Soundcraft Vi1 – Smaller, Lower Priced, But Still With Vistonicstm, Lexicon FX, BSS EQ’s, And That Sound Quality

With the Soundcraft Vi Series now firmly established as a firm favourite digital desk on both the touring, broadcast and installed sound scenes, Soundcraft have taken this amazing platform to another, more affordable level with the release of the new Vi1 console.

Many users have asked for a smaller, lower-priced desk that still has the acclaimed VistonicsTM user interface, and of course the now-legendary optimal sound quality established with the Vi Series.

So here it is, the Soundcraft Vi1TM.

A complete standalone console package with 32 channels of analogue input to 27 analogue outputs, plus 6 digital inputs, 4 Stereo FX Returns and 6 digital outputs in one chassis. As standard, Input to mix capacity is 46chs, but by adding a stagebox (compatible with the existing Vi racks), simultaneous channel count increases to 64. Channels are routable to 24 multifunction busses, plus LR and Mono Mix busses.

Up to 8 of the busses can be configured as Matrix mixes, each with up to 16 sources.

The surface is just over a metre wide, and includes 16 motorised channel faders with fixed and user-definable layers, 8 output/VCA faders and 2 master faders.

What’s really cool about the Vi1 though, is the new Widescreen Vistonics interface, which will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s driven a Vi6 or Vi4, as well as retaining the same ‘walk-up’ user-friendliness of the other Vi consoles. This new development displays all parameters for 16 channels side by side, on a single 22” Vistonics touch screen. The upper half of the screen handles the Output section control as well as Cue List or Menu displays. Parameter control is via two rows of 16 rotary encoders. Exactly the same channel functionality as the Vi6 and Vi4 is available here, along with all the same core snapshot, talkback and monitoring facilities.

Naturally, the Vi1 inherits many of the facilities of its larger siblings, including Soundcraft FaderGlowTM, 4 stereo Lexicon effects engines, BSS Audio graphic EQs on all output busses, and integral dynamics on all channels.

The desk is compatible with Vi4 and Vi6 show files through the Virtual Vi offline editor, which is available as a free download from www.soundcraft.com.

As you’d expect, the price of the Vi1 is extremely attractive, starting at around £15,000 UK list, which is sure to make it a clear winner with engineers and sound companies.

Andy Trott Appointed President of AKG

Soundcraft, Studer and AKG combine under the same management team.

VIENNA, Austria – Andy Trott, President of Harman’s mixer business Soundcraft Studer, with facilities in the UK and Switzerland, has also been made responsible for AKG, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

Stefan Gubi, who has headed up AKG or the past five years, is departing at the end of June, returning to a senior post in the telecom industry from where he originated prior to joining AKG.

Andy Trott, who has architected the ‘digitalisation’ of Soundcraft Studer’s business since he joined in early 2003, is understandably excited at the prospect of leading AKG. Speaking from Vienna today, Trott said, “Having a background as a digital engineer and a recording musician I am absolutely thrilled at the prospect of leading another legendary name in the audio industry. AKG has always been a brand I have revered and having now met with many of the team in Austria I can see many synergies with the new product development programs we have been pursuing in Soundcraft Studer.

“Harman’s strategy is to develop centres of excellence and by bringing our microphone and headphone business closer together with our mixer brands, we will be able to capitalise on engineering innovations currently under way in both camps--for example, we have several digital programs in place that can benefit from sharing one another’s creativity.”

Regarding organisation there will be minimal change, according to Trott. “We will obviously look for efficiencies and make sensible changes, but AKG is running well, much to the credit of Stefan’s [Gubi] work over the past four years. Nigel Beaumont, our VP of Operations, has been running our manufacturing operations across all three brands for almost a year now and the marketing teams, in line with all Harman Professional brands, work together on a daily basis so the businesses are comfortable working together.”

Accepting his new appointment in the same year as AKG received a coveted Technical GRAMMY Award, Trott was keen to point out that his strategy is to spearhead growth. “Like Studer, AKG has over 60 years of proud history valued by staff, distributors and customers alike, and this is something we want to protect as we pioneer new technologies--no other brands can offer such an integrated set of possibilities for future products as we can.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

Soundcraft Vi6™ Conquers The Great White North

WHITEHORSE, Canada – The Yukon Arts Centre (YAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of the arts as an important cultural, social and economic force in the Yukon, and the territory’s premier venue for performing and visual arts, has purchased and installed a Soundcraft Vi6™ large-format digital live sound console. The Vi6 emerged as the clear winner of a nearly year-long period of intensive research and systematic comparison by Patrick Matheson, Technical Director of the YAC, which saw the Vi6 emerge superior in key performance categories including intuitive operation, a fast learning curve and exceptional reliability. In the year since the Vi6 was installed at the YAC, it has acted as the FOH mixing platform--and often simultaneously as the monitor mixer, as well--for a wide range of music artists, consistently delivering great sound and smooth performance.

Intended to be a model for the development of the arts in Canada’s North territory, the YAC’s 428-seat proscenium theater offers outstanding acoustics and top-of-the line technical support to provide an engaging experience for performers and audiences alike. YAC has become a major presentation venue in Canada, showcasing performances ranging from hip-hop to modern dance, from cutting-edge theater to national and international music headliners, and everything in between. But it’s unique in another way, as well. “Being in a fairly remote area of the country, we have to try to be all things to all people to the extent that we can,” explains Matheson, who has acted as Technical Director for the YAC for the past five years. He spent the better part of the last year intently researching the YAC’s first foray into digital mixing, which promised to give the YAC’s audio system the flexibility it needed.

“Once we decided to go with a digital console, we knew that it had to meet some very rigorous criteria,” he says, again noting that Yukon’s vastness and remoteness meant that the console would have to offer outstanding reliability even while it was being used almost every night, often to mix both FOH and monitors. Furthermore, with nearly half the visiting artists performing at the YAC bringing their own live sound engineers, the console had to be user-friendly. “We reviewed a lot of candidates,” says Matheson, who compared specifications of several different consoles and contacted colleagues asking their experiences with them. The results increasingly pointed towards the Soundcraft Vi6.

When Matheson visited the General Motors Place arena, home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, where a Vi6 had been installed a year earlier, he realized he had found what he was looking for. “We needed a board that had already proven itself, yet was still state of the art, that could perform multiple functions yet be as familiar as an analog console for visiting engineers,” he says. “The Vi6 was all that and more. The touch-screens are easy to navigate – you know where everything is and where it’s routed all the time, which is much better than a single screen where you have to go through several layers to find everything. Plus, we have had a lot of good experience with systems from BSS, Lexicon and Studer, and those technologies are all integrated into the Vi6, such as the Vistonics™ interface. I’m an Apple computer user, so I have a very specific idea of what a simple but effective user interface is, and I have to say that if Steve Jobs designed a digital audio console, the Vi6 would be it. Visiting engineers are on it after just a 10- to 15-minute tutorial. It’s a console that speaks to its operators. It’s been the perfect choice.”

Soundcraft is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Lights! Camera! Sound! Technology From Harman Professional Provides Audio For The Legendary Sundance Institute Feature Film and Composers Lab

Fledgling filmmakers are mentored at the Sundance Labs Program, for which Harman Professional provides leading-edge technology products from JBL and Soundcraft, including JBL LSR studio reference monitors and Soundcraft M Series mixers for editing and mixing of film soundtracks and dialogue, and for film scores

For the past 11 years, Harman Professional technology has helped young filmmakers find their voice at Sundance and this year is no different, with Harman providing 7 pairs of JBL LSR2300 monitors, 3 Soundcraft M12 mixers and 3 M8 mixers for the summer-long program

NORTHRIDGE, California –- Continuing its support of excellence and creative innovation among young filmmakers, Harman Professional will once again provide cutting-edge audio technology for this season’s Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program that takes place from June through September at the Sundance Institute in Provo, Utah.  This year — the program’s 12th season — Harman Professional will provide seven pairs of JBL LSR2300 monitors, three Soundcraft M12 mixers and three Soundcraft M8 mixers for use in the program’s film editing and scoring projects.  HP Marketing, of Centennial, Colorado, the Harman Professional regional manufacturer’s representative and a long-time supporter of Sundance, facilitated the equipment’s delivery to Sundance.

Reservoir Dogs, Boys Don’t Cry, Requiem For A Dream. These are just a few of the now-classic movies that had their starts at the Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program, which every year nurtures a select group of aspiring filmmakers in a workshop environment where they are mentored by some of the best minds on the film industry. The Feature Film Program, which also includes the Film Composers Lab in which young music scoring talent is cultivated, takes place in the hills of Utah, far from the high-tech sound stages of Hollywood. However, thanks to Harman Professional’s commitment to the advancement of film sound, the work at Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program benefits from the same technology platforms these students will be using when they begin their careers in Hollywood.  The JBL LSR2300 Series Studio Monitors features the same stringent Linear Spatial Reference criteria used in the design of the acclaimed LSR6300 and LSR4300 Series for absolute accuracy at the mix position in any environment. The Soundcraft M Series mixers deliver a great-sounding, reliable performance in any environment, offering a familiar user interface with advanced design and construction, including high-quality 100mm faders combined with signal and peak LEDs on every channel and high resolution output metering.

“The Sundance Institute Feature Film and Composers Programs are extraordinary undertakings,” states Ian Calderon, Director of Digital Initiatives.  “Our visiting filmmakers, composers and creative advisors expect to use the best technology resources while at Sundance.  JBL and Soundcraft have consistently met those expectations and we are grateful for their continued support.”

Scott Johnson, Technical Director for the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab Program, notes that the JBL and Soundcraft equipment are used throughout the summer, for all the editing work and for the Film Composers Labs working first on documentaries and then on narrative features later in the summer.  Now in his 11th year with the program, Johnson says JBL and Soundcraft have been an integral part of the initiative for as long as he can remember. “The equipment is great – it really helps raise the technical and creative bar at the Labs,” he says. “Working with this kind of quality equipment in this remote environment gives the students an incredible advantage, one that I’m sure will stay with them for the rest of their careers.”

Commenting on the initiative, Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales noted, “Innovation comes in many shapes and forms. Organizationally, Harman is deeply committed to creative and technological innovation in our culture and in the community.  The Sundance Institute shares this commitment to innovation and education, which is why support for the Institute labs is a natural step for Harman.

About Sundance Institute: Dedicated year-round to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences, Sundance Institute was founded by Robert Redford in 1981 in the mountains of Sundance, Utah. Since that time, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for thousands of independent artists. The Institute advances originality, authenticity, and innovation in storytelling by offering creative and financial support to artists around the world.

Through year-round support and a series of Labs and fellowships for screenwriters, directors, and producers, the Institute’s Feature Film Program has supported more than 200 feature films, connecting filmmakers with musicians, the Film Music Program’s Composers Lab allows accomplished musicians to explore composing for film while introducing filmmakers to the importance of music in film.

Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Harman Professional Shows Its World-Class Capabilities At Spectacular Opening Ceremony For Expo 2010 Shanghai China

Harman brands BSS Audio, Crown Audio JBL, Soundcraft and Studer will support the theme of the world’s largest-ever world’s trade fair, “Better City – Better Life”, with the advantage that Harman Professional technology brings to everything application: “Better Sound”

SHANGHAI, China — Underscoring its leadership in audio technology design and manufacturing, Harman (NYSE: HAR), a leading provider of branded audio and infotainment electronics for the home, the car, and sound professionals, today announced that key Harman products will play a crucial role in the Opening Ceremony for Expo 2010 Shanghai China, which takes place on April 30, 2010, in Shanghai.

The ceremonies, which will inaugurate the world’s largest-ever trade fair, where an anticipated 70 to 100 million attendees will view exhibits from over 200 countries during the event’s 6-month duration, will be dramatic, including music, vocalists, dancers and pyrotechnics.   The World Expo Opening ceremony, produced by DAE, will be an ambitious, highly coordinated multi-site spectacle with synchronized indoor programs at both the Expo Center and Performance Center and outdoor programs at the Celebration Square and along the Huangpu River.  An audience of 40,000 is expected to view these magnificent presentations. To assure that the ceremony will have the absolute best sound possible, the event planners have turned to BSS Audio and Crown Audio, JBL, Soundcraft and Studer to provide the most reliable and advanced audio technology in the world.

The technical scale of World Expo 2010 Shanghai is stunning and vast: the sound will need to cover over 3.2 million square feet of event space; 440 channels of Crown amplification totaling 350,000 watts of power as well as nearly 40 miles of fiber-optic cabling will be deployed – its total length can encircle the Tiananmen Square in Beijing 23 times! To meet these enormous requirements, the highly sophisticated Studer Route 6000 audio router’s 1728x1728 I/O capability is more than sufficient to address the 536 I/Os the audio systems will require, including 24 channels of stereo upmixed to 5.1 and 5.1 surround audio downmixed to stereo for the broadcast portions of the shows. The audio will be processed using 165 BSS Audio BLU 160 signal processors, creating a matrix of 660 channels of EQ, delay and dynamics processing. The audio will be delivered to the massive crowds though a number of JBL systems which will include a large distributed system utilizing Control 29AV two-way loudspeakers.  The primary loudspeaker system for Celebration Square will include Vertec VT-4889 and VT4880A line array clusters.  VRX Series will also be used in some select areas for the ceremonies.

“The scale of these ceremonies will be truly astounding,” explained Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional executive vice president of marketing & sales, noting that it will take a small army of 80 technicians 40 days to put all of the systems in place. “The scale, performance and reliability that an event like this demands can only be provided by a family of companies that are found within Harman. We’re extremely pleased to be working with Expo 2010 Shanghai China and show producer DAE to assure that these opening ceremonies will be the most amazing ever seen.”

Harman HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. Harman HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across Harman’s Professional Division and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Soundcraft’s Success Above The Arctic Circle Continues As Bodo Kulturhus Invests In Vi6

BODO, Norway – Bodo, the second largest city in north Norway, and home of the Bodo Kulturhus, is located just north of the Arctic Circle.

The Kulturhus, literally “House of Culture,” is a performing arts center known for staging its own theatrical and musical productions as well as being host to touring productions covering a wide spectrum of music and performing arts.

The Kulturhus has recently added a Soundcraft Vi6 console to its inventory, with sale and service provided by local sound specialist Lydteamet Bodo.

Håvard Christensen, sound engineer at the Kulturhus, explained their decision. “To my eyes and ears, the sound quality of the Vi consoles is unmatched. In addition to this most important feature, the console is proving to be very easy and flexible in use.

“I have had many opportunities to work with Vi’s in various applications over the years — and with good reason this platform has become a quasi standard here in Norway.”

Christensen is an avid sound engineer in both the monitor and FOH positions, and is known for his work on prestigious projects like the Nordnorsk Symfoniorkester and the Festspillene i Nord Norge. Besides holding a permanent position at the Kulturhus he also runs his own production studio.

Morten Buvik from Lydteamet Bodo, adds: “Our own Vi6’s have been a great success since we invested in our first console in 2008. The main reason, apart from the obvious requirement for a digital console, was the exceptional sound quality.

“The consoles have been used on many productions ranging from Opera, to Theater Revue shows and Rock Festivals.

“The Vi’s are liked by our own technical staff as well as the guest engineers we supply — so it was almost a logical consequence that the Kulturhus also decided to go the Vi route.

“I am very proud that they chose us as a supplier.”

Soundcraft Founder Graham Blyth To Perform 32nd Concert Recital For The AES

Graham Blyth, founder of Soundcraft in 1973, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society, will perform his 32nd concert recital for the AES on Saturday 22nd May at 8 PM at Temple Church, (http://www.templechurch.com) built by the Knights Templar, located near Fleet Street / Embankment in London.

Today, Graham is Technical Director at Soundcraft Studer’s headquarters in Potters Bar and remains one of the world’s most respected audio designers, with a string of leading products to his name. These include the first flight cased touring console--the Soundcraft Series 1--in 1975, the Series 5, MH and GB ranges, through to today’s leading tour and installation range of Vi Series digital consoles. Graham is widely recognised for the easy-to-use, intuitive user-interface of his consoles as well as the audio quality driven through his many innovations including a range of superb GB mic pre-amplifiers and the ‘British sound’ of the GB30 EQ.

What many people don’t realise is that Graham is a world-renowned organist and has played this complex instrument in famous churches all over the world as part of the AES’s programme of annual events since 1993.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

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Soundcraft Puts The Si Into City Showcase

Now in its ninth year, City Showcase took place for the first time this month at the British Music Experience (and other venues within London’s O2 Arena complex) over a 4-day period. With a reputation for showcasing new talent, City Showcase is a not-for-profit company whose aim is to help unsigned acts make it in the commercial world of today’s music industry.

This year’s festival was dubbed City Showcase Rocklands, with many venues in southeast London participating in the build-up, providing the opportunity for the best to play the stage at BME, the interactive music museum within the O2.

City Showcase can boast many new discoveries over the years, and if the mixing console had a role to play in providing an edge for the wide variety of talent on view, then Soundcraft’s new 64-input Si3 digital surface, in the capable hands of experienced FOH engineer Pete Freeman, can also take a pat on the back.

By day Freeman is technical manager and FOH sound engineer at Gibson Guitar Studio in London’s Rathbone Street (Gibson being one of the five major sponsors of the BME). This was his first year on duty at the Festival, where he was called on to mix the bands and act as general site manager under the guise of his own company, APA Live Events Ltd.

And he ensured those supporting sites were well-equipped. Various compact Soundcraft Notepad mixers (some with integral digital effects processors) and small self-powered PA systems were installed in the O2 Shop and Union Square, and popular bars and restaurants such as Slug & Lettuce, s&m, Frankie and Benny’s, Spur, Las Iguanas and Ha Ha.

Each hosted one act per day, and on his choice of the Soundcraft Notepad, Freeman says, “We needed the mixer to be easy to understand, and to facilitate a self-soundcheck system. The Notepad was great for this as it worked really well.” 

Back at the 500-capacity BME sound stage, Freeman was flying around the Si3 he has used a thousand times before at Gibson.

“The feel and work flow make it really easy to get around the board swiftly, and create a mix as an act is taking the stage. I’ve always loved the desk’s FaderGlow™ too!” The patented system shows what mode the faders are in, and the OLED displays in the output section ensure that the sound engineer never gets lost in his board navigation or operational status.”

In fact, only one band was accompanied by its own sound engineer — requiring a fast-track induction from Freeman. “It’s a really simple desk to explain,” he says, “but that’s probably because I know it inside out.”

Aside from FaderGlow, there are many features that he likes about the Si3. “I love the effects, and the preamps are great even when running upwards of 48 channels. It’s nice not to have to bring a stage box and run a multicore if it’s not necessary.”

The ease with which he was able to soundcheck acts and then save and recall the settings also simplified his task. “Cues can be designed on your laptop and then simply loaded onto the console via USB stick — it’s things like this that are useful.”

Finally, he says, there is the desk’s design aesthetic. “I think it has a real retro 70's cool look about if with the FaderGlow and the case colouration. It makes you feel like soundchecking with the theme from Shaft!

“Different horses for different courses I suppose …”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010.  The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

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Lionel Richie And Premier Sound Services Rock Baton Rouge With Soundcraft Vi6™

Premier Sound Services of Baton Rouge, Louisiana recently provided the sound reinforcement system for a Lionel Richie concert as part of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation’s 25th anniversary benefit gala. The system featured a variety of audio products from Harman Professional, including a Soundcraft Vi6 digital console at the front-of-house position. The concert took place at the Baton Rouge River Center and served to raise money for the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

For the event, PSS provided a Soundcraft Vi6, which the company purchased in late 2009. PSS utilized an expansion card to bring the Vi6 to 96 inputs. “We bought the Vi6 because of its analog feel and the built-in Lexicon effects are superior to the effects in other digital consoles,” says Russ Bryant, co-owner (with Brian Gordon) of PSS. “The expandability to 96 inputs without the need for additional sidecars was a huge benefit and, of course, the sonic quality is amazing.”

The main PA system included 12 JBL VERTEC® midsize line array elements per side, eight VT4887 compact line array elements per side for out fill, with six VT4886 subcompact line array elements as front fill, with two arrays of four VT4886 loudspeakers with two VT4883 subcompact arrayable subwoofers each for side fills. Crown I-Tech 8000 amplifiers powered the VT4888 and VT4887 line arrays, while I-Tech HD amplifiers powered the VT4886 loudspeakers. In addition, PSS deployed 16 JBL SR712M stage monitors, along with four VT4886 loudspeakers and two VT4883 subwoofers as drum wedges. The system was configured and controlled via Harman’s HiQnet™ System Architect™.

With a growing business and an increasingly diverse array of projects, PSS also recently purchased a set of 48-channel Soundcraft Si2 consoles, largely on the strength of its success with the Vi6. “I think the Vi6 is ideal for just about any event, we’ve used it for rock shows, festivals, conventions, you name it,” Bryant added.

For more information on Premier Sound Services, please visit www.psssound.com or call 225.923.0228

Soundcraft is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Photo Credits: Thompson Photography

Swing House Synergizes Sunset Strip and South by Southwest With Soundcraft

As it has done for the past three years, Los Angeles-based Swing House Productions provided live audio services and event production for performances at the Rusty Spurs club in Austin during the South by Southwest festival. This year, however, Swing House made a change by drawing from its own audio inventory for the festival, deploying a Soundcraft Vi4™ console for Rusty Spurs’ indoor stage and a Soundcraft GB4 console for a smaller stage in the outdoor area.

Starting out as a rehearsal studio, Swing House Productions has expanded into studio recording, rental department, full event production and Artist development and Management. The company’s work at South by Southwest is an extension of its relationship with the renowned Roxy music club in Hollywood. “Each year at South by Southwest, the Roxy sponsors one venue in Austin and that venue essentially transforms into the Roxy for the week,” says Phil Jaurigui, President of Swing House Productions.

This transformation includes performances by artists who are synonymous with the Roxy. To wit, this year saw the likes of Tom Morello’s Street Sweeper Social Club, Minus The Bear, Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In total, Rusty Spurs hosted 112 bands over the span of five days.

Because Rusty Spurs does not normally feature live music, the onus fell on Swing House to not only set up a complete audio system, but one that would recreate the feel of the Roxy. “Rusty Spurs is a regular bar with no stage and no PA, so we provided the PA, the backline, the staging and everything else that it takes to change a country bar into a rock and roll nightclub,” Juarigui says.

To that end, Swing House brought its Vi4 console from its Los Angeles headquarters to Austin for the week. The audio system also included JBL SRX728 loudspeakers and SRX718S subwoofers for the main stage, with powered JBL EON15 portable loudspeakers for the outdoor stage. Crown amplifiers power the audio system, which also includes system EQ from dbx.

“Tom Der of Soundcraft turned us onto the Vi4 last year when he rented it to use for South by Southwest and we loved it,” Jaurigui says. “We have our own now and we use it in our studio for rehearsals with everyone from Maroon 5 to Iggy and the Stooges.”

Sam Coy served as the primary sound engineer for the week, which required him to quickly and repeatedly switch bands over from stage to stage for 14 hours each day. With little time to spare between performances, reliability of the audio consoles was as important as sound quality. “The attendance at Rusty Spurs was higher than it’s ever been,” Jaurigui says. “It was packed all the way through and while it was overwhelming at times, we didn’t have a single instance where either console went down.”

Moreover, Jaurigui notes that the Vi4 is not only easy to use, but also ideal for high-impact, high-volume performances. “The Vi4 is so intuitive where even if you’re only used to analog consoles you can pick it up quickly,” Jaurigui adds. “The sound is so clean and it’s very powerful and very punchy—you can really get that aggressive sound out of it that you need with rock acts.”

In addition, because the Vi4 packs so many features into a reasonably sized chassis, the transformation of Rusty Spurs into the Roxy was even more seamless. “There are so many built-in effects that sound great and it doesn’t take up much space for a fairly big console,” Jaurigui says. “Even in a small bar like Rusty Spurs, it fits comfortably. It looks great, too. All week, people were walking up to the console and were fascinated by it.”

For more information on Swing House Productions, please visit www.swinghouse.com

Ministry of Sound chooses Soundcraft Si2 Digital Console

Ministry of Sound London’s Technical Manager Alex Barrand moved a step nearer his sonic nirvana with the commissioning of a Soundcraft Si2 digital sound desk for the famous main dance room, The Box. At the PLASA Show last September he was introduced to the Soundcraft Si1 by Harman UK/ROI distributor Sound Technology’s Dave Bradshaw (also former head of technology at the Ministry).

“There are so many digital desks on the market — but I realised that this was the easiest analogue-to-digital conversion desk money can buy,” commented Alex.

As it transpired, Ministry opted for the larger Si2 model. Whereas the standard Si1 has 32 mic inputs mapped on 16 faders, with four dedicated stereo line channels and four dedicated FX Returns from the Lexicon FX processors, the Si2 has 48 mic inputs mapped on 24 faders.

“My other house technicians are delighted with the upgrade,” confirms Alex, who has long been familiar with the Soundcraft topography and excellent signature sound. “ I have used a Vi before and as well as one of the old SM24’s, and have always felt comfortable. But I had never been on this.”

The console was pressed into service straight out of the box. “After patching the desk on the virtual version then uploading the show data it was extremely easy,” he said. “The sound was the best we have ever had, from the moment we turned it on.”

The Si2 is used as master mixer for the main room setups, taking feeds from all the booth DJ mixers — as well as bands. Alex Barrand says the extra fader group provided by the Si2 was a real bonus, adding that he no longer has any need for an outboard rack … although it is simple to make third party inserts, such as a valve compressor.

“With four Lexicon processors and each channel with its own gate, comps and EQ using dbx and BSS heritage components I have everything I need inline. It’s got a lot more weight behind it. Plus every input and output has its own dedicated input (output) socket on the back of the console.”

The Si2 also allows him to download a virtual console on his laptop and save show mixes to a USB from home.

Finally, the 24 Group/Aux busses, available at all times, have made Alex Barrand’s life (and those of his technicians) a breeze. “On our old analogue desks it was a nightmare to do switchovers — you had to put together your outboard racks every night. But using the bus sends on the Si2 anything can be done very quickly.

“Even the strictly analogue guys are over the moon.”

Further information from UK/ROI distributor Sound Technnology Ltd on 01462 480000, info@soundtech.co.uk, www.soundtech.co.uk/soundcraft

Mike Stock To Appear At Harman Booth At NAB 2010

Soundcraft Studer has announced that Mike Stock, one of television’s most successful audio engineers, will be on hand at the Harman booth (#C2619) at the NAB show on Wednesday, April 14 from 10 AM to 6 PM. NAB attendees are encouraged to visit the Harman booth to meet with Stock, and to see Soundcraft Studer’s latest product offerings for the broadcast industry. Stock’s visit is part of Soundcraft Studer’s “Mixing With Professionals” program, which centers around many of the industry’s most accomplished audio engineers and their experiences with Soundcraft and Studer consoles. 

Stock has served as production sound mixer on a variety of television programs, including “Dr. Phil,” “The Doctors,” “The NFL on FOX,” “The Bachelor” and “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” as well as numerous live events on the TV Guide Channel.

For “Dr. Phil,” “The Doctors” and “The NFL on FOX,” Stock mixes the audio using a Studer Vista 8 console. “I love mixing on the Vista 8,” Stock says. “It has a very easy learning curve for such a sophisticated desk.”

According to Stock, the Vista 8’s flexibility is one of its most valuable assets. “I use the Vista 8 at Paramount Studios to mix ‘Dr. Phil’ Monday through Wednesday and mix ‘The Doctors’ on Thursday and Friday,” Stock says. “I don’t have to patch a thing when making the transition between the two shows, I simply change a title on the desk.”

The Studer Vista 8 combines powerful broadcast features with dynamic automation to offer a highly sophisticated and flexible multipurpose live broadcast desk. The Control Bay design offers 10 faders in a small footprint, making it ideal for both fixed install broadcast and OB van applications. In addition, a sophisticated snapshot system and dedicated mute groups make this also the perfect choice for fixed install live applications. The Vista 8 also incorporates the worldwide acclaimed Vistonics™ user interface.

THE EDGE Cuts Through With Soundcraft® Si3 Console

THE EDGE, one of New Zealand’s leading performing arts, commercial entertainment and convention facilities, recently purchased a Soundcraft Si3 console to accommodate its three separate venues. Located in Auckland, THE EDGE is home to the Aotea Centre’s ASB Theatre and Conventions Wing, The Civic and Auckland Town Hall performance venues.

With the variety of events in each venue and different requirements for each sound system (not to mention the large number of visiting audio engineers), THE EDGE needed a console that was easy to use with a short learning curve.  “Our three main venues have different systems, so it was important to have a console that we could configure and save settings for each venue without having to reinvent the wheel each time the desk is moved,” says Production Purchasing Officer Joey Rabel. 

THE EDGE found the ideal solution in the Soundcraft Si3. “The Si3 has everything accessible on the surface or at least one button push away, which enables even a rookie digital tech to quickly become familiar with operating the desk,” Rabel says.

With lots of shows with multiple acts, short sound checks and quick changeovers, the ability to save all settings and recall them instantly is highly appreciated by Senior Sound Engineer Rob Henry.

In addition, the onboard processing, dynamics and compact size of the Si3 translates into a reduction in space requirements at the mix position, meaning more audience seats are available. “That’s got to keep the bean counters happy” Rabel quips. 

“The Si3’s Soundcraft pedigree meant that sound quality and reliability are non-issues and the excellent support from [Soundcraft distributor] Jands Ltd. made the decision to purchase the Si3 an easy one,” Rabel said.

Hard Rock Café Singapore Gets In The Mix With Soundcraft® Si2

Singapore recently upgraded its in-house sound system with a Soundcraft Si2 console to easily manage all entertainment from background music to multiple live bands each night, keeping tourists, locals, musicians and celebrities continuously coming back for more.

HRC Singapore was the first HRC to open in Asia more than 20 years ago.  The first mixing console in use when it first opened was the Soundcraft Spirit Live.  It was subsequently replaced by a Soundcraft Delta and a Soundcraft Series 8000 32 channel that was in use for more than 10 years. 

With a history of bringing the best in entertainment to its customers, the management and technical crew at HRC Singapore decided to replace its older Soundcraft Series 8000 console with the Soundcraft Si2.  “It always comes down to the overall experience with our patrons, so we decided to concentrate on making the music really stand out.  We have been using Soundcraft consoles from Day One and are very happy with their quality, sound and reliability” “With the Si2, our system has performed flawlessly and sounds great,” says Irwan Snin, Front of House Engineer.

Supplied and installed by Electronics & Engineering (E&E) PTE LTD in Singapore, the Si2 continues to provide quality sound to Hard Rock Café fans every day. Established in 1951, E&E is one of Singapore’s leading A/V specialty contractors, and has represented Soundcraft for more than 20 years.

Gary Goh, Director of E&E stated, “The user-friendliness of the board was the top selling point in our work with Hard Rock. The digital console was perfect for a mid-sized venue like this one.  There is no doubt that the Si2 has made musical operations run much more smoothly at the Hard Rock.”

Lokesh Pilots Fully Loaded Soundcraft Si3 As Indian Air Force Shows Its Firepower

Soundcraft’s compact Si3 digital desk continues to be put through its paces in the Indian sub-continent by New Delhi-based rental company, Dhawan Electricals Pvt Ltd — most recently in front of the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

Owner Yogesh Dhawan reports that Vayu Shakti 2010, a 3-hour spectacular which took place in the remote desert location of Pokhran, Rajasthan, was attended by the Indian President and other dignitaries, including the chiefs of all the armed forces.

The show included bone chilling air acrobatics, mid-air dog fights, supersonic aircrafts shelling targets, Air Force helicopters dropping tanks, and so on … all to the accompaniment of a 65-piece orchestra whose music filled the air with emotion, in recognition of the brave soldiers who fight for the country.

The view from the mixer bridge may have been somewhat different than from the air traffic control tower, but for Yogesh Dhawan and sound engineer Lokesh Dhawan, this show represented the first time that all 64 inputs on their Soundcraft Si3 had been deployed, with mic feeds from the orchestra as well as the live commentators, who guided the audience through the proceedings.

Building up production in such a remote location brings its own problems. Pokhran is around 50 km from the nearest city and 60km from the Pakistan border (it was the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation). Being a desert area there is scarcity of water, mobiles rarely work, newspapers don’t reach the area and neither does television.

Vayu Shakti, which means ‘air power,’ was designed to provide a demonstration of the Indian Air Force’s latest warfare technology, with the show running through the daytime and after dark.

All of which provided an exacting task for the Si3 (and its audio pilot). Lokesh Dhawan had to mic seven commentators (each a specialist in the different fighter aircrafts), with two mics for the VIP podium and one for the officer who provided a target briefing to the president — all assigned to Bank A of the desk.

The input division of the 65-piece symphony orchestra of the Indian Air Force, consisting of brass, jazz and Indian instruments, was also assigned to Bank A, with Bank B containing the rhythm section, Bank C all the wind instruments, and Bank D the strings, which used a further eight mics.

The next four inputs were from line devices (laptop and a CD player) while the other two line inputs were connected to the wireless receivers which took the commands of the aerobatic team commanders, for broadcast to the public. The final four inputs were for the Lexicon reverbs, which were used on the band.

As for outputs, feeds were sent to the L/C/R line array, with eight aux for the band monitors and two for side fills. From the output matrix the video set-up received four feeds, there was a 9-camera production unit, which recorded the entire event and fed the live telecast as well as about 50 TV channels and radio. 

Two matrix outs were also used by Lokesh to feed the audio break-out boxes for all the electronic media — another matrix out fed a special monitor which had been provided for the Indian President in case she decided to sit in a covered enclosure specially built for her, and the final matrix provided a feed to the ATC, situated a mile away, so that they knew what was going on. 

Despite the scale of this event, the ease of programming and configuring the Si3 meant that Lokesh Dhawan was able to set up the entire band in four hours. “We had to do this early in the morning because during the daytime the temperatures were 45°C and it was impossible to work. Once balanced, all I had to do was check once, do a little fine tuning and then save the program.”

“I had absolutely no difficulty of any kind, whereas with an analogue mixer it would have been impossible,” he says.

The show was such a success that Dhawan Electricals has already been put on standby for next year’s event. Says Lokesh: “And this was all because, thanks to the Si3, we managed to deliver!”

Amsterdam’s Famous Melkweg Invests In Soundcraft Vi4

Leading Amsterdam music and arts centre, the Melkweg has purchased a multipurpose Soundcraft Vi4™ from Dutch distributors Audio XL. The technology company’s live sound manager, Jeroen van Keeken, confirms that the decision to purchase the Soundcraft platform for use in the venue’s 700-person capacity Oude Zaal (Old Room) was taken by head technician Richard Balk following extensive evaluation.

Van Keeken explains, “The Melkweg caters for many disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, cinema — and other media. So they needed a versatile desk.”

He adds that the investment forms the latest phase in an extensive upgrade of the venue, which will see an increase in capacity. “Richard and his team of house engineers looked at all the leading consoles, and visited other venues. But in many cases these desks were too complicated,” he says.

Richard Balk was already familiar with the Soundcraft digital topology. The Melkweg’s head of sound liked the intuitive Vistonics™ II interface — providing a fast-track learning curve for uninitiated engineers — as well as the 48-channel input capacity (on 24 faders). This provides the ideal footprint for the limited space of the second room, without the need for external outboard racks. Finally, he was impressed with the library of Lexicon effects and BSS EQ’s.

Richard Balk added that the selection of the Vi4 not only unanimously met the approval of the house technicians but also guest engineers, who have been delighted to work on the surface. The overall sound quality and the support he knows he will receive from van Keeken’s team at Audio XL clinched the deal.

In preparation for a further technical upgrade to their increased 1,500-person capacity main room (‘The Max’) Balk has also asked for CAT5 cables to be laid so that once the next phase is complete, they can patch between the two rooms.

Van Keeken says that the DSP expansion card on the Vi4 will give the venue access up to 72 channels via the outputs on the local rack. “Another nice touch,” he says, “is because Dutch sound engineers are so tall we are having special brackets made to elevate the desk, which will travel up and down over a distance of 20cm. This will ensure that their hands will always be at the right angle to the desk for maximum comfort.”

New Soundcraft V3.0 Software Adds Even More Power To Si Series

Soundcraft is introducing its new V3.0 software for its Si Series consoles, offering increased DSP channels, I/O patching and improved layering of the control surface faders.

Not only does the new upgrade support I/O patching of inputs and outputs, but more DSP channels have been realised increasing the mix capacity of the Soundcraft Si1 from 48 to 72, and the Soundcraft Si2 from 64 to 80. These mix channels come from the pool of I/O formed by the local inputs, FX Returns and the option card slot.

The patching facility provides a simple way to freely route not only inputs from physical connectors to DSP channels, but also to assign the channel direct outputs and buses as desired to the MADI outputs (for example a second Si Series console to create a FOH and Monitor pair) or to a MADI-based recording system.

The unique ‘Auto Complete’ feature allows ‘one-touch’ patching of multiple I/O points to channels or buses to save valuable time and avoid mistakes when requiring to re-patch lots of inputs or outputs for example, when switching all input sources to the MADI card for a virtual sound check. 

The optional MADI card can also be used to integrate any Si Series console with a Soundcraft Vi Series console, connecting directly into a Vi Series stagebox so the two consoles can share stage inputs.

Further increasing the power of the Soundcraft Si1 are the optional expansion cards; these are available as either 16 additional mic inputs or eight mic inputs and eight line outputs. Needless to say, these additional inputs and outputs contribute to the available pool of I/O for mixing.

To complement the patching and DSP increase, fader layers have been updated to improve the workflow and allow full ‘multi-user operation’ on an Si3 as both the left and right sides of the console can now access the same channels at the same time.

Soundcraft Vi1 – Smaller, Lower Priced, But Still With Vistonicstm, Lexicon FX, BSS EQ’s, And That Sound Quality

With the Soundcraft Vi Series now firmly established as a firm favourite digital desk on both the touring, broadcast and installed sound scenes, Soundcraft have taken this amazing platform to another, more affordable level with the release of the new Vi1 console.

Many users have asked for a smaller, lower-priced desk that still has the acclaimed VistonicsTM user interface, and of course the now-legendary optimal sound quality established with the Vi Series.

So here it is, the Soundcraft Vi1TM.

A complete standalone console package with 32 channels of analogue input to 27 analogue outputs, plus 6 digital inputs, 4 Stereo FX Returns and 6 digital outputs in one chassis. As standard, Input to mix capacity is 46chs, but by adding a stagebox (compatible with the existing Vi racks), simultaneous channel count increases to 64. Channels are routable to 24 multifunction busses, plus LR and Mono Mix busses.

Up to 8 of the busses can be configured as Matrix mixes, each with up to 16 sources.

The surface is just over a metre wide, and includes 16 motorised channel faders with fixed and user-definable layers, 8 output/VCA faders and 2 master faders.

What’s really cool about the Vi1 though, is the new Widescreen Vistonics interface, which will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s driven a Vi6 or Vi4, as well as retaining the same ‘walk-up’ user-friendliness of the other Vi consoles. This new development displays all parameters for 16 channels side by side, on a single 22” Vistonics touch screen. The upper half of the screen handles the Output section control as well as Cue List or Menu displays. Parameter control is via two rows of 16 rotary encoders. Exactly the same channel functionality as the Vi6 and Vi4 is available here, along with all the same core snapshot, talkback and monitoring facilities.

Naturally, the Vi1 inherits many of the facilities of its larger siblings, including Soundcraft FaderGlowTM, 4 stereo Lexicon effects engines, BSS Audio graphic EQs on all output busses, and integral dynamics on all channels.

The desk is compatible with Vi4 and Vi6 show files through the Virtual Vi offline editor, which is available as a free download from www.soundcraft.com.

As you’d expect, the price of the Vi1 is extremely attractive, starting at around £15,000 UK list, which is sure to make it a clear winner with engineers and sound companies.

Soundcraft Vi1 – Smaller, Lower Priced, But Still With Vistonicstm, Lexicon FX, BSS EQ’s, And That Sound Quality

With the Soundcraft Vi Series now firmly established as a firm favourite digital desk on both the touring, broadcast and installed sound scenes, Soundcraft have taken this amazing platform to another, more affordable level with the release of the new Vi1 console.

Many users have asked for a smaller, lower-priced desk that still has the acclaimed VistonicsTM user interface, and of course the now-legendary optimal sound quality established with the Vi Series.

So here it is, the Soundcraft Vi1TM.

A complete standalone console package with 32 channels of analogue input to 27 analogue outputs, plus 6 digital inputs, 4 Stereo FX Returns and 6 digital outputs in one chassis. As standard, Input to mix capacity is 46chs, but by adding a stagebox (compatible with the existing Vi racks), simultaneous channel count increases to 64. Channels are routable to 24 multifunction busses, plus LR and Mono Mix busses.

Up to 8 of the busses can be configured as Matrix mixes, each with up to 16 sources.

The surface is just over a metre wide, and includes 16 motorised channel faders with fixed and user-definable layers, 8 output/VCA faders and 2 master faders.

What’s really cool about the Vi1 though, is the new Widescreen Vistonics interface, which will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s driven a Vi6 or Vi4, as well as retaining the same ‘walk-up’ user-friendliness of the other Vi consoles. This new development displays all parameters for 16 channels side by side, on a single 22” Vistonics touch screen. The upper half of the screen handles the Output section control as well as Cue List or Menu displays. Parameter control is via two rows of 16 rotary encoders. Exactly the same channel functionality as the Vi6 and Vi4 is available here, along with all the same core snapshot, talkback and monitoring facilities.

Naturally, the Vi1 inherits many of the facilities of its larger siblings, including Soundcraft FaderGlowTM, 4 stereo Lexicon effects engines, BSS Audio graphic EQs on all output busses, and integral dynamics on all channels.

The desk is compatible with Vi4 and Vi6 show files through the Virtual Vi offline editor, which is available as a free download from www.soundcraft.com.

As you’d expect, the price of the Vi1 is extremely attractive, starting at around £15,000 UK list, which is sure to make it a clear winner with engineers and sound companies.

College Hill Productions Has Big Day Out With Soundcraft Vi6™ Consoles

In one of the world’s most popular music festivals, College Hill Productions supplied the live sound services for the Auckland date of Big Day Out on January 15. The event featured performances by some of today’s biggest artists, including Lily Allen, The Mars Volta, Jet, Kasabian, The Decemberists and Fear Factory.

Big Day Out featured two main stages next to each other, enabling one act to perform on one stage immediately following the conclusion of another performance on the adjacent stage. At the front-of-house position at each stage, College Hill’s FOH system engineers Kevin Bennett and Leon Dalton used a 96-channel Soundcraft Vi6™ console with fiber multicores. Both systems utilized the onboard Lexicon effects packages built into the Vi6. In addition, the electronic group Groove Armada used a third Vi6 in the dance tent.

The day before the show, each band’s engineers visited the concert location and programmed their basic shows, including soft patches. “All comments from the band engineers were positive,” said Chris Tate, Director of College Hill Productions. “The day went 100 percent smoothly and the Vi6 consoles worked flawlessly.”

Part of Soundcraft’s Vi Series of consoles, the Vi6 features the patented Vistonics™ II interface, which offers the ease of use and intuitive operability of an analog surface, but with the speed and efficiency that is only possible with a digital console. The Vi6’s 64 mono inputs are expandable up to 96 (as was the case at Big Day Out) into 35 outputs.