Mesh Broadcast Packs Calrec Argo M Power

Canadian outside broadcast specialist Mesh Broadcast Services has equipped its flagship Eclipse mobile unit with a 36‑fader Calrec Argo M mixing console, installed by Calrec's Canadian partner True North AV. The compact but capable setup is now supporting ten to twelve live sports and entertainment broadcasts every month.

Aiming to deliver big‑truck audio performance in a small control room for high‑profile events, Mesh chose Calrec's Argo M for its combination of power and reduced footprint. The surface sits in the production area of the company's 40' Eclipse unit, which has recently transitioned onto a 2025 Freightliner dual‑axle truck. Its first outing with the new console was a six‑week engagement with InLive, the City of Vancouver and FIFA at the Vancouver FIFA Fan Festival at the Pacific National Exhibition, a central hub for fans following this summer's global tournament.

"We looked at several platforms, but when Calrec developed and launched the Argo series, we knew we had found both the power, and size to fit our applications," said Scott McPhee, Co-Founder and Production Director at Mesh Broadcast Services. "In North American sports, Calrec is the platform of choice for 90 percent of engineers. With the Argo M, we have an extremely powerful audio workflow. The desk is intuitive enough that new A1s can get working fairly quickly, but seasoned A1s used to the older larger Calrec consoles can still operate a show fairly easily."

True North AV's Technical Sales and Product Specialist Kypros Christodoulides guided the team through configuration options. "Previously the truck was built with a full Dante backbone to avoid large analogue patch bays, and this was something Mesh Broadcast Services wanted to continue and expand on," he said. "The install was straightforward and Mesh Broadcast is already maximizing the extensive capabilities of the Argo M."

"We had to choose a console that had all I/O types," added McPhee. "Dante is a huge platform for us and it had to be part of the workflow in today’s productions to be able to service all our clients. Combine that with the usual MADI connections and analogue, and you can cover just about any workflow, be it a pro sport like hockey, soccer, or a streaming e-game event. Kypros and True North AV were very patient with us during this process, he's been amazing."

Alongside the console, Mesh has deployed three Calrec Type R analogue I/O boxes in flight cases as portable field units, providing flexible connectivity around venues. “We also wanted to incorporate the 1 R/U frame in our racks with a Dante enabled POE switch that feeds our Bolero Comm Antennas in the field,” adds McPhee.

The Eclipse truck now handles ten to twelve events per month. Mesh Broadcast Services supplies production facilities for the CPL in Vancouver and Victoria, Battlefield Fight League on UFC Fight Pass, the Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival on Red Bull TV and the Great Outdoor Comedy Festival in Calgary and Vancouver, and serves as the in‑house broadcaster for the Vancouver Goldeneyes (PWHL).

calrec.com