InnovaSON SY80 chosen for all new ‘Top of the Pops’

When the BBC decided to revamp Top of the Pops it committed itself to live broadcast and live performances the new InnovaSON Sy80 digital console was chosen to handle the highly demanding job of mixing sound for the audience PA system plus fold-back for the performing artists.
The live studio sound is handled by SSE. Mixer Chris Trimby, permanently assigned to the show. He said: “Now it is live to air, the show has changed completely. Previously we would record one band then stop, set-up and record the next. Now of course we have to go directly from one to the next. This meant that we needed more inputs and outputs (because we don’t have time to patch) and that’s one of the main reasons we decided to use the InnovaSON Sy80.”
TOTP used to employ up to five stages to record the show but the new streamlined, live show uses two, occasionally three.
In the new configuration the Sy80 offers a number of benefits to the show’s producers: turn-around time is accelerated, only one console is required, at just 1.65m wide a great deal of space is saved, configuration and routing is simplified, and there is no danger of running out of channels.
(GB)