The Midas systems have been supplied by Eighth Day Sound in North America, and Britannia Row Productions in the UK and Europe. "We decided to go with the XL8 because it offers everything you could ask for in a console," says Saul Skoutarides, a UK-based Australian engineer who has been mixing monitors for Kings Of Leon since mid-2009 "Most importantly, it gives us the sound we need, both out front and on stage. It's the best sounding console I've ever used."
This is FOH engineer Brent Rawlings' first tour with a digital desk, having never found one that met his audio standards. His previous console of choice was the Midas XL4. It was the automatic latency control of Midas Digital that convinced him to switch. "Sonically, the XL8 is easily the equal to the XL4, and that's saying a lot. And of course, it can do so many things to make my job easier," he says. "I love being able to delay individual channels to one another, which is amazing. I feel like I've discovered a new knob after having mixed for 15 years."
Rawlings mixes Kings Of Leon primarily via his VCAs, putting everything else into POP Groups for easy access. He automates his mutes, effects and some panning throughout the show, and uses Area B on the console's right-hand side to keep his outboard compressors handy, routing them through the system's DL451 I/O box. "These are master quality compressors that sound great and are very smooth," he states. "I like the fact that my FX stay put and are always on top. But maybe the best thing about Area B is that the system tech can do anything he needs without affecting anything I'm doing."
(Jim Evans)
