Allen & Heath has entered the digital mixer domain with the launch of the iLive digital mixing console system. Developed for live sound applications, iLive's 'ground up' design features a flexible architecture with large-scale audio distribution and control. iLive is designed "to bring an analogue feel to digital mixing and draws on the company's extensive experience in live sound and digital technology".
The heart of the system is the iDR-64, a 19" rack-mounting modular mix engine providing 64 channels into 32 mixes, which can be assigned as auxes, groups, matrix and main outputs. The iDR-64 is a stand-alone mixer comprising the 8-channel audio interface cards, DSP processing, and communication ports. The unit is controlled via an Ethernet network and can be connected to a variety of controllers, including the new range of iLive control surfaces, Allen & Heath's PL range of remote units, third party devices, or a laptop/PC.
Two EtherSound ports are provided for low latency remote audio distribution, connection of an additional unit to expand the system to 128 channels, FOH/monitor signal splitting, and the connection of multi-tracks and other EtherSound-equipped devices. All channels and mix masters have EQ, dynamics and delay processing, with on-board FX, and an option for a built-in 32 channel speaker processor. Branded plug-ins are being developed for the future.
There are three iLive control surfaces - the iLive-112, iLive-144, and the iLive-176 - designed to reflect the feel of an analogue console. The faders are motorised and grouped in 3 sections, each with 4 banks, giving up to 176 control strips on the largest size surface. There is a multi-colour backlit LCD display above each fader for labelling and colour-coding channel information.
Allen & Heath managing director, Glenn Rogers, commented,"The brief I gave the R&D team was to create a system that bridges the gap between analogue and digital audio. iLive is the culmination of Allen & Heath's 35-years in analogue mixing, combined with almost a decade's experience of digital design for the installation market. We've dedicated 50 man-years of R&D time to arrive at an affordable digital console range that's expandable, flexible, and simple to navigate. For the first time in the pro audio market, all the benefits of digital mixing are accessible to live performance engineers across the industry."
While also celebrating the tenth birthday of one of the most popular live mixing consoles in the history of sound engineering, the XL4, Midas revealed that its forthcoming digital console will be called the DL4. Midas enlisted the services of Metallica's engineer Big Mick Hughes to make this announcement and to extol the virtues of both desks.
"l have exclusively used the XL4 since its introduction and have never been more satisfied with the flexibility of a console," said Hughes. "I cannot remember one instance when l have been stuck for either an input or output. The sound of the EQ is legendary and has set benchmarks against which others have been measured. All in all a stunning piece of equipment. What a beast!"
Looking to the future, Hughes continued, "We're moving relentlessly into a new era. There's been an onslaught of new consoles coming onto the market, but the DL4 is going to be pretty special, something to behold. Midas has not rushed to bring this desk out, preferring to wait and watch and be able to address the problems experienced by others." Hughes confirmed that he will be using the DL4 on Metallica's next world tour.
In related news, Midas announced its adoption of the AES50 standard interface for multichannel digital audio, and that it h
