Lawo premieres mc²36 compact console at IBC

Lawo lauched their new mc²36 console at IBC 2014. The all-in-one mixing desk has a comprehensive feature set that covers broadcast, theater, house of worship, live and install applications. It is natively equipped with RAVENNA/AES67 technology to integrate seamlessly into IP infrastructures. Along with uncompromised sound quality and Lawo-grade mic preamps, it offers unprecedented value for money.

The Lawo mc²36 console uses a powerful DSP micro-core with an internal 512x512 audio matrix, and integrated I/O make it ideally suited to permanent installations with limited space, as well as to rental companies looking to optimize transportation.

It is natively equipped with RAVENNA/AES67 technology to integrate seamlessly into IP infrastructures. And for operational security, the console not only has redundant power-supplies but also DSP redundancy.

The Lawo mc²36 was designed as a truly “universal” console, with its focus on ease-of-use. The console geometry combines with tightly integrated displays and controls to meet the demands of a variety of applications. Its 21.5-inch full HD touchscreens work with touch-sensitive color-illuminated rotary encoders to provide intuitive operation – e.g. the dynamics window will automatically pop-up when touching the dynamics encoders, and after adjusting the parameters the auto-close function will close the window without additional user action to restore the full overview.

Connections

The console’s interfaces include 32 mic/line inputs, 32 line outputs, eight digital AES3 inputs, eight digital AES3 outputs, eight GPIO ports, one MADI (SFP) port, three RAVENNA/AES67 channels, and a headphone jack. In addition to the onboard I/O, a MADI tie-line connection and three RAVENNA/AES67 Audio-over-IP ports provide future-proof connectivity for up to 384 external inputs and outputs, offering a total capacity of 496 physical inputs and outputs.

And if plenty is not enough, the mc² Compact I/O is a convenient and cost-efficient way to expand the mc2 36’s connectivity and to provide a distant stagebox solution in addition to the On-board I/O. Connected via CAT5 or fiber (optional), the ruggedized 5RU stagebox provides 32 Mic/Line inputs, 32 Line outputs, 8 digital AES3 inputs, 8 digital AES3 outputs, 8 GPIO and a MADI (SFP) port. The mc² 36 allows for connecting up to three mc² Compact I/O.

The mc²36 is also fully prepared for intelligent networking with other mc²36/mc²56/mc²66 consoles, and can be operated in combination with Lawo Nova audio routers, giving instant access to thousands of audio channels. Lawo mc² consoles provide intelligent mechanisms (including user-rights management) to allow input sharing between consoles.

Loudness Metering

Alongside the mc²36’s onboard Loudness Metering, which was originally requested for broadcast applications, Lawo has developed loudness metering into a tool that is useful in live, theater and house of worship applications. The feature provides full loudness control in accordance with ITU 1770 (EBU/R128 or ATSC/A85) and features peak and loudness metering either separately or in combination. Lawo Loudness Metering can also measure individual channels for fast and convenient “visual” mixing, e.g. of background singers or multi-microphone setups for brass sections, strings and choirs.

Further functionality includes Listen Sense (for offline modification of channel parameters like EQ or dynamics with pre-listen of settings before switching them online); Audio-follow-Video (allowing automated fades from one camera to another with associated audio channels); Upmix/Downmix (from stereo to surround and back); Automix (automatic adjustment of the Ievels of active and inactive microphones, while maintaining a constant ambient level); Remote Desktop (for seamless integration of multiple external PCs with third-party solutions into the console’s user interface); mxGUI (allowing complete offline configuration and advance show preparation); full channel strip customization (allowing users to arrange the order of all DSP modules, including channel direct outputs, meter point, fader and aux sends); and Reveal (automatic input sorting of VCAs).

You might also like...

Audio For Broadcast: I/O & Recording Devices

We explore the basics of physical connectivity & signal management encountered in broadcast audio systems alongside the destination recording devices.

The Potential Impact Of Quantum Computing

Quantum Computing is still a developmental technology but it has the potential to completely transform more or less everything we currently assume regarding what computers can and can’t do - when it hits the mainstream what will it do…

Audio At IBC 2023

Broadcast audio is going through a renaissance and in the battle for viewers every content provider is looking at how to increase output and improve content. While the headlines might look familiar, IBC’s audio exhibitors are responding to these n…

Understanding IP Broadcast Production Networks: Part 14 - Delay Monitoring

We use buffers to reassemble asynchronous streams so we must measure how long individual packets take to reliably get to the receiver, and the maximum and minimum delay of all packets at the receiver.

Audio For Broadcast: Microphones Part 2 - Types Of Mic

Polar patterns play a big part in designing the sound for a programme, and they apply to all microphones. The next step is to ascertain what kind of microphone to use.