DiGiCo SD8 The Best Decision We Could Have Made Say Concept Solutions

January 2010

Vienna-based Concept Solutions is a major system provider in the Austrian market, servicing everything from small to large live music events, club gigs and corporate functions. Recently the company needed to expand its mixing console inventory and, requiring the ideal combination of versatility, high quality and cost-effectiveness, chose the DiGiCo SD8.

“I had heard a lot about the great sound of DiGiCo consoles, so I decided to try them out,” says Raphael Rupprecht, Concept Solutions technical director. “I tried the D1 and was amazed at the quality of the preamps, the EQs and the dynamics. Even my reference CDs sounded better over the PA when routed via the D1 - I could hear details I had never heard before.”

The next DiGiCo console Raphael tried was the SD8, and this immediately became the ‘gold standard’ for Concept Solutions.

“I contacted local distributor TON Eichinger and got an SD8 for evaluation. We tested the desk in all kinds of situations and the performance convinced us to become the first rental-company in Austria to offer the SD8. It turned out to be the best decision we could have made!” Raphael continues.

“What impressed us even more was the Overdrive upgrade we received after purchase, adding dynamic EQs, multiband compressors, 24 graphic EQs, more FX and a bigger Matrix. You really won’t find anything similar at the price.”

Just two months after purchasing the SD8, the company had already used it on 20 events with 10 different freelance engineers.

“They were all extremely happy with it,” says Raphael. “They all had just 10 minutes introduction to the world of the SD8 and mixed their bands with no problems whatsoever.”

And the company hasn’t stopped there. It has already upgraded the MaDiRack with LK37 connectors for Linkcore use, integrated colour coded patch cables, an additional patchbay and two AES/EBU output cards, to drive all of its d&b D12 amplifiers digitally.

“We maintain the whole dynamic range the SD8 offers. Our signal chain from desk to power amps is completely digital, using a lightweight MADI multicore,” Raphael notes.

“We also use the remote software on a tablet PC via WLAN to set up and equalize the PA system components. And with a MADI card in a laptop I am able to improve the workflow and the sound. DiGiCo has made the virtual soundcheck perfect. It’s just one button press to listen back to the recordings. So easy to use!”

The SD8 has, Raphael concludes, given Concept Solutions business a genuine boost. Indeed, such has been its impact that the company is already thinking about their next DiGiCo purchase.

David Webster at DiGiCo
Tel: +44 1372 845600
Email:webby@digiconsoles.com
Web: www.digico.org

Sarah James at Gasoline Media
Tel: +44 1372 471472
Email: info@gasolinemedia.com
Web: www.gasolinemedia.com
Skype: sarahconte
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarah_gasoline

IMAGE 1: Raphael Rupprecht, Technical Director - Concept Solutions

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