Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Launches CL Series Digital Consoles

Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. announces the launch of the new CL Series of digital consoles. The three consoles are making their official debut at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, running through March 24. The Yamaha CL Series is a Dante network-based console featuring remote I/O for a faster, more responsive Yamaha system solution, the company says. All three CL models in the Centralogic series, only differentiated by frame size and input capability, feature 24 mix buses, eight matrix buses, plus stereo and mono outputs, and 16 DCAs. The footprint of all three CL consoles is small and has been developed specifically for sound reinforcement applications.

The Yamaha CL5 mix capacity is 72 mono plus eight stereo inputs (64 channels through Dante and eight local), with 34 faders (16 on the left, eight Centralogic, and eight right, plus stereo and mono masters). The CL5 also includes built-in output metering. The CL3 is a 64 mono input system, with eight stereo inputs, and 26 faders (16 left, eight Centralogic center, plus masters). The CL1 console is a 48-mono plus eight stereo inputs, and 16 faders plus two master faders (eight left and eight Centralogic center, plus masters). All models feature 16 DCAs, channel encoders, and support 48kHz and 44.1kHz sampling rates. An optional meter bridge is available for the CL3 and CL1 consoles. The CL5 and CL3 feature a built-in shelf for an iPad, and the CL1 has a shelf for an iPod.

All CL consoles are configured with a top panel center section with a comprehensive selected channel section, a new 16-bit color LED back-lit touch screen, four user-defined knobs, a built-in help system, two-track USB recorder/player section, and much more. The CL Series features sixteen 31-band GEQs, an eight-unit effects rack and a new eight-unit premium rack including Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5043 Compressor and Portico 5033 EQ as well as new Yamaha VCM compressors and EQs. Rupert Neve, who approved the 5033 and 5043 in the premium rack during its initial evaluation, called it "very sweet sounding" and "indistinguishable from its hardware equivalent."

Up to eight external Rio (Remote I/O) boxes can be used for a total of 256 channels via the Dante digital network. The five-unit rack space Rio3224-D includes 32 remote controlled mic/line inputs, 16 line outputs, and four AES-3 outs. The 3U Rio1608-D includes 16 remote controlled mic/line inputs and eight line outputs. Dante network I/O can easily be set up and patched utilizing familiar paradigms within the console user interface, with no external software required for network operations.

Additional console features include simultaneous CL editor/stagemix connection, multi-track recording via Dante virtual soundcard software, and file converter software for CL, PM5D, M7CL and LS9 consoles. A new recording software from Steinberg dubbed "Nuendo Live," optimized for live recording and playback transport, will also be bundled with the console. CL editor for Mac and PC as well as stagemix for iPad will be available for the series free of charge.

"The CL Series sets a new standard in terms of sound quality, flexibility, and usability for mixing professionals," states Larry Italia, vice president/general manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. "We appreciate the loyalty of our customers and are excited by the possibilities the CL Series will afford mixing engineers."

The fader sections of all CL consoles features new self-lit key tops, channel name and color bar visible in sunlight, new fader caps, and a smoother drive circuit. The Centralogic section also features undo and preview keys for scene memory, fader bank select, and 16 user defined keys.

The CL console's back panel consists of dual Dante ports, 3 MY card slots, work clock I/O, MIDI I/O, AES/EBU digital out, eight analog omni ins/outs, five-in/five-out GPI, and an external PW800W PSU connection.