The need to increase channel count prompted the venue to replace its 24-channel Yamaha 02R console with an LS9-32 plus two MY16-A ADAT extension cards, connected to additional mic preamps. The system – which is used in conjunction with a laptop computer running Yamaha Studio Manager software – was supplied by Edinburgh-based company The Warehouse.
Adam Smith Theatre’s head of sound, Paul Robertson (pictured here with the LS9-32), declared himself to be “very happy” with the new set-up, adding: “I have a 64-channel system in the space of a 24-channel one – and it’s great. I can patch anything to anything now without swapping cables. I can make any fader do anything I need it to. It’s highly programmable and makes it a lot easier to do exactly what’s needed for any production. We don’t have to do workarounds any more, which saves a lot of time and stress. The fact that I have also 64-channels of phantom power, as opposed to the eight I had with the 02R, is a godsend.”
Other features praised by Robertson include the ability to record shows via the console’s MP3 recorder and transfer them directly to a USB stick, and ease of introduction to visiting productions.
Robertson noted: “It’s been interesting to see how many people are very familiar with the LS9, which shows that it is widely accepted. I’ve spoken to a lot of people on tours and in other venues, and many regional theatres have either got an LS9-32 or are seriously looking at getting one.”
