New Century Productions (NCP) has selected Calrec Audio to outfit its latest HD mobile production unit with a 72-fader Alpha digital audio console, featuring Calrec's new Bluefin high-density signal processing system. The new mobile unit, NCP-VIII, is slated to roll out in August.
The companies said the NCP-VIII will use the Alpha primarily for mixing major sporting events, including the U.S. Open Tennis tournament and the World Series on Fox. The coverage will require a mix of more than 100 incoming audio sources simultaneously.
The Alpha, with the processing power of Bluefin, can provide 78 full 5.1 surround-sound channels from its complement of 162 stereo and 156 mono channels and eight surround groups. Each channel and group is fully equipped with full EQ and dynamics, and the system has 23 minutes of user-accessible delay elements, four surround main outputs, 48 multitrack outputs, and 20 auxes, according to the companies.
"NCP chose the Alpha with Bluefin technology because of its unequaled power-to-weight ratio," said Mike Mundt, vice president of engineering at NCP. "The processing power it provides for the amount of rack space it occupies makes it the preferred console in mobile television."
This deal marks the fourth installation of Calrec mixers in NCP trucks. Currently, NCP owns two analog Q2 consoles and carries a 96-fader Alpha on the NCP-VII truck.
