iQ networked radio console to debut at NAB

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iQ™ networked radio console to debut at NAB.

Axia's newest console priced under $10,000

25 March 2010, Cleveland Ohio, USA

In the space of just six short years, Axia has become the clear leader in IP-Audio for broadcast, with over 1,500 Axia consoles installed around the world. Now, Axia introduces a new console engineered for either standalone studios or networked applications. Called iQ, it will debut at the 2010 NAB Convention in Las Vegas.

Gary Kline, Vice President of Engineering and IT for Cumulus Broadcasting, says: “Efficient, smart, and sexy is the way I describe iQ. It has the power and flexibility of systems much larger and more expensive, without the drag of installation costs or learning curves. Finally, I can have the quality, flexibility and reliability of Livewire-delivered audio without compromises. Every studio can have one, without breaking the bank.”

“Axia believes in global innovation that benefits our clients,” says Axia president Michael “Catfish” Dosch. “This is not limited to technology, but includes manufacturing too. Our experienced R&D teams in the US and Europe can now take advantage of expert Asian manufacturing to produce world-class products at very favorable cost.”

“We’ve been working hard to make sure broadcasters’ dollars stretch farther, and do so without compromise,” Dosch continues. “I spent nearly a year in China setting up operations to manufacture products to our stringent quality standards. Now, with our Asian operations online, we will be introducing a range of exciting new products. And just like our US-made products, iQ comes with 24/7 support and a 5-year warranty.”

The iQ system is a family of console frames with different capabilities. Users start with the 8-fader iQ Main Frame, then add frames with phone controls, programmable routing controls or more faders as needed. Frames plug into the iQ Core, a fanless, convection-cooled console engine with audio I/O, console CPU, logic, mix engine, power supply and Ethernet switch. Backup power with auto-switching is also available.

This modular-frame design gives iQ a unique capability: users can increase their console’s size whenever they wish by simply connecting another frame, up to 24 faders.

iQ’s rich feature set includes 3 dedicated stereo Program buses plus a stereo Utility bus that can be used for phone calls, off-air recording, or as a fourth Program bus. There’s automatic mix-minus on every fader, Show Profiles that instantly recall talent’s favorite settings, Record Mode one-touch recording, and comprehensive Talkback. Construction details include Axia’s hallmark ultra-smooth faders, aircraft-quality switches, and beefy extruded-aluminum frames. High-resolution, ultra-bright OLED displays on the meter bridge can be read instantly from anywhere in the room.

Thanks to its “everything’s-included” nature, iQ is well suited for building standalone studios, but has a built-in Ethernet switch with Gigabit ports for seamless connection to larger Livewire™ IP-Audio networks; up to 4 iQ Cores can be daisy-chained without an external Ethernet switch.

iQ features include:

  • Four stereo Program buses and a dedicated Phone bus.
  • Record Mode one-touch off-air recording.
  • Automatic per-fader mix-minus.
  • Event Timer with auto-start/auto-reset functions.
  • Studio and Control Room monitor controls.
  • 4 Show Profile “snapshots” to save and recall commonly-used configurations.
  • Intuitive talkback system that lets operator talk with talent, guests, remote hosts and telephone callers using board mic and cue speaker.
  • Switchable VU/PPM program meters.
  • High-resolution OLED displays.
  • Premium-quality 100mm. conductive-plastic faders.

  • Long-life rotary encoders and aircraft-quality switches with LED lighting.

  • Expandable via three iQ Expansion frames:

  • Telco expansion – 6 faders plus 6-line Call Controller with Status Symbols™ and DTMF keypad for direct control of the latest Telos broadcast phone systems

  • Router control expansion – 6 faders plus 10 programmable film-cap keys to control external devices, trigger routing salvos, send contact closures and more

  • 8-Fader expansion – doubles the capacity of the iQ Main Frame

  • Flexible mounting system allows desktop, cutout, or rack-mount use.

  • Hardened, fanless power supply.

  • Ultra-reliable embedded console CPU and DSP mixing engine.

  • Built-in I/O with:

  • 4 Mic inputs with selectable Phantom power

  • 16 Analog ins and 8 Analog outs with 24-bit, 256x oversampling A/D converters

  • 2 AES/EBU ins and outs

  • 4 GPIO logic ports, each containing 5 inputs and 5 outputs

  • I/O is expandable using standard Axia audio nodes.

  • 6 100Base-T Livewire ports for single-cable Livewire connections to Telos phone systems, Omnia audio processors and other Axia gear, as well as broadcast equipment from partners like Nautel, ENCO Systems, BSI, 25-Seven, AudioScience and more — seeAxiaAudio.com/partners/ for full list.

  • 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports with SFP for copper or fiber network connections.

  • Single-cable connection to optional iQ Backup Power Supply provides failsafe secondary power with automatic switching.

Axia broadcast consoles have become the fastest-growing brand of consoles in the industry, with over 1,500 studios online worldwide. The Axia IP-Audio system allows broadcasters to build audio networks of any size using switched Ethernet to connect a few rooms, or an entire facility. Axia networks have a total system capacity of more than 10,000 audio streams, and can carry hundreds of digital stereo (or nearly a hundred surround) channels over a single CAT-6 cable, eliminating much of the cost normally associated with wiring labor and infrastructure.

Axia products include the popular Element 2.0 modular broadcast console, the PowerStation integrated console engine, the IP-Intercom system, a family of “audio nodes” that allow easy mixing and matching of digital, analog and microphone audio, and a comprehensive suite of network administration and routing control software.

More details about iQ can be found on the Web at www.AxiaAudio.com/iQ/. Visitors to NAB2010 can see iQ, along with the complete line of Axia products, in the Central Hall at the Telos / Omnia / Axia display in Booth #C146. For more information, contact Clark Novak at Axia Audio, via email atcnovak@AxiaAudio.com or by phone at +1-216-241-7225.

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