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Old Barn Audio demonstrate MLA Compact at Abbey Road

Old Barn Audio Organise MLA Compact Demo at Abbey Road

When you are asked to supply an audio system for a prestigious venue such as Abbey Road Studio One, you feel very proud to be a part of it.  When you are asked to supply a Martin Audio MLA Compact system into Abbey Road Studio One, you think, ‘what a fantastic opportunity to make another piece of history – be the first company to take MLA into Abbey Road.’

Old Barn Audio Ltd were asked to organise a demonstration of MLA Compact at Abbey Road for Doug Hunt Sound & Light Ltd to display its capabilities to production company Smyle. Smyle were organising an intimate event at Abbey Road Studio One and wanted a system that could demonstrate power over control in one of the most famous recording live rooms in the world. Old Barn Audio and Andy Davies confirmed that Studio One only required eight boxes of MLA Compact which sat ground-stacked on top of a cardioid array of WS218X subs. Due to the quick deployment of the MLA design, the entire front of house was rigged, wired, set-up and working in under an hour – another exciting discovery for Doug Hunt Sound & Light and also of the production company, Smyle.

The intimate event saw a 12-piece swing band, a string quartet and a solo pianist on a beautiful Steinway piano. MLA Compact had much asked of it during the day – it breezed through the sound-check for the swing band (as we all knew it would) but then we thought it may need some fettling. The string quartet arrived and they all needed mic’ing – no DI’s here unfortunately. But, having the stage dedicated as hard-avoid, gave not one peep of feed-back – another impressive MLA Compact performance.  Then came the big test; a Steinway piano got it from a digital piano review, the piano was in the centre of the floor in front of the arrays with only two Neumann U87 microphones – any front of house engineers nightmare scenario! But, guess what – MLA Compact came through with flying colours. Even with very high input gains for the U87’s, not one sign of feedback anywhere – another fantastic result for MLA Compact.

Smyle productions were thoroughly impressed with MLA Compact that they have now confirmed this is to be the system of choice for all of their Abbey Road productions. Doug Hunt Sound & Light, who are Smyle’s go-to audio company, were equally impressed and are now considering an MLA Compact purchase. Old Barn Audio were just thrilled to be part of a very special day and welcoming an inaugural sale of MLA Compact to Doug Hunt Sound & Light.