Audio Media magazine's Audio Consoles' Guide 2013 // Audio Media dergisinin 2013 ses konsolları kitapçığı (ingilizce)

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AUDIO MEDIA www.audiomedia.com
(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
mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care is taken to ensure
accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither NewBay Media nor the Editor can be held responsible for its contents or
P RO D UCE D BY
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In association with:
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© 2013 NewBay Media. All rights reserved.

4. 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 to do with EMC compliance,
Engineer, Graham Milnes, says the main thing pin one is hard-connected to
is to make sure all customer requirements the chassis, which negates the
are met, though interestingly, some of those need for ground lifting and
requirements might not immediately be known everything is much safer.
to the customer. Some people may disagree,
“Ultimately, the customer just wants but that’s our philosophy,
everything to work, of course,” he says, “but in certainly.”
the real world, we supply a lot of kit for outside Calrec hasn’t used
broadcast and one of the most important things transformers on mic inputs
is protection on the input; when there are nearby since the 90s; instead,
electrical storms going on and you have very everything is electronically
long cable runs, you have got to protect those balanced. Milnes says this is
inputs so they won’t pack up. Barring a direct hit, due to size, weight, and cost; and line inputs, which Milnes says is particularly
we’re able to do that.” and technically, better performance is achievable convenient for the end user.
Milnes says that having to comply with electronically. Headroom is also a massive factor, “Because one input can be used for mic or
EMC directives has most certainly affected the he says, even in user control. line, we have a gain range that goes up to 78dB
way that manufacturers approach designing “When it comes to digital processing, it’s all maximum and at the other end of the scale it
their inputs. 24-bit resolution audio, but without giving too will attenuate at up to 18dB,” he explains.
“Years ago, before EMC compliance came much away, it’s important we have more bit “For many years we’ve tended to have the
into play, we had quite excessive RF filtering resolution than 24-bit audio so you can have universal input, though it complicates the design
to take out the Long Wave, Short Wave, and yourself more head and tail room,” he reveals. for the pre-amp somewhat as it needs to handle
Medium Wave transmissions, be it a radio, a taxi, “It might sound strange, but if you just think of a very high signal.”
whatever; that was a big nuisance in the 70s, EQ these days, which is typically four-band, each Although all I/O is analogue, everything else
80s, and 90s, and it’s so important to get that of those four bands will often be capable of is digital, and Calrec stopped making analogue
stuff out of there, as we do have to comply with adding 20dB of gain, and you can very quickly consoles more than three years ago.
all of these [EMC] directives,” he explains. “If you get some very high signals; if you don’t have Milnes insists, however, that in some ways,
think about the traditional XLR input, people some extra bits to handle that then you’re in analogue is still going very strong.
used to talk about the classic pin one problem trouble. We have a vast amount of headroom “When it comes to the operational amplifier,
whereby pin one of the XLR wasn’t bonded in our system, some in the user control too: we which is the heart of the circuitry really, the
correctly to the chassis and would often go have the front end screen where the end user good old 5532 is still a hard act to follow. It has
down onto the circuit board; these days, mainly 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
4 CREATIVE INPUT

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

7. 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!

8. 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, will load onto any of our
because all of our digital consoles operate other consoles, and run
an automatic latency management routine,” perfectly,” Ferriday states.
explains Brand Development Manager at “Although we’ll always
Midas, Richard Ferriday. “It’s very important continue to develop our
that however the operator deploys those effects palette of effects units, we
processors, the console is able to manage the also appreciate that there’ll
resulting latencies and make sure that the always be something that
audio is always in phase, right down to single someone is going to want
sample accuracy, whenever they sum that audio that we won’t be able to
together at any point.” provide – an effect that
The company philosophy in terms of its perhaps 99 per cent of
effects and processing, Ferriday says, is to our customers will never
continually improve them: after purchasing a use – so we have made it Lexicon – and you can really hear the difference.”
console, any new effects that are built into the easy to interface our consoles with external DSP Something else that DiGiCo doesn’t need to
software are always released to the customer at resources so users can run an effect on a laptop worry about, Webster says, is clogging up the I/O
no extra cost. and interface it specifically with the console on the console with effects returns.
“If you take our latest Generation II software whenever they need to.” “With an SD7, because of the Super FPGA
as an example, which we released at ProLight + and the DSP together, we can do up to 48 stereo
Sound earlier this year, that added lots of new DiGiCo effects – just returns on a console you’d need 96
functionality into our entire console range,” he One manufacturer that uses more than just DSP inputs for that,” he smiles. “And that’s excluding
continues. “We added an additional five reverbs, is DiGiCo: unlike any other brand, it uses Super any of the compressors, dynamic EQs and gates,
a dynamic EQ, a matrix mixer, several additional Field Programmable Gate Array (Super FPGA) for because they’re on every channel and every bus
modulation effects, and a new tap-delay.” all its audio path. of our consoles anyway.”
Because Midas’s digital consoles all boast “DSP is certainly powerful, but nowhere near Webster stresses that although all DiGiCo
identical effects and processing options, as powerful as Super FPGA,” claims DiGiCo’s customers are happy with the internal effects
from the Pro 1 all the way up to the XL8, the marketing director, David Webster. “What that and processing available in its consoles, the
manufacturer can provide full compatibility means is, when you’re dealing with something manufacturer realises that people will always
across the board, so to speak. that needs a lot of arithmetic calculations, like have their personal preferences in the way
“Uniquely, you can take a show file from a reverb, you can get a much higher quality out something should sound, therefore offers plug-in
any one of our consoles with a certain effects of Super FPGA. In the old days, for your house capability, via Waves.
rack as a component in that show file and it 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,
8 DUE PROCESS

9. consoles 2013
you’re basically running a separate server for with no loss of effects or processing power) and in the future we certainly hope to expand upon
audio only, and it uniquely saves that within a engaging any graphic brings band control onto that,” he adds. “Everything is based around our
session. The only thing that’s happening is its the channel faders. The channel FaderGlow Virtual Circuitry Modelling technology, of course,
number-crunching and the audio I/O is going turns red to show graphic mode, and the band and we also have many classic pieces of in-
in and out of the 2U box; everything else all frequency is shown above each fader in the LCD house hardware we are able to model digitally: a
happens within the console,” Webb reveals. display. The current channel-strip dynamics on number of classic reverbs, EQs, and compressors,
“It’s then saved as a Waves live session file with Soundcraft’s consoles originated with Studer, for example.”
a DiGiCo session file – the two are married. and because the audio quality was so high, the Angel reiterates that above all, it’s about
So, for example, say Eric Clapton’s using a manufacturer says it saw no reason to change quality, not quantity:
particular effect and you change it for his guitar them. “We are not going to go for a complete plug-
solo in Layla, that’s there, even though it’s in “The EQs and dynamics are currently in system – that brings problems, which we have
Waves; the console knows it, and it tells the Studer algorithms, developed for both live and seen in several competing manufacturers; we
Waves box what it wants, then you see it on the broadcast applications, and there’s actually a may have a slightly ‘closed-garden’ approach,
screen on the console. It’s totally integrated, plan in development to offer more choice of but anything that isn’t completely solid is not
whereas everybody else has to run it as if it’s a those algorithms,” he says. “At the moment we acceptable to us as a Yamaha solution.”
separate piece of outboard gear.” have a Vi dynamic strip, but it would be nice to
have the option of putting a dbx 160 in there Shut Down
Soundcraft too, and a BSS DPR901 – these are classic bits of Overall, quality is clearly paramount for all of
One of the benefits of being part of the kit and obvious targets for us to incorporate in these manufacturers, be it through reviving the
Harman Group, says Soundcraft’s Head of the future.” old analogue sounds of yesteryear through plug-
Digital Console Strategy, Andy Brown, is being ins or using other new technologies; in fact, it’s
able to utilise the best of all of its brands, which Yamaha the one thing that does seems constant: people
has had a positive impact on the effects and Yamaha’s latest line of digital consoles is the CL still want to recreate the classic processing of the
processing that’s gone into Soundcraft’s Vi and Series (CL1, 3 and 5), all of which include high 60s and 70s, and it doesn’t look like that is going
Si ranges of digital consoles. quality Portico 5033/5043 EQ and compressor to change any time soon.
“We are in a very good position as we have devices. The company’s current philosophy in
access to lots of well known and well-respected terms of effects and processing, according to Midas Consoles
brands, going from the Lexicon reverbs to R&D product specialist, Chris Angel, is three- www.midasconsoles.com
the dynamic stuff like BSS graphics and dbx fold, and right in line with the Yamaha’s basic
processing,” he says. “Our general philosophy is philosophy when it comes to designing and
DiGiCo
to try and get those brands into our consoles, building digital consoles.
www.digico.biz
and although we have certainly done that in “First and foremost, our customers always
our current offering, there’s a lot we’d like to do expect 100 per cent reliability from our products,
on that side of things. What’s also really cool is so processing reliability is completely key,” he 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

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

11. Live Sound
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Soundcraft T: +44 (0)1707 665000 E: soundcraft@harman.com
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12. + + + + 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

13. 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
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.
iLive Digital Mixing System and audio communication over a single CAT5 online real time operation of the system with
Having just released V1.9 firmware, featuring cable up to 120m in length by combining digital or without a Surface connected. Allen & Heath
a range of enhancements including new GEQ, audio and Ethernet traffic. has also designed the iLive Tweak app for iPhone
Dynamic EQ, and Multi-Band compressor All MixRacks feature the same 64x32 and the MixPad app for iPad, providing control
emulations, Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing RackExtra DSP mix engine architecture, of iLive’s essential functions for live mixing.
systems have built a strong reputation for audio providing processing for 64 channels, 32 mixes,
quality and ease of use. and eight stereo FX processors. The latest ZED Series
Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing systems dualcore DSP technology handles all the FX The ZED range of small format, USB-equipped
have built a strong reputation for audio quality and mixing along with the full dynamics, EQ, mixers is designed to be flexible and affordable
and ease of use. Featuring an extremely flexible and delay for all inputs and outputs for the modern working musician to use on
architecture with large-scale audio distribution simultaneously. iLive’s RackExtra FX suite the road or in the studio. The series comprises
and control, iLive is designed to bring an includes a comprehensive range of classic the ZED-10, ZED-14, ZED-18, and ZED-24
analogue feel to digital mixing and draws on the emulations including reverb, delay, ADT, stereo mixers; the ZED-10FX, ZED60-10FX,
company’s extensive experience in live sound chorus, flanger, hypabass, and gated verb. ZED-12FX, ZED60-14FX, ZED-16FX, and
and digital technology. The Port B option slot allows further audio ZED-22FX containing a comprehensive and
There are several Control Surface and networking possibilities, for example digital mic beautifully-crafted set of in-house designed FX;
MixRack variants, which can be mixed and splitting and multi-track recording, with ACE, the ZED 4-Bus range, designed for professional
matched in any combination and share EtherSound, Dante, MADI, ADAT, WAVES, and live sound applications that require more
the same firmware, so that show files are Aviom™ interfaces available, while a built-in detailed EQ control, audio groups, and matrix
transferable between systems via a USB key. network switch and MIDI ports at each end outputs; and the ZED-R16 dedicated recording
They connect together with CAT5 cable and allow remote control using laptops, touch tablets mixer, which combines Firewire with multi-
use the Ethernet protocol for control, such as and MIDI devices. The racks are compatible with mode MIDI/audio faders, MIDI controls and
Dante or Allen & Heath’s proprietary ACE the Allen & Heath PL Series remote controllers ‘home-studio’ routing, enabling the user to
(Audio Control over Ethernet) link, which allows and iLive Editor software, a user-friendly build tracks in the studio or record a live gig,
cost effective long distance point to point control program that enables both offline set up and mix-down and remix.
Morrissey, iLive Digital Mixing System.
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
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSOLE BUYER’S GUIDE 13

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