Ref: Caroline Moss PR0618
Date: September 2007

DUTCH STATION BROADCASTS LOUD AND CLEAR WITH MIDAS AND KT

Regional Dutch broadcaster Omrop Fryslan has purchased a Midas Heritage 1000 and two Klark Teknik Square ONE Dynamics units for its new OB truck from local distributor, Midas Consoles Benelux.

The Friesland-based broadcaster covers a wide range of events, including sports and live classical, orchestral, rock and pop music concerts, both for radio and audio for TV broadcasts.

“It was important that our new truck was multifunctional, with all the facilities we need for the diversity of jobs we cover on board,” says Martin Wijbenga, audio coordinator at Omrop Fryslan. “The choice of H1000 wasn't very difficult. We had been using a Midas XL2 in our old truck for 18 years, and it never let us down. When we decided to build a new truck we looked at many different consoles, analogue and digital, but from the beginning the H1000 felt right, and had all features we needed, particularly the 10 auxes, 10 subgroups and 10 VCA groups.

“Coming from an XL2, all our engineers can operate the H1000 almost straight away - a big plus! Furthermore, the new console has to work for another 18 years, so quality was a big issue. In our opinion a lot of the digital consoles on the market will not last this long in a moving truck, but we expect the H1000 to do this with no problem. And then there is the sound quality: digital gets better and better, but analogue is still the best! The H1000 has great EQ and lots of headroom. We asked Midas to put in a few fader start options which they were happy to do, and makes our lives a lot easier.”
One of the first jobs for the new truck was the Oerol festival on one of the Friesland islands, where Omrop Fryslan broadcast a live radio programme every day featuring a mix of reporters from all over the island, live music and audience interaction.

“The program was sent to the studio via ISDN, and compared to the previous shows, everything coming out of the new truck sounds more transparent and open,” says Wijbenga. “In my opinion the H1000 is responsible for that.”

Another summer event was the three-week Skutsjesilen where old sailing ships compete in daily races, with live coverage from contestants and reporters out on the water, plus a programme of live music. “Again everyone was happy with the H1000, for features like the great overview of all outgoing auxes and groups, quick access to parameters such as EQ and large headroom, which resulted in all the radio shows sounding good,” says Wijbenga.

Omrop Fryslan is also using two Klark Teknik Square ONE Dynamics units for recordings which require compression on incoming signals. “The engineer can patch the 16 compressors to any channel he likes, and signal can be compressed by several dBs without losing any quality,” says Wijbenga. “The compressors sound really great on vocals, especially in vintage mode, while instruments like guitars and bass can be given a small amount of compression to bring them more into the mix. We don't always know what the level and quality of the instruments will be, but using the Square ONE Dynamics gives the engineer a safety net. The compressors can handle a lot of signal before the sound deteriorates, and that is what we need in live situations.”

Photo caption: Midas H1000 and KT Square ONE Dynamics units in Omrop Fryslan’s OB truck

Bosch Communications Systems—a business unit of Bosch Security Systems—is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of professional audio, wireless, life safety and communication equipment. Bosch Communications Systems offers complete system solutions for the world's most critical, high-profile installations and events.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 260,000 associates generated sales of 43.7 billion euros in fiscal 2006. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spends more than three billion euros each year for research and development, and in 2006 applied for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.”

The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.