Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada (June 5, 2024)—To accommodate the ever-increasing demands of touring shows, the Cogeco Amphitheatre has installed a pair of SSL Live consoles at its award-winning outdoor auditorium in Canada.
“The SSL Live consoles combine all the features we need for our future development,” Daniel Savoie, technical director, confirms. “The integrated Dante routing and management was a critical aspect for us because our network is already built for Dante, and we want to build on this flexible network system for efficiency and proven stability. We also needed to double our mixing capabilities because production requirements are always growing.”
The two SSL L550 Plus consoles are integrated into the venue and its network via a pair of X-Light Bridges, SSL’s high channel count Dante interface designed for lightning-fast I/O deployment. X-Light provides 256 x 256 console Dante audio capacity for Dante routing managed directly in the console software. Signals are routed and stored within the showfile, providing integration of three SSL SuperAnalogue SB 32.24 Dante stageboxes and several other third-party Dante-enabled units within the facility.
A Proper Mix for Peso Pluma
The Cogeco Amphitheatre operates in two configurations, depending on the season. During the winter, the 600-capacity Le Cabaret venue is created on the main stage, where a single L550 Plus handles both FOH and monitor duties. In the summertime, the amphitheater can accommodate 8,500 people outdoors, and the two consoles are typically used for FOH and monitors, respectively, subject to each production’s requirements.
“Of course, SSL’s reputation for sound quality and legendary precise audio reproduction were a given,” adds Nicolas Ouimet, sound manager. “The L550 Plus has a small footprint, with enough faders to comfortably handle any show. The terrific amount of processing capabilities included with the ‘Plus’ license was a huge upgrade that enables us to handle any kind of production, including live orchestral events.”
The features and functionality of the L550 Plus are already proving beneficial, according to Patrice Gagnon, sound manager. As for the sonic performance, Gagnon says, ““Everything seems to be more transparent and dynamic, and timbres are way more alive. The reproduction of the bass lines and every high-end harmonic contributes to a more detailed and precise mix. It’s not about what’s in the brochure; when you feel it, you know that the audience will feel it too.”
The two L550 Plus desks, procured to replace an older mixing system, offered benefits beyond the onboard capabilities of the consoles, Savoie says. “We quickly realized that all our Dante devices could benefit from this addition allowing us to multiply the mixing and routing capacity of the entire Dante audio network and amplify the audio possibilities of the Amphithéâtre Cogeco. The combined value of the networked devices arguably exceeds the sum of their individual contributions.”
