NewSpring Studios

Well we had our first run with the iLive console this past weekend. It went ok for being a brand new board. I forgot one important aspect of the board that I should have spent time working on, but with how that week was setup it didn’t really allow for time one on one with the instruments. That aspect – EQ.

This weekend was the first weekend I realized how the EQ can make such a huge mess of things if not done properly and subtly.

This week I plan on carefully checking all instruments EQ and making sure that there isn’t a huge overlap. The biggest problem I had was some things were EQ’d at the same range and therefore you couldn’t distinguish between them!

It was a learning experience but one well learned. I still very excited about the board, in fact the response it has to EQ was also uplifting because it’s a lot more accurate than the ML4000.

This week shall be another fun time!

After much research and working out the details. We are purchasing a digital sound board at the end of this month! We’ve decided that the iLive T was the best fit for us and also has an amazing price tag!

Here is a small list of that we are looking forward to do…

• Ability to have multi-effects running on any channel. (EQ, Reverb, Delay, Special FX).
• EQ, changeable on the fly. Different voices, immediately different EQs
• Instant updating of Aviom channels.
• Simplicity of cabling. One Cat5/6 Cable from board to mixrack
• Ability to automate mixes based on rehearsals, ensuring more consistent mix and more dynamic mixing.
• More effective for multi-track recording.
• More portable for special events.
• Consistency from week to week because EQs and all effects can be instantly reset to the default settings.
• Includes software for control/recording via PC on Network
• With all the built-in effects it has a very low threshold gate on every channel as part of the pre-amp so buzz/noise reduction
• Use of digital snake reduces interference from analog cross-talk
• Custom settigns (Gain, EQ, Compressor, Effects) saved for every musician, vocalist, or speaker
• Current board is 73″ wide. iLive is 34″ wide
• Floor pockets no longer needed, placement of breakout boxes are customized for that current series and/or service
• Due to built-in effects amount of equipment needed at soundpoint is reduced significantly
• All channels have built in pre-amps
• Password protected system with user profiles
• Has built-in optical inputs and outputs for integration with a HD Video system

We are really excited about this project. Currently I’m working on doing a lot of pre-setup so that when we get the console we can basically plug it in and go! We are capable of doing this because you can download software off of the website to control the console through a PC or have a separate mix going on. So I installed that software on my laptop and told it that the console was “Offline” and then I’ve been setting up everything we have, including gains, EQs, patching, integration with DSPs, and Aviom setup.

Save that setup on a thumb drive and then boot up, load thumb drive and you’re done!

Wednesday I got an opportunity to demo the new Allen and Heath iLive T112 board.

Pretty nice board, I’m surprised about the capabilities that it can handle and quite seamlessly too! I only got to play with it by hooking up an iPod and messing around with patching, naming, color coding, efx, aux sends, and so on…

The ability to run Aux sends like faders will be real nice, I’ve always wanted to run Aux’s as faders instead of nobs.

I’m right now messing with the iLive Editor, you can control the board through network connection with software. So I downloaded the software and I can actually set up the board without it being here it’s pretty nice.

It’s definitely the board we will get when we make the move to digital! You can’t beat the price and capabilities.