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Neumann KMS 105 Keeps the Fire Alive for Nickel Creek

Nickel Creek, a genre-defying trio of young southern Californians who have brought a contemporary twist to bluegrass music, recently switched to Neumann KMS 105 vocal microphones, the better to deliver their close harmonies in concert. Also outfitted with Sennheiser Evolution Wireless ew 300 G2 personal monitors, Nickel Creek have hit the

road in support of their latest album, "Why Should the Fire Die?" which has garnered the band two Grammy nominations.

Nickel Creek's front-of-house engineer, Phil Crumrine, reports that the switch to Neumann microphones came when singer and violinist Sara Watkins - the other two band members are her brother, Sean, on vocals and guitar, and Chris Thile on vocals and mandolin - had an opportunity to use a KMS 105. "Sara used Jackson Browne's at a gig and really liked the sound of it. She started asking about it and we pursued the whole thing and got the band on

them. They're much happier now. And I'm happier as well."

Crumrine elaborates, "They liked the crispness of their previous mics and they thought that was helping with their pitch. But when they got the low-mid detail from the KMS 105, it helped them hear their pitch better, especially not having all that sibilance. The 105's strong point is that lower-mid quality. It's always fixed there, and not muddy and indistinct."

The audio quality of the Evolution ew 300 IEM G2 personal monitor systems that they have adopted has also helped tremendously with their performance, according to Crumrine. "Almost all of the vocal songs have intricate three-part harmonies. Their monitors sound better and I think they're singing more in tune, which they're pretty obsessed with."

The supercardioid polar pattern, superior resolution and linear frequency response of the Neumann KMS 105 microphone is beneficial not only to the performance of the individual band members but also to the quality of the front-of-house sound, Crumrine reports. "They work their microphones for the in-ears, so their vocal blend sounds right to them in their ears. For me, the fact that I still have definition when they're two inches off the mic is crucial. The smooth off-axis response results in less ambient coloration of the violin's sound as well."

Tour manager/production manager Eric Mayers concurs. "Since we've also moved over to the Neumann microphones and Sennheiser personal monitors, the combination of both of those really reproduces the band's harmonies much better than ever before. It gives each individual artist in the band that much more confidence when they step up to the mic, knowing that whatever inflections they put on their vocals will translate to their ears just as they would in a quiet room on their own."

The band has been using wireless personal monitors for about two-and-a-half years, says Mayers. Now, with the acquisition of the Evolution Wireless personal monitors, "With the sonic quality being as good as it is, it facilitates the band to focus on their playing and performance rather than worrying if what they are hearing is what they're actually producing."

Nickel Creek have a busy touring schedule ahead of them, according to Mayers. "We're going to the U.K. for all of February. In the middle of March we start our spring and early summer run at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. We play predominantly colleges throughout the spring and then end up at a bunch of the larger summer festivals, like Telluride

Bluegrass, Bonnaroo and the High Sierra Music Festival."

Nickel Creek's new album, "Why Should the Fire Die?" has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the Contemporary Folk category. Album track, "Scotch and Chocolate" has also been nominated, for Best Country Instrumental. Additionally, Thile's solo project, "Deceiver," has been nominated in the category of Best Engineered Album.

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Neumann KMS 105 Keeps the Fire Alive for Nickel Creek

2nd February 2006

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