VIDEO: InfoComm 2012: Allen & Heath to unveil new GLD mixing system

Next month’s InfoComm show in Las Vegas will see Allen & heath unveil its new GLD live digital mixing system.

GLD is designed to serve as a user-friendly, cost effective and scalable mixing system, based principally on the brand’s iLive series. A standard GLD 32 input system offers 28 XLR mic inputs with plug n’ play I/O expanders, allowing expansion up to 48 inputs (44 XLR mic inputs).

At the system’s core is the GLD-80 mixer, which provides 48 input processing channels, eight stereo FX returns fed by iLive’s FX emulations, 30 configurable buses, 20 mix processing channels, and DSP power to provide optimum processing.

The GLD-80 has an analogue-style channel processing control section with a graphical 8.4” touch screen. A customisable drag ‘n’ drop layout is designed to offer simple assignment of inputs and mixes to fader strips. There are 20 fader strips in four layers, each with motorised fader, a channel LCD display that can be named and colour-coded, as well as a rotary control for direct access to gain, pan and aux/FX sends. The mixer‘s local I/O is comprised of four XLR mic/line inputs, four XLR lineouts, four RCA inputs, 2 RCA outputs, and digital outputs in SPDIF and AES3 formats.

Furthermore, the GLD-80 connects to a range of plug ‘n’ play I/O racks to ‘build’ 28, 36 or 44 mic input systems. A primary AR2412 rack (24 XLR inputs, 12 XLR outs) and up to two AR84 expander racks (eight XLR inputs, four XLR outs each) can be connected over 120m CAT5 runs using the company’s dSNAKE protocol. dSNAKE provides control to the remote preamp, and all mic preamps are scene recallable. The AR2412 also includes a connection for personal monitoring systems.

The ability to record and playback a stereo signal on a USB memory stick is also incorporated with the GLD system. Standard iLive audio I/O option cards for Dante, MADI, EtherSound and Allen & Heath’s ACE protocols can be fitted, allowing multi-channel record/playback, FOH/monitor splits, and connection to A&H iLive systems, which can be configured utilising GLD’s extensive soft-patching.

“Designing a system which is suitable for both the professional engineer and occasional user has been a priority. With GLD, our aim was to take much of the complexity out of digital mixing, opening up the tremendous benefits of digital technology to a wider group of customers, such as the rental companies, houses of worship and live venues where our GL series analogue mixers have been working so successfully for years,” commented A&H managing director, Glenn Rogers. “GLD offers high quality processing and stunning sonic performance. Key to the system is GLD’s remote plug ’n play I/O audio racks for flexible, easy set-up system building.”

Live GLD training sessions will take place at the Allen & Heath booth # C10123.

GLD will be starting at a MAP price of $8999 USD.

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