Description
To me the mc²90 is German broadcast engineering: a modular control surface of up to 200 faders, an offloaded DSP core (mc²HD 96 kHz, Nova routers) and Star2 redundancy built for no-fail live. Not a tour-photo console but a reliable control-room infrastructure that runs for years without flinching.
Technical
Specifications
Processing
| DSP engine | External core/router (mc²HD 96 kHz, Nova routers) |
|---|---|
| Max sample rate | 96 kHz |
| Bit depth | 24 bits |
| DSP engine — details | DSP and routing offloaded to an external core/router (mc²HD technology, Nova routers) |
| Bit depth — details | 96 kHz processing (mc²HD) |
Surface
| Physical faders | 200 |
|---|---|
| Motorized faders | Yes |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Control surface | Freely configurable modular surface, up to 200 faders |
| Remote and tablet control | Permanent direct access to all parameters |
| Multi-operator | Multi-user operation, separate monitoring options |
| Metering | EBU R128 / ATSC A/85 loudness metering (mc² series; to be confirmed for the 2005 version) |
Recording
| Onboard recording | No |
|---|
Networking
| Networking & protocols | MADI / AES/EBU / Network |
|---|---|
| Redundant PSU | Yes |
| Redundant networking | Yes |
| Redundancy | Star2 topology: total console redundancy for no-fail environments |
| Audio networking | Lawo audio networking (ATM heritage, Nova routers, MADI, AES/EBU) |
Strip & details
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Software
Other screenshots
Editorial & artists
Our take
History & design
The mc²90 is the large digital production console from Germany's Lawo, positioned at the top of the mc² range in the mid-2000s. Designed for broadcast, TV production and live, it is built on a freely configurable modular surface of up to 200 faders, with permanent direct access to all parameters and careful ergonomics aimed at multi-user operation. DSP power and routing are offloaded to an external core/router (mc²HD 96 kHz technology, Nova routers), the surface acting purely as a control console. The Star2 topology provides total console redundancy for no-fail environments. The mc² consoles integrate loudness metering compliant with EBU R128 and ATSC A/85 (a feature added across generations — to be confirmed for the 2005 version). Installed in many broadcast control rooms (for example at ZDF, where an mc²90 replaced an MC80 at the Düsseldorf branch), the mc²90 built Lawo's reputation in large broadcast installations before being succeeded by the IP-oriented mc²96.
Notable users
- ZDF (Düsseldorf)
An mc²90 replaced an MC80 at ZDF's Düsseldorf station
Links
Related consoles
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