Based in Utrecht, the Institute of Audio & Lighting Technology provides training qualifications for live sound and lighting technicians in Holland’s stage and event industry.

Founded in 1995, the Institute recently upgrade the audio equipment used on its courses to provide students with an up-to-date audio system that can mix both FOH and monitors, and record a live performance in an integrated package. It selected Allen & Heath’s GLD mixers and ME personal monitoring system, which are noe standard training tools on all of its audio courses. This includes six GLD-80 mixers fitted with Dante network cards, AR2412 and AR84 remote IO racks, and a ME-U hub with four ME-1 personal monitor mixers. Connected via the Dante network, the system enables uop to six students to mix and record audio simultaneously.

The AR racks are connected to a primary GLD mixer, which supplies gain and routing to the other five mixers. Stereo PFLs from each GLD can be sent to the lecturer’s iMac, allowing individual mixes to be monitored and analysed with the class at the end of each session. A 32-channel feed can be streamed from a DAW to all the GLDs for multitrack training sessions, while the ME system is used to monitor the band. A GLD and the ME system are also used for any live performances outside of the classroom.

‘Before the Allen & Heath gear was installed, set-up for classes was taking a long time, as there were multiple systems that needed to talk to each other,’ says IAB owner, Frans Ockeloen. ‘The new system is fantastic – it’s versatile, simple to set up, easy to use, and enables students to perform various tasks as a group. It’s the perfect system for teaching.’

More: www.allen-heath.com