AUSTRALIA: The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) has expanded its digital mixing infrastructure with the addition of a DiGiCo Quantum 852, strengthening an already established relationship with the manufacturer and further expanding the venue’s capabilities for major conventions, exhibitions and concerts. The investment, supplied through DiGiCo’s Australian distributor Group Technologies, adds the manufacturer’s flagship digital mixing console to a venue that has built its reputation around technically demanding events and touring productions.

Located in Brisbane’s cultural entertainment precinct, BCEC has operated for three decades and has accumulated more than 198 industry accolades, establishing itself as Australia’s most awarded convention venue. Its existing audio inventory already included a fleet of DiGiCo consoles from the SD range, making the Quantum 852 a natural progression for a venue seeking increased processing capacity while retaining a familiar operational environment for its technical teams and visiting productions.

“At BCEC, we’re committed to providing our clients and touring productions with the very best technical capabilities and event experiences. We’re continually seeking innovative solutions that enhance our offering and keep us at the forefront of the industry. The Quantum 852 is a significant addition to our audio inventory, and our longstanding partnership with Group Technologies has played an important role in helping us deliver this investment for our clients” says Michael Duckworth, BCEC’s Technology & Innovation Director.

The console’s combination of channel density, processing capability and redundancy was particularly suited to the venue’s requirements. According to Group Technologies’ Director of Sales, Shane Cannon, the transition also allowed BCEC to build on its existing DiGiCo expertise without requiring operators and technicians familiar with SD workflows to learn an entirely different operating environment.

“For the BCEC, expanding on an already robust DiGiCo inventory meant that upgrading its existing console to the Quantum 852 was a natural progression. From originally utilising one of the previous flagship consoles in the SD range, to now enjoying DiGiCo’s newest flagship, the BCEC have always demanded the best-of-the-best, which is what the Quantum 852 offers. Driving their move into the Quantum range was a desire to harness the console’s large channel and fader counts. The built-in redundancy is essential for a venue of this scale, plus continuing within the DiGiCo ecosystem is a huge advantage for multiple reasons; they’ve scaled the system right up with this console and new racks, so the operators and techs already fluent with SD workflows have had a seamless transition thanks to the familiar interface. Helping them embrace and fast track their experience- and offering DiGiCo’s most advanced mixing console- means the BCEC is equipped with tier one, widely sought-after technology for touring riders” says Shane.

At the core of the Quantum 852 is DiGiCo’s FPGA processing architecture and a fully redundant dual-engine system. The console provides 384 input channels, 192 Aux / Sub-Group busses and a 64 x 64 full-processing matrix, combining a familiar DiGiCo workflow with substantial processing capacity. Its redesigned worksurface incorporates 52 physical faders alongside three 21.3” LCD high-resolution touchscreens, while processing and mixing functions include Nodal Processing, Mustard Processing, True Solo and Spice Rack.

The Quantum 852 also provides extensive local connectivity, with 12 Ultimate ‘Stadius’ 32-bit analogue inputs, 12 Stadius 32-bit analogue outputs and 12 Bit Perfect AES I/O (6 stereo). Each engine additionally features eight single or four redundant BNC MADI ports, Word Clock, AES Sync and Video Sync inputs, Dual DMI slots and Optocore inputs as standard, with provision for an optional second Optocore loop.

The combination of expanded processing, redundancy and compatibility with established DiGiCo workflows gives BCEC a higher-capacity platform while maintaining continuity for its technical personnel and touring engineers. For a venue regularly required to accommodate productions with demanding technical riders, that continuity is an important part of the investment.

“The deployment of this flagship console in such a large, demanding and respected venue has been a great match. For its scale and requirements, the BCEC has acquired a best-in-class console that will serve it well for years to come, and the customer is delighted with its operational performance” Shane concludes.