Using WAVETOOL for Superior Mic Monitoring in High-Stakes Productions

The dramatic increase in channels has transformed both broadcast and live events. Organizations are grappling with an incredible level of complexity throughout the entertainment industry today. For example, in London’s West End, sound engineers for theater productions can be expected to simultaneously manage over 40 wireless channels – a daunting prospect for even the most seasoned professionals. 

As such high-stakes productions become more intricate with an increasing number of audio channels, a tool like WAVETOOL is invaluable for keeping everything sounding perfect. With this solution, engineers can monitor all the various wired and wireless sound sources on one screen.
 

Perfect Sound and Spectrum Monitoring

Theater productions are energetic and fast-paced, with actors constantly changing costumes. Amid this, there’s no room for errors or delays. Each detail is crucial for keeping the magic alive for the audience. These efforts make audio engineers’ jobs extremely important. They must ensure the audio and mic monitoring is perfect throughout the show.

Interestingly, while front-of-house operations are usually standardized across theaters or live sound venues, including mixing consoles and QLab Playback controls, the process of audio or RF monitoring isn’t. This inconsistency is due to different equipment rental companies’ varied resources and gear. 

Assistant audio engineers (A2s) rely on faraway receivers to monitor sound. The distance to these receivers makes effective audio monitoring a genuine challenge, adversely affecting production quality.
 

Mic Monitoring in TV and Broadcasting

Reality TV and broadcasting also have similar challenges. As viewers enjoy the end product from the comfort of their homes, a team of professionals worked behind the scenes to ensure the perfection of the audio. They are responsible for ensuring optimal mic volumes and guaranteeing the audience doesn’t hear unexpected sounds from the microphones.

Flawless sound is a non-negotiable element whether on a TV set or in a theater. A minor issue with an actor’s microphone or sound like hair brushing against the mic can dramatically negatively impact the production. 

Given the large amount of gear often used in these production environments, engineers must simultaneously use various software platforms to monitor the different receiver brands with a decentralized view.  
 

Introducing WAVETOOL: Your Ultimate Spectrum Monitoring Tool

Seeing a significant need for something that could manage everything in one place, a team of visionaries created WAVETOOL. The solution works well with popular sound receivers of various brands and can handle up to 128 channels. This tool lets you keep track of all wired and wireless sound sources on just one screen.

WAVETOOL gives you essential details like the RF quality level and battery status. This visibility means you don’t have to switch between different software applications. The audio team can now focus on one screen to monitor their audio sources.

For any big event, getting the sound exactly right is essential. WAVETOOL can handle multiple audio channels simultaneously, whether from Dante, MADI, AVB, or a combination. All it needs is a connection to the main WAVETOOL computer. This connection lets the sound technicians check and listen to the sound.
 

Improving Communication with WAVETOOL

Big productions need great teamwork to ensure a flawless experience for the audience. WAVETOOL’s text chat feature makes it easier for the audio team to talk to each other during a show, even when they can’t speak aloud. A2s and Front of House engineers can use pre-written messages to sort out problems quickly. 

This chat feature also sends alerts when something might be going wrong, like interference, bad microphone cables, and other audio anomalies. WAVETOOL’s custom-built algorithm can quickly spot and fix these issues.

Instant Replay: A Game-Changer

WAVETOOL also has a unique Instant Replay feature. This capability lets you see and hear what’s happened on each channel in the last five minutes. It is beneficial if you need to fix a problem. You can quickly go back and listen to a specific audio channel and find any sound issues without having to guess what went wrong.

The Future of RF Spectrum Monitoring and Mic Monitoring with WAVETOOL

With ever-increasing production demands and the rise in channel numbers, the need for comprehensive, centralized sound and spectrum monitoring software is more critical than ever. Are you ready to elevate your audio monitoring capabilities? 

Discover how WAVETOOL can transform your production’s audio experience today. Welcome to the future of sound and RF spectrum monitoring. Learn More Today.