MIDAS PRO9 demonstrates network prowess at IBC 2011
MIDAS and KLARK TEKNIK have once again provided product solutions and support for the IBC's technical seminar and presentation schedule, working closely with Terry Nelson and Sean O'Dea of IBC Technical Resources.
In 2009 a MIDAS PRO6 live audio system was used for the first time, providing an AES50 network solution as the backbone of the entire audio system, pristine audio reproduction and a distributed connection solution. This year a PRO9 system further enhanced this by offering additional audio processing power and using its networking capabilities to the full. The PRO9 acted as a central distribution point for the audio system, allowing the team to bypass the entire analogue infrastructure. A KLARK TEKNIK Rapide graphic controller and DN530 quad gates plus DN540 quad compressors completed the MIDAS KLARK TEKNIK network, while KT DN9848E, DN9340E and DN9344E loudspeaker processors and EQs were used in various conference rooms for system control and calibration.
Seven Dolby DMA8+ digital media interfaces in the IBC theatre's control room were connected to the PRO9 network via two DL351 configurable I/O boxes. The Dolby devices were used for 5.1 or 7.1 surround reproduction, using dedicated input channels in the PRO9 mix engine and requiring no manual re-patching in the control room, allowing the technicians to line check the next playback source simply and easily. This offered a reliable playout solution for the high profile 3D movie presentations being shown at IBC, which included Transformers 3 and Flying Monsters, as well as exclusive 3D preview extracts from Titanic and Cirque du Soleil, presented by director James Cameron. All the audio was balanced, controlled and tweaked from the PRO9 control centre.
Further MIDAS I/O boxes were used to distribute audio around the venue. A DL451 configurable I/O box was used for microphone inputs and foldback on stage, routed via the AES50 network to the MIDAS Heritage console being used for seminars and Q&A sessions. The Heritage also had its own DL451 to receive inputs from stage and send outputs back to the PRO9. Another DL451 was used for additional playout inputs from a Doremi server on the upper balcony as well as for additional AES/EBU outputs for 'stings' during the IBC Awards ceremony.
"This is the third year that we have used the MIDAS PRO digital console and it has been a real problem solver," says Nelson. "Moving up to a full network system with the in-house Heritage was also very positive. The ability to access multichannel stems at the touch of a VCA button and work with individual channels on the fly has made presentations a lot smoother and more polished. The console sounds great and is easy to work with.
"A comment by the Cameron team of an 'echo' (short room reverb) on the dialogue track on Titanic was something that I was able to correct with some gentle gating, plus I removed an aggressive honk with the EQ. The gentlemen pronounced the sound as 'perfect', and you really can't ask for better!"
The MIDAS PRO Series' AES50 networking has changed the way the IBC team approaches this annual event. To check complex multichannel playout systems, balance audio from varied sources and ensure the best possible sound quality is presented to industry professionals is no easy task, especially given the time constraints. The flexibility and audio precision of the MIDAS PRO9 and its integrated AES50 network ensured IBC Technical Resources had the tools to optimise every situation.
Photo cap: Terry Nelson with the MIDAS PRO9 at IBC 2011