All-American mobile truck provider Live Media Group is stepping up to the mat with the installation of a 72-dual fader Calrec Argo Q and a 48-fader Argo S console into its new MU-16 mobile unit. Designed and built exclusively for sporting powerhouse All Elite Wrestling (AEW), it made its debut on the TNT Network on July 6 with live coverage of the AEW COLLISION event from the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi.
The truck, which not only boasts dual Argo control surfaces but also doubles up on Calrec’s powerful IP ImPulse core for full redundancy, marks a milestone for Live Media Group as it moves into a fully-native IP environment for the first time.
“The fact that the Argo and the ImPulse cores are ST2110 IP-native was a big factor in our decision to go down this route,” says Live Media Group Sound Engineer Kevin Norris. “It totally removes the need for any of the conversion or audio bridging we have required on our previous installs, which saves us space and simplifies all our interconnections.
“A native ST2110 infrastructure also allows us to route streams direct to end devices without needing a traditional audio router in the middle of the network, giving us access to ImPulse’s full 4096 x 4096 router and all the available I/O. It’s our first full ST2110 installation, but all future installs will follow this same design.”
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Live Media Group’s mobile unit division has 38 HD/UHD mobile production trucks servicing the broadcast sports and entertainment markets and is a provider of multiple mobile units to ESPN. A longtime Calrec customer, no less than 20 of its trucks are built on Calrec technology and both companies share a history that dates all the way back to the analogue Q2 console. It’s a relationship that not only makes operation a breeze for audio mixers but streamlines the installation process long before the console is even built.
“We’ve worked with Calrec for many years and our operator base knows the console workflows well,” says Norris. “Not only do we find them easy to drive, but our relationship with the team at Calrec means that we’re able to plan hardware adjustments in advance.
“In this truck we’re running two Argo surfaces off one pair of redundant ImPulse cores. The Argo Q surface operates as the main mix console, and the more compact Argo S as a sub mixer. We’re also operating two complete IP networks; one for all the Calrec AoIP I/O boxes connected to the truck, and a second 2110 network with EVS Cerebrum control and Arista MCS as the Software Designed Network (SDN).”
Calrec’s Regional Sales Manager Dave Lewty says that Calrec’s close relationships with its customers are a key factor in the company’s success.
“Calrec has a long relationship with Live Media Group over generations of console technology,” he says. “They were one of the first remote companies in the USA to install the Alpha and Apollo consoles in a truck, and they are continuing the trend with Argo. The fact that they also trust us to support them into their first fully IP-native environment is testament to that relationship, and testament to how Calrec aims to support all its customers, wherever they are on their IP journey.”
