They were given the opportunity to test drive the system's modular, dual-redundant architecture - which includes the D-Show mixing console, Mix Engine and Stage Rack I/O unit (with recallable, remote-controlled preamps) - firstly in the production area, under the supervision of experienced Digidesign engineers such as Bernard Natier (from Paris's Studio Garage) and Ian Nelson. Here they were able to tour the surface's topology and familiarize themselves with the main desk/sidecar arrangement prior to the real thing.
The company responsible for getting the 96-input desk, with full support for industry-stand Pro Tools plug-ins, onto the Montreux rider were Swiss distributors, Niveau 2 Mediasystems. The Festival's sound director, Patrick Vogelsang, who had been operating Niveau 2 since 1999, recommended the Venue. But it was when he merged the company with Paul Friedli's Mediasystem Technology in February this year (to create Niveau 2 Mediasystems), that the vehicle for the Venue became firmly established. For with a background in studio design, Friedli's company had been one of the country's largest Digidesign dealers. His Pro Tools knowledge - coupled with his partner's experience in the live sound arena - formed an irresistible combination.
Their solution was to set up three Montreux locations for the Venue. In addition to the Miles Davis Hall and production workshop, there was a further set-up located in the broadcast suite of the nearby 1500 capacity Casino Barrière.
Here the desk, under the control of Niveau 2 Mediasystems recording engineer Santiago Artozqui, took a split from the stage into the stage rack of the Venue to provide a stereo mix for Video, DVD and Broadcast, and a Multitrack, using Digidesign's HDx option, which allows Pro Tools to connect directly to the Venue without using external audio interfaces. While the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 mobile trucks were taking a split from the Stravinski and Miles Davis Halls respectively - tracking to Pro Tools HD using respectively Digital/Analog I/O- the set-up at the Casino effectively obviates the need for a third truck.
Digidesign's European live sound sales manager Mike Case believes that with its digital Pro Tools experience, Niveau 2 Mediasystems is the perfect company to be representing the product in Switzerland. And Vogelsang's proudest moment was being able to say, "We received eight riders stipulating 'no digital desk'. But no-one refused the Venue console because Digidesign and Montreux are two big names."
One example was the sound engineer for Queens of the Stoneage. "He said he didn't like digital consoles, yet the Venue is the best digital desk he has ever worked on. This is because it doesn't sound and feel like a digital desk. Configured as a 40-fader main surface - with two sidecars, to accommodate engineers who prefer not to work with layers - the Venue at the Miles Davis Hall was supported by a processor rack comprising two SPX2000, a PCM 70, a d2 and pair of Avalon 737's. This was a 'comfort factor', since Niveau 2 Mediasystems recognized there would not be time for visiting engineers "to get into the plug-in world."
Summarizing, Vogelsang says, "The main feature of the Venue is its usabaility; we knew there wouldn't be a problem with the desk - but the system's intuitive control surface meant that engineers could walk up to it and instantly generate the mix they wanted. In particular they liked the functionality and how it's designed, with real switches and real encoders. They could find the reference just as they would on an analogue desk, and work with or without the display.
"Sixteen days of the festival, working 24/7 is proof that the Digidesign Venue can handle everything rock 'n' roll,
