Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

I use: 
Luminair on Ipad over wifi to a router. 
Router via ethernet cable to the DMXking. 
DK to Donner DMX Tx. 
Wirelessly (around 50') to Donner Rx to DMX cables and all my fixtures.
Has worked flawlessly for 5 years.

Just because you've got a piece of paper claiming you can do it doesn't mean you can, there's probably a good few trained electricians out there that you wouldn't let wire a plug!

Oh boy everybody... I try and get out, but they just pull me back in!

Been a while since I have really contributed to the forum, but as luck would have it, in my retirement, I land what could potentially be the biggest, most lucrative and dream worthy gig of my life!!! So guess that means I have to come back

After the " Pandemic " started, I pivoted out of sound engineering and into IT work. I started off working as a production manager for an event production company, but after long hors and roughly half the income than what I was making prior to the pandemic, I quickly tired and transitioned into an IT gig for a pretty large company. It pays great, is solid and i do well at the job for the level I am at. I'm not a Sys-Admin yet, but I play in AD and manage an MDM like one. Anyway, let's get on with the fun stuff.

Years ago ( like 10 years ago ) I did sound for a person ( NDA ) and they were impressed with my work. Last year I did sound for them again ( at a gig I had done for years, and continued to do for fun ), and they were again impressed with my work. They asked if I was interested in doing sound for them on a tour, and I said sure, thinking I would never hear back... If you could eat thoughts, I would be dead. Nearly a year later they call, and I tell them I am essentially retired, but let me see what they have in mind. Let's just say that 100% of people who have heard the deal, say I would be an idiot for not taking the offer. My wife who swore she would leave me if I toured again, said better say yes...

So, this artist wants me to be an A1 @ FOH, do their rehearsals, Tune-Up shows, and their Full tour. They told me to pick the Mixer, and PA of my choice and that the tune-up dates are for 3000-6000 cap venues, then the tour dates will of course be full sized 10k+ cap events. I have some ideas but want some feedback from others on what their experience is with some mixers and PA's that fit that bill. This will be a purchased PA system, so limited rentals, but will be renting in European dates.

First my do not want list. I know some may laugh, but I really don't want an Avid S6L; really great mixer, so long as it works... Actually not interested in Avid at all. It is a 14 piece band, and I don't feel a need to burn 96+ channels, so I am looking at smaller format mixers anyway. As for PA I am not interested in EAW, JBL, or RCF, I am looking to run in the L' Acoustics, D&B Audiotechnik, Martin, or Meyer families. I am most familiar with L' Acoustics and D&B. That simple really. We are doing 100% IEM's so I need a mixer that will accommodate that, and for PA, I am more interested in a medium format ( this is not a rock band, more R&B/Pop ).

What I am looking at:

Allen & Heath Avantis, not first choice, but it honestly has enough, and I can get four of them for less than a single Avid S6L; which WILL stop working at some point. I have worked with an Avid S6L 5 times and there was only one instance where a backup wasn't needed... My main is honestly a Digico Quantum 225. It does what it needs to do. If they will allow it, an SD12 would be my first choice. I'm semi worried about availability in foreign countries, but I feel those two options have enough, will be reliable, and easy enough to acquire.  If you have any thoughts and or suggestions let me know.

As for PA, I am more or less leaning towards the L' Acoustics Kiva II, or their L System ( totally different fields I know ). I like the D&B V12 & Y12 series, or another choice would be the Meyer Leopard, or the Martin WPC. I have worked with the older Martin W8L and loved those, but time has passed... For the L' Acoustics L system it is more about scalability, I can run a two box, or a four box system and have my needs covered; and then some. Not only that, I like the Point source type of thing it has going for it ( yes I know, it is not actually a PS rig ).

I am very interested in reading others' ideas on what they may choose for this type of thing. I know what I would like, but I am looking for options I may have out of my periphery.

This is a simple one Luke.
You take out whatever rig and gear you were using in the first time that made that performer "fall in love" with your services that decade ago! (or it's logical modern upgrade-equivalent).
They obviously wanted you for the comfort-factor of successful prior experiences don't throw a wrench into that by chasing "the new shiny" -at least stick with the same family of brands and products if they insist on all new stuff.

This service is perfect for boosting your local business' visibility on the map in a specific location.
 
We provide Google Maps listing management, optimization, and promotion services that cover everything needed to rank in the Google 3-Pack.
 
More info:
https://www.speed-seo.net/ranking-in-the-maps-means-sales/
 
 
Thanks and Regards
Mike Shorter
 
 
PS: Want a ONE-TIME comprehensive local plan that covers everything?
https://www.speed-seo.net/product/local-seo-bundle/

On the iPad, USB to DMX interfaces are NOT supported.  On the Mac version, they support the Enttec and DMXking interfaces. If the Chauvet can emulate that, it MIGHT work.

You do NOT need hard wired ethernet for Luminair to work. It works fine over WIFI.  It works with any Art-Net or sACN network interfaces.

I've used both The ENttec device and the Chauvet device. The Chauvet device is significantly cheaper, but be aware that you have to configure the network for it on a Mac or a PC. Can't get the stupid thing set up if you ONLY have the ipad along.  This is only for initial configuration.  Keep that in mind!

I hard wire my interface with POE power so it's pretty simple to set up. Just run Ethernet and DMX pops out the other end.  iPad can connect via WiFI, but remember that a dropped connection means loss of lighting control.  An ethernet cable to the iPad helps with reliability.

Now that they offer the Mac app, I'm definitely considering using that instead, then using the iPad to remotely control the mac.  That way if WIFI gets wonky, the connection still functions.

For MIDI controllers, you can use whatever you want, then program buttons on the controller to do what you need them to do.  It's pretty sweet.

I don't have Artnet or sACN fixtures I need regular DMX 3 or 5 pin.  Can you walk me through the signal chain using the wifi on the ipad, ipad only .

Thank you all for your replies and input. I am on the same page for a lot of this. I too am not exactly sure why they want to buy, as we have not gotten that deep into conversation. I see it more as build us your wish list, and let's see what we can do. My understanding is that there is an eventual installation that they have planned for the equipment, so purchasing is part of that plan?

As for mixer choice, I am NOT a fan of Avid in any sense of teh imagination. I dislike Pro-Tools, and I don't see value in buying plug ins for a specific mixer, or other proprietary Hardware. I have had 4 shows where either faders have failed, and or the MB took a dookie with Avid S6L's... Maybe bad luck? I am not against the large format mixers by any means, but if this is a buy it all rig, then buying multiples of each mixer is going to set a red light really quick when they start getting into the $100k mark. But then again, maybe they expect that? I have no problem working with boards with even modest on-board features.

After a little more research, I am leaning more towards a Kara II rig. I have not met a LA rig yet that I have fallen in love with; the Martin W8LM was probably the most enjoyable TBH, but that is out of production.

I am on the hunt for a Systems tech/A2 as part of the team, not sure who the ME is yet, or how many A2's, or staff I will have at hand? Still in the preliminary stages of settling all that stuff in.

Keep em coming!!!

The band had a 4 pc horn section and did Chicago, etc.

Is this still the law? I thought it had been repealed.

Yanni was a very stable artist so that was a good career choice.  He was married to that rich and beutiful soap actress so I think he had the cheez to fund the deal.


For those of us in the trenches that opportunity smells like a rental to me.


It's so funny to see everyone's preferences.  My love of L and Kara, Tim with JBL and Brian with D&B can't go wrong with any of those brands.  Choose a solid partner though.


I also want to make it clear I love Avantis (have one at my church) and DLive it just is non existent in the rental market.  I am not an Avid fan so the smaller Rivage or Digico are going to be the consoles most available in the rental market.  I actually only know one person in Wisconsin that rents his D-Live but he usually goes out with the console.

I'm very keen on the d&b workflow and products, too.  I like the sound of much of l'Acoustics products, what I don't care for is how they get from point A to point B.  That can be remedied with time and patience and money.

I'm not sure what *current* JBL products generate antipathy, but back in the VerTec days the issue was system owners who "cowboyed" their coverage and processing.  When JBL finally got to V4 presets and locked most of the important parameters from meddling system owners the damage of inconsistent rigs was done.  It helped that they got Line Array Calculator dialed in so the picture sounded like the PA.

And that validated the approach l'Acoustics took:  system owners must take training, limit the changes an SE or owner to only preset changes, and control gain staging and circuit power by requiring specific power amps, among a list of requirements.  Their goal was to give BEs world-wide, a consistent PA no matter where the system was located.  JBL pissed that away for too long.

My old boss was FOH for an international act "very popular with the scooter crowd" and bitched that every VerTec rig he mixed on sounded different.  When it was time to buy a line array for his shop... he ended up with VerTec.  I got a lot of miles out of those rigs and usually the BEs were complimentary.  "Best VerTec rig I've mixed on" and "you must have spent a lot of time working this rig."  Mostly I made the pretty pictures in the coverage calculator, put the PA up the way it said to, and powered it right.

Failure to correctly use a manufacturer's prediction software and configuration files will compromise any brand of system.

Curiosity Debbie what controller do you use with Luminair?  The docs are confusing.  Some say you have to use an Ethernet Dongle.  I have several Chavet USB to DMX interfaces I use with Showexpres.  I wonder if one of those will work.


So question is can you connect a USB interface direct to iPad?  If Yes which one do you recommend if no what Ethernet hardware and DMX interface do you recommend.


If it has to be Ethernet can you use the wireless to a wireless bridge then connect the interface so you are not constrained by the wiring?


Thanks, sorry for the multipart questions.

On the iPad, USB to DMX interfaces are NOT supported.  On the Mac version, they support the Enttec and DMXking interfaces. If the Chauvet can emulate that, it MIGHT work.

You do NOT need hard wired ethernet for Luminair to work. It works fine over WIFI.  It works with any Art-Net or sACN network interfaces.

I've used both The ENttec device and the Chauvet device. The Chauvet device is significantly cheaper, but be aware that you have to configure the network for it on a Mac or a PC. Can't get the stupid thing set up if you ONLY have the ipad along.  This is only for initial configuration.  Keep that in mind!

I hard wire my interface with POE power so it's pretty simple to set up. Just run Ethernet and DMX pops out the other end.  iPad can connect via WiFI, but remember that a dropped connection means loss of lighting control.  An ethernet cable to the iPad helps with reliability.

Now that they offer the Mac app, I'm definitely considering using that instead, then using the iPad to remotely control the mac.  That way if WIFI gets wonky, the connection still functions.

For MIDI controllers, you can use whatever you want, then program buttons on the controller to do what you need them to do.  It's pretty sweet.

Hey Dave..... I have continued to use V3 this whole time and the way I have things set up, I see no benefit (for myself) to paying $10 month for basically the same service - the extras that come with V4 do not interest me although I would understand others feeling differently. I do have to make sure I keep 'auto update' turned off on my iPads (got caught once before and had to restore an earlier saved iPad memory from Time Machine).

Curiosity Debbie what controller do you use with Luminair?  The docs are confusing.  Some say you have to use an Ethernet Dongle.  I have several Chavet USB to DMX interfaces I use with Showexpres.  I wonder if one of those will work.


So question is can you connect a USB interface direct to iPad?  If Yes which one do you recommend if no what Ethernet hardware and DMX interface do you recommend.


If it has to be Ethernet can you use the wireless to a wireless bridge then connect the interface so you are not constrained by the wiring?


Thanks, sorry for the multipart questions.