With a DiGiCo Quantum 7 throughout at front of house, and a Quantum 5 at the monitor position, for the latter portion of the tour, The 1975 can be assured their sound will remain exactly how they like it, wherever the tour takes them. Engineers Lee McMahon and Francois Pare explain why DiGiCo Quantum is the only console range they can imagine touring with.
For Pare at the monitor position, it all started at the DiGiCo's HQ in Chessington in the mid 2000's on a training day with the manufacturer's Tim Shaxson.
I don't think I've used any other desk since 2016, says Pare. Nowadays the shows are so involved, there aren't many desks that can handle the number of channels we need. On The 1975, we have an eight-piece band, and the show is quite theatrical, there's a lot going on effects wise on stage, so it all adds up!
At Front of House, Lee McMahon's story is very similar and he has been using DiGiCo consoles exclusively since 2018. He explains why: Building this show has been an amazing journey; the band really care about sonics and how to interpret album production elements in the live domain. That's something I take very seriously. I want to present their craft in the best way possible, sometimes pushing the boundaries of what is traditionally achievable within occasionally hostile acoustic spaces. It's been a lot of fun bringing this show to fans all around the world. I've toured with SD11i, SD12, SD10 and SD5 consoles at different times over the years, but the Quantum processing has given me a lot more room to do things the way I want to.
With a show this complex, a lot of channels are needed, but how do you keep easy access on the console to all that audio without resorting to a gigantic footprint?
Broadly speaking, I mix inputs to Groups that combine at the Master buss, he explains. I have around 200 channels, accounting for around 128 stage inputs, effects returns, utility channels and playback. I'm using matrices to drive PA, nearfields, auxiliary record feeds, 2-tracks and VIP feeds. I use a lot of Groups, about 80 percent of my show is just on the Control Group layer which is controlling a mixture of input channels, group output and aux sends. This means I can keep my head up and respond to the mix as I want to, without having to hop around the console.
The Quantum range has benefitted from a series of upgrades, not least the Mustard Processing and Spice Rack. Using the Naga 6 software engineers can solo filter bands without effecting the output of the channel, allowing them to monitor and audition dynamic filters during the show.
Distortion, gates and compression are now all available on the console, without having to resort to outboard plugins or standalone units, further contributing to the efficient workflow that keeps engineers coming back to the DiGiCo Quantum range.
I've got 152 input channels, around 59 Auxes and a 31 16 Matrix, explains Pare. It's a huge show. I try to keep my use of the onboard features as limited as possible to keep the show streamlined, just in case, but the Mustard and Chilli are really needed. There is a distortion we use on the saxophone, of all things. It's an octave down and adds a kind of guitar feel, thickening up the mix. It's really nice and I'd need to have an outboard distortion if I didn't have that. We also use it for vocals, so it's handy to have. The EQs are really good, too.
Communication across multiple departments is key when shows are this complex, but when set-up time is tight a failsafe method for resetting the monitor desk into show mode is needed.
The thing I use the most of are the Macros. I have 24 channels of talkback and you don't want to accidentally leave talk-back open during the show. We have different systems Riedel, Motorola, etc. It's a matrix of communication, so the Macros are really important we turn around so quickly, it's vital to have a speedy way of resetting. Knowing I've got those 40 or so buttons that can be anything I want just makes it so much faster. The competition doesn't have that, it's really flexible and it is what sold me on the DiGiCo from the get go.
I use a lot of Macros front of house, too, adds McMahon. Some are triggered by GPI pedals at my feet, others from custom-made buttons on the surface, as well as QLab chasing time code and firing MIDI back into the console. It has given me the ability to do a lot of momentary' mix moves that are repeatable, in time zero' and seamless. The recall scope that DiGiCo consoles have is unparalleled in my opinion - you can literally do whatever you want and adapt to change quickly.
Touring the world for 18 months is a mammoth undertaking and having a strong team behind you is essential. Demands are high on equipment and personnel, so it is inevitable there will be issues, but DiGiCo's reputation for excellent support does not disappoint.
DiGiCo support has been fantastic worldwide, says McMahon. Anytime I've had a question or needed assistance with anything to do with the console or infrastructure, they've been super helpful.
The desks are really, really reliable and that's why we all use them, but if anything fails there are a bunch of people you can call, they're all in my phone, Francois adds. You just have to think, what time-zone am I in? Then grab the right number.
It is not just the sound that benefits from the streamlined DiGiCo workflow, as both McMahon and Pare testify.
With my partner-in-crime, Francois, in monitor world also on a Quantum console, it was a very easy integration as we can share SD-Racks, says McMahon.
Sharing racks makes it all much more streamlined, Pare concludes. Our production manager loves it when we say we can cut down on equipment and transport co
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
29/08/2025
Australian Red Cross and SBS launch training to help workplaces in the fight aga...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
29/08/2025
L3Harris Technologies has concentrated decades of expertise across the entire enterprise to develop affordable and reliable best-of-breed solutions to rapidly c...
29/08/2025
BURBANK, Calif. The CW Network and the Pac-12 Conference have announced a new media rights deal that will extend their broadcast partnership beginning with the ...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK Gracenote has released a new analysis of its global video dataset showing that the number of FAST channels grew nearly 14% from Q1 2025 and 76% since 2...
29/08/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced a series of improvements to its live sports streaming solution that the company said will improve fan engagement, protec...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES Fox Corp. and YouTube TV last night announced a renewal of the full portfolio of Fox networks, including Fox News Channel, Fox Business...
29/08/2025
Budapest, Hungary, August 2025 - The integration of Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) with Lightware's Taurus universal matrix switchers delivers a new level of f...
29/08/2025
Frequency, the engine behind many of the world's best-known streaming television channels, today announced it will launch Studio Live, a next-generation uni...
29/08/2025
In an era when AI and cyber resilience are essential, Scality will mark the 10th anniversary of Scality Day on October 16, 2025 in Paris. This flagship global e...
29/08/2025
Disguise's In-House Creative and Technical Teams Pre-Visualised, Programmed and Delivered Content for the Experience, All Powered by EX 3+
Technology solu...
29/08/2025
Disguise will be demonstrating the latest workflows for TV, film and live events on a number of partner booths at the show
Disguise, the industry-leading tech...
29/08/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Accedo will showcase Accedo Compose, its AI agent-powered modular orchestration layer that assists streaming providers in transitioning client...
29/08/2025
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has announced that it is working with Xperi to bring four of its streaming channels to automobiles for the first time as part of the DTS A...
29/08/2025
DALLAS & ATLANTA Gray Media has announced an agreement with the sports streaming service Victory+ to simulcast 17 Dallas Stars NHL games in 15 television market...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK AND CULVER CITY Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon have announced new and extended distribution agreements that will expand the content available on their...
29/08/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. RED Digital Cinema will feature its Cine-Broadcast Module supporting live broadcast workflows during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Ams...
29/08/2025
29 Aug 2025
Kyivstar Rings Opening Bell at Nasdaq Marking Landmark Listing and ...
29/08/2025
More than half of all NFL games live on Sky for the first timeFriday 29 August 2025
Sky Sports has announced a new three-year deal with the NFL, extending its ...
29/08/2025
Back to All News
RIV4LRIES: The Trailer of the New Series With Samuele Carrino ...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
28/08/2025
By Kristin Feeley, Director, Documentary Film & Artist Programs
If you want to tell untold stories, if you want to give voice to the voiceless, you've got ...
28/08/2025
Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Sundance Institute-supported Amer...
28/08/2025
Corridos have been a cornerstone of M sica Mexicana for generations, telling stories rooted in everyday life. Now, a new chapter is taking shape: motivational c...
28/08/2025
Los corridos han sido un pilar de la M sica Mexicana durante generaciones, contando historias enraizadas en la vida cotidiana. Ahora, un nuevo cap tulo est tom...
28/08/2025
Earlier this month, we promised our Verano Forever party would bring the heat, a...
28/08/2025
L3Harris will provide the Polish F-16V fleet with the Viper Shield electronic warfare system as part of an upgrade program....
28/08/2025
Bilbao, August 26, 2025 - AgileTV, an international television and video technol...
28/08/2025
Ken Wilkinson is an Emmy Awards nominated New York audio engineer who specialises in production sound mixing for film, commercial, episodic and documentary work...
28/08/2025
NEW YORK FuboTV today announced that it will launch Fubo Sports, a skinny bundle that focuses on sports with a subscription price of $56 monthly....
28/08/2025
NEVADA City, Calif. At IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Telestream will debut its new Global Ingest strategy, introducing a next-generation ingest arc...
28/08/2025
Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Educatio...
28/08/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real-time visualization, has named Oliver Gappa as Sales Di...
28/08/2025
AI-based voice enhancement will be among a series of innovations making their IBC 2025 debut on the DHD stand B46 in Hall 8 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Cent...
28/08/2025
Telef nica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA), the leading system integrator and service provider in the media sector in Spain, with the support of Appear, the globa...
28/08/2025
To fully immerse sailing fans in the world's biggest offshore yacht race, production company, Optical Media turned to LiveU's On-site Production solutio...
28/08/2025
Working with Calrec on its most recent overhaul, radio and television broadcaster, WNED has migrated to a fully IP infrastructure with multiple Type R consoles,...
28/08/2025
Cleeng, the Subscriber Retention Management (SRM ) inventor, has unveiled Cleeng Pro, the first-ever direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscription management platform t...
28/08/2025
Zixi, the industry leader in live broadcast-quality video over IP, today announced that French media distribution platform OKAST has selected Zixi to enable rel...
28/08/2025
Solution offers a streamlined, speaker-free architecture to optimize integration with premium external loudspeakers and advanced loudness metering
Nixer Pro Au...
28/08/2025
Cinegy, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Vision One Touch Film Production Services L.L...
28/08/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, will debut its new Global Ingest strategy at IBC2025, introducing a next-generation ingest architect...
28/08/2025
Tier 1 operator selects Broadpeak to power high-performance, unified CDN solution across Norway, Sweden and Finland
Broadpeak, a leader in streaming and moneti...
28/08/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that 24 Frames Digital, one of India's leading live event streaming service providers, has chose...
28/08/2025
Meet VisualOn at IBC2025: See What's Next in AI-Powered Video Streaming Join VisualOn at IBC2025 and discover how our AI-driven Optimizer and advanced media...
28/08/2025
IBC stand 5.F81
Wowza to Reveal Next-Gen Video Streaming Innovations at IBC 2025
Amsterdam, August 28, 2025 Wowza, a leader in video streaming infrastructur...
With a DiGiCo Quantum 7 throughout at front of house, and a Quantum 5 at the monitor position, for the latter portion of the tour, The 1975 can be assured their sound will remain exactly how they like it, wherever the tour takes them. Engineers Lee McMahon and Francois Pare explain why DiGiCo Quantum is the only console range they can imagine touring with.
