Studer OnAir 3000

Launched by Studer at the turn of the 2000s, the OnAir 3000 is a digital console aimed at the medium-to-upper radio market — both private stations and public-service networks. Its design rests on a fully modular desk and a new DSP engine, while the ergonomics extend the patented “Touch-n-Action” philosophy of the hugely popular OnAir 2000, based on colour GUI screens.

Modularity is the watchword. The fader module groups six strips; up to eight modules can be fitted, taking the console to a maximum of 48 faders. Each strip has a 100 mm fader, four large illuminated configurable buttons with replaceable labels, twelve small illuminated buttons and two LEDs (overload in red, active fader-start in blue). The module catalogue includes faders, motorized faders, fader-assign, monitoring and talkback, main screen and fader-screen modules. Layouts thus range from a full engineer-operated continuity desk to a single fader panel for a DJ studio or newsroom, up to a fully PC-operated system with no physical controls.

On the audio side, the OnAir 3000 relies on the modular Studer D21m I/O system — MADI, AES/EBU and optional cards (Dante, Dolby E decoding) — with full-resolution 96 kHz operation. The console won over major broadcasters: the BBC (with one of its largest Studer deployments), Rede Globo in Brazil, Danmarks Radio, Turkey's TRT and Egypt's ERTU, with Studer announcing the 1,000th unit sold.