DiGiCo desks double up at Apeldoorn’s Gigant
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Since it was established in 1977 in an old school building, Gigant has focused on popular music and art-house performances, with international artists such as U2, Nirvana, Herman Brood, Golden Earring and UB40.
Recently, the venue’s technical team has upgraded their console fleet by adding a DiGiCo SD12 and Quantum225 digital mixing consoles, supplied by Ampco Flashlight Sales to replace their existing console setup. Whilst Ampco recognises the SD12 as the ‘all-accepted and multifunctional workhorse’, used on FOH at the venue, the powerful yet compact Quantum225 is used for on-stage monitoring.
Bart van der Smissen, audio product manager at Ampco Flashlight Sales, and Simon Kemme, technical coordinator at Gigant, have known each other for a long time, having held similar roles in the event industry. Prior to his current position, van der Smissen served as the head technician at Nobel Bros, the renowned pop stage venue for Leiden and the surrounding area.
"Throughout my time at Nobel Bros, I’ve had numerous encounters with Simon. For more than 10 years, he has been a devoted DiGiCo enthusiast," van der Smissen recalls.
Having utilised their previous consoles for the past 14 years, the venue's team aspired to elevate their console fleet with DiGiCo.
"We reached out to several vendors to request product demonstrations and provided them with a comprehensive checklist of our requirements, with the primary objective being to find a solution that could seamlessly interface with our Clair Systems PA using digital redundancy, eliminating the need for external components like a protocol bridge,” explains Simon Kemme.
Additionally, the team was seeking a fast turnaround from the planning phase to delivery, and most importantly, a platform with robust hardware that could remain efficient and relevant for at least a decade, without becoming slow or outdated due to inadequate processing power. “After considering several competitor options, DiGiCo was the one brand that ticked all of our boxes as we felt it would offer us the best-quality sound for many years to come,” he says.
The Quantum225, on the other hand, was a new experience for Kemme, but upon witnessing the console's performance during the demonstration, the venue's team immediately recognised its potential. "It was as though we were shown a new platform that retained the recognisable look and feel of a DiGiCo console but with enhanced capabilities and an exciting future of possibilities with each update. The
addition of the Quantum225 to the setup also provided us with extra flexibility, not only for the in-house tech team but also for visiting engineers to decide how to operate both consoles.”
“For Gigant, having the DiGiCo consoles has been an incredible asset,” says van der Smissen. "It's great to see how DiGiCo and Ampco Flashlight Sales have worked hand in hand over the years, delivering top-of-the-line sound technology to multifunctional venues like this.”
