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d&b line arrays support electronic dance music at Washington’s Echostage

V-Series line arrays from d&b audiotechnik have been showing their sonic versatility at Echostage, a converted warehouse that is the largest dedicated indoor concert space in Washington DC.

V-Series line arrays from d&b audiotechnik have been showing their sonic versatility at Echostage, a converted warehouse that is the largest dedicated indoor concert space in Washington DC.

Echostage hosts between two and five shows per week. While the venue attracts a wide range of world class DJs and is known for electronic dance music (EDM), it is used for various other live music styles as well, drawing crowds of thousands. Proud of the clear sight lines on the large first floor dance area, and comfortable lounge seating in the balcony, the Echostage team strives to provide everything the fans and artists could need.

“This team really cares about providing an experience for everyone involved,” said Jeff Darby, owner of OHM Productions, which plays an active part in the production of each show, and was tasked with providing audio for the newly renovated club. “They wanted to take it to the next level. Part of that was mastering the sound in a very dynamic space.”

The club’s open feel made providing clear, even sound relatively difficult. OHM felt that d&b audiotechnik could offer the best solutions for Echostage. Darby explained: “The various music styles each require different sound adjustments. The V-Series from d&b is able to meet their wide range of needs, plus the ArrayCalc technology allows us to map the room to provide ideal sound, no matter where you are in the venue. The result is amazing. It sounds great.”

Matt Cronin, general manager of Echostage, agrees. He said: “We’d been hearing about d&b from touring DJs. We definitely trust and respect the opinions of all our artists, so when we were ready to upgrade our system, it was important to look into d&b. We’ve been using the V-Series for months now, and the response is overwhelming. We’ve actually had artists ask if they can take it with them. It’s exactly what we were looking for.”

Darby and his team at OHM Productions have provided continuing sound support for each show. When OHM decided to purchase its first full d&b system, Darby turned to longtime associate and d&b sales partner Bill Mills, CEO of Overland Pro Audio. Mills is a veteran d&b sales representative, and helped the group settle on the right system. It was decided the V-Series system would be ideal for EDM.

“OHM has chosen a Midas PRO series console for FOH and outfitted the stage rack with AES inputs and outputs,” explained Mills. “They are making use of the digital output from the DJ mixer so the signal path is purely digital from the source to the d&b amps. We did an A/B comparison of the digital and analogue output from the DJ mixer, and the sonic improvements with the digital output were shockingly apparent across the sound spectrum but particularly with the J-INFRA subs. They add that extended LF range so critical in the EDM environment and they just really snapped into focus. There was no doubt the new system was perfect for Echostage. Plus, the inherent directional control of the system is helpful for such a large, uninterrupted space. I believe in these products, and am happy to bring OHM and Echostage into the d&b family.”

“The system is exactly what we were promised. It’s fast to rig, is easy to use, and sounds great,” enthused Cronin. “At Echostage, it’s all about providing an intimate experience for both artists and fans. This sound system allows us to do that. We are a community of people enjoying music. That has always been our focus. We are excited to continue growing and improving to pay respect to that community for years to come. This was just a first, and very important, step towards that.”

www.dbaudio.com
www.echostage.com
www.midasconsoles.com
www.ohmproductions.com
www.overlandproaudio.com