For 15 years, Stage Tec has designed and manufactured digital mixing consoles. Flexible and versatile, the legendary sound quality of these consoles makes them superior in almost any application. Sometimes however, they are just too big. In contrast, AURATUS, the latest arrival from Berlin, is both very small and very powerful. Developed as a small production, broadcasting, and live console it has 54 input channels and a fixed bus layout. The modular structure supports versions featuring 8, 16, or 24 channel strips. AURATUS consoles are available as desktop or fitted versions without legs.

AURATUS entire DSP power is accommodated on a single, standard NEXUS plug-in board consuming just 8 watts. Like all other Stage Tec consoles, the AURATUS fully integrates with the NEXUS audio network. The single-board solution eliminates the need to invest in a NEXUS STAR.

The name is intentionally reminiscent of AURUS to emphasise that the AURATUS compares favourably with the big console in sound, quality, and ergonomics. In particular, the familiar AURUS principle of instant access to key parameters on the channel strip was also implemented on the new console. For the first time, numerous proven AURUS features are made available in a compact and reasonably priced on-air and production console.

The basic idea behind the AURATUS was to design a compact digital console that could be used in predefined workflows in radio and TV production. Therefore, the AURATUS features not only a hardwired bus layout but also a user interface optimised for quick and simple operation. This ensures that even inexperienced users or selfdrive programme editors are assured a shallow learning curve and secure operation. All critical audio-channel parameters can simply be set using the dual encoders on the channel strip familiar from the AURUS, or from the master section.

The AURATUS offers many more features designed specifically for the broadcaster. Convenient audio-follow-video functions, a remote-controlled fader (on/off) functionality, two logic keys per channel, extensive cue-light signalling, eight separately configurable N-1 buses, and two timers capable of counting down as well as up.

The AURATUS delivers ultra-low power consumption – even the largest version consumes less than 100 watts, thus rendering the fans required by so many other digital consoles obsolete. The power supply is invariably implemented with redundancy.

Apart from NEXUS operation, the mixing-console system does not need a control computer. All generated data – snapshots and projects – is stored onto ordinary SD memory cards.

The standard version AURATUS is designed for 5.1 and stereo formats; a stereo-only version is available on request. The basic functions and operation are the same with both versions. Technical differences are indicated in the overview below and here.

AURATUS in Brief

AURATUS mixing-console systems offer the following standard features:

Console

• Modular structure, free assignment of audio channels to channel strips
• 8 layers
• Instant access to two pre-selected layers per channel strip

Inputs and Outputs

• All I/O routing uses NEXUS
• Multiple routing paths can be stored on the NEXUS
• Freely editable channel names on the NEXUS control program

Solo/PFL

• Selectable monitoring modes for PFL and solo
• Fader-controlled PFL routing (»backstop PFL«)

Configuration

• All settings can be stored in project files
• Supports SD cards as removable media

Control Features

• Input-channel stereo grouping (including key signals)
• 8 assignable master/slave groups with selectable functions
• 8 assignable link groups with selectable functions
• 8 assignable mute groups
• 2 timers for remote control

Displays and Indicators

• Level and gain-reduction metering on the TFT screen portion of each channel strip
• Graphic EQ curve for each channel strip
• Bus-routing (including aux and N–1 routing) plus control groups for each channel strip
• Automatic information pop-up window on the channel-strip TFT display showing the numeric values of recently adjusted mixing parameters
• Permanent level metering of the bus channels on the central TFT screen
• Additional graphic display areas with graphic curves in the master section

Automation

• Snapshot automation with 99 memories per project
• Settings can be stored as full or partial snapshots
• »Isolate« function to ignore specific settings contained in the snapshots loaded by the user
• Projects can be stored to SD card

N–1 System

• Comprehensive N–1 system
• Input, group, and mix channels supported as sources
• Eight buses for cue mixes
• Fader-controlled pre/post switching via off-air matrix

Logic Control

• Most AURATUS parameters can be linked to the flexible NEXUS Logic Control system
• Expanders can accept external triggers (for audio-follows-video functionality)
• The status of certain keys and fader start relays can be queried
• Fader-on-Backstop function with monitoring
• 40 freely configurable user keys on the master section
• Remote control of the DIM function
• Freely configurable displays on the central TFT screen
• Control and query functions for the two timers