DK-Audio adds master volume control to MSD range

Danish metering specialist DK-Audio has introduced the PTO660M, a new addition to its successful MSD600M range of audio meters.
The eight track PTO660M combines DK-Audio’s proprietary JellyFish surround display with a volume knob on the front panel, enabling it to act as the master volume control for speakers in both surround and stereo configurations. An internal switching matrix and new software allowing customers to change presets to their own specifications provide additional flexibility, as the ten presets are directly available from the front plate.
Inspiration for the new meter came from Corinthian, a television facilities company with wide experience in the production and transmission of live studio shows linking into major broadcasters. Formally part of the Carlton Communications Group, Corinthian is today jointly owned by its management and by JFP Limited (the investment arm of the Telstar Group.) Its main studio and transmission facilities are based at the Chiswick Park Television Centre, which Corinthian built and has operated since March 2002.
The company’s chief engineer, David Chalcraft, first identified a gap in the audio metering market when he visited the IBC 2003 exhibition in Amsterdam.
He said: “I was looking for a device that would allow me to simultaneously monitor and control the audio levels of both stereo and 5.1 surround. The search, however, was completely fruitless because there was absolutely nothing on the market that would allow me to do this in an easy and cost effective way.
Although there are 5.1 decoders available that incorporate both PPM meters and volume control, none of these could be used to simultaneously monitor and control stereo. “In order to do this we were faced with having to buy a number of different units which, as a solution, was both expensive and cumbersome.”
Corinthian took the problem to pro audio sales and distribution company HHB, which in turn approached DK-Audio to see if it could help.
Chalcraft added: “DK-Audio’s MSD600C was the ideal place to start because it already offered eight PPM tracks, which meant we could allocate six for surround and two for stereo. We were really impressed by DK-Audio’s willingness to help and by the speed at which they were able to adapt the meter to suit our needs The customisation has worked so well that we have now installed three of the units in our facilities in West London.”
DK-Audio’s technical director, René Mørch, said: “There is nothing more satisfying that developing a new product that does exactly what a client needs. The PTO660M is a perfect example of this and we are delighted that, having solved Corinthian’s problem, we can now make this solution available to the industry as a whole.”
Mørch added that DK-Audio is currently developing new ways of controlling the outputs of its modular systems such as the MSD600M and its counterparts for 19” half rack-mount (video industry standard). “There’s obviously demand for these units (PTO600M and PTO660M) because even though we haven’t officially started marketing them we’ve already sold quite a few. Their modularity makes it possible to have up to 32 channels of audio shown on the screen as well as mixed signals, like SDI, AES and analogue. The outputs are typically a mixture of analogue and digital signals and the volume control knob serves as a speedy way of controlling the huge matrix built into the units.”
(GB)