D-8EX (IP)

D-8 EX: The console you always wanted but didn’t think you could afford

One audio console brand keeps more TV stations reliably up and running than any other. Chosen because it's the most intuitive AND the most comprehensive, Wheatstone has earned its reputation as being the best you can buy.

D-8EX packs a lot of mixing power into a small space, making it an ideal companion in your remote truck or secondary on-air/production room.

With the D-8EX, you get 24 motorized-fader input channels, expandable to twice that number WITHOUT increasing the console’s footprint. A PAGE button on each channel permits you to access a second channel with full, immediate recall of that channel’s settings, bringing the total number of available channels to 48. It also features true surround, 4 sub-masters, 2 main buses, 2 aux sends, and extensive processing (4-band parametric EQ, filters, compressor/limiter).

This console also includes an intuitive touchscreen for extensive metering and control of lesser used, set-and-forget controls.

Like all Wheatstone television consoles, the D-8EX is a control surface; all audio I/O is housed in the Wheatstone Gibraltar IP Mix Engine or Gibraltar Network rackmount router/mixer.

Features

24 motorized input faders (with access to 48-channels of audio via the PAGE button)
IP networked console
Main busses: one 5.1 program, one stereo program
Submasters: 4 stereo
Mix-Minus: 8 mono with automatic confidence feed switching
Loudness Metering with large LKFS readout and momentary, short-term, peak reading and program duration level history display

Auxiliary sends: 2 stereo (direct rotary control from fader channel)
Bus minus: direct mix-minus feed from every input fader channel
Outputs from all busses and bus-minus are configured within the Network router matrix and can be analog and/or digital, or not fitted
One 5.1 (audio booth), two stereo studio feeds
Phase reverse

Surround pan / balance control and blend
Stereo mode control
4-band, parametric equalizer with variable high & low pass filter
Compressor / Limiter
Expander / Gate
Variable delay on all input faders

D8EX Page Detail Page Function Doubles Your Capabilities

With the D-8 EX's page funciton, you have double the number of input channels - each having access to any source or destination on the network - without increasing your footprint by a single inch. Simply press the page button on any channel to call up that channel's other page. The motorized fader will snap to its current position and all accessible settings will follow. It's like getting a free add-on control surface.

The Integrated Touchscreen Graphical User Interface

Metering, and control of all secondary functions, is via the large touchscreen. The softbuttons at the top of every screen will take you instantly HOME to the MAIN screen, to INPUT setup (level, EQ, dynamics), MIX-MINUS, BUS-MINUS, HELP, or INFO. Every function is no more than two or three clicks away.

Main Screen

Metering that rivals even the megabuck consoles – the upper half of the main screen is dominated by large high-resolution meters for every monitor, aux, group and master output.

The lower half displays metering of input level for the sources assigned to each of the 24 input channel strips. The incredibly intuitive superimposed fader knob on each meter lets you quickly adjust input sensitivity to optimize source level — see the level indication directly where you are adjusting.

Below the input meters and touchscreen faders are the input channel strip indicators and buttons. The color changes to indicate channel on/off. Press the button to put the channel into SET Mode, switching to the INPUT screen for that channel strip.

The Loudness Range meter provides a level history over the course of your program with a Program duration display and a reset control on the D8EX surface. The Loudness Meter can be set to read any of the Stereo Program or 5.1 Program busses. The large LKFS readout helps your operators maintain CALM compliance, avoiding more noticeable downstream corrections.

Filter

Comprehensive input-related settings and status indication: Adjustable input filtering removes unwanted LF and HF energy; adjustable input delay allows precise sound/video alignment; phase reversal; assignment to bus-minus and direct out (pre or post). This screen shows the combined resulting curve of the filters and EQs.

Compressor/Limiter/Expander

Compressor/limiter provides smooth inaudible level control, peak control, or can be used to dramatically change and enhance the audio.

Downward expander acts as a noise gate to remove low level unwanted material during pauses in speech.

Four bands of parametric EQ, each with adjustable frequency, width, and boost/cut; the low and high bands can be peak/dip or shelving.

Pan/Surround

The power of Wheatstone surround sound mixing — comprehensive panning of mono and stereo sources; full spatial manipulation of surround sources.

Bus-Minus & Mix-Minus

A total of 32 bus- and mix-minus outputs make the D-8EX a powerful and flexible console for live television news, talk shows, sports, drama, and special events.

Eight mix-minus outputs — each with a separate build of sources — are used for intercom, phone coupler, ISDN, and remote truck feeds.

Bus-minus is an individual output for each input channel strip, also known as N-1. This allows talent to get an independent monitor/IFB feed; the TB button on each input channel strip talks to that bus-minus output. These same outputs can be configured as a direct out, pre or post.

The Modules

Everything you need to mix - and a way to make them yours - right there at your fingertips

Input Module

24 identical input channel strips in an intuitive uncluttered layout

SET: Assigns the channel strip for programming of bus/group assignments on the output and monitor panels and secondary functions on the touchscreen; includes full router-based source selection
AUX: Two independent auxiliary outputs with level control and individual ON/OFF
MUTE: Four channel mute groups, assigned on the OUTPUT PANEL, LED indicated on the channel strip
5.1/ST1 and ST2 ASSIGN: Assigns the channel strip to the two master outputs
GROUP 1, 2, 3, 4: Four output groups, assigned on the OUTPUT PANEL, LED indicated on the channel strip
MIX-MINUS: Eight mix-minus outputs, assigned on the MONITOR PANEL, LED indicated on the channel strip
TB: Talk/IFB to the output associated with the current source assigned to the channel strip
PAGE: Select between two input channels for this strip
PFL: Listen to the source on theCUE/PFL speaker SOURCE DISPLAY: Source assigned to the channel strip
ON: Module ON/OFF
FADER: Motorized 100mm full-throw fader

Output Module

Control center for all masters and group outputs

INPUT CHANNEL MUTE ASSIGN: When a channel strip’s SET button is pressed, assigns that channel to the mute group
INPUT CHANNEL GROUP ASSIGN: When a channel strip’s SET button is pressed, assigns that channel to the submaster group
AUX TB: Talk/IFB to the aux outputs
SET 5.1/ST, ST2, G1, G2, G3, G4: Configures the selected output bus for programming of secondary functions on the touchscreen
GROUP ASSIGN: Assigns the group to the two master outputs
GROUP TALKBACK: Talk/IFB to the group outputs
MUTE MASTERS: Mutes the input channels assigned to that mute group
PFL: Listen to the group on the CUE/PFL speaker
MASTER and GROUP ON/OFF: Output ON/OFF
MASTER and GROUP FADERS: Motorized 100mm full-throw fader

Monitor Module

Presets, control room, studio, mix-minus, aux feeds

MIX-MINUS MASTER, MIX-MINUS ASSIGN: 8 mix-minus outputs; select the output and control the level
AUX MASTERS: Output master level control
MASTERS TB and CUE/PFL: Output level controls
PROGRAMMABLE: 6 buttons to perform virtually any system function: fire salvos, activate presets, trigger logic/GPI MIX
MINUS TALKBACK: Talk/IFB to the eight mix-minus outputs
MONITOR SETTINGS and BUS-MINUS: Accesses the touchscreen for monitor and bus-minus settings

CONF: Confidence directs a pre-assigned source, typically station program, to the mix-minus outputs during setup and show breaks; confidence can be switched from the front panel or by remote control from the station’s automation system or MC switcher; status is indicated on the panel and touchscreen

PROGRAM/PREVIEW: 99 nameable programmable presets that instantly reconfigure the console: source selection, all bus assignments, gain, dynamics and EQ settings
SOURCE SELECT: Selects the source for any input strip or monitor when its SET button is pressed; each module or monitor output can access any system source, or only those on a pre-programmed limited “visibility” list
METER: Source select for the switched meter on the touchscreen
MONITOR MIX PRESETS: One-touch recall of pre-programed mix configurations
CONTROL ROOM: Speaker monitor source display, level control, and SET to access the touchscreen for secondary settings
STUDIO 1 and 2: Speaker source display, level control, talk/IFB to the studio speakers, and SET to access touchscreen for secondary settings

Failsafe Redundancy

It’s all about staying on the air - every second of every day - without fail

Wheatstone’s experience in designing audio consoles for all broadcast realms as well as pioneering networking comes together in the D-8EX. More power to handle modern needs with a user interface that is pure joy to get your hands on. And with Wheatstone’s built-in safeguards, you can rest assured that you’ll always be on the air...with or without fail.

Redundant Components

If a DSP chip fails in a traditional console, it tends to take the entire card with it, leaving the board dead. Thus, having a backup DSP chip on the same card is not really a solution. With Wheatstone, a hot-spare DSP card can be utilized with automatic failover in the event of a problem with the primary engine. Because any source can be assigned to any fader, even catastrophic damage to a fader module on the console (as from a drink spill or falling object) only means that the damaged faders are out of action. The sources can be rerouted to other faders, and the show goes on.

Redundant Power

Gibraltar Network cage utilizes internal modular power supplies and can accommodate up to two units for redundancy.

On the Gibraltar Network and Gibraltar IP Mix Engine cages, power supplies are internal and can be single or dual modules.

The back provides access to the cards’ connections.

Gibraltar: Create a System with IP-Based Audio Network or Traditional Networked Router Frame

Wheatstone has long been the leader in networked audio and routing for broadcast. Whether you are interested in a traditional frame-based TDM network or are looking at an IP-based system that can utilize AES67 to function with emerging standards, Wheatstone has mature, field proven, bullet-proof networking that provides the functionality to make the most of your applications and needs.

Gibraltar brings an exceptionally powerful engine to the mix. There are 1,024 channels of DSP available. For a modern studio, consider that for every input you’ll need a minimum of 6 channels of processing for 5.1 surround as well as 2 channels for stereo processing. Add to that processing for all major output and monitor busses (stereo and surround mains, submixes, aux sends, mix-minus, tracks, control room, studios and headphone feeds) and you’ll see that it adds up to a lot.

Each of our consoles taps the power of Gibraltar to provide unparalleled mixing capabilities and most can be ordered with a traditional TDM-based Gibrlatar Network with a cage that allows you to choose cards for your specific installation, or an AoIP-based Gibraltar IP Mix Engine in which most of the same functions are accessed via our BLADE-3 interface boxes.

> Learn more about Gibraltar IP Mix Engine and WheatNet-IP Networks > Learn more about Gibraltar Traditional Network Frames