Studer's third-generation digital console, the Vista 5, is already in use in theatres, studios and performing arts centres around the world. Vista 5 SR has evolved out of the suggestions of leading international touring sound companies and engineers, who saw the Vista 5 and realised its potential to become a dedicated live sound desk.
Peter Weber, Studer's product manager for the Vista Series, explains: "We showed the Vista 5 to influential people in north America including Howard Page at Clair Brothers, Bob Goldstein at Maryland Sound International (MSI), and the Celine Dion team (Denis Savage, Frankie Desjardins and Charles Ethier), and everybody was so impressed they suggested we make a road version. So we've re-engineered the mechanics of the console for touring use, including new frames and racks, and incorporated many other suggestions of these and other international tour sound specialists."
In advance of the console's official launch, Studer is already shipping its first orders; two consoles for Solotech, which will be used on Celine Dion's World Tour next year, and two consoles for MSI, with whom Studer will be promoting the new desk at the AES in New York. Interest is already growing from other high-profile companies and engineers, says Studer.
The Vistonics user interface is largely responsible for the reaction of these users. Vistonics is the Studer-patented technology already familiar to broadcasters, a version of which has already proved popular on Soundcraft's Vi Series of Digital Live Sound consoles.
The Vista 5 SR comes with preset configurations for Front-of-House and Monitor use. A standalone Config Editor tool allows the channel/bus structure to be customised, all of which can be saved for each particular show setup and instantly recalled from memory or a USB stick at a later date.
Another key feature of the Vista5 SR is its expandable I/O system, allowing the whole range of available Studer D21m Series I/O cards (including Cobranet and Aviom A-Net) to be added to the system. The MADI standard is used as optical snake link from stagebox to FOH rack - with the option to add a redundant snake for increased security.
(Jim Evans)
