NEWPORT, Washington - May 2014 -- Sound engineer Bradley Johnson of Newport, WA-based KRF Audio, spent a lot of time listening to Megadeth in his early years mixing, so he was well prepared to man the controls for the legendary metal band's live show, currently on a world tour hitting more than 25 countries in four continents and wrapping up this August in England.
DiGiCo has long been Johnson's console supplier of choice, and, in fact, he owns his own gear. When I go on the road to mix, my board comes with me, says Johnson, who's serving as FOH engineer on the current Megadeth tour. To me, a mixing console and its related outboard gear are an extension of the engineer. Being comfortable with the console is paramount to the quality of the end product and allows engineers to be more creative with their mix.
Working with Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine is always a professional challenge, notes Johnson, because he's very meticulous with the sound on stage. He soundchecks nearly every day and has a specific routine that he faithfully adheres to. It starts with him listening to each instrument individually without in-ear monitors. When happy with levels and tones, he will put in his ear monitors and play with the band, starting first with drums and then adding each instrument one after the other. This is all done with the house PA off. When everyone is happy, I will bring up the mix in the house to a point where it does not interfere with the band's monitor mix. This can be challenging depending on how live' the room is or isn't.
For the current world tour, DiGiCo's SD8-24 is being used for both FOH and stage monitors. Like Johnson, DiGiCo is also the number one choice of Megadeth's monitor engineer, Dave Rupsch.
It's being used on stage for the same reasons as FOH; overall sound quality and performance versus footprint, says Johnson, explaining that international travel played a role in the choice.
Because truck space and shipping weights have become such a large consideration, we share a DiGiCo stage rack between FOH and monitors, thus eliminating a second rack and an analog split. This makes the entire sound system extremely compact and gives up nothing in the way of audio quality, he continues. The layout of the DiGiCo consoles makes sense to me. I am not sure why other manufacturers miss this point so obviously. If there is one thing I can't stand, it's an IQ test every time I walk up to a board. When it comes to reliability, audio quality, innovation and support, DiGiCo has always delivered.
Despite the metal genre's reputation for pushing eardrums to maximum tolerance, Johnson notes the stage volume is fairly controlled, as the result of Megadeth band members being on in-ear monitors. Side fills are used, but they are primarily to add feel or impact to the stage. Stage volume is a pleasant 102 to 104 dBA, which is not really the norm for this genre, but is very helpful from an engineering perspective, admits Johnson.
My mix in the house varies quite a bit depending on room size or if it is an outdoor venue. I have never had an issue with headroom on any DiGiCo console. It was recently put to the test in Las Vegas, where metal legends Mot rhead opened for Megadeth. That was a good gig, plenty of PA in that room, and a show with Mot rhead. They don't make 'em like Lemmy anymore, Johnson comments.
Megadeth uses two audio systems for tours. One is based in the USA and was used on the three Megadeth dates in April prior to the first international gig in Ecuador on the 22nd, which was one of seven South American shows.
The fly rig used for non-US dates consists of a DiGiCo SD10-24 at FOH and an SD8 monitor console. The beauty of the SD10 is that while a Waves SoundGrid server is not needed to produce excellent results, it simply adds more tools to an already substantial toolbox, says Johnson, who's planning to add a Waves server to the SD10 that will fit snugly in the console's road case.
There's an assortment of analog and digital outboard gear including: TC Electronic System 6000, Waves MaxxBCL, several Empirical Labs products, Eventide Eclipse, and a 56x32 stage rack with a DiGiCo D-TuBe preamp. There must always be at least one tube somewhere in my audio rig, laughs Johnson, who tends to lean toward what works for me, as opposed to the latest greatest whiz-bang box of the day.
Johnson believes plug-ins should be used as tools or enhancements, as opposed to being necessary for quality output. I can't say how many times I have heard engineers say something along the lines of I need this or that on every single input'. To me, this says quite a bit about their console's sound quality or lack thereof. With DiGiCo, however, the sound quality isnever in question. It's always fantastic.
DiGiCo Press Contacts
David Webster at DiGiCo
Tel: +44 1372 845600
Email: webby@DiGiConsoles.com
Chris Shuler at Public Address
Tel: +1 269 815 5055
Email: christophershuler@comcast.net
Images:
1) Megadeth_engineers.jpg Bradley Johnson (left) and Dave Rupsch at the DiGiCo SD10 FOH desk
2) Megadeth_and_crew.jpg A group shot of the band and tour production crew
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
25/04/2024
Sundance Institute Founder Robert Redford during a press conference at the 1996 ...
25/04/2024
alt= class=wp-image-12361 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NAB-booth-2024-960x540-1.jpg/> Set against a vibrant backdrop of innovation and collaboratio...
25/04/2024
alt= class=wp-image-12356 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NAB-mod-win-960x540-1.jpg/>NAB's Eric Trabb (right) awards SNS with two NAB Show Product...
25/04/2024
PHILADELPHIA Comcast beat earnings estimates in its Q1 2024 financial report, as streaming losses continued to decline and Peacock's paid subscribers spiked...
25/04/2024
SEATTLE The Seattle Kraken have inked new multi-year agreements with Tegna and Prime Video that will expand access to their games over broadcast stations and st...
25/04/2024
M2A Medias Matt Hughes asks, is it time for news broadcasting to shift to the cloud?
By Contributor
Published: April 25, 2024
M2A Media's Matt Hughes ...
25/04/2024
Cintel Scanner G3 HDR Restores Egypt's Cinema Treasures to Their Former Glo...
25/04/2024
Sinclair Broadcast Group said it named Kevin Coskren chief meteorologist at KTUL, its ABC affiliate in Tulsa, Oklahoma....
25/04/2024
The Business of TV News, a new one-day event featuring Martha Raddatz, Shannon Bream, Glenn Kirschner and other major figures in television news, happens at Hot...
25/04/2024
Conditions put on the proposed sale of WADL Detroit, to Mission Broadcasting have created a potential drama in the Motor City....
25/04/2024
TelevisaUnivision reported a $52 million loss in the first quarter, up from $3 m...
25/04/2024
Comcast reported flat first-quarter earnings as it reduced the red ink at Peacock but continued to lose video and broadband customers....
25/04/2024
Music-video network Vevo said it launched its app on Telly, the company offering consumers free dual-screen TVs in return for data about what they're watchi...
25/04/2024
Future Today said it has introduced a redesigned user interface for about half of its 300 streaming apps, including Fawesome, HappyKids and iFood.TV....
25/04/2024
The writer and director of a hit Czech series tell Robert Shepherd about their approach to portraying real-life Pakistani kidnappings on the small screen, while...
25/04/2024
Notorious DIT will work with the Liverpool Film Office to increase opportunities for regional talent
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 25, 2024
Notorio...
25/04/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
25/04/2024
Lightware Visual Engineering, a leading manufacturer of connectivity solutions for the professional integrated systems market and a pioneer in signal management...
25/04/2024
Net Insight has entered into a collaboration with DMC Production that positions Net Insight at the forefront of sports broadcasting in the Nordics. Net Insight ...
25/04/2024
GlobalM has announced a strategic partnership with scoopa, the specialists in broadcast-quality content distribution, offering a complementary service for live ...
25/04/2024
PlayBox Neo announces the completion of a new multichannel playout system for the DDish direct-to-home satellite television network in Mongolia. Based in the na...
25/04/2024
Canadian music producer and engineer Garth Richardson also known as Gggarth due to his stutter - has embraced immersive audio by installing a PMC monitoring s...
25/04/2024
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced that Televisa, the Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company, has chosen Synamedia as its pa...
25/04/2024
OTTera, a leading provider of end-to-end OTT and FAST channel solutions, proudly announces its strategic partnership with ThinkAnalytics, a global leader in adv...
25/04/2024
The American Tobacco Campus will be hopping with activity tonight and this weekend with two fun events!
Durham Night Market
At last! The Durham Night Market i...
25/04/2024
WEST CHESTER, Pa. Video commerce provider Qurate Retail Group has launched The Big Dish, a new culinary-themed FAST channel on The Roku Channel....
25/04/2024
LOS ANGELES The Hollywood Professional Association has announced that submissions for the 2024 HPA Engineering Excellence Awards are now being accepted. This re...
25/04/2024
NEW YORK The digital media measurement and analytics firm DoubleVerify has announced that it has received Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for Video Vie...
25/04/2024
SAN FRANCISCO Fox Corp.'s ad-supported streaming service Tubi has announced a licensing agreement with the sports platform DAZN that will see DAZN Ringside ...
25/04/2024
NEW YORK In the runup to the 2024 IAB NewFronts, the IAB has announced three key appointments to its leadership team....
25/04/2024
Epic Games releases Unreal Engine 5.4 with new Motion Design Mode, Unreal VCam f...
25/04/2024
Content Creation, Production, Distribution Is In a State of Flux
Andy Marken April 24, 2024
0 Comments
My empathy is creeping towards what I would de...
25/04/2024
The Carolina Panthers and Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC) announced they have...
25/04/2024
Berklee Student Riko Sasaski Named 2024 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The accomplished saxophonist secured a spot among the elite winners of this year's ...
25/04/2024
Stations everywhere take pride in having a main anchor who comes from the market they represent. That applies in St. Louis, too, but it also pertains to general...
25/04/2024
Edward Moody is joining the WBTW Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, anchor crew, and will anchor the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts alongside Trish Williford. He comes f...
25/04/2024
MTV said the 2024 Video Music Awards will return to New York and take place at the new UBS Arena....
25/04/2024
Season three of comedy The Outlaws premieres on Prime Video May 31. Stephen Merchant co-created the show, and stars. There are five episodes....
25/04/2024
The E.W. Scripps Co. is evaluating offers for Bounce, its multicast channel for African-American viewers, according to a report from CNBC....
25/04/2024
Paramount Plus has ordered a second season for Dora, the animated preschool show based on Dora the Explorer. The show, featuring Dora on a rainforest adventure ...
25/04/2024
April 25th, 2024 Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA FESTIVAL 2024 ANNOUNCES AUDIO STORYTELLING AND GAMES LINEUP
Audio Storytelling Program Features 10th ...
25/04/2024
NFL Draft 2024: Verizon Expands Broadband Capacity To Handle the Spike in Demand Mobile cells will help accommodate first responders, social media, sports betti...
25/04/2024
NFL Draft 2024: NFL Media Teams With The Fantasy Footballers on Hybrid, REMI Pro...
25/04/2024
NFL Draft 2024: ESPN Motors Into Detroit With Trio of Simultaneous Live Presenta...
25/04/2024
Published On: April 25th, 2024
data-orig-src=https://www.sgo.es/wp-content/upl...
25/04/2024
Published On: April 25th, 2024
data-orig-src=https://www.sgo.es/wp-content/uploads/Dolce-Mia-Header-image.png width=1040 height=533 class=lazyload wp-image-0 ...
NEWPORT, Washington - May 2014 -- Sound engineer Bradley Johnson of Newport, WA-based KRF Audio, spent a lot of time listening to Megadeth in his early years mixing, so he was well prepared to man the controls for the legendary metal band's live show, currently on a world tour hitting more than 25 countries in four continents and wrapping up this August in England.
