THE INTERNATIONAL

BUYER’S GUIDE A S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N A L P U B L I C AT I O N
F R O M T H E N E W B AY M E D I A G R O U P

AUDIO
CONSOLES
2013

P RO D UCE D BY

AUDIO MEDIA
In association with:

I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N
 T H E I N T E L L I G E N T N E T W O R K

the finest audio for broadcast

Pictured: Wheatstone’s
LX-24 flagship radio console
with several BLADE network
interface and control modules

For over 30 years, Wheatstone has led the way in radio console technology,
making it number one with broadcasters the world over.

An engineering-based company from the beginning, Wheatstone has always put functionality first,
although form, fit and finish are equal parts of our passion. Wheatstone consoles are designed and built
in the USA utilizing the latest manufacturing techniques to ensure the highest performance, made to
exacting tolerances. The feel and functionality of a Wheatstone radio console is without equal.

Wheatstone consoles are modular, using network-based designs for the ultimate flexibility.
Our next-generation AoIP WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network or our decades-proven Bridge TDM Network
ensure extreme processing power for total access, control, interface and expansion wherever you need
it. And our technology partnerships with automation, hardware and software manufacturers
provide full compatibility with your existing setup.

On-Air and production radio consoles have evolved and Wheatstone is leading the way.

RADIO
phone +1 252.638-7000 | wheatstone.com | sales@wheatstone.com
 Welcome to the updated Audio Consoles Buyer’s
contents Guide 2013, an exposé of the finest the audio
4 Creative Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . console market has to offer. Whether you’re in
THE INTERNATIONAL
BUYER’S GUIDE A S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N A L P U B L I C AT I O N
F R O M T H E N E W B AY M E D I A G R O U P
recording, post production, broadcast, or sound
8 Due Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUDIO
....... reinforcement, we’re sure there’s a selection of
CONSOLES
2013 products here for you.
10 Console Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This magazine is a collection of promotional articles looking
PRO DUCED BY
at 17 of the world’s leading console manufacturers and their
AUDIO MEDIA
product ranges. Inside you’ll find the stories behind the gear
Allen & Heath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In association with:

12 I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N

– the ethos’ and design ethics that go into producing one of

the core components in audio production – and details of the
products themselves.
14 AMS Neve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The hands-on approach to audio mixing has not yet been
beaten. It’s an art form in itself and a skill that sonic operatives
treasure. Every console on the market offers something different
16 Avid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to complement both the work at hand and the preferences of
the operator, so sometimes it’s difficult to narrow down the
wide choice on offer to those products that are best suited
18 Cadac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to your needs. There’s also new technology to consider – are
you surround-sound ready? Has your current console got the
extra horsepower or capacity needed to cope with modern
20 Calrec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
production demands? Do you need a step up in signal intergrity
and product pedigree? Could a more versatile board work harder
for you or do you need a more specialist tool for a specialist job?
22 DHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Everybody needs to address at least a few of these issues, and
probably more besides.
24 DiGiCo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . That’s where this guide comes in. This, and the other Buyers
Guides in the series (Monitors & Headphones, Microphones,
Recorders, Live Sound Technology, Live Sound Applications, and
28 Lawo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DAWs) are Audio Media projects, designed to help you find your
way though the information explosion and find the product that
suits your needs. Audio Media is an internationally distributed
30 Mandozzi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . magazine that deals with professional audio production in film,
TV, radio, music, games, and on stage. It’s available in both print
and digital editions. For more details, go to www.audiomedia.
32 Midas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . com.

Paul Mac, Editor.

34 PreSonus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37 Sonifex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38 Soundcraft Studer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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(UK) Tel: +44 (0)1354 669960 - Fax: +44 (0)1354 669965
Sales Manager Editorial Manager (Europe)
40 SSL (Solid State Logic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graham Kirk Lanna Marshall
g.kirk@audiomedia.com l.marshall@audiomedia.com

Editor In Chief Design & Production Manager

Paul Mac John-Paul Shirreffs
42 Stagetec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.mac@audiomedia.com jp.shirreffs@audiomedia.com

44 Wheatstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Yamaha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUDIO
F R O M T H E N E W B AY M E D I A G R O U P

46 ...
CONSOLES www.nbmedia.com
2013
48 Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or in part, whether
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 consoles 2013
Creative Input
Paul Watson talks to three of the leading broadcast manufacturers about their approaches and
philosophies towards the design of the input stages of their consoles, and asks the question:
“Is analogue design still improving, or have we now exhausted what’s possible?”
Calrec’s Senior Design and Development
Engineer, Graham Milnes, says the main thing
is to make sure all customer requirements
are met, though interestingly, some of those
requirements might not immediately be known
to the customer.
“Ultimately, the customer just wants
everything to work, of course,” he says, “but in
the real world, we supply a lot of kit for outside
broadcast and one of the most important things
is protection on the input; when there are nearby
electrical storms going on and you have very
long cable runs, you have got to protect those
inputs so they won’t pack up. Barring a direct hit,
we’re able to do that.”
Milnes says that having to comply with
EMC directives has most certainly affected the
way that manufacturers approach designing
their inputs.
“Years ago, before EMC compliance came
into play, we had quite excessive RF filtering
to take out the Long Wave, Short Wave, and
Medium Wave transmissions, be it a radio, a taxi,
whatever; that was a big nuisance in the 70s,
80s, and 90s, and it’s so important to get that
stuff out of there, as we do have to comply with
all of these [EMC] directives,” he explains. “If you
think about the traditional XLR input, people
used to talk about the classic pin one problem
whereby pin one of the XLR wasn’t bonded
correctly to the chassis and would often go
down onto the circuit board; these days, mainly
4 CREATIVE INPUT
to do with EMC compliance,
pin one is hard-connected to
the chassis, which negates the
need for ground lifting and
everything is much safer.
Some people may disagree,
but that’s our philosophy,
certainly.”
Calrec hasn’t used
transformers on mic inputs
since the 90s; instead,
everything is electronically
balanced. Milnes says this is
due to size, weight, and cost; and line inputs, which Milnes says is particularly
and technically, better performance is achievable convenient for the end user.
electronically. Headroom is also a massive factor, “Because one input can be used for mic or
he says, even in user control. line, we have a gain range that goes up to 78dB
“When it comes to digital processing, it’s all maximum and at the other end of the scale it
24-bit resolution audio, but without giving too will attenuate at up to 18dB,” he explains.
much away, it’s important we have more bit “For many years we’ve tended to have the
resolution than 24-bit audio so you can have universal input, though it complicates the design
yourself more head and tail room,” he reveals. for the pre-amp somewhat as it needs to handle
“It might sound strange, but if you just think of a very high signal.”
EQ these days, which is typically four-band, each Although all I/O is analogue, everything else
of those four bands will often be capable of is digital, and Calrec stopped making analogue
adding 20dB of gain, and you can very quickly consoles more than three years ago.
get some very high signals; if you don’t have Milnes insists, however, that in some ways,
some extra bits to handle that then you’re in analogue is still going very strong.
trouble. We have a vast amount of headroom “When it comes to the operational amplifier,
in our system, some in the user control too: we which is the heart of the circuitry really, the
have the front end screen where the end user good old 5532 is still a hard act to follow. It has
can see how much headroom they’ve got up been bettered, but these newer offerings will
to the fader, so if cost significantly more, and whether they make
things get loud and that much of a difference or not is open to some
out of control, the debate,” he says. “Certain amps have improved
operator can pull and if you compare specs, there will be better
the fader down noise performance, better THD, slightly lower
and everything still power consumption, and higher drive current.
sounds clean. The maximum level you will find in broadcast is
The end user supposedly +24dBu, but there are many devices
can select the where internally the power rails will generate
input headroom above and beyond that; all our inputs will handle
anywhere between at least +27dBU, which is very high, and when
18 and 36dB, which the end user turns the gain down on the mic pre-
is quite a lot.” amp, the signal will stay absolutely clean.”
The Calrec
inputs are unique The Dallis Dynasty
in that they Lawo’s latest input board is the eight-channel
accommodate mic Dallis mic/line in, which is balanced, floating, and
 i o L iv e™
t a l
™St u d t d i g i
S o n u s m p a c r e .
r e c o m o
uy a P et the only ll this and
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t two mouse luded)
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in ju apture™ (inc
StudioLive™ 24.4.2,
with C 25 XMAX™ preamps, 10
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QMix™ app.
Edit and produce
Ltd. Smaart is a trademark of Rational Acoustics. Mac, iPad and iPhone are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Let’s get this settled: “Hillbilly Handfishing” is NOT filmed in Louisiana!
©2012 PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., all rights reserved. StudioLive, Capture and QMix are trademarks of PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. Studio One is a trademark of PreSonus Software

Artist
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W ithout a sweet suite of seamlessly integrated software, a
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 consoles 2013
features galvanic separation.
“We don’t use audio transformers when
doing galvanic separation; instead, it is realised
in the digital domain,” says Martin Werwein,
of Lawo’s R&D department. “This structure
eliminates the drawbacks of such transformers,
and as a result, we can offer excellent distortion
performance, common mode rejection even
at high frequencies, low crosstalk, and a much
higher density.”
Lawo also uses discrete Class-A pre-amps,
which, it claims, provides ultra-low equivalent
input noise even at moderate gains as well as a
flat frequency response.
“Our mic-pres are extremely high quality
because we built them in a very modern discrete
design that provides an excellent overall
performance, as well as the very best distortion
performance even at high gains,” Werwein adds.
“Then in terms of amplification, our variable gain
amplifier is working with a full digital gain stage
and two noise scaling amplifiers – one analogue,
one digital. The analogue noise scaling amplifier
together with its digital counterpart is used to
run the analogue gain stage, which guarantees
the best noise performance, and using this
structure allows end users to change the gain
settings in the digital domain without any
audible clicks.”
Although the gain reduction of Lawo’s
PAD is 20dB, the maximum input level is
limited to +24dBu, though the maximum input
level without the PAD is +8dBu. This structure,
Werwein claims, makes it possible to run the
PAD stage with a better noise performance.
Lawo also believes that it is ahead of
the game in terms of filtering design for A/D
conversion, insisting that its modified FIR
filter architecture minimises latency whilst
maintaining an excellent linear phase response.
“With a single sampling rate, a little
6 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
aliasing above 20kHz
is unavoidable for
maintaining acceptable
latency, whereas with a
double sampling rate, an
aliasing-free operation
is possible without an
extended group delay,”
Werwein explains.
“However, we have
implemented a second
FIR filter implementation,
optimised for
double-speed mode,
and this is not realised
in common designs; it
allows for a complete
aliasing-free operation and maintains ultra-
low latency.
“With the latest generation of high-quality
audio interfaces, Lawo has reached an audio
quality that can hardly be improved. The quality
regarding distortion and noise is so high that
one needn’t pay attention to it in most cases;
and although this may also be true of products
from other manufacturers, our equipment
is absolutely failsafe under even the most
problematic environmental conditions, which
certainly gives us an edge over the competition.”
Studer-Maker
Studer’s Product Manager, Andrew Hills, says the
most important area of a mixing console design
is the initial analogue circuitry followed by the
A/D converter, as once the signal is captured into
the digital domain poorly, it cannot be repaired.
“Analogue consoles had mic inputs and
line inputs, the reason being there were only
two types of device you wanted to connect
to an analogue console: a microphone or an
active device like a tape machine or playback
device,” he says. “As the move has gone from
transmitting audio between
regions from analogue to digital,
the number and variety of digital
has grown exponentially as well;
things started with a single AES
interface, then there was an SPDIF
digital interface, then various multi-
channel audio ones like MADI and
ADAT. What Studer has chosen to
do to is provide as many interfaces
on standard cards so customers
can connect whatever equipment
they like directly to the console
without any additional blue boxes
or conversion interfaces.”
The Studer cards include a 64-in 64-out
MADI card, 16-in 16-out ADAT and AES cards,
an eigh- in eight-out analogue card, and mic
cards with just four channels. What is particularly
significant is the amount of money Studer is
investing to make a high-quality mic interface.
“We are basically putting in eight times the
amount of money it costs to make a multi-
channel digital interface to make a high-quality
mic interface, because we regard that initial
conversion as so very important,” Hill insists.
“It is the only way of getting the initial capture
of the audio into the digital domain in the
absolute best possible way.”
Another element of Studer’s input stage
design involves moving the mic amplifier away
from the mixing console, Hill says: “Whereas in
a traditional analogue console the mic channels
were in the channel strips in the console,
nowadays we make stage boxes where the
mic amps are placed down by the stage or by
the mic so that the cable from the mic to the
amplifier and its converter is very short; at that
point, the signal is converted to digital and
transmitted up to the mixing console as a multi-
channel digital format which then suffers no
further degradation in signal.”
Across the board, it is clear that
manufacturers see the input stage as the most
important of all when designing broadcast
consoles. As with many areas of the audio
industry, digital is now clearly the norm, and has
led to a number of significant enhancements,
though analogue remains king when it comes to
I/O. Headroom is also crucial, particularly in live
broadcast applications, where there is literally
no room for error.
www.calrec.com
www.lawo.de
www.studer.ch
 This Is Your Moment
© 2012 MUSIC Group IP Ltd. Technical specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. iPad not included.

The lights come up, the band explodes to life and your system is dialed in.

The show unfolds in front of you and everything is where you expect
it to be. Mains sound great, 6 monitor mixes, side-fills and in-ears are
netting you nods from the band. You’re bedding 32 tracks in ProTools™,
and mixing a killer show. You glance down at the X32 and marvel at the
technology; motorized faders, LCD scribble strips, 16 mix busses and racks
of effects at your fingertips, iPad® ready to mix from anywhere.

Get your hands on an X32 and live your moment!

Due Process:
Effects Processing Inside The Console
Paul Watson talks to four of the many manufacturers now putting their internal effects forward as a one
of the big reasons to buy. What philosophies populate this hard-fought piece of ground?
“We write all our own effects algorithms,
because all of our digital consoles operate
an automatic latency management routine,”
explains Brand Development Manager at
Midas, Richard Ferriday. “It’s very important
that however the operator deploys those effects
processors, the console is able to manage the
resulting latencies and make sure that the
audio is always in phase, right down to single
sample accuracy, whenever they sum that audio
together at any point.”
The company philosophy in terms of its
effects and processing, Ferriday says, is to
continually improve them: after purchasing a
console, any new effects that are built into the
software are always released to the customer at
no extra cost.
“If you take our latest Generation II software
as an example, which we released at ProLight +
Sound earlier this year, that added lots of new
functionality into our entire console range,” he
continues. “We added an additional five reverbs,
a dynamic EQ, a matrix mixer, several additional
modulation effects, and a new tap-delay.”
Because Midas’s digital consoles all boast
identical effects and processing options,
from the Pro 1 all the way up to the XL8, the
manufacturer can provide full compatibility
across the board, so to speak.
“Uniquely, you can take a show file from
any one of our consoles with a certain effects
rack as a component in that show file and it
8 DUE PROCESS
will load onto any of our
other consoles, and run
perfectly,” Ferriday states.
“Although we’ll always
continue to develop our
palette of effects units, we
also appreciate that there’ll
always be something that
someone is going to want
that we won’t be able to
provide – an effect that
perhaps 99 per cent of
our customers will never
use – so we have made it Lexicon – and you can really hear the difference.”
easy to interface our consoles with external DSP Something else that DiGiCo doesn’t need to
resources so users can run an effect on a laptop worry about, Webster says, is clogging up the I/O
and interface it specifically with the console on the console with effects returns.
whenever they need to.” “With an SD7, because of the Super FPGA
and the DSP together, we can do up to 48 stereo
DiGiCo effects – just returns on a console you’d need 96
One manufacturer that uses more than just DSP inputs for that,” he smiles. “And that’s excluding
is DiGiCo: unlike any other brand, it uses Super any of the compressors, dynamic EQs and gates,
Field Programmable Gate Array (Super FPGA) for because they’re on every channel and every bus
all its audio path. of our consoles anyway.”
“DSP is certainly powerful, but nowhere near Webster stresses that although all DiGiCo
as powerful as Super FPGA,” claims DiGiCo’s customers are happy with the internal effects
marketing director, David Webster. “What that and processing available in its consoles, the
means is, when you’re dealing with something manufacturer realises that people will always
that needs a lot of arithmetic calculations, like have their personal preferences in the way
a reverb, you can get a much higher quality out something should sound, therefore offers plug-in
of Super FPGA. In the old days, for your house capability, via Waves.
vocal, you’d have either your Lexicon 224 or 480, “Is it the Waves DSP add-on? Yes and no,
or your Yamaha really. It is, but anyone else that can interact
SPX 90 – now with Waves has an Ethernet connector to
when you look a SoundGrid server, whereas we offer that
at that, they’re capability via a 2U rack-mount [SoundGrid]
both reverbs, but server, and everything else is then incorporated
I know which one into the console as standard,” Webster explains.
I’d want! Plenty “Using DiGiCo, you can have up to 32 stereo
of manufacturers racks from Waves – that’s 64 channels. Most
can deliver other people aren’t able to do that... We are the
quality similar to only manufacturer that allows that 64 I/O on top
something like of any I/O we have in any of our consoles.”
the SPX 90, but DiGiCo also offers control of Waves via its
using Super FPGA, consoles’ touch-screens, which eliminates the
we can provide need for an additional PC.
the quality of the “Instead of a running a separate laptop,
 consoles 2013

you’re basically running a separate server for
audio only, and it uniquely saves that within a
session. The only thing that’s happening is its
number-crunching and the audio I/O is going
in and out of the 2U box; everything else all
happens within the console,” Webb reveals.
“It’s then saved as a Waves live session file with
a DiGiCo session file – the two are married.
So, for example, say Eric Clapton’s using a
particular effect and you change it for his guitar
solo in Layla, that’s there, even though it’s in
Waves; the console knows it, and it tells the
Waves box what it wants, then you see it on the
screen on the console. It’s totally integrated,
whereas everybody else has to run it as if it’s a
separate piece of outboard gear.”
Soundcraft
One of the benefits of being part of the
Harman Group, says Soundcraft’s Head of
Digital Console Strategy, Andy Brown, is being
able to utilise the best of all of its brands, which
has had a positive impact on the effects and
processing that’s gone into Soundcraft’s Vi and
Si ranges of digital consoles.
“We are in a very good position as we have
access to lots of well known and well-respected
brands, going from the Lexicon reverbs to
the dynamic stuff like BSS graphics and dbx
processing,” he says. “Our general philosophy is
to try and get those brands into our consoles,
and although we have certainly done that in
our current offering, there’s a lot we’d like to do
on that side of things. What’s also really cool is
with no loss of effects or processing power) and
engaging any graphic brings band control onto
the channel faders. The channel FaderGlow
turns red to show graphic mode, and the band
frequency is shown above each fader in the LCD
display. The current channel-strip dynamics on
Soundcraft’s consoles originated with Studer,
and because the audio quality was so high, the
manufacturer says it saw no reason to change
them.
“The EQs and dynamics are currently
Studer algorithms, developed for both live and
broadcast applications, and there’s actually a
plan in development to offer more choice of
those algorithms,” he says. “At the moment we
have a Vi dynamic strip, but it would be nice to
have the option of putting a dbx 160 in there
too, and a BSS DPR901 – these are classic bits of
kit and obvious targets for us to incorporate in
the future.”
Yamaha
Yamaha’s latest line of digital consoles is the CL
Series (CL1, 3 and 5), all of which include high
quality Portico 5033/5043 EQ and compressor
devices. The company’s current philosophy in
terms of effects and processing, according to
R&D product specialist, Chris Angel, is three-
fold, and right in line with the Yamaha’s basic
philosophy when it comes to designing and
building digital consoles.
“First and foremost, our customers always
expect 100 per cent reliability from our products,
so processing reliability is completely key,” he
in the future we certainly hope to expand upon
that,” he adds. “Everything is based around our
Virtual Circuitry Modelling technology, of course,
and we also have many classic pieces of in-
house hardware we are able to model digitally: a
number of classic reverbs, EQs, and compressors,
for example.”
Angel reiterates that above all, it’s about
quality, not quantity:
“We are not going to go for a complete plug-
in system – that brings problems, which we have
seen in several competing manufacturers; we
may have a slightly ‘closed-garden’ approach,
but anything that isn’t completely solid is not
acceptable to us as a Yamaha solution.”
Shut Down
Overall, quality is clearly paramount for all of
these manufacturers, be it through reviving the
old analogue sounds of yesteryear through plug-
ins or using other new technologies; in fact, it’s
the one thing that does seems constant: people
still want to recreate the classic processing of the
60s and 70s, and it doesn’t look like that is going
to change any time soon.
Midas Consoles
www.midasconsoles.com
DiGiCo
www.digico.biz
Soundcraft

that these fellow-Harman brands also happen insists. “Secondly, it’s about quality: we and our www.soundcraft.com
to be industry standard – brands that engineers customers have always demanded the best, so
would have on their wish-list when speaking to we need to make sure that the audio quality we Yamaha
any digital console manufacturer. That’s a big generate will always be excellent; and thirdly, we www.yamahacommercialaudio.com
bonus for us.” insist on a seamless user-
Using Lexicon, Brown says, was “a complete interface: everything needs
no-brainer”: to be built-in, so the user
“Being such a super-respected brand – has no need to administrate
probably the leading brand in the industry at third-party solutions.”
one time – meant we had to put it into our Vi Angel says processing
and Si consoles; we got a very positive reaction and effects expectations
from engineers and I think it made people have increased massively in
remember just how well made those original recent years, and as a result,
Lexicon algorithms were; they were developed by Yamaha has chosen to
real academics, which made Lexicon the force it collaborate with a small and
was in the 70s and 80s. We provide eight totally select number of processing
integrated stereo Lexicon FX engines from a partners.
single card installed in the rack, all controlled “Our main partner is
directly through the Vistonics II user interface, Rupert Neve Designs; both
with a host of patching and control options.” through Yamaha and our
All of Soundcraft’s Vi consoles boast BSS sister company, Steinberg,
graphic EQs, which can be deployed on all buss we have been able to
outputs (providing 35 x 30-band graphic EQs provide these plug-ins, and

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 9

 consoles 2013
Console Tips
A selection of console-related tips for audio professionals everywhere…
Surprise Surprise
When working on an unfamiliar console
(analogue, digital, clockwork), get to know
how the mute system works including any
groups or master assigns. Then clear it all and
create your own set-up. The same thing goes
then for VCA/DCA groups and mix bussing.
That way you wont be caught out by a bad
dose of soundperson’s surprise!
Leon Phillips, Allen + Heath
Sequential Solo
My secret at the beginning of a mix is to solo
one channel after another to hear all 30 tracks in
about two minutes, but without the distractions
of lots of keystrokes or mouse moves by just
keeping my finger on one of the faders on the
console as I slide along the Smart AV console
‘Arc’, which pops each channel into that fader,
soloing just the one at a time. I love this part
because it neatly programs my mind so I can
hear exactly what everyone is doing and how
efficient they are voltage wise because I am
metering it on a VU meter at the same time.
That global prospective gives me such a head
start over what is needed with this mix.
Michael Stavrou, C/O Smart AV
Live: Cue One Ready
Set up your system first – make sure that the
sound at the mixing desk is representative of the
sound in the rest of the room. There is no point
busting your gut to get the vocals sounding
right at the console only to discover they sound
rubbish everywhere else.
Gareth Owen, Theatrical Sound Designer
Supreme Snare
If you need a quick fix for mid-rangey snare
drums that lack punch and dynamics,
try this: Multiply the original snare track, sending
the original signal through your best gate and
then back on to the console, and send the
second signal to another channel of the gate.
With the second channel, use the gate to create
a very staccato signal by setting the attack and
release times very fast.
Also, with this channel you can set the key
filter on your gate less conservatively as we
will want none of the cymbals to pass through
10
and we are not going to actually use the gated
signal itself in our mix. The next step is to find a
suitable speaker in your tracking room to send
the staccato signal to. Take the speaker and
place it upside down on top of a nicely tuned
snare drum. If you use an NS-10 or similar
speaker with a slippery finish, you may need to
place the edges on some foam so that it doesn’t
move during the procedure.
Now place a microphone about two-inches
from the side of the drum, and return the
microphone signal to the console, mixing it
with your original gated snare signal, down a
mono buss, where you can EQ the result of your
submix, and into your stereo mix. We use the
CharterOak S600 as it has a big sound with an
open bottom end and a gentle roll off starting at
about 13kHz.
Michael Deming, President of CharterOak
Acoustics
Gain Vs. Trim
When using a digital console and wanting some
of that warm colouration, turn up the analogue
gain, and back off the digital trim to retain a
useable gain structure through the console
Richard Ferriday, Midas and Klark Teknik
ADDA Bit
When using external analogue inserts on
the input channels of a digital mixer, set the
console’s delay management system to apply
the additional latency of a second AD-DA
conversion to all of the other input channels –
this keeps all the audio perfectly in phase
Richard Ferriday, Midas and Klark Teknik
The Phantom Tweak
No one’s ears are as golden as one might
like to think. It’s easy to fool yourself. Here’s
an example I have lived: mixing a tune, the
producer suggests a little more top on the vocal.
The engineer agrees, and reaches up to the EQ
knob on the channel strip. He moves it up a click,
the producer and the engineer listen a moment,
and then nod: good change. Then the engineer
notices his hand is on the wrong channel strip.
David Mathew, Audio Precision
CONSOLE TIPS
Good Gain, Good Gain
Maintain good gain structure throughout the
mix. Good gain structure is essentially about
leaving enough headroom on each individual
channel so that tracks aren’t fighting to be
heard. The results are that each individual sound
has the “space” that’s so important and that the
essential headroom for mastering remains.
Rebecca Wolf, HHB Communications
A Gang Of EQ
In a festival situation or where microphones
are being moved around a lot, gang the
graphic equalisers across the front line stage
mixes (using the digital console). This way,
any problematic frequencies are dealt with
simultaneously in one fire-fighting action!
Leon Phillips, Allen + Heath
Group Hug
If you have the kit available, bounce the
performer vocals through different group EQs.
Try to have a different group EQ for girls, boys,
handhelds, etc. You will find that many of the
offending frequencies in a vocal sound are
common across all twenty girls. These can be
notched out in the group, leaving channel EQ for
dealing with specific individual problems. Also
consider that the frequency you are hearing
could be common across the system and you
just didn’t notice it during band sound check.
The system EQ should be your port of call here.
Gareth Owen, Theatrical Sound Designer
Keep It Real
Make sure you are EQ’ing the right thing.
Before sound check, make sure any channel or
group dynamics processors are switched off,
particularly any dynamic EQ or compression.
Once you have a vocal sound that works tonally,
then you can add compression and dynamic EQ
to move it from good to great.
Gareth Owen, Theatrical Sound Designer
 Live Sound
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Soundcraft T: +44 (0)1707 665000 E: soundcraft@harman.com
Soundcraft US T: 888-251-8352 E: soundcraft-USA@harman.com
+ + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H

Adele, iLive Digital Mixing System.

Over 40 Years
Of Audio Excellence And Innovation
For over 40 years, Allen & Heath has been at the forefront of professional sound.
Renowned internationally for its British-designed, high quality products, the company has set many
benchmarks in sound technology, developing industry standard products for the DJ, PA, and
House of Worship markets, and becoming an early pioneer of distributed digital mixing systems.
Allen & Heath started out providing mixing conceptually based on the hugely successful low latency, and the DSP muscle to provide full
consoles for the bands Genesis, The Who, iLive series. A standard GLD 32 input system processing without compromise. GLD-80’s FX
and Pink Floyd. Its current portfolio covers a offers 28 XLR mic inputs with plug n’ play I/O engines are taken directly from the iLive system
broad spectrum of the industry, with recent users expanders allowing easy expansion up to 48 and feature beautifully crafted emulations of
including Adele, Morrissey, XFM, Capital Radio, inputs (44 XLR mic inputs), providing a complete industry classics.
Richie Hawtin, and Paul van Dyk. digital mixing system. The dSNAKE Cat5 digital multicore together
Products include the iLive digital mixing At the heart of with plug ‘n’ play audio racks and expanders
family,GLD digital mixing system, iDR digital the system is the GLD- make it simple and affordable to
installation series, Xone DJ range, ZED compact 80 mixer, which boasts build the system as needs
mixers, XB series of dedicated broadcast consoles, analogue-style controls grow. Networking cards
GS-R24 and ZED-R16 recording mixers, and the and an intuitive allow the user to link
GL, MixWizard, and PA analogue Series. touchscreen interface. GLD systems, make
The layout and appearance of the multi-track recordings, or connect
GLD Live Digital Mixing System GLD-80 can be customised quickly and with other systems. Plus, an AviomTM
The new GLD mixer is a user-friendly, cost easily, and GLD delivers outstanding audio compatible Monitor port allows connection
effective and scalable live digital mixing system, performance, with a new high-end mic pre-amp, to personal monitoring systems.

12 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E AT H + + + + A L L E N & H E A
iLive Digital Mixing System
Having just released V1.9 firmware, featuring
a range of enhancements including new GEQ,
Dynamic EQ, and Multi-Band compressor
emulations, Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing
systems have built a strong reputation for audio
quality and ease of use.
Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing systems
have built a strong reputation for audio quality
and ease of use. Featuring an extremely flexible
architecture with large-scale audio distribution
and control, iLive is designed to bring an
analogue feel to digital mixing and draws on the
company’s extensive experience in live sound
and digital technology.
There are several Control Surface and
MixRack variants, which can be mixed and
matched in any combination and share
the same firmware, so that show files are
transferable between systems via a USB key.
They connect together with CAT5 cable and
use the Ethernet protocol for control, such as
Dante or Allen & Heath’s proprietary ACE
(Audio Control over Ethernet) link, which allows
cost effective long distance point to point control
Morrissey, iLive Digital Mixing System.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
XB Series
The ultra-compact XB-10 and the larger
XB-14 broadcast mixers are designed for
a range of applications from small radio
or Internet broadcast studios, to college
and university radios, podcasting, and content
creation. Both mixers are equipped with a range of
features specifically for broadcasters, including a telephone
communication channel, mic channel on switch sensing, stereo
channel start/cue outputs for CD deck transport control, and automatic
muting of speaker outputs.
and audio communication over a single CAT5
cable up to 120m in length by combining digital
audio and Ethernet traffic.
All MixRacks feature the same 64x32
RackExtra DSP mix engine architecture,
providing processing for 64 channels, 32 mixes,
and eight stereo FX processors. The latest
dualcore DSP technology handles all the FX
and mixing along with the full dynamics, EQ,
and delay for all inputs and outputs
simultaneously. iLive’s RackExtra FX suite
includes a comprehensive range of classic
emulations including reverb, delay, ADT,
chorus, flanger, hypabass, and gated verb.
The Port B option slot allows further audio
networking possibilities, for example digital mic
splitting and multi-track recording, with ACE,
EtherSound, Dante, MADI, ADAT, WAVES, and
Aviom™ interfaces available, while a built-in
network switch and MIDI ports at each end
allow remote control using laptops, touch tablets
and MIDI devices. The racks are compatible with
the Allen & Heath PL Series remote controllers
and iLive Editor software, a user-friendly
program that enables both offline set up and
online real time operation of the system with
or without a Surface connected. Allen & Heath
has also designed the iLive Tweak app for iPhone
and the MixPad app for iPad, providing control
of iLive’s essential functions for live mixing.
ZED Series
The ZED range of small format, USB-equipped
mixers is designed to be flexible and affordable
for the modern working musician to use on
the road or in the studio. The series comprises
the ZED-10, ZED-14, ZED-18, and ZED-24
stereo mixers; the ZED-10FX, ZED60-10FX,
ZED-12FX, ZED60-14FX, ZED-16FX, and
ZED-22FX containing a comprehensive and
beautifully-crafted set of in-house designed FX;
the ZED 4-Bus range, designed for professional
live sound applications that require more
detailed EQ control, audio groups, and matrix
outputs; and the ZED-R16 dedicated recording
mixer, which combines Firewire with multi-
mode MIDI/audio faders, MIDI controls and
‘home-studio’ routing, enabling the user to
build tracks in the studio or record a live gig,
mix-down and remix.
Allen & Heath Ltd. (HQ)
t +44 (0)1326 372 070
e sales@allen-heath.com
w www.allen-heath.com
American Music & Sound (USA Distributor)
t +1 800 431 2609
w www.americanmusicandsound.com
e info@americanmusicandsound.com
Audio-Technica Ltd. (UK Distributor)
t +44 (0) 113 277 1441
e sales@audio-technica.co.uk
w www.eu.audio-technica.com/en/allenheath
13
++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS N

Neve – The Rolls Royce of Consoles

Custom-crafted in Burnley UK, to an
uncompromising British specification and
using only top quality components, AMS
Neve’s mixing consoles – both analogue and
digital – are the gold standard throughout
the world. You’ll find them in legendary music
studios such as The Village, Ocean Way,
British Grove, AIR, and Abbey Road, at every
major Hollywood scoring stage, and in top
post-production facilities in London,
Hollywood, Bollywood, and beyond.

Whether it’s our flagship analogue 88RS and
digital DFC consoles, our classic outboard units,
CineFile and AudioFile dubbers and editors, or
the compact modular Genesys, the same values
always apply: sonic excellence, handmade-
in-Britain quality, and – just as important for
an industry where time is money – workflow-
enhancing ease of operation.
Genesys
A hand-built expandable analogue recording
console with digital workstation control and a
base configuration starting at under GB£30,000,
Genesys puts Neve quality within reach of
the smaller studio. Building on 50 years of
technical heritage, it includes our legendary
mic pre-amplifiers and highly revered analogue
circuit design. But Genesys also accommodates
the seismic changes in the methods of music
recording, with extensive digital control
and connectivity.
In its basic configuration, Genesys offers
16 channels of mic/line pre-amps, 32-channel
DAW monitoring, hands-on DAW control for
Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo and more, eight
auxiliary buses, eight group busses, two main
outputs, four effects returns, comprehensive
metering, 5.1 monitoring and mixing, two cue
mixes, and talkback services.
Genesys can be expanded to 64 channels
in a straight or articulated frame, with options
including motorised fader automation, Recall™,
mastering-grade 192kHz A/D and D/A converters
with FireWire interface, digitally controlled EQ
and dynamics, remote mic amp control, and
much more.
In any configuration, Genesys offers
an excellent studio control surface with
comprehensive monitoring and signal routing
capabilities. This eliminates the typical mixture
of awkwardly interfaced devices, and puts a
proper console back in the heart of the studio.
As with all Neve products, Genesys offers
sound and build quality beyond reproach.
Genesys
• New ground-up Neve analogue design
• Up to 64-faders/128 inputs
• DAW control, 5.1 monitoring and mixing
• Eight auxes, groups, two main outputs
• Four effect returns, two cue mixes
• 16-ch, eight-track and two-track metering
• Optional Neve EQ & Dynamics and
transformer-coupled microphone pre-
amp inputs
• Optional digital inputs and outputs with
FireWire interface, motorised faders (with
Encore automation software)
• Optional Total Recall™ software
88RS
With its unmistakeable Neve qualities of
exquisite design, peerless craftsmanship, and
legendary Neve sound, the 88RS continues the
Neve bloodline of analogue consoles with a
remarkable advance on anything heard before.
Professionals throughout the world have chosen
the full clean sound of the 88RS console. Its high
bandwidth, pure audio path, superior dynamics,
greater dynamic range, and greater control
make the 88RS the first choice for recording and
mixing the purest fidelity recordings.
Designed in consultation with top producers
and recording engineers, it is equally at home
on music sessions and (especially with the
addition of the SP2 Scoring Panel) for recording
film scores, and it’s the unanimous choice of
Hollywood’s big four scoring stages –
Fox, Skywalker, Sony, and Warner.
88RS
• Designed for full surround from the
ground up
• Motorised large and small faders
• AFL surround solo monitor
• Overpress PFL on each channel fader
• Four main output faders, L/R, C, S, and
LS/RS
• Acoustically optimised frame
• Supplied with or without patch
• Enhanced ‘S’ channel strip
• Enhanced spectral Neve format
equalisation
• Legendary Neve soft knee compression
• Audio performance beyond 24/192
digital SP-2 option for enormous scoring
power and flexibility

14 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE++++AMS NEVE+++++
The AMS Neve DFC Gemini at Alvernia Studios, Poland.
SP2 Scoring Panel for 88RS
A specially designed film-scoring option for the
88RS, the SP2 Scoring Panel and stem-maker
delivers an astonishing increase in flexibility and
productivity. When tracking it easily handles
even the most complex scoring requirements
including full orchestra in several sections plus
pre-records and multiple reverbs. It speeds up
the mixing process, too, delivering multiple 5.1
stems plus a full mix in a single pass.
When Abbey Road – one of Britain’s leading
score-recording studios – specified its new Neve
88RS for Studio Two (which has a fairly narrow
control room), the engineers were asked to
choose between a 72-fader console with no
Scoring Panel or a 60-fader version including
the SP2. No contest. They’d have liked the extra
faders, but the SP2 was a must-have.
DFC Gemini
DFC Gemini is by far the most accomplished
digital mixing console designed specifically for
multi-format film dubbing and post production.
With an unrivalled installation base, DFC is
the standard among the world’s premier motion
picture facilities.
From the outset, the DFC Gemini was
designed for optimum mix performance. At the
One of two Neve Genesys consoles in Tokyo’s Syn Studios,
co-owned by Nick Wood and Simon Le Bon.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
heart of the DFC Gemini is USP, the world’s most
powerful mix engine, capable of delivering the
legendary Neve sound across 1,000 audio signal
paths at 96kHz 24-bit in a single, high-resolution,
DFC signal processing tower.
AMS Neve’s wealth of experience in
ergonomic design has created the most flexible
surface in the industry designed to maximise
both controllability and feedback to the user.
DFC GEMINI
• High resolution TFT channel display
• Encore:2 automation system (compatible
with 1800 AMS Neve consoles)
• Off-line edit options offering enormous
cost savings
• Neve EQ, dynamics and filters
• Expanded 12 Stem mixing
• Complete integrated machine control
• Optional Monitor Facilities Rack
• WavTrakTM display providing the user
with level and dynamics metering,
graphical EQ curve and audio waveform
information on a path by path basis
• ‘SuperstemTM’ system allows easy,
native mixing for Dolby Atmos and
Barco Auro 3D film sound formats
The control surface provides rapid access
to every aspect of routing and monitoring no
matter how complex the mix. Channel strips
provide total control with the patented touch
sensitive Logicator™ pots, giving instant visual
reference to each knob setting. Enhanced visual
feedback is provided by high res TFT monitors,
powered by the AMS Neve proprietary ViewMix™
engine, allowing you, for the first time, to see as
well as hear and feel your mix. Through ease of
use the DFC Gemini has arisen as the market
leader in predominantly freelance markets.
Encore Automation
When you work on AMS Neve consoles, you
don’t just get a better result, you also get a
faster result. Top engineers are always pushing
the envelope, and our R&D team works tirelessly
to give them more flexibility, more options, and
increased throughput. AMS Neve’s proprietary
Encore automation software is a case in point.
The latest version – Encore:2 v7, for USP (Ultra
Scale Processor) systems – not only adds several
new ‘beyond 7.1’ 3D surround options, but
delivers a massive hike in productivity. Increased
bandwidth means that automation throughput
is now three times greater than v6, with a
theoretical maximum of five million events per
mix/pass (up from 1.5 million in v6).
CONTACT DETAILS
AMS NEVE Ltd
Billington Road, Burnley,
Lancashire BB11 5UB, UK
t +44 (0)1282 457 011
f +44 (0)1282 417 282
e info@ams-neve.com
w www.ams-neve.com
15
+ + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + +
Avid: A Revolution in Pro Mixing
Designed for the modern mixer, Avid Pro Mixing digital consoles and control surfaces offer
unprecedented control, unrivalled integration, and unmatched power to help you take on the
most demanding productions and create better
mixes faster. See how Avid Pro Mixing gives you
the advantage.
Mixing has changed significantly from the days
when tracks were recorded onto analogue or
digital multi-track machines, and automated
mixing only happened at the end with large
consoles and outboard effects boxes. Today,
with the evolution of powerful Pro Tools®
automation, digital processing, and plug-ins,
mixing begins the moment you record the
first tracks, evolving throughout as the project
moves between studios and desktop systems.
These advancements have enabled much more
creativity and time to explore ideas without
compromises or time limitations imposed by the
traditional mixing process.
Avid® and Euphonix® were both
groundbreakers in this evolution – Avid
pioneering “mixing in the box” with highly
integrated Pro Tools control surfaces, and
Euphonix, as a leading large-format console
manufacturer, developing EUCON to control
multiple DAWs from its consoles. With Avid’s
recent acquisition of Euphonix and the product
developments that have resulted, Avid has
emerged as the clear leader in providing mixing
16
solutions that integrate
traditional mixing with
powerful DAW control to
address modern mixing
workflows.
S5 Fusion.
Whether you mix
music, sound for film or
television, news, sports shows, or live broadcast
events, we’ve got you covered with a wide range
of customisable surfaces for every budget and
application. Meet the Avid Pro Mixing family.
System 5 Family
In today’s ultra-demanding, content-hungry
media world, you need an advanced audio
mixing system that can deliver the performance
required to take control of the biggest films,
television shows, and album projects.
With the versatile System 5 family of digital
consoles and control surfaces, you’re armed
with the power and capabilities you need now –
and in the future.
All System 5 consoles and control surfaces
offer advanced automation, rich visual feedback,
Avid System 5-MC.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
and a high level of customisation that you won’t
find anywhere else, enabling you to scale and
tailor the surface to your specific needs. Each
modular surface offers a variety of options,
from extra faders and joystick panners, to
PEC/Direct panels and video displays. Plus, you
can expand the surface to accommodate up
to three operators to handle the largest,
most complex projects.
• System 5 – This scalable, large format console
offers a powerful, expandable DSP SuperCore
engine (up to 450 audio channels), award-
winning sound quality, an integrated router,
and unmatched DAW control, addressing the
needs of both traditional and ‘in the box’
music and post mixers.
• System 5-B – Geared for broadcast
applications, this specialised System 5 console
offers full redundancy across the system, an
N-1 mix-minus buss, programmable events,
and other features critical for mixing live news,
TV, and sporting events.
• S5 Fusion – Get the goodness of the System
5 – expandable DSP SuperCore engine (up
to 128 audio channels), full DAW control,
and integrated router – in a more compact
footprint for music and post.
• System 5-MC – For those who work strictly
with Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, and other
audio software, this specialised, customisable
System 5-based control surface is designed
for total DAW control, with programmable
SmartSwitches, touchscreen navigation,
and more.
ICON D-Control and D-Command
If you’re strictly a Pro Tools user, ICON enables
you to take unprecedented control over your
 consoles 2013
+ + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + + AV I D + + + +
mixes in ways not possible with any other
control surface. That’s because ICON is purpose-
built to enhance and extend the functionality
of Pro Tools|HD family systems,
maximising your efficiency so you have
more time to try things and still turn
around projects fast.
All ICON control surfaces offer unparalleled
Pro Tools integration, motorised and touch-
sensitive controls, full recall over every project
parameter, central EQ and Dynamics sections,
and extensive visual feedback, so you’re always
in tune with your mix. In addition, you can
customise the surface and controls for your
comfort and needs, whether you mix music or
sound for picture.
• D-Control ES – For larger rooms, D-Control™ ES
offers the fastest, most creative way to work
with bigger, more complex Pro Tools sessions,
in up to 7.1 surround, with options that enable
you to expand the surface up to 80 faders.
• D-Command ES – D-Command® ES enables
you to take ICON-exclusive control over any
size Pro Tools project, in up to 5.1 surround,
using a more compact yet expandable surface
(up to 40 faders) that fits nicely in any studio.
C|24
Sleek and stylish, the C|24™ control surface
enables you to take direct hands-on control
of Pro Tools functions to greatly maximise
your efficiency. The surface includes a full
complement of built-in analogue I/O, with 16
mic pres, a line submixer, and monitor section.
You gain the speed, ease, and versatility
you need to accelerate your music and post
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
ICON
D-Control ES
C|24.
workflows, all in a streamlined surface that’s
aggressively priced.
• Compact footprint and affordability make
C|24 an easy fit in any professional studio.
• Get fast access to Pro Tools recording, editing,
routing, and mixing functions from the
surface.
• 24-fader surface with bankable channel strips
and touch-sensitive, motorised faders.
• Built-in 8x2 stereo line submixer and
integrated 5.1 analogue monitoring system
can be used with Pro Tools or standalone.
MC Pro
To handle today’s fast-paced editorial production
schedules, MC Pro packs a huge amount of audio
editing control into its compact surface to help
you complete tasks fast. With the full complement
of controls – from the touchscreen, faders (or
joysticks), and soft knobs, to SmartSwitches, jog/
shuttle wheel, and full-size keyboard – navigating
and editing projects becomes easy.
• Control tracks from up to four EUCON-enabled
DAWs simultaneously.
• Program SmartSwitches to perform repetitive
tasks and complex functions easily.
• Gain the precision you need to edit music and
audio tracks with ease.
• Mix and monitor up to 5.1 surround channels.
Artist Series
Get the deep DAW control made possible by
EUCON in highly portable designs priced at
a fraction of higher end consoles. The Artist
Series of control surfaces packs serious, highly
responsive control into three compact
designs for music and audio post. Mix and
match them together to create a custom
slim-line surface that’ll free you from the
tedium of working with a mouse and keyboard.
• Artist Control – Perform a multitude of editing
and mixing tasks fast with this four-fader
control surface, which features touch-sensitive
rotary encoders, transport controls, soft keys,
and a unique touchscreen with unlimited
programmability.
• Artist Mix – Take mixing to a new level, with
eight touch-sensitive, motorised faders and
encoders providing fast and easy access to
tracks, plug-ins, and more.
• Artist Transport – Take one-handed control over
projects through the high-quality data wheel
and shuttle ring, plus get editing capabilities
and programmable Soft Keys.
Avid – US Headquarters
65-75 Network Drive, Burlington, MA 01803 USA
t +1 978 640 6789
f +1 978 640 3366
Avid – European Headquarters
Pinewood Studios, Pinewood Road
Iver Heath, Bucks, SL0 0NH UK
t +44 (0) 1753 655999
Learn more at www.avid.com/promixing
Find your local reseller at: www.avid.com/find-reseller
17
++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CAD
The Highest Quality Consoles
For 45 Years
The Cadac name is
synonymous with top quality
audio mixing consoles. From
the earliest recording studio
desks in the late 1960s,
recording classic tracks for over
a decade, through to our live
sound reinforcement consoles
used in all prestigious theatres,
and now our latest digital live
production consoles.
Cadac CDC Eight: Digital Live Console
The new Cadac flagship digital live production
console, the CDC Eight. 128 channels with 256
assignable inputs and up to 48 output busses, it
is specified for high-end sound touring and fixed
installation applications. The console boasts a
unique ‘high agility’ user interface, accessed
via either a single or twin 24-inch 16:10 high
definition LCD touch screens; a further centrally
located six-inch LCD touch screen accesses the
system control and automation.
18
The Cadac CDC Eight.
The high agility interface utilises a far less
menu-dependent operating system than
other consoles in the market with the interface
designed to be as intuitive and simple to operate
as possible. The displays show an overview of 16
channels at any one time on each screen with
simple touch operations to access/interrogate
each channel set-up and configuration options.
To access further channels you can with a single
movement of the hand scroll the display left or
Cadac has earned itself
an enviable reputation by
delivering products that
embody the company’s
core tenets of providing
sonic excellence, attention
to end-user requirements,
and a superb return on
investment. Cadac is
therefore recognised as
an industry standard
choice for leading musical
productions, prestigious
theatre installations, and
the international touring
circuit.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
right, to make it even easier the faders follow the
screen giving you full control on the channels
displayed. Movement through all 128 channels
becomes quick and simple.
Just like a fully featured analogue console,
the input channels have all the features and
capability you would expect and with the unique
screen control, it is designed to give you, the
user, the clearest interface to the comprehensive
features available, including versatile gain set-
up, and four-band parametric equaliser with
additional high and low pass filters give you six
bands to control. Dynamics include gate, limiters,
and compression, all accessed by simple touch
screen access.
The 48 output busses can be configured
exactly how you want them, as auxiliaries for
monitor mixing, or a combination of groups
and matrix outputs. The CDC Eight system also
features eight programmable mute groups, 16
internal VCA groups, and two grand master
outputs.
I/O can be either onboard with the ability
for up to 64 input/output configurations locally
on the console rear panel, or via the high speed
Cadac proprietary Megacomms digital interface
system to connect to one or multiple stage racks
giving access on stage to all input and output
facilities.
 consoles 2013
DAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++CADAC++++

Analogue Still Going Strong

While console manufacturers are
pushing the boundaries of digital mixing,
affordability, simplicity, and reliability still
play a major part in choosing the right
console. High quality analogue consoles
are still required, particularly for gigging
bands, small clubs, event productions,
houses of worship, and hire companies.
The Cadac Live 1 and S-type consoles offer
a superb high quality solution for these
markets, and continue the famous Cadac
Cadac Live 1.
sound and standards in 12 to 28 channel
formats.

As with all Cadac desks, sound quality is
paramount. A wide dynamic range, with ultra
low noise microphone pre-amplifiers combined
with specially developed EQ and dynamic
algorithms set new standards and deliver the
classic Cadac sound to rival any other console.
Cadac CDC Four: Compact Digital Live Console
Bringing together the classic Cadac elements
and producing a high quality Cadac sounding
console has been achieved in the most compact
digital console Cadac produces. The CDC Four,
offering big mixer features in a small, easy to
operate control surface.
Based on a proprietary DSP mix platform,
the CDC Four is a fully featured digital console
with the look, feel, and simplicity of using an
analogue console. Featuring up to 56 channels
of Cadac quality sound with 16 microphone
channels and eight stereo channels on board
as standard in the compact frame, a further
16 microphone channels can be added to the
desk with the addition of the CDC Four I/O rack,
utilising the Cadac Megacomms digital interface technology and recall ability of digital.
system making it ideal for use as dedicated The console has 16 high speed premium
stage rack, or it can equally be located next to quality motorised faders, and switching between
your desk making all input connections easily layers to control channels, groups, auxiliaries,
accessible. VCAs, and outputs is easily achieved with a press
Input channel features and controls of the of a button.
CDC Four are accessed and adjusted using
the clearly marked and analogue look and feel
rotary encoders, with all parameters clearly
displayed and able to be further interrogated via
the central screen. The large seven-inch high
resolution display allows direct adjustment
of the channels, scene control,
dynamics, graphic equalisers, and
overall system and console
set-up.
Just like the
input channel,
the outputs
also have their own
dedicated controls to adjust
Cadac
dynamics, equalisation, and levels. CDC
Just like an analogue console, but with the Four.

Make Your Investment Last

For any sound hire company or theatre, investing in a new console is a major step. Of vital
importance is the console’s ability to deliver the range of functionality required both now and
in the future – for each and every type of project. Flexibility is essential – enabling users to
configure the desk to suit the job in hand, without compromise, and equally importantly, to
combine this with intuitive operation during a performance. Sophisticated facilities need to be Cadac Holdings Limited
matched by exceptional reliability in the often hostile conditions that are typical of live sound One New Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 5DX
applications. Cadac consoles have an impressive track record when it comes to delivering t +44 (0) 1582 404202
faultless performances night after night, year after year, on almost every imaginable type of f +44 (0) 1582 412799
production. The Cadac name signifies top quality audio within a rugged, reliable package. e info@cadac-sound.com
w www.cadac-sound.com

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 19

++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++
Broadcasters are increasingly demanding
more versatility and integration from their
audio equipment. In the current fast paced,
technologically progressive era, TV companies
want to ensure that their systems can produce
programmes efficiently and to the required
specifications. For their audio systems to be
able to achieve this, greater consideration has
to be given to their networks as a whole and
how efficiently they can be controlled.
Calrec has designed its range of consoles to
meet these demands.
Ahead of the Pack
Throughout its history, Calrec’s team of
innovators has anticipated major changes, and
consistently provided superior products that
have allowed forward-thinking broadcasters to
remain one step ahead: Calrec introduced the
world’s first true stereo broadcast console and
the first point-source surround microphone in
the 1970s, anticipating the growth of multi-
channel broadcast audio. Calrec produced
the world’s first digitally controlled assignable
broadcast console in the early 1980s, predicting
20
Putting Sound
In The Picture
As broadcast specialists for more than 40 years, Calrec
is exclusively dedicated to excellence in audio mixing
for on-air and live production. This understanding has
helped Calrec develop a range of consoles relied on by
the world’s most successful broadcasters.
Fully Integrated Third Party Protocols
The Calrec Serial Control Protocol offers mixer control to
third party video switchers and automated production
controller technology, which allows visibility into and
control over a number of Calrec audio console settings such
as fader position, PFL, and cut control for paths on faders,
routing to auxes from faders, output level control for auxes,
routing to mains from faders, main output level/fader
control, and LB/RB input switching for paths on faders.
The SW-P-08 protocol allows router control from third
party router panels. It enables remote control over input-to-
output crosspoint patching. In addition to direct routing of
physical inputs to outputs, it can also route to and from a
console DSP via Calrec’s Hydra Patchbays.
EMBER protocol enables further system control
including loading user defined memories, selecting I/O port
alias files used by control surfaces, editing H2O I/O box and port labels, viewing the available
metadata sets and selecting them for insertion into any Hydra2 SDI embedder output stream,
and muting selected audio channels in an SDI embedder output stream.
the separation of control surfaces from next generation of Calrec’s FPGA technology,
networked processing hardware. In 2007 Calrec has been designed for surround operation
launched Bluefin, the world’s first DSP processing from the outset. It utilises the powerful Hydra2
engine based network to create multi-studio solutions allowing
on FPGA (Field third party control using a variety of protocols.
Programmable
The Calrec
Apollo. Gate Array) The Next Generation
technology, The Apollo and Artemis consoles leverage
which enabled the power of modern FPGA technology.
broadcast These consoles provide more digital audio
consoles to channels than any other and more assignable,
work efficiently more ergonomic control surfaces to deal with
with true them. They are adaptable to accommodate the
discrete- operator’s needs, while maintaining clear and
channel 5.1 unambiguous visual feedback. This enhanced
surround for flexibility and control allows consoles with
the first time. relatively few physical controls to drive a much
Bluefin2, the greater number of signals.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
+++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC++++CALREC+++

Hydra2: A Powerful Network for Tomorrow’s Production Needs

Hydra2 links the Apollo and Artemis consoles to their 8192² routers, and on to more complex networks if required. Offering up to 512
bidirectional channels of I/O per copper or fibre
connection, Hydra2 offers true ‘one-to-many’ routing and allows the construction of large-scale distributed mixing networks with multiple control
surfaces and routers/processors. The Hydra2 control software makes connecting resources very straightforward. Audio interfaces and consoles
may be added and removed without the need for manual intervention, making new resources available to console operators instantaneously.
Both fixed and modular stageboxes are available, allowing flexible configuration of interfaces and extremely high port density. As with all
Hydra2 interface units, the modular I/O box features dual redundant power supplies and Hydra2 connections. Modules include SDI, AES, and
analogue inputs and outputs using various connectors.
The H2O Network Control Software is browser-based, allowing it to operate on any connected Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux computer. H2O
provides a powerful and convenient method of monitoring and controlling a Hydra2 network without installing any extra software.
Simply connect a computer to a console or standalone router and direct a browser to H2O.

Hydra Patchbays
Unlike physical I/O interfaces, Hydra Patchbays are virtual I/O within the Hydra2 domain that allow
console operators to make chosen DSP outputs available to other users on the network, as well as
allowing sources on mixing console inputs, and feeds to output ports to be changed remotely.
Console operators can patch their DSP outputs to Hydra Patchbays, and can patch Hydra
Patchbays to their DSP channel inputs in the same way that they patch to/from physical I/O ports.
Patching a console’s outputs to Hydra Patchbays makes them available to use as sources for other
consoles on the network without using up physical I/O or requiring extra cabling.
H2O users and third party SW-P-08 controllers can also make patches to and from Hydra
Patchbays, allowing them to route mixing console DSP outputs to physical output ports, and to be
able to remotely change the audio sources feeding control surface channel inputs.
Hydra Patchbays are a powerful tool for control room and studio resource management,
allowing network administrators to be able to put control rooms ‘on-air’ and to manage the
sources available to them.

Solid Yet Flexible space saving, energy conscious 8U rack. Multiple

Despite the shift control surfaces can also be connected to the
towards networked same rack to allow multiple operators access
audio solutions, to the same processing resources. A separate
some things never submix can be created in another location, which
change. Calrec feeds audio directly into the same buss output
consoles have an as the main mix without ever leaving the system.
excellent reputation This gives broadcasters increased flexibility
for reliability and without the need for additional hardware.
on-air stability. Calrec
provides on-line
redundant hardware
for ALL critical systems
as standard. Takeover
is automatic and
seamless, and all
these elements are
hot-pluggable for easy
replacement.
The Calrec
DSP, router, router
Artemis. expansion, processing, Calrec Audio
and PSU cards all Nutclough Mill, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8EZ
have spares as t +44 (0) 1422 842159
standard, and are all f +44 (0) 1422 842244
contained within a e enquiries@dmh-global.com
single, lightweight, w www.calrec.com

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 21

++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD

DHD – Broadcast
Consoles for You
A broadcast console is not ‘just the mixing
desk’ any longer. In today’s studios, it is the
main command centre not only for audio,
but also for many other systems needed to
run the show. With DHD systems, you are in
control – always.

DHD Systems – Flexible and Modular
Our philosophy is simple: “Make it powerful, but
easy to use.” DHD products are a successful
combination of rock-solid hardware and
sophisticated software. All devices are based
on the same hardware platform, and allow
you to choose the matching modules for your
specific application. Of course, you can
easily adapt or extend your DHD
systems in the future.
Our products consist of
several compact modules
for different tasks: Core
Modules contain both audio
signal processing and logic
control – they are the heart of
any DHD system. I/O Modules
are responsible for getting signals in
and out of the system – they are available
in different versions to meet your requirements.
For control, you can choose from several mixer
consoles and single Control Modules. The
dedicated hardware inside all modules uses very
little power, there are no PCs and no hard disks
inside.
RJ45 – Making the Net Work
All modules of a DHD system are connected to
each other with standard CAT cables. They carry
audio and control signals, as well as PoE (Power
over Ethernet) to power console modules – all
in one cable. Audio signals are connected via
analogue or AES inputs, MADI, or the 3G/HD
SDI De-embedder. In networked installations,
Core modules transport multi-channel audio
(up to 512 audio channels) between each other
over fibre optics connected to special DHD
Gigabit Audio Ports.
If you need Audio-Over-IP connectivity, we
provide the 52/XC Dante IP Audio Interface.
This module works as a bridge between any
Dante enabled system (hardware or software)
and DHD devices (see inset on next page).
There is also an Ethernet connection with
TCP/IP available. This is typically used for
configuration, remote control, and to connect
special DHD software to the hardware
devices. To integrate other systems, you
can use GPIO connections as well
as the open DHD Control
Protocol on TCP/IP.
52/DX.
Small footprint.
52/DX –
Small Footprint Desktop Mixer
The 52/DX can be used as a full, stand-alone
four-fader mixer. It consists of the Desktop
Control Unit, and both the XS DSP Core and the
XS Multi I/O Module mounted together in a 1U
rack case. This hardware bundle also includes
the easy to use set-up software ‘DXConfig’. The
optional DHD products ‘DSP Control Software’
and ‘Remote Control PC Software’ work with
the 52/DX, too.
However, if you want to integrate the 52/DX
with other Series 52 set-ups or use Core and I/O
modules from other DHD product lines, there is
an upgrade available.
This software license enables enhanced
custom configuration of the 52/DX hardware
with the ‘Toolbox5’ software used with the
52/MX system.
52/SX – Compact Console
This compact console includes everything
you need for building audio workstations,
small to mid-sized On-Air studios or OB vans.
Community and college radio stations can
use the 52/SX as their main console, thanks to
its attractive pricing. The 52/SX is a complete
console, which needs very little space. It is a
real turn-key system; but there are software
options available to extend its functionality
in larger set-ups.
The console desk consists of a central control
module, up to 16 faders, and a seven-inch TFT
Touch Display. You can mount the modules flat
within the furniture or put them in at a slight
angle on a table. Fader modules can also be
split-mounted.
52/SX. Compact
and good value.

22 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD++++DHD
52/RX. Fits your Furniture.
The signal processing modules of the
52/SX are just 1U high and provide inputs for
microphones, headphones, analogue and digital
signals. There are GPIO ports available, as well as
two USB connectors that work as pro grade USB
sound cards on your PC.
52/RX – Modular Console
The modular 52/RX allows you to build consoles
with up to 64 channels. Its fader modules are
four faders wide and are available in different
versions, including some with motor faders.
Combine the fader modules of your choice
with the central control module and TFT Touch
Displays and you get a solid hardware base for
your studio. If necessary, you can also integrate
modules from the 52/MX system to build special
talkback or control solutions.
The 52/RX is easy to integrate with other
Series 52 devices. This works very well, because
all systems are based on the same hardware
platform and share the same software.
That way, you can configure them within the
same Toolbox 5 project. The 52/RX control
modules are connected to the core modules
with standard Cat5 cables and use power over
Ethernet for their power supply. This makes it
easy to use an existing cabling infrastructure.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
52/MX – Fully Flexible Console
The 52/MX is the flagship console of the
Series 52. Its design is fully modular – there
are many specialised module ‘strips’ available.
To build a studio, you choose the matching
modules for your application. No matter if you 52/XC Dante™ IP Audio Interface
need a small talkback box with a few buttons or This audio interface connects DHD devices
a ‘big’ console with lots of faders, buttons, and to digital audio networks powered by
TFT Touch Displays as fader over bridge – all
Audinate’s Dante™ technology. It supports
modules will work smoothly together. There are
up to 48 input and 48 output channels.
many different mounting options available. You
These audio streams can be distributed
can also mount the 52/MX modules in rack or
over standard IT networks to other Dante
table top cases, and of course use TFT Touch
compliant nodes in software (PC and
Displays where necessary.
Mac) and hardware, like other DHD Dante
However, the real power comes with the
interfaces or third-party hardware.
Toolbox configuration software. With this
Windows application, you configure your DHD Dante technology enables monitoring,
system exactly the way you want it. Signal talkback, and connection of remote
flows, audio processing, control functions, GPIO facilities to the studio.
functions, TFT views, and many things more are For redundancy, Dante devices
entirely defined in software. The initial set-up is provide two separate network interfaces.
easy, and future changes are often done with a These allow you to easily create
few mouse clicks. error-tolerant set-ups.
All 52/MX modules
are connected with
power over Ethernet
on standard Cat5
cabling, enabling
you to place them
anywhere in your
studio set-up.
52/XD Core.
52/XC and 52/XD Core – DSP powerhouse in just 1U.
Mixing and Routing Made Easy
These core modules contain the processing
power for all Series 52 devices. They have a small
footprint (1U) and low power consumption.
Still, together with console modules, they
provide audio and control processing for any
mixer set-up – from a small 52/DX Desktop
Mixer up to a large 32 fader 52/MX console.
However, you can also use them stand-alone
as routing matrix or processing devices.
If used as an audio router, the core modules are
not only able to switch audio signals, but can
also fade and even apply DSP processing – like
Gain, EQ, or Dynamics. The integrated control
DHD Deubner Hoffmann Digital GmbH
functions allow you to create complex On-Air
Haferkornstr. 5
switching systems or talkback applications.
04129 Leipzig, Germany
For direct control, combine the 52/XC or
t +49 341 5897020
52/XD Cores with a great variety of DHD control
f +49 341 5897022
modules, including fader modules, router control
e dhd@dhd-audio.com
panels, and TFT Touch Displays. All control
modules and TFT Touch Displays use standard
Please find our international sales contacts at
CAT cables for communication with the cores. www.dhd-audio.com
23
++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++

DiGiCo
The use of Super FPGA technology in
DiGiCo’s SD Range of consoles has
revolutionised the design process of its
audio engines. This allows the production
of scalable solutions, without the need for
massive design changes between products,
and enhancements that ripple from product
to product, across the entire range.
This approach has produced a collection
of mixing tools, from the flagship SD7 to the
SD7
highly compact SD11, that can address the
needs of just about every application and
size of project you could think of...
SD7 for remote connection or simply additional cameras and Dual Solo busses for PFL and On Air
The SD7 is top of the range and the first DiGiCo operators. soloing in Mono, Stereo, LCRS, or 5.1 (SD7B).
console to capture the power of Stealth Digital The theatre and broadcast specific versions
Processing™. Its footprint is smaller than other of the SD7 give feature sets that provide SD5
consoles in its class, yet it is vastly more powerful. additions such as Delay on Matrix inputs per The next model in the range, and replacing the
The SD7 has two engines for full redundancy, as node and complete integration of Cue Editor industry standard D5 Live, the SD5 also comes
well as dual redundant power supplies. A 2GB for fast editing of VCA (SD7T); and complete with multiple touch screens, as well as interactive
optical system allows up to two optical loops, 5.1 monitoring with a 48 by 6 source to speaker dynamic metering (IDM) and Hidden till lit (HTL)
giving 14 racks per loop (a total of 28), each
selection, multi-channel folding, user defined technology, developed and used on the SD7. It
with 56 inputs and 56 outputs. Multiple touch
stem order, Mix Minus buss – one per channel still has a huge input and buss count, although
screens mean that the SD7 can accommodate
– back stop PFL (over press) and Auto PFL, not quite as much as the SD7, and comes with a
more than one operator, and the ability to have
Audio Follow Video implementation for up to 32 single engine and optic loop.
two expander units attached via CAT5E allows

SD5

24 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
+++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++++DIGICO++
SD10
This is the highest specified single screen console
in the SD Range. Its metering is integrated into
the fader panels, allowing a better line of sight
for critical monitor situations and venues such as
performing arts centres where console locations
can be awkward. As with all consoles in the SD
Range, the SD10 is tailored to both Front Of
House and monitor mixing.
The SD10B’s broadcast specific feature set
includes innovations such as multi-channel
‘folding’ under a single fader, allowing users
to configure stereo, LCR, 5.1, or up to 11 mono
channels under a single fader strip.
The SD10-24 and SD10-24B are ideal for
situations where space is at a premium. Both
measure under a metre in width, but still benefit
from all the advanced features of the standard
SD10 and files are fully compatible between
both frame sizes.
SD8
This was the first of the SD Range to benefit
from Flexi Channels, allowing the creation
of stereo channels without eating into the
existing channel count. As with the SD10, the
SD8 has the option of fitting an optic loop but
comes with MADI as standard, providing a cost
effective, multi-channel digital interface.
The SD8 has a similar footprint from left to
right as the SD7. In fact, the majority of DiGiCo
consoles are the same width, which has been
specifically set to make it easy to reach the
faders at the extremes of either side without
moving from a central position.
SD8
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
SD9
Next in the range is the SD9,
a powerful replacement
for standard
48-channel
digital or
analogue
consoles. Remote
pre-amps, a digital
multicore, and D-Rack digital
stage interface via a CAT5E connection
come as standard, but its sonic performance is
identical to rest of the SD Range. This means
the SD9 – and particularly the special Rack Pack
configuration – comes at a price that makes SD10
it ideal for applications where exceptional
performance and flexibility are needed on a
tight budget.
SD9
SD11
This compact, 19-inch rackmount or tabletop
console comes with the same size touch
screens as all other DiGiCo consoles. Despite its
exceptionally small size, the SD11 has incredible
power in terms of channel count and processing.
The SD11i gives more Flexi Channels (a full
32), more dynamic EQ, more FX processing, and
the addition of DiGiTuBes and multi-channel
inputs (previously only available on the SD7); SD11
the broadcast specific SD11B gives all this plus
the addition of multi-channel folding and sets
and can handle 5.1 surround, previously unheard
of in a console of this size.
UB MADI
UB MADI allows any computer – desktop or
laptop – to instantly connect to MADI via the
most standard connector of all, USB 2.0, letting
you playback and record up to 48 tracks to any
DAW on MAC or PC formats. UB MADI
CONTACT DETAILS
DiGiCo UK Ltd.
Unit 10, Silverglade Business Park
Leatherhead Road, Chessington
Surrey KT9 2QL
t +44 (0) 1372 845 600
f +44 (0) 1372 845 656
w www.digico.biz
e info@digiconsoles.com
25
Product Max no of Input Processing Channels
SD11i
32 Flexi*
SD9 Supercharged
48 Flexi*

Comparison Maximum Buss Count

Max aux / sub-group busses
39***
12 Flexi* (full processing**)
47***
16 Flexi* (full processing**)
Matrix (in addition to aux / sub - group) 8 x 8 (full processing**) 12 x 8 (full processing**)
Solo busses 2 2
Max no. of inputs - Non optic consoles 130 180
Max no. of inputs - 1 console on optic loop N/A N/A
Max no. inputs - 2 consoles on optic loop N/A N/A
Local I/O spec 16x mic/line inputs, 8x line 8x mic/line, 8x line outputs , 4x
outputs, 2x AES/EBU I/O (mono AES/EBU I/O (mono streams)
streams)
Max no. of outputs 122 180
Max no. of faders 12 24
Screen 1x 15" touch 1x 15" touch
Ext. overview screen Yes Yes
I/O expandability Yes Yes
Insert points / channel 1 1
On Board FX 6 8
Graphic Eqs (32-Band) 12 16
Dynamic EQ 6 8
Buss 8-band Parametric EQ No (4 band only) No (4 band only)
Multiband Compression 6 8
DiGiTubes 6 8
Multi-channels Yes Yes
VCA - style control groups 8 8
Set Spill Yes Yes
Mute Groups (part of control groups) 8 8
Reorder Busses Yes Yes
Multi-operator By remote only By remote only
Surround No No
MADI connectivity 1x Port 1x Port
Optics No No
Snapshot Offline Yes Yes
Snapshot Auto-Update No No
Sampling rates 48 kHz 48 kHz
Signal processing FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point
Audio processing and OS location Surface Surface
Redundant Processing and Computer No No
Redundant PSU's Yes - by remote PSU option only Yes - Option
Stage Rack spec D-Rack - 32/8 I/O (expandable D-Rack - 32/8 I/O (expandable
to 16 O) to 16 O)
Max no of Racks 2 (with Little Red Box) 3 (With Little Red Box)
Rack Interface MADI / RJ45 CAT 5 MADI / RJ45 CAT 5
Connector type for racks BNC / CAT 5 BNC / CAT 5

Rack sharing FOH/MON Gain Tracking Gain Tracking

Offline Software Yes Yes
Recording Virtual Soundcheck up to 56 Virtual Soundcheck up to 56
channels channels
Dimensions (mm) and Weight (kg) 483(w) x 577(d) x 232(h) - 24Kgs 878(w) x 785(d) x 262(h) - 36Kgs

Dimensions (inches) and Weights (Ibs) 19.02(w) x 22.72(d) x 9.13(h) - 34.57(w) x 30.90(d) x 10.31(h) -
53Ibs 80Ibs
 SD8 Overdrive II SD10 Nitrous SD5 SD7 MACH 3
60 Flexi* 96 channels, 12 Flexi* 124 253
67*** 71*** 98*** 160**
24 Flexi* (full processing**) 48 (full processing**) 56 (full processing**) 128 (full processing**) (inc 2x solo buss)
16 x 12 (full processing**) 16 x 16 (full processing**) 24 x 24 (full processing**) 32 x 32 (full processing**)
2 2 2 22
N/A N/A N/A N/A
576 576 632 696
632 632 688 752
8x mic/line, 8x line outputs, 8x 8x mic/line, 8x line outputs, 8x 8x mic/line, 8x line outputs, 8x 12x mic/line, 12x line outputs, 12x AES/
AES/EBU I/O (mono streams) AES/EBU I/O (mono streams) AES/EBU I/O (mono streams) EBU I/O (mono streams)

576 576 632 696

37 37 37 52 (plus 48 if used with 2 x EX007)
1 x 15" touch 1x 15" touch 3 x 15" touch 3 x 15" touch
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
2 2 2 2
12 16 24 48
24 24 32 32
10 16 24 256
No (4 band only) Yes Yes Yes
10 16 24 256
10 16 24 256
Yes Yes Yes Yes
12 24 24 36
Yes Yes Yes Yes
12 24 24 36
Yes Yes Yes Yes
By remote only By remote only Yes Yes
No No Yes Yes
2x Redundant ports 2x Redundant ports 3x Redundant ports 4x Redundant ports
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes
48 / 96 kHz 48 / 96 kHz 48 / 96 / 192 kHz 48 / 96 / 192 kHz
FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point
Surface Surface Surface Surface
No No No Standard
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Up to 56 in / 56 out / MADI split Up to 56 in / 56 out / MADI split Up to 56 in / 56 out / MADI split Up to 56 in / 56 out / MADI split x2 (@
x2 (@ 48kHz) x2 (@ 48kHz) x2 (@ 48kHz) 48kHz)
16 16 17. On 2 loops = 31 18. On 2 loops = 32
MADI / Optocore (option) MADI / Optocore (option) MADI / Optocore MADI / Optocore
BNC / HMA optics / ST / Opticon BNC / HMA optics / ST / Opticon BNC / HMA optics / ST / Opticon BNC / HMA optics / ST / Opticon
(option) (option)
Gain Tracking Gain Tracking Gain Tracking Gain Tracking
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Virtual Soundcheck up to 112 Virtual Soundcheck up to 112 Virtual Soundcheck up to 168 Virtual Soundcheck up to 224 channels
channels channels channels
1347(w) x 811(d) x 254(h) - 1398(w) x 818(d) x 285(h) - 60Kgs 1465(w) x 850(d) x 753(h) - 1496(w) x 875(d) x 503(h) - 107Kgs
71.3Kgs 116Kgs
53.03(w) x 31.93(d) x 10(h) - 55.04(w) x 32.2(d) x 11.22(h) - 57.68(w) x 33.46(d) x 29.65(h) - 58.9(w) x 34.45(d) x 19.8(h) 236Ibs
157Ibs 132Ibs 256Ibs

* Flexi - Configurable Mono or Stereo without the loss of any resources

** Full Processing - Includes Delay, DiGiTuBe, HP/LP Filters, 4 or 8 Band EQ, Dynamics 1 and Dynamics 2.
*** Max Buss Count is calculated as Aux / Group Buss + Master Buss (LCR or 5.1 depending on product) + Matrix Buss + 2 Solo Busses (up to 5.1
depending on product)
++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LA

Lawo – New Perspectives in Broadcast

Lawo consoles and routers have gained an international reputation for quality, user-friendliness,
flexibility, capacity, and reliability; Lawo stands for customer partnership, efficient service, and fast
support. Well over 1,500 systems for broadcast, radio on-air, and live applications are installed
worldwide in studios, MCRs, OB vans and theatres, also serving dependably at international sports
events such as world championships and the Summer and Winter Games, as well as big music events.
From design to product, hardware and software, layout and design – everything is developed and
produced at Lawo’s headquarters in Rastatt, Germany.

Power, Flexibility, Intuitive Operation –
the mc² Series
With more than 8000 x 8000 crosspoints and
even more in networked systems, plus up to
888 DSP channels, the mc² series is ready to
handle all the requirements for modern OB
vans and studios – and more. Transferring
snapshots from an mc²66 MKII to an mc²56 or
mc²90, loading a snapshot from a console to
provide a completely different DSP capacity or
fader count, underlines the principle of the mc²
software architecture: we are absolutely certain
that flexibility is one of the major contributors to
cost efficiency, due to easy and fast adaptation,
whatever the production.
Lawo’s ‘Dual Star Technology’ has found
its way into mixing console design, which has
enabled Lawo to establish a further milestone in
reliability and redundancy for mixing consoles
and HD cores.
The mc² series impresses with its precise
signal processing. Changes to the DSP path
Loudness Metering
can be made without any clicks, and even
Loudness metering is designed to help
delay settings can be made noiselessly during
eliminate jumps in audio loudness between
runtime. For modern productions that require
different TV/radio programmes, or even
5.1 Surround, mc² consoles are the ideal answer.
during a single programme. Based on the
It’s their reliability and experience that made
EBU R128 and ATSC A/85 standards,
Lawo the first choice for the 2012 sports TV
Lawo has incorporated loudness metering
productions in Poland/Ukraine and London.
in the mc² series consoles. This can be
Lawo is continuously expanding the toolbox
combined at any time with a True Peak
for modern surround productions. The latest
display, and enables loudness metering in
advancements are the AMBIT Upmix, providing
any individual channel in Momentary or
a high-quality upmix in every surround channel,
Short-term mode, with each main output
creating a 100% downmix compatible, fully-
facilitating the integration of loudness
fledged surround sound image. Innovative
metering over time. For ease of use, Lawo’s
front processing algorithms, the HD Core DSP
Loudness Metering can be operated using
redundancy, and very low latency make this
presets for the two standards. Furthermore,
Upmix tool superior.
Loudness Metering throughout a complete
These qualities and the number of
production can be permanently displayed
installations have made the mc²
in the GUI header display.
series a standard around the world.

mc²90 –
Optimum Control and Maximum Flexibility
The mc²90 offers a modular central control
section to position the most significant
modules where you need them. In addition,
external control devices can be integrated
smoothly. There are no compromises
regarding flexibility.
mc²66 MKII –
Inspired by Your Needs
Thanks to its lightweight construction,
low power consumption, and compact
dimensions, the mc²66 is ideally suited
for OB vans, studios, broadcast, and live/
theatre applications. Twenty four to 104
fader sizes are available.
The New mc²56 – Performance, Pure & Simple
This console brings you the same
processing power that already
distinguishes the mc²66 and mc²90.
What makes the new mc²56 different to its
siblings is its compact layout. In a width of
only 1.2 metres, it provides 32 faders
(64 faders fit in an OB van).

28 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
AWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++++LAWO++
crystal –
Welcome to Digital Broadcasting
Introduced in late 2008, crystal has
developed to become a proven standard
console in many broadcast and production
studios around the world.
Breaking new ground with
a highly ergonomic and
revolutionary design, and
with a price range that should
allow everyone to invest in
professional equipment,
crystal is characterised by
its easy to operate surface –
guaranteeing a short training
curve and the best operational security.
The V__pro8 audio/video
processor is the perfect
bridge builder for broadcast environments,
thanks to an 8x8 video matrix with 3G SDI
I/Os and a 384x384 audio matrix using
MADI or RAVENNA for audio connection
plus comprehensive video processing.
Highlights: colour correction per video
channel, up to two channels of high quality
format conversion, video and audio delay
for any channel, framestore per input,
2x downmix per output, Quadsplit and
Thumbnail preview of all video outputs,
and Waveform and Vectorscope for the
selected video.
The V__pro8 is operated by using a
simple web browser on a modern touch
GUI based on HTML5.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
Nova73 HD Routing System
Nova73 HD is a high-
capacity audio
routing
matrix
– a perfect
solution for mission-critical
signal transmission. With a capacity of
more than 8K inputs/outputs in a single
core it is possible to create a fibre-optically
linked network infrastructure, or to connect
multiple Nova73s over WANs.
Nova73 HD integrates seamlessly into
an existing infrastructure, and can be
controlled remotely – this enables complex
switching and workflows to be
reduced to the simple push of a
button. Via an intuitive display,
the mxGUI package enables
control from any PC of all
functions, offline preparation, or
even online operation. Nova73
HD is based on Lawo’s STAR²
technology with an internal
dual star architecture that
supports comprehensive redundancy
options for almost every active component.
Hot-plugging, status monitoring of all
components, or reconfiguration and
expansion of the system during run-time is
possible, even when on-air.
mxGUI
The mc² series is equipped with an mxGUI
providing many useful features:
• Offline preparation: from console
layout to matrix control, partial
snapshots and preamplifier settings,
through to the creation of complete
snapshot and production data.
• Online remote: maintenance, service,
or configuration. Access to the console
via a laptop. Up to 16 mxGUI clients
can simultaneously sign on to the
control system for secondary users
and service technicians to support
the audio engineer, even during
live broadcasts.
sapphire
– A Step Ahead
The sapphire, Lawo’s top of the line on
air and production console, combines
proven cutting edge technology and
an eye-catching new design. Up to
60 motor faders may be housed in an
impressively shallow chassis that can
be placed on your desk or fixed into
the furniture. The sapphire comes with
networking capabilities unparalleled
when creating radio or production studio
environments – for example using the
Nova29, Lawo’s small format router
that can be seamlessly integrated with
all radio products. The advantage: while
technicians will be assured by maximum
flexibility and sophisticated functionality,
broadcasters will be continually impressed
by the modern control surface, which
makes working with the new sapphire fun.
sapphire delivers top quality, intuitive user
guidance and neat solutions, all of which
guarantee even greater working efficiency.
CONTACT DETAILS
Lawo AG (Headquarters)
Am Oberwald 8, 76437 Rastatt, GERMANY
t +49 7222 1002 0
e info@lawo.de
w www.lawo.de
Sales
t +49 7222 1002 0
e sales@lawo.de
For international sales contacts please consult the
Lawo website.
29
++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++M
Intelligent Mixer And
Router Systems
The engineers working for the Swiss enterprise
Mandozzi Elettronica SA near Lugano are inspired
by the beautiful landscape to design intelligent
solutions that satisfy all operational and technical
desires of their users.
Custom Designed Products
Mandozzi’s developing engineers are used to
listening to customers and understanding their
individual requirements, and they are ready
to adapt the hardware and software of their
proven products to the special operational and
technical needs of their clients.
Due to close contact with the customers over
the last forty years, Mandozzi’s audio routers
and mixers have matured to offer a lot of
comfortable features that facilitate the tasks of
the operators.
Mandozzi Elettronica is the ideal partner for
realising custom designed audio products.
The Intelligent Audio Routers IDEA
Mandozzi’s routers are best suited for switching
centres, or for serving several mixers in a radio
30
house. They are known for their extremely
high reliability that is reached, among others,
by redundant vital modules, and for the
comfortable control surfaces. The two redundant
halves of the router can be installed in separate
rooms for immunity against incidents.
The IDEA routers offer sophisticated scheduling
functions and a great variety of interface
modules including 2Mbps and Audio over
IP modules with integrated audio codecs.
All routers offer comfortable scheduling
functions, and contain DSP power for performing
any signal processing up to complete mixer
functions. The routers of several radio stations
can be interconnected to control each other,
they can be monitored via SNMP, and
controlled by other systems via IP, serial
interfaces, GPIO, etc.
SERIX console with fader
extension modules in Sweden.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
GMIX
console in
Sweden.
Sixteen IP codecs installed into an IDEA router.
IDEA routers are the ideal heart of complex
radio house installations.
The Digital Mixers GMIX
Mandozzi designed the GMIX system to allow
radio stations maximum interoperability
between their mixers. The mixer consoles are
simply remote control elements of the DSP and
switching circuits that are installed in the central
router. The router manages all audio and GPIO
signals of the station, i.e., the ones of the studios
and mixer control rooms as well as the external
signals. The interface modules of the studio
and mixer room signals are either built into
concentrators (stage boxes) that are installed
locally, or – if the distances are short –
directly into the router. The concentrators are
connected to the router via redundant optical
fibres or CAT5 cables.
The centralised architecture of the GMIX
system offers a lot of very important advantages.
Every mixer has access to any signal of the radio
house. This allows a mixer to manage several
studios that are easily selected by loading into
the mixer pre-recorded snapshots. The intercom
between the studios is integrated, so there is no
need for a third-party intercom system.
The operators can save the snapshots either
in a private memory or in a public memory
that is accessible by all other mixers as well.
Therefore it is possible to load into any mixer
 consoles 2013
MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDOZZI++++MANDO

the snapshots assembled on another mixer.

Every mixer console can take over the job of
any other one by a few key strokes using the
snapshot functions. A mixer can also send the
configuration of a fader channel to any other
mixer. The sound engineer can remotely control
from his own mixer a fader channel of a DJ
mixer. The mixers remotely control Mandozzi’s
audio over IP codecs, as well as third-party
codecs and telephone hybrids that are installed
in the central router room. GMIX mixers perform
audio measurements according to R128.

GMIX mixers are ideally suited for large

broadcast installations with interacting mixers.

The Digital Mixers SERIX

The SERIX mixers were developed to satisfy
the customers looking for stand alone mixers SERIX console in
that work autonomously and do not necessarily Switzerland.
depend on a central router. These mixers allow
the customers to start by installing a few single communication, and monitoring; plus a touch freely configurable by the user. SERIX also
mixers and to expand the station step by step screen to display the parameters, timers, etc, offers the processing of 5.1 signals and audio
later on. SERIX mixers are well suited to realise and to set up the mixer. The modules are either measurements according to R128.
complex radio house installations with a central supplied as individual mixer units that can be For every SERIX mixer, up to three
router. In this case, the SERIX mixers remotely built into the console furniture at any place satellite or split mixers
control the router in order to select the input desired by the customer, or assembled into a can be installed at a
and output lines, for intercom connections metal frame to obtain a table top mixer. distance from the main
between the mixers, as well as to remotely The SERIX consoles offer an easy and surface, e.g., in the
control the microphone pre-amplifiers, the comfortable operation due to studios. The operator
mute and the GPIO of the other mixers, etc. the touch screen. can decide whether
Mandozzi’s audio over IP codecs can also be The functions of the satellite mixers shall
controlled by the SERIX mixers. the control function as an integral
The SERIX mixer surface is composed keys and part of the
of modules of four motorised faders and knobs main console
of a central module for configuration, are (but with
independent
intercom and
Some Milestones of Mandozzi Elettronica SA monitoring), or as
Mandozzi Elettronica SA was founded 1965. In 2009, Mandozzi developed the autonomous mixers.
Due to its close contacts with its customers, Audio over IP codecs UMAC, that can be
the enterprise realised the following integrated into and controlled by Mandozzi’s SERIX mixers are best
milestones during its evolution: routers and mixers and have the unique suited for small to large
SERIX table broadcast installations, for DJ
The first analogue audio router was feature of self-configuring. Since 2009, top mixer with
installed in 1980, and the first digital routers Mandozzi has successfully promoted a 16 faders.
and assisted operation.
in 1993. In 2001 Mandozzi supplied the first software tool to generate RDS texts for FM
radio station with five interlinked routers and transmission and PAD contents for DAB.
11 GMIX mixers to the German ORB. In 2010, Mandozzi supplied a redundant
Since 2002, Mandozzi has supplied router to Austrian Telecom, with 240
CONTACT DETAILS
redundant central matrixes and up to 12 integrated redundant analogue line
Mandozzi Elettronica SA
GMIX mixers and six SERIX mixers, to 25 equalisers. In 2012, Mandozzi received the
Via Volta 2, CH-6946 Ponte Capriasca,
digital Swedish Radio stations. order from Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt to
Switzerland
In 2007 the Swiss Broadcasting replace the whole audio system of its radio
t +41 91 935 78 00
Corporation commissioned a radio house house with a redundant matrix installed in
f +41 91 935 78 10
with a redundant central router and 33 two separate rooms, and up to 20 SERIX e contact@mandozzi.ch
SERIX mixers for Lausanne. mixers. w www.mandozzi.ch

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 31

++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDA

MIDAS –
The Audio Gold
Standard
An audio console is, first and foremost,
all about audio. MIDAS has always set the
gold standard for live sound, and continues
to ensure that the adoption of new
MIDAS Digital: XL8, PRO6,
technologies does not compromise audio
PRO2C and PRO1. quality in any way.
MIDAS Digital Systems Overview
The MIDAS XL8 and the recently expanded MIDAS PRO1
range of PRO series digital mixing systems and Mixtender
consist of a control centre and a number of fixed iPad App.
or configurable 19-inch rack units, which are
inter-connected by a networked audio and data
system. The network carries both proprietary
control data and open architecture AES50 digital
audio via Cat 5e/Cat 6 and fibre optic cabling.
This ‘system’ approach means MIDAS provides
not only a mixing console, but a complete
analogue and digital networked audio control
and distribution system.
The PRO series comprises six different control
surfaces, three of which feature modular remote
processing engines, all of which have a choice of
five different options of networked I/O hardware.
The PRO3, 6, and 9 consoles are expandable up
to 288 inputs and 288 outputs at the network
level. The PRO3 and PRO6 can be upgraded at
a later date to full PRO9 specification, offering
the PRO1, MIDAS’ first aluminium framed stand- 432 inputs and 432 outputs in 18 different
up to 88 simultaneous input channels and 35
alone digital console. It features 24 mic inputs, locations, up to 144 simultaneous channels
busses. PR02 and PR02C offer the same MIDAS
40 input channels, and a maximum network and 51 mix busses, plus built-in tolerance to
audio quality and performance with the PRO2
capacity of 100 inputs and 102 outputs. any failure scenario. Although the XL8 has been
offering eight more faders than the compact
unsurpassed for seven years as the benchmark
PRO2C. Both have 56 primary inputs, with an The flagship XL8 is the perfect solution for
for digital audio performance, the recent launch
expanded network of up to 156 inputs and 166 high-capacity, high profile touring and install
of Generation-II software has brought this well-
outputs. The latest addition to the PRO Series is applications. It has a network capacity of up to
established system right up to date, adding a
KLARK TEKNIK DN9650 audio network bridge. whole new suite of FX and advanced features.
All of MIDAS’ digital consoles can be
networked together using just Cat 5e cabling
and a range of remote 19-inch rack I/O units.
These range from the DL431, an active input
splitter, the DL451 and DL351 user-configurable
modular I/O, and finally the fixed-format DL251
and DL252 analogue I/O units.

32 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
AS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++MIDAS++++M
In addition to the MIDAS AES50 products,
there are a number of devices from MIDAS’
sister company KLARK TEKNIK that have been
designed to expand the scope and functionality
of MIDAS’ already impressive digital audio
network. This includes products ranging from a
dedicated audio recorder, the DN9696, to an
audio network bridge, the DN9650, which will
connect any AES50 device to a multitude of
different digital audio protocols.
MIDAS Sound Quality
MIDAS digital systems are the only live sound
systems in the world to have a comprehensive
and automatic latency management system.
Which, in addition to managing all internal
routing and processing latency, also includes
compensation for external analogue inserts. This
means that all audio samples are synchronised
before summing, resulting in absolute phase
coherency at all outputs.
MIDAS digital feels, as well as sounds,
superb. All the variable controls on the
console are genuine analogue high precision
potentiometers, not mechanical encoders. These
access the FPGA-DSP engine through precision
instrumentation A-D converters and MIDAS’
custom interpolation algorithms. This means
that as well as all audio; the entire operator input
is fully interpolated to ensure a linear, analogue-
style, silky smooth ‘feel’ to your mix.
The MIDAS microphone pre-amp is the one
by which all others are judged. Still built from
discrete components, the current expressions
in the XL8 and PRO Series sound better than
ever. Whether you want pristine, transparent
reproduction, or that renowned MIDAS warmth
and colouration, MIDAS’ dual (analogue and
MIDAS XL48: eight MIDAS XL4 mic pres with eight
XL8 A-D convertors. Now everyone can have a
MIDAS mic pre at the top of their signal path.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
digital) gain stages enable you to shape the
mic amps’ character according to your own
preference.
Mix engineers working on analogue consoles
routinely combine signals with different signal
paths and processing and expect to do the
same with digital. On many current digital
consoles, combining signals in this way leads to
the summing of signals that are in effect partly
out of phase. This causes undesirable ‘comb
filtering’ effects, where specific frequencies are
cancelled out completely. MIDAS are the only
live digital consoles to have comprehensive
automatic time alignment to correct any path
related delays, including latency introduced
by additional A to D conversion on external
analogue inserts.
The remote processing engines for both XL8
and PRO3, 6, and 9 systems are of modular
design, which provides N+1 redundancy of
hardware in the form of a redundant module,
removing the cost of an entire back-up DSP
engine. MIDAS also offers modular I/O units that
can be freely distributed into multiple locations
with a digital audio network, which is easily
configurable to route signals from where and by
when they are needed, with patching done on a
scene-by-scene basis.
iPad App: MIDAS Mixtender
MIDAS’ Mixtender iPad App provides wireless
remote control for key functions of the
MIDAS PRO Series and XL8 consoles. The app
automatically selects the right console type so
there is no difficult set-up procedure.
With the Mixtender you can monitor ALL
input and output metering simultaneously in real
time, and can remotely EQ any speaker mix with
FX available with Generation-II software.
one of the console’s on-board KT DN370 GEQs.
The Mixtender also provides simple, fast local
stage mix adjustment by accessing the consoles’
MCA (Mix Control Association). Multiple iPads
can be used simultaneously and each one can be
locked to a single mix, so artists can create their
own monitor mixes without changing any other
console settings.
The MIDAS Mixtender is free to download
from Apple’s App Store.
Innovation
Equally important to MIDAS is the design
and implementation of many new areas of
technology, specifically in the area of digital
audio networking and advanced console
navigation methods, including the latest concept
of MCAs.
MIDAS continues to anticipate and
accommodate the rapidly changing and
expanding needs of audio professionals who
specify Midas consoles for their major tours,
festivals, international events, broadcast projects,
and high-profile fixed installations.
MIDAS Consoles
Klark Industrial Park, Walter Nash Road,
Kidderminster, Worcestershire,
DY11 7HJ, England
t +44 (0) 1562 741515
f +44 (0) 1562 745371
e mkt.info@music-group.com
w www.midasconsoles.com
33
++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRES
StudioLive Systems
– The Power of
Integration
PreSonus StudioLive™-series digital
mixing systems integrate hardware and
software to seamlessly handle mixing,
recording, wireless control, and audio
analysis. Designed for live sound and
studio recording, without compromising
the requirements for either, they employ a
familiar, analogue-like mixing surface.
PreSonus® StudioLive™ 24.4.2, 16.4.2, and
16.0.2 digital mixers integrate hardware and
software to seamlessly handle mixing, recording,
wireless control, and audio analysis. These
surprisingly affordable mixers are designed for
both live sound and studio recording, without
compromising the requirements for either.
All StudioLive mixers incorporate a multi-
channel FireWire interface and come with
PreSonus Capture™ recording software for
Mac® and Windows®, which is preconfigured
so it needs no set-up. Capture is, essentially, the
mixer’s recording section. You also get PreSonus’
Studio One® Artist DAW, which auto-configures
to the mixer using a template. That’s just the
start.
34
The PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2’s inviting, analogue-like mixing surface provides quick
access to all core mixing functions, including levels, routing, and signal processing.
Analogue Feel, Digital Performance with clearly labelled physical knobs, a multi-
The StudioLive operates much like an analogue function, 16-ladder LED display; an in-your-face
console. You use a familiar mixing surface for Selected Channel display, and a horizontal pan
core mixing functions, not a menu-based screen. display. It’s easy to instantly access any function
Analogue-console users need learn only one new and get clear, visible feedback.
button, ‘Select’, which enables the Fat Channel Two programmable, 32-bit, stereo effects
section. engines come loaded with 50 reverbs, delays,
The Fat Channel features extensive and time-based effects that you can really
equalisation and dynamics processing – a use. These effects have easy-to-use parameter
separate compressor, limiter, and gate/expander adjustment, tap tempo, store, and recall.
– for every input channel, every aux output, the The StudioLive 24.4.2 and 16.4.2 offer eight
FX outputs, and the main outputs. Every channel channels of 31-band graphic EQ for the main,
also has a high-pass filter. subgroup, and aux outputs. The StudioLive
To let you get the most from all of this 16.0.2 offers a stereo graphic EQ on the main
processing power without descending into menu bus.
purgatory, PreSonus designed the Fat Channel
Welcome To The Future
Using the included Virtual StudioLive (VSL)
bidirectional control and editor/librarian
software for Mac and Windows®, you begin
Virtual StudioLive to see the advantages of hardware-software
presents a visual integration. Control almost the entire mixer from
representation a FireWire-connected laptop, load and save
of the StudioLive
mixer. Quickly named mixer scenes and individual processor
and easily load and channel presets via drag-and-drop, visually
and save named edit signal processing, lock all or parts of the
mixer scenes via
drag-and-drop,
mixer with a password—quickly and easily.
visually edit signal VSL also integrates Smaart Measurement
processing, use Technology™ from Rational Acoustics. Smaart®
the integrated
is a collection of visual audio-measurement tools
Smaart audio-
analysis features, for sound-system analysis and optimisation that
and much more. makes tuning the system, squelching feedback,
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
SONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++++PRESONUS++
and much more easy and precise. It includes a
spectrograph and a real-time analyser (RTA) that
make fine-tuning your mix easy because you can
see what you’re hearing. These features work
with all three StudioLive models.
In addition, VSL includes three Smaart System
Check Wizards and a pink-noise generator
with which StudioLive 24.4.2 and 16.4.2 users
can view the frequency-response trace of a
venue and adjust the parametric EQs to get
rid of unwanted room anomalies, verify that
StudioLive system outputs are routed correctly
and are passing signal, and calculate and
set delay-system timing for satellite speaker
systems using the StudioLive’s subgroup-output
delays. (Note that the Wizards are not available
for the StudioLive 16.0.2 due to its different
architecture).
For more information about Smaart Wizards
for StudioLive mixers, see the sidebar ‘We’re Off
to See the Wizards’.
Go Remote
With most mixers, it’s risky to leave front-of-
house to check the monitors and listen to the
system in various parts of the room. But with free
StudioLive Remote control software for iPad®,
you can control VSL – including Smaart – and
in turn, any StudioLive mixer, wirelessly, from
anywhere in a venue.
You also can control VSL, and hence, the
mixer, over a network – including the Internet
– using third-party VPN software. Contractors
can create and load scenes and presets for
clients and can, to a large extent, troubleshoot a
StudioLive system from a remote office.
StudioLive Remote for iPad provides almost complete
control over VSL and hence, the StudioLive mixer. This
Overview screen presents the channel faders, mutes,
and panning and the StudioLive 24.4.2’s four-band
fully parametric EQ (top).
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
We’re Off to See the Wizards!
PreSonus Virtual StudioLive includes three
Smaart Wizards to help you solve thorny
sound-system problems.
Smaart Room Analysis Wizard
The Smaart Room Analysis (SRA) Wizard
is an automated process that guides you
through the steps of acquiring a frequency-
response trace and then overlays the
resulting trace on the VSL display for a
StudioLive 24.4.2 or StudioLive 16.4.2 Fat
Channel parametric EQ. You can then adjust
the parametric EQ to get rid of unwanted
anomalies in the room.
Smaart Output Check Wizard
The Smaart Output Check (SOC) Wizard
verifies that your StudioLive 24.4.2 or
Give Them The Rope
Increasingly, musicians want to create their
own monitor mixes, but most personal monitor
systems are expensive and require wiring. But
with free PreSonus QMix™ software, musicians
can simultaneously control their StudioLive
monitor (aux) mixes using an iPhone® or iPod
touch®.
QMix works a lot like StudioLive Remote: up
to ten iPhones running QMix network wirelessly
with a computer and control VSL, which controls
the FireWire-connected StudioLive. Portrait view
presents the Wheel of Me, which lets you select
multiple ‘Me’ channels and turn them all up in
your monitor at the same time, while controlling
the relative balance between ‘Me’ and the rest
of the band. Landscape view provides control of
the aux-mix send level and panning (for linked
auxes) for each channel and aux. Here, you
set up your monitor mix. Using VSL’s security
features, you can let each musician create a
personal monitor mix – or restrict them to the
Wheel of Me while you create their mix.
Sounds Like A Winner!
Ease of use, remote control, and generous
amounts of signal processing are very important,
but the bottom line for audio equipment is still
the sound. The StudioLive’s outstanding sound
quality, with Class A XMAX™ pre-amps and high-
definition converters with 118dB dynamic range,
makes it suitable for studio use, yet its feature
set and layout fully support live applications.
StudioLive 16.4.2 system outputs are routed
correctly and are passing signal. It’s a simple
tool compared to the other wizards, but it
can save you a lot of headaches!
Smaart System Delay Wizard
The Smaart System Delay (SSD) Wizard
calculates and sets the correct amount of
delay time between two full-range speaker
systems, using the StudioLive 24.4.2 or
StudioLive 16.4.2 subgroup-output delays.
This helps you to time-align the outputs of
secondary (generally, side and rear) speaker
systems with the output of the main front
speakers in a front-of-house P.A. system.
For more information about VSL’s Smaart
features, visit www.presonus.com/products/
Virtual-StudioLive/Smaart-M.
QMix for iPhone/iPod
touch enables musicians
to control their own
monitor mixes. Once
you have chosen which
channels are ‘me’ – say,
your vocal and guitar
channels – you can use
the Wheel of Me (shown)
to control the blend
between ‘me’ and the
rest of the band.
You can easily save and recall full mixer scenes
and presets.
This combination of analogue-like design,
fast workflow, high-definition audio, integrated
recording, computer control, wireless control,
Smaart analysis and optimisation, and network-
based control sets the PreSonus StudioLive series
apart. And it does so at an amazingly low price.
PreSonus Audio Electronics
7257 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806 USA
t +1 225 216 7887
w www.presonus.com
Source Distribution
Unit 7 Pembroke Buildings, Cumberland House
Business Park, London, NW10 6RE, UK
t +44 (0) 208 962 5080
w www.sourcedistribution.co.uk
35
 controlable
PoweRfuL Mixing now wiTh iPaD ConTRoL

The new Roland M-200i 32-Channel Live Digital Mixing Console with iPad control. Building on
the award-winning features of the current V-Mixer line up, the M-200i offers expandability in a
small footprint and is ready to perform straight from the box.
Visit www.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk or call 01792 702 701

» wireless iPad remote control anywhere in the venue

» Built in LCD screen for comprehensive control without iPad
» 17 motorised faders, dedicated buttons and knobs for key functions
» 24 onboard inputs and 14 outputs
» Connects directly to all products in the Roland ReaC family
 consoles 2013
++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++SONIFEX++++S

Simple Radio Mixers

for Novice &
Professional Users
Sonifex has a long history of manufacturing audio mixing
consoles, with the company founder Paul Brooke starting his career
over 40 years ago building sound desks for film studios, before moving
into the radio broadcast market.
Sonifex S0 Radio Broadcast Mixer Iso View.

Sonifex manufactures three analogue radio
mixers targeting the small-scale commercial,
community, education, and Internet radio
markets. The most recent of these mixers is the
S0 (pronounced ‘S zero’) nine-channel fixed
format analogue desk. The Sonifex S0 mixer
is a compact, low cost, fixed format broadcast
mixing console designed for on-air radio use,
and it uses the same high quality circuitry
and components as the larger Sonifex S2
and S1 mixers.
The uncomplicated, intuitive front panel
layout ensures that the unit appeals to
novices and broadcast professionals alike, and
user configurable options allow very flexible
operation.
The console consists of nine input channels
providing in total four mic, 12 stereo line, one
TBU, and one stereo auxiliary inputs:
• 4x mono balanced XLR mic/stereo
unbalanced RCA phono line inputs.
• 4x dual stereo unbalanced RCA line inputs.
Features List:
• User friendly broadcast mixer.
• Clear, simple layout with no jargon.
• Built in telephone interface.
• Built in headphone volume limiter.
• Large, simple LED volume display.
• Remote output for fader starts.
• Speaker muting when ‘Mics’ are on.
• External mic-light switching output.
• ‘Programme’ and ‘record’ outputs.
• ‘Aux’ input for iPod or MP3 players.
• Stereo USB audio to and from a PC.
• Guest headphone ‘talkback’.
• 1x telephone balance unit (with line and
handset ports)/stereo unbalanced RCA
phono auxiliary input with a parallel 3.5mm
stereo jack input on the front panel.
Input Channels
Input source buttons at the top of each channel
strip select the required mono or stereo source
and the mixer has two main stereo buses, PGM
(Program) and REC (Record). Any channel
which has the fader up is routed to the selected
output, either PGM or REC or both.
The XLR microphone inputs on channels 1-4
have individually selectable +48V phantom
power and a gain calibration potentiometer
providing up to 65dB of gain for the pre-
amp. The stereo RCA phono line inputs on
channels 1-8 have 10dB of gain at the input to
compensate for unbalanced consumer inputs.
Input channel 9 is a TBU and stereo auxiliary
input channel. The TBU allows direct connection
to a telephone line and allows calls to be made
and received through the mixer using the
handset connection. A TRIM control on each
channel provides ±15dB of gain and a PAN/
BAL(ance) control facilitates stereo imaging.
The use of VCAs controlled by the ALPS
long throw 100mm faders gives a smooth,
repeatable response, and ensures tight stereo
tracking while eliminating mechanical and
electronic noise.
USB Audio for Playback and Recording
The S0 can send and receive audio over USB.
This allows the audio on the REC bus to be sent
to a PC for recording or monitoring purposes.
Outputs, Monitoring, and Metering
The S0 has separate stereo PGM (balanced
stereo XLRs) and REC (unbalanced stereo
RCA phono ) buss outputs. There are monitor
outputs for presenter and guest headphones
and loudspeakers. An adjustable limit level
potentiometer is a great idea which limits the
maximum level of the audio routed to the
headphone outputs to protect the hearing of
the users, especially important when used in
schools and colleges.
Other features include automatic monitor
muting on MIC LIVE, integration of a MIC
LIVE light output with MUTE LED, monitoring
of off-air signals or studio output, automatic
monitoring of pre-fade channels, and SPLIT
CUE/PFL. A pair of bright 21-segment LED
meters show either VU or PPM metering, and
the remote outputs for each channel are highly
configurable providing a comprehensive range
of options to start and stop external equipment,
programmed via USB and Windows® software.
For the majority of community and
educational radio stations where a high
number of different users need to get up and
running with a mixer very quickly, the S0 is the
perfect combination of simplicity and required
broadcast functionality. All manufactured to the
highest quality in the UK.
Sonifex Ltd
61 Station Road, Irthlingborough,
Northants, NN9 5QE, UK
t +44 (0) 1933 650700

• Rack or flush mountable. Also, the S0 can receive a USB audio stream f +44 (0) 1933 650726
from a PC and route it to the auxiliary inputs. e sales@sonifex.co.uk
• Integrated AC power supply.
w www.sonifex.co.uk

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 37

++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT S
Small Is Just A Concept
Soundcraft Si Performer
It takes something completely different to make
a digital audio console stand out from the crowd
these days, but the Soundcraft® Si Performer
range of mixers does exactly that, thanks to the
integrated DMX functionality, by adding lighting
control options to an already impressive and
powerful audio feature set.
The Si Performer builds upon the successful Si
Compact range, providing almost twice as much
DSP power and increased functionality, with an
input capacity of 80 inputs to mix on all models.
The Si Performer 2 has 24 mic and eight line
inputs, the Si Performer 3 has 32 mic/eight
line inputs, plus the four FX return channels.
Two option card slots allow I/O expansion via
any of the Soundcraft stageboxes and option
cards from the Soundcraft® ViSi Connect range,
giving the possibility of patching up to 80
inputs to mix.
The unique integration of a DMX512
port offers core lighting control. Currently
this provides four scene masters (A-D) with
associated slave channels on the ALT fader
layers, individual colour intensities or parameters
are set on the slave faders with an overall master
level fader, which itself may be assigned to
any of the main fader layers for simultaneous
access to audio and lighting levels. DMX settings
may be stored alongside audio settings in
the snapshot system, so both may be recalled
automatically by a single button press or via an
external MIDI command.
Fourteen mixes may be configured in various
combinations of mono and stereo to a total
of 20 mix busses; great for mixing in-ear and
wedge monitors. These are supplemented by
38
While Soundcraft Studer provides mixing solutions for
the largest live tour or broadcast productions, today’s
technology has delivered smaller and smaller digital
consoles which provide unparalleled power for their size.
However, small simply describes the physical size – there’s
nothing small about the power and capabilities of our
range, with uncompromised feature sets. Our commitment
is to continue to bring the price of digital consoles down
while increasing their power – watch this space!
four stereo matrix mixes, four dedicated FX
busses, and three master Mix busses with true
LCR mode, plus eight VCA Groups and eight
mute groups.
Each channel features a custom LCD screen
to identify channel name, assignments, graphic
EQ frequencies, DMX data, and signal metering.
Si Compact
The Soundcraft® Si Compact offers
unrivalled processing power in its price
class and is available in 16 (rackmount),
24 and 32 input models, all catering for Naturally, the Vi1 inherits many of the
up to 40 inputs to mix, with routing to 14 facilities of its larger siblings, including
buses, four integral Lexicon FX engines, Soundcraft FaderGlow™, four stereo Lexicon
Soundcraft FaderGlow™, graphic EQs on effects engines, BSS Audio graphic EQs on all
all output busses, and a palette of delays output busses, and integral dynamics on all
and parametric EQ to cater for almost any channels. The desk is
processing requirement. also compatible with
Vi2, 4 and 6 show
files and the Virtual Vi
offline editor, along
Soundcraft Vi1 Digital Live Sound Console with the Soundcraft
The Soundcraft Vi provides an all-in-one box ViSi Remote iPad® app.
solution for smaller events where the input count
Soundcraft Vi Series
and power of the larger Vi Series is not needed.
The Soundcraft Vi Series™ use the
In a very compact chassis, the Vi1 still
Vistonics™ II user interface to allow the
provides a simple user interface via the
engineer to operate the desk intuitively.
Widescreen Vistonics™ II interface, which
All Vi Series consoles now have
controls the 16 surface channels. Full input
an input-to-mix capacity of up to 96
and output connections for 32 inputs and 27
inputs, mapped out on user-configurable
outputs are found on the rear of the Vi1, along motorised fader layers. Using the integral
with two standard expansion slots to attach a MADI connections, Vi Series can be easily
stagebox to increase the input capacity to 64 interfaced with plug-in and/or
or other interfaces. DAW systems.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDCRAFT STUDER++++SOUNDC
Studer Vista 1
The newest console in the Studer portfolio,
the Studer® Vista 1, is a compact and low-cost
configuration that will surprise many engineers.
The desk comes complete with control
surface, I/O connections and DSP all integral,
considerably reducing weight and footprint.
The desk is highly suited to both fixed and
portable systems, such as newsrooms and game
shows, while its compact size makes it a natural
choice for OB and ENG vans.
The Vista 1 is based largely on the Vista 5,
so existing users will be immediately familiar
with all the functionality of the Vistonics™ user
interface and control surface, plus features
such as Studer FaderGlow™, true broadcast
monitoring, talkback, red light control, GPIO,
N-x (Mix Minus) busses, snapshot automation,
and DAW control.
With an integral DSP engine of over 100
channels, the Vista 1 can handle mono, stereo,
and 5.1 inputs with ease, and is provided with
32 mic/line inputs, 16 line outputs, and four
pairs of AES inputs and outputs on rear panel
connections, with both 32-fader and 22-fader
models available.
I/O can be expanded using the standard
Studer D21m card slot on the rear, to allow
MADI, AES, AoIP, ADAT, TDIF, CobraNet, Dolby
E/Digital, SDI connections, etc. A MADI link can
connect to any of the Studer Stagebox range for
XLR connectivity as well as other formats, while
an integral MADI port allows connections to a
DAW recording system or router
New with the Vista 1 is an integral jingle
player, played from audio files on a USB jingle
stick (such as station ID or background FX),
and triggered by a series of eight dedicated
keys in the master section.
The Studer Vista 1 also features a
redundant PSU for peace of mind,
and RELINK integration with other Studer Vista
and OnAir consoles means the Vista 1
can easily share signals across an entire
console network.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
Studer OnAir 1500
Radio Production/
On-Air Console
The Studer OnAir 1500 is
the compact solution for on-air and
production, combining a small and simple
work surface with sophisticated underlying
functionality along with a powerful external
core and I/O unit. Integrated USB playback and
record functions make the OnAir 1500 a very
compact yet complete mixer.
Flexibility is increased with the addition
of a six-fader extension bay, creating a 12-
fader surface.
Input channel parameters such as EQ and
dynamics can be comfortably edited using
console controls in combination with the OLED
channel displays without requiring an additional
screen or PC. For more advanced operation, the
console provides interfaces for connecting a PC
screen, keyboard, and mouse.
Unique features such as Headphone Split
allow the user to listen to two different sources,
one through the left earpiece, the other through
Studer Vista 5 M2
Successfully established for five years,
the Vista 5 M2 gains the unique and
powerful TFT metering from the flagship
Vista 9 console, and the range has been
extended with the addition of the compact
22-fader model.
The TFT-based metering system is
capable of being configured to show
channel metering from mono to 7.1
sources, along with buss assignment and
a unique ‘history’ mode that shows a
time-based waveform showing in red any
unusual events such as overloads.
Supplementing the Vista range are
two new stagebox solutions, the Studer
Compact Stagebox and the Studer Vi
Stagebox, which offer out-of-the box
cost-effective I/O solutions for small
and medium scale systems.
the right. Preset buttons also allow
one-touch control of all monitoring.
Studer NANO SCORE
The separate core of the OnAir 1500
contains the audio and control engine.
Its design provides standard connectors making
any additional breakout panel unnecessary.
Two card slots can be equipped with any
optional D21m I/O module, such as MADI,
ADAT, AES, or additional MIC inputs. The front
panel carries USB ports, which can host a USB
stick for recording and playout, while one can be
switched to deliver an additional eight channels
of I/O to/from a USB device or DAW system.
Soundcraft FX-based Consoles
Soundcraft offers a range of multi-purpose
mixers with integral effects, ranging from six
to 24 inputs. From the EFX, MFXi, and FX16ii
consoles equipped with world-leading Lexicon
FX, every model delivers uncompromising
Soundcraft audio quality and high standards of
mechanical construction.
More From Studer
Studer also offers consoles for theatre and
live such as the Vista 9 and Vista 5 SR, with
software specifically developed for high-end
musical theatre applications, which enables
faster and more accurate workflow for scenes
and actor management.
Broadcast production applications are served
by the OnAir 2500 and OnAir 3000 consoles,
and the Route 6000 routing system.
Soundcraft Studer
Cranborne House, Cranborne Road,
Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 3JN, UK
t +44 (0) 1707 665000
f +44 (0) 1707 668159
e soundcraft@harman.com
e studer@harman.com
w www.soundcraft.com / www.studer.ch
Soundcraft Studer USA
8500 Balboa Boulevard,
Northridge CA 91329 USA
t +1 818 920 3212
f +1 818 920 3209
e soundcraft-usa@harman.com
e studer-usa@harman.com
w http://usa.soundcraft.com / www: http://usa.studer.ch
39
+ + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + +

Proven Excellence in Music,

Broadcast, and Post
Over three decades SSL has established its status as a market
leader by developing new technology that enables engineers
and producers to work faster and sound better. A deep
understanding of the needs of users remains at the heart of
SSL’s ongoing evolution and its strong legacy delivering tools
for music, broadcast, and post continues with leading edge
solutions in all three areas. AWS 948.

SSL For Music

In 2004, when SSL launched the original AWS 900, it was the first
product to combine an analogue mixing console and a comprehensive
DAW Controller. This hybrid approach to production workflow delivers
the best of both worlds; the workflow advantages of hardware
controlled DA W production and the sonic depth, precision, and
character of analogue processing and summing. Today SSL’s Hybrid
Workflow Technology is available in a range of SuperAnalogue™
Consoles with integrated DAW control to suit everybody from the pro
project studio to the large scale commercial facility.

AWS has become the choice of leading international artists, producers,

About SSL DAW Control
and engineers with more than 700 units sold. The AWS 924/948
SSL DAW Control employs high speed MIDI over Ethernet and USB
offers two console/controller options; the AWS 924 and AWS 948.
Keyboard Emulation with HUI & MCU to control all leading DAWs
Both consoles use the same 24-fader frame and feature the proven
including Pro Tools®, Logic®, Cubase/Nuendo®, etc. Digital scribble
formula of 24 ultra-clean mic pres, classic SSL dual curve EQ, assignable
strips provide comprehensive visual feedback and are combined with
SSL dynamics, in-built Stereo Buss Compressor, 5.1 monitoring, and
assignable encoders, motorised faders, soft keys, and heavy duty
TotalRecall™. The AWS 948 features stereo channel strips enabling up
transport controls to deliver ergonomically elegant and comprehensive
to 48 inputs with stereo EQ and dual path channel strip.
DAW Control. SSL DAW control is multi-layer, enabling control over
multiple applications simultaneously. AWS and Duality also feature a
Duality SE – The Analogue Console For The Digital Age
dedicated on-board TFT and soft key system for plug-in control.
Duality SE is a large format console/controller that is in use in hundreds
Both AWS and Duality also features SSL’s unique ‘A-FADA ’ system
of commercial recording facilities worldwide. It is available in 24-,
where DAW Automation data controls the consoles motorised
48-, 72-, or 96-channel configurations. A new version of the console
analogue faders.
launched in 2012, the Duality Pro-Station features a winged design
that allows a 27-inch screen to be mounted in the centre section on a
Matrix – SSL At The Heart Of Your Studio
retractable arm to facilitate producer/engineers who wish to perform
Matrix is a console/controller designed for smaller production
DAW editing/arrangement activity from the monitoring sweet spot.
suites where a DAW is used in conjunction with a collection of
Duality is everything you would expect from a classic SSL console with
boutique analogue outboard. Its analogue side features a 40-input
a number of key added benefits. Each channel features transparent SSL
SuperAnalogue™ summing mixer, a software controlled analogue
mic pre and full channel strip processing, but the input stage also offers
routing matrix (any of up to 16 analogue outboard processors can be
the option to add warmth or punch with SSL’s VHD™ system.
inserted in chains on any channel), and fully featured monitoring.
A unique ‘dual path’ channel enables use of console processing within
AWS 924 & AWS 948 the DAW mixer signal path. Duality is highly suited to surround
The original Analogue Workstation System… Evolved production. TFT displays provide comprehensive visual feedback on
Designed for mid-scale commercial recording and production, levels, routing, etc, and enable multi-operator Total Recall™.

40 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
+ + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + + S O L I D S TAT E L O G I C + + + +

Nucleus
Designed for music and
post applications Nucleus
re-defines the professional
project studio with a perfect blend
of advanced DAW control, transparent
SuperAnalogue™ monitoring, high class
analogue mic pres, pro quality USB audio interface,
and bundled SSL Duende Native plug-ins. It provides
everything you need to record and monitor audio and to control
your DAW quickly and efficiently without resorting to your mouse.
SSL Matrix @ Timbaland Tour Bus, USA.

SSL For Broadcast

SSL has been building specialised digital consoles for on-
air production for over 25 years. Its development of new
technology for the industry has produced unique control
surface, processing, I/O, and routing hardware that combine
to offer extremely robust systems, capable of meeting the
requirements of even the most sophisticated multi-studio,
multi-control-room installations. SSL’s constant contact with
leading operators has aided the evolution of exceptionally
refined and elegant control surfaces. There are three consoles
available, meeting the requirements of large scale, mid scale,
and mobile applications.
SSL C100 HDS @ Comcast Sportsnet, USA.
and sophistication of C100 technology and presents it in an affordable
C100 HDS – Scalable On-Air Mixing And Routing System
system designed for the smaller budget broadcast market. C10 solves
The C100 HDS is designed for on-air production applications
many broadcast and production challenges with operational features
where audio quality matters and operators deal with sophisticated
that simplify and/or automate key tasks, helping users of all skill levels
configurations in fast paced workflow. The control surface combines
deliver professional results with a simple, logical interface that is easy
assignable hardware controls, strong visual feedback, and touch
to operate.
screen operation to provide an uncluttered interface. It provides the
experienced operator with an environment that makes day to day
running of shows comfortable whilst ensuring that the extraordinary The C200 HD – Hands-On Digital Production Console
depth and power of the C100 can be accessed and editing quickly and C200 HD is a digital console with a dedicated ‘knob per function’
easily when the need arises. control surface, making it ideal for creative mixing applications,
such as music or entertainment, where ‘hands on’ access to a large
C10 HD – Compact, Affordable On-Air Mixing number of controls is essential, and the benefits of instant and
The C10 HD brings an unprecedented combination of size, price, complete parameter recall is also a key factor.
and performance to the broadcast console market. It takes the power

SSL For Post

The C300 HD, which has been adopted by over 40
post facilities worldwide, is a fully configurable,
multi-format stem-based digital mixing console and
CONTACT DETAILS
DAW controller. It provides 500 mix inputs, 80 mix
Solid State Logic
busses, comprehensive multi-format monitoring,
25 Springhill Road, Begbroke, Oxford, England
multi-system machine control, and highly evolved hands-
OX5 1RU
on control of both the console and multiple DAWs. t +44 (0)1865 842 300.
C300 HD offers unrivalled control of the modern e sales@solidstatelogic.com
studio environment. w www.solidstatelogic.com

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 41

+ + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T E C + + + + S TA G E T

High Quality Desks

in Every Shape and Size
German manufacturer STAGETEC specialises in digital routing systems and professional mixing
consoles. Recognised as a leading digital audio pioneer, the company set new benchmarks over the
past decades thanks to continuous research and development. The audio console product range
offers the entire portfolio from self-op desks to large-scale mixing consoles for broadcast, theatre,
and live use.
combined with user-friendliness, CRESCENDO – The Digital Production Console
AURUS adapts to all kinds of CRESCENDO is AURUS’ smaller sibling. Using
applications. the same audio processing, CRESCENDO offers
AURUS almost as many mixing features as AURUS but
features with an even smaller footprint. The console itself
up to 300 is more compact with less knobs and buttons
input channels in response to increased demand for slimmed
accessible via a down user interfaces.
CRESCENDO is freely configurable, in respect
control surface
of both the number of channels and busses.
providing
STAGETEC AURUS. Configurations of up to 300 audio channels and
from 16 to
128 summing busses are supported. Using the
All STAGETEC consoles use the NEXUS 96 assignable channel strips, plus a master
same dual-concentric encoders as all STAGETEC
audio routing system as an I/O matrix. section. The console can also be controlled by
consoles, CRESCENDO offers extended channel
This intelligent division between mixing a wifi PC, offering remote access, for example,
parameters, as well as a central panel approach
and routing enables consoles to be built during rehearsals. The desk is fitted as standard
where there is one-knob-per-function.
that integrate effectively into with luxurious snapshot, scene, and dynamic
digital studio environments. This console can be found in small OB trucks,
automation, and is fully equipped for surround as well as in theatres and multi-purpose venues.
Functionality includes: Dolby
productions in formats up to 7.1. The system
E®, HD SDI embedding,
provides many additional features such as AURATUS – The Compact Broadcast Console
and modern IP networking
control protocols for the most common DAW AURATUS is a compact digital console used
such as Dante™ as well as loudness metering
in accordance with all international standards. systems. principally in pre-defined workflows for radio
NEXUS provides extensive logic control for The AURUS reference list includes the and TV production. Therefore, it features not
internal and external control functions. Console most prestigious venues e.g., BBC Scotland only a straightforward bus layout but also a
audio processing and control cards are also headquarters in Glasgow (UK), or the Guthrie user interface optimised for quick and simple
hosted by NEXUS Base Devices or the larger Theaters (Minneapolis, Minnesota). operation.
NEXUS STAR routing node.
All consoles have very low power
consumption. They are fan-free, light, and start
up rapidly.
STAGETEC
CRESCENDO.
AURUS – The Direct Access Console
AURUS is one of the best selling large-scale
digital live and production consoles. Space-
saving dual-concentric encoders enable the
AURUS to provide more physical controls per
channel strip than other digital consoles, giving
instant access to all key parameters. Offering
almost unlimited configurability and modularity

42 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
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STAGETEC All Consoles offer:

NEXUS. • Extreme flexibility
• Simple layout with short reach to all
controls
• Extensive visual feedback with switchable
TFT screens
• Vast logic control with unlimited events
per cue
• 40-bit floating point processing
• Up and running in less than 30 seconds
from power on!
The surface is available in 8, 16, and 24 fader self-op use in the best possible way. The PC GUI • Proven STAGETEC reliability
desktop or built-in versions. All important audio- makes many configuration options available and • Control PC is used only for configuration
channel parameters can be set using the dual can be used for full remote control. purposes, not required for mixing
encoders on the channel strip familiar from the Even though ON AIR 24 is the smallest • Light-weight with low power consumption
CRESCENDO, as well as from the master section. STAGETEC console, it offers the same • Completely silent: no fans, no hard disks
AURATUS’ entire functionality including control exceptional audio quality, reliability, and easy
and DSP power is accommodated on a single integration familiar from other STAGETEC
card hosted by any NEXUS Base Device within products.
the audio network. ON AIR 24 also integrates perfectly into video
post-pro suites and small audio production
ON AIR 24 – Compact Broadcast Solution suites.
ON AIR 24 is a highly modular mixing console
system designed for self-op studios for 24/7 NEXUS – The Audio Backbone
radio applications. The user interface is based The fully digital NEXUS is one of most versatile
on compact panels with only four faders audio network and routing systems available,
each, enabling really small mixing units to and is a core STAGETEC product. It is the host
be assembled. ON AIR 24 is very easy to use, for STAGETEC mixing consoles’ audio processing
highly configurable and, thanks to its snapshot and can also be used independently without a
automation and extensive logic control mixer.
functionality, supports even complex on-air With a completely modular structure and
productions. The processing power of the connected via fibre-optics, NEXUS forms
console is provided by a single mixer card. decentralised audio networks of any size. A wide
An additional PC software application enables choice of boards configured individually and
the technical supervisor to prepare and support mounted in compact 19-inch racks make NEXUS
a true multi-purpose
device providing not
only audio routing,
but also A/D and D/A
conversion, signal
processing, audio format
conversion, multi-
channel transmission
like MADI, Audio over
IP (Dante), and SDI
up to 3GB HD-SDI.
NEXUS demonstrates
exemplary reliability and
supports modern error
detection with SNMP. SALZBRENNER STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP
For its outstanding Industriegebiet See
functionality, NEXUS D-96155 Buttenheim
was awarded an t +49 9545 4400
Emmy® in 2010. e marketing@stagetec.com

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 43

+ + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E
Rock-Solid Studio Performance
The Wheatstone console has been a reliable performer since the 1970s, and still the hits keep coming.
Last-minute mixdowns. Up-to-the-minute play-by-plays. Coffee spills and studio mishaps of all kinds.
Through it all Wheatstone digital consoles and routers remain rock-solid performers in the demanding
world of audio creativity, production, and sound delivery.
No surprise then that the biggest names in
U.S. and Canadian broadcasting run their
operations on Wheatstone digital consoles
and through WheatNet-IP audio-over-IP
(AoIP) or TDM Bridge routing. In fact, Clear
Channel’s largest networked studio operation is
powered by Wheatstone digital control surfaces
and the Wheatstone WheatNet-IP Intelligent
Network with more than a million crosspoints –
and growing.
Wheatstone is a company of audio engineers,
musicians, and manufacturing craftsmen, and it
shows in the feel and clean lines of Wheatstone
consoles as well as the easy navigation of
Wheatstone studio routing. Over the years,
the Wheatstone studio has grown in power
and scope and ingenuity to outsize even the
most demanding studio project.
This engineering company hasn’t missed a
beat in the last 30+ years – not in design, and
certainly not in quality.
44
All Wheatstone studio products are
manufactured at the company’s
New Bern, North Carolina factory –
no second sourcing, no outsourcing,
no exceptions. The company machines
its own parts to exact tolerances
whenever possible, and uses the very
latest surface mount technology for
zero defects all the time, every time.
Form And Function At The Controls
The best digital consoles are uncluttered,
functional beyond reproach, and easy to
understand. These are the surfaces that can do
any job at hand, yet fit the needs of a specific
studio or application like a glove. Designing a
digital control surface of this form and function
takes the kind of legacy experience and forward
engineering that is uniquely Wheatstone.
Whether it’s a Wheatstone Evolution
digital control surface, the new LX-24 modular
digital console for radio, or the popular
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Dimension One or D-5.2 digital audio console
for television, audio engineers find Wheatstone
digital consoles readily accessible for the task
at hand, but with plenty of function and power
just under the surface for use whenever needed.
Wheatstone’s new LX-24, for example, returns
radio operators to the intuitive simplicity of
analogue sound engineering, but with all the
features and form of the digital realm.
Extremely tactile and in a small footprint
that’s easy to navigate, the LX-24 has forward-
thinking features such as onboard VGA and USB
ports for connecting to an off-the-shelf VGA
display or plugging in a mouse for setup.
Radio broadcasters appreciate the LX-24’s
modular design because it enables them to
configure faders and controls for the kind of
operation they want. They also appreciate this
digital console’s attention to detail, such as the
LX-24’s convenient location for headphone jacks
and its pigtail mount for placing headphones so
they’re out of the way, yet close at hand.
Above all, they appreciate the LX-24’s sound
engineering. All Wheatstone control surfaces,
in fact, take sound quality to the extreme; no
other radio console out there has Wheatstone’s
exclusive Vorsis-quality EQ, filtering, and
dynamics processing on every fader, for example.
Likewise, Wheatstone audio consoles
for television up the ante on live broadcast
and production due to a forward-thinking
Wheatstone technology known as Gibraltar,
 consoles 2013
AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E + + + + W H E AT S T O N E
BLADE Routing Access Units.
There’s a lot of technology, engineering,
and power inside this sleek, all-metal
housing used to connect radio studios
and Wheatstone control surfaces in
the WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network.
Each of these access units, or BLADEs,
communicates at lightning speed across
the network via gigabit interface, and
includes logic control, utility mixers, and a
dedicated controller that gives it its own
intelligence. Each BLADE holds the entire
brain trust of the studio operation for
exceptional redundancy and scalability.
a blindingly powerful DSP engine that gives
these consoles incredibly rich features, such
as built-in upmixing and downmixing between
stereo and 5.1 surround sources along with a
full complement of stereo and 5.1 surround
panning controls.
Best of all, Wheatstone digital control
surfaces are part of the Wheatstone studio
architecture that includes routing, processing,
and a vast network of resources, capabilities,
and studio intelligence.
The Architecture For Routing Intelligence
While Wheatstone consoles have evolved to
handle tight spaces and venues large and small,
the true driving force behind studio productivity
today is the architecture that underpins
Wheatstone digital consoles.
Wheatstone studio architecture includes
routing such as its audio-over-IP WheatNet-IP
New LX-24 Modular Console.
The LX-24 is an
entirely new digital
console design for radio
operation, combining a
sleek, low-profile, high-tech
look with superior ergonomics.
Featuring smooth Penny & Giles long-
throw faders, high-resolution metering,
positive-action switches with LED lighting
and laser-engraving, and fully modular
construction, this console has it all. The LX-24
is designed specifically for use with the WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
Intelligent Network
and TDM Bridge
routing as well as
processing modules,
rack utilities, and
even software
applications. Wheatstone
audio drivers, for example,
offer 24-bit processing at
selectable audio sampling rates (complete with
64 bi-directional soft logic elements) for a huge
jump in studio sound quality.
The Wheatstone studio architecture includes
all manner and variation of mixing, routing,
processing, and utilities – even utility mixers
in AoIP access units – that can be located
anywhere along the studio path for
shaping sound, controlling devices, and
channelling audio. Even MADI access units
can be added to the WheatNet-IP architecture
to link in existing MADI gear and to provide
a communication path between IP routing
systems in the radio studio and existing
TDM Bridge routers in television studios,
for example. Likewise, newer IP routing
applications are blurring studio boundaries, such
as Wheatstone’s Glass-E virtual mixer interface
for laptop control of Wheatstone consoles from
any offsite location with wireless access.
In fact, the WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network
for radio operations is the only audio router of
its kind to distribute system awareness to all of
its access points. This means that every BLADE
access unit has intelligence built in so that
sources, devices, PCs, and control surfaces share
command and control across the whole network.
Because the WheatNet-IP system distributes
intelligence to all BLADEs throughout the
network, routing is more dynamic
D-5.2 Digital Audio Television Console.
A popular surface for fast-paced live
television or other environments in which
changes happen on the fly, the D-5.2 puts
all controls and indicators within easy
reach. This digital console offers seven
alpha displays on each input fader strip
for quick visual feedback and has more
than enough IFB capability, with all the
mix-minuses and tools needed for live,
time-sensitive event coverage.
and devices are always communicating about
command and control, not just streaming audio
between them. This is why operators sitting
at a playout or automation PC networked by
WheatNet-IP can bring audio up on a console
channel, turn the channel on, pot up the
fader, and then turn the channel off when it’s
through… all done remotely and from one
seat. Moreover, the WheatNet-IP Intelligent
Network integrates easily with automation
systems, loggers, codecs, and other third-party
devices and sources by way of Wheatstone’s
Automation Control Interface (ACI). Wheatstone
partners with a wide variety of third-party
providers of automation systems, audio playout
systems, audio processors, and other equipment
for a fully integrated studio solution.
Overall, the Wheatstone studio is the most
complete audio infrastructure available to
audio engineers with all studio activity handled
through one common system interface, from
audio routing, metering, and levelling to mixing
control, logic control, and audio processing.
Wheatstone
t +1 252 638 7000
e sales@wheatstone.com
w www.wheatstone.com
45
+ + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M

CL Series Captures The Imagination

2012 was a landmark year for Yamaha with the introduction of the CL series digital mixing system.
Bringing unprecedented levels of flexibility, reliability and audio quality to both live and installed audio
applications, it has truly captured the imagination of the professional sound industry.

Combining an ergonomic user interface with the consoles’ onboard eight

elegant, contemporary design, the CL series
comprises the CL1, CL3, and CL5. These are
complemented by a pair of accompanying I/O
racks, the Rio3224-D and Rio1608-D. Linked
by built-in Dante networking, the CL system is
exceptionally flexible and scalable.
Ranging in capacity from 48 to 72 mono,
plus eight stereo, inputs per CL series console,
all feature 16 DCAs, 24 mix and eight matrix
busses, as well as stereo and mono output
busses. Three Yamaha MY card slots feature
on the rear panel of all the mixers, maintaining
compatibility with every existing audio format
as well as newer cards like the MY8-Lake speaker
processing card and the MY16-Dugan auto
mixing card.
The card slots also allow for other Yamaha
digital consoles to be incorporated into the
Dante network and for additional I/O alongside
The CL series is also making major inroads into the corporate
market, such as with Manchester-based Sterling Event Group.
mic inputs and eight line
outputs. The Rio3224-D also
includes four stereo AES-EBU
outputs, keeping signals in the
digital domain right through
to the amplifier.
A scalable system is easily
constructed by simultaneously
attaching up to eight I/O racks
via Dante, providing up to 256
CL5s were used at four Polish
input sources. Rio units and stadiums during UEFA Euro 2012.
CL consoles can be placed
anywhere on the Dante series is the remarkable audio quality and sound
network, meaning that remarkable flexibility shaping features. As well as featuring newly-
is possible, while pairs of CL series consoles designed mic pre-amps and delays on every
can also be cascaded to handle larger mixing input channel and output port, the CL Effects
requirements. Rack provides the equivalent of eight SPX2000
Critically, Yamaha’s Auto Gain Compensation effects processors, along with a range of VCM
feature means that multiple consoles can EQs and dynamics, while two further virtual racks
share the inputs from one provide access to up to 32 channels of graphic
set of I/O racks without EQs.
any fear of unexpected But probably the most exciting sonic
level changes. With innovation is the Premium Rack, which provides
the new Dante 32-bit extremely high quality dynamic processors and
mode of operation, gain EQs. Here Yamaha has collaborated closely with
compensation can be Rupert Neve to incorporate the highly acclaimed
provided without audibly Portico 5033 EQ and 5043 Compressor as key,
affecting the dynamic standard elements.
range. “For the first time we have the capability of
bringing Rupert Neve sound into the live audio
Sonic Innovation field, entirely due to Yamaha VCM technology.
One of the most talked I believe that it is indistinguishable from the
about aspects of the CL original analogue sound,” says Neve.

46 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
 consoles 2013
M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + + + YA M A H A + + +

British Halls, Polish Stadiums, Swiss Lakes, Italian Castles, French Theatres,
Spanish Studios, German Streets…
Despite only being launched in the spring of 2012, the CL series has
already been adopted by a large number of rental companies throughout
Europe and used on a remarkable variety of events.
Perhaps the highest profile of these was at the globally-televised UEFA
Euro 2012 football championships in Poland. A CL5 was located pitchside
in each of four stadiums for pre-and post-match entertainment and
stadium announcements, as well as for the full opening ceremony.
A six week open air run of Tell Das Musical saw a pair of CL5s solving
complex delay panning issues on a huge, open air stage with Switzerland’s
Walensee as a dramatic backdrop, while the 600 year old castle that
Tell Das Musical.
dominates the Italian city of Gaeta played host to another, mixing front of
house and monitors at the Jazz al Castello Aragonese festival.
As well as featuring at three of Spain’s biggest festivals – Benicassim, Rock In Rio Madrid, and Cadena 100 – CL5s are also a key feature of
broadcasting El Hormiguero, one of the country’s most popular primetime television programmes. They have also been used at London’s Royal
Albert Hall and a wide range of UK events.
And it’s not just the CL5 that is the new ‘must have’ console for bigger events – CL3s have been specified for church and theatre installations,
while two CL1s brought all the facilities of their bigger brothers within financial and practical reach of small-budget touring for former Pulp
guitarist Richard Hawley – in the process earning front of house engineer Mike Timm a round of applause from the audience at Paris’s La Cigalle.
But perhaps one of the biggest challenges to be tackled so far has been at the Tag der Deutschen Einheit festival in Munich, where one
CL5 was tasked with mixing the front of house and monitor sound for no less than nine different stages along the length of the city’s 1.3km
Ludwigstrasse – all at the same time. It was a tough test that the CL system passed with flying colours.

Software Success runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, while found in any other live recording software.
Of course, offline a new version of StageMix for iPad offers When combined with Audinate’s Dante Virtual
editing is a comprehensive wireless remote control and Soundcard*, engineers can easily use the Dante
fundamental includes features like channel naming, DCA network to record up to 64 tracks of audio to
feature. CL Editor fader control, and tap tempo. Yamaha’s File either a Mac or Windows PC. Stereo recordings
is a standalone Converter software has also been upgraded to can also be done via a convenient two track USB
online/offline allow straightforward exchange of console files recording/playback function.
editor which between the CL series, PM5D, M7CL, and LS9. * A copy of Nuendo Live and Dante Virtual
Another significant piece of software is Soundcard is included with every CL series
Yamaha CL5s
on primetime Steinberg Nuendo Live*, which has been console.
Spanish TV show designed specifically for live recording
El Hormiguero. applications and includes unique features not

Gear Of The Year

Yamaha Corporation
The success of the CL series, and its popularity with sound aUDIOMeDIA 10-1 Nakazawa-cho Hamamatsu
engineers, has seen it deservingly awarded the accolade of gear of the year P.O. Box 1, Shizuoka, Japan
Audio Media ‘Gear of the Year’. 2012
t +81 53 460 1111
“Yamaha pioneered the live digital console, which has
most definitely come of age. We’re way past the whizz-bang and into the age of refinement.
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.
Yamaha is explicit in addressing the remaining big concerns with this new generation –
aUDIOMeDIA
reliability, standardised networking, cross-product compatibility, and well-designed control
6600 Orangethorpe Avenue

gear of the year Buena Park, CA 90620, USA

options,” says Audio Media editor Paul Mac. 2012 t +1 714 522 9011
“We are very pleased about Audio Media’s recognition of the CL series,” responds Karl
Christmas, Senior Manager at Yamaha Commercial Audio UK. “We have led digital mixing Yamaha Music Europe GmbH
for over 25 years and, over the past few years, we were constantly asked about what our next Siemensstraße 22-34
aUDIOMeDIA
major development would be. We firmly believed that the CL series would be a game-changer 25462 Rellingen, Germany
and it is tremendously rewarding to see how completely the professional
g e a raudio
o f tindustry
h e y e a rhas t +49 4101 3030
2012
embraced it.”
w www.yamahacommercialaudio.com

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 47

Console Manufacturers Directory
ADT AUDIO SYSTEMS
ADT offers a range of
modular mixing consoles and
processing modules for the pro
industry, claiming ‘the very
highest level of sonic and build
quality’ at a reasonable price.
www.adt-audio.com
AEQ
Manufacturing for the
broadcast industry for over 25
years from its Madrid HQ, top
quality AEQ products including
the Phoenix Studio Codec and
Titan router are used by audio
pros around the world.
www.aeqbroadcast.com
ALESIS
Established in 1980, Alesis was
founded on innovative semi-
conductor chip technology
that brought hi-end products
to entry-level musicians
and recording artists. Today
Alesis remains committed
to delivering innovative and
inspiring pro gear to all audio
levels, including the MultiMix
range of mixers.
www.alesis.com
ALLEN & HEATH
A UK-based company, Allen
& Heath has been building
mixers for 40 years and
remains passionate about its
consoles, each of which has
a ‘uniquely fabulous’ sound.
Makers of the XB-14, Zed and
GL series mixers, Allen & Heath
has a reputation for keeping
its customers happy.
www.allen-heath.co.uk
ALTO PROFESSIONAL
A relatively new Taiwanese
brand launched in 2000, but a
fast grower and accumulator
of positive market feedback,
ALTO has built a complete
product line-up to meet the
growing needs of audio pros
48
that includes the Lynx and
AMX Series of mixers.
www.altoproaudio.com
AMS NEVE
AMS Neve boasts an
enviable reputation, with its
uncompromising recording
and mixing equipment
used in countless top-name
productions. The Genesys
and DFC Gemini are just two
consoles that have epitomised
the pinnacle of AMS Neve’s
award-winning achievements
over its 40 years.
www.ams-neve.com
APB-DYNASONICS
Designing and manufacturing
its Spectra series analogue
consoles in New Jersey since
2004, APB-DynaSonics has
come to receive recent critical
acclaim. It now has a solid
range of new mix products.
www.apb-dynasonics.com
API
(AUDIO PROCESSES INC.)
API launched in 1968 and
became known for its 2520
amplifier, which still forms
the heart of all its discrete
products. It now has over 700
API consoles around
the world, and forms part
of the ATI group.
www.apiaudio.com
AUDIENT
Audient was formed in 1997,
with its founders setting the
performance standard of
mixing consoles in the 80s
and 90s. Its new Zen console
looks to follow this lead, being
named as one of the top 20
hits at AES NY 09.
www.audient.co.uk
AUDIO & DESIGN
Audio & Design was successful
with its range of transistor-
designed limiters and
CONSOLE MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY
compressors in the 1970s,
but has today evolved to
become one of the major
consultants and installers for
the broadcast market.
www.proaudio.uk.com
AUDIO DEVELOPMENTS
A leading manufacturer of
portable audio mixers, Audio
Developments has been
established for over 35 years
and has supplied mixers to
every continent in the world.
www.audio.co.uk
AUDIONICS
Founded in 1987 In Yorkshire,
England, Audionics initially
designed and built products
for its own Yorkshire Radio
Network. With its skills
growing in demand by outside
customers, Audionics has
built up a reputation as an
innovative and practical
broadcast manufacturer.
www.audionics.co.uk
AVID
Avid
(Digidesign)
solutions can be found at the
heart of most studios around
the world, not least through
its ubiquitous ProTools.
There’s much more to Digi
though, and ICON and VENUE
represent the company at the
fore of the consoles market.
Avid acquired Euphonix in
mid 2010.
www.digidesign.com
AXEL TECHNOLOGY
An Italian broadcast solutions
company founded in 1996,
Axel’s client list includes
Deutsche Telekom Germany,
Virgin Radio Italy, and
Radiotelevisione Italiana.
www.axeltechnology.com
AXIA AUDIO
Axia is the studio audio
division of Telos Systems,
specialising in digital
audio routing, mixing, and
distribution systems. Its
modular Element is a popular
console, with fully mixable,
matchable, and combinable
components
for individuality.
www.axiaaudio.com
BEHRINGER
Founded 20 years ago
because Uli Behringer couldn’t
afford good equipment to
become a sound engineer,
Behringer’s aim today is to
offer the best equipment at
fair prices. Its range covers
everything from mixers to
instruments.
www.behringer.com
CADAC ELECTRONICS
Cadac consoles, manufactured
in the UK, are famous for their
use in large-scale musicals, but
have in previous years been
renowned for studio use. The
company specialises in live
sound mixing consoles such as
the S-Type and X16.
www.cadac-sound.com
CALREC
Calrec’s focus has been on
broadcast audio mixing
consoles since 1971, although
has been manufacturing
high-quality audio products
since 1964. Its well-respected
consoles today include the
Apollo, Alpha, X2, Bluefin,
and S2.
www.calrec.com
DATEQ
DATEQ was started in the
1970s with production of
audio equipment for DJs and
pro end users; and today the
company’s mixers are still
aimed squarely at broadcast
and disco markets.
www.dateq.nl
CLYDE BROADCAST
Clyde Broadcast is a radio
specialist, operating as a
manufacturer, consultant, and
system integrator for
the industry’s radio stations
big and small.
www.clydebroadcast.com
CREST AUDIO
Founded in the 1970s
producing amplifiers for tours,
Crest Audio has expanded
and since 1989 has been
producing consoles alongside
many other products designed
‘to address every aspect of
installation configuration
and control’.
www.crestaudio.com
DEVIL TECHNOLOGIES
Founded as recently as 2005
and building on talent and
high-standards, Devil has
recently introduced the DRT-
101, an advanced DAW control
surface that the company
describes as the first building
block in its networkable digital
environment.
www.deviltechnologies.net
DHD
With technologies especially
adapted for radio and TV
broadcasting studios, DHD’s
focus is digital broadcast
mixing and routing systems
that include the RM4200D,
and 52/MX and RX.
www.dhd-audio.de

DIGICO
Some might claim DiGiCo as
a bit of a pioneer, and this
was certainly the case when
the company launched its D5
Live system that re-aligned
the expectations of digital
consoles. Its latest consoles
include the SD8 and SD9.
www.digiconsoles.com
D&R ELECTRONICA
Coming from a pop star
background, Duco de Rijk
and Ronnie Goene built their
first tube mixing console in
1972, and in 1973, D&R was
officially founded. Based in
Weesp, D&R’s approach is
informal and customer-centric.
www.d-r.nl
EELA AUDIO
EELA has been developing
products for the radio
broadcast industry for the past
30 years, and prides itself in
taking an individual approach
to each customer.
www.eela-audio.com
EQUIPSON
Equipson is based in Spain,
and its range includes the
Digiline 8, XP 20 PRO, and
WEF 1010.
www.equipson.es
FAIRLIGHT
Based in Australia and
one of the oldest digital
pioneers, Fairlight is now
taking initiatives in forward-
looking green technology
in its manufacture of high-
quality consoles such as the
Constellation and Xynergy.
www.fairlightau.com
consoles 2013
FBT ELECTRONICA
Musically-orientated, FBT is
an Italian manufacturer that
has been around for over 45
years and claims to be one of
the few manufacturers whose
products, such as the new
Formula mixer, are entirely
made in its home country.
www.fbt.it
FOCUSRITE
Focusrite was established in
1985, and today produces
a range of products for the
audio pro including the
Focusrite Control 2802, a
combined small-format
analogue recording console
and a DAW control surface.
www.focusrite.com
FORMULA SOUND
Started by the Cockell
husband-and-wife team
in the late 1970s, Formula
Sound has since grown and
won numerous awards for its
technologies. Its ‘reputation
outstrips its actual size in
manufacturing terms’ – a
sentiment that reflects the
company’s personal ethos.
www.formula-sound.co.uk
FOSTEX
Founded in 1973 by
the earlier developer
of EOM speaker
and transducer products,
Foster Electric Co., the Fostex
Company first built high
quality speaker components.
Today, the company
distributes its products
including the LR16 and LM16
mixers in over 50 territories
worldwide.
www.fostex.jp
HARRISON CONSOLES
Harrison’s first console was
delivered in 1975, and to date
over 1,500 have since been
installed. The PP-1 became
the ‘Hollywood standard’ for
modern film console designs
in 1979, although its current
flagship is the MPC4-D.
www.glw.com
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE
INNOVASON
Launched in 1993 by two
brothers, InnovaSON is an
acronym from French that
means ‘Innovative Sound’.
Focused on SR applications,
the company designs all-
digital consoles such as the
Eclipse and Sy48.
www.innovason.com
QPHONICS
Describing itself as a
‘technological trailblazer’,
QPhonics (formerly Klotz
Digital) was formed in 1990
with a high-customer service
philosophy that continues
to this day with products
including the Xenon and Vadis
D.C.II consoles.
www.klotz-digital.com
LAFONT AUDIO LABS
French Designer Jean-Pierre
Lafont gave his name to the
high-quality audio company
over 20 years ago; the current
product line-up includes
the Panoramix and FTC84
consoles.
www.lafontaudio.com
LAWO
Based in Germany, Lawo
was founded in 1970 as an
engineer’s office for electronic
equipment and later began
manufacturing mixing
consoles. It now has five
subsidiaries around the world,
and its consoles include the
respected mc290, mc266, and
mc256.
www.lawo.de
LOGITEK ELECTRONIC
SYSTEMS
Manufacturers of the Mosaic
and Remora consoles, Logitek
designs and develops its
products in-house using local
manufacturers based around
Houston, Texas. CBS, NBC, and
The Disney Channel, as well
as Sony and Warner Bros. use
Logitek systems.
www.logitekaudio.com
LOLA AUDIO
Lola Audio is the leading
Yugoslav firm in the AV media
field, and for over 25 years has
been producing modular audio
mixing consoles among other
hi-tech products.
www.lolaudio.com
M AUDIO
ProjectMix I/O, Torq Xponent,
and X-Session Pro form the
console sector of M-Audio’s
product range.
www.m-audio.com
MACKIE
Mackie is part of the LOUD
Technologies family of brands,
whose logo reads ‘Small
footprints, big features, great
sound’, and this is epitomised
by the Onyx and VLZ3 Series.
www.mackie.com
MANDOZZI
Located in the sunny Swiss
corner of Ticino, Mandozzi
Electronics was founded in
1965. Its user-friendly GMIX
and Serix mixers form the
console backbone of its range.
www.mandozzi.ch
MEDIA ENGINEERING
Founded in 1987 and based
in Switzerland, Media
Engineering has since 2001
concentrated its efforts on
developing pro audio products.
Memix is its modular analogue
mixing console, designed to be
used in radio and production
studios.
www.mediaengineering.com/
MIDAS
Midas consoles are amongst
the most popular in the
market, and have been found
in live applications around
the world since the 1970s.
Its current console line-up
includes the XL8 and the
new PRO2.
www.midasconsoles.com
OTARI
Although its European branch
has closed, Otari is still
producing out of Japan as
it has for over 40 years, and
distributing worldwide. Its
consoles include the
DB-10 and DB-32.
www.otari.com
PEAVEY
The PV, FX, and XR Series of
consoles are among Peavey’s
SR line-up that is produced out
of Corby in Northamptonshire,
UK.
www.peavey.com
PHONIC CORPORATION
Phonic is a real customer-
centric company; its mixers
include the AM, Helix, and
Impact Series.
www.phonic.com
PRESONUS
PreSonus has come far since
the days of trading from
Jim Odom’s garage in 1995.
Highlights of its path are the
DigiMax and FireStudio; while
today its products include
the StudioLive 16.4.2 digital
console.
>
www.presonus.com
49
> PROFESSIONAL SOUND CORP
1986 was the year PSC was
born, and based in Valencia,
USA, the company’s range
includes the Solica mixer.
www.professionalsound.com
PUBLISON SYSTEMS
Publison designs and
manufactures integrated post
production systems, whose
products include the Edimix II
and Prod’Mix.
www.publison.fr
RAINDIRK AUDIO
Raindirk’s first console created
by Cyril Jones was sold to
Kingsway Studios back in
1972. Today’s rm4 modular
series means a full console
can be created using Raindirk
components, while the
company also supports Helios
desks.
www.raindirk.com
RAMI
The Compact II and RP 2000S
are two of Rami’s French-
made broadcasting consoles,
among a range of other pro
audio products.
www.ramiaudio.com
ROLAND SYSTEMS GROUP
Roland Systems Group is a
forward-looking company
whose breakthrough V-Mixing
system (combined digital
snake and mixing console)
is still building its fan base,
now with several options
in both mixing and snake
departments. Among its
most recent releases is the
M480 live mixing console,
the flagship of the V-Mixing
system.
www.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk
RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS
Rupert Neve, founder of the
company that bears his name,
has a discriminating career in
audio spanning 80 years. A
brand that implies excellence,
the 5088 is Neve’s flagship
console.
www.rupertneve.com
50
SAMSON AUDIO
Starting out designing wireless
mics, and now with three
brands under the Samson
banner; 26 years has led to
a huge range of products
including the L-Series consoles.
www.samsontech.com
SEEMIX SOUND
Seemix is a Norwegian
company founded in 2001,
whose offerings include the
Seeport and Seelect mixers.
www.seemix.no
SMART AV
Smart’s respected consoles
include the Tango and Smart
Professional Series, designed
for the most demanding
applications using ARC and
MonARC technology.
www.smartav.net
SOLID STATE LOGIC
SSL has had a long and
note-worthy history since its
formation in 1977, which via
the Axiom, Aysis, XLogic, and
C-Series, has led to today’s
popular Matrix, Duende, and
Duality consoles.
www.solid-state-logic.com
SONIFEX
Sonifex began as a family
company back in 1969, which
today boasts that over 90%
of British radio broadcast
studios have used Sonifex
products in the past. The S1
and s@ are the company’s
current broadcast mixers.
www.sonifex.co.uk
CONSOLE MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY
SONOSAX
Swiss Sonosax brought its first
mixing console to market in
1980, the Sonosax SX-B. The
new addition to the Sonosax
range is the just-released
SX-ES64.
www.sonosax.ch
SOUNDCRAFT
A Harman company,
Soundcraft made its mark
in the early 1970s with the
Series 1, the first mixing
console in a flight case. It
remains a dedicated pro
mixing console designer and
manufacturer with consoles
including the Si1-3, Vi4 and 6,
Live 8, Ghost LE, and EFX.
www.soundcraft.co.uk
SPECK ELECTRONICS
Speck’s LiLo is not a
conventional mixer, but rather
designed with minimalist
ideals perfected for routing
and blending external gear
and DAW.
www.speck.com
STAGETEC
The Cantus was Stagetec’s
first digital console, a success
of the 1990s; although today
the Aurus is taking the crown
as Stagetec’s first class mixing
console.
www.stagetec.com
STUDER
Since 1948, the name
of Studer has become
synonymous with
broadcasting and recording
equipment. Its product range,
which includes the OnAir and
Vista lines, is totally designed
in Switzerland.
www.studer.ch
TAPCO
Based in WA, USA, Tapo
creates mixers for recording
and live sound (the Blend
Series), as well as compact
and ultra-compact mixers in
the Mix. range.
www.tapcoworld.com
TASCAM/TEAC
PROFESSIONAL
Tascam/TEAC products
deliver to the whole
spectrum of musicians and
engineers, from the hobbyist
to pro. Headquartered in
Japan and founded in 1953,
its consoles today include
the DM-3200, DM-4800,
and M-164 (plus FX and UF
derivatives).
www.tascam.com
TL AUDIO
TL Audio began in the
1990s, restoring and re-
selling vintage equipment,
and discovered a hole in the
market for new, affordable,
valve products – spawning the
‘Classic’ range. The M1-F, VTC,
and M4 are consoles based on
tube technology.
www.tlaudio.co.uk
TOFT AUDIO DESIGNS
American-based Toft Audio
produces the ATB analogue
mixers, a platform that is
continuously being developed
under the guiding hand of
Malcolm Toft.
www.toftaudiodesigns.com
TONELUX
Paul Wolff in Vegas is the
mastermind behind Tonelux’s
range of audio gear, including
the models 3, 4, 5, and 6 rack
consoles, and the Tonelux
Universal Console Series.
www.tonelux.com
TRIDENT AUDIO
Malcolm Toft and Barry
Porter developed their first
console, the A Range, for use
at Trident Recording Studios
in the 1970s. Trident is now
designing and manufacturing
new ideas under the PMI flag.
www.tridentaudio.co.uk
WHEATSTONE CORPORATION
Founded in the 1970s,
Wheatstone is a world
supplier of radio and television
audio equipment, including
analogue and digital mixing
consoles, digital signal
processing, and networked
audio systems – all designed
and manufactured in New
Bern, NC, USA under the
Wheatstone and Audioarts
Engineering brand names.
www.wheatstone.com
YAMAHA
Yamaha’s is a long and wide-
reaching story, and similarly, it
produces mixers for just about
every field of audio. The PM5D
and LS9 are just two of these
many.
www.yamahacommercialaudio.
com
 A U D I O F O R T E L E V I S I O N. E V O LV E D.

the finest audio for broadcast

Pictured: Wheatstone’s D-5.2 console, built for a major US sports producer

Wheatstone television audio consoles have long been the choice of top broadcasters.

Designed and built completely in our USA facility, our consoles utilize ultra-modern state-of-the-
art manufacturing techniques to ensure the absolute highest performance, crafted to the closest
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TELEVISION
phone +1 252.638-7000 | wheatstone.com | sales@wheatstone.com
 SD5 Main Features:
124 Input Channels
56 Configurable Busses Plus
Master Buss
24 x 24 Matrix
24 Dynamic Equalizers
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24 Multiband Compressors
24 Digital FX
32 Graphic Equalizers
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8x AES/EBU I/O (mono)

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Incorporating the master screen into the worksurface design has allowed for complete user feedback, but maintained a lower profile
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The SD5’s superior headroom, dynamic range and audio quality are of paramount importance and its feature set surpasses any other
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DiGiCo UK Ltd. Unit 10 Silverglade Business Park, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2QL. Tel: +44 (0) 1372 845600

www.digico.biz/sd5