Modular Sound desks

[timtheenchanteruk]

Just been reading a thread in lighting for the future of lighting control, and the current last post mentioned modular construction.

 

It dawned on me, I have not seen a modular sound desk for years, a local engineer used to use one of these, (or very similar) calrec sticks in my mind, but Im sure his had white on it somewhere, either the side panels, or control surface, its been a while

http://www.gridleyrecords.com/calful.JPG

wondered if anyone else had come across modular mixers (pics even better) and if anyone had a real reason as to their demise, AFAIK, the one used my the guy I know was retired for old age, very few, if any reliability issues, even with the connecting, disconnecting the modules.

[mackerr]

Just been reading a thread in lighting for the future of lighting control, and the current last post mentioned modular construction.

 

It dawned on me, I have not seen a modular sound desk for years, a local engineer used to use one of these, (or very similar) calrec sticks in my mind, but Im sure his had white on it somewhere, either the side panels, or control surface, its been a while

 

wondered if anyone else had come across modular mixers (pics even better) and if anyone had a real reason as to their demise, AFAIK, the one used my the guy I know was retired for old age, very few, if any reliability issues, even with the connecting, disconnecting the modules.

 

I'm sure there are others, but right off the top of my head there is the Avid Venue D-Show. It has a master section with a minimum number of input control channels, and you expand it by adding input frames that have blocks of 16 input channels.

 

The concept is more common in broadcast and recording consoles.

 

Mac

[mr_towers]

The soundcraft delta consoles were very modular, have the master/group modules at the far right of the frame and you could stick pretty much anything else in!

[Simon Lewis]

wondered if anyone else had come across modular mixers.. and if anyone had a real reason as to their demise

 

I would suspect that the extra time to connect, extra cost of interconnects, extra cost of individual cases, extra cost of non standardised production, extra cost of protective casing, extra space needed and the very slightly Heath Robinson appearance might have something to do with it?!

 

Of course, for those users who need flexible systems and the ability to customise their mix surface to their needs, such consoles would have been invaluable. However, the advent of digital consoles which not only have the multiple inputs and outputs needed for theatre but also the means to recall scenes and routing means that high quality modular analogue approaches aren't really cost effective anymore. As pointed out though... digital modular systems allow for some serious customisation!

[ceecrb1]

the yamaha 01v range can definately be daisy-chained.. not sure if I´d call it TRUE modular though..

 

But yeah.. being able to buy "playback wings" for sound desks wouldnt be a bad option!

[mrcog]

the yamaha 01v range can definately be daisy-chained.. not sure if I´d call it TRUE modular though..

 

But yeah.. being able to buy "playback wings" for sound desks wouldnt be a bad option!

 

Digidesign's sidecar's for the d-show system ;) Okay it give's you extra faders for input channels instead of having to use layers on your 'main console', but yeah I assume that's what you meant? The sound equivalent of a playback wing!

 

And I suppose you could call the extra slots on most digital desks modular? Giving you extra inputs or outputs in the format that you want them?

 

Also, don't quote me on this... But surely a reason why modular desks have gone out of fashion is due too the price drop gear? Back in the day as that was probably new technology it would be pricy and therefore it makes more sense to buy modules that can be changed dependant on the job, than multiple desks of different sizes so you have a choice of size to send out on a job? Okay, that's a crap explination but do you get the picture of what I'm trying to say??

 

James

[peternewman]

The concept is more common in broadcast and recording consoles.

It depends on what you mean by modular. But Mac is bang on about broadcast. We've got quite a few of the analogue Calrecs, with channel cards, I get the feeling these are quite flexible, but I'm not sure if you could just swap a mic channel for a stereo. But they certainly have that build up idea of groups of mic channels, groups of stereos and group, master and aux sections as necessary. Although ours are nicely installed in wooden desks, so you don't have any of the disconnection issues. DHD also do some fairly modular digital desks, which I think are mostly connected via CANBus over XLR4, with an external crate. I think these are far more modular in terms of what the control surface has, and indeed how many control surfaces there are. What each button/fader/rotary does. Down to what choice of control section you add above the fader, which meter bridge etc. Given the reasonably robust connection, you could possibly build it to spec for each gig, but you'd probably want to have configured all the operation in advance.

[Bobbsy]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned CADAC which is very much a standard for high-end theatre. It's very modular--you buy the frame you want and plug in the modules you need (and can put modules pretty much anywhere, changing them as required).

 

Of course, this has led to people like Kai Harada suggesting ALTERNATIVE MODULES WE ALL NEED.

 

Bob

[Brian]

Most AMEK desks were true modular desks ie you could choose what input module types you wanted where. I used to have over 500 channels of BC-2 in a broadcast environment; they weren't cheap though.

[Chappie]

CueConsole was LCS's (then Meyer Sound's) modular system.

[Bobbsy]

Good point. The AMEK desks were very nicely modular. We used one in our audio post production suite and were able to split the desk in two, putting the DAW Soundstation controller in the middle, with channel sources on the left and the master section etc. on the right. It worked a treat ergonomically (and sounded very nice as well)--but, as you say, not cheap.

 

It occurs that a layout like the above could work well in a theatre setting--for example you could put live mics on the left, computer for effects playback in the middle, and faders for the effects plus the master section to the right. It might also save some real estate when mixing in the auditorium.

 

It's worth some manufacturers thinking about a digital mixer in modular boxes maybe...

 

Bob

[Doug Siddons]

I suppose

is the equivalent for the digital desk.

[LX-Dave]

Not quite current.... but the Euphonix Digitally Controlled Analog CS3000, having customisable control modules in the desk frame, and configurable external channel racks. ?

[cedd]

Tim

If you're thinking of JT's desk then remembering his background, there's a fair chance it may well have been a broadcast desk at some time. I know he used to have a brick of an Allen and Heath desk, which needed 4 blokes to carry it into the place, but think the modular one probably predated that. Calrec may well be a good bet. I know he had plenty of dealings with them during his day job.

 

He's up at the theatre in a few days, sure he'll be happy to re-visit the good old days and tell you.

 

 

[timtheenchanteruk]

yeah, Ill be there too (pant time is here again....) will probably ask him, I know he sold it to someone for quite a good amount for recording, they were after the 60s sound using 60s kit.

Don't remember his A&H, I thought hed gone from the Calrec? to a monster ghost with the addon wing, then the mackie, which didnt last long, to the Yammy digitals before getting to the LS9, I know theres a few extras floating around as well, so it doesnt suprise me.