Newly-opened, Goldcrest Post Production’s Dean Street Theatre 1 is a purpose-built Dolby Atmos mixing theatre in central London. Central to its audio operation is an Avid Pro Tools S6 modular control surface supplied by HHB Communications’ Scrub division.

The Dean Street Theatre 1 control surface is a 32-fader M40 configuration, integrated with an AMS Neve DFC3D digital mixing console. Custom furniture enables the number of Pro Tools S6 or DFC3D modules to be increased or reduced depending on the mixer’s needs. For example, the mixer could have more Pro Tools S6 faders than DFC3D faders, vice versa or a balance.

Goldcrest Post Production Head of Engineering Simon Ray and Studio Manager Rob Weatherall were instrumental in selecting the hybrid mixing system.

The facility has progressively adopted Pro Tools S6 operation, moving from a small number of in-the-box Avid Icon D-Control mixing suites. ‘Goldcrest is very a forward-looking postproduction house,’ says HHB CTO, John Johnson. ‘People mix in-the-box now more than ever, and with Pro Tools S6 Goldcrest have tactile control of automation and plug-ins, as well as a huge amount of visual feedback, which really speeds up the mixing process.’

Each of five Avid Pro Tools rigs has a DAD DX32 audio interface attached, which has both Dante and Madi out. The Madi can be routed to the DFC for conventional mixing or to a sixth rig with a DAD AX32 converter system for in-the-box mixing. A custom BSS monitoring solution can be accessed from either the AX32 or DFC.

‘We can instantly switch between the increasingly varied mixing formats that are now required: 5.1, 7.1, Dolby Atmos and most recently DTS:X,’ Ray says. ‘The DAD interfaces give us so many options as to how we route the audio around the theatre and we are only just beginning to realise the potential of Dante. The modular nature of the S6 means we can configure a set-up to a mixers specific requirements.’

Goldcrest recently completed eight weeks of final mixing on a big Hollywood feature – its second job in the room, with a number of similar projects lined up for the coming year.

Dean Street Theatre 1 takes advantage of a 7m-wide screen, a 15m throw and a 6m ceiling height throughout. The opening of Dean Street Theatre 1 brings the number of Dolby-licensed mixing theatres to three within Goldcrest London. Goldcrest’s Soho facilities are now home to three Pro Tools S6 control surfaces that all supplied by Scrub.

More: www.hhb.co.uk