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MaxxBCL: Maxximum Live Sound

Direct from the Desk

MaxxBCL packs the power of three acclaimed Waves processors into one rugged hardware unit. The ideal Master Outs solution for live venues of all shapes and sizes, MaxxBCL combines the smooth, warm sound of the Renaissance Compressor and world-class MaxxBass low frequency extension with the level maximization and limiting of the L2 Ultramaximizer.

From Ratt Sounds, Gwen Stefani, and Metallica to TV’s American Idol, Lincoln Center, and Cirque Du Soleil, many of the biggest names in show business use MaxxBCL, night in and night out.

Production Notes

Here’s a MaxxBCL setting which sounds great on Master Outs for rock shows in a club setting:

  1. First, calibrate your input using pink noise; you want levels around -2 dB.

  2. Compressor: Opto mode | Threshold: -20 | Ratio: 3.0 | Attack: 2ms | Routing: Bass > Comp. (For hip-hop club shows, use Comp > Bass). You should now see about -2.5 dB of attenuation.

  1. MaxxBass: HPF on | Intensity: 30-40% | Frequency: 44 Hz

  2. Limiter: Link on | Threshold: -4.5 | Out Ceiling: - 1.5. It should show -3 dB of attenuation.

Pooch’s Corner

Hey all,
So we are now in Europe doing all kinds of festivals and smaller theater-type venues with Slash featuring Myles Kennedy. I am not carrying any sort of console package out here, so literally I’m showing up with my headphones, laptop, and FireWire digital interface. Armed with my iLok, I am using MultiRack Native every single day.

Lately, I have been seeing A LOT of analog consoles. It seems that some engineers in Europe are not interested in using digital consoles; I find this to be unfortunate. As sound professionals, we should embrace new technology. I realize that there is a "wait-and-see" period that all of us do, to see if the new technology will survive. None of us want to be the FIRST guy to use the stuff and have it fail, but I think that digital technology has been out long enough for all of us to welcome it with open arms, and also see that it is an amazing tool in a step towards creating the “ultimate mix.” > Read More

Brett Dicus on MultiRack

Waves recently sat down with Brett Dicus, where he shared his thoughts on the live sound digital revolution.

Did you start off in the studio or live sound?

A little bit of both. I grew up with a strong group of mentors in the live sound world ranging from a drama teacher to local bands. At a younger age, I started working on projects ranging from film and animation to regional sound at city events.

How would you contrast and compare studio and live?

A challenge in live sound that does not exist in the studio, besides the physical labor involved, is tuning the room and environments that live sound takes place in. On a quiet show such as Norah Jones, often a theater, there is a lot of potential for interaction between the microphones and the sound system — basically, gain before feedback. Some of my gain structure and EQ choices have to be a compromise between reproducing the exact source or a perception of that source. > Read More