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[Geri O'Neil]

The country music artist I've been playing with for 3 years or so is about to be signed to a deal and there's supposed to be a lot of gigs and traveling to come with the deal.

She and the band (I'm the bassist and, you guessed it, the PM for the group, by default. What a shock, right??) have decided that they would like to put together a traveling IEM rig for the band (which is funny, a year ago, the bandleader decided he didn't want anyone on ears). I have everything we need on hand for this, but I need a split snake with short XLR whips. I'm leaning toward the Audiopile snakes, but a fellow in town has a Seismic snake split that I can get for nearly a song. Does anyone know about the quality of the Seismic stuff?

I'm preparing to go about this a few different ways...

     1. ask for a split from the soundco to our mixer. Not likely with the small 32 digi (X32, et al)
         w/ iPad for the entire event. We see a lot of that, so we won't be getting a whip for our
          mixer under those circumstances.
   
     2. provide the split and ask for the soundco's mics to be put into our split (I can see this               
         causing heartburn for the soundco, I hated that idea myself when I was on that end of the 
         console, but I did it)
     
     3. provide the mics, and maybe the stands and cables, if the soundco wouldn't want to, hit our
         split with our mics, and hand them the other side of the split. I realize that would mean the
         soundco having to pull their lines and subsnakes from their split.

         Obviously, all this takes some careful advancing of the date before the show, something I've
         found to be not such an easy process since she's not Reba McIntyre.

In my old production days, I've seen it done like all of the above. I'm certainly open to other ideas to make this easier for the soundco of the day.

And I gotta say, it's a pretty exciting time for my artist and all of us, too. It will mean a LOT of playing. I hope it pans out that way.

Thanx.

[Mike Caldwell]

Run away from Seismic Audio snakes, splitters and just about everything.

Of the bands I have worked that were carrying their own IEM system with a Seismic Audio split all had a few dead channels,  the wire in them looks like 28ga, no larger than 24ga and the knock off XLR connectors on the fan tail and box are extremely tight fitting into a real Neutrik.



 

[Debbie Dunkley]

Seismic Audio has no place in live music IMHO. - especially on the stage of a signed band. I made the mistake of purchasing some of their cables a few years ago - never again. Cheap and nasty......

[DavidTurner]

It’s best carry your own mics and di.s at least Geri. It’ll save you lots of time on the wire and fire festivals if you already know the gain structure to expect.

We had locally supplied splits for Trick Pony. Cyndi could tell you how much pain that was as she did all the production advance and stage set up. I had my hands full with the principals and barely had time to dial up FOH I’ll text you her contact info if you want.

If you have the budget, being as self contained as possible - split, looms, mics etc - is the best way to go. Will you have a BE traveling with you, or will that fall in your lap too?

Give me a call if I can help you in any way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[frank kayser]

It’s best carry your own mics and di.s at least Geri. It’ll save you lots of time on the wire and fire festivals if you already know the gain structure to expect.

We had locally supplied splits for Trick Pony. Cyndi could tell you how much pain that was as she did all the production advance and stage set up. I had my hands full with the principals and barely had time to dial up FOH I’ll text you her contact info if you want.

If you have the budget, being as self contained as possible - split, looms, mics etc - is the best way to go. Will you have a BE traveling with you, or will that fall in your lap too?

Give me a call if I can help you in any way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not really about Seismic, nor directly about splits.
IMO, David is spot on.

A band I work with just went wireless - five IEM and six channels of wireless mic/instrument.  I lied.  Still one stereo input on keys, and two lines from the guitar.


Anyhoo...


We've racked all that with an A&H QU-SB.  No snake or split needed.  Leave it stage-side. Most everything is hooked up already.  We feed the house L&R, and we happily mix with a very good idea of what sounds go where due to a honed-over-time-and-practiced scene.
When we have a guest, we bring a floor monitor (or two) for them, and hook it up to the QU-SB.  The backup mixer is my QU-Pac, preset with the scene needed.  Some changes to the Mains PEQ based on the room.


Setup is quick and easy. Gains are set. Sound check is quick. Strike is also quick and easy. 


And best of all, the venue setup is less of a surprise - and the mix interface is the same venue to venue.


frank

[William Schnake]

Geri, being a regional sound company we see basically three version of the above from bands:

1)  We provide everything for the monitor rig.  Monitors, mics, cables, stands et. al.

2)  The band brings in an IEM pack and a small mixer like an X32r or QU Rack mixer with a split.  We provide mics/stands/cables.  We plug in to their mixer with our cable and they have a 15' - 30' split that goes to us for Front of House.

3)  The band is totally self contained.  They bring in an IEM rack w/mixer and iPads/phone/tablet to control their monitor mixes and a 15' - 30' split FoH.  They also provide all of their own mics/stands/cables/DIs.  This is becoming the norm.  The reason is that with their own mics they don't have to worry about the IEM rig not sounding the same from night to night.

As a provider, it really doesn't mater which way we do it as long as it is communicated to us a couple of weeks in advance so we make sure we have a good plan.  Execution of said plan is everything.

 Bill

[Kevin Bayersdorfer]

I have a few SA snakes I got when I first started, they are ok at best, but never let me down. Except one had a mis-soldered channel 8 brand new. I am a weekend warrior and it fit my needs at the time, but i would never want to see a touring band using them. Buy once, cry once.

[Tim McCulloch]

The country music artist I've been playing with for 3 years or so is about to be signed to a deal and there's supposed to be a lot of gigs and traveling to come with the deal.

She and the band (I'm the bassist and, you guessed it, the PM for the group, by default. What a shock, right??) have decided that they would like to put together a traveling IEM rig for the band (which is funny, a year ago, the bandleader decided he didn't want anyone on ears). I have everything we need on hand for this, but I need a split snake with short XLR whips. I'm leaning toward the Audiopile snakes, but a fellow in town has a Seismic snake split that I can get for nearly a song. Does anyone know about the quality of the Seismic stuff?

I'm preparing to go about this a few different ways...

     1. ask for a split from the soundco to our mixer. Not likely with the small 32 digi (X32, et al)
         w/ iPad for the entire event. We see a lot of that, so we won't be getting a whip for our
          mixer under those circumstances.
   
     2. provide the split and ask for the soundco's mics to be put into our split (I can see this               
         causing heartburn for the soundco, I hated that idea myself when I was on that end of the 
         console, but I did it)
     
     3. provide the mics, and maybe the stands and cables, if the soundco wouldn't want to, hit our
         split with our mics, and hand them the other side of the split. I realize that would mean the
         soundco having to pull their lines and subsnakes from their split.

         Obviously, all this takes some careful advancing of the date before the show, something I've
         found to be not such an easy process since she's not Reba McIntyre.

In my old production days, I've seen it done like all of the above. I'm certainly open to other ideas to make this easier for the soundco of the day.

And I gotta say, it's a pretty exciting time for my artist and all of us, too. It will mean a LOT of playing. I hope it pans out that way.

Thanx.

Seismic is shit.  Run, do not walk, to another brand.

[Mike Caldwell]

Regardless of how you configure your IEM system make sure it is in working condition every time you use it and at least one person with your group know how to trouble shoot a problem in the system.

Things like no dead channels in your split or stage drops that need patched around/made to work by the sound provider on a daily show by show basis.

As for just handing off a L&R mix to feed the house system that can work just fine if it is optimized/mixed for the venue and system your in and on at the time. I have had cases where the "mix" was dialed in and saved who knows when, where and on what kind of system and that one size fits all "mix" is still what everyone is getting.

[Scott Holtzman]

Geri, being a regional sound company we see basically three version of the above from bands:

1)  We provide everything for the monitor rig.  Monitors, mics, cables, stands et. al.

2)  The band brings in an IEM pack and a small mixer like an X32r or QU Rack mixer with a split.  We provide mics/stands/cables.  We plug in to their mixer with our cable and they have a 15' - 30' split that goes to us for Front of House.

3)  The band is totally self contained.  They bring in an IEM rack w/mixer and iPads/phone/tablet to control their monitor mixes and a 15' - 30' split FoH.  They also provide all of their own mics/stands/cables/DIs.  This is becoming the norm.  The reason is that with their own mics they don't have to worry about the IEM rig not sounding the same from night to night.

As a provider, it really doesn't mater which way we do it as long as it is communicated to us a couple of weeks in advance so we make sure we have a good plan.  Execution of said plan is everything.

 Bill

Bill is spot on and #3 is the way to go.  It makes you the most consistent.  You put all your wireless (IEM's and Mic's with proper RF distribution) in the rack with the mixer and the spilt + a UPS. 

You have already been told about the Seismic.  We have used the Ear splitter and the stuff from Liz at Audiopile too.  We get our cases from them too.

We put these packages together and lease them out to the bands.  It's been a good growth sector for us.  You may want to talk to your local provider.  The great thing about the lease is you don't have to depriciate the gear , lease is a direct expense and you can walk away at the end.  I have thought about buying some Sprinters and leasing them too.

Good luck on your tour!



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