Jekyll & Hyde
enjoyed a record-breaking Broadway run and is now touring the British Isles. With Paul Nicholas at the lead, MC2 E Series amplification plays a major part in Stage Electrics’ authentic recreation of Broadway’s glitzy sound across the Atlantic.
"The show has actually been around as a musical for about 15 years, so it quite popular among musical theatregoers, but over here their reference point is generally from the Broadway CD. So, when they come to see it in a live environment, it’s very important to the producers, UK Productions, that the sound of the show refers back to that," says sound designer Glen Beckley. "We were looking for a cinematic feel, so it’s quite shiny and polished."
Beckley uses a horn loaded PA system comprising EAW KF300e, Funktion One AX88s in the center cluster, and some EAW SB330 subs. He also uses 18 Pro-Ac delays when necessary.
"My whole approach to PA systems is that I want them to have ‘authority’ in the way they deliver," explains Beckley. "That’s one of the reasons I still love working with horn loaded speakers – there’s something in the way that they grip hold of a sound and fire it out at you, that gives it an attitude and an authority. However, they are a lot more sensitive to being set up properly and it’s very easy to get it wrong. You’re pretty much relying on the quality of your equipment, your instinct, and experience to get it right. Obviously this means you’ve got to have great amplification, which is where MC2 comes in."
The system uses a combination of MC2 E45s on subs, E25s and E15s. There are eight sub cabinets with one amp channel per sub, giving the system a weight to its response. "Whatever the level and whatever the frequency, the system is always all there," says Beckley. "With this system, the really low notes are as present as the really high ones, and at the end of the day it’s as much down to the amps as anything else.
"Essentially the E Series is a lightweight, easy to handle package," he continues. "It has a musical response and a depth of ability that one really shouldn’t be able to get out of a switchmode system. It works fantastically."