New York-based Audiosmith Digital Solutions (Audiosmith) has acquired a Lawo mc256 console for use on its productions at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in Manhattan, accompanying the company’s audio design for the venue.
Providing recording and mixing expertise, technology, and project management services to the music, film, commercial, social media, theatre and television production industries, Audiosmith uses audio-over-IP to record full orchestras, choirs, chamber music, jazz, cast albums, and acoustic music, as well as concerts and media events locally, domestically and internationally.
The Orchestra of St. Luke’s built The DiMenna Center in 2011 as New York City’s only acoustically optimised rehearsal and recording space dedicated to classical music. It has quickly become an unparalleled resource serving the entire musical community – from soloists to symphony orchestras – through affordable, state-of-the-art facilities. The DiMenna Center’s showcase room, Mary Flagler Cary Hall, is an acoustically-optimised recording soundstage with 3,400-sq-ft and a Steinway D piano, retractable film screen and 5.1 surround-sound capabilities to provide a world-class recording space for large scale orchestras in the heart of New York City.
‘Lawo’s mc²56 console was the perfect choice for The DiMenna Center. The audio quality of the console and mic preamps was exactly what we were looking for, with pristine sound and dynamic range that far exceeded the competition,’ says Audiosmith Chief Recording Technologist, Lawrence Manchester.
His work has taken him around the world and his credits include U2, Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Lawrence recently led a training seminar about differences between orchestral recording and broadcast mixing, featuring demonstrations facilitated with the mc²56 console for both applications: ‘The workflow and ease-of-use of this console makes it a pleasure to work with, whether I’m doing a film soundtrack recording session, or a live on-air broadcast mix,’ he reports. ‘In addition, Lawo’s use of the most modern IP and fibre-based infrastructure exactly fits with our philosophy of using next-generation technology to create flexible and future-proof design for the widest possible scope of recording projects.’
The mc² console played a central role in the sound recording for the orchestral film score for Joel and Ethan Coen’s latest Hollywood blockbuster Hail Caesar! and was also used by the New York Youth Symphony for its appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Brooklyn. In addition to the 48-fader console surface, the console’s HD Core includes DSP support for up to 280 channels of audio, an 8,192 x 8,192 routing matrix, support for mono, stereo, 5.1 and extended surround mixing, and Ravenna/AES67 compliant interface to two Lawo Dallis Stageboxes.
‘The console and facilities have already been used for additional scoring sessions and we look forward to a strong ongoing partnership with Audiosmith Digital Solutions, The DiMenna Center, and everyone involved with this great venue,’ says Lawo VP of Sales, Michael Mueller.
