The 666-capacity theatre first contacted Marquee Audio in September to discuss a range of digital options to replace an ageing 24-channel analogue console that had reached the end of its useful life. Chief electrician Julian Brooks reports that: "We considered analogue and digital consoles, but quickly realised that, although we could have stayed analogue for half the price, we didn't want to accept its functional limitations. We wanted all the benefits of digital."
Checking out the Yamaha range of compact digital consoles, Julian Brooks favoured the Yamaha M7CL, with its touch screen, generous channel allocation and future expandability. "Marquee Audio was really accommodating, keen to demonstrate the strengths of the various Yamaha consoles, and quick to offer us an on-site trial which has covered our entire pantomime season."
More than half the productions in the busy Cambridge Arts Theatre make use of the house sound control facilities, which are located in a permanent control room. The MC7L has already had a full workout, with two weeks of musicals followed by the seven-week pantomime season, and several one-night events. Configured with an additional eight outputs to bring the standard spec to 48 inputs/24 outputs, the desk has the extra flexibility to handle the variety of programme, and the many high-profile West End touring productions that are booked into the theatre.
(Lee Baldock)
