“But once we got into the production, it soon became apparent though that the D5 wouldn’t have enough outputs so we switched to the D5T, which is a fantastic console with great sonic capabilities. I think sonic quality of desks nowadays is more mathematic than musical. As long as the latency is low, the A to D converters are of a high enough standard and the internal processing is 32 bit and floating, then the desk will sound as musical as some of the older analogue boards.

“My benchmark reference point for all high-end boards is still an XL4. I think DiGiCo was the first manufacturer to produce a console that was as good sounding and as nice to mix on as an XL4. To date I’ve not seen anything else that not only sounds as good but is as fun to mix on.”

For Napier, the big advantage was the abundance of MADI in and outs available on the D5T. “We’re using all four MADI slots on monitors. We fitted an RME MADI card in the Apple computer Sean uses for Madonna’s vocal FX, and that then directly interfaces with the D5 effectively giving us up to 56 channels of plug in and FX.

“The vocal sound is crucial to Madonna as she insists all the vocal FX are live and not from tape, hence the reason why there is one engineer who just deals with vocal FX and her vocal sound.

“Also, as we share the console, the three independent work surfaces allow us all to work on the same console at the same time. We actually run two D5T in mirror mode set up in an L shape to give us access to six work surfaces. Sean utilizes two surfaces and I have access to the other four. The sheer amount of visual feedback the console gives you with four screens on each desk sets it apart, especially when you have over 100 inputs to monitor and 40+ outputs… You need all the help you can get from the console.”

As far as his outlook and application of plug-ins and effects, Napier shares the philosophy of ‘less is more.’ “I personally think that plug-ins are highly overrated. The simpler the mix is kept the better it sounds in arenas and stadiums, particularly with pop music, as you have to factor in the screaming fans. Too many engineers chain plug-ins all over their mix and the end result is a mess of phase incoherence.

“As far as internal effects, we had to switch off the internal FX to gain the extra input channels so I have a TC M6000 taking care of FX for the band, as well as the computer for Madonna’s vocal FX.”

These days, the need for bringing in expensive recording trucks to capture a live production on tape has seemingly become a thing of the past. For this tour, Colvard utilizes the SD7s recording prowess to capture nightly performances on a Nuendo system via the MADI. Recordings at this point are mainly for archival purposes but there is some talk of a forthcoming DVD.

“It gets pretty extensive, as we’re also lining up audience mics as well as capturing the stage production. This system is extremely reliable, and along with the quality of this console, we’re able to bring out a mix that is acceptable in all formats.”

For more information:
DiGiCo Website

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