Beneath the extensive production facilities of the Southampton Solent University's new 200-seater venue Studio C, lightweight Cat 5e cables are distributing up to 40 channels of high-quality 24-bit/96kHz audio between stage and recording studio, TV studio, and either or both of two discrete PA systems. Although it holds all the audio together, the RSS Digital Snake remains out of sight and out of mind, only visible at the point of source connection, where there is a 32x8 modular stagebox.
SSU's Studio C is an ambitious concept; a former lecture theatre which has been converted into a multi-purpose live space, it aims to provide training and performance facilities for students as well as earn income from private hires. The hall is linked to a Munro Acoustics-designed recording studio, equipped with ProTools and an Audient analogue console, and to a high-definition TV production gallery, enabling the Department to Film and record live events.
The University's Media Production team sourced the S-4000 Digital Snake, the larger of two models, from HHB. According to Jon Wills from the Media Production Department: "Other digital multicore options proved quite expensive in terms of what we wanted to do. The RSS Snake allowed us to operate a four-way split from a central hub to the recording studio, to the TV gallery, to the house PA and to a big portable Dynacord PA system that we bring in for larger events. We're running two Cat 5e cables to each position, a straightforward, simple and cost-effective solution."
(Jim Evans)
