ProAudio Review - October 2008 - (Page 62) LIVE | FIRST LOOK by Russ Long Having just returned from the two-day Midas PRO6 digital console global launch in Minneapolis, I must say, I’m envious of anyone who gets to mix a show on one of these wonderful desks. The PRO6 is Midas’ second venture into the digital console market. Their first — the XL8 — was greeted with rave reviews (see PAR December 2006) but because of its steep price tag of $250K+ a pop, it has only been accessible to the audio elite (Midas just recently marked the sale of the 100th XL8). Historically, second and third generation digital console releases have been somewhat compromised versions of the original with compromised features, components and even audio quality. This is not at all the case with the PRO6, which is essentially just a smaller version of the XL8. It has fewer inputs and outputs, a smaller work surface and fewer screens but still using the same uncompromised audio performance as the world-class XL8 in a compact package. | FEATURES The PRO6 has a footprint relative in size to a 32-channel Midas Verona and, in addition to the surface, it requires only two 7U 19” rack units, a DL351 Modular I/O and a DL371 DSP. The components are connected by a networked data system that carries both proprietary control data and open architecture AES50 digital audio. The stable Linux powered system has the ability to provide up to 80 simultaneous input processing channels and up to 32 (+3) discrete mixes in monitor mode, of which each fea- ture EQ and dynamics processing options. The PRO6’s network can be expanded up to 264 inputs and 264 outputs by adding additional I/O hardware. The PRO6’s snapshot automation allows these connections to be patched and routed on a scene-by-scene basis. The standard PRO6 provides 56 channel inputs, eight returns, 41 buses (16 auxes, 16 matrices, three masters and six solos), fourband parametric EQs on inputs and sixband on outputs, eight standard (up to 36 maximum) 31-band graphic EQs, eight configurable stereo effects, and 5.1 surround panning. The PRO6 automation provides up to 1,000 scenes with snapshot save/recall capability. Midas has employed dual redundancy to the PRO6, making it tolerant of many types of hardware or software failure; key components have an identical redundant spare ready to take over if they should fail. The entire system reboots in less than 30 seconds, so if a restart is required, it can happen very quickly. The PRO6 has three control microprocessors and two master control computers. If one of these five processors fails, control input can be made from one of the two remaining control computers, or, in the case of the MC, the Control Centre can be switched over to the redundant MC. All of this takes place without any interruption of audio. The FPGA processing engine has redundant power supplies, is modular, and has the option of a redundant spare processing module that activates automatically in the event of a failure. The PRO6 has 10 VCAs and 6 POPulation Groups, which provide a quick means to bring particular channels to the control surface. VCAs, POP groups and channels can be color-coded also, making them instantly recognizable. A group can have any channels (input or output) assigned to it, although, typically, you wouldn’t want to combine input and output channels into the same group. The VCA groups include mute, solo and fader control, where the POP groups are limited to the unfolding of channels to the console’s surface. Twelve of the console’s input channels are found on the left side of the surface and four on the right. The surface’s center section includes the aux mix masters, VCA faders, POP group select buttons, mix group select buttons, dual trackball control panel, communications panel, monitoring control and two daylight-viewable TFT display screens with 3-way KVM switches. One or both of the monitors can easily be switched to an external source like a computer running Smart Live, a video monitor feed from the stage, or even a Wii or Playstation. The Midas PRO6 along with the XL8 are the world’s only live audio consoles that feature a unique and comprehensive automatic latency management system that manages all of the internal routing and processing delay and includes compensation for external analog inserts. All of the audio is synchronized to sample accuracy before summing resulting in absolute phase coherency at all outputs. 62 | ProAudio Review | October 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.proaudioreview.com
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