The Sapphire, which will premier at the IBC, is Lawo’s latest addition to their radio console family. Lawo says that the new console meets the challenge of different demands from today’s on-air and production studios.

On the one hand, technicians and engineers focus on a mixing console’s flexibility as well as its technical and tonal capabilities, while editors and self-op presenters look for intuitive operation and a design creating an inviting atmosphere for their studio guests.

In terms of its design, the Sapphire is based on the successful Crystal console, including the extremely flat construction with a high quality, solid aluminium surface that will stand up to the most strenuous situations during day-to-day radio operations.

The Sapphire’s up to 40 faders can either be placed arbitrarily on individual studio islands or integrated into the desk, allowing moderators to work from different positions while the studio is on-air. And this flexibility extends even further: using layers, up to 80 mono sources can be connected simultaneously.

In addition to mono, stereo and 5.1 sources are also possible, each of which can be assigned to a single fader. In addition, the configuration of individual buttons is highly flexible if desired. Being thus entirely subordinated to the individual requirements of sound engineers and presenters, the control of even tonally sophisticated programs becomes simple and self-explanatory. In essence, this allows the focus to shift entirely to the issue at hand: the production of the broadcast.

Arranging controls even more efficiently and allowing quicker access to additional channel parameters, different modules with longer channel strips, so-called “Extensions” can be chosen. They feature high-quality OLED displays, rotary controls, and buttons. With the sapphire, an optional Overbridge with high quality surface and modern design can be added to allow displaying channels directly via the channel strips.