At the 2018 Prolight + Sound show, Crest Audio has introduced the XD Series of 2U rack-mount digital mixers, available in either 16- (XD-16) or 28-channel (XD-28) frames.
XD Series digital mixers offer optional Dante networking, while an integrated Wi-Fi module enables real-time control and monitoring of mixer processing functions, either by acting as a Wi-Fi router for direct connection of up to four external devices (laptop, iPad, phone etc.) for remote control, or alternatively, by connecting to an external Wi-Fi network.
The optional 4 x 4 Dante network module allows up to eight channels (4-in/4-out) of audio streaming over a Dante network, and also extends the physical inputs of the XD-16/XD-28 by four aux channels. In addition, it adds four outputs (mon 1-2 and aux 1-2). Control is provided via the Dante Controller application.
XD Series mixers can also be equipped with an optional network module to directly link a “Slave” mixer to the master unit via a 100 Mbps Ethernet connection. Linking a Slave to a Master allows the user to access the Slave’s inputs, thereby expanding the mixer by a further 16 or 28 channels.
Master and Slave units process their own input channels, and then the Slave sends the streams to the Master, which collects and mixes the signals before output. Remote control is via the Master unit, which in turn controls the Slave via the network.
Finally, any USB flash media or HDD can be connected to XD Series digital mixers for concurrent recording and playback of dual audio tracks, which are stored via USB media in a lossless 16-bit or 24-bit WAV format. Audio streams can be recorded from any node of the processing chain, and users can also create a dedicated stereo mix if desired.
In Playback mode, the USB extends the physical inputs of the XD-16/XD-28 with an AUX stereo channel. The aux input can access the same processors as the mix/line inputs.
The new XD Series is on display at Peavey Commercial Audio in Hall 3.1, Stand A21 at Prolight + Sound 2018.
