Audio Acquisitions Make Noise at NAB

Avid’s acquisition of Euphonix comes amid a flurry of  acquisitions in the audio sector of broadcast, including HME’s of Clear-Com Communications barely a week earlier and Behringer’s of Midas/Klark Teknik last month. Needless to say, there was plenty of armchair parsing of Avid’s intentions, ranging from increasing market share, particularly in the film-sound domain, to helping Avid solidify its own rebranding of the Digidesign name across all of its product categories. It certainly makes the mix-console market more interesting for the time being.

Not that it needed the help, with several new and noteworthy items at the NAB Show.

Calrec
The Artemis console builds on the Apollo work surface, with 510 channel-processing paths, 64 program busses, 48 IFB/track outputs. and 24 auxiliaries, as well as a second dynamics section in each channel with more than 70 minutes of assignable delay and three independent APFL systems for multiple-operator use. The Apollo control surface manages all these channels over 12 layers and on up to 320 physical faders. In addition, the Calrec A/B path-selection system is retained for those users who wish to use the desk like Calrec’s Alpha platform products.

Also, Calrec’s fully customizable 3RU I/O interface box fits into the company’s Hydra2 network system, is designed for studio or remote applications, and contributes to fast, easy signal routing among devices on an audio network. The Hydra2 network system is part of the Apollo/Artemis console platform, linking  the console control surface to the high-capacity 8192×8192 router and providing all of its I/O capability.

Fairlight
The EVO fully self-contained audio-production system is being shown for the first time. Starting at $68,000, it’s based on Fairlight’s Crystal Core Processing, the SX range of I/O options, and Xynergi self-labeling key technology. In terms of design, the emphasis is firmly on a streamlined user interface using assignable rotary encoders and touchscreens that deliver in-line controls and full-color displays for every fader. Other features include fader panels featuring full-color OLEDs, the option of 2,3,4 or 5 bay configurations, and  a customized surface panel layout.

Studer
The compact OnAir 2500 digital all-in-one radio-broadcast console uses software technology derived from the OnAir 3000 console. The control surface, I/O breakout, DSP Core, and power supply are all integrated within a single chassis. 
The fader strips include a graphical OLED (Organic LED) screen, which contains a channel label, level and gain-reduction meter, and parameter readouts, adjustable via a rotary encoder and two pushbuttons below the display. Large TFT color touchscreens use Studer’s patented Touch’n’Action system.

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