Established in 1903 as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra has an internationally acclaimed reputation, playing nearly 200 concerts a year under the direction of Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä. Terry Tilley is currently serving his 30th season with the orchestra, during which time he has changed mixing consoles just four times. The Cadac represented the fulfilment of a long-standing objective, as Tilley explains:
"I wanted a really good-sounding desk, capable of handling the eclectic mix of recording and broadcast projects we get involved with - anything from classical reinforcement to light jazz. Earlier this year, our director and the musicians put in a pretty loud request for some new equipment that would enable us to get the best possible sound.
"Management said yes, and I was allowed to go shopping. I have always wanted a Cadac - it is sonically superior to anything else, and has a transparency that makes it ideally suited to classical reinforcement. We need a very fine and controllable sound, along with a precise EQ for the wonderful acoustic we have in the Hall. With the S-Type, everyone is very happy with what we can now achieve - including the broadcast guys."
The upgrade project included increasing the number of mic lines from 30 to 94, reflecting the volume of broadcast work handled by the Orchestra Hall, along with the addition of LabGruppen fp2600 and fp3400 amplifiers and a Yamaha PM5D submixer for road-show projects. Tilley and his assistant handled the installation, battling with the lack of any cable pulls in the 1970s building, while continuing to work through a hectic daily schedule that involves some four shows in rotation at any one time.
(Jim Evans)
