Responsible for multiple hit live albums recorded over the past 20 years, Krecording Audio Solutions’ Andy Knightley recently completed work on Derek Ryan Live, recorded using a BlackBox BBR64-Madi from JoeCo. Since moving to the JoeCo unit, it has been the ease of transport and portable nature of the BBR64-Madi that has quickly made it an integral part of Knightly’s rig.

‘The size of the JoeCo means it’s so easily transportable,’ he explains. ‘When I’m doing fly shows, I send the preamps freight but I can carry the JoeCo on the flight with me. That not only saves space but also peace of mind given that the recorder is right beside me when I travel. I carry 64 channels in my record rack. Before I switched to JoeCo I used a desktop-based system, which meant carrying not only the desktop but also an interface. The BBR64-Madi saves so much back ache given its size.

‘We had to transport my equipment to the Eden Court Theatre, Inverness along with Derek’s equipment,’ he recalls. ‘Luckily Derek tours very frequently so interfacing with his gear was very simple. My rack is not that big, so it was rolled on to Derek’s truck for the journey. Usually Derek would tour with one desk but for this show there was a dedicated monitor desk which meant splits could be brought in, so we all had control of our own gains. The recording itself went very smoothly. We recorded two shows in two days as well as extensive soundchecks given that this was a DVD as well as a live album.’

While the size of the multitrack recorder has proved a real advantage for Knightley, other factors also stand out. ‘I use the Bluetooth option for controlling it via iPad. Having full and fast access to metering and PFL’s during a live show is invaluable for troubleshooting.

‘Since I’ve been using the BlackBox it’s been solid as a rock,’ he concludes. ‘I still carry a backup recorder to mirror the JoeCo but, I’ve never had to rely on it.’

More: www.joeco.co.uk