Characteristics

Quality Characteristics

CANTUS meets all standards for analog inputs and outputs imposed by the Functional Specifications 3/2 and 3/5 published by the German Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT). Digital and analog components have been successfully tested by the German Rundfunk Betriebstechnik (RBT), Radiotelevisione Italia (RAI), and the Swiss Radio-Broadcasting Service.

Convenience

Thanks to the low-weight consoles, the highly compact channel processor, and the scalable routing system, a CANTUS mixing console system is outstandingly suitable for O.B. Trucks and sound-reinforcement applications.

Audio Quality

Digital audio processing with 40-bit floating-point arithmetic, digital 32-bit buses, and the excellent analog components of the NEXUS routing system provide highest sound fidelity 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, CANTUS can be optimally adapted to a variety of applications.

Configurability

The modular concept of CANTUS 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 less susceptible to electromagnetic interference.

Synchronisation

All NEXUS base devices and CANTUS audio processors in the overall system share the same clock source. The clock signals are distributed in the system via fibre-optic connections, making a separate word-clock network superfluous.

CANTUS and NEXUS support the standard sample rates of 44.1KHz, and 48KHz.


The clock contained in the controller boards (XCPU, ACPU) operates based on a precisely working quartz crystal and can be used as studio master clock. At sync-source failure, the system automatically changes over to another clock source, or, if no adequate source is available, to the internal clock. The sync preferences can be controlled via an editable list.

Possible sync sources for the overall system are the word-clock input of any base device or audio processor, any digital input in the system, or the internal clock generator of a base device or channel processor.

System Boot

NEXUS base devices - and therefore the entire routing system - are ready for operation within a few seconds after powering up and recall all settings valid before the system was powered down (data-maintenance facility). System and signal-distribution settings are included in data maintenance, too.

For cases of temporary power failure, the CANTUS system features a data-maintenance function lasting at least 20minutes. The mixing console, the control computer, and the channel processor will recall their most recent statuses within a few seconds.

The console, the control computer, and the channel processor will be operational within seconds even after longer breaks. After approximately 15 seconds, motor-fader calibration is complete; it will take the configuration computer about a minute to reboot and load the last auto-backup project or the most recently used project from hard disk.

Power Supply

One of the outstanding features about CANTUS is its low power dissipation (standard console: typically 250W; audio processor: typically 400W). Therefore, it is highly suitable for mobile use.

Larger consoles usually feature two power-supply units integrated into the console legs. In case of power failure, if the units are connected to separate mains circuits, mixing-console operation will not be interrupted.

If required, base devices and channel processors can be equipped with redundant power supplies, too.
All the control panels in the console and the control computer have separate fuses. Therefore, failure is always limited to single components.

Maintenance

Maintenance of the CANTUS mixing console system is supported in many ways.

For example, the operating systems of NEXUS base devices, CANTUS channel processors, and control-computer boards can simply be updated via the main-console configuration computer.

The control computer of the main console is accessible from the front. Control-computer, audio-processor and NEXUS Base Device boards can be replaced during operation (»hot swap«); the same applies to the control panels.