French national broadcaster Europe 1 has replaced a first-generation Studer digital mixing console with a 52-fader Studer Vista 8.
Europe 1 took a 10-year old Studer D950 out of service and installed the new Vista 8 in its flagship on-air studio in Paris, Studio Merlin.
The studio accommodates an audience of 150 and regularly hosts a talk show and a live music show. “The D950 was not really the right mixing desk for live music,” said Olivier Beneuf, chief operating officer for Europe 1.
“Initially we thought of using two consoles, one for the talk show and the other for the live bands, but this would have raised problems of integration. The Vista 8 had the capability to handle all our needs from on-air broadcast to live recording,” said Beneuf, who supervised the studio refurbishment.
The studio also supplies musical material, both live and recorded, to sister stations Europe 2 and RFM.
According to Beneuf, Studio Merlin may not be the permanent home for the new console. “We are planning to build a new studio, with space for a large live audience, which will be shared by Europe 1, 2 and RFM — when it is completed in 2008, we will move the Vista 8 in there.”
