At this year’s IBC show in Amsterdam, Sept. 12-15, Lawo will showcase a forward-thinking portfolio of innovations that enables broadcasters to build agile, scalable, and highly efficient production environments. From infrastructure management and virtualized DSP to user-centric control solutions and software enhancements for radio and TV production, Lawo is providing the tools to shape the next generation of media workflows.

Visitors can also look forward to the launch of Lawo’s 15^th HOME App and the announcement of significant upgrades to the VSM workflow control system.

Dynamic Media Facility (DMF)
Lawo’s implementation of the EBU’s Dynamic Media Facility initiative will be on display for the first time in Europe. This highly agile installation hinges on a generic-server cluster that is controlled via four buzzer-style buttons to change the technology stack as and when necessary, with a single press.

Each of the three selectable example setups consists of an optimized mix of HOME Apps with assorted configuration settings. Highlighting the power of Lawo’s VSM workflow control system and the HOME Apps universe, this is a must-experience.

HOME 4.0: Scalable, License-Efficient Infrastructure Management
At the heart of this year’s presentation is HOME 4.0, the latest evolution of Lawo’s IP-native management platform for broadcast infrastructures. HOME 4.0 introduces major architectural refinements and a simplified licensing model designed to meet the operational and financial realities of today’s dynamic facilities.

With the introduction of HOME Passes—lightweight licenses required for each actively managed device or app—broadcasters gain precise control over infrastructure costs. The HOME platform itself is now free of charge; only devices managed within the system require a pass. HOME Passes are available as permanent licenses or through Lawo’s FLEX subscription credit model, ideal for event-based or variable workflows.

The new approach ensures that infrastructure grows organically with operational needs, reducing overhead in smaller setups while providing unlimited expansion potential as operations scale, the company said. All newly purchased HOME-native Lawo devices and software products include the required HOME Passes, ensuring immediate onboarding and reducing administrative effort. For existing installations, a seamless upgrade path is available.

.edge with More Power and Flexibility
With no fewer than 11 freely selectable firmware images, system software v3.2 for .edge helps users combine cutting-edge gateway functionality with processing right at the network’s edge—simultaneously. In light of all the championships where .edge has become the staple SDI/IP gateway linking venues to the IBC, users are now able to leverage JPEG-XS encoding/decoding alongside essence transport, as well as SDI<>IP and IP<>IP processing such as color correction, frame synchronization, 3G UHD Gearboxing, and more.

With the highest 3G port density per rack unit in the industry, .edge provides long-term usage flexibility and future proofing. In conjunction with Lawo’s HOME platform, .edge enables intelligent multiviewer heads based on proxy feeds it generates and the Dynamic Receiver parameter setting in the HOME Multiviewer app to ensure that each PiP/tile uses the smallest possible picture resolution at the highest quality.

Lawo Workspaces
In parallel, Lawo will launch Lawo Workspaces, a game-changing addition to the HOME ecosystem. Designed for ultimate accessibility and mobility, Lawo Workspaces bring intuitive HTML5-native user interfaces to Lawo’s modular, microservice-based HOME Apps. These Workspaces allow operators to access broadcast-grade tools from any device with a modern web browser – be it a laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, or even an augmented-reality headset.

The interfaces are fast, secure, and entirely platform-agnostic, making them ideal for distributed production teams, control room staff, and remote operators. Security and media flow encryption are handled natively by the HOME framework, ensuring that even browser-based workflows meet the highest standards of professional broadcast.

HOME Power Core
In a major step toward fully virtualized radio operations, Lawo officially launches the new HOME Power Core app. This software-only version of the proven Power Core hardware unit is designed for IP-based broadcast environments where flexibility, footprint, and scalability are paramount. It supports the same powerful real-time mixing, routing, and monitoring capabilities as its hardware counterpart and is fully compatible with Lawo’s crystal, diamond, and crystal Clear mixing consoles.

The app runs on standard COTS servers and is available in three instance sizes—Compact, Large, and XL—allowing precise matching of DSP power to operational requirements. The HOME Power Core app supports RAVENNA/AES67, ST2110, Dante*, NDI*, and SRT* formats natively, making it a highly versatile tool for modern talk radio, visual radio, and live webcasts.

Integrated transcoding and stream management ensure that all audio sources—whether from physical Power Core units, A__line stageboxes, .edge interfaces, or third-party devices – can be dynamically connected, monitored, and processed. Like all HOME Apps, HOME Power Core supports perpetual licenses and FLEX Subscription credit-based activation for maximum deployment flexibility.

(*) Future product developments.

HOME Apps Keep Evolving
Lawo HOME Apps keep evolving on an almost monthly basis to expand and complement their feature set, minimize latency, etc. Microservice-based HOME Apps seamlessly migrate to servers with ever more CPU cores, allowing more apps and instances to run on the same server, with support for 400Gbps and 200Gbps fabrics.

mc² Software Release 12.2.0
Beyond infrastructure and control, Lawo also showcases significant software enhancements for its mc² audio production consoles. The new 12.2.0 software release brings a host of additional productivity features and workflow refinements to the mc² mixing platform. These include enhanced integration with VSM workflow control systems through Audio Matrix Control via the HOME API, enabling tighter, more responsive routing operations.

Channel Display management has also been improved with the ability to select up to three different Mini Displays per screen for more at-a-glance information. A newly introduced standard 7-Band EQ module now includes three dynamic bands, offering more detailed and precise audio shaping, especially in demanding live environments. Furthermore, fader user buttons now allow operators to switch banks and layers directly from the fader panel, reducing navigation time during live productions.

Radio Software Release 8.2
Radio broadcasters will find the new Radio 8.2 software release equally compelling. Among its standout features is the introduction of the 96kHz XL License, which brings enhanced DSP capabilities to Lawo’s radio consoles, along with switchable compressor modes that can operate in either automatic or manual settings.

VisTool, Lawo’s powerful GUI design and control software, has also been enhanced. New features include the expansion of the source assignment module, direct text input fields for faster configuration, improved touch handling, and refined visual feedback mechanisms for touchscreen operations. Together, these updates significantly boost usability and streamline both setup and live operation in radio studios of all sizes.

Lawo will be in Booth 8.B90 in the RAI Amsterdam.

RASTATT, Germany—Lawo has begun shipping v12.0.0 software for its current mc² mixing console systems with native support for the HOME mc² DSP App that runs on generic CPU platforms using cloud-native technologies and an increase in the mc²36 MkII console’s processing channel count to 384.

HOME mc² DSP, Lawo’s audio processing HOME App for mc² mixing console systems, is an alternative offering to the A__UHD Core processor in a CPU-based package for production workflows based on Lawo’s unified, open HOME platform where operational agility is key. It runs on generic CPU processors and offers next-level granularity for Lawo’s mc²-grade DSP processing, the company said.

The HOME mc² DSP audio engine provides the familiar mc²-style signal processing architecture; support for mono, stereo, 5.1 and immersive formats; and the ability to handle up to 2,048 input processing channels. Other highlights include 256 aux busses, 96 groups, 96 sums, support for 32 automix groups, a downmixing function for stereo, 5.1 and immersive processing channels, as well as a co-mixer feature for monitoring and other collaborative purposes, it said.

The latest version adds 128 processing channels to Lawo’s standalone mc²36 MkII console with on-board A__UHD Core technology for a total of 384 (previously 256) channels with up to 256 busses. This expansion is free of charge and requires no additional license for mc²36 MkII consoles, it said.

The release also includes all of the features introduced with v10.12.0, such as improvements to channel assignments and management, Waves integration, a more intuitive user experience and increased security features under EBU R143 cybersecurity guidelines. Users who haven’t yet installed v10.12.0 may install software release 12.0.0 directly to access all features introduced by versions v10.12.0 and v12.0.0, the company said.

Release notes for v12.0.0 and v10.12.0 are available online.

More information is available on the company’s website.

RASTATT, Germany—Lawo has introduced software version 10.12 for its latest mc² audio production consoles. The new version featured significant improvements in channel management, Waves integration, user experience and system security.

Designed for professionals in demanding audio environments, this update will provide users with improved efficiency, flexibility, and production reliability, Lawo reported.

One of the key updates in version 10.12 is the new Strip Assign page, which streamlines channel management.

The page offers a modern, intuitive interface that makes assigning channels to fader strips quick and easy, Lawo said. Users can assign single or multiple channels in one step and effortlessly reassign, duplicate or swap channels between strips. The page also allows for the direct customization of channel labels and fader strip colors, making it simple to tailor the console layout to the user’s preferences, Lawo said.

A clear, visual representation of the console banks ensures the number of sections matches the number of physical bays, offering an organized view that supports fast navigation. This update saves valuable setup time and ensures operators can navigate their systems more efficiently during both live and studio operations, Lawo said.

Version 10.12 also brings substantial improvements to the integration between mc² consoles and Waves systems through the new ProLink protocol. This update replaces the older RFC protocol and enhances communication between mc² consoles and Waves SuperRack 14 systems. Label synchronization is now automatic, reducing manual entry errors. Additionally, the new access channel linking feature allows engineers to open a connected Waves Rack with a single button press on the mc² console. This provides quick access to plug-in adjustments and streamlines the workflow, making it easier for engineers to focus on delivering high-quality sound without navigating between systems, Lawo reported.

The user interface and workflow have also been improved with version 10.12. The Signal List now includes new visual indicators that clearly show the status of Aliases, Waves, and Loopback connections, simplifying the management of signal paths. These updates enhance the clarity of signal health and connectivity, providing immediate feedback on the status of each signal. The new icons and updates to the signal list help operators manage complex, multi-console setups with greater ease, Lawo said.

Version 10.12 also strengthens system security with advanced features aligned with EBU R.143 cybersecurity guidelines. It introduces new password policies, including enforced expiration, complexity requirements and the elimination of default passwords, ensuring a higher level of protection. Private/public key authentication is now available for secure access, minimizing risks associated with password management. The update also includes simple, guided procedures for password resets, making the process straightforward while maintaining robust security measures for the system, Lawo reported.

Software version 10.12 is available now for all compatible mc² audio systems, offering audio professionals enhanced control, security, and operational efficiency.

For more information or to download the update, go to mc² Release Notes - 10.12.0 .

LIÈGE, Belgium— WNM is a Belgian company specializing in audio and multicamera distribution as well as ENG activities and intercom provisioning. It also provides technical services for global sporting events and consultancy for broadcast infrastructure projects.

For top-tier events like the recent UEFA European Football Championship, where nothing must go wrong, focusing on the split-second delivery of the highest-quality content is obviously important, although the final result also depends on the tools you have at your disposal. Audio is a core ingredient of any TV production and getting this part right essentially hinges on the flexibility afforded by the mixing system.

Championship Mix
The ability of Lawo’s mc² consoles to function in an open-standards IP infrastructure makes it easy to distribute the required signals to the right destinations. This networking aspect is critical in large venues with a distributed pool of audio stageboxes. IP allows me to easily send audio essences to other sites where they can be reshuffled and embedded as necessary.

This is the kind of audio and video flexibility I needed for the European soccer championship in Germany, for instance. I love the ability to reliably patch audio streams directly on my mc² console, because speed is of the essence when the world is watching.

The A__UHD Core provides a stellar density of fully-featured DSP channels in a compact footprint. While 1024 DSP channels may seem overblown, I quite like having one channel per signal with no need to compromise on the number of inputs and outputs. End-to-end redundancy is another big plus. At the Euros in Germany, for instance, the ability to quickly select all relevant audio channels made my mixing job a lot easier.

I often use the Remote Desktop functionality to tweak parameters in a software application running on a remote computer right from the mc²’s screens. Whether management software, playout apps or external effects—remaining in the sweet spot without the need for a KVM system allows me to stay in the flow.

The Right Dynamic Range
I’m also able to conveniently handle 5.1(.4) productions and other delivery formats in parallel. Then there is the sound quality: the dynamic range of Lawo’s preamps is just perfect for sporting events where levels tend to span the gamut. Basically, you can throw any signal at the A__stage I/O boxes and still get a natural and crisp sound from a mix of on-camera, referee, field-of-play and ambience microphones.

The mc²’s physical and graphic user interfaces have a clear structure, with consistent color-coding for easy identification, and a layout that plays to my muscle memory. I can access the functions fast and intuitively, so that I can tweak settings without even looking at the controls in question.

Did I already mention that I just love the fact that I can assign any parameter to a fader? This is a major timesaver for my typical workflow. During the championship match in Germany on July 14th, for instance, I used this functionality to manage the stereo width and digital gain of my ambience bus as well as to fine-tune the delay settings. These General-Purpose Controllers (GPC) can also be linked to the Audio-follows-Video function in order to tweak a resource’s settings by means of a video event.

So, there you have it: I am extremely fond of Lawo’s mc² consoles, the A__UHD Core and the A__stage I/O boxes. They allow me to focus on the mix and deliver world-class audio content.

More information is available at https://lawo.com.

ANTWERP, Belgium—Tomorrowland, one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world, held its 2022 Summer edition during the last three weekends in July. As a service provider for production companies, public and private broadcasters and top-tier events, we were asked by Euro Media Group (EMG) to take care of the “Mainstage” sound for TV broadcasts and radio streams from a big OB truck stationed behind the main stage. 

While some people might think Tomorrowland is just another EDM festival with simple left and right stereo feeds from the DJ booths and a few ambient mics, the Tomorrowland team continuously strives to surpass itself. 

This year’s three weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) were among the most complex music events on the planet for audio and video distribution. We used about 180 input channels on our mc²56 console to handle the sources coming from the main stage. Three other stages were connected to their own dedicated mc²56-equipped OB truck, and the remaining 12 stages provided at least five audio channels consisting of the DJ outputs, ambience microphones and a voice mix for radio purposes. 

Yet another big OB truck with a large mc²56 desk served as the main transmission and distribution hub.

Distribution Path
Around 60 audio channels (music, vocal and ambient mics) were ingested using Lawo’s DALLIS I/O stageboxes and CCUs. These lines were sent to the console inputs and processed with delay for perfect sync to the slowest camera input. Effects were added using the WAVES VST plug-in server on the console and outboard gear such as a TC Electronics System 6000.  

All incoming audio signals, summing and group busses were furthermore recorded using three separate multitrack computers: for archiving purposes on the Media Village server, as backup and for artists who had requested a recording of their live performances. 

Most of the close-camera microphones were mixed using the mc²56’s AFV feature (audio follows video) to perfectly match the fast video cutting approach for up-tempo music. Audio signals were assigned to a dozen summing and group busses and routed to the designated video recording devices and V__pro8 embedders via VSM. From there, the signals went to the final control room at the Media Village over an external high-speed audio network. 

Dolby Atmos
We also used this network to transmit and receive audio signals to/from the Dolby Atmos control room where the immersive mix was prepared on yet another mc²56 console. That control room received our main ambience mix and additional FX microphone signals. The Dolby Atmos mix stems were transmitted back to the OB truck behind the main stage for Dolby Atmos encoding and decoding. 

We used several V__pro8 devices to de-embed these signals and send them to the mc²56 where they were mixed—along with the required commercials—into the main transmission busses, again using the AFV algorithm. We embedded the resulting bus signals using a V__pro8 and transmitted the result to the main control room at the Media Village.  

All audio signals from all stages were mixed and distributed as stems and groups from the mc²56 and processing core and handed over to Belgian radio stations and the rest of the world. 

What I like most about Lawo mc² consoles—apart from their pristine sound—is the flexibility, endless routing capabilities, modular layout possibilities, and the divine user interface. I just love that central console window! The signal window is really intuitive and clutter-free, which is a big help in complex routing scenarios. No “cross-point view” for me, please… just show me the sources and destinations, and I’m happy.  

For more information, contact Lawo at 888-810-4468 or visit https://lawo.com.

MUNICH—European media production company EMG deployed Lawo’s AoIP infrastructure to provide audio for the European Championships Munich 2022. The event, held from August 11-21 saw around 4,700 athletes compete in a total of 176 events in the sports of beach volleyball, canoe racing, climbing, athletics, cycling, rowing, table tennis, triathlon, and gymnastics.

The event was the largest of its kind to be held in Munich's Olympic Park since the 1972 Olympic Games. EMG was responsible for the live broadcast of the European Championships Munich (ECM), using an AoIP setup from Lawo. 

The nine control rooms, or galleries, in the International Broadcast Center (IBC), located in Munich’s Olympic Stadium, and one gallery for outside venues, were equipped with Lawo mc²56 MkIII Production Consoles to cover the audio production in the stadium (Athletics, BMX, mountain bike), the Olympia Park (medal ceremonies), Olympia Halle (gymnastics), and the remote venues. 

Lawo’s mc²56 provides native support for SMPTE 2110, AES67/RAVENNA, DANTE (via a Power Core Gateway), MADI and Ember+. Local I/Os allow for direct connectivity. Powered by the 1U software-defined A__UHD audio engine with intuitive HOME functionality, up to 1,024 mc²-grade DSP channels per processing core can be shared among multiple consoles. This pooling option was applied to the ECM installation as a whole: Instead of dedicated audio cores, the required processing power for all mixing consoles derived from a cluster of eight shared A__UHD audio engines in a redundant setup, supporting flexible DSP assignment and reliability. 

For an even further increased security, Docker containers in an also redundantly designed cluster of six servers hosted the mirrored software of the audio mixers. So, even if any gallery should have gone down, the whole system would have stayed functional, and the audio mixing could have still been handled outside the console.

For audio contribution, the setup comprised more than 30 Lawo AoIP stageboxes of the A__line WAN capable AoIP nodes. Employed were clusters of A__stage64 and A__stage 48, as well as A__madi4 and A__madi 6 plus A__mic8 units, dedicated to tournaments and ECM events. 35 Lawo C100 blades were in use for 130 multiviewer heads.

“EMG’s sports production services for the European Championships were certainly an outstanding event. Many tournaments were running in parallel" said Guy Haegeman, EMG’s Multicam Audio Engineer. "We had to cover them either in one location from different spots or in different locations. This meant that during the whole event we had to deal with an immense number of parallel feeds that needed to be monitored, switched and produced.

"When planning for Munich, we chose a networked Lawo AoIP solution with mc² consoles and A__UHD cores, providing us with the flexibility, DSP power and switching capacity we needed for our complex workflows," Haegeman added. "The cluster of A__UHD audio engines networked with all galleries also made last-minute changes in production manageable. When it became tricky, the Lawo team was always on our side to give support whenever needed!”

In addition, the infrastructure for the commentary sound was fully Lawo. A total of 65 Lawo LCU Commentary Units provided an intuitive user interface for up to three commentators per LCU, while Lawo-quality mic preamps and uncompressed (24-bit/48kHz) real-time audio-over-IP ensured "uncompromised audio quality," the company said.

LAS VEGAS—Sound is part of the many different aspects of broadcasting that will be featured at the 2022 NAB Show. Two elements in particular—immersive/personalized audio and intercoms—will attract a lot of attention in Las Vegas.

A trend that is still in its relatively early days is immersive and object-based audio (OBA). Both of these, which come under the general heading of “next generation audio” (NGA), have been discussed and promoted as “the next big thing” to hit broadcast television for at least the last decade. 

Dolby Atmos
This year will mark a decade since the first film in Dolby Atmos—Disney’s “Brave”—was released in cinemas, according to Mathias Bendull, vice president, Living Room, for Dolby Laboratories. “It’s incredible to see the progress we’ve made and the growing excitement from consumers and the industry demanding immersive sound experiences brought to life by spatial audio,” he said.

Today the world’s top streaming services—Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and many others—deliver their most-watched movies and streaming shows in Dolby Atmos (and Dolby Vision) and Dolby Atmos devices are widely available across various price points and form factors from home theater systems to smartphones and TVs, Bendull said. 

With Samsung’s recent announcement that it would support Dolby Atmos in its upcoming Micro LED and Neo QLED TV, this means all major global TV manufacturers are now delivering TVs with Dolby Atmos, according to Bendull, who added that a majority of these TVs in North America also support ATSC 3.0 tuners, which will provide consumers access to NextGen TV delivered via Dolby AC-4.

“Consumer interest in Dolby Audio technologies, such as Dolby AC-4 and Voice+, has also shaped how broadcasters promote the benefits of NextGen  TV,” Bendull said. “This includes the recent NextGen TV holiday campaign, which aired commercials in participating ATSC 3.0 markets promoting the features of Dolby Audio, such as improved dialog audibility enabled by Voice + and consistent loudness.” 

Dolby is also teaming up with Pearl TV to amplify these messages at the NAB Show and through consumer education and retail point of sales initiatives,” he added.

Personalization & Immersive
On the horizon, the benefits of personalized audio features like home and away commentators, multiple language support, and audio description for 5.1 and Dolby Atmos are being explored by key industry players jointly with Dolby.

There is the view, from institutions such as Fraunhofer IIS—the main developer of MPEG-H 3D Audio—that the personalization aspect of NGA is the more compelling and necessary feature, rather than immersive sound. Christian Struck, senior product manager for audio production for Lawo, comments that the current trend appears to be creating presentations—in other words, “audio stems”—that can be used for different applications whose volume levels are set by viewers at home.

“A stem-based approach means that more channels and busses are needed than for a 5.1 setup,” Struck explains. “This means the ability to set channel levels for a variety of presentations becomes paramount and a flexible array of monitoring options is required.” 

On the subject of immersive audio, Struck describes it as “the perfect complement to 4K picture quality” and says it is being increasingly demanded by rights holders. “The main features for audio consoles in an immersive workflow, such as high channel counts and the bussing, monitoring and mixing infrastructure to support them, will become available in 2022.”

In terms of greater capacity on mixing consoles, at this year’s NAB Show, Lawo will be showing a 48-fader version of the mc²36 at the booth in the Central Hall. Other introductions include a software version for the mc² range, the A_UHD Ultra-High Density IP audio engine and new software features for the V_matrix routing, processing and multiviewing platform.

While sport and drama have fully embraced immersive audio—for future-proofing post-production if not for transmission at this time—there are areas that do not appear immediately well-suited to the technology.

“Our ‘bread and butter’ is TV news and it will be some time before that sector gets into the immersive environment,” comments Phil Owens, senior sales engineer at Wheatstone. Of personalization he adds, “There are a lot of levels to that. You can pick and choose different channels for things like second languages. But that’s not really immersive audio.”

At its booth in the North Hall, Wheatstone will launch Tekton 32, its latest audio over IP (AoIP) console for TV. The networked console is based on the company’s WheatNet-IP protocol that is aimed at smaller, local TV stations, which are either installing automated production systems or downsizing staff. It has 64 channels, which are layered, and motorized faders that can be controlled by the producer or director through the automation system.

Also on the subject of IP, a highlight at Calrec's booth will be a demo in which three independent consoles will be operated from a fully redundant pair of ImPulse cores; a 48 dual fader Apollo console, a 40 fader Artemis console and a headless console running Calrec Assist on a PC. The ImPulse DSP features native SMPTE 2110 connectivity and is compatible with the Calrec Assist web interface as well as Calrec’s Apollo and Artemis consoles to provide a simple upgrade path for existing Calrec customers moving to an IP domain.

It also provides 3D immersive path widths and panning for next-generation audio with height and 3D pan controls, flexible panning and downmixing built-in.

AoIP for Comms
IP is now firmly established in most areas of broadcast audio, from mixing to networking to distribution and contribution links. Another area that is now exploiting the full potential of AoIP is communications. 

The major intercom manufacturers—Clear-Com, Riedel and RTS—each has its own take on the technology, while other, smaller developers, or those entering this market more recently, have put their own spin on comms through IP. These include Green-GO, Glensound, Sonifex and AEQ, all of which will be exhibiting at the show.

Clear-Com, which will be exhibiting in the Central Hall, began investing in IP technology during the mid-2000s. Product Manager Kari Eythorsson explains that this was primarily to add remote connectivity for large comms systems in an efficient way. This, of course, proved beneficial during the height of the pandemic when production teams were either operating remotely within a broadcast center or working from home.

“In TV and film production, there was a need to build bubbles for people to work within,” Eythorsson says. “It was possible to reduce the number of people in a bubble [by connecting] with simple wireless systems.” He adds that the AES67 interoperability standard has allowed for expansion of IP systems, while virtual intercoms were facilitated through linking key panels, computers or smartphones over Wi-Fi, LTE or 5G connections.

Riedel also saw IP and remote communications become more in demand because of COVID-19, with the creation of hybrid environments.

 “Due to remote and virtual productions, as well as hybrid workflows, the IP connected intercom is becoming a new normal or a new requirement in projects and applications,” comments U.K. Sales Manager Nacho Lee. Despite the growing ubiquity of IP intercoms, Lee adds that more established technologies, such as matrices, still have a place in comms setups.

Audio may be a smaller percentage of the companies at exhibitions like the NAB Show but it is certainly making an impact with technologies that are significantly changing both the way people work in broadcasting and what TV services can offer their viewers. 

AUKLAND, N.Z.—Before COVID-19, most of my work was 50/50 in New Zealand and offshore at major sporting events. Nevertheless, earlier this year I was the audio supervisor for the 36th America’s Cup sailing regatta in Auckland. At the time of writing, I’m still in Tokyo where I’m working for OBS as part of a Kiwi production team that produces the sailing telecasts. Then I’m off to the US Open Tennis Championships in New York, to work as an audio/comms engineer in the TOC.

I was first introduced to Lawo in 2008, during the new studio and OB truck build for SKY TV NZ. Although rather new to our part of the world, Lawo was nevertheless chosen for its flexibility and versatility. I have been using almost the entire Lawo product range on most of my assignments ever since.

My favorite console used to be the mc²66 Mk2: it was so robust and a treat to navigate. Now, I mainly work with the mc²56 Production Console, and occasionally also an mc²36. 

THE SOUND OF YACHTS

I find the GPC (General-Purpose Channel) functionality particularly useful to achieve some mundane tasks behind the scenes that would otherwise require a separate operator. On the America’s Cup production, for instance, we utilized GPCs to pan the yachts around the race course. We created two faders that allowed us to take each boat as a whole and to move it around the sound image to create perspective for the viewer at home.

It meant that if one boat was firmly left of center, and the other firmly on the right, we could place them there. We hope to enhance this function further by using Lawo’s VSM broadcast control system to decipher GPS data for a 5.1 version at the 37th America’s Cup.

Immersive sound is clearly the future and being able to control it right at the sweet spot is key. The height speakers make a huge difference and provide you with the feeling that you are in the stadium. 

Similarly, WAVES plug-in integration has proved a lifesaver more than once. I was working on a studio show recently where the noise from the fans in the lighting equipment was extremely obtrusive, but WAVES solved our problem. I highly recommend it, especially for high-turnaround television.

Native AES67/RAVENNA/ST21010 support allows me to access audio on the network at any time, not least in rather novel workflows that went mainstream during the pandemic. One example is commentators working offsite, in a booth back at the network HQ, or directly from home.

The A__UHD Core makes accessing all audio signals on the network easy and is also great for a flypack solution, as everything can be preconfigured at base, with minimal cabling onsite.

In my line of work, I need to be flexible, think on my feet and leverage the technology provided by the tools at hand. There are a host of powerful functions in the mc²-series consoles, and when you add VSM to the mix, you can handle some cool tasks quite simply.

My favorite example is that with the help of some of our video engineers, we now leave audio routing for the submix truck to VSM. We use the mixer for monitoring and redundancy, and VSM takes care of the actual audio routing into the EVS machines. It has access to all direct outputs on the main consoles, providing intuitive touchscreen operation for the submix operators.

I’m extremely fond of the flexibility provided by Lawo—and also of the team’s availability. l

For more information on Lawo products, call 888-810-4468 or visit https://lawo.com.

WASHINGTON — To upgrade its Tysons Corner Campus Christian worship facility in the Washington metro, McLean Bible Church recently purchased two Lawo mc² digital audio mixing consoles and a Lawo Nova 73 central router system.

MBC’s new Lawo mc² audio consoles include: a Lawo mc²56 48-fader console for front of house and broadcast mix duties, and a Lawo mc²36 40-fader console for monitor mixing duties. Both consoles independently access and control all inputs and outputs via the centralized, IP-networked Nova 73 router.

[Read: Golf Channel Puts Lawo Faders In Its Bag]

After demoing several audio consoles, MBC’s Director of Technical Arts Marvin Haines said they chose Lawo consoles based on the tonal quality they produced. “With very little EQ, every instrument and vocal was heard clearly and really shined through our PA.”

The Lawo router provides a network infrastructure for managing and sharing MBC’s multiple consoles, scalable I/O volume, and audio routing to its regional campuses and recording facilities. It also connects with several Lawo stage boxes, including two on stage and one at FOH.

The church claims that this networking solution enables a consistent user-friendly workflow that makes it easier for their staff and volunteers to learn and operate. With the ability to store settings, it’s also easier to switch between the configurations required for different events and productions, as well as multiple-language broadcast feeds.

The Lawo mc²56 can handle up to 888 fully configured DSP channels with 144 summing buses and an 8,192 x 8,192-mono channel matrix capacity. The Lawo mc²36 console supports up to 192 digital signal processing (DSP) channels with its own internal 512 x 512 router. Both offer Automix capability, built-in dynamics and DSP, and tight integration and control of a Waves SoundGrid that makes effects plug-ins controllable from the console surface. The Lawo NOVA 73 router can be managed from the console surfaces or remotely via software.

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