HARMAN’s Studer to Introduce Unique On-Air and Production Digital Mixing Console at IBC 2011

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — At IBC 2011, HARMAN’s Studer is introducing the OnAir

1500 digital mixing console, a flexible solution for radio broadcasting and

production, and the result of Studer’s close attention to the needs of its

customers, who are increasingly requesting more versatility and connectivity from

their mixing systems at an affordable entry budget price point.

The Studer OnAir 1500 is a 12-channel, 6-fader console (expandable to 12 faders)

available at an entry price of around $10,000 list, the first time a Studer has been

available in this price category, ideal for studios needing an additional

professional-grade fader unit and additional I/O or a compact and cost-effective

mixing console for a production room or on-air studio. Integrated USB playback and

record functions make the OnAir 1500 a very compact yet complete production unit and

mixer. With simple point-to-point connectivity it can easily be moved around as a

backup or secondary unit.

Flexibility is increased with the addition of a 6-fader extension bay, creating

either a 12-fader surface, or an additional six faders that can be remotely placed

in a producer’s bay or used as a redundant surface. The system bridges the gap

between production and on-air needs, offering an all inclusive feature set to

simplify great programming in either setting.

Channel parameters such as EQ and dynamics can be comfortably edited using console

controls in combination with the OLED channel displays without requiring an

additional screen or PC. For more advanced operation and configuration, the console

provides interfaces for connecting a PC screen, keyboard and mouse.

The master section gives the operator simple yet comprehensive access to the signal

monitoring and switching for control room and studio with an internal speaker

preconfigured to output CUE and talkback signals. Audio monitoring is augmented by

two 29 segment stereo bargraph PPMs, providing constant overview of all-important

signals; six different meter standards are available. Unique features such as

Headphone Split allows the user to listen to two different sources, one through the

left earpiece and the other through the right. Preset buttons also allow one-touch

control of all monitoring. Additional monitoring for separate studios is available

via an external Monitoring/ Talkback unit for added flexibility.

The separate NANO SCORE of the OnAir 1500 contains the audio and control engine. Its

straightforward design provides standard sockets, making any additional breakout

panel unnecessary. Two separate card slots can be equipped with any optional D21m

I/O module, such as MADI (up to 64 ch in/56 ch out), ADAT, AES, or additional MIC

inputs. The front panel carries three USB ports, one of which is used to identify

the console operator. The second port can host a USB stick for recording and

playout, while the third one can be switched to deliver an additional eight channels

of I/O to/from a USB device. The core connects to the surface via one Cat5 cable,

which also supplies power to the surface.