German broadcaster Saarländischer Rundfunk (SR) has upgraded its control room in the Congress Hall in Saarbrücken, the largest city in the German state of Saarland, replacing its analog system with Lawo digital technology. Built in 1967, the Saarbrücken Congress Hall hosts various events, including conferences, trade fairs, conventions, shows and concerts. Some of these events are broadcast on radio and television by Saarländischer Rundfunk. SR upgraded its control room following the hall’s renovation and reopening in September 2023.
The control room now features a Lawo mc²36 MkII all-in-one production mixing console and two Lawo AoIP stageboxes, replacing the previous analog system. This new console meets SR’s standards for performance, flexibility and efficiency.
At the center of the new setup is the mc²36 MkII production console, which includes integrated processing with A__UHD core technology. The console provides 256 processing channels at 48 and 96 kHz, accommodating even large orchestral productions. It natively supports ST2110, AES67, Ravenna, and Ember+. The mc²36 MkII offers an I/O capacity of up to 864 channels and extensive connectivity through its local I/Os. The two additional Lawo A__stage64 AoIP stageboxes support ST2110-30/31 and AES67/Ravenna, ensuring the seamless integration of audio signals.
“With the new audio technology in our control room in the Congress Hall, we have taken a first step into the IP world, which gives us considerable freedom in production,” said Ralf Schnellbach, head of radio production technology at SR and project manager for this installation. “It makes many things easier, faster and clearer, such as switching between 48 and 96 kHz or signal management with the new user lists.”
SR chose the Lawo setup for the Congress Hall installation based on its positive experiences with Lawo systems and the company’s project and customer support. Schnellbach highlighted the performance, sound characteristics, compactness and comprehensive flexibility of the system as critical factors in their decision. He noted that the system’s capacity allows for various configurations for different productions, and the extended matrix and control options eliminate the need for an external talkback infrastructure.
Schnellbach concluded that the installation resulted in a smart and economically efficient sound control room, with components that can be easily moved for mobile use, such as during festivals in the summer.
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