DIGITAL GOES MIDAS
MIDAS XL8 A NEW STANDARD FOR DIGITAL MIXING
FRANKFURT, MARCH 29, 2006: Midas is delighted to announce the worldwide unveiling of the XL8 live performance system. This greatly-anticipated launch heralds the leading console manufacturer's entry into the digital mixing realm. However this isn't merely another digital audio product launch. XL8 offers an incomparable design combining exemplary sound quality, flexibility and reliability with an ease and familiarity of use unrivalled by other digital control surfaces. XL8 is the first of a new generation of open-architecture, cross-platform, integrated audio control and distribution systems, which brings control of not only audio, but other aspects of live performance to a single, intuitive control centre.
GROUND-BREAKING DESIGN RETAINS CLASSIC MIDAS FEATURES
As well as offering classic Midas audio quality and superb reliability, XL8 actually improves upon the performance of the analogue consoles which have established the brand as the number one choice of sound engineers the world over. XL8 represents a new generation of networked systems, requiring only mics, amps and speakers to provide a complete audio system. However its open architecture ensures that third-party devices can easily be integrated into the system.
Digital technology has now matured to the point where we can offer a mixing system which will conform to all the classic Midas brand values, and won't be obsolete in a few years, says Midas and Klark Teknik brand development manager Richard Ferriday. Saying that, we certainly haven't designed XL8 from a nostalgic point of view. Rather, we have listened to our clients requirements and moulded today's technology to specifically deliver what they need.
As can be expected from the leading manufacturer of live mixing consoles, XL8 has been painstakingly designed to address the way in which sound engineers approach the task of mixing. A large part of the three-year development project has been to devise a work surface that can be operated from scratch quickly and easily even by engineers new to digital control surfaces. Over the past year, more than 300 engineers and rental company owners from across the globe have visited Midas to provide their feedback and get their hands on XL8, quickly reaching levels of confidence and aptitude without exception.
There is currently no unified control surface for digital desks, meaning that users are locked into working according to how each manufacturer develops their systems, all of which are vastly different, continues Ferriday. One of our main criteria was that the transition to XL8 should prove painless. This applies to mix engineers who have to date seen no advantage in digital consoles, and also to those who have adopted an existing digital system.
Key to this was the way that engineers use visual recognition to navigate around a desk, rather than memorising channels in numerical sequences. XL8 has been designed so the engineer doesn't have to think in terms of numbers, pages or layers, says Ferriday. Users navigate the system and identify channels by colours and groupings, which they themselves create. This method allows an individualised approach to mixing, rather than working within hardware-dictated numerical limitations.
It's this reassuringly familiar way of working which is central to XL8 and ensures that engineers don't have to change their way of thinking to feel comfortable with the new system.
Leading the XL8 R&D team has been console design supremo Alex Cooper, the man responsible for the legendary XL4 design a decade ago. Since I designed the XL4, it has become the benchmark by which other consoles are judged, he says. The XL8 will raise the bar even higher because it provides more - and better - control from a smaller control surface; it has more - and more flexible - inputs and outputs; it has an even bigger sound and more, improved, onboard processing. Technology and time have made the next generation Midas Flagship possible, but most important of all, it feels right.
GUARANTEED WORLDWIDE SERVICE, 24/7
Midas has created a technical support infrastructure to ensure that engineers are guaranteed the ultimate service and backup, regardless of where they are located. A 24/7 service centre router will divert calls to one of the main Level 1 service sites in the US, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, so that regardless of where the XL8 engineer is, there will be a service centre operating in the same time zone. All five centres will be staffed by technicians who have achieved Level 1 training: spending a week at the UK factory undergoing XL8 network training, assembly from PCB level, XL8 system configuration, fault diagnostics and analysis, plus the ability to train technicians to Level 2.
Level 2 in turn will assure proficiency in network configuration and system diagnostics together with the ability to train technicians to this level and to train mix engineers to get the most out of XL8, and these technicians will be located at Midas worldwide distribution centres to provide national assistance.
In addition, everyone purchasing the system will become a member of the Midas XL8 Owners Club, which requires Level 3 training several hours of in-depth tuition after which they can gain access to a password-protected dedicated website offering technical support papers and forums where they can exchange data and experience with other XL8 users and owners.
UNIQUE FEATURES
In addition to placing engineers in a familiar comfort zone which allows them to get on with the job of making great audio without worrying about the rigours of new technology, XL8 also comes complete with a range of features unique in the world of live mixing.
These fall into six main categories:
• Sound quality
• User interface
• System design and network
• Reliability
• Service and support
• Return on investment
Sound quality
• Three Midas mic pre amps per mic input
• Analogue and digital gain controls for optimisation of preamp performance and channel gain structure
• Midas EQ sound quality and control feel
• Midas dynamics with multiple styles
• Midas quality input and output CMRR and drive capability
User interface
Speed and Feel:
• VCA (Variable Control Associations) centric mixing input paging by musical function, rather than by numbers
• POP (population) Groups - input paging by musical function, rather than by numbers but without VCA gain control
• Muscle memory friendly E-Zone layout for EQ
• Muscle memory friendly D-Zone layout for dynamics
• Fast Zone for instant access to key channel parameters
• Electronic colour coding of control groupings for instant understanding avoids reading
• Silky smooth, high accuracy rotary controls
• Dedicated motor faders on outputs
• Paged controls do not change function (e.g. a gain knob is always a gain knob never a frequency knob!)
• Dedicated discrete hardware remote control for onboard Graphic EQs (KT Rapide)
Status Visibility:
• Daylight visible display screens
• 63 discrete 20-segment LED meters
• Discrete LED meters for dynamics and direct outs
• All the meters all the time master status screen
• Simple, visible hardware routing to master outputs
• Eight channels of key data and single channel full detail on each input screen
Dual Operators:
• Modular control surface with multiple input areas - easily accommodates multiple operators
• Area A and area B free assignment
• Discrete dual solo systems
Automation:
• Full capability theatre style scene automation
• Snapshot scene automation has cross-scene global edit capability
• System can operate with showfiles written on earlier and later versions of firmware
• Separate scope settings for both scene store and recall
System design and network
• Integrated analogue mic splits with local control and monitoring
• Integrated open-architecture AES50 digital audio distribution
• Fully duplicated network for redundancy
• Up to 100 metres of dual redundant connectivity between hardware elements (copper); up to 500m using optical fibre
• Automatic integral delay management system - audio outputs time and phase coherent
• Flexible, expandable hardware system
• Ethernet TCP-IP & USB tunnelling for third parties
• KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) switching on control surface
Reliability
• Failure-tolerant of any single failure of hardware or software
• Proven, stable, Linux operating system
• Duplicated master controllers
• Control surface has five multiple-redundant power supplies
• Stage box has integral dual power supplies
Service and support
• 24/7 global telephone support
• Midas customer service and support centres in US, UK, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore
Return on Investment: Midas consoles depreciate slowly because of
• High demand
• Long term customer support and service
• Three year factory warranty
• Rugged design, tolerant of physical abuse!
• 10 year life before replacement policy (XL3, XL4)
ENDS
All brands and trademarks are recognised.
Editors information:
Midas live performance mixing consoles have been used by the world's most demanding sound engineers, performers and rental companies for three decades. The company strives to raise the standards of sonic quality through its programme of continual research and development, implementing new control functionality and user-friendly desk operation to anticipate and accommodate the ever-evolving needs of audio professionals who specify Midas consoles for their major tours, festivals, international events, broadcast projects and prestigious fixed installations.