The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has taken delivery of a Merging Pyramix digital audio workstation. The new system will be used to record concerts and allow the CSO to edit and master them in-house for CD, DVD and SACD release.
The CSO has undertaken its own media production for some time, releasing recordings on its Resound label. The organization recently upgraded its recording facilities, and according to recording engineer Christopher Willis, chose Pyramix specifically for its ability to record in DSD format for SACD release.
The CSO’s most recent Resound release, a performance of Bruckner’s seventh symphony, was made on a demo Pyramix system borrowed from Merging’s U.S. distributor, Independent Audio. It was released in Europe in October on dual-layer hybrid CD/SACD. “We wanted to ensure that our recordings were done to the highest technical standard, worthy of one of the world’s great orchestras,” says Willis. “Recording in surround DSD exceeds the requirements of CD production and provides for the future.”
The CSO’s new Pyramix system was assembled by Dennis Gaines of Independent Audio, and is built around two Mykerinos X30 DSP cards in a Merging-approved PC, with the SDIF I/O daughtercard for DSD/SACD production. The completed system was delivered to Willis at the CSO in early September.
Just prior to the October AES show, Willis remarked, “I’ve been recording with the new system for two weeks now, and the results have exceeded all my expectations. The system worked from day one, and I’m sure this is largely because of Dennis’s expertise in pre-assembling and testing the system before shipment.”
For more information, visit Independent Audio at www.independentaudio.com/CDCatalog/HTML/merging.html.
