Founded nearly two decades ago in 2002, DiGiCo has long held an enviable position in the industry, supplying digital sound reinforcement consoles for demanding touring and installation customers worldwide.
Sensitive to the global hiatus in the large-scale, live performance market, DiGiCo has designed its new Quantum225 to be agile and flexible allowing the system to adapt to the demands of a changing world. Specified with the new DQ-Rack stagebox with integrated Dante, the new console creates an ideal system for fixed installs and the demands of an AoIP networking environment. Alternatively specified with the MQ-Rack, the system provides the familiar MADI connectivity for a touring/portable system, allowing Quantum225 to easily integrate with an existing infrastructure.
Features, Functions…
Like its larger counterpart, the Quantum338, the Quantum225 offers all of the Quantum features plus new design features and enhancements in a smaller format console. A key point is that the console architecture is developed with seventh-generation FPGA devices that further expand audio processing power and provide users with both a high degree of additional flexibility as well as a measure of future-proofing.
From the top, the Quantum225 includes 72 input channels with 36 buses + the LR/LCR master bus, 12 VCA-style or mute group-style control group channels, two solo buses and a 12 x 12 (input x output) matrix.
A 17-inch, full color, daylight-bright, TFT multitouch screen with the Quantum Dark application (seen before on the Quantum338) is combined with 41 mini TFT’s located across the surface to provide ample user feedback and interaction. The worksurface also features 25 long-throw motorized faders and ample switches and color-coded rotary controls for fast access to channel, DSP parameters and mixing functions.
The 25 faders are split into two sections of 12 faders (plus a master fader), with both of those two sections having three layers of four banks. All faders can be assigned to control any of the channel types.
The Quantum225 dimensions (WxDxH) are 58.9 x 34.5 x 19.8” — a compact footprint that will be appreciated in applications such as live theater or installations where real estate is at a premium. Weight is a manageable 94.6 pounds — easily handled by two persons.
Processing Power
The Quantum225 also incorporates now-familiar features from the existing Quantum Range. All processing paths (every channel and bus) include tube emulation, dynamic EQ and multiband compression. An internal FX rack lets users pick from 34 different FX. Up to 12 stereo FX can be added, ranging from a selection of floating point reverbs, delay, chorus, pitch and enhancer effects. An internal set of 16 32-band GEQs is also standard. The additional Spice Rack processing allows up to six mono plug-in style effects. There are also 24 insertable Mustard Processing Strips, which can be placed pre-processing, pre-EQ/dynamics, mid-EQ/dynamics, pre-fader or post-fader. Some 32 instances of Nodal Processing allow applying EQ and dynamics to a channel’s aux node — something sure to be appreciated by users in monitorworld.
Also developed for the needs of monitor engineers, a True Solo function lets users emulate output processing options into the solo bus. Selecting an artist’s output bus in the True Solo panel emulates the output processing so you hear the signal exactly as the artist hears it.
Need more? The optional DMI SoundGrid Interface card (with 64 I/O channels) or SoundGrid Port simplify DiGiCo’s integration to Waves SuperRack or MultiRack, offering quick access to the plug-ins you need.
Inputs, Outputs
The rear panel features four MADI ports and dual DMI ports for added connectivity; 8×8 analog inputs and outputs; and four AES channels for local I/O; built-in UB MADI, optional optics and Waves SoundGrid. An Optocore option is also offered, providing either single or dual loop fiber optic connectivity (HMA, OpticalCON or ST), with each loop having 504 additional audio paths at 48k Hz and 96k Hz. A Waves SoundGrid option is also available, for 64 inputs and 64 outputs to the SoundGrid Network at 48k Hz and 96k Hz. Another standard feature? The dual onboard power supplies for fail-safe redundancy.
Two DiGiCo DMI I/O expansion slots accommodate a wide range of DMI-format cards, providing interfaces with industry formats, including: analog ADC/DAC; AES; Waves SoundGrid; Calrec Hydra 2; Aviom; Dante; Dante 64@96; MADI-B; MADI-C; ME (to Allen & Heath ME-1 or ME-500 Personal Mixers); mic inputs; AMM (automatic mic mixing); and a DMI-KLANG card that offers onboard ultra-low latency KLANG processing with 64 48k/96k Hz inputs and up to 16 immersive 2-channel immersive mixes.
Remote I/O Options
New compact, 6-rackspace DQ (Dante) and MQ (MADI) stageboxes offer ample I/O flexibility, designed from the ground up specifically for modern application demands. These feature 48 mic/line inputs, and up to 24 analog outputs (switchable to 20 line outputs plus four stereo AES/EBU outs). This I/O flexibility and other configuration changes (such as switching the sampling rate between 48k Hz and 96k Hz) are managed from each racks’ TFT Configuration screen. Weight is 11 kg (just over 24 pounds) and both the DQ and MQ racks include redundant dual power supplies.
And More!
Unique to Quantum225 is a custom-designed, multi-purpose mounting bracket that attaches easily to the console’s left-hand panel. This can accommodate an additional channel or overview screen, a KLANG:kontroller or expanded to fit either a laptop or a script for theater applications. The bracket can be installed at two angles with quick release to cater for all preferences or applications.
DiGiCo’s Quantum App allows you to control any of the major parameters of the console over Wi-Fi with an iPad. Better still, the iPad is not only a remote control surface, but can also act as an expansion of the control surface.
U.S. pricing for the Quantum225 is approximately $30,000. Options include a flightcase, single- or dual loop Optocore, a single-mode Optocore upgrade, and the wide range of DMI interface cards.
For more info, visit DiGiCo at digico.biz
DiGiCo Quantum225
STATS:
Channels: 72
Sampling Rate: 48kHz/96 kHz
Faders: 25
Aux/Subgroup Buses: 36
MADI I/O: 4 in, 4 out BNC ports
Onboard Mic Pre’s: 8
Onboard Analog Outs: 8
Matrix: 12×12
AES I/O: 4 channels in/out
DMI I/O Expansion Slots: 2
Main Display: 17” TFT touch screen
Power Supplies: 2, onboard redundant
Dimensions (WxDxH): 58.9 x 34.5 x 19.8”
Weight: 94.6 pounds
Web: DiGiCo.biz
