Radio 24 and Virgin Radio, first radio stations to integrate the new Lawo diamond console

The new Lawo diamond consoles are already part of the studios of two private radio stations owned by CH Media: Radio 24 and Virgin Radio Switzerland.

Consulting, installation and integration of the Lawo consoles was carried out by Swiss system integrator SLG Broadcast. To date, a total of seven new diamond consoles have been installed in different control and production rooms.

Each of the three identically equipped broadcast control rooms offers workstations for a presenter and a co-presenter, as well as a news desk and two guest stations. The presenter works at a 12-fader split console, while the co-presenter uses a 4-fader unit; a 2-fader module for the newsreader completes the installation.

Dominik Widmer, presenter of the Radio 24 morning show, is satisfied with the performance of the new Lawo diamond: “You can work quickly and comfortably with the diamond. If the word ‘intuitive’ fits anywhere, it’s here. After a very short time, you can operate it without even looking. You also feel the quality immediately, just by pressing a button or touching a fader. And the control surface is so compact that we really have a lot of space on the table.”

On the other hand, Marc Straehl, CEO of SLG Broadcast, is very positive about the feedback from his customer CH Media: “The radio people here are very happy with their new diamond. The build quality, clear uncluttered user interface, and compact design were immediate winners. Details like the well-placed function keys, and thumbnail displays on the faders for additional visual support, make the workflow amazingly convenient. And the Lawo Power Core mixing engines bring strong performance and guarantee stable, trouble-free operation.”

Lawo Diamond: IP, modular and customisable

Diamond consoles are based on the open AES67/RAVENNA audio-over-IP network standards, but also comply with ST2110-30/-31 and ST2022-7 standards. The Power Core mixing engine provides scalable I/O connectivity for AES67, MADI, analogue, AES3 and Dante.

With their modular design, Diamond consoles can range in size from 2 to 60 physical faders, available in desktop or flush-mount versions. Colour displays adjacent to the faders provide advanced source information, while two layers of faders allow direct switching between different tasks.

Quiet motorised faders and rotary encoders, adopted from Lawo’s mc² audio production consoles, allow seamless integration with programme automation and playback systems, making the system suitable for operations such as voice tracking, remote production or DAW control. In addition, colour-coded, programmable LED buttons and encoder lights highlight the most frequently used control functions in the studio.