Calrec Says Goodbye To Analog Mixing Consoles

Calrec Audio, a major supplier of audio mixing consoles for sports broadcasts, will discontinue production of analog audio consoles as of Nov. 30, 2010. The decision to stop making analog consoles results from the broadcast market’s general adoption of digital technology, which has both reduced demand for analog products and made dedicated analog components difficult to come by, according to Jim Wilmer, Calrec’s director of sales for the Americas. Calrec has already stopped manufacturing its T-Series and Q2 analog consoles.

Until Nov. 30 the company is offering an opportunity to make final purchases of its S2, C2, and M3 analog consoles as well as modules and card assemblies. Beyond that date Calrec will continue to provide component spares and repair services for the S2, C2 and M3 consoles for a minimum of 10 years from shipment date. Should original components or parts become unavailable, Calrec will offer appropriate alternatives, including hardware/software solutions.

Calrec distributors will contact existing Calrec analog console customers to advise them of the details of the final-purchase offer and to assess their need for consoles, modules and cards.

Wilmer said that while the transition to digital mixers has been a global phenomenon, the U.S. market has been faster on the take-up. He cited issues such as the increasing scarcity of key analog electronics components, such as potentiometers, as well as the higher cost of unleaded components as more countries have regulated the use of lead in electronics products. “It’s happening all over, but this is a kind of milestone, really,” he adds.