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TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
Jory MacKay speaks with Allen & Heath’s R&D director Rob Clark about the process behind the GLD. Rob Clark
Clark: “The idea behind the GLD series was to provide a professional digital mixing system that was user- friendly, cost effective, portable, and provided remote scalable I/O. This was driven by requests for a smaller but similar system to that of our successful iLive- T series. “The GLD-80 offered the popular format of 12 and 8 fader banks, and while this was well received, we decided the GLD-112 would make an excellent partner, offering a third bank of eight faders where visibility of more channels in one layer view is required. Both models have equivalent mixer kernels with full scene compatibility – another
to mix their own individual monitor feed. Also shiny and new is the GLD editor software. Available for Win and OSX (I only ran the Win 7 and XP version, without any issues) it allows you to set the desk up offline and control the desk in real time. I think it’s a bit more literal than the iLive stuff which makes it easier for stupid people like me as for the most part the remote looks just like the surface. The GLD accepts USB
keys for audio playback and you can also record a stereo mix to the key, though only at 48kHz. I do like the fact that there is a shortcut to the USB play/record screen always available in the tool bar at the bottom of the touchscreen.
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popular request. “GLD offers a complete
system – mixer, processing, fx, snake, stagebox, and interface options. Another key component in the design process was our dSNAKE Cat5 digital multicore together with the plug ’n’ play audio racks and expanders, which make it simple and affordable to build the GLD system as needs grow. Optional IO modules let you link GLD systems, make multi-track recordings or connect with other systems, and a dedicated Monitor port allows connection to personal monitoring systems. “We wanted to make new users feel at ease by presenting them with
One of the things everyone thinks about is to what extent their spend is an open-ended investment rather than a one-off purchase and here the GLDs
analogue-style controls and an intuitive touchscreen interface. The layout and appearance of the GLD mixer can be customised quickly and easily, providing an interface that logically mirrors your application. Finally, a key design concern was to provide a system that delivers all the benefits of digital mixing at the price of an equivalent analogue mixer set up with its rack of outboard gear.”
very competitive price point. “This was pretty tough!
Furthermore, the design brief was to make the mixer as compact and light as possible, again without compromising the ease of use and tactile feedback. We were able to optimise some aspects of iLive; for example, placing the DSP mix engine into the surface, exploiting DSP and new FPGA developments, and throwing considerable resources into
“We wanted to make new users feel at ease by presenting them with analogue- style controls and an intuitive touchscreen interface.” Rob Clark
DESIGNING GLD “Customer feedback highlighted demand for a ‘baby brother’ to the popular iLive-T series, retaining the easy mixing environment, multi-coloured channel name strips, intuitive channel processing strip, the same iLive processing and sound quality, and touchscreen GUI, all at a
with ADAT, iDR, and Aviom on it. So if you hanker after a large networked system or already have an investment in these technologies buying a GLD keeps you in the game
the mic pre and dSNAKE specification and design.”
KEY FEATURES “Ease of use, including an intuitive touchscreen interface, and a compact scalable product were key targets – we are proud of the results! The I/O racks and plug ’n’ play nature of dSNAKE is well received by customers who enjoy the use
growing all the time and with the release of the editor is now very comprehensive. The workflow is flexible and has some welcome interface features for those making
INFORMATION Feature set
• Twenty-eight fader strips in four layers
have some pretty potent advantages.
Although the desk ships with dSNAKE, a range of other interfaces are available. You can choose between ACE, MADI, Dante, Ethersound, and Waves Sound Grid formats. And if you don’t like any of them there’s a multi-output card
with the option to add the functionality later on. Summing up, the GLD- 112 is in one sense not really hard. Pretty much all of it has been road tested and road refined in other Allen & Heath products. It feels well screwed together and you’re unlikely to get any nasty surprises. The software is
their living behind a digital front of house mixing desk. Undoubtedly you will have noticed that the Allen & Heath isn’t the cheapest mixer you can buy but few other products offer that magic blend of features, workflow, sound quality, and expandability that makes the GLD-112 a bit of a bargain.
• Forty-eight input processing channels
• Eight stereo FX returns fed by iLive’s FX emulations
• Thirty configurable busses
• Twenty mix processing channels
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of remote I/O built in without the need to add network cards. dSNAKE and the AR2412 and AR84 racks provide users with I/O where they want it, and are easy to set up without the complexity of networking. Users are also pleased to find the same Allen & Heath transparent sound, and full DSP processing and FX quality derived from iLive.”
WHO’S USING IT? “GLD has a widespread user base, encompassing rental companies, live venues, and houses of worship. The GLD-112 in particular has been well received in houses of worship for its wider channel visibility in what is still considered a compact frame. Recent notable installations have included the Maracana stadium in Brazil, and London’s Oval Space, combined with an iLive system. “We have also seen uptake in the live touring market, as engineers are attracted to the compact and lightweight system. GLD-80 has been out on tour with Rita Ora, Saxon, Deaf Havana, and Rudimental.”
November 2013 41
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