The Caudan Arts Centre has made a significant investment in its live mixing technology with the purchase of a Yamaha DM7 console, supplied by Stage Audio Works (SAW).
Opened in 2018, the Caudan Arts Centre is a privately owned theatre and cultural hub in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis. Playing host to an average of 135 shows per year over 300 days, this busy 431-seat venue offers some of the best technical facilities in Mauritius.
‘We have a beautiful, high-performance space here at the Caudan Arts Theatre, with excellent acoustics and an exceptional PA system,’ says Kooshal Dwarka, Technical Manager and Head of Sound at the venue. ‘Since the beginning, we have worked closely with Stage Audio Works so, when it came time to upgrade our front-of-house kit, I reached out to the SAW team right away.’
Dwarka sought the advice of Stage Audio Works during negotiations on the mixing console upgrade having enjoyed a good experience with their hardworking Yamaha CL1 and CL3 for more than six years. The in-house team knew, however, that an upgrade would unlock new levels of control and creativity over their mixes.
‘The DM7 stood out as the right choice for us,’ Dwarka says. ‘It would have a lot of the features of the Rivage series, in the right size format for us and offered a huge amount of flexibility in terms of user controls and customisation.’
Making this purchase means that the Caudan Arts Centre is the first venue to own this console in Mauritius, setting a benchmark and maintaining the theatre’s reputation as a leading venue. Aside from the positive impact on the venue’s reputation and its appeal to international artists, it was the rich feature set of the Yamaha DM7 that sealed the deal for the Caudan team.
The DM7 has quickly become a favourite for Kooshal and the team thanks to its combination of intuitive design and feature set. The dual touchscreens are highly responsive and easy on the eyes during long mixing sessions. The angled positioning of the screens makes for comfortable viewing, while the layout of the desk provides an at-a-glance overview of processing and routing. Extensive user-defined keys grant flexibility to tailor the workflow to each production’s needs.
Split mode is one of the most valuable features the team rely on daily, while fader response is another highlight, with adjustments translating instantly into audible results. Paired with the auditorium’s d&b audiotechnik audio system, the combination allows the Caudan Arts Centre to confidently handle a diverse programme of productions.
‘One of the main motivations for me was the 120 inputs and 48 outputs in a compact console,’ Dwarka says. ‘This really opens up creative possibilities in terms of routing and bus mixing, which we are increasingly experimenting with. For its size and price, you get an extremely flexible, powerful and elegant console that saves a lot of time in live event situations.’
In addition to live performances, the sentre hosts various corporate events, and the Yamaha DM7 has proven its worth in terms of flexibility and support for diverse device set-ups.
The recent purchase of the console has positioned the Caudan Arts Centre as a reference venue in Mauritius. ‘The DM7 meets our creative and technical demands, and gives us the high level of confidence we need when running back-to-back shows,’ Dwarka says. ‘Supported all the way by Stage Audio Works, this purchase has truly helped us to level up. Yamaha really nailed this one.’
More: www.stageaudioworks.com