The KT Helix system, which was specified by FF's monitor engineer Tilda Bruynooghe with full STS (solo tracking system) and wireless tablet control, will be used with a Midas Heritage 3000 console. Wigwam's Chris Hill confirms that the Helix system was chosen primarily because of the wireless control, which allows instant and simultaneous online control of up to 64 channels of EQ from a tablet computer. "This frees the engineer from the traditional side-of-stage monitor world position, and that's especially useful during initial system equalization. Tilda can take her tablet and set up the system from anywhere on stage, and make on-the-fly tweaks either via the master unit in the usual manner, or via the PC."
For Franz Ferdinand, Bruynooghe is using 18 channels of Helix on monitors, a DN9340 master and 4 DN 9344 slave units, which takes up only six units of rack space. Wigwam's other Helix unit is being used as a main EQ at the front-of-house desk. Each unit provides all the commonly-used EQ functions, including dual 31-band multi-mode graphic equalizer, a dual 12-band parametric equalizer, four configurable filters per channel, up to 1s of delay per channel, and two 'T-DEQ' filters, which offer realtime dynamic control. All this EQ power is available simultaneously to the user.
At Wigwam, Chris Hill identifies another practical benefit for monitor engineers, Helix's solo tracking system. "When you select a solo from the mix output, Helix ensures that the EQ you're looking at on-screen is what you're listening to on your PFL wedges." Available on all Midas Heritage, Legend and Siena consoles, STS (Solo Tracking System) provides a special bonus for owners of these desks: by using a simple RS232 connection, Helix will provide 'auto-solo' functions, so that the channel of Helix assigned to a given input or output will appear on the display of a local unit or the controlling tablet PC automatically allowing immediate access to all the EQ functions on the fly.
Jason Kelly of Shuttlesound, UK distributor of the KT Helix system, reports a growing interest in the technology, which made a successful trial on the UK tour by Basement Jaxx including their headline set at Glastonbury, and has since been used at the Edinburgh Festival and at the Big Chill Festival.
