Andrew WildQ. What kind of products or services does your company offer for broadcasters?
Euphonix can supply a wide range of digital control surfaces, for audio post and video edit applications, and digital audio mixing systems for on-air, production and audio post-production applications. Our product line ranges from Artist Series media controllers for the personal studio all the way up to some of the largest film mixing consoles in the world; all systems are modular allowing Euphonix to tailor products to the exact application of any user.
Our flagship digital audio mixing product, the System 5-BP, is perfect for live broadcast and repurposing of television shows. It is easy to use, is totally scalable, and has many options to allow the system to exactly meet the needs of each individual facility.
We also make the Max Air, which was specifically designed for on-air and live-to-tape broadcast production applications. The console is more compact than the System 5-BP and is extremely competitively priced for its rich digital feature set and advanced technology. It shares the same back end technology, I/O, and integration with facility routers and the Ross Overdrive System, as System 5-B.
In January 2008, Euphonix introduced the Artist Series media controllers into the personal studio and pro audio market. Consisting of two separate control units (MC Mix and MC Control) the Artist Series allows seamless control of any DAW. EuCon, a high-speed Ethernet control protocol, allows a hardware control surface to integrate with any software application. The Artist Series brings the unparalleled resolution and DAW integration of Euphonix' high-end consoles into the hands of the individual. At a $2,500 street price for both units, the Artist Series brings the quality of pro audio gear into a studio on the tightest of budgets. The Artist Series products are a perfect choice for DAW and video editing rooms that are workstation-based and the price is very affordable.
Q. What's new that you will exhibit at the NAB Show and what should broadcasters look for there?
We are showing our whole range of broadcast, video edit and audio post products from the Artist Series controllers, the System 5-MC controller, the S5 Fusion digital mixing system package and the System 5 and Max Air digital audio mixing systems. We have a new, larger DSP SuperCore, the DF70, which now supports over 450 DSP channels, and new broadcast software for Max Air and System 5 to include remote logging, Ross Automation integration and a new larger 1,536x1,536 digital audio router that can integrate with facility routers and pass thru Dolby E.
Q. How is your new product offering different from what's available on the market?
What separates Euphonix from the rest of the market is our EuCon control protocol. EuCon is an intelligent, innovative high-speed Ethernet protocol entirely developed by Euphonix. EuCon allows a hardware control surface to directly communicate with a software application. The benefits of EuCon features include simultaneous control over multiple applications and workstations via Ethernet. It offers high-resolution and control over almost all DAW functions; it's 250 times the speed and eight times the resolution of MIDI; and finally, it offers complete support for HUI and Mackie control protocols.
Additionally, we have a complete product range that satisfies not only each market in pro audio, but also each tier within these markets. For instance, our clients range from the individual user in their home studio making music or editing video, to the high-end studio making an Oscar-winning feature film.
Q. How has your company been affected by the current economic situation and what are you doing to get through it?
The last quarter of 2008 happened to be the best quarter for the last 10 years for our professional products division despite the economic climate. This is mainly as a result of our strong presence in the film and television post mixing markets bolstered by a growing number of partner companies that now support the EuCon control protocol, allowing all our consoles to control external DAWs. Our broadcast and live venue business continues to do well, mainly as a result of our strong presence in many broadcast markets throughout the world. Therefore, on the pro side we will continue to support and service our strong customer base as we have done before.
The Artist Series product line, like every other MI product, has been affected by the negative developments in the retail trade, but we are confident of our 2009 business plan because we are a growing presence in MI, expanding into new worldwide territories. We are moving into the video edit market in a big way, and have some upcoming new product announcements, which will keep us on a growth plan throughout the year.
Q. Where are you based, and how many employees do you have? Anything else we should know about your company?
In 1991, when the first consoles shipped, Euphonix consisted of about 15 employees. Today there are about 70 employees at our Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters. Additionally, there are regional sales offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Tokyo, each with local sales, customer service representatives, and product specialists. Moreover, there are roughly 30 Euphonix distributors worldwide. Later this year we have committed to move our headquarters into a new building in Silicon Valley as we need more space due to the growth of the Artist Series product line.
