Manhattan Centre Studios installs SSL broadcast console

Manhattan Centre Studios has recently upgraded its Studio 1 TV production facility with a Solid State Logic C10 HD compact broadcast console to take care of audio production for its TV1 control room.

The C10 is designed to offer substantial workflow benefits, as well as optimum audio quality, having been used on BBC America’s new Would You Rather…? With Graham Norton and Yes Network’s Centerstage.

“Before the physical upgrade to Studio 1, we were constantly struggling with a digital console that was really designed more for a music recording environment, so everyday TV items like generating a simple mix-minus were a chore,” commented Marvin Williams, director of video engineering and operations, Manhattan Centre Studios. “With the advent of the C10, we now enjoy pushing a button to create one or multiple mix-minus feeds, saving time and letting our engineers focus on critical mixing for live-to-capture sessions. The C10 really solves our problems for audio production by giving us great sound, flexibility and features designed for TV applications.”

Manhattan Centre Studios encompasses the Hammerstein concert space, which features 75-foot ceilings; The Grand – a 10,000 sq ft (929 m²) space seating 1,200 people; two audio recording studios and two large TV production studios with associated edit suites. While the C10 in the TV1 Control Room is used principally for Studio 1 productions, the console is able to serve the audio requirements of any of the Manhattan Centre’s recording or production spaces, including The Hammerstein, through a 256-channel router.

“We really needed to move into the future and the C10 allows us to do just that,” said Travis Butler, chief engineer, Manhattan Centre Studios. “The console addresses how we need to work and because of the industry standard design, the C10 is also familiar to many of the outside engineers we bring in for special sessions.”

The productions Would You Rather…? With Graham Norton and Centerstage utilised the C10’s Dialogue Automix feature, which automates level control for panel-type discussion programmes. Once relative mic levels are set by the engineer, Dialogue Automix is designed to deliver smooth levels between participants while maintaining a consistent ambient level.

“Would You Rather…? With Graham Norton is a comedy program where panellists are asked outlandish questions, followed by heated and funny discussions,” explains Williams. “The pace is very fast and that is perfect for the Dialogue Automix function on the C10. Programmes like these are now easy to accomplish. Also, as we will shoot the episodes for a particular show over several weeks, the ability to save and recall complete projects and individual presets is extremely useful to help speed up our workflow. In every way, the C10 makes easy work of our engineering tasks, improving the way we do business, and that is good for the bottom line.”