MixWizard a True Star in San Francisco Hilton's Constellation of Consoles

Jun 23, 2005 8:00 AM

The San Francisco Hilton Hotel & Towers has added an Allen & Heath MixWizard WZ3 16:2 mixing console to its array of special event audio production equipment, which already includes a 24 mono/8 stereo input Allen & Heath GL4000 and a 24-channel GL4. The hotel chose the MixWizard for its compact size, flexibility, and ease of setup, factors that also undoubtedly contributed to its recent nomination for a 2005 TEC Award in the Small-Format Console Technology category.

The MixWizard is such a recent acquisition that ballroom engineer John Fagan has not yet had an opportunity to put it through its paces. "I'm excited to use the console," he comments. "It's a real spacesaver. We bought a case with it as well, so it goes in, tilts up, and—go! That's what it's all about now: a quick setup and a quick strike." He adds, "We're getting quite a fleet of Allen & Heath desks now."

The San Francisco Hilton Hotel & Towers offers a wide selection of ballrooms and conference spaces to handle its busy events schedule—from the 30,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which seats 3,300 in a theatrical configuration, down to the smallest meeting room. With the hotel's engineers expected to handle diverse events, from medical conferences to musical performances to political fundraisers, ease of setup and use, as well as a host of flexible features, are important criteria for the hotel when selecting equipment, and especially mixing consoles.

Allen & Heath consoles offer some significant benefits, says Fagan, in particular the number of auxiliary sends on the GL series desks. "What we really love about them is the aux sends. We always need a lot. There are always people coming up and asking for a record feed, not to mention a sub feed, and even our own record feeds. We need all we can get."

As a pioneer of the dual-function concept, Allen & Heath has designed the GL series to operate as both a FOH and a monitor console. All 10 aux sends on the GL4000, for example, may be controlled on long-throw faders, all with inserts and metering, while also offering a stereo side fill mix and an output for the engineer's monitor speaker.

"We've done monitor mixes for a lot of bands that have come in," says Fagan. "The consoles are just a charm to work with, especially the monitor wedge output—that's a big plus about the desk."

The GL series desks are compact, notes Fagan, but not so small as to be difficult to get around. With some consoles on the market, he observes, "If you have fingers bigger than a little person you're in trouble—a lot of trouble. I have big fingers, and I need something to move around on."

But the one factor that leads the hotel back to Allen & Heath time after time, he reports, is that the consoles have provided trouble-free service. "We haven't had any problems with them. That's the best thing. I like something solid, where you don't have to worry about it."

For further information on the entire range of Allen & Heath mixing products, visit the company's website at www.allen-heath.com.