Features

Quality Characteristics

The AURUS meets all standards imposed by the Functional Specifications 3/2 and 3/5 published by the German Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT), also for analogue inputs and outputs. Digital and analogue audio components have been successfully tested by the German Rundfunk Betriebstechnik (RBT) , the Italian RAI, the ABC (USA) evaluation lab, and the Chinese CCTV.

Logistics

The following features make the AURUS mixing-console system perfectly suitable for OB vans and live use: the low console weight, the extremely compact audio processor, the scalable routing matrix, and low power consumption, resulting in low heat dissipation.

Audio Quality

Digital audio processing with 40-bit floating-point arithmetic and the excellent analogue components of the NEXUS routing system provide the highest fidelity sound for recording, mix-down, and sound-reinforcement applications.

Flexibility

Thanks to its freely configurable channel and mix buses and a channel structure that can be altered virtually at any time, the AURUS can be perfectly adapted to a variety of applications.

Configurability

The modular concept of AURUS and NEXUS provides for customized configuration of the overall system. If required, the system can be expanded with special options.

Fibre-Optic Connections

The deployment of fibre-optic cables for system control and audio, data and word-clock information distribution simplifies the installation and makes the system insusceptible to electromagnetic interference and ground-loops.

N-1 System

The N-1 system allows for complex feeds to be simply achieved as required, for examples, at sports events or conferences. Whether the routing occurs pre-fader or post-fader it can be configured individually for each I/O pair. In addition, gain can be set separately for each crosspoint.

The additional configurable off-air matrix is a real helper: All participants who are off-air can communicate with each other. If one of them is put on air, the corresponding path will be removed from the conference. He can rejoin the conference after his fader has been closed again.

In brief, the N-1 system has the following features:

• Input, group, and mix channels can be used as sources.
• The maximum number of 48 N-1 buses should be sufficient for any application. The number of buses can be configured individually.
• The signal sources within the N-1 matrix can be freely routed and mixed to N-1 buses.
• The gain of each mix point can be set individually in the graphical control program or from the console.

Libraries

In addition to the automation facility, AURUS provides another function for storing project parameters. Equaliser and dynamics settings can be organised using libraries. The channel parameters are stored separately from the project but will be available as soon as the project has been loaded. The library can also be exported to a global file.

The library stores settings of this signal-processing units:

• Equaliser
• Compressor
• Limiter
• Expander/noise gate

Machine Control

A multitude of external studio peripherals can be remote-controlled from the AURUS user interface. Flexible software modules allow for simple access to various machines. The peripherals are controlled from two separate operating panels. These panels are not hard-wired to individual machines but can be switched between multiple machines.

Freely Configurable Controls

Control tasks in studio operation that need to be performed frequently (e.g. pause gongs, signalling, curtains, preconfigured sequence control, etc.) can be defined using the flexible and freely programmable control logic.

Keys or fader relays can be scanned for use as control trigger signals. Output options include the XRI board (NEXUS relay-interface board) and more.

Synchronisation

All NEXUS Base Devices and AURUS audio processors in the overall system synchronise to a common clock source. The clock signals are distributed in the system via fibre-optic connections, making a separate word-clock network superfluous.

AURUS and NEXUS support the standard sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz and 96 kHz.

The NEXUS controller boards (XCPU, RCX) are fitted with precision WCL generators and can be used as studio master clock.

At sync-source failure, the overall system automatically switches to a different source; if no valid external source is available, internal synchronisation will be enabled. The sync preferences can be controlled via an editable list.

Automation

Automation functions for saving all audio parameters of the current project are standard feature of the AURUS mixing-console system. Three types of automation are provided to meet all requirements of various applications:

Snapshot Automation
With this type of automation, all parameter settings of all audio channels can be stored as snapshots. The automation data is stored as part of the project and is available as soon as the project is loaded.

The function stores all audio-parameter settings of the configured processing channels – for example, all channel parameters including the metering settings. An extra mode allows for storing selected function groups; for example, a snapshot can be limited to all equalizer settings, or even to individual functions.

Up to 999 snapshots can be handled within a project and be stored as part of the project to a hard disk or a removable drive of the server PC.

Scene Automation
Using the scene automation, snapshots can be stored in any order and can later be recalled one by one using dedicated keys. Crossfade times are configurable, and various actions such as remote-machine start or signalling can be enabled using a sequence-control feature. Moreover, MIDI commands can be transferred to external devices, triggering sound units or controlling peripherals. The snap-mix function allows automated dynamic mixes to be integrated into the scene automation at the touch of a button.

Dynamic Automation
The dynamic automation is time-code controlled. It captures changes made to the audio parameters of a project. Since data is captured and reproduced in a 10-ms time grid, moves are smooth with no skipping or jumping. The dynamic automation reads and writes all audio-related parameters, for example, encoder or fader settings or key actions. The mix-scope settings allow data capture to be limited down to a single function.

Distributed System

AURUS and NEXUS are mostly structured as systems with distrib-uted control and processing, so failure is usually limited to partial functions.

For example, if the configuration computer breaks down, the console will remain operable - only the configuration can no longer be changed. At console failure or on disconnecting the fibre optic console connection, the audio processor will continue functioning, and the most recent audio-processing settings will be retained.

Audio processing is channel-specific, meaning that if malfunctions occur on an RMD board, only those channels processed on that board will be affected. This also simplifies identifying the defective board. A redundant RMD configuration can be implemented on request.

The concept of the virtual console, too, is protective: If malfunctions occur, the configuration can quickly be changed (for example, the channel assignment) in order to bypass any failed components.

System Boot

NEXUS Base Devices - and therefore the entire routing system - are ready for operation within a few seconds after powering up or mains failure and recall all settings valid before the system was powered down (data-memorization facility). System set-up and signal-distribution settings are also included in the data memory.

Data stored on the AURUS mixing-console system will survive even the longest power failure. When the outage is over, the console will restore its previous settings within a few seconds and will immediately be functional.

The configuration computer requires approximately one minute to boot.

Power Supply

One of the outstanding features of the AURUS is its low power dissipation (standard console: approx. 250 W, plus 20 W per audio-processor board). Therefore, it is highly suitable for mobile use.

The AURUS consoles as well as the NEXUS STAR which accommodates the audio processor feature power-supply units with automatic supply changeover. When feeding the power-supply units from separate power lines the console will continue working if one supply line breaks down. If required, Base Devices and audio processors can also be equipped with redundant power supplies.