The Presets use the following Shure products:

   1.   PSM 700’S

   2.   BETA 58

The Presets Official Website

Interview with the Presets

1.    How long have you been using the Shure in ear monitor systems? Do you both use them?
“We've both been using them for a couple of years now.”

2.    How does it compare to when you were playing with just on stage monitors alone?
“So much better. Firstly, I don't go deaf anymore. The earphones protect my ears from the live drums on stage. Secondly, I can get a much clearer monitor mix in earphones than I ever did in a wedge. And finally, I don't have to scream any more to hear my voice. The monitor guy can turn it up as loud as I want without having to worry about feedback from on stage wedges.”

3.    Are you happy with the sound of the Beta 58 on the vocals? Have you tried any other live mics?
“I've never really tried any other live mics. Beta 58s have always been such a standard at live venues, and now I have my own I always use them on the road.”

4.    What other Shure microphones do you use live and where?
“Kim uses a complete Shure drum mic kit on his drums for live shows.”

5.    Do you use a different microphone for home studio recordings?
“I used to sing into an AKG 414. After 3 years of touring, I got so used to singing into a 58 on stage I ended up using that for all my vocals for the record. It was nice to be able to actually hold the mic in my hand and rock out in the studio, especially for songs like My People. I made sure I always put it through a top quality pre-amp, compressor and EQ.”

6.    Do you own a pair of Shure personal isolation earphones? If so, how do you find the sound?
“Yeah, I use E5's on stage. They are perfect for live monitors. I also have a pair of E2's for my ipod. They are great for the plane or when I go running.”

7.    Have you done any shows with Daft Punk before? Are you fans of theirs?  Are you looking forward to the upcoming gigs with them?
“Kim and I have always been fans of Daft Punk - but that is like a cliché now. I can't think of an electronic musician that hasn't been inspired by them, such is their footprint on dance music. We'd never played with them before, and the Oz tour we did with them was fantastic.”

8.    You guys have over a million hits on your my space site, that’s pretty incredible for an Aussie band, or any band for that matter. Are your live gigs reflective of your growing popularity?
“Our live gig's have pretty much stayed exactly the same for the past 5 years - we have always had a lot of fun and tried to be as energetic and as party as we can - even when we were playing to 20 people. The only thing that has really gotten bigger is the audience!”

9.    Do you enjoy writing your own new material as much as doing remixes of other peoples songs?
“We way prefer doing our own music. We're actually slowing down with the remixes. We figure we would rather spend 2 days in the studio creating our own material these days.”

Biography

In the past 12 months The Presets have leapt from shows in salubrious Sydney shoeboxes to festivals around the country, remixing the stars and having their songs appear in hit TV shows.

With their debut album (2005’s Beams) having garnered glowing praise locally, 2006 has witnessed The Presets test their dark dance magic in foreign climes. The duo of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes deliver a live show that straddles both rock and dance circuits in its infectious, sweat soaked sensibilities. The past year has seen the band play at least 150 shows both in Australia and abroad. From opening for the likes of Wolfmother, Colder, the Faint and the Dissociatives to playing to packed houses of their own, the Presets have officially come, seen and conquered, although not necessarily in that order.

The Presets have also recently become official Shure endorsees having secured a couple of Shure PSM 700 Personal Monitor Systems and Beta 58 microphones.

“We’ve only had the PSM 700’s for a couple of weeks and I can’t believe the difference that they’ve made to our show!” said an amazed Julian. “They are just soooo good. We’d just recently finished a really long tour of the USA and UK that left me partially deaf. On stage I stand next to Kim, who plays the drums, and every night I had to try to find new ways to block out his drum sound. I’ve tried different types of ear plugs but they block out too much sound and you can’t hear yourself sing at all. I even got some professional moulded ear plugs made but they cut out the top frequency too much.”

Finally with the Shure PSM 700 system Julian can preserve his hearing as well as hearing himself sing.

It’s great not having the drums smash my brains out anymore and now I can do show after show after show!” he declared. “We always knew that the PSM 700 would be good and we were very keen to use it but we never realised just how wonderful it would be.”

As the PSM 700 is a wireless system Julian had initial apprehensions thinking that the set up and operation would be complicated. Originally he thought it would only be used at the larger venues but this has turned out not to be the case at all.

“We’ve been using the PSM 700 here in the UK in crummy little nightclubs with dodgy sound desks but they’ve worked beautifully,” he commented. “I’ve even done away with big wedge monitor speakers in front of me as I don’t need them. I might sound like I’m going over the top but I can’t help it – the PSM 700 is just so awesome.

“It’s funny because when we got the endorsement I knew I’d have to promote the product and I was adamant that I wouldn’t gush too much. However now I’ve been using the product I don’t mind gushing and gushing at all!”