Avid’s S6 and S3 control surfaces are central to every studio at Empire Design. Audio 1 and 2 are running Avid S6 systems and are dedicated for larger, theatrical mixes. Additionally, there are three smaller Pro Tools HD rooms, each running an Avid S3 for TV, radio, sound design work and more.
The customisable automation module allows storage of numerous setups for projects and mixes to be recalled instantaneously. Split zones make it quick and easy to access specific tracks from a mix, plus additional finishing touches such as motion sensors light up the console as you enter the room. Empire’s dubbing mixer, Ian Gardham commented: “Everything from freezing tracks, nudging, muting, separating and trimming etc. can all be done at the touch of a button from the console. And those buttons can be customised depending on what’s happening in the template. And different users can save their settings and bring them up in any room.
“The S3s are sturdy. The faders feel solid and comfortable. We went from the Artist series to the S3 in one room and the difference is huge, which is important because it’s the faders that get pushed up and down all day everyday! – We also linked up a dock to the S3 in one of our smaller stereo suites. The touchscreen of the iPad works just like the screen on the S6. You can go deep into all the menus, swipe through tracks, access EQs all on the S3 effectively like the S6.”
On the reasons for using HHB and Scrub, Gardham stated: “We have used Scrub since day one at Empire. The technical support has been second to none. The great thing is, any further training or technical support we need, Scrub are only a phone call away.”
