Cross mixes the girls' Sennheiser evolution wireless G2 microphone and wireless monitor systems from a mixing console at the side of the stage. "I'm doing monitors and front-of-house for the girls off the monitor desk," he explains, "I have the dummy head sitting out at front-of-house and it's returning two lines back to 'monitor world'. I'm sending all my monitor mixes pre-fader from the console, using the internal effects, and mixing left/right on the faders and sending it to the house."
The KU 100 model human head features microphone elements located inside its replica ears for highly realistic binaural stereo. Cross says: "I've always wanted to own a KU 100, and this justified me buying it! I also have a split from the head going to my laptop running SmaartLive, so I'm able to hear those microphones out front, while being able to visualize it on SmaartLive. "In addition, I'm using a pair of Neumann 184s for my audience mic."
Cross chose Sennheiser ew 300 IEM G2 wireless monitor systems and SKM 935 G2 handheld wireless microphones for the Pussycat Dolls. He noted: "Sennheiser's compact ear monitor body-packs are the perfect size. I have six very petite women on stage doing high-energy choreography. The Sennheiser monitor system is about half the size of other systems. There are parts of the show where the girls have hardly anything on, but I can fit the EK 300 IEM G2 body-pack receivers into the most minimal wardrobe. That ear pack hides in almost anything and is very comfortable as they do their dance numbers.
"The autoscan feature of Sennheiser's second generation wireless microphone and wireless monitor systems is a real time-saver," says Cross. "I not only do the audio side of things but I also tour manage the girls. That autoscan feature frees up about 30 minutes of my workday searching for clean frequencies to use. When you're multi-tasking, that 30 minutes is indispensable.
"The task of mixing front-of-house and monitors is not too onerous," he says. "I have two channels of track coming from Pro Tools and six wireless mics on stage. That's eight channels on the console. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to do it from one desk!"
(Lee Baldock)
