In the huge production rehearsal studio, which regularly hosts the biggest artists in the world from the Rolling Stones to Robbie Williams, NEXO and its first UK rental customer Capital Sound Hire set up STM in a 9-sets a side configuration.
- 9x M46 main plus 9x B112 bass cabinets left and right
- 16x S118 subs on the ground across the front of the stage, equally spaced
The very nature of STM’s modular design means there is no such thing as a typical system. NEXO suggests a ratio of 1: 1: 1 (1xM46, 1x B112, 1x S118) as a good starting point for configuration, and the array length of 9 sets a side was perfect for the 40 metre studio.
Over the course of 4 days, the STM Sessions were attended by prominent rental companies from all over Europe, and several from the far East. Hosted by NEXO’s concert sound manager Stuart Kerrison, the STM “Tour” also included workshops on NEXO’s proprietary design software NS-1, and NEXO’s innovative amplification and system management solution , the NUAR. Visitors were also able to see STM in close-up – R&D engineers Francois Deffarges, Matthias Larrieu and Eric Ecosse opened up the cabinets for inspection, so that visitors could get a detailed look at drivers and other components, notably the innovative rigging system that is a hallmark of the STM concept.
A full team of design and tech support engineers from NEXO – including Joseph Carcopino, Julien Dorel, David Hochstenbach, Nicholas Poitrenaud and Val Gilbert – were in attendance to educate visitors in the finer points of system design software, and networking.
As with any NEXO event, hospitality was a high priority! A rolling catering service from the legendary Eat to the Beat kept visitors and NEXO crew well-fed, and the final night of Sessions week was rounded off with a classic NEXO party. Performances from beat poet Malcolm Bennett, and the talented indie-folk band AHAB showed the STM system in a different light. Ironically Ahab’s engineer Gareth Williams, the only man to mix live music on the system all week, is world-famous as a monitor engineer but he loved STM anyway; “I don’t want to give it back!” and was delighted to sign the band up to endorse their favourite stage wedges, the NEXO 45°N-12 line monitors.
NEXO would like to say thank you to Neg Earth, and in particular to Rob the lampie for doing such a great job that even the sound engineers noticed the lights!