Sound

The big news this month is that the new MUF sound system is open for business. And it was worth waiting for, with benefits beyond expectations.

The basics: The speakers and related wiring are permanent. The new digital console (Roland M200i) lives with the rest of the system in the raised box in the back of the room. Digital consoles have many advantages over analog, the biggest is complete recall of settings and schemes, and the ability to copy the settings from one channel into any other channel. As a result, we have programmed the basic Minstrel set up so that anyone mixing a show can fire up the system and recall the basic set up, which allows the operator to start with everything very close. That saves the time required on the old system to adjust settings on every channel before the sound check. This system is best operated via iPad, and it's wireless. Operators can walk around the room making adjustments, including setting the monitor mixes from the stage.

We've used this system for two Minstrel shows thus far, and each has worked well. My fears about "losing the center" by having the speakers spread so far apart have been calmed, and the sound is consistent almost everywhere in the room. John Mahon and I have been training ourselves and the interested soundies, and at least one of us will be at each Minstrel until the other soundies are comfortable enough to use it skillfully and to teach others.

There are a couple of surprises with the new installation: The equipment for the hearing impaired broadcasts at 90.3 FM to little receivers. We should be able to put a boom-box at the door so the lobby can hear the shows. Another surprise is that the audio engineers changed their tune and recommended that the sound panels stay on the walls. MUF is now getting prices to put new covers on them. There are some bells-and-whistles that MUF wanted in the system that will also be of advantage to us in the form of a digital video projector and electric screen that drops down from the ceiling on command. Too, their video recording rig also has the ability to upload direct to a youtube channel or website, which could be good for the Folk Project in that function, or in a Concert Window-type broadcast of our shows.

Below is a photo of the iPad mixing screen, and the full size console in the background [photos did not come through – LKM]. The iPad is merely a display as all of the settings and memorization happens within the board. The faders on the console are active, so they'll move when the touch-faders on the iPad are moved.

Mike Del Vecchio