The Jonas Brothers launched an expansive world tour with the FOH audio team, consisting of FOH Engineer Adam Robinson and Audio Systems Engineer Cameron Manes, spearheading the crucial audio elements of the shows.
Given that the tour would be visiting a very wide range of venues, Robinson and Manes were eager to develop an optimised methodology to getting the most consistent sonic performance in each venue. The pair adopted the Sound Devices A20-Nexus receiver and its new Test and Measurement Mode to streamline this approach.
While there is an overwhelming influence of technology on the profession, neither has forgotten this critical perspective. “Front of house is inherently an artistic pursuit — how you can elevate the emotional experience of live music,” said Robinson. “Despite how nerdy we can get over technology, we never want to lose sight of how important that aspect is for both the performers and the audience.”
“That core idea has a major impact on how we work together on these shows because the people on the technical side are artists as well,” added Manes. “Part of our artistry is to adopt technology that is accurate, reliable, and sets our minds at ease so that Adam can focus on creating art and not worry about whether the systems are working properly.”
“It’s something that has really led us to push the boundaries as a team of what can be achieved and how we can utilise the tech to streamline important processes in the sound production of shows of this scale.
Although the testing and measurement process is an important part of any large audio production, its purpose is frequently misunderstood even by professionals in the field. Ensuring consistent performance from speaker systems can be the difference between a successful performance or a disastrous one. “The key word in all of this is consistency,” explained Manes. “What many people don’t understand is that it takes a trained ear to recognise if the system is reacting differently in different parts of the room. It may ‘sound good’ somewhere, but if the entire system isn’t providing a similar sounding experience to every seat of the house, then the show can be a failure.”
Adding to the potential pressure on large productions is that oftentimes testing and measurement can be a rushed affair given how long it can take to set up the proper equipment. For Manes, this is something that drove him and Robinson to think differently about how to streamline the process for this tour. “We really only have about thirty minutes to conduct this process in each venue,” Manes said. “Finding ways of doing it more efficiently and getting better results was something we were always in search of as it’s very important for the final product.”
“When Sound Devices added T&M mode to the A20-Nexus, we immediately signed up to be beta testers because we saw the opportunity to completely overhaul the process for the better.”
The basis of Robinson’s FOH rig for the tour is the DiGiCo Quantum 7 console and d&b KSL line arrays supplied by longtime partner Clair Global. The measurement system that he and Manes devised utilised four Sound Devices A20-TX wireless transmitters paired with Isemcon EMX-7150 microphones and an A20-Nexus receiver that ties in via Dante to a DirectOut Prodigy.MP system controller, providing system management and output routing as well as feeding the test signals to Rational Acoustics Smaart measurement software.
The ability to work wirelessly proved to be a game changer. “Most wireless measurement systems up until this point simply didn’t give accurate enough results as they would impart something incorrect on the measurements in terms of frequency and phase shift,” said Robinson. “With the Sound Devices T+M Modulation Algorithm, there is no frequency or phase shift, so we were getting the exact same measurements we’d get from a wired microphone but with much more flexibility in terms of speed and placement.”
“It immediately made our T+M process that much more efficient,” added Manes. “We were able to measure so many places at once and see the difference between the locations instantaneously. We’re doing a lot less double-checking now since we know we can trust the measurements that we get.”
Implementing the new testing system within their existing FOH setup proved to be relatively straightforward. Robinson and Manes were able to dive in and make the A20-Nexus receiver work without too many headaches. “Sound Devices is known for making robust hardware and they really take that extra step to understand how professionals will use it and put thought into every detail,” said Manes. “The UI is incredibly intuitive, and it was very easy to get everything set up.”
“It’s beautiful gear that we’ve come to trust for what we need to accomplish. Everything worked exactly as it needed to — even as a beta! — and there was very little to have problems with,” Manes continued.
With a testing and measurement system in place, the main focus of the partners has returned to the creative outcomes inherent in delivering emotional experiences around the musical performances of the tour. “At some point, we always have to push the technology aside and focus on the creative and artistic space around these massive productions,” said Robinson. “Being able to rely on that consistent response has made it so much easier to do that and has had such a positive impact on the sound of these shows.”
“We have a habit of bringing new electronic toys on each tour that we do together,” concluded Manes. “The A20-Nexus was one of them, but it totally changed how we work, and our hats are off to Sound Devices for creating something that’s become so essential to us so quickly.”
