Chris Stephens, monitor mixer for Michael McDonald’s sell-out CD titled, Soul Speak Tour this summer/fall, has nothing but praise for the sonic fidelity and power handling of Lab.gruppen’s new PLM Series Powered Loudspeaker Management systems supplied by Spectrum Sound. “Michael has a deep, soulful voice,” the veteran engineer considers, “and so we need monitor wedges that not only get loud but which can handle the full spectrum of sound with outstanding fidelity. Michael has a very well-tuned ear; our [previous] amplifiers just didn’t cut it with our Spectrum Sound S-2 cabinets. But since we swapped them out for these new PLM 10000Q models, with their built-in Dolby Lake processing, we couldn’t be happier with the results. They sound phenomenal!”
Spectrum Sound’s Kevin Twist, who serves as the company liaison and system technician on the tour, says that a rack of four PLM 10000Qs powers McDonald’s stereo pair of S-2 floor wedges, the monitor engineer’s cue speakers and Thumper channel. “The pack density is great,” the engineer says. “We have eight channels and two spares housed in a small roll-around rack. Each S-2 cabinet contains a single JBL 15-in bass transducer and a two-inch compression driver. Chris [Stephens] delivers seven stereo mixes from his monitor console, with appropriate EQ and crossover parameters programmed into each of the PLM’s Dolby Lake processors. Using Lab.gruppen’s LoadEd software and a portable PC we were able to create a Fingerprint, containing the specific driver and performance information for our S-2 cabinets; having this data in the amplifiers allows us to test each speaker during sound check.”
Conceived as a comprehensive drive system for any type of loudspeaker, the new PLM 10000Q seamlessly integrates a number of critical functions, including networked digital signal distribution, drive processing (crossover, delay, EQ plus limiting parameters), power amplification, load verification and performance monitoring into a single unit with a unified software controller that can access 100 user-programmable presets. The PLM’s amplifier platform is based upon the highly successful and tour-tested FP+ Series, using Lab.gruppen’s patented Class TD output stage, an amplifier topology that approaches the exceptional efficiency of class D while retaining the sonic purity of proven class B designs.
“These S-2 cabinets, powered by the Lab.gruppen PLMs, get very loud,” Stephens confesses. “We measured 120 dB SPL at Michael’s position. But the sound has to be ultra clean for his monitors. The first day we swapped to these new PLMs, Michael knew straight away. He hadn’t heard the S-2 cabinets in a couple of months, but it was real obvious to him that the sound was way cleaner. He has such a deep voice that the PLM’s enhanced clarity in the low-midrange is very noticeable, right in the middle of his frequency range. It’s a major enhancement for us on this tour. It was a very easy decision to make after we heard the difference. Everybody needs clean monitors!” The monitor engineer is using a Digidesign Profile all-digital console that incorporates 48 microphone pre-amps to generate his seven stereo monitor mixes that feed a mixture of floor wedges for Michael McDonald and in-ear monitors for other band members.
Spectrum Sound’s Twist cites three primary reasons for recommending the new PLM 10000Qs. “Number one is audio performance – these PLMs provide high-quality sound better than anything I have heard. Number two is the built-in, easy-to-use Dolby Lake Processing – Lab.gruppen has put together two great products and there is no learning curve. And Number three is the reduced weight/truck space, which means that we no longer need to transport heavy equipment racks.”
Michael McDonald’s Soul Speak Tour continues through December, with dates at Arizona, Texas, Michigan and New Jersey venues; during September, he shared the bill with the legendary Earth Wind & Fire. Band members include Bernie Chiaravelle on guitar, Lanice Morrison on bass, Vince Denham on saxophone, John Deaderick on keyboards, Yvette “Baby Girl” Preyer on drums, and Drea Rhenee on background vocals.