Capital Sound Hire are providing
full audio production for Il Divo on their current world tour, featuring music
from their latest album ‘Amor & Pasion’. This project is also the first
major tour for which the Wimbledon-based audio company are using their recently
purchased Outline GTO C-12 system, covering arena shows throughout the UK,
Europe and Scandinavia.
Il Divo have enjoyed global success
since forming in 2003, recording in seven languages, selling well over 30
million albums worldwide and scoring 160 certified gold and platinum hits in 35
countries. They were also the first ever ‘classical crossover’ act to reach the
top of the US Billboard 200 list and in 2006 the Guinness Book of World Records
listed Il Divo as the most commercially successful group of their kind in
international music history. More recently they were the winners of the coveted
Classic PPL Nordoff Robbins Classical Award 2015.
Capital have been the group’s choice
of audio supplier from the very beginning, as Capital’s General Manager Paul
Timmins recalls: ‘Believe it or not this is year twelve! We started working
with them at Ritz rehearsal rooms in Putney all those years ago. .each
successive Il Divo tour has brought new challenges and achievements for us as
the band have grown and it’s now a very comfortable partnership’.
The system configuration used by
Capital for the recent show at London’s O2 Arena provides an ideal snapshot of
how they are using their new equipment – it also highlights how (relatively)
little equipment is needed to deliver full-frequency audio accurately within a
major international concert venue when using cutting-edge audio designs.
Capital’s Robin Conway designed the
system and he said, ‘Our designs for Il Divo have historically involved flying
subwoofers and 2016 is no exception with GTO Subs flown directly behind the
main left and right arrays, each of which comprise twelve GTO C-12 modules plus
a single GTO-DF downfill enclosure. There are also flown side fills for the
stage (each containing six Outline Mantas28 cabinets), behind and in line with
the main L/R arrays. The positioning of these has improved the sight lines to
the stage and screen significantly by reducing the overall profile of the flown
systems. Flying subs may seem a little strange for this type of show but our
experience with Il Divo’s audiences show that they are not fans of large
subwoofer stacks, so a combination of flown and discreetly positioned
ground-stacked subs is the best solution for this client’.
Capital’s recent purchase included a
complete amplification and processing package, which has further enhanced the
efficiency of the whole audio system – Robin continues, ‘The Powersoft X8
amplifiers are not only driving the main FOH setup but also the onstage
monitoring. The flexibility of the X8 amps enabled us to build multi-purpose
amplifier packages (each containing three X8’s with custom PACom, NL4 patch and
Dante Network Distribution) which combine all the power we need for both FOH
and monitors into just six touring racks. This gives us a very efficient use of
truck space as well as being quick and easy to move and use.’
Robin concludes, ‘Even on this, our
first outing with the new equipment, the Outline system has impressed us. The
flying systems are very simple to understand and the touring team are
consequently finding it easy to communicate the processes to local crew during
load ins and outs. The audio coverage is really accurate and the frequency
response front to back of the audience plane is very predictable. Having phase
coherent boxes also really helps with system setup.’
Il Divo’s FOH engineer Matteo
Cifelli commented, ‘Outline has always been the first choice in my rider as it
delivers such pure sound quality and detail. Like it\’s predecessor the
Butterfly, the GTO C-12 is outstanding on vocals and acoustic instruments so I
could not imagine a better system for Il Divo.’
He continues, ‘The main advantage of
this system is the unbelievable throw which means we don’t use delays in most
of the venues where you would generally need them. The clarity in the high-mid
range is perfectly matched to what I hear at FOH, even 120 metres away. We
achieved perfect coverage at the O2 in London with only 12 boxes per side on
the main hang, and the recent show at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam confirmed the
unbelievable clarity you can get, even at the very end of the second floor –
no-one in this audience is penalised because of their seating position.’
‘As a studio engineer, sound quality
is what I look for first, in any system. Having produced the tracks that are
being performed on this tour, I know how they must sound – the C-12 is the only
system I have used so far (and we have used many in three months of touring
around the world) that delivers the exact mix and balance I was listening to
when mixing the tracks in my studio in London.’
Matteo concludes, ‘The support from
both Capital and Outline is outstanding. The GTO C-12 is a brand new system for
all of us so we are still experimenting with different configurations every
day. Outline have been very supportive, sending their engineers to help us set
up the system in the best way possible and they are always available with suggestions
and support.’
Paul Timmins describes the strategic
and commercial thinking behind their new partnership with the Italian
manufacturer: ‘Our decision to buy into Outline, while possibly surprising for
some, was actually a no brainer for us. Having got to know the company over a
period we realised that we were dealing with quality people who have a genuine
passion for audio, producing great products that simply sound amazing. These
were the real drivers behind our investment in the GTO C-12 system. We heard
the large format GTO in 2012 while our inventory featured two main loudspeaker
brands and in late 2015, when we decided to expand our offering further,
Outline was at the top of our list.’
‘Further tests conducted in London’s
02 Arena just blew us away with the power and tonality of the GTO C-12 line
array, driven with the extraordinary Powersoft X8 amplifiers. The low weight,
compact footprint and intuitive packaging of the GTO C-12 system makes it
perfect for our market place, which goes from large theatres to arenas and
outdoor festivals across mainland Europe.’
Paul
concludes, ‘During and since our purchase the support from Giorgio, Luca,
Giulio and the team in Italy has been incredible. It’s the perfect fit for a
manufacturer and rental company that we both have similar ethics of service,
support and relationships.’
Equipment
list:
Main
System Hangs: 12 x GTO C-12s per side plus 1 x GTO-DF (Downfill)
Side
Hangs: 8 x GTO C-12s per side plus 1 x GTO-DF
Subwoofers
(flown): 4 x GTO-SUBs per side in cardioid configuration
Subwoofers
(ground stacked): 4 x GTO-SUBs per side in cardioid configuration
Stage
SideFills (flown): 6 x Outline Mantas28 per side
Front
Fills / Outfills: 8 x LIPF082 lip fill modules
Amplification:
6 Capital Touring X8 Racks, each containing 3 Powersoft X8’s with custom PACom,
NL4 patchand Dante Network Distribution
