After launching its breakthrough SD7 live sound console a year ago, you’d think that DiGiCo would take a minute to rest, but there’s no signs of slowing down at this manufacturer, located in Surrey, just southwest of London. Unveiled yesterday at the PLASA show, DiGiCo’s new SD8 provides the major features and remote preamps of its D Series in a small-footprint, entry-level package.
At the heart of the SD8 is DiGiCo’s innovative use of Stealth Digital Processing (combining Super FPGA and Analog Devices Tiger SHARC chipsets in its Tiger SHARC FX engine), offering effects, reverbs, dynamics, output matrix and more.
The DiGiCo SD8’s touch-sensitive faders with 20-set bar graph meter next to each fader
SD8 features include 37 touch-sensitive moving faders, multi-function control knobs, electronic labeling and a 15-inch touch-sensitive, hi-res TFT display. Acting as the console’s primary command center, the TFT works in harmony with every other control of the console, automatically displaying functions relevant to what’s being done at any instant. A physical fader, knob or backlit electronically labeled button is either provided for every major mix function, or can be programmed onto one of the provided user macro buttons.
All 24 channel faders and 12 assignable aux/master faders can be instantly assigned as channels or masters, allowing 36 main faders to control inputs, if desired. Also standard is a 12×12 output matrix; its 12 buses being additional to the console’s 24 stereo, solo and master buses. Sixty mono or stereo channels—the equivalent of 120 channels—can run full DSP simultaneously.
Despite the SD8’s compact footprint, there’s plenty of horsepower—the number and quality of effects, dynamics or other functions is available to all channels simultaneously, no matter how the console is set up. Features were also not curtailed in the least, offering appreciated touches such as 20-step LED bar graph meters next to each channel fader and the same snapshot automation control (with removable USB storage of sessions and setups) as the other D-Series consoles.
I/O flexibility was a priority. Besides a full-function 48×8 Stage Rack with remote control of its studio-grade preamps and 100-meter MADI digital snake, the SD8 includes convenient onboard local I/O with eight mic/line inputs, eight line outputs and eight AES/EBU inputs/outputs.
The DiGiCo D8 is on display this week at PLASA in London’s Earls Court Exhibition Center, booth J18, or at next month’s LDI show in Las Vegas, booth #2750. For more information, visit www.digiconsoles.com.
For more information on new product releases, visit the Briefing Room.
