Monitor engineer Ed Janiszewski has been mixing for Luke Bryan since 2008. From Bryan's time playing honky-tonks to today's massive stadium and festival gigs, the 2MAX has been a constant for both. "We're huge fans of Sensaphonics," says Ed. "The sound quality of the 2MAX is outstanding, and they are the most comfortable in-ears out there. Luke never wants to go on stage without them, and I feel the same way."
Another key benefit for Bryan is the high isolation of Sensaphonics all-silicone construction. "Luke does part of his set on a secondary stage out in the audience, in front of the PA," notes Janiszewski. "Those are rock show sound levels out there, and the extra isolation from the solid silicone earpieces means he doesn't have to turn it up as much to hear clearly. That's something Luke is really aware of. He's definitely concerned with maintaining and conserving his hearing."
During a recent show in Orlando, Sensaphonics president Michael Santucci was backstage and did fresh ear impressions for Luke and several band and crew members. "Luke even had Dr. Santucci do impressions for Musicians Earplugs for his nephew," recalls Janiszewski. "Between sound checks, opening acts, then our own 90-minute set, that's a lot of loud. We're both very aware of the need to limit our exposure. In fact, every time we play Chicago, I make it a point to stop by Sensaphonics for a hearing test. I just did that recently, and was very happy with the results. Which means that what we're doing is working."
Janiszewski is also impressed with the consistency and reliability Sensaphonics provides. "The flexibility of the earpieces mean they don't lose their seal as your jaw moves, which lets Luke focus on his performance. There's no distraction from worrying about details like what he's got in his ears or a sudden loss of bass from a bad seal. They just work, so Luke is able to put on the show that he needs to. And that's exactly how it should be," he says.
Luke Bryan's Kick The Dust Up Tour continues across the US through the end of October with a mix of stadium and amphitheatredates interspersed with major country music festivals.
(Jim Evans)
