SINGAPORE—The Toyota World Para Swimming Championships, which concludes here Sept. 26 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, is not only a celebration of sporting excellence but also a showcase of technical innovation.

A leading national broadcaster has chosen Lawo’s mc²56 MkIII production console to deliver the official audio mix for the championships, ensuring a sound experience that matches the event’s high profile, the company said.

The event brings together more than 600 of the leading para athlete swimmers from around the world to compete.

The mc²56 MkIII—backed by a 16-fader mc²36 as a standby mixer—was installed a few months ago in the broadcaster’s fully IP-based new OB van as the centerpiece of audio production. Compact in design yet powerful in performance, the console offers 48 physical faders, full native support for immersive audio formats and integrated auto-mix functions, the company said.

Designed for fast-paced live environments, it combines pristine sound with intuitive operation, enabling engineers to balance crowd ambience, commentator feeds and underwater microphones, it said.

Flexible configuration options allow seamless adaptation to the specific needs of each competition session, while advanced workflow tools such as snapshot recall accelerate production tasks and ensure consistent output, it said.

At the heart of the system is Lawo’s A__UHD Core, a software-defined IP audio engine that provides up to 1,024 mc²-grade DSP channels within a compact 1RU unit. In addition to its pristine DSP processing, the A__UHD Core features Lawo’s HOME functionality, which makes IP setups for Lawo mc² consoles as simple as analog. With native RAVENNA/AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110 support, it offers wide interoperability in IP-based broadcast infrastructures, it said.

Full hardware and network redundancy, coupled with Lawo’s resource-pooling concept, deliver reliable, scalable and flexible performance in demanding live sports environments. The A__UHD Core also delivers ultra-low latency for real-time performance and is highly energy-efficient — an important factor for mobile production units, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

CLEVELAND—Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas.

Quasar V3.2 offers several improvements for Quasar Soft, the optional HTML5 browser-based remote-control solution for XR and SR consoles. Prior to the update, control was available only with hardware surfaces, the company said.

Quasar Soft users now can use Call Control to operate their Telos VX broadcast telephone systems and Intercom Control to manage a Telos Infinity intercom system. The update also adds 32 user-programmable hot keys in the full monitor section, as well as four user-programmable hot keys on each channel strip to control external devices. The benefits also extend to Quasar Engine RPS, which uses Quasar Soft to control connected surfaces or to create a standalone mixer without the need for a hardware surface, it said.

“Our goal is to provide the same features and user experience to all Axia Quasar users whether they are mixing on a physical XR or SR console, employing Quasar Soft to control a hardware surface, or using Quasar Soft as a standalone mixer,” Telos Alliance senior product manager Luca LaRosa said.

“The Quasar V3.2 update bridges the gap between the hardware and soft surface experience, allowing customers to choose the platform that works best for them, knowing that the features and capabilities they expect will be there.”

Quasar Soft also offers new slider-type faders and dynamic scaling of the browser window, providing an improved interface and user experience with less scrolling, particularly on smaller monitors, tablets and mobile devices, it said.

The company said it expects to become available March 31 from Axia channel partners.

See Telos Alliance at 2025 NAB Show booth N721.

More information is available on the company’s website.

The physical function of audio mixing remains relatively unchanged today despite technology’s onward march. There are now many ways to mix studio and outside source signals for live broadcasts, but the familiar console with faders, meters and turnable knobs is still a reassuring presence in most sound suites. That’s not to say there have not been considerable changes in the background, with processing and routing racks now commonly situated either in a separate equipment room or, increasingly, replaced by software in the cloud.

As Lawo Senior Product Manager for Audio Infrastructure Christian Struck observes, the implementation of powerful IP networking has directly impacted soundboards. “The trend in audio mixing is shifting toward integration with broader IT-based infrastructures,” he says. “This includes the adoption of data-center architectures and the use of commodity, off-the-shelf server hardware. Essentially, audio mixing is no longer a standalone activity but part of an ecosystem emphasizing agility, scalability and flexibility.”

“All major live production mixer manufacturers” now produce consoles that run on standard CPU hardware and are more in line with IT environments than proprietary broadcast systems, Struck explains. On an operational level, he adds, there is “noticeable demand” for higher channel counts in tandem with support for Next Generation Audio (NGA) formats.

Distributed Production
The configuration of an audio desk is often dictated by its application. When it comes to live news, Wheatstone Senior Sales Engineer Phil Owens says, the mission remains much the same as it has been—providing reliability and ease of use along with necessary support for various live in-studio functions, such as automation and remote contribution.

“Audio systems must be flexible enough to support different dayparts, from a newscast with two anchors, sports and weather to a full panel discussion or a single shot news break-in,” Owens says. “New systems are able to recall the sources—remote or local—and settings needed for these and other possible workflows.”

Any discussion of audio console technology over the last two to three years has inevitably included the cloud and distributed production. Henry Goodman, director of product management at Calrec Audio, describes them as the two strands of the main trend in this area.

“Distributed production environments are where a lot of broadcasters can see added value for their businesses,” he says. “The extension of remote operation to wider distributed production and the ability to utilize resources at will—both in terms of hardware and equipment resources as well as people, in a more efficient way—to produce more content is clearly a process many broadcasters are having to go through for commercial reasons, rather than just because it’s a new technology.”

Calrec recently launched ImPulseV, its first mixer dedicated to the cloud, based on a virtual audio mix engine with cloud-based DSP software hosted in AWS. While Goodman says there are “fairly forward-thinking broadcasters” now considering this way of working, he does not agree that the console or control surface has become secondary to the virtual processing and mixing setup.

“My view is almost the inverse of that,” he explains. “Once you’ve put your DSP in a cloud environment, a lot of people start to think about that processing as more generic. The differentiator comes down to how the operator uses it and the surfaces and control systems they’re sitting in front of.”

Wheatstone is “seeing a small uptick in demand” for virtual consoles to control audio hardware, according to Owens. “Touchscreens do offer some advantages, such as fewer moving parts, making them easier to maintain or replace, plus lower cost,” he says. “But most audio operators still prefer the ‘fader in hand’ approach. Of course, that may change as more of the ‘iPhone generation’ step into board op roles.”

The transition toward cloud-based DSP and remote production workflows has introduced more agile and distributed approaches to audio mixing, including the use of virtual control surfaces and computer-
based mixing, according to Struck.

“However,” he adds, “for large-scale, high-profile events such as international sports broadcasts, consoles in the tradition of haptic faders and real rotaries and buttons remain essential. Controllers and in-the-box workflows have gained traction for less demanding or smaller-scale productions but they cannot replace the traditional console in high-pressure scenarios.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not
Whether physical or virtual, all modern consoles—and their manufacturers—support immersive audio, which usually means Dolby Atmos. While the big streaming services—notably Netflix and Amazon Prime Video—specify Atmos for high-end drama, as Struck points out, it is still not yet a standard requirement for broadcasters and most streamers. “The interest in immersive audio workflows remains confined to a smaller portion of customers,” he says.

Goodman wonders if much of the viewing public takes advantage of what immersive audio is available, adding that “the vast majority of distributed content” is still not in the format. Even less exploited, in Goodman’s opinion, is the use of object-based audio (OBA) to personalize broadcast audio.

“Alternative languages are the obvious application,” he says, “but in sports coverage, OBA can also offer a choice of commentary and a different mix relating to the team a viewer supports. It’s still not very commonplace, for a number of reasons—the main one being it’s not cheap to do, because you’re effectively creating another mix. How you would commercialize it is another question.”

Some sports broadcasters have picked up features of OBA, but it is not a priority in other areas. “We haven’t seen [demand for] that,” Owens says. “But we deal primarily with live news. OBA requires more from audio systems in terms of an expanded number of sources and the ability to pan in new directions. I’m sure that will become a need at some point but I would put it in the scope of five to 10 years.”

Personalization is not the main reason to adopt NGA/OBA, Struck adds. “What we see is a growth of the channel count, from 5.1 to 5.1.4 or 7.1.4 and higher rather than broadcasters striving to achieve an OBA workflow with personalization,” he says. “It is an emerging trend, however, and the shift to OBA workflows has already redefined expectations for mixing consoles, particularly in terms of resource management and operator assistance.”

The mixing console has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. It will doubtlessly continue to evolve over the coming few years, while, based on recent developments, remaining very much itself.

SYDNEY—Event production and OB solution provider Innovative Production Services has acquired a state-of-the-art Lawo mc²36 audio production console for their 4K ONE Outside Broadcasting (OB) Truck. 

“We're thrilled to partner with Lawo to enhance our audio production capabilities,” said Jeremy Koch, director of Innovative Production Services. “The Lawo mc²36 console is a game-changer for us, offering unparalleled flexibility and sonic precision. It's the perfect fit for our mission to deliver flawless audio experiences to our diverse range of clients.”

After extensive market research, Koch said that they had identified Lawo as the premier choice to fulfill the audio production needs of their 4K ONE OB truck. The Lawo mc²36 is an all-in-one console at heart, boasting 256 DSP channels, both at 48kHz and 96kHz. It delivers the same superb convenience as its larger siblings: all industry-standard audio inputs and outputs are built-in, with native IP connectivity at its center, the company said. 

Powered by Lawo’s A__UHD Core software-defined processing technology, the console delivers  the flexibility offered by IP technology combined with intuitive tools that make setup and management as simple as baseband. The console is fully geared to manage any kind of remote application and provides easy deployment for on-site scenarios, including effortless point-to-point connectivity for A__stage IP stageboxes.

“We're honoured to be selected by Innovative Production Services to provide the audio production backbone for their OB truck,” said Keith Prestidge, APAC Sales Director at Lawo. “The mc²36 console is engineered to meet the rigorous demands of live event production, offering unmatched reliability, scalability, and sonic performance. We're confident that it will elevate the audio production capabilities of Innovative Production Services to new heights.”

Professional Audio & Television, Lawo’s exclusive distribution partner in Australia and New Zealand, supported and facilitated the acquisition of the Lawo mc²36 console for Innovative Production Services. Providing their own Lawo mc²36 console for testing and various demo sessions, Professional Audio & Television ensured a seamless procurement process and supported Innovative Production Services comprehensive research to evaluate their investment prior to purchase.

Innovative Production Services will showcase their 4K ONE OB Truck, including the new Lawo mc²36 console at MET Expo 2024 from March the 5th to March the 7th at Royal Randwick, Sydney. To register visit metexpo.com.au.  

More information is available at www.lawo.com.

The transition to audio over IP over the past decade has revolutionized the broadcast industry, bringing added flexibility and improving quality and options for the viewer. That progress, however, has not come without its concerns as media companies try to keep up with consumers who are viewing content on myriad devices.

In our latest free TV Tech Guide to Audio, we hope to lessen that anxiety by taking a look at how audio professionals are tapping into that flexibility that AoIP brings to our industry and the approaches taken to maximize the consumer audio experience. 

Cleveland, OH (June 12, 2019) – The Telos Alliance will be delivering IP Communications and IP Audio Mixing Solutions to the pro AV market at InfoComm 2019, June 12-14 in Orlando, booth 7083, including updates to the award-winning Telos Infinity™ IP Intercom platform and the new Axia® iQx IP Audio Console.

Additionally, as the pro AV industry moves towards adopting broadcast standards, the Telos Alliance is leading the charge by implementing those standards into its solutions. In fact, Martin Dyster, Telos Infinity Project Director, will be giving presentations on this very topic with “SMPTE ST2110 and Intercom,” at AIMS Booth 375 at 1:45 PM June 12th and 13th.

"More than ever, customers are demanding solutions over products and partners over 'manufacturers'. As IP workflows have become standard in the pro AV industry, the Telos Alliance—with its long history in the development of IP audio and reputation as globally recognized audio experts—is uniquely positioned to deliver solutions that address this market's needs, including communications and mixing built on an IP backbone," saysJohn Schur, President of the Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group.

Communications Solutions Built on IP

Telos Alliance invented AoIP for the broadcast market, but the utility of its award-winning Infinity matrix-free IP intercom extends beyond market borders into the Pro AV space, with applications for House of Worship, Esports, Corporate AV, Education, Hospitality, Live Venue, Security, and more. Updates to the Telos Infinity IP Intercom platform include Infinity Link, which seamlessly extends Infinity's reach and usability by providing site-to-site connectivity over WAN and the Internet. Direct communication is no longer bound by the speed of a dedicated network, effectively bringing the rest of the world directly into the matrix-free Infinity ecosystem. Built on the latest standards-based VoIP and Livewire+™ AES67 AoIP protocols, this design provides more capacity as the system grows, eliminating previous concerns about running out of ports on a matrix.

Also new to the Telos Infinity platform and designed for intercom systems of all sizes and applications is Infinity Dashboard Advanced. This optimized configuration and system management tool has an extended feature set, including SAP/AES67 advertising and discovery and offline configuration, unlocking the full potential of the Infinity matrix-free IP Intercom System.

IP Audio Mixing Solutions

The Telos Alliance will also be demonstrating IP Audio Mixing Solutions at InfoComm, including the new Axia iQx IP audio console, which uniquely combines a surface and mix engine in a single unit. This approach makes the iQx far easier to set up quickly, piggybacking off existing network resources. iQx is great for nontraditional audio setups, such as a temporary studio for a special event, mixing remote audio, as a backup TV console, and more. Designed for AES67 and ready for SMPTE ST 2110, iQx is standards-based, allowing AV integrators, installers, and consultants to bring in sources from all over the world. Control is not just a local thing either, as iQx can be controlled from the remote site.

Contact Krissy Rushing, Telos Alliance Marketing Manager, for booth appointments, interviews, or other media requirements at krissy.rushing@telosalliance.com.

About The Telos Alliance
The Telos Alliance is a global leader in audio, trusted by the biggest names in the media landscape. Telos Alliance's exclusive focus is to deliver innovative, intuitive solutions that inspire the creation of the most exciting and engaging audio experiences imaginable. No audio challenge is too big; no technology is beyond reach; no solution, large or small, is unobtainable. The Telos Alliance portfolio of brands includes Axia® Audio, Linear Acoustic®, Minnetonka Audio®, Omnia® Audio, Telos Alliance®, Telos Infinity®, Telos® Systems, and 25-Seven® Systems. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, with additional offices and dealers around the world, the Telos Alliance supports the diverse needs of audio professionals around the world with best-in-class support 24/7.

Calrec has sold its first Callisto audio console, a new console making its U.S. debut at AES, to outside broadcast (OB) company Token Creek Mobile Television. The Wisconsin-based OB company also purchased a Calrec Artemis Beam console. The Callisto will be installed in a new truck destined to cover high school and college sports and corporate and entertainment events, among others. The Artemis Beam has been installed in an existing HD unit that covers a wide variety of sports and entertainment events.

Token Creek Mobile Television has two other Calrec desks besides the Artemis Beam and the Callisto. Calrec consoles have become widely accepted in Token Creek’s market, so not only do its own operators like them, but freelancers get comfortable using them in a very short time. The consoles also provide the features and flexibility to meet whatever specs clients require. The Callisto, in particular, will allow Token Creek to serve clients who want high production value in a more cost-effective truck.

Token Creek ordered a Callisto console with 44 faders and a 64 x 64 mic/line, 72 AES and four MADI I/O configuration, as well as a GPIO control option. The Callisto's streamlined, efficient design makes it especially suited to the new truck, which Token Creek is building to accommodate clients with smaller budgets who want a high-quality product but don't need all the resources of Token Creek's other HD trucks.

Each of the console's channel strips has only the most essential mechanical controls, featuring a fader, two flexible control cells and a dedicated gain pot. Callisto uses Calrec's award-winning Bluefin2 networking technology at its core, and the same integral 8192 x 8192 Hydra2 router as Calrec's Apollo and Artemis consoles. It also has a highly intuitive GUI suitable for a broad range of operator skill levels.

The Artemis Beam console has been installed in Token Creek's Chippewa HD mobile unit. It is a 64-fader console configured for 256 x 256 MADI, 128 x 128 AES, and 64 x 64 analog I/O, giving Token Creek the flexibility to take in 16 channel sources, mix them efficiently, and distribute them easily in and out of the router. Token Creek uses the console's many main outputs to generate different program and transmission mixes, and the company finds the Bluefin2 networked I/O and flexibility of the control surface especially helpful.