Classic Sound in the Northwest: An Interview with George Relles
George Relles is the owner of George Relles Sound, a highly successful sound rental company in Eugene, Oregon. Relles bought his first Meyer Sound speakers - six MSL-3s and four 650-R2s - in 1986. Since then, he has continued enlarging his inventory of Meyer speakers; recently, he purchased four DS-2s. The Sound File interviewed Relles to find out what projects he was working on, how his older speakers were performing, and how he liked his new DS-2s. Sound File: What sort of gigs to do you provide sound for?
Relles: A broad range, everything from classical to folk to rock-and-roll. Classical gigs are one of the main reasons I use Meyer speakers. The response is really smooth, especially outdoors. I don't have to EQ them too much. They sound great from the start. Sound File: Have the speakers been reliable?
Relles: I have never once had a speaker failure. They've had some awful things done to them, as you might expect, but they always hold up. It's obvious to me that other speaker companies don't have Meyer Sound's interest in QA. Sound File: How many Meyer speakers do you have now?
Relles: I have sixteen MSL-3s, eight 650-R2s, four UM-1s, and four UPAs. I just added some new DS-2s. Sound File: How do you like the new DS-2s?
Relles: The DS-2s have been everything I asked for and more. They've just been great. It's a mid-bass box, and it has that punch and that kick that engineers in rock-and-roll are looking for. I had been using the MSL-3s for concerts, but sometimes they weren't punchy enough for a venue with five to six thousand people. I thought I was going to have to double the size of my sound system, so I talked to Meyer, and they suggested I try DS-2s. I took their advice, and the DS-2s just blew me away. I was overwhelmed when I heard them. The whole system just opened up. If you take measurements, you'll find they don't increase the loudness of the system that much, but they sure increase the perceived loudness. Sound File: Has using Meyer speakers helped your business?
Relles: Yes, it definitely boosted my reputation. Meyer is very respected in the industry. Artists come into town, and Meyer is on all the tech riders. People know that Meyer is the only equipment that Pavarotti and Domingo will use. It allows you to be in a position of saying, "This is the best." I've been in business for twenty years. I'm in it because I love sound and because I love doing a good job. Meyer speakers have put me in a class by myself in the Northwest. Sound File: Can you tell us about the festivals you've been working with?
Relles: Sure. I've been working for the Peter Britt Musical Festivals in Jacksonville, Oregon [a small town near Ashland]. All sorts of people play there: Pat Metheny, Willie Nelson, the Neville Brothers, Joan Baez, and a lot of others. Sound File: How do the Meyer speakers perform there?
Relles: They're excellent - just perfect there. I fly the speakers, and we're able to reach the top of the steep hill. I'm also involved with the music festival in Sandpoint, Idaho. It started out as a classical festival. The Spokane Symphony is the resident symphony, and there's a conductors institute there. Now the festival is four weeks long, and features non-classical acts, such as Allison Kraus, the Beach Boys, Natalie Cole, and Loretta Lynn. There's no shell behind the stage, and you're out in a football field by a lake. I'm using MSL-3s and DS-2s in an array, and, for near fill, another MSL-3 on the ground with two subwoofers. I'm getting excellent coverage with the DS-2s; the low end is holding up well. There's a fence about 400 feet from the stage, and it's amazing how good it sounds back there. Sound File: How have you liked working with Meyer Sound over the years?
Relles: I've always really liked the company. Mark [Johnson] and Scott [Gledhill] have always been great to work with. What I really like about the company is that they're interested in real-world results. Like this whole thing with the DS-2s. They said, "This will work," and it did. The speakers did everything they were supposed to do, and more. It's reinforced my faith in the company. They made a believer of me, yet again. I've had Meyer speakers for ten years. They're working every day. I've never had a failure or had to replace a driver. You can't argue with a track record like that.
December, 1996
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