The University of the Arts in Philadelphia installed two Soundcraft Vi4 digital mixing consoles in the Caplan Center for the Performing Arts. Both the 215-seat Recital Hall and the Studio Theater are equipped with separate Vi4 consoles. The university previously used analog mixing consoles.
According to sound engineer Scott Rosenthal, the university’s migration to digital has seen an increase in both productivity and education value. Rosenthal reports that since he purchased the Vi4 consoles for the Caplan Center, it has increased revenue for the University and given students added resources for recording ensembles and recitals for their portfolios.
“With multiple ensembles performing each night, all with a variety of instrumentation, the Vi4’s ‘show and cue’ feature provides a great advantage, as I no longer need to incorporate copious notes and markings from the soundchecks,” Rosenthal says. “With a simple push of a button, I can recall each setting for individual performances, saving me valuable time and allowing me to really concentrate on the quality of sound.”
Rosenthal records performances and distributes the feeds to various locations around the University, as well. “Having the opportunity to work on the Vi4 has been a blessing and I can’t imagine ever going back to the limitations of analog mixing,” he says. “The Vi4 has opened so many doors that I compare it to coming out of a cave and seeing light for the first time.”
For more information on the Vi4, visit Soundcraft’s Website. For more information about the University of the Arts, visit www.uarts.edu.
