Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Crawford Creates SSL Audio Network Around Three Solid State Logic Avant Digital Consoles
Crawford Audio of Atlanta has now implemented three Solid State Logic Avant digital consoles as part of its new facility construction. All three Avants will be integrated with an SSL Hub Router, forming an SSL all-digital network to address the needs of television productions. Audio services will include 5.1 mixing for DVD, HDTV, DTV, commercials and industrials. The implementation of the Avant consoles secures Crawford’s position as a major world-class 5.1 surround mixing facility.
“The SSL network will be the cornerstone of our audio routing in our new post production house,” says Steve Davis, director of Crawford Audio. “We are building two structures, one with seven audio rooms and one with three state-of-the-art studios housing the three Avant consoles. We’re taking advantage of this move to address what the marketplace has become over the last few years and to configure ourselves for emerging technologies. The Avant consoles allow us to address such requirements as 5.1 mixing and digital audio delivery. The capabilities of this audio network are truly exciting.”
Crawford Audio’s original 24-fader, 96-channel Avant will be joined by new 24- and 32-fader Avants. According to Davis, Crawford has also specified additional 24-bit analogue, digital and multitrack I/O to complement each console. All console resources are connected through the Hub Router and yield a massively capable system to handle any post production need. Crawford has also specified the Solid State Logic “Route Track,” which allows machine room operators to patch audio locally for dubbing and encoding duties. All three rooms are Tom Hidley-designed 5.1 surround rooms, and the large Post Mix Room features Kenoshita monitoring.
“We are filling a unique market niche because the Avant rooms are not dubbing stages in the tradition of the West Coast or New York,” says Davis. “These rooms are specifically suited for television and home theatre mixing, so for DVD finishing, digital television and any sort of 5.1 product including corporate and museum-type pieces, these rooms will be unbeatable.”
The Avant console offers a knob-per-function user interface that is appealing to Crawford, while providing all the depth of routing and automation possible with a digital console system. Additionally, the network routing approach, as opposed to cross-point routing, fits into Crawford’s plan. States Davis, “It has been great working with SSL as they are giving us all the support we need through this critical phase of our facility expansion. The existing Avant is in use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and performs flawlessly. We are looking forward to having the complete SSL audio network up, running and delivering the same ultra-reliable performance to service our needs into the future.”
For Crawford facility information, call 404-365-2264. For SSL information, call SSL in New York at 212-315-1111.
www.solid-state-logic.com