Calrec gives AJL the 5.1 treatment
Published: ASIA
MALAYSIA: Media Prima Berhad (MPB) utilised a Calrec Summa console to handle the 5.1 surround mix during its live coverage of the Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) concert. The Malaysian broadcaster reportedly selected the console as it is designed specifically for use in broadcast applications.
AJL is an annual singing competition, now in its 31st year. The recent edition was staged at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur and broadcast to millions at home, while a feed was also streamed live to cinema hall in Melaka.
The Summa was used to create the 5.1 surround mix, following which the signal was levelled and converted to the Dolby E format using a Junger Audio system. The converted signal was then beamed via satellite link to the cinema in Melaka. Once the signal reached the theatre, the audio was decoded and processed courtesy of another Junger Audio system, and played back over the venue’s surround sound speaker setup.
‘The Summa is one of the simplest mixers that I have ever used,’ explained Mohd Zaidi Mohamed Taib, head of sound at MPB. ‘It is a true broadcast mixer. The audio quality is great and integration is straightforward.’
Calrec’s international sales manager, Anthony Harrison, was on site during the event to provide support. ‘It was a real pleasure to be able to introduce the Summa console to MPB in such a dynamic way, especially for a show as prestigious as AJL. The feedback from the engineers and operators highlights the exact design philosophy we had in mind when developing Summa.’
‘It was an honour to be part of the AJL crew on this project,’ added David Chan, general manager at Calrec distributor JAA Systems Sdn Bhd. ‘We were delighted to be able to play a part by supplying the Calrec and Junger Audio solutions that were used in the mainstream system for the AJL 2017 show.’