GC Audio Analog Riser

Why I Chose the Analog Riser for David Guetta’s Stade de France Shows :
For David Guetta’s Stade de France performances, I wanted a mix bus processor that could add analogue character while remaining transparent and controllable in a high-pressure stadium environment. The Analog Riser proved to be the perfect tool for that role.

Its tube stage introduced a subtle warmth and cohesion that helped glue the mix together without sacrificing the impact and clarity needed for modern electronic music at stadium scale. Rather than dramatically changing the mix, it provided the kind of harmonic enhancement that makes a system feel more musical and engaging.

One of the most useful features for this application was the side-chain EQ. By emphasising compression in the 2–4 kHz region, I was able to gently control the high-mid energy where vocals, synth leads and percussion can become aggressive at high SPLs. At the same time, engaging the low-cut filter in the detector circuit prevented excessive low-frequency content from driving the compressor, significantly reducing unwanted pumping while preserving the power and weight of the kick and bass.

The result was a smoother, warmer and more controlled mix that retained all the energy of the performance while translating consistently across a stadium PA system, making the Analog Riser an invaluable part of my master bus processing chain.

Ben Booker is an experienced front of house engineer, monitor engineer, musical director, technical author and audio technology specialist with more than 30 years in the live sound industry. His career spans worldwide tours, major festivals, television broadcasts and stadium productions, working with artists including David Guetta, Bicep, Spiritualized, PJ Harvey, Scissor Sisters, Elton John, The Coral, 5 Seconds of Summer, Paul Weller and many more.