Midas Deep Purple

Iconic rock bands YES and Deep Purple recently concluded a highly successful U.S. tour, where Midas’ legendary Heritage D (HD96-24) console took centre stage. Renowned for its exceptional sound quality, durability, and advanced features, the console powered performances at a range of outdoor amphitheaters and arenas, delivering flawless audio throughout the tour. 

Our HD96-24 was instrumental in delivering the distinct and dynamic sounds of both bands. For this tour, three consoles were utilised: one for YES’s FOH and two for Deep Purple's FOH and monitor mixes. Top audio professionals, Dean Mattson (FOH Engineer for YES), Tobi Hoff (FOH Engineer for Deep Purple), and Ian Alvarez (Monitor Engineer for Deep Purple), relied heavily on the HD96’s advanced features to elevate the live performances.  The audio setup for the tour was managed by Clair Global for YES and Brown Note Productions for Deep Purple, two leading names in live sound production. The gear list also included four DL251, two DN9680, and two AS80 units, ensuring robust signal distribution and connectivity. 

Midas Deep Purple

The decision to use Midas was driven by the consoles’ exceptional plugin capabilities and workflow flexibility. Dean Mattson, who has worked with the console for several years, said the HD96-24’s intuitive interface and extensive plugin library made it an easy choice for handling 51 inputs from the stage each night. Mattson explained,

I was drawn to HD after working with it for a Pink Floyd tribute band. The ability to customise layers, banks, and seamlessly connect external devices makes it the perfect console for a complex show like YES's
Midas Deep Purple

One of the standout features of the HD96, according to Mattson, is its Ocean EQ, which he used on every matrix output to feed the PA. The onboard plugins, including VSS4 reverb and the Stressor on vocal mics, allowed for sophisticated audio shaping without the need for extensive outboard gear. The inclusion of a Dante card for multitracking and a MADI card to interface with a UA Realtime rack further streamlined the process, enhancing the overall sound and making the set-up efficient across different venues.

With this tour, we carried the same PA system throughout, minimising potential issues

said Mattson. The only real challenge was adjusting to different rooms each night, but the power and flexibility of the HD96-24 made it easier to adapt, resulting in flawless performances.

Midas Deep Purple

Midas’ role in the 2024 tour not only highlights the console’s capacity for handling high-input, large-scale shows but also demonstrates why it’s quickly becoming a favourite amongst industry professionals. Both YES and Deep Purple’s sound teams continue to praise its analogue feel, precision, and ability to streamline the complexities of modern live sound engineering.