Avid has announced the new VENUE | S3L-X compact live mixing system, building on the Avid | S3L system in making it easier to meet the increasing scope, size, complexity, and diversity of modern live sound requirements.
VENUE | S3L-X enables engineers to mix and record live shows with power and efficiency, and create new material or mix down live recordings for commercial purposes. When used together, S3L-X and Pro Tools software—both powered by the Avid MediaCentral Platform—deliver a streamlined, economical, and tightly integrated approach to mixing and recording live productions.
“Live sound professionals face tight budgets, pressure to get more value from their assets, and a multitude of technology choices,” says Chris Gahagan, senior vice president of products and technology at Avid. “When we first introduced the S3L, our customers immediately embraced it at major festivals, clubs, and tours for its sheer sound quality, power, and mixing creativity. Now with the Avid VENUE | S3L-X we’re enabling them to use one system for both live sound performance and mixing down final assets to monetize.”
The new system delivers expanded networking, control, and processing. Users can reduce complexity and cost by sharing the same I/O across multiple S3L-X Systems, with full automatic gain compensation. With support for 64-bit AAX DSP plug-ins, plus the open EUCON and Ethernet AVB network protocols, it ensures compatibility with a variety of Avid and third-party products now and in the future.
S3L-X utilizes new VENUE 4.5 software:
• Share the same I/O across two or more Avid S3L-X Systems, with complete auto gain compensation
• Mix DAW sessions using Avid S3 as a stand-alone mixing surface and 4 x 6 audio interface
• Keep pace with the latest sound processing with 64-bit AAX DSP plug-in support
• Scale the modular system to accommodate any size performance, from 16–64 mic pres
• Get reliable Ethernet AVB connectivity without the cable bulk
• Achieve maximum performance with 2x more RAM compared to Avid S3L
• Record directly to Pro Tools (or other DAW) through a simple laptop Ethernet connection
• Get reliability for the road with the rugged, reinforced engine design
• Monitor through the high-output, low-noise headphone amp
The new Avid VENUE | S3L-X will be available early Q4 2014 through Avid resellers worldwide, while the VENUE 4.5 software upgrade will be available in late Q3 2014 to current S3L System customers.
