Dubai-headquartered technical production house Sound On Stage Events recently invested in a new DiGiCo Quantum 326, and the company wasted no time in getting the console out in the field, deploying it for the Echoes of a Golden Era show as part of the Beiteddine Art Festival in July 2025.
A loyal DiGiCo user for over 15 years, Sound On Stage Events’ Managing Director and sound engineer Rawad Saad explained his preference for the brand: “Throughout the time that Sound On Stage Events has been using DiGiCo consoles, we’ve experienced the remarkable evolution in both the technology and audio quality,” he commented. “DiGiCo continues to set new standards in the industry, and we proudly rely on its systems for our most demanding productions.”
Delivering the purchase was 7Hertz, DiGiCo distributor for the Middle East and Gulf regions. Chadi El Masri, CEO and Founder of 7Hertz stated: “Rawad and his team are highly experienced with DiGiCo and a valued client of 7Hertz, which allowed for focussed discussions and trust in reaching the best possible outcome. The end result is that they found the Q326 to be exactly what they were looking for.”
Echoes of a Golden Era was an original production that premiered at the festival, featuring three renowned Arabic performers: Jahida Wehbe, Lubana Al Quntar, and Reham Abdel Hakim. The orchestra comprised 25 musicians, with additional high-calibre guest artists.
“To manage the intricate blend of orchestration, vocals, and live instruments, a concert such as Echoes of a Golden Era requires outstanding clarity, dynamic range, and versatility,” Saad explained. “DiGiCo consoles offer the accuracy and processing capacity needed to handle complex input lists and produce high-quality sound across a broad frequency range. We are able to stay consistent throughout the performance, while instantly adjusting to the musical changes. Maintaining the aural depth a performance of this calibre demands requires this degree of control.”
The Beiteddine Art Festival takes place in the 200-year-old Palace of the same name, located in the Chouf Mountains, around 45km from Beirut. An annual celebration of art and culture, it hosts multiple performances and exhibitions throughout July. There are two stages, Al Midan, a 5,000 seated capacity courtyard, and the middle courtyard, where this concert was staged, with a 1,500-seat capacity.
“Working with dynamic vocalists and orchestras is a great fit for DiGiCo consoles,” Saad continued. “From the delicate expression of a solo vocalist to the full impact of a live orchestra, the high-resolution preamps and powerful processing engine of the Quantum 326 enables precise control over every aspect of a performance. Managing complex setups and reacting quickly to live changes is made simple by the dynamic EQ, multiband compression, and sophisticated snapshot automation. This is crucial for shows like ours, when emotional delivery and musical accuracy go hand-in-hand.”
The v20 upgrades have also proved very useful, with Saad appreciating the new integration and workflow features. “Control Groups Spill and other increased control and workflow advancements have made daily operations more efficient and user-friendly,” he noted. “One notable feature is the recently added Mix Minus tool, which has proven to be helpful in handling intricate routing in broadcasts with several IEMs. The v20 upgrade has increased power and versatility without making the process more difficult, which we appreciate in high-stakes, fast-paced projects.”
And the kit is only part of the reason for Saad’s continued brand loyalty, with the relationship between him and the DiGiCo and 7Hertz teams proving instrumental. “We have contacted the DiGiCo and 7Hertz teams a few times, and each time we have received an exceptional response,” he concluded. “Their personnel have been helpful, informed, and sincere in their efforts to assist us in finding answers, whether it’s for software upgrades, system integration, or urgent troubleshooting prior to a big event. Knowing that we have that degree of support behind us is comforting, particularly when working on well-known productions where timeliness and dependability are crucial.”
Photos: Sound On Stage Events
