At this year’s London-based PLASA tradeshow, Digidesign announced VENUE, a state-of-the-art modular live sound reinforcement mixing and processing environment offering the quality and functionality of high-end live sound mixing systems at a far more affordable price point. VENUE is expected to ship in Q1 2005.
VENUE is made up of various building blocks that comprise an entire system, a host of expandable hardware subsystems and software components. The centerpiece of the VENUE system environment is D-Show™, a capable mixing console with expandable digital mix engine and control software, mix position analog and digital I/O, remote-controlled mic/line preamps, a multichannel digital snake and the innovative Personal Q™ artist-controlled monitor mixing option. VENUE also supports DSP effects plug-in processing and features an integrated recording and playback option for industry-standard Digidesign® Pro Tools® systems.
“Digidesign is entering the live sound market with a unique perspective that comes from being a market leader in the transition to digital technology in the recording studio,” says Dave Lebolt, Digidesign general manager. “We’ve brought the expertise we’ve gained in that area, along with a healthy appreciation of the specialized requirements of live sound reinforcement, in creating VENUE. This modular system features the highest possible standards of audio quality and reliability at a very affordable price.”
“VENUE was designed with a lot of input from seasoned live sound pros who have felt in the past that using digital mixing consoles in a live context involved a trade-off between flexibility and sound quality,” states David Gibbons, Digidesign director of product marketing. “As the divisions between traditional mixing functions, speaker processing, system analysis, recording and show control are beginning to blur, VENUE intentionally integrates these elements and delivers all of the convenience and flexibility a state-of-the-art mixing system can offer, while providing the best possible audio performance and fidelity in both the analog and digital domains. We’ve created a purpose-built, modular live sound system that delivers studio-grade sound quality, maximum reliability and unprecedented flexibility.”
VENUE’s D-Show features a powerful, precise and flexible digital live sound-mixing engine, providing quality sound, headroom and fidelity. Internal 48-bit processing provides resolution for the onboard EQ and Dynamics sections, and offers headroom on mix buses. Every channel of the D-Show console is equipped with delay, full 4-band parametric EQ (including additional 4th order HPF) and two dynamics processors. D-Show’s EQ algorithms feature four fully overlapping 20 Hz to 20 kHz bands with +/-18 dB of boost/cut, along with a unique, separate analog EQ emulation mode.
Each of the system’s mic preamps is hand-calibrated during manufacturing to maximize Common Mode noise Rejection Ratio (CMRR). D-Show’s remote-controlled mic/line preamps and high-quality converters use a digital snake system, preserving fidelity by capturing signals near the source while simultaneously eliminating potential grounding problems between the FOH mix position and stage.
VENUE was purpose-built from the ground up specifically to service the stringent requirements of live and concert sound reinforcement. Multiple redundant subsystems ensure that audio continues to pass through to the speakers and operators may retain complete control over channel mutes and faders in the event of a system restart.
Optional dual-redundant power supplies for all critical components and dual-redundant snakes with auto-switchover ensure a fail-safe environment. VENUE has also been drop, G-force and temperature-extreme tested, tirelessly quality-assured, functionally revisited and thoroughly field-tested on the road and in various installations to ensure non-stop, solid performance. VENUE is backed by Digidesign’s renowned customer support, with on-road replacement service and authorized repair centers located in major cities around the world.
For more information about this product, visit Digidesign’s Website at www.digidesign.com.
