Chris Kathman: ML, what is Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top really like? M.L. Procise: Nice first question. Genius, and eccentric. Harry: Could you talk a bit about the cabling system used for the PRISM system? I am particularly interested in how many channels are in the multicore, and how they are distributed to the cabinets....I understand if you have to keep some of it secret. M.L. Procise: Thanks Harry. The cabling & connectors for the PRISM System are manufactured by Pyle-National. All military spec. Super quality hardware. Don't know exactly how many channels in the multicore. Arthur Skudra: In the training that you have been involved in, how do you teach a person the more subjective nature of the job and how to do it better? M.L. Procise: An understanding of basic audio principles and concepts is the good foundation to start with, but the subjective nature of the job is experience, and on the job training. George: ML, where do you see the future of the digital console in regards to live sound? M.L. Procise: I see the future as prolific. Though, I really believe the future, as in our SHOWCONSOLE, is the way to go - digitally controlled analog. Tucci: ML, you're an old soundman, not The Old Sound Man, but one who works outside his age bracket. How do YOU stay current with the kids? M.L. Procise: Hello, Paul. I don't. They passed me by years ago. Jim G: What are the reasons in the PRISM system for more smaller amps where most are using larger ones? By the way, it works great, no fault with it, just a design theory question. M.L. Procise: One of the design goals of the PRISM system was to stage it with a great amount of acoustical power. Thus, not asking the speaker components to operate outside of their linear range. This avoids transducer stress distortion. Which is one of the main components of the PRISM system... low distortion. Tucci: Upon its introduction, the PRISM system utilized some new thinking in PA design. Would/can you tell you talk about the research that led to the design? M.L. Procise: Yes. The goal was to meet stringent design goals through groundbreaking advanced techniques. And the PRISM System was ahead of its time, or depending on how you look at it.... long, long overdue. The goals were as follows: to deliver a sound system to the marketplace that had linear power transfer. In other words, what goes into the system goes out of the system. Without coloration of horns and traditional analog crossover anomalies exhibiting phase and amplitude distortion. To minimize or alleviate the interaction of multiple drivers in the same bandwidth. A phase coherent speaker system through time alignment of the speaker components and maintaining the phase coherency and integrity from beginning to end, even with the use of a phase coherent equalizer. Versus the standard third octave, double tuned filter equalizers which have many phase abberations. Also, a delay of the speaker system to sync to the performance area. This exemplified incredible stereo imaging that no other sound system has ever seen the likes of. Other people now employ this technique through outboard delay lines trying emulate the same result, but it's not exactly the same. A defined coverage pattern much like today's popular line-arrays, the PRISM system delivers a uniform wave front with tight directional control. The end result: the system eliminated, or reduced in a great fashion the comb filtering as evidenced in horn loaded sound systems.... eliminating the traditional nulls and lobing that other sound systems chronically present. In the end: A very musical sound system. Low distortion characteristics, exhibiting great articulation and intelligibility. The original concept that the R&D team accomplished was to deliver plus or minus 3DB to every seat in the arena. We accomplished this by modelling our own computer programs. A couple of which were developed by Showco, such as proportional energy array geometry and reverse architectural mapping. Sounds good huh? Chris Kathman: ML, I am going to pass on some fan mail that came in after the question about you mixing young bands ... Teri: But ML, you did a great job with the Baja Men at Sea World in San Antonio last summer. Tucci: Seriously, if you're mixing for some of the alt bands occasionally, the level of trust is high. michael: Hi ML. James Wagner says "hi." He thinks you're super-great. michael: Is there a problem with operator error with young employees tuning / formatting PRISM? It seems like a complex system, but is the best live PA I have ever heard. M.L. Procise: To the contrary, I think the beauty of the PRISM system is how we accomplish the ability to turn it on and up and get a great result. As you know, we put an extreme amount of effort into the training of our employees. And, by the time they are ready to be system engineers, their level of expertise compliments their abilities. Arthur Skudra: Tell me more about the three-tier training program at Showco. Any particular materials used, books, etc.? M.L. Procise: Leon Hopkins is in charge of the Showco training program. Most all of the materials used are modules written and executed by the Showco staff dedicated to 3 levels of experience. Also employing the use of video and of course on the job training. Bart: Has the merger with Clair effected how you operate or bid gigs at Showco? M.L. Procise: Great question. Though we operate basically the same, the main difference and effect is we are able to offer our clients a much greater depth of human resource and equipment resource. Obviously, we don't have to bid against one another anymore, which is a great sense of relief for me - that energy was time consuming and draining, now we can focus our collective energy elsewhere. Once again, our clients benefit. I can't tell you how great it is to work with the Clair folks. They are genuine... they are team players... family oriented... and they give me unlimited respect and support. A dream come true.
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