Steve Harley takes Tannoy VQ Live on the road

As the FOH engineer for the recent Steve Harley acoustic tour, Andy Linklater has found a system to match the 70s star’s requirements.

Launched in 2009, Tannoy’s VQ Live line is designed to offer optimised acoustic performance. However, Linklater has found that the system performs to an equal standard even when sheer volume isn’t the sole concern.

"I’d heard about the loudness of the system, but I was really looking forward to how it performed at a lower level. My big praise for it, really, is the vocal definition. I mean obviously, there is the volume side of it as well; it is a very powerful system," Linklater commented.

He also added: "The Steve Harley set is very dynamic; it goes from a whisper to very loud within seconds. The clarity and vocal definition offered by this system are definitely the strongest points in my view."

Having worked with a vast number of artists across thousands of international venues, Linkwater has developed a wealth of experience in FOH engineering. He has used most other systems available over his career, yet he insists that this is the best he has worked with to date.

"Without doubt, VQ Live has outperformed any systems I have used before, " he states. "It is probably the best point source box I have ever used in my career, I don’t know if I can say any more than that."