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Liverpool Music Venue Selects Allen & Heath ML5000
Liverpool's Zanzibar Club recently purchased a 40-channel Allen & Heath ML5000 VCA live sound console to manage FOH and monitor sound in the venue's main room. The acquisition is the latest in an upgrade of the venue's sound system.
The Zanzibar is renowned for showcasing local bands, and has been the 'spiritual home' for Liverpool's emerging talent, notably The Zutons and The Stands. The venue also hosts touring bands such as The Coral, The Bandits, The Music, The Crescent, The Libertines and The Mountaineers.
"The Zanzibar has a good reputation for providing quality live sound, and for the past five years our trusty GL2200 console has been mixing as many as 20 bands a week! However, with technical demands increasing, we knew it was time to progress to the next level with our mixing console," comments Zanzibar's system engineer, Andy Free. "We have been developing our sound system over the past few years and the addition of the ML5000 is the 'icing on the cake'."
"We wanted to stay with Allen & Heath because I particularly like the EQ design. Top of the wish list was plenty of mono channels; modern guitar bands are now including samplers, sequencers, DI'd guitar processors and even brass sections, so a 40-channel frame size was a must. We also needed an ample number of aux sends as we receive frequent requests for extra monitor sends such as a click track for the drummer or an in-ear mix for the vocalist. Finally, we wanted a desk with VCA capability - no longer a luxury only found on £40k consoles!"
The installation of the ML5000 comprised altering the insert looms from the TRS system and converting the monitor system to run fully balanced, taking advantage of the ML's balanced XLR AUX outs. Monitors are managed from FOH, so the mono channels were configured to be post EQ for the pre-fade auxes. Meanwhile, the GL2200 has been installed in Zanzibar's chill-out room to run the acoustic stage.
The rest of the sound system comprises 15kW of QSC amplification, ground stacked EAW horn-loaded 15's and reflex-loaded 18's sub speakers, with Yamaha F series high-packs containing B&C 15 and 2 inch flown drivers.
"So far we have completed four band nights using the new ML5000, and a drum & bass DJ night also using an Allen & Heath Xone:62. The ML is an absolute pleasure to use and is causing quite a stir!" reports Free. "The difference the ML5000 has made to live shows is tremendous. You get a feeling of audio transparency and endless headroom no matter how hard you push the desk. It's that indescribable 'big gig' feeling!"
"For live mixing, the VCA system is my favourite feature - it gives you the ability to group instruments without the pitfalls of audio grouping. The ML's EQ section is amazing, and the addition of variable Q is an absolute god-send for notching out problem frequencies. I find an adjustable HPF on the channel strip a very valuable tool - like a 'get out of jail card' for dealing with tricky situations - particularly with difficult acoustic instruments. The pre-amps are totally transparent, free from noise and distortion, even when pushed to the limit," Free concludes.
In pictures: the Zanzibar's new Allen & Heath ML5000, installed in the venues main room to manage FOH and monitor sound; DJ Markive using an Allen & Heath Xone:62 at The Zanzibar's drum & bass night.
24th June 2005
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