Fort Collins, CO – March 2018… Based in Northern Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp promotes fingerstyle guitar performance by way of networking and education. The organization holds an annual ‘Camp’ at the YMCA of the Rockies, where aspiring musicians receive instruction and the opportunity for one-on-one training with internationally-known recording artists. And when it’s time for concert performances, instructors and students alike rely on the proven performance of Type 85 Direct Boxes from Menlo Park, CA-based Countryman Associates.
Mike Harrington is president of the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Among his varied responsibilities, Harrington identifies all artist / instructor personnel and coordinates the camp’s various programs. Countryman Direct Boxes are an integral part of the performance equipment at the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp. He discussed his fondness for the Type 85 Direct Boxes.
“Presently, we use five Countryman Type 85 DIs at the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp,” Harrington explained. “We use these to interface the guitars with the house sound reinforcement system for both concerts and rehearsals. Our sound techs have been enthusiastically using the Type 85 for several years and they have been in use at the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp for the past three years. Presently, we plan on purchasing five additional units prior to the start of the 2018 camp.”
The Countryman Type 85 has an incredibly smooth, natural sound that never colors the signal being run through it. Unlike many active DI boxes, the Type 85 can always isolate ground, even when running on Phantom power, to help eliminate hum and buzz from ground issues. With a straight forward, intuitive design, the Type 85 is easy to use, and its form factor is extremely durable—ensuring trouble-free operation for years.
When asked why the Countryman Type 85 is the direct box of choice at the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp, Harrington offered the following thoughts, “Our sound technician regularly uses this equipment. The Type 85 DI is trouble free and produces a very high-quality signal. This direct box has a very intuitive layout and it provides excellent battery life. Equally important, it’s also built like a truck, so its reliability is something one really needn’t be concerned about.”
For any sound engineer or others involved in the setup and use of electronic equipment for music performance, the ability to ask questions and receive a timely response is very important. Here too, Harrington was very complimentary of Countryman Associates. “In all honesty, the Type 85 works so well and reliably, I’ve not had direct contact with Countryman’s support staff. There just hasn’t been the need for support. What I can tell you, however, is that Rosa Pimentel, the company’s General Manager, has always been very responsive to my inquiries and her recommendations have consistently proven to be the right choice for our requirements.”
Before directing his attention back to the business of the day, Harrington offered these parting comments about his experience with the Countryman Type 85 Direct Boxes. “We’ve been absolutely delighted with this equipment and our internationally known artists and participants also appreciate the equipment’s quality and sound. Having access to the highest quality, professional grade equipment—such as our Countryman Direct Boxes—demonstrates that the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp is one of the top guitar instruction events of its kind. Countryman products not only deliver, the company consistently goes the extra mile for its customers. It’s been a very positive experience.”
To learn more about the Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp, visit the camp online at https://www.rockymountainguitarcamp.org/.
About Countryman Associates
For more than 40 years, Countryman has focused on developing microphones and accessories that deliver maximum gain before feedback, with the highest possible rejection of wind, vibration, interference, and other unwanted sounds. The result is warm, clear vocals in speaking and singing applications, delivering natural audio reinforcement that requires almost no attention from the sound engineer or the performer. For additional information about Countryman Associates, visit the company online at www.countryman.com.
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