Tony Hystek recalls how he started in the business and why his production company relies on Electro-Voice & Dynacord

Tony Hystek, like many, got into the business through music. “I played bass in a number of bands when younger, and following the breakup of one band in the early nineties, I ended up with the band’s P.A. I started hiring it to other bands when I wasn’t using it myself, till a double booking forced the purchase of another P.A., and another, and another.” From this Action Sound was born.

Located in the geographical heart of Sydney, a stone’s throw from the Olympic Park, Action Sound is an AV production company specialising in live production of concert and corporate events, plus installation projects whenever these can be fitted in. Clients include the NSW Government, local councils, schools, universities, houses of worship and a number of high-profile corporate clients.

Action Sound grew in the early days through building up good relationships with country artists and touring extensively in the late 90’s. The continued expansion of inventory and purchase of Action Sounds’ first warehouse helped set the company up for their big break. In 2003 Action Sound undertook their biggest job… the anti-war rally in Hyde Park North and South, with an attendance of 250,000 people. For Tony, this event was “special in a chaotic way…towers of X-array shooting into the distance.” Since then the company has grown from strength to strength. Tony’s favourite event so far has been the first Robotics competition at Quay Centre because “it combines all aspects of AV. It has some unique and challenging requirements yet allows for constant improvements and innovations each year.”

For all the good times, Action Sound has also faces its challenges, the most common being explaining compliance and rigging costs to customers. “Once something goes in the air, the costs skyrocket. Understandable, but often hard to explain to the client,” says Tony.

Action Sound has used EV and Dynacord since the early days. Tony states he has chosen and stayed with the brands because of his “long-standing relationship with the distributors and staff who have provided him with the products and support needed over many years. “I guess I’m an old-fashioned brand loyalist.” Personal favourites from the brands include the Dynacord PowerMate series as “they are bulletproof and have served faultlessly for many years,” and “the EV RE510 vocal condenser which is superb for almost anything…our go-to mic,” says Tony.

Action Sound has recently purchased Dynacord TGX touring amps and EV’s X2 line arrays and subs. These were chosen because the company “needed the next step up after the Cobra systems, something flyable.” Tony states that the X2 speakers are “superb…a great, powerful, compact box.” The X-2 is special due to being “lightweight, simple to rig, and high SPL with great sound.” The TGX amps “add another dimension to the system. Only 3 x 4-channel amps (60,000 W) are needed for a 16-tops, 6-subs system. Fewer subs are needed now that they have TGX amplifiers behind them. And there is no need for infill speakers either. The power and the distance achieved are extraordinary.”

Other than his passion for good sound, Tony has an interest in kayaking. Following a run of back problems, the therapy of paddling has turned into a major passion. Apart from getting rid of back pain, Tony now thoroughly enjoys racing, which has taken him around the world to some great evens including the world Kayak Marathon Championships in Rome, the Devizes-Westminster 200 km non-stop race across the UK, and more recently the 715 km Yukon River Quest in Canada.