ProAudio Review - September 2008 - (Page 52)

CONTRACTING | PRIMACOUSTIC Continued From Page 50 REVIEW cloud would be entirely too dead, in my opinion; now, I can have a bit of life in the room and, if necessary, I can drop area rugs in strategic places, if desired. Another nice benefit of the angled cloud was its treatment of acoustics at higher altitudes; from a bit higher than the top of my head while standing (at around 5-feet, 10-inches) to the ceiling (slightly over 8 feet high), this cloud offered a bit more absorption thanks to its exposed back side made of the same material as its front (albeit not covered by fabric.) Thus, the room tightened a bit more just slightly, and I noticed that virtually any trace of displeasing springiness at overhead microphone height, etc., was nowhere to be found. Upon hanging this monstrous three-section panel (a two-person job for sure), I truly did have the best of both worlds in the same room: under the cloud, a tight, trustworthy sonic oasis, and everywhere else, a smallmid room’s natural reverb with a warmth was nearly usable as a “verby” tracking space. Next and most significantly, the MaxTrap and Cumulus Trap bass traps equalized the room significantly in the low end; with those in place, you could finally walk around the perimeter of the room and hear equal frequency response throughout the room. From 80Hz, the sound absorption coefficient of the MaxTrap is within a smooth 1.0 to 1.3 range; four MaxTraps arranged in two-and-two tower configuration finally allowed me to trust the low-end response of the space. Just because of their unassuming size, I expected less from the Cumulus Traps, yet they provided a most appropriate the A bass trap/absorption tower consisting of two MaxTraps BROADCAST | LAWO Continued From Page 12 FIRST LOOK into its reduced width, but retains all of the necessary controls needed for live mixing. Simple Access and Assign functions direct virtual channels to physical faders. A total of six banks of two layers each can be configured individually, with configurations – including every DSP channel parameter being copied between banks and layers. Fader Control enables parameters such as mix-amp gain, audio-follow-video and aux send level to be controlled directly via the channel faders. Individual faders can also be isolated from Snapshot Control, as well as from the control reassignment function. Because of its simple layout, the center section provides good ergonomics and optimum user operations. Key functions – channel-strip assignment, bus combination and automation - are well laid out and can be located quickly and easily even during the most hectic of live productions. The mc256 is a fine achievement from the “other” German console manufacturer. Mel Lambert is principal of Media&Marketing, a Los Angeles-based consulting service for the professional audio industry. A two-inch thick, 24 X 24-inch bevelededged panel and two Cumulus mid-bass traps perform quite well in the stairwell to the room from the house’s main level. ‘final touch’ in the rear corners of the room; other than working well as a rear corner bass trap, they also removed some remaining ‘spring’ from their respective areas. Even before hanging the Stratus Cloud, I was happy with the sound and frequency response of the room. However, to serve as a dual-purpose tracking and mixing/critical listening space, the cloud was a necessity that truly was the final touch. I chose a 15degree angle for my cloud (facing mix position); I found this to be a happy medium between the other two recommended angles, 10 and 20 degrees. To be honest, I could have probably done without it if I had carpet on the floor. The same room with wall-to-wall carpet and a round source. As a bonus, any mono or stereo source that has been assigned within a surround image can be positioned using a single pan control. And a simple Reveal function opens a surround stem onto up to eight channel faders, thereby providing direct access to component-channel parameters. The console’s surface is clear and straightforward - aided by the removal of less-used controls to the TFT screen, plus color-coordinated and clear labeling, which ensures an optimum overview during critical live productions. All EQ and pan settings, for example, can be seen at a quick glance from a central mix position, making labeling of individual module functions virtually unnecessary. Also, the console’s LED illumination simplifies the location of required functions, even under poor control-room lighting. And to give some help in maintaining an overview when working with up to 144 faders, the mc256 provides user-programmable colorcoding of fader strips – a definite harkening back to the analog era. The heart of the mc256 – its Center Section – packs a great deal of functionality 52 | ProAudio Review | September 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

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ProAudio Review - September 2008 Contents Publisher’s Page: It's A Hard Drive World Broadcast News and New Products Lawo mc256 Digital Production Console Studio News and New Products Earthworks PM40 Piano Mic System Onkyo Professional PR-SC885 HDMI 1.3a Surround Sound Processor Developments and Trends: Instrument Microphones Benchmark Media DAC1 Pre Focal Twin6 Be Studio Reference Monitors Cascade FAT HEAD II Blumlein Package Studio Projects CS5 Microphone M-Audio Pulsar II Small-Diaphragm Condenser Live News and New Products JBL MRX512M Live Monitor QSC: Behind The Scenes Contracting News and New Products Primacoustic Broadway Professional Acoustic Solutions Buyer's Guide: Contracting Amplifiers/Mixers Buyer's Guide: Contracting Speakers Single Slice: pc muñoz "Chatter & Buzz"

ProAudio Review - September 2008

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