As part of the show, the competition gave finalists an opportunity to record a single with the band in Los Angeles-based Westlake Studios. For these recording sessions, INXS's technical director Steve Jones needed a monitoring system that would be both compact and provide plenty of output - allowing the band to work up new songs live and loud with the Rock Star contestants.
After careful research, Jones decided that the ideal stage monitoring solution would be a Mackie system based around the TT24 Digital Live Console and a selection of Mackie Active loudspeakers. "We didn't have space for a traditional monitor system and the usual racks of amplifiers and parametric EQs that go along with passive speakers," Jones explained. "In addition, INXS likes to play loud and with Jon Farriss's drum kit and two guitar rigs in the room, the monitors were going to have some serious competition."
For the main room Jones selected five Mackie SRM450 Active PA speakers for the band as well as an SWA1801 subwoofer and an additional SRM 450 for the drum monitor. "The subwoofer provides that much needed low-end for the drum position and because it was so well match to the SRM450, it was a breeze to set up," Jones remarked. "Initially I wondered if the SRM450s would give me the volume I needed to get above the drums and quad boxes, but they provided more than enough clean output for the job. I'm really impressed."
To run the monitors Jones selected a Mackie TT24 Digital Live Console. "The TT24 was a perfect fit for the control room," he explained. "There was limited available space with the 72-channel Neve and the large amount of outboard gear already in the room. We positioned the TT24 behind and to the side of the Neve with a Mackie SRM350 along side as a local monitor speaker."
Also part of the system was a Mackie Onyx 1620 small-format analogue mixer, which was used as an effects sub-mixer in the control room and as a keyboard sub-mixer in the tracking room. A Mackie Onyx 800R rackmount mic preamp provided eight channels of clean, smooth mic and line amplification and digital conversion that could easily be moved between various parts of the system.
"I've been particularly impressed with the quality of Mackie's Onyx mic preamps," remarked Jones. "The Onyx 800R was clean, fast and it fit right into our studio full of high end preamps. Where it really shines though, is in the amount of features Mackie packed into its single rack space frame - mic and line preamps, digital conversion, DI, MS, dithering, BNC word clock, Variable impedance for ribbon mics - and it doesn't fall down in any area. When someone needs a life saver in the studio, I'd strongly recommend the 800R."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
