Soundcraft Vi5000 User Manual

The control you love

The latest Vistonics™ &

™

FaderGlow

Up to 128 inputs and

32 mono/stereo busses

Enhanced audio processing

with 96kHz sample rate option

interface

2

with the power you need

Powerful new features including

™

BSS DPR901ii

New Local Rack hardware for

384 I/O channels

128 channel record interface via

MADI or Dante

Mix live with UA™ plug-ins

(via Realtime Rack)

Huge connectivity options –

™

Dante

, Rocknet™, Ethersound™,

Cobranet

Dynamic EQ

™

™

, MADI and more

The Vi5000 and Vi7000 digital live sound consoles

The latest Vi5000 and Vi7000 digital mixing consoles deliver the
best Vi sound ever, bringing optional 96kHz processing, upgraded
channel counts and even more reliable hardware to live sound’s
most popular mix interface.

Partnering a compact control surface with new Local Rack and Active
Breakout box hardware, Vi delivers simultaneous mixing of up to 128
inputs and 32 mono/stereo busses.

Pristine sound quality is assured by ultra-low noise mic amp designs
and enhanced 96kHz* 40-bit floating point digital audio processing,
while FX come courtesy of 8 independent Lexicon multi-FX units,BSS
DPR901ii™ integration and a BSS graphic EQ on every bus output.
Rapid configuration and powerful automation features, radio mic status
monitoring and extensive ViSi Connect I/O expansion (EtherSound™,
CobraNet™, Dante™, MADI, etc.) complete the package.

* Additional DSP cards and reduced channel count required for 96kHz operation

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Vistonics. Live sound mixing with vision.

Live sound mixing - the way it should be

Our patented Vistonics was designed from a simple start
point - create the most intuitive digital mix interface
available. Rather than arranging controls around or
adjacent to a flat TFT screen, a system that requires
constant hand and eye co-ordination and mental mapping,
Vistonics simplifies the process and puts the rotary
encoders and switches right on the touch screen.

With graphics behind the controls that change depending on the
function, the operator is left in no doubt as to what parameter is
being adjusted.

With the display and relevant controls combined in one area, the
operator is immediately presented with a simple, clear mix system
that streamlines workflow and enhances the creative process.

Each Vistonics interface controls eight input channels and
comprises a touch screen with 16 rotary encoders and
16 switches. A simple touch in the desired part of the
on-screen channel strip is all it takes to access channel
functions including routing, input gain, digital gain trim,
delay, high and low pass filters, 4-band fully parametric
EQ, compressor, limiter, gate, de-esser and pan, with
immediate access to a sophisticated visual status display
and straightforward controls.

In addition, a dedicated Vistonics II interface is provided
for output processing control, and also functions as a
complete meter overview display for all 128 inputs and 32
busses, as a snapshot cue list display, and as a display for
diagnostics information.

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FaderGlow. Don’t get lost in the dark.

Fader layers - like you’ve never seen them before A console focused on the operator

In the heat of the moment, with the faders flying, fader layers
can cause all kinds of headaches. Soundcraft® FaderGlow
solves the problem associated with multiple fader layers. At a
single glance, illuminated-fader-tracks-in-colours that match
those on the Vistonics™ display show immediately what
function a fader is controlling.

Within the output section of the console, the bank of 8 faders
can be assigned to provide master control of matrix outputs, VCA
groups and graphic EQ control. FaderGlow applies cyan, blue
and red illumination respectively to the fader track, enabling the
operator to see the different output types immediately – even
before reading the text labels for each fader.

When controlling inputs, no illumination is applied to the motorised
faders. But when the Aux, Group or Matrix bus master is soloed
with the Follow Solo function switched on, the fader becomes a
‘contributor’ for the soloed bus, lighting up in orange, green or
blue accordingly. Furthermore, custom fader pages can be created
to contain, for instance, 10 drum faders grouped on a single VCA
master, which would glow in blue.

Vistonics and FaderGlow are just part of what makes Vi Series
digital consoles such intuitive and creative tools. Every aspect
of the control surface, mechanical and operational, has been
engineered around the operator to provide an unimpeded
workflow and a more creative mix.

By optimising the density of faders and controls on the operating
surface, the engineer is able to reach all critical areas of the
console comfortably from a central point, without straining or
leaning over.

The angle of the touch screens ensures that the engineer can
always view display data clearly during the show. The brightness
and contrast of the displays, and the illumination of the control
surface itself, are designed to minimise strain on the eye.

User-configurable fader layers allow an engineer to map out
channels on any of 5 user layers so that a combination of different
inputs can be placed on one layer. This allows, for example, the
main vocalist mics to be programmed to appear in the same
location on every layer, or other essential channels to be brought
closer to a central operating position. At a festival, each engineer
can quickly assign to the surface only those channels needed for
their band.

Output fader layers can also be customised, for example, stereo
aux masters can be placed alongside VCAs or matrix masters for
faster access to the most used outputs..

Touch & Control

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The blue input stage and routing screen allows adjustment of input
delay, mic gain, digital trim, high and low-pass filter frequency,
channel patching, channel naming and stereo pairing.

The four-band fully parametric EQ is graphically displayed with the
settings for boost/cut, frequency and Q (bandwidth), with the main
screen showing the composite EQ curve. Frequency is displayed in
a similar style to a radio tuner scale for easy assimilation, and the
HF and LF bands can be switched to shelving EQ. A separate BSS
Dynamic EQ section is available via the insert point function.

Two areas of the channel strip allow access to bus send controls,
arranged in two banks of 16. The ALL BUSSES mode allows
assignment of each of the busses as an Aux, Group, or Matrix
output, with additional stereo pairing controls if busses are required
as stereo sends.

Subsequently within each channel strip setup, bus sends can be
switched on or off with level control, or switched pre or post fader,
with a global mode allowing pre or post EQ feeds.

The dynamics section controls a Noise Gate with attack, hold and
release, and a key facility with filtering. The Gate can be replaced
with a De-Esser function or can be converted to use as an externally
triggered ducker. Working in series with the Gate, the full-function
Compressor maps gain reduction metering onto the LED meter in the
fader area, with full control of threshold, ratio and release with an
independent Limiter section and overall gain makeup.

The fastest, most intuitive channel strip in the business

No button pushes or page scrolling - just one touch of the
Vistonics screen gives you instant access to every aspect of
the Vi channel strip.

Each Vistonics screen functions both as a permanent overview of
all the current settings (8 channels per screen), and as the access
point for immediate hands-on control of any of those settings.

Touching the chosen function area on the Vistonics
channel strip opens up the corresponding control panel
in the lower area, with that area being highlighted to
easily identify which part of the channel strip is active.

Simply touching the screen in one of the six vertically stacked
touch zones immediately opens out that part of the strip onto the
16 real knobs and switches mounted directly on the lower part of
the display, allowing immediate, tactile, analogue-style control.

The 16 switches and rotary encoders change function
according to the mode selected. This real ‘where you
look is where you control’ philosophy makes operation
of a Soundcraft® Vi Series™ console highly intuitive.

The colour-coded context-sensitive graphics around the knobs
make it abundantly clear which type of function is being adjusted,
and a clear white highlight is a constant reminder of which
channel is being controlled. Touching the screen again is all it
takes to move to another area of the channel strip, or to close the
control area.

The final section of the channel strip controls the Pan, Insert and
Direct out functions, with assignable LR and C, or LCR panning
modes. Inserts can be switched pre or post-EQ/dynamics or post­fade, with the Direct output send assignable to pre-filters, pre-EQ/
dynamics, post EQ/dynamics and post-fade points. The insert point
allows a choice of internal Lexicon FX, BSS DPR901ii™ Dynamic EQ
or external Plug-Ins from a Soundcraft® Realtime Rack.