Concord Processor Enhances Functionality of Calrec Apollo, Artemis Consoles

Calrec (Booth C2755) will unveil major enhancements to both software and hardware in its Apollo and Artemis consoles. Taking on concepts first introduced on the company’s Summa console, version 3.0 of the consoles’ software offers new features and expands the user interface and on-screen operator feedback. The consoles themselves have been upgraded with the addition of the Concord processor, enabling significant performance improvements.

“Feedback on the Summa console was overwhelmingly positive,” says Product Manager Henry Bourne, “so we have incorporated a lot of the same concepts into the larger, more powerful consoles in the range. These features will be very popular with our users and speed up their workflows.”

Besides shortening the learning curve for users, the upgrade provides additional software features to take advantage of the new processing resources. This will be further enhanced with future upgrades to widen the depth of control and feedback.

Version 3.0 introduces a processing mode that completely reimagines the way operators interact with Bluefin2’s processing engine. It provides clear presentation of information and makes interacting with a path’s processing controls much more instinctive. Summary displays provide an instant preview of a path’s processing, and a single button press reveals detailed controls for EQ, dynamics, delay, and AutoFaders, or a combination of those essential controls for the whole path. Navigation is simple and always provides context to let users know where they are and what they are controlling.

The new software also gives Apollo and Artemis users dynamic new features: path presets, user-configurable wild controls, multilayer routing interrogation, stereo spill, additional meter scales, and patchable oscillator sources. A refined user interface for mode and layer switching has redesigned surface-mode buttons that use shape and color to make them clearer and more useful.

Among other improvements, patching screens now show a list of connected destinations for each source, making immediately clear which sources are in use. Every source and destination list now has a consistent layout, with each row containing only a single source or destination. This display makes it easier to make connections and instantly assess which sources are in use.

“We are confident we’ve come up with the best way yet to connect our customers to their audio,” says Bourne.