What was seemingly a minor problem actually held up implementation of the new design for a time, until d&b audiotechnik appeared on the scene with the B4-SUB.
Standing a little less than 19 inches high and loaded with single 15-in and a 12-in woofers in a cardioid pattern to cancel rear-firing bass energy, four of these units provide the means to locate subs under the stage.
Beyond conquering spatial issues, the cardioid-canceling LF cabinets don’t resonate much under the stage floor.
Stage monitoring is supplied in three mixes via a pair of JBL AM6215/95 ceiling-mounted loudspeakers aimed downstage center for mix one, and a pair of JBL VRX 115Ms divided one apiece between the second and third mixes.
An added plus of going with the new M7CL digital console at front of house is that its version 3 software allows a network ASIO driver from AuviTran to be used for DAW recording. Engineers can now easily multitrack shows right to Pro Tools, a function useful for archival purposes as well as to the efforts of Half Note Records, the Grammy-winning label owned by Blue Note.
Quick Switch
The new rig was installed by Peleg and his crew in a process that allowed the old system to keep running until the final switchover was made.
Note that the Blue Note has only closed three times in its history (over 9-11 and 9-12, 2001, and for a day during Hurricane Irene), a fact that made the transition from one system to the next a delicate and no-excuses operation.
When that moment came, everything had to be completed overnight. With some drywall removed to expose the joists, new wiring was run from the amplifier room out to the new loudspeakers.
Also during the transition, the old system’s outboard gear was moved just outside of the sound booth so it could continue being used while the new console and outboard gear were installed. Despite all of this activity, the new system was tested, tuned and ready for sound check at 4 pm the next day.
Since commissioning the system, the Blue Note has hosted an eclectic mix of artists including such as jazz great Toots Thielemans, R&B vocalist Al Jarreau, and hip-hop favorite Mos Def. “This new system has the breadth, range, and stamina to run with anything we’ve thrown at it so far,” Peleg concludes. “It’s versatile and pleasing to both the crowds and artists. The music experience here is better than ever, and that’s the best insurance for a brighter future that I can think of.”
Gregory A. DeTogne is a writer and editor who has served the pro audio industry for the past 30 years.