Blond Productions have joined the L-Acoustics family and are the first in South Africa to invest in a Kiva II system.
“It’s something new and something different,” said Christiaan Ballot, owner of Blond. “We started searching the market for a complete line-array system. We looked at what the various brands had to offer and, for us it came down to what would service our needs best.”
Blond required a solution that could both accommodate a big venue with an audience capacity of 2000 yet be able to split up into smaller, modular systems for smaller venues, when needed. The answer came in twelve Kiva II, four SB15m, four SB18m, five LA4X amplified controllers and eight X8 monitors, purchased from DWR Distribution. This combination allows Blond to have a full line array or up to three smaller PA systems.
“Another deciding factor was the regular studio work we do,” added Riaan Rademan, Head of Audio at Blond. “Because Kiva II is small and compact, it can be hung in the rig and out of sight to supply audio to the studio audience. What I especially like is that it is a lightweight box with a punch! Easy to work with, it’s pretty much plug and play.”
“What stood out for me is that the system offers the latest technology on the market – there is currently nothing else that can compete with it in this sector,” commented Ballot. It was important for Blond to invest in innovation combined with the necessary research and development. “As a rental company, you always want to raise the bar and be better than you were at your last event, providing the client with a better offering and presenting the audience with a better sounding system.”
With the Blond team receiving the necessary theoretical and practical systems training from DWR’s Richard Smith, there is a renewed enthusiasm amongst the crew. The already very experienced team at Blond Productions, including Rademan (HOD Audio), took part in the training. They were not only excited to broaden their immense knowledge and to “play with something new” but were keen to highlight the importance of continual growth in this fast-paced industry.
“The technicians are excited about working on this professional platform, delivering a better product and in turn, making the client and production team happier too! It’s a win-win all round. With a premium product such as L-Acoustics, you can rely on making a return on your investment,” smiled Rademan.
While Blond is currently enjoying the novelty of being the only current Kiva II users in the country, they are hoping that other rental companies will also invest in the system. “The L-Acoustics users are a select crowd, but we all have the same mindset and the same goal,” said Ballot. “That is the one thing DWR and L-Acoustics have done correctly from the word go. The right people have bought into the product which I think will keep users cherishing the brand. People outside the industry are starting to realize what L-Acoustics brings to the table and what comes out of the box. It’s a brand that can be trusted, it’s now becoming very accessible and will raise the quality of events throughout South Africa.”
