Fairlight Constellation
Post-production digital mixing console with Crystal Core FPGA engine, integrated DAW and video
Description
Technical
Specifications
Inputs / Outputs
| Inputs / outputs | CC-1 + SX-20 base: 64 MADI in / 64 MADI out, switchable mic/line XLR/TRS inputs, S/PDIF; video sync (BNC, bi/tri-level), Word Clock, timecode, RS-422 master/slave, MIDI. Expandable via SX-48 Signal Exchange (up to 264 physical inputs / 284 outputs on Xynergi configuration). Surface linked to engine rack over TCP/IP Ethernet (Cat-5). VST and ReWire support via the Windows XP host. Source: brochure. |
|---|
Processing
| Mix buses | 72 |
|---|---|
| Aux sends | 12 |
| DSP engine | Crystal Core CC-1 (FPGA) |
| Processing resolution | 36 bits |
| DSP engine — details | Crystal Core CC-1 engine: a large mixing-console architecture on a single FPGA chip, native 36-bit floating-point processing. Mixes up to 230 channels into 72 destinations. 2000×2000 internal router. Very low latency (single-chip solution). Source: Fairlight Product Family brochure. |
| Channels | Up to 230 full processing channels (96 / 144 / 230 configurations). Each channel: 6-band EQ (bands 1 and 6 switchable shelf/high-low-pass, 4 parametric bands) with level compensation, HPF/LPF, 3-stage dynamics (compressor, expander/gate, limiter) — native algorithms, always available. Source: brochure. |
| Buses | 72 destinations ("bus elements") shared across the main bus, 8 sub-groups and 12 auxes, each configurable from 0 to 7.1 (3D 22.2 formats supported), plus 24 mono multitrack buses (recording groups). 2-stage bus dynamics (comp + limiter) + EQ/filters. Source: brochure. |
| Panning | L-R and F-B panning, joystick or graphical mouse-field control, 3D up-down axis; Divergence, Spread and Rotate controls, sub-bass/boom channel with individual level and pre/post. Source: brochure. |
Surface
| Physical faders | 72 |
|---|---|
| Motorized faders | Yes |
| Screens | 1 |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Control surface | Control surfaces from the single-bay Producer Desk up to 5 bays in one line, with "wedge" sections to wrap the ends; maximum 72 faders per surface, multiple surfaces combinable (each with its own engine). Panel choices: motorised faders + panpots (12 channels), Xynergi Centre Section, Edit Panel (Binnacle style), Selection Panel, Central Assign Panel, In-Line Panel, Anthem Panel. Source: brochure. |
Recording
| Onboard recording | Yes |
|---|---|
| Recording type | Hard drive |
| Recording | Built-in "Dubber": multitrack recorder with dedicated editing surface, 192 tracks per engine (up to 96 simultaneous record); engines combinable up to 1200 tracks in sample lock for film. Integrated Pyxis Track video system (uncompressed HD 4:2:2). Source: brochure. |
Networking
| Networking & protocols | MADI / AES/EBU / Network |
|---|---|
| Redundant PSU | No |
| Redundant networking | No |
Strip & details
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Software
Fairlight Media Toolkit (Xynergi / Constellation)Constellation's integrated software suite: multitrack recording/editing (Dubber), plug-in management, Pyxis Track video, session management and monitoring, with VST and ReWire support.
Other screenshots
Accessories
I/O card
- CC-1 Crystal Core
PCIe accelerator card implementing the Crystal Core mixing/processing engine on FPGA. Source: brochure.
Stagebox / rack
- SX-48 MADI Signal Exchange
MADI signal-exchange unit converting to many standard analogue and digital I/O formats. Source: brochure.
Fader extension
- Xynergi 12-Fader Sidecar
12 motorised-fader extension (with joystick, automation switches, status LEDs, OLED displays and panning) for Xynergi configurations. Source: brochure.
Documents
Editorial & artists
Our take
History & design
The Fairlight Constellation (Constellation XCS family) is a high-end digital mixing console for audio post-production, introduced in 2008 by Australian maker Fairlight. It succeeds the QDC-powered DREAM Constellation (2003), from which it inherits most of the control surface: with this generation Fairlight dropped the "DREAM" prefix and marketed the machine simply as the Constellation. It is built around the "Crystal Core" CC-1 engine, which implements a large-console architecture on a single FPGA chip and natively processes up to 230 channels into 72 destinations in 36-bit floating point.
Each channel has a 6-band equaliser, filters and three-stage dynamics, permanently available without taxing the host PC, which stays free for third-party VST plug-ins. Routing rests on a 2000×2000 internal router and 72 "bus elements" (main bus, 8 sub-groups, 12 auxes configurable up to 7.1 and beyond, plus 24 multitrack buses). The console integrates a "Dubber" multitrack recorder (192 tracks per engine, up to 96 simultaneous record, combinable up to 1200 tracks) and a Pyxis Track video system (uncompressed HD). The highly modular surface runs from the single-bay Producer Desk to five bays in one line with wedge corner sections, with a maximum of 72 motorised faders per surface and a choice of panels (faders, Xynergi Centre Section, Edit, Selection, Central Assign, In-Line, Anthem). Base connectivity offers 64 MADI inputs/outputs, expandable to several hundred physical channels.
Notable users
Links
Related consoles
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Documents are archived locally for preservation. Source credited. Takedown requests: [email protected]