In order to maintain consistency of the sound, XTA's local distributor, Sennheiser Canada, supplied him with a package of processing options, comprising a C2 compressor, D2 dynamic EQ, E2 parametric EQ, G2 noise gate, GQ600 dual 30 band graphic EQ and DP324 SiDD digital dynamics processor.
"I was looking for a compact outboard package that would allow me to lend some measure of consistency to the sound," says Hornung. "The XTA package was small, compact and - most importantly - easy to use and interface with local PA systems.
"The D2 allows me to keep any PA or room overtones that get over-pronounced under control. It's not for a frequency that you would necessarily want to take out of the mix, but rather one you want to keep from hitting a certain intensity, so I used it for Sam's lead vocals, chained with one channel of the C2," he says.
The XTA package has certainly played a major part in the Sam Roberts Band's live sound, and will continue to do so as the tour runs into 2009 with further dates in Canada and the USA. "I find all the XTA gear we use to be great sounding and fun to use," concludes Hornung. "And the SiDD is a processor that I really can't live without."
(Jim Evans)
