Crest Audio, a division of Peavey Commercial Audio, has partnered with Waves to create Tactus, a modular touch-screen based digital mixing system. After several years of development and intensive real-world testing, the system is now available.
Tactus is all about modularity and scalability, designed with separate components users can select to create a customized console system solution to fit their needs.
The Basics
Tactus systems are built around three hardware units: Tactus.FOH, Tactus.Stage and Tactus.Control, with each addressing the input and output, monitoring and control plus synchronization requirements of audio signals at the stage and front of house points.
The basic elements that make up the system begins with a computer — either a Mac or PC that runs Waves eMotion LV-1 software with one to four touch-screens, in addition to one or two 32-input Tactus.Stage stageboxes. Another key element is the Tactus.FOH, which combines local I/O and the DSP. Tactus.FOH has an onboard Waves SoundGrid Server Extreme — the DSP engine that performs all of the audio processing and mixing functions.
In addition to housing the server, the Tactus.FOH frame has eight (local) mic/line inputs, eight line outputs, headphone amp, AES inputs, word clock, MIDI and an onboard Gigabit Ethernet switch.
All the networked elements connect via standard Cat-5e/Cat-6e Ethernet cable, running standard gigabit hardware, so with an Ethernet switch in the FOH box, users can easily connect their computer and run other lines out to stageboxes for additional I/O. The stageboxes also have the switch built in, or a direct connection to bypass the switch — all for easy networking
The Tactus.Stage has 32 mic/line inputs and 16 line outs, plus two AES outputs. The high-quality, remotely controlled mic preamps feature ultra-low input noise, high slew rate, very low THD, and 66 dB adjustment range in 1 dB steps to maximize dynamic range. Users can combine Tactus.Stage I/O interfaces for a total of 64 stereo inputs by 32 stereo outputs. This opens the option of starting out with a smaller system and later adding a second stage box for more I/O as needs or budget allows.
Taking Control
The Tactus.Control surface features 18 moving faders and a handful of encoders that are mapped to specific plug-in parameters, a single encoder that mirrors on-screen controls selected by the operator, dedicated Mute, Cue and Select buttons, a multi-line scribble strip display and connects via USB to the computer running the e-Motion software.
The e-Motion software is touch screen-driven, and users can use one, two, three or four touch screens with it — or scale how the interface works, with the size of the interface to suit any specific application and workflow.
The control surface can follow the layer selection on the screen or access an alternate independent layer of the user interface for control. Particularly in a small space, this offers a lot of power to the user. Additionally, within the software, users can create up to eight custom layers and operate each on the touch screen or via the control surface. For example, if you are working with a single screen and the control surface, you can assign your layer of 16 DCA’s to the surface full time and do your balancing, EQ and trimming on the touch screen.
The I/O and hardware configuration is entirely modular and is easily customizable for any application. It’s even possible to do an entire show without a touch screen — or run all the hardware for a simple show with just a laptop.
The Plug-in Advantage
Not to be ignored is the fact that Tactus processing is based on the renowned Waves plug-ins, so each channel can be customized for the source — and that same plug-in “rack” is available on all the outputs and buses as well. A plus for many users, one of the available plug-ins is the Dugan Automixer for gain-sharing automated mixing — ideal for anyone doing a small-format corporate gig.
Besides the modularity, the system’s powerful routing capability provides several different ways to accomplish the same thing to suit your own workflows or requirements. For example, if you have a screen that shows the plug-ins on each channel, you can just touch one plug-in and it will immediately navigate to that plug-in. If you have a screen displaying the EQ curves and dynamics, one touch takes you to the parameters controlling that function; or simply touch a channel to go to channel view or route an input to a channel right on the main mix screen via a drop down and selecting a source.
Performance, Plus
One of the key goals in the Tactus design was to provide a non-compromised audio path from input to output. The remotely controlled high-gain mic preamp inputs accept a +27dBu input signal without a pad, with 66 dB of adjustment range in 1 dB steps to maximize dynamic range. All feature ultra-low input noise at both high and low gain settings, with high slew-rate and very low THD. Every mic input has individually switchable 48 Volt phantom powering available. On the balanced outs, the maximum output level is switchable between +24 dBu and +18 dBu. And on the digital side, the system supports sample rates of 44.1kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz and 96 kHzz.
Ready, Set, Go!
The Crest Audio Tactus digital mixing system is shipping now. Built on the combination of the proven Waves eMotion LV1 mixer, industry-standard SoundGrid server technology and Tactus I/O interfaces, the Tactus digital mixing system offers the next evolution in digital consoles — without the physical limitations of a traditional console.
For more information, go to www.tactusdigitalmixing.com
To download a PDF, CLICK HERE
