Ballard has been using SpectraFoo's SpectraGraph, SpectraGram, and the Transfer Function applications for nearly five years, during which time he has seen live sound technology advance to such an extent that Metric Halo's analysis software has become indispensable when fine-tuning a system. At a recent corporate show, he reports: "I took about three or four frequencies out, just minute slivers. I gained 6 or 8dB of headroom compared to doing it with a graphic equalizer just from being that accurate."
SpectraFoo provides standards-based level metering, high-speed, high-resolution spectral analysis, transfer function measurement, the unusual Phase Torch, correlation metering, triggerable waveform display, power balancing, and a variety of power, envelope and spectral histories and phase analysis on any number of input or output channels.
Ballard notes that SpectraFoo's precision is now matched by performance sound system technology. "Before, you'd be hacking things out and it would make no difference. Now, when you make a change, it does make a difference and you can actually hear it. I also find that you now have to be far subtler than you ever were with the older systems, and far more accurate. Having that accuracy of prediction, SpectraFoo comes into its own for cleaning things up."
Over the last couple of years, Ballard has worked as a system tech with Kylie Minogue's FOH mixer, Chris Pyne, on the Australian singer's last two tours, and has also toured with the UK band, Travis.
A staunch Mac user, Ballard was relieved to finally discover a software program that not only worked on his computer platform and was easier to use than competing PC-based software. "SpectraFoo was key to me being able to say, I can do what I want to do on a Mac. Particularly when you're teching, rather than mixing, it's very easy to set up windows that are easy for the engineer to interpret."
Ballard recently landed his dream gig and is currently preparing for several upcoming television performances by George Michael. The prospect of being able to realistically reproduce the artist's recorded work in a live setting would previously have caused some trepidation, he says. "Since the advent of line arrays, together with other advances in technology, I think the quality of the equipment is there to be able to reproduce the albums. Four or five years ago I would have been less confident about myself and the equipment being able to reproduce that in some big arenas.
If someone said, 'Is there anyone you want to mix,' George Michael would be it. When you listen to his CDs you can tell that meticulous attention has been paid to every single item, down to the reverbs, and it's fantastic. I always said that, once I tour with George Michael, I'm going to hang up my headphones."
Transamerica Audio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, is U.S. importer/distributor and/or U.S. sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Transamerica provides dealers and end users with a high standard of product expertise and support. Transamerica AG's product lines include AEA (USA), Apex (Belgium), ATC (UK), Brauner (Germany), Daking (USA), Drawmer (UK), George Massenburg Labs (USA), Metric Halo (USA), Mission Pro (UK), Soundelux (USA), SoundField (UK), and Z-Systems (USA).
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
