Wow! I sure got a lot of feedback on my first set of sketches. Here’s my second attempt at configuring a 48 channel Legacy Plus with integrated patchbays and options section into the control room of Manifold Recording. The major change is that now we have the master section and 16 faders to the left of the acoustic center and we have 32 faders and 6 echo returns to the right. This puts 32 inline channels (64 faders!) within the immediate reach of the engineer, while keeping the master section and most of the remaining channels in reasonable reach without moving from the sweet spot.
For higher-resolution renderings, click on the following links:
1600×532 (274KB) 3240×1080 (776KB) 6480×2160 (2.2MB) 12960×4320 (5.9MB)
If you have an option about the optimal way to allocate the 200-series and 500-series option slots, drop me a line! In this draft we have:
- 16 212L preamps over 16 215L filters
- 8 212L preamps + 8 215L filters over 16 225L compressors
- 8 212L preamps over 8 215L filters
- 4 205L DIs over 2 225L compressors + 2 215L filters
- 6 235L gates in the options section, plus 2 525 compressors
In the EQ department we have
- 16 550L EQs
- 8 550L EQs + 8 560L EQs
- 4 550L EQs + 8 560L EQs + 4 550L EQs
You can now see what it might look like to have a Euphonix MC Pro controller on the desk. Alas, if there is going to be one, the Masterpiece will have to live in a credenza behind the console. (But since our credenzas will roll, they can roll up next to the engineer.)
Here’s an eye-level view standing at the back of the control room:
A number of folks insist that we move the patchbays out of the console. We have rejected that idea for two reasons:
- They do no harm where they are (and because of the scale of the control room, the console needs to be 12′ wide or so)
- We have a super high-integrity symmetrical RFZ. Moving them into a wall will compromise an otherwise uncompromising acoustic environment
Satisfied?
Manifold Recording / The Miraverse 
If the console can be split in the middle, I would seriously suggest putting the master section and the MC Pro in the center. It’s gonna be a real pain for an engineer to have to keep leaning over to the left to hit the record button and everything else that has to be done on the computer, which believe me, is a lot.