Located in the heart of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) campus, the Ferst Center for the Arts serves as a showcase for the presentation of concerts, lectures, dance, film and theater. The hall seats nearly 1,000 and is filled with activity all-year round. It is designed to provide a wealth of diverse and enriching opportunities for Georgia Tech and the greater Atlanta community. Moreover, it has served as a DiGiCo facility for several years, with an SD9 console as its front-of-house desk since 2014.
DiGiCo, is of course, a UK-based manufacturer of digital mixing consoles for the live, theatre, broadcast and postproduction industries.
The Integration of DiGiCo Technology
In 2021, many performances and events had moved outside. Georgia Tech Arts, which operates the Ferst Center, established its Skyline Series in the spring. The performances thus take place outside on a newly-constructed stage. Here, audiences sit in folding chairs in the parking lot. For this, the rented Meyer Sound Leopard line-array system brought in needed a compact but still-powerful yet cost-effective mixer. Per DiGoCo, its new S21 console fulfilled this need. The venue acquired the console last March through Atlanta-based integrator Rock N Road Audio.
In fact, the venue remains a bastion of DiGiCo technology, per a statement. The new S21 has been installed in the Ferst Center as its current FOH console. Meanwhile, the SD9 is under maintenance and updating services. Currently, there are two D-Racks used on the Ferst’s stage and connected to FOH. Additionally, the venue has a Meyer Sound Galaxy 408 PA system processor via DiGiCo Little Red Box Cat-5 interfaces.
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“We definitely wanted to stay with DiGiCo so we could interface with the existing DiGiCo equipment we have here,” explains Joe Davis, audio engineer for Georgia Tech Arts, Office of the Arts, division of student engagement and well-being.
He also touches on the ease of shifting from SD9 console to the S21 console. According to Davis, the SD9 required maintenance. Thus, it allowed them to bring in the S21 inside and use it to mix front of house.
Features of the S21 Console
In Davis’ opinion, DiGiCo’s S21 is the ultimate utility console for Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center. It is a 48-channel mix desk with 21 physical faders and dual ten-inch multitouch screens. Like the SD-Range, the S21 also uses state-of-the-art FPGA technology to provide same high-quality audio.
“We have a number of other spaces here, such as ballrooms, that will use portable sound systems, and the S21 is very lightweight and compact and easy to roll in and out as needed,” he says. “It can handle anything we ask it to.”
DiGiCo adds that the S21 console is capable of being the venue’s frontline FOH console as required. It will thus share key performance capabilities with the larger SD9, including its operational flexibility. According to Davis, once the SD9 returns to its FOH role, the S21 will also add monitor mixing to its agenda when needed.
Davis highlights another feature of the S21. “Because it’s as compact as it is, it’s much easier to see over the top of when mixing front of house,” he remarks. “It makes a difference on a long show.”
Click on “View Slideshow” on the upper-right corner for all photos of Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts.
