One of New Zealand’s largest sound reinforcement production companies, Auckland’s College Hill Productions handles major international artists as well as indoor and outdoor music events, TV and radio broadcasts and corporate events. It’s most recent engagement was to add two Soundcraft Si Compact 32 digital live sound consoles to its equipment roster.

‘We had been keenly awaiting the Si Compact 32 ever since we first got wind that Soundcraft was working on a line of small-format digital consoles with a rich feature set,’ says College Hill Productions General Manager, Leon Dalton. ‘When the Si Compact 32 finally shipped, we jumped at the chance to snap up a couple.

‘Our primary reason for going with the Si Compact 32 was its audio quality. We didn’t want to sacrifice sound quality just for the convenience and flexibility a digital console offers. In fact, we had found other small-scale digital consoles lacking in audio performance. The Si Compact 32, on the other hand, sounds fantastic.’

It appears that the console was a logical upgrade for College Hill Productions for a number of other reasons: ‘The Si Compact 32 is an easy-to-use, ergonomic, compact and great-sounding drop-in substitute for our older small-format analoghe consoles,’ Dalton explains. ‘Each Si Compact 32 also replaces two external racks of outboard effects. The four built-in effects engines are plenty for our purposes and they sound superb.’

Extending the new consoles’ versatility, College Hill Productions ordered the Si Compact 32 consoles with the Madi card option, which allows the use of external stageboxes and extends the consoles’ input/output and multitrack recording capabilities. ‘The Madi option complements our existing Madi inventory and gives us the ability to create cost-effective, live multitrack recording options for bands, television companies and radio stations,’ Dalton adds.

‘I cannot emphasise how much of a benefit the Si Compact 32’s small footprint provides,’ Dalton closes. ‘It’s one of the console’s great strengths. The console in its road case has the same dimensions as a monitor wedge case, making it perfect as part of a support band package for larger arena shows where truck space is at a premium.’

More: www.collegehill.co.nz/chp.htm
More: www.soundcraft.com