For this year’s annual edition of MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC on the campus of Wilkes Community College, production provider SE Systems (Greensboro, NC) deployed several RCF loudspeaker models in a variety of applications.
New for 2016 was the addition of RCF on the Little Pickers Stage, served by EVOX 12 active line-source loudspeakers. As a smaller stage with music and programming designed for children and families, “the system was fabulous and exceeded all expectations,” notes Bryan Smith of SE Systems.
“The bass was punchy and the top boxes were clear and loud,” he continues. “Everything you want in a small portable system. Listening to the system, I could not believe the fullness and clarity being produced by these small loudspeakers.” EVOX 12 is accompanied by a 15-inch subwoofer complemented by a satellite module with eight 4-inch transducers with an onboard 1,400-watt amplifier.
SE Systems also utilized smaller RCF EVOX 8 systems at the Artist Getaway tent, an area that caters to the artists, providing food service and a place to relax. A program feed from the main stage is also sent to a monitor in the tent.
“We used the EVOX 8 for an audio feed of the program,” Smith explains. “We gave the audio a slight delay to match the bleed over from the main stage and it added the needed reinforcement to fill this area. This active array was just the ticket to add clear audio with a small form factor to a smaller area.”
With numerous stages, SE Systems utilizes a variety of of equipment for the event. DiGiCo consoles for mains and monitors on the primary stages. For the two main stages, the choice was JBL line arrays joined by RCF HDL20-A line arrays on delay towers. RCF ST12-SMA monitors were posted to serve the Traditional Stage.
Considered one of the premiere music festivals in the country, MerleFest serves as an annual homecoming for musicians and fans alike. Headliners this year included Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, John Prine, Scythian, Brandi Carlile, Alison Brown and the Steep Canyon Rangers.
