Chinese AV solutions provider EZPro was handed the task of supplying and installing the audio system for the new center, presented with a mission to deliver a reliable, “always-on” solution that was also flexible and offered a straightforward user-friendly interface.
For the stadium audio system, reliability, ease-of-use, and audio quality were key factors in EZPro’s decision-making process. With all this in mind, they opted for an Allen & Heath Avantis console for mixing duties, partnered with a DX168 portable stagebox expander, offering 16 ins and 8 outs, and the larger GX4816 expander, featuring 48 ins and 16 outs plus additional DX connectivity, to provide distributed analogue inputs and outputs to the system.
Built around Allen & Heath’s ultra-low latency 96kHz XCVI FPGA engine, Avantis is a 64-channel mixing console featuring the innovative Continuity UI, enabling users to comfortably see and interact with what matters on two 15.6” touchscreens, 24 assignable SoftKeys, and 24 faders over 6 layers.
Over in the swimming complex, the main audio system has been structured around an SQ-7, paired with an AR2412 expander which provides an additional 24×12 analogue I/O to the system. Allen & Heath’s SQ mixer series delivers 48 channels of 96kHz audio with a class-leading <0.7ms latency. The largest mixer in the range, SQ-7 provides 32 onboard preamps, 16 Line Outputs, and 33 faders over 6 layers.
Both Avantis and SQ mixers are compatible with Allen & Heath’s acclaimed DEEP processing add-ons which, in addition to the in-built options, provide effective processing tools to meet the varied demands of live and installed sound applications. Additionally, both mixers are compatible with the Everything I/O ecosystem of audio expanders and several audio networking cards including Dante, MADI, Waves and more.
“The Allen & Heath system ticks all the boxes; powerful processing tools, super-fast setup, and unrivalled ease of use,” concludes Wu Ziqiang, Technical Engineer at EZPro. “The variety of built-in processing tools greatly helped FOH engineers to deliver a studio-quality mix in the large venue.”
