Midas has been designing and manufacturing live performance mixing consoles for the world's most demanding sound engineers, performers and production rental companies since the early 1970s.
The evolution of Midas consoles throughout the history of this classic marque has always paralleled, and often led, increasingly sophisticated audio innovations for the world-wide entertainment technology industry. Raising the standards of sonic quality through continual research and development has always been - and still remains - our overall aim.
Equally important to us is the design and implementation of many new areas of control functionality and user-friendly desk operation to anticipate and accommodate the rapidly changing and expanding needs of audio professionals who specify Midas consoles for their major tours, festivals, international events, broadcast projects and prestigious fixed installations.
XL8
The XL8 live performance system is truly revolutionary and heralds Midas' entry into the digital mixing realm. However, this is not merely another digital mixing console. XL8 offers an incomparable design combining exemplary sound quality, flexibility and reliability with an ease and familiarity of use unrivaled by other digital control surfaces. XL8 is the first of a new generation of open-architecture, cross-platform, integrated audio control and distribution systems, which brings control of not only audio, but other aspects of a live performance to a single, intuitive control centre.
Heritage 4000
The Midas Heritage 4000 is an evolution of the award winning Heritage 3000 with an additional 16 more busses, which has resulted in what many would regard as the ultimate stage monitor console.
As monitor applications have become more demanding, specifically with the increased usage of in-ear systems, it is now common to see multiple consoles bussed together, in order to achieve the required amount of outputs. The Heritage 4000 allows an engineer to run up to 40 mixes (plus stereo masters) from a single console, benefiting from the world-renown Heritage buss flexibility, and 'road proven' digital assistance.
As with all Heritage and Legend consoles the Heritage 4000 can be linked to the Klark Teknik Helix system allowing instant access to the EQ for any input or output simply by pressing the solo key on the desk. A beautifully elegant solution.
Heritage 3000
The Heritage 3000 has established itself as the international industry standard in concert sound for Front of House and monitor applications. Defined not only by its striking colour (yes, it's purple) but also by all those things that make it so unmistakably Midas, the Heritage 3000 has proved to be a runaway success from day one.
Firstly, it's flexible - at home in a theatre, an Outside Broadcast Truck, on stage or at front of house, the H3000 offers a unique, easy to use, three position switching system that changes the consoles output functions according to the application.
Secondly it has all of the hallmarks which make it sound so distinctly Midas. They include a new mic amplifier which further improves on the XL4 design giving a CMR improvement of +30dB whilst retaining the XL4's constant HF bandwidth topology, assuring excellent amplifier stability, RF rejection and noise performance at all gains, plus the legendary fully parametric XL4 EQ. This powerful desk is available in frame sizes from 24 to 64 inputs and is as tough as they come. With it's contemporary styling and vast range of features plus the Midas assurance of quality, it is little wonder this desk is the darling of the rental market.
Heritage 2000
The Heritage 2000 offers all the superb audio performance and automation features of the Heritage 3000 in a package that is entirely dedicated to FOH duties.
It is suitable for a variety of applications from rock and roll to theatre to large-scale conferences and conventions and of course OB vehicles. As with all consoles in the Heritage range, the Heritage 2000 sports the Midas Heritage mic preamp, which is of the highest quality yet produced by Midas, as well as the EQ section. Sophisticated automation via the on-board computer enables the console to memorise all of the input fader positions to be recalled at a later date, and also memorises the mute status of the board.
Another feature shared with the Heritage 3000 is the Stereo Imaging System (SIS) with true LCR panning and an image width control device that is unique to the Heritage Series.
For applications where monitoring capabilities are not required, the Heritage 2000 enables customers to benefit from all the features of a Heritage 3000 at an extremely advantageous price.
Heritage 1000
The Heritage 1000 brings the unmistakable sound and legendary engineering quality of the Midas brand in a light and compact modular frame.
Its sophisticated automation (like a mini XL4) makes it suitable for a variety of applications, but especially for theatres where space is often at a premium. On top of this Midas' Heritage 1000 Library Manager software allows sound designers the option of creating hundreds of scene snapshots in the comfort of their own home before rehearsals have even started. The standard 8-way matrix, which can be fed from auxiliaries, groups and masters, can be expanded to suit the largest zoning requirements.
The Heritage 1000 also enables traditional Midas customers to use their preferred brand of console for their smaller events, or even link to existing stocks of Heritage consoles for big, complex shows where large numbers of inputs are required (matrix outputs can be swapped for inputs). For smaller rental companies, the Heritage 1000 is the perfect vehicle for introducing Midas values and performance to a more price-sensitive area of the market.
Legend 3000
The Legend 3000 is a semi-modular multi-application live production mixing consoles which combines the unique Midas sound quality with some truly innovative features at unprecedented affordability.
It is designed for the tour operator, hire company or installer who cannot justify the cost of a Midas Heritage yet who are reluctant to buy a 'second division' console. Legend includes the XL4's high performance preamps plus the XL3 EQ to deliver the trademark Midas sound, and it uses the same snapshot automation system as its larger cousins, but there are also some innovative new features that make the console particularly attractive.
Legend is built around blocks of eight channels, yet the clever design means that servicing is still very straightforward. Many potential customers need on occasions to provide a monitor mix from the FOH position, Legend delivers a unique solution. Each input channel provides independent FOH and Monitor controls with dedicated EQ and faders. There are 12 highly flexible mix sends, which may be used individually as foldback or FOH effects sends, and the user has complete freedom in how these are assigned.
Siena
Siena brings all of Midas' knowledge and experience in building dual-purpose consoles, such as the industry-leading Heritage 3000 and the now-legendary XL3, and offers all of these benefits in a compact package. Siena has been designed to both compliment and expand the ground-breaking Verona concept. Built on the highly successful, proven Verona platform, the Siena represents a combination of superb audio performance, and increased functionality, creating a new, class-leading, dual-purpose console.
Siena is more than a Verona with extra auxes. The buss structure has been redesigned to be more appropriate for monitor use. Sophisticated engineering solutions have been employed, such as the advanced Solo Tracking System, switched inserts on outputs, and a powerful logic controlled solo system.
Verona
Verona is, quite simply, the desk the industry has been asking Midas for.
It takes the concept of the ultra-compact Venice, Midas’ best selling console of all time, and elevates it to the next level. Verona delivers more inputs, more features, along with legendary Midas quality in a package that revolutionises the 8 buss market. Visually, the console looks stunning; despite it’s physically modest proportions, it feels like a full-sized Midas to work on; and of course, most importantly of all, it sounds as good as it looks.
So what exactly is Verona?
Firstly, it’s a truly professional desk aimed squarely at the professional market. Mechanically and electronically Verona is much more than just another 8-bus console. If you are primarily motivated by audio quality, rigid mechanical construction, long-term reliability and high residual values, then it is THE 8-buss console.
The Verona series consists of 6 models ranging from 24 up to a massive 64 inputs, and incorporates all the features and components that make it look, sound and feel like a true Midas. It has been designed from the ground up by the same team responsible for the XL4 and the Heritage Series consoles, including the industry-standard Heritage 3000.
Venice
Venice is Midas' first truly compact console built in direct response to customer demand. It does exactly what was asked in that it provides a high quality alternative in a huge number of applications where previously Midas was not an option. These range from smaller conference or live band applications, to effects returns or additional inputs in a large multi-console application, or indeed as part of a small complete mobile system. It also provides the perfect feature set for live acts who need to mix their own FOH and monitor sound from on-stage, and is compact and light enough to fit on even the most cramped performance area.
As usual, Midas has paid attention to the details that set their consoles apart taking care to provide high quality mic preamps and a stable, responsive EQ section, just as they do on their larger consoles. The simple but intuitive outputs make the overall configuration of the console extremely quick and easy to use.
XL88
he Midas XL88 is a line level 8 x 8 matrix mixer that will greatly expand the capabilities of any mixing console to give eight fully independent sound balances from eight pre-mixed group outputs from the main console. In simple terms, the XL88 takes outputs from the console and allows the user to mix them into different combinations on the mixer before routing them to wherever they are required.
The construction of the XL88 is fully modular to Midas' high standard. The steel frame is designed to be mounted in a standard nineteen-inch rack and is four units (4U) in height. Rear support is not required. Inputs and outputs are all balanced, either electronically or via optional transformers. The audio quality is, of course, to a fully professional standard and the unit interfaces easily with other equipment.
XL42
The Midas XL42 is a 1U rack mounted, dual channel creative equaliser incorporating the XL4 four-band parametric equalisation with XL4 mic/line pre-amplifiers and 48V phantom supply. Each channel has input, output and pan rotary controls, 10 segment LED metering plus a switchable insert send and return point, plus DIP switches to enable automute scene control from the automute masters of XL consoles.
The purpose of this ingenious device is threefold: firstly to improve the audio quality of an inferior console by adding Midas EQ to the selected programme; secondly to create custom mixing consoles through the ability to daisy-chain multiple units. When linked together, the combined outputs will sum, producing discrete L&R channels. Finally, if a production requires, for example, 10 channels more than the input capacity of the master console, five XL42's can be fitted in a standard rack together with any required dynamic processing, which can be inserted via the XL42's insert points, thus creating a custom 10 into 2 mixer via the output daisy chain feature. The resulting L&R outputs may then be routed to the master console via any convenient point i.e. a pair of aux returns, group inputs, matrix inputs etc.
As a stand-alone unit, the XL42 is ideally suited to applications requiring a high quality front end, such as stereo recording etc.