were young and care free-ish, I was based in London and would tour as FOH with various artitsts. One of the main acts I worked with were the charmingly named 'Collapsed Lung' who were known for the song 'Eat My Goal', which you may or may not know. Anyhoo's I was asked to supply sound for a reunion gig in Camden last week and via various sources put together a rig comprising of reasonably high spec gear that I knew I'd be able to install, rig, operate & get out within a ten hour period at the venue. There were stairs and drunken party revellers to contend with so I had to plan exactly my get in's & out's as well as picking up the hire van, collecting gear and doing the same in return.. I maneged to assemble a lovely outboard rack (not fully digital yet, but getting there..) comprising drawmer & dbx proceesors, a cracking Bel delay and some bits of Yamaha that did the job. For the main system I had got hold of some ART 905AS subs which I find to be a great one man unit, plenty of thump for the 150 people expected at the small soiree (it was a private do.) and manouverable too. I've actually been quite let down by the 905's and wouldn't use them if I had the choice, as the three way crossover is what makes the 705's for me and I'll change the point from 100Hz for live music to 80Hz for playback during an event if needed. For the mid/hi's (and this is where I get gushy..) I was lucky enough to get my hands on some KV2 Audio EX12's. Having not mixed or operated KV2 previously I didn't know quite what to expect, but I now realised looking back on the event that they were like a walk in the park quite frankly.

It's surreal, but I slapped them on the pole mount, got them up to a decent height (long, thin room with stage about a foot & a half off the ground), played a little bit (maybe two minutes most) of playback, as it was a bright room with horrible lino tiles, pulled out a few dB of 2.5K, 4K, 5K. Then plugged in a mic and was amazed at the ease of the sound and realised any more fiddling would be detrimental, so left it as was. I had a quick listen to the monitors (I was using the ART 322Ai's that had come with the subs, ideal as wedges) which required a bit more EQing than the front, but was then set for a quick sound check for The Lung & the caberet group who were also playing.

It was a joy to hear the band again of course after nearly twelve years or so, but more was the fact that I could now hear them as I'd always wanted to as their FOH engineer all those years ago. We would play quite big shows at points as the Eat My Goal single had commercial success with a decent chart position (back when the charts meant something saleswise), and we played the mainstage at Reading Festival, Phoenix Festival & The Dour Festival in Belgium as well as playing some great venues like The Astoria, Manchester Acedemy etc, but the sound experience at those places just wasn't like it was last weekend. Even on this little active rig, the improved clarity and ease was astounding. By the time the room was filled up I soon had the EQ flattened out again and through their set found little to do as it was all working well. What was so easy upon relfection was the fact that the EX's dispertion was so great that I didn't have to second look or move them, once they were up, even thoough the poles were a little tired and they certainly weren't postioned the same; the EX's just threw it out far & wide and produced the sound that I would spend ten minutes EQing and processing on anything else I use - even now in my regular gigs. I almost think that Mr George Krampera has spent time listening via my battered ears as KV2 seems to really give what I want to put across, just by simply turning them on and using properly.

That, evidently is where the problem lies with many peoples opinion of KV2 Audio though. So many people will try and use it (obviously this applies more to the lines like ES & VHD) like they use other things, pointing & positioning things and setting up the non-specificed route. It's understandable though too, we're all technicians and think we're doing it right and we know best, ehy?! But you have to allow yourself to let the rule book go out the window and trust in it. Quite simply, plonk it down, set it up (keeping eveything flat - no dB boost's, no EQ even) and have a cup of tea.. It's there to do the work for you and quite frankly at the premium product price, you expect it too. I unfortunately can't quite afford my own system - and have no need for one as I do a variety of projects that require different spec's and sizes, although will be hoping for more of this in the future to make my life bloomin' easy though. Me and the family have a medium term plan to relocate to Portugal in about two years time though, where I plan to do the same as now BUT will take a rig with me, so I have something to do the local carnival or fado artist with :D and now after this job I know what I'm going to take :D ! Having a KV system out there will get me work & a good repuation, I'm confident. Just hope I can get spares shipped - should I ever need them!

As for the rest of the recent event though, it worked like a dream. The rig was compact enough for me to strike and load out & up (it was up stairs on the way out at 1am!) and be on the A12 heading for sunny Suffolk by 2am. With a bit of a dash round early doors the morning after I had the main rig & van returned by 11am and was glad that pre-planning and timeline worked as expected, and we all know how this can go to ###### if something goes down or wrong with gear! I say, make like easy(er), invest in some KV2 and never have the need for (too much) contigency again!

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yyz_GpRXd8