Is this wearable sound mixer the future of live music?

ESTIMATED 
Is this wearable sound mixer the future of live music?

Is the landscape of live music about to change forever? Elton John surely thinks so. 

Starting next week, Elton John concert attendees will have the chance to experience live music according to their sonic preferences. Ticket holders will be able to rent a wearable audio mixer, that, when paired with a mobile app, allows them to alter the concert's sound to their liking in real time.

Fans can boost John's pianos, enhance his vocals, tweak the guitar tones and more to their liking, without disrupting the show for others. And all of this, just costs €10 (USD $11)

So what exactly is this piece of technology? Simply put, it's a wearable receiver, that essentially works as a virtual five-channel mixing board and holds a number of international patents for its synchronizing of mixable digital audio. 

BANDWAGON TV

Graham Tull, co-founder/chief technology officer of PEEX, the London-based startup behind the device, broke the device down, explaining: "Sound engineers do a great job, but it's impossible to have perfectly aligned sound for every member of the audience at every location inside a venue. The technology is fun to use, but it does solve sound loss degradation in large venues. Ninety-nine percent of those that used the system come away with a 'wow' moment."

After Tull pitched the technology's capabilities to John's management team in 2016, John and his husband, David Furnish, invested in Powerchord Group, PEEX's holding company. PEEX was first announced publicly in May of 2018, but has been a rather quiet endeavor until now. The device made its debut on the spring 2019 leg of John's U.S. tour, where it was free for a number of VIP fans. The devices will now be rolled out across the remaining dates of John's farewell tour.

John said in a statement: "I have been delighted by the positive reaction from fans using this revolutionary technology. It represents a significant improvement in the way live music can be enjoyed, bringing clear sound to fans wherever they are in the venue."

For more information, check out the official PEEX website here