More Than an Upgrade: Historic Calrec Console Finds Fountain of Youth
It’s only eight years old, but the audio console in Corplex, Inc.’s HD mobile unit, Platinum, already rates historic significance — back in 2000 it was the first of Calrec’s Alpha series to be installed and operational anywhere.
Now, Calrec engineers are going to spend five days enhancing and rejuvenating this historic Alpha, incorporating Calrec’s signature Bluefin High Density Signal Processing system as well as a host of other features, including flexible TFT metering, full 5.1 surround sound spill control, and the addition of 12 more faders.
Thus, with a highly cost-effective makeover, this first Alpha audio desk will now offer Corplex clients the same state-of-the-art functionality and performance as a brand new Calrec Alpha desk right off the factory floor.
“I like to say our Alpha has found the fountain of youth,” said Dave Greany, Corplex vice president and partner. “The fact that this enhancement is possible is testimony to Calrec’s engineering and design staff as well as their management’s customer-first philosophy. In 2000, they designed a first-class digital console in the Alpha. Now, some eight years later, technology has progressed but Calrec hasn’t forgotten about those customers that invested early in the game.
"Today, they make sure upgrades can be retrofitted into that console. Our own clients expect us continually to provide the latest technology, particularly with audio. Now, both Platinum with the Alpha and our new unit Iridium with a Sigma, will be at the same level of features and refinement. That makes it easy for our clients’ operators and Calrec makes it easy for us.”
NFL games and other professional sporting events are the company’s bread and butter, but Corplex also supports production of political pageantry, including this year’s Democratic and Republican National Conventions, as well as previous State of the Union Addresses.
Corplex, headquartered near Chicago, currently deploys three mobile units, with Iridium currently under construction. As a satisfied Calrec customer, when selecting an audio console for that HD unit, Corplex went back to Calrec. Iridium will debut with a Calrec Sigma desk onboard in summer 2008.
“At Calrec, existing customers are just as important as new ones,” said John Gluck, Calrec’s sales and marketing director. “That’s why we designed Bluefin to be compatible with consoles already in the field. Bluefin allows us to pack unparalleled performance into a single card, saving space and power while enhancing durability. Bluefin is one reason Calrec boards have become the standard for television broadcast trucks.”
