Sound On Stage Keeps VENUE Busy on Stage

	Dennis Deem

Founded in 1973, Sound on Stage has been a driving force in live events in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades. A training camp for some of today's most highly regarded live sound engineers, and a proving ground for several generations of audio gear, SOS has established a reputation as one of the industry's most forward-thinking professional audio companies. ,p> Sound On Stage was also one of the first companies to get on board with the Avid VENUE live sound system. As chief engineer Dennis Deem observes, the company's six Venue systems are exceptionally popular among the engineering staff. "We fight over them all the time," quips Deem. "They're typically booked months in advance."

Sound on Stage's inventory includes a Venue D-Show system, two Profile systems, and three SC48 consoles. Deem mentions that the intuitive Venue user interface is a common thread between all the systems. "We mainly differentiate between the systems based on space considerations," he says. "The SC48 is smaller and self-contained, and is great for a lot of gigs where space is at a premium. In a festival setting like Outside Lands or Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, it's great to be able to maneuver the console without having to worry about getting through crowds of people."

Deem points out that the feature sets are pretty much comparable across the entire Venue line, streamlining both training and operation. "The biggest difference is really only in processing power. If we're dealing with a national touring act that requires a lot of processing horsepower, a lot of digital I/O, and a lot of plug-ins, we'll opt for the Profile or D-Show systems, with their four DSP engines."

With a busy touring schedule throughout most of the year, being able to rely on the VENUE system's built-in DSP is an important asset in planning every show. "Knowing I can have a compressor on every channel or drop a parametric EQ on any send is a huge asset -- not just in terms of power and flexibility, but because it means I don't need to worry about having enough outboard gear for the unexpected, like a surprise guest showing up," says Deem. "Not having to take along a rack full of outboard gear is priceless."

Snapshot automation is another feature that looms large on the list of reasons the Venue systems are so popular, says Deem. "Even in situations where you might not think it's a factor, snapshots are huge. In a festival setting where you only get a minute or two for sound check -- if at all -- having a recallable starting point is tremendous."

Deem also points to Avid's support as another added plus. "Even though dependability is never an issue, it's tremendously reassuring to know I've got a knowledgeable tech on site for larger events," he says. "I've never had a manufacturer provide the level of support that Avid does."