Barcelona’s El Molino has reopened following renovations and a refresh of its sound, lighting and stage technologies, and now has a Solid State Logic Live L100 Plus mixing console at front of house.
A former cabaret theatre and a cultural landmark for more than 100 years, the club presents music, stand-up and other entertainment five nights a week. ‘We opted for an immersive and enveloping audio system, selecting d&b Soundscape after extensive research,’ says El Molino Technical Director, Ramon Sendra Entrena. ‘The system also had to accommodate immersive audio, broadcast signals for television and high-quality audio for live recordings for streaming and archival purposes. At the same time, it was crucial that it remained intuitive, ensuring that every technician could apply their expertise without being hindered by an unfamiliar workflow.
‘On stage, we use an SSL ML 32.32 analogue stagebox connected to the console via Madi, with a dedicated backup system. The DS100 receives Dante signals from the SSL L100 Plus through its primary and secondary card connections, which are routed via fibre connected switchers distributed throughout the venue.
‘The DS100 then processes and sends these signals to the DS10 network bridge, which converts Dante signals into AES, directly driving the d&b amplifiers.
‘The system is networked so that, through d&b’s En-Bridge solution, we can control the positioning of DS100 Soundscape En-Scene objects directly from SSL’s dedicated d&b Soundscape control interface. This integration allows operators to focus entirely on achieving the best possible mix without having to switch between multiple interfaces.’
The SSL Live software provides control of d&b Soundscape directly from the console GUI, enabling manipulation of object parameters, XY pan, spread, En-Space send, delay mode and mapping area from every input channel and stem. Those settings can be stored and recalled from within the console’s showfile and scene memories.
The SSL Live Tablet Control (TaCo) mix app also provides wireless control of SSL Live consoles from smart devices
‘This has become an essential tool for the technical team’s workflow at El Molino,’ Sendra comments. ‘Beyond enabling remote control of the console for on-stage monitor mixing, its real-time capabilities further streamline operations, allowing us to work more efficiently from an iPad. We’ve even used TaCo to allow musicians to adjust their own monitor mixes independently, with the reassurance that they can only access the parameters relevant to their needs.’
For visiting engineers unfamiliar with SSL Live consoles, the TaCo software provides a fast and intuitive way to directly control the console without having to learn how to operate the hardware.
‘The integration between the SSL L100 Plus control interface and d&b En-Bridge makes its operation very intuitive, Sandra continues. ‘This set-up allows the operator to control sound object positioning directly from the SSL touchscreen, adjusting placement dynamically across different scenes to enhance the audience’s immersive experience. It almost feels like they were designed as a single, unified solution. Both companies have prioritised the sound engineer’s experience, ensuring that the technology is not only powerful but also intuitive, efficient and highly effective.’
The response from musicians, technicians and promoters since El Molino reopened has been overwhelmingly positive. ‘However, what has truly surprised us is reading praise from the audience,’ Sandra adds, ‘something that, in our experience, is quite rare.’