In Broadcast - July 2015 - 26


26

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 5 - Issue 7 | July 2015

InSound

New Developments
In Audio Mixers
Among the latest trends in audio mixing desks is improved
networking capabilities and increased core-processing power,
writes Contributing Editor David Kirk...

T

he NAB Show this year saw quite
a lot of new developments in
the audio mixer product category,
reinforced by first-time European
demonstrations at the May 7-10 AES
Convention in Poland. The main trends
are towards higher sampling resolution
and bit depth, at least in the processors,
and increasingly versatile networking.
AEQ's new Forum is a digital audio
mixing console designed for live radio
and television production. Features
include automatic monitor speaker
cut-off, cough muting, fader start,
control signalling, interface signalling
for automation of external equipment,
external communications management
and intercoms. The Forum's control
surface can be configured with a
minimum of four faders, expandable
to eight or 12 channels within the
standard chassis. Using a larger
chassis, the mixer can handle up to 20
channels.

AEQ Forum
is designed for
live production

Allen & Heath's dLive is a digital
mixer designed for use at live events.
Three sizes of processing rack are
available (DM32, DM48 and DM64)
plus three accompanying control
surfaces with common configuration,
setup and show files. A 96 kHz 96 bit
core provides capacity for 128 inputs
with full processing and 16 dedicated
stereo FX returns, offering 160 inputs
to mix, plus a fully configurable 64
mix bus, including full processing
on all 64 mix channels. Embedded
plugins include graphic equalisers,
compressors and effects.
Avid's S6L is a modular scalable live
sound mixing system for applications
including broadcasting. All processing

is at 96 kHz and support for higher
sample rates is possible. Features
include visual feedback and greater
onboard plug-in processing than
previously available from Avid. Pro
Tools integration provides streamlined
recording and playback without need
for a separate audio interface.

up to 384 inputs and outputs. The
consoles use 96 kHz 40-bit floating
point digital audio processing. Effects
include eight independent Lexicon
units. A BSS graphic equaliser is
accessible on every output bus.
Harman Studer's Vista X and Vista
V digital consoles employ Infinity
Core CPU-based processors allowing
high channel counts, full system
redundancy and the possibility of
running third-party algorithms. Both
are compatible with A-Link, an optical

Calrec's
Summa
console
incorporates a 17-inch multitouch
control screen combined with finger
gestures to navigate the system. This
is intended to simplify workflow tasks
such as creating mix-minus feeds.
Features include 180 or 128 channel
processing paths, eight groups, four
mains, 16 auxiliaries, and 32 tracks.
The Summa's Hydra2 router
core provides the same
integral routing as used
on the Apollo and Artemis
Simplify workflow
consoles.

tasks with Calrec's Summa

Digico's new S21 employs the same
FPGA algorithms as the established
SD7. Features include 96 kHz
sampling rate as standard,
24 microphone/line inputs,
12 analogue outputs, two
AES I/O (mono), DVI out (for
an external monitor), two Ethernet
connections, two 24-segment master/
solo meters, two multi-touch screens,
21 touch-sensitive moving faders and
eight effects processors.
Fairlight's EVO.Live audio console
has interactive picture keys which
self-label instantly for each task
performed. The console offers audio
and video disk recording, off-line
preparation via laptop, a built-in cart
machine for adding sound effects, plus
control extensions to lighting systems,
third party workstations and sound
library databases.
Harman Soundcraft's Vi5000 and
Vi70000 mixers are available with a
choice of control surfaces enabling
simultaneous mixing of up to 128
inputs and 32 mono/stereo buses with

interface using a
3 gigabit/s data rate with a
capacity of up to 1,536 audio channels
per connection. A new PCI express
card has been designed to merge
into the Vista X and Vista V consoles'
server board. The card is fitted with
12 A-Link interfaces capable of over
10,000 inputs and 10,000 outputs. The
A-Link interface also provides direct
connection to the Riedel MediorNet
distributed router, allowing Infinity
systems to be connected together with
router capacities of 10,000 x 10,000
or more.
Lawo introduced a new version of
its mc256 audio mixing console at NAB
2015. The mc256 HD provides twice
the number of faders on the same
footprint. Context-sensitive pop-up
windows and touch-screen operation
are featured plus dual-fader layout
in combination with Lawo's multi-

Avids' S6L
modular scalable
live sound mixing system

row metering. The desk supports
Ross Audio Protocol, allowing it to be
managed from Ross video production
switchers. The mc256 HD is equipped
with RAVENNA/AES67 technology and
the full Lawo broadcast production
package including audio-follow-video,
automix, upmix and downmix and
loudness metering.
Logitek's Artisan is a control
surface for the Logitek AE-32 routing
platform. Frame sizes are available
to accommodate two up to 32 faders
along with two master mixes,
eight stereo sub mixes,
four stereo auxiliary
mixes, 24 mix-minus
outputs
and
three
monitor
outputs.
A
five-function
dynamics
processor and four band
equaliser are available
at all faders, aux buses,
subgroups and master outputs. All
channels can be 5.1, mono or stereo.
The Artisan can interface to popular
router protocols and is capable of
following an edit decision list. The
mixer can also be linked to additional
AE-32 routers for expansion of audio
sources. Available modules include
fader, monitor, master, soft key and
effects.
Mackie's DL32R is a 32-channel
digital mixer completely controlled
wirelessly from the company's Master
Fader iPad app. The mixer includes
32 microphone preamplifiers, 14
fully-assignable XLR outputs, 3U rackmount housing, personal monitor
mixing via Apple iPad, iPhone or
iPod touch (up to 10 devices), Dante
expansion card slot, six matrix buses,
six subgroups and 14 auxiliary sends.
Dimensions are 139 x 440 x 418 mm
and weight is 7.8 kg.

Logitek Artisan control surface
http://www.inbroadcast.com http://www.avid.com/US/products/Venue-S6L http://calrec.com/summa/ http://www.aeqbroadcast.com/products/forum http://logitekaudio.com/radio-consoles/artisan/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of In Broadcast - July 2015
