
9
System 5 Digital Audio Mixing System - InDepth
StripsSystem 5  is  built up  of modules  of  8 strips.  Controls closely 
resemble those of  a traditional analog  surface. In its  simplest 
form a single strip controls a single source so a 48 strip surface 
could control 48 channels.  TFT Graphic Display:
meters, designation, pan, EQ, 
dyn graphs, routing indication
Knobset:
8 knobs with 4 character 
displays
Knobset Function Select:
selects the 8 knobs to control 
Input, Dyn, EQ, Filters, Aux, Pan 
or Routing 
Fader:
twin 4-character designations 
(that may be linked to the facil-
ity router), solo, channel on, 
channel select key for bringing 
up the source in the center of 
the console, 100mm long-throw 
touch-sensitive motorized fader, 
twin hi-res LED meters
Swap Button
Designations:
Swap Source 
Main Source
ON & Fader 
Select/Punch
Wave Button 
(brings source 
to center)
Touch
Sensitive 
Moving Fader
Dual Hi-Res 
LED Meters
Swap (Replace)
However  there  is  a  very  useful  function 
called “Swap”  which allows single  strips, 
or every strip, to switch between two chan-
nels. So 96 channels (sources) could easily 
be controlled  from 48  strips by  Swapping 
between the  two  layers at  the push  of  a 
button (1-48 and 49-96). 
System 5  adds further flexibility  by allow-
ing any  source  to be  controlled  from any 
strip, it is even possible to  have two strips 
controlling a  single source.  This  is where 
Layouts come into play.
Layouts & Control Groups
The position of sources on  the surface can 
be saved  and recalled  as Layouts. For  ex-
ample  one Layout  could  be  sources 1-48 
and  another sources  49-96  for  a console 
with 96  channels and  48 strips. More  im-
portantly the  most critical  sources can  be 
placed next  to the  operator. For  example, 
dialog to the left and  music sources to the 
right of the  center. Different Layouts can be  saved so that the 
engineer always  has the  most important  sources within  easy 
reach. Layouts do not  save and recall knob and  fader settings, 
they simply recall the layout  of sources on the control surface. 
SnapShots are used to save parameter settings. Control Groups 
allow a number  of faders to  be controlled  from a single  strip. 
Layouts can  store/recall the  entire desk or  only certain  strips 
defined by the operator.
Central Control of Strips
The Master Control  Module includes a complete  strip for cen-
tral control of  any source. The  optional CM402-T  module also 
includes additional knobsets that are available for control of EQ, 
dynamics, aux sends, filters, input and routing at the same time. 
Pressing the Wave key next to a source fader brings that source 
to the center.
Swaps the Strip between the 
Main and Swap Source