Calrec Adds Automixer To Apollo, Artemis Consoles

Broadcast audio specialist Calrec Audio has announced that it has added Automixer — an automatic mixing function, to its Bluefin2 signal-processing engine, the driving force behind its Apollo and Artemis mixing consoles.

The new feature is expected to come in handy when broadcasting panel-style discussion shows where guests might speak over each other and dramatically raise their voices. Unlike compression of a mix bus, or use of individual or linked compressors on paths, the use of an Automixer applies differing amounts of attenuation to each path, depending on its own level, as well as the overall mix level. Additionally, specific paths can be assigned different levels of emphasis, which could allow the host of a show to stand out from the guests.

“When you’re mixing for live TV, there are many variables to control, and if you have a segment with a good number of guests on set, you have to ride the faders to control the voices in the midst of everything else you’re doing,” said Ryan Davidson, a broadcast audio engineer at the Christian Broadcasting Network, in a statement. “Automixer is so intuitive that you can pretty much leave the faders at zero and they will mix themselves. If someone starts to talk, Automixer is right on top of it, probably faster than a human could do it.”

Automixer is an upgrade to the Bluefin2 software.