UK sound consultancy Noises Off has developed an audio equivalent of the flyaway video case, based on equipment from Merging Technologies. It is claimed to give sound engineers full functionality for complex music records without the need for large trucks. The core of the solution is the Pyramix DAW from Merging, together with the company’s Horus networked audio interfaces. These use the Ravenna open standard for very low latency audio over IP, simplifying the rig by putting the microphone pre-amps at the stage end and carrying large numbers of channels over gigabit ethernet. To make it a practical realtime mixing solution, Noises Off worked with SmartAV to integrate its eight fader Tango 2 control surface, again over Ravenna. Together, this creates a system which is compact enough to be carried to the location in a car, is capable of producing a live mix through its very low latency control, and also records the audio for subsequent post production tweaking. The system was first put to use on the BBC television programme Songs of Praise, for an edition recorded in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Site access meant that a carry-in rig was the preferred solution, but the room used for audio monitoring was not acoustically treated and the result was less than perfect. “Having a built-in multitrack recorder is a huge advantage and gave me the option to do a bit of re-mixing back at my place which resolved the minor monitoring issues and the end result sounds excellent,” said Julian Gough of Noises Off. “What is certain is that the pressure on production budgets is going to be just as severe going forward,” he added, pointing to the system developed using Merging products as “a more cost-effective solution without compromising the end result.”
