Supplied by audio hire company Concert Sound, six XTA DP226s using AudioCore via a WISER wireless network took care of system control for the tour's Adamson Y-10 / Spektrix line array PA.
"The combination of the Adamson PA and XTA processors was really good," says Concert Sound system tech Aron Ross. "It was a system that looked complex on paper, but it was very straightforward. We could make physical changes to the system very easily. In some venues, for the more awkward balconies we needed to both fly and ground stack the Y-10,"
Two DP226s were used for each side of the main system, one set up for the ground stack and one for the flown elements, while a fifth was used for the Spektrix cabinets used for in-fill or out-fill as needed. The sixth DP226 was plugged into the laptop for controlling the wireless network.
Ross did most of the system EQ within AudioCore, although he also had an analogue graphic for FOH engineer Jonnie Lucas to grab if necessary. "It made it easier for him to make immediate adjustments rather than having to change it on the laptop or ask me," says Ross.
However, it wasn't long before the XTAs proved their worth, as Jonnie Lucas points out: "After the first few shows, the EQ on the graphic was proving very similar," he says. "So we decided to mirror that curve in the processors and run the analogue graphic almost flat.
"The XTA processors worked really well for us," he continues. " It was good to know that Aron and I had so much reliable control over each part of the system. We would usually begin sound check with just the main hangs/stacks, then Aron would tweak the front fills and in-fills while the band was playing. Using AudioCore on a remote tablet and gave us all the flexibility and control we could ask for."
(Jim Evans)
