CAT-5 Connects Front of House to Stage, Streamlining Both Setup and Performance
LOS ANGELES, CA, MARCH 17, 2009 – The hit band Candlebox, a benchmark group that made its mark on the alternative rock movement of the 1990s, is relying on the Aviom Pro16® personal mixing system (Musikmesse/Prolight+Sound Hall 8, Stand J41) to deliver consistency and reliability for the band’s in-ear stage monitoring system. The Pro16 system simplifies and streamlines setup for the band, while at the same time providing individualized control over each element in the musicians’ monitor mixes for every performance.
“My friends at Tour Supply in Los Angeles recommended Aviom when I was preparing for the 2008 Candlebox summer tour,” says Carlos Novais, sound engineer and tour and production manager for Candlebox. Novais has worked with such artists as Vonda Shepard, Daniel Powter, Sugarland and Thin Lizzy, among many others. “The band had already moved over to in-ear monitors, so this was a good step. However, because they didn’t travel with a dedicated monitor engineer, each member had to physically move off stage to make the proper level adjustments on the analog monitor console. This was cumbersome and if anything went wrong during a performance, the situation was impossible. With the Aviom system, they have their own Personal Mixers with recall next to them and that makes our lives much easier. The Aviom system is very reliable and really tames a previously difficult setup situation.”
The system is based on an Aviom16/o-Y1 A-Net® Card loaded in a Yamaha® M7CL digital console. The run to the stage is through a tidy 150-foot Cat-5e cable to the first of four A-16R Personal Mixers that are all mounted in racks with the wireless in-ear transmitters. From there, the other three A-16R units are daisy chained together carrying the A-Net digital signal. The 16-channel A-Net signal out of the fourth A-16R continues the daisy chain and feeds two A-16II Personal Mixer units. Each A-16R connects to an A-16CS Control Surface placed onstage with the musicians; the A-16CS allows the band members to set mix levels and save presets on the
A-16Rs without leaving their positions onstage.
“We have one A-16CS remote for each guitar player, one for the bass player and one for the lead singer with the drummer and the keyboard player working from two A-16II Personal Mixers,” explains Novais. “Each A-16R has its XLR outputs connected to a Sennheiser EW 300 IEM G2 transmitter to feed the musician’s in-ear monitors. Not only can we save the rehearsal mixes, but each performer can easily adjust his level and balance to meet his needs in performance with a live audience. The Aviom system we use allows me to concentrate on the front of house mix and gives the band the confidence to focus on the show and not worry about the monitor levels. I have been so happy with the system’s performance that I am considering using Aviom’s Digital Snake on our next tour, instead of having to carry heavy snakes and splitters.”
Aviom pioneered personal mixing with its Pro16® Monitor Mixing System and continues to break new ground with the revolutionary Pro64® Series of audio networking products. With tens of thousands of products in the field today, Aviom has set the standard for high performance, scalable digital solutions. All Aviom systems harness the power of A-Net®, Aviom’s innovative digital audio technology that simplifies system design while enhancing flexibility and fidelity. All Aviom products are designed, tested, and manufactured in the USA.
