Sound engineer is Paul Dieter who comments: "I started mixing live in the 80s, then spent maybe 15 years in the studio. I was just so frustrated with the live sound systems available then. When line arrays came along I was eventually tempted back to live and I'm having much more fun."
Dieter's PA for Browne comes from Schubert Systems in California, a d&b audiotechnik J-Series. "It's a subtle consideration," says Dieter, "Jackson's song-writing is rock and roll for the discerning ear. I try to be manufacturer and sound company agnostic, I don't want politics getting in the way of making the best choice for my client. The combination of J8, J12 and J-SUB loudspeakers must be absolutely correctly balanced; I expect to be able to achieve nothing less than great vocal clarity throughout the house."
Dieter's system technician, Tom Laveuf adds: "Truth is the system is very well behaved. We're touring through a mix of theatres, arenas and sheds which we can adapt easily; ArrayCalc makes that very straight forward. The 180 degree amphitheatre of The Greek in San Francisco was a delight. The only EQ on the system is in the R1 file (d&b's proprietary remote control software) there's nothing in the desk or in the Lakes, which I think says it all. The only challenge has been to figure out what to do with the subwoofers."
Laveuf has only recently joined Schubert, having cut his teeth as a system tech' at Beachsound, another d&b advocate, in Florida. "They taught me well; I've modelled many B2 and J-SUB arrays and find them very well behaved. Although the J-SUB is inherently cardioid we quickly found that putting this type of defined Sub-array arc across the front of stage worked best for Jackson, leaving his mic totally uncoloured by the low end."
Dieter concludes: "Mixing on the d&b J-Series is the closest I have found to listening to great studio monitors."
(Jim Evans)
