"I've had the chance to try them all, and there's really no comparison," he says. "It starts with sound quality. My job is to EQ an individual mix for each band member, so I want to hear everything accurately coming off the source," he says. "That's the only way to know for sure what I'm actually doing to the sound. Sensaphonics are so accurate, it lets me start with the truth, which helps me deliver the studio-style mixes that the band members want."
Quackenbush's experience with Sensaphonics goes back to 2003, when he was hired as front of house engineer and production manager for Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Because the band couldn't yet afford a travelling monitor engineer, Sean found himself mixing both FOH and monitors from the main console. The group was opening for Dave Matthews Band, and Randolph had just ordered a pair of Sensaphonics 2X-S.
"Robert was really into IEMs, so I suggested we try putting everyone on them," Sean recalls. "I talked to Ian Kuhn, Dave Matthews' monitor engineer, about it, and he told me how much soft earpieces helped in making that transition a smooth one for his band. The silicone absorbs your body heat and actually gets more pliable. After a few minutes, you can't even tell that it's in. Much more comfortable for long sets, plus they give better isolation than hard acrylic."
A few years later, Quackenbush experienced the next big technology advance from Sensaphonics, the 3D Active Ambient system. "I was talking to (Sensaphonics founder) Michael Santucci at the NAMM show and told him about how the performers wanted to hear the stage. That was 2006, right when they introduced the 3D system. Robert Randolph tried them in rehearsal and said, 'This is what we've been asking for.' He ordered a set immediately, and so did Danyel (Morgan), the bass player. They both got into it like there was no tomorrow."
As monitor engineer for O.A.R. in 2013, Quackenbush found himself with another group full of Sensaphonics users. "Half the band is on the ambient 3D, the other half is on the 2MAX," Sean notes. "Sonically, they're both pretty close, very neutral. I tend to wear my ambients during the show because I like the way the 3D sounds with the dual full-range drivers. And I love having the Full Ambient mode, where I can flip a switch and hear what a tech is telling me, then flip it back and be right back to what the band is hearing."
In 2014, Quackenbush will be spending most of his time with Robert Randolph and the Family Band, starting with the current US tour that runs through May. He'll be doing occasional gigs mixing Yukon Cornelius, an "ultragroup" side project featuring Stefan Lessard of Dave Matthews Band, among others. Wherever Sean goes, he'll be taking his Sensaphonics gear along. "They're the most comfortable product, they have the best isolation, and they're the best sounding," he says. "I use them everywhere, and I recommend them to everyone."
(Jim Evans)
