Cheshire hire company, The Audio Group, recently employed Allen & Heath’s iLive digital system to manage a festival for M.A.D Sound and Lighting near Aberystwyth, Wales.
Comprising an iDR10 mix rack and iLive-80 control surface, the system managed FOH audio for the 2-day event at Pafiliwnbont in Pontrhydfendigaid, which featured 10 top Welsh bands including Huw Chiswel, Sibrydion and Radio Luxemburg.
Audio Group’s director, Paul Adamson, said: “We have been looking to purchase a digital audio system for some time and iLive’s audio quality and features make it very appealing. With everything on board, we don’t need to carry big outboard racks of EQ and FX processing.”
The iLive system was complemented by a Logic Systems VA Line Array at FOH and Logic LM20 monitors, with amplification from MC2.
“The event manager was anxious at the thought of a digital console at FOH. He asked ‘where’s your multicore?’, and walked away scratching his head when I explained we had already flown the two pieces of CAT5 required off the truss!” commented freelance sound engineer, James Jewry, who was driving iLive throughout the festival. “We reached sound checks in no time and as I hadn’t used the iLive before on location I was surprised at what was to follow; the audio is rich and detailed, all the onboard FX simulations are superb, and the features and flexibility of the system really impressed me. As soon as you select a channel everything is in front of you, unlike other digital desks where you have to navigate a little to find what you need. We especially liked the mute buttons, which are like Allen & Heath’s analogue boards.”
“If you’re thinking of buying a digital board and you dismiss iLive, to put it bluntly you’re either deaf or stupid. “It doesn’t sound like a digital board should, it just sounds awesome. Enough said,” concluded Jewry.