For forty years, Alford Media has always strived to have the best hardware picked out for every show that we do, and audio is no different. Eric Faulk takes us through a new piece of audio equipment that will help us continue to put on shows that look amazing and sound amazing, too, with the latest Yamaha Rivage. 

Can you explain the benefits of Alford Media owning the Yamaha Rivage?

This is Yamaha’s return to the audio sound and quality before the digital generation. It was the first time Yamaha created a “Flagship” unit in the modern era. The entertainment touring market shied away from using Yamaha due to the I/O capacity and sound quality compared to other top-tiered consoles preferred by Mixing Engineers. But now, you commonly see Rivage on tours, and engineers frequently request it.

Why, out of all the audio equipment in the world, did we choose the Yamaha Rivage?

We find it on the list of many industry show riders (talent) today. It also fills a gap in the audio inventory.

When we build shows, what kind of shows would benefit from us owning the Yamaha Rivage?

We would put this on every show that provides entertainment. It can more than satisfy I/O needs while having the necessary effects processing on board for most live band scenarios. Corporate shows would also benefit from DANSE processing, similar to CEDAR, to help reduce background noise. That is a great benefit to have natively on a console and specifically beneficial for broadcast and recordings. Rivage also has Dugan processing that operates as an auto mixer, which is vital when you have panels of multiple contributors on a stage to minimize feedback and abhorrent noise.

I heard not everyone can buy this.

 We were selected because of the relationship and the quality of the tier type of shows we engage in. We are one of many companies that use their products. However, Yamaha is selective and often does a deep dive into companies that use their equipment. Based on their assessments of companies, they will assign you a tier of what equipment you can buy because they want their products showcased based adequately on qualifications.

Is it true that Yamaha makes you be trained to operate the Yamaha Rivage?

You must be invited to be trained to use this equipment, and yes, we are taught. Yamaha is specific about the minimum requirements that must be maintained to be a partner in the Rivage relationship.

Is there anything else you want to share?

This console helps us have a genuine Yamaha “Flagship Console” that not only meets the engineer requirements but also allows us to utilize multiple consoles in the same system that will enable us to broadcast, meet corporate needs, and provide entertainment requirements. In short, it sounds excellent and makes us more competitive in the audio market.