AudioMedia - December 2008 - (Page 66) 12|08 AM The colours are big and bold, and the wellilluminated controls and screens make the desk fit for indoor and outdoor use. There are VCA groups that are individually accessible from the centre of the main control area, which are very easy to assign channels to by holding down the selector buttons. This also provides a better way of navigating through the channels. Compact is the name of the game here. Everything you would ever need for any show can be found inside the PRO , from automation, to . surround sound panning, to plenty of effects and reverbs, to several compressors, EQs, and graphics. This allows easy load in and load out for quick and easy set up. Show settings can be saved on an external USB memory stick for efficiency and consistency in your sound every time. Show settings can also be loaded on either the PRO or the XL making life easier for touring engineers. Midas has written all of its own algorithms for their Linux-based operating system, spread across two internal computers each with dual core processors. The effects and compressors etc are modelled on well-known devices, so no need for all of your outboard. All the audio sampling is done at kHz, -bits, any signal processing is done at -bits, and the system automatically compensates for any digital delay, so you don’t encounter phasing with any number of plug-ins you may use. > having your car's speedo on the dashboard, or in your lap. All of the coloured backlights on the controls are user definable, making the desk work for you in a recognisable way. Track names are also editable with an external keyboard, so no need for tape any more. The approach Midas took was to use colour as a way to help you guide yourself around the mix so you can grab the correct control as needed without thinking about it. THE SYMPHONY SYSTEM The Most Powerful Audio Workstation Available The Symphony System combines Apogee’s legendary X-Series and Rosetta Series converters with Apple’s revolutionary Mac Pro and Logic Pro audio workstation using the 32-channel Symphony PCI card. BEST SOUNDING The most sonically advanced audio hardware interfaces combined with the most advanced music creation and production tool. HIGHEST PERFORMANCE 1.6 milliseconds at 96k and up to 192 simultaneous channels of audio. Introducing Logic Studio A suite of powerful, easy-to-use music creation and production tools, Logic Studio gives musicians everything they need to write, record, edit, mix and perform. GREATEST VALUE A fraction of the cost of popular card-based, DSP systems. I managed to find my way around this desk to a level of confidence gig-ready within only a few hours. I think for experienced digital desk users, the move to the PRO would be an easy transition, and it would just be a case of finding where everything is; whereas for analogue engineers, they should not be afraid, as it is very intuitive. The only issue I had was getting out of habits from other desks. In particular I am very used to Pro Tools on a MacPro, with dual screens and the pointer going straight from screen to screen. The PRO has two screens but as they look after different jobs and are run from separate computers, there are two tracker balls. At first I did find it odd, but as I started to get more used to the functions and where they were, I stopped thinking about it. You also find that once any setting up has been done, most of the mixing and any work that is done during the show is via the hardware controls, and you tend not to touch the mice. All the software, effects, and graphics have been > I n Use Symphony PCIE Card 32-Channels of I/O per card & up to 96 channels per system. The Total Package 66 AUDIO MEDIA DECEMBER 2008 http://www.sonic-distribution.com http://www.sonic-distribution.com
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