After playing a stretch of intimate in-store shows at independent record shops across the UK to announce their debut album I Wonder If The World Knows, four-piece alternative indie rock band The K’s performed earlier this month at Parr Hall in Warrington with support by Martin Audio rental partner dBS Solutions deploying its WPS (Wavefront Precision) line arrays.
Set in a ground-stacked configuration due to weight limitations, the WPS arrays both utilized six elements that stood on a single SXCF118 cardioid subwoofer. A further six WS218X subs were arranged in a broadside array to bolster the low end, with front fill coverage supplied by four Martin Audio WPM in two-box stacks.
Meanwhile, in the balcony of this Grade II-listed building Martin Audio XD15s were deployed as fills in biamp mode, tied into the venue’s TORUS T1230 constant curvature short throw loudspeakers.
dBS Solutions utilized a pair of iKON amp racks, each housing three iK42, and were thus able to power the main PA in the optimum one-box resolution. “Despite not being able to fly the PA, the WPS continued to deliver in its ground stack format,” says Ben Hubbard, the band’s front of house engineer.
Systems engineer Daniel Clare designed the rig in such a way as to provide coverage to both the primary standing area and the initial parts of the balcony, where the house TORUS system in the Victorian venue took over to provide coverage into the further recesses of the upper balcony.
“The system provided even and consistent output throughout the show, conveying an accurate representation of the mix to every audience member,” Hubbard concludes. “I noted to Daniel during the tuning process how impressed I was with the low-mid information produced by the cabinets themselves before introducing the subs. This helped me achieve a punchy mix, with real weight for the entirety of the show in what was a challenging space.”
