M3 Makes Its Way Into Audio Over IP Remote-entertainment-production company's foray into IP is instructional for all genres By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Thursday, December 7, 2017 - 10:25 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
The crossover between sports and entertainment has been a sweet spot for Music Mix Mobile (M3). The remote-production company, which has received Emmy Awards for its mixing and production work on Grammy Awards shows and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame broadcasts, also handles mixing chores on the music performed at the NBA All Star Game and other broadcast-sports events. And like the networks it works with, M3 is migrating its signal infrastructure from MADI to AoIP.
The Lawo mc 56 aboard the M3 Voyager production truck works with the RAVENNA networking standard.
The company has chosen to use the RAVENNA networking standard, an open-source format and one favored by Lawo, whose consoles are aboard M3's four trucks: three with Lawo mc 56 desks and one with an Lawo mc 36. The mc 56 on the most recently upgraded remote-production van, M3 Voyager, has a 48-fader surface supported by Lawo's HD core with four eight-port MADI cards offering 2,048 bidirectional channels and six DSP cards supporting more than 560 DSP channels and the use of dual master cards in both the console core and all DALLIS frames providing dual-star redundancy to support critical live-to-air applications.
We previously had a smaller Lawo mc 36 in this truck, but, with the increase in larger-input shows we're doing, we decided to dedicate that mc 36 to one of our smaller mobile units and put a larger Lawo mc 56 into this truck, says Joel Singer, co-owner/chief engineer, M3. These will operate on IP RAVENNA Link, moving towards RAVENNA Net at some point.
It's part of a strategy to shift completely to an IP infrastructure. The Lawo consoles' native implementation of RAVENNA helped push M3 in that direction, as did the standard's open-source nature. Combining RAVENNA with the AES67 interoperability standard, according to Singer, ensures intercompatibility with the wide range of formats encountered during remote production.
The RAVENNA link lets us put and discover devices as objects on the network, he says, adding that recent Lawo software updates have made the migration to IP easier. For instance, the DALLIS I/O's IP-Share algorithm sets the optimum analog gain for multi-client requirements and ensures that the corresponding gain compensation is applied to the digital gain stages of all consoles when the analog gain of the preamp is being adjusted.
Singer was an early proponent of digital-audio systems but has nonetheless been cautious about transitioning to new platforms. He cites his experience with the Neve Capricorn digital console, which was a groundbreaking platform when it was introduced in 1992 (and was the first console to implement MADI, as a single-cable connection between console and tape deck) but whose plethora of proprietary technology elements made it difficult to maintain.
I'm not a big fan of Dante for the same reasons, he says, referring to Audinate's widely used networking product. It's a proprietary format, whereas RAVENNA is an open-source format. Along with AES67, I'm confident that it can work with any other systems on the networks. That's important in any live situation.
Singer also points out that his consoles have a Dante card and can work with Dante devices on the RAVENNA network. I'm not against Dante, he explains. I just prefer a system that has a governing body setting its standards versus one that is proprietary.
What Singer has learned in the transition process is how much he - and everyone else on this particular journey - doesn't know and needs to learn. It's no longer just about audio. You have to learn the layer protocols, how everything interacts on a network, and how to troubleshoot a network. None of this was in my job description even five years ago.
The most immediate benefit of IP for M3 has been the increase in channel counts, which has been critical with music productions, like sports events, becoming larger and more complex. With RAVENNA, I have 128 channels of bidirectional audio, versus the 64 channels I had with MADI, with even less cabling, he says.
Singer sees AoIP already becoming more common in broadcast trucks but, initially, in such elements as intercoms and distributed sound within the truck itself. Out to the field and beyond, he expects, will take longer, given broadcast's natural caution around new technologies.
Externally, we'll still see the traditional console and field-box combinations over MADI, he says. But over time, it's going to AoIP. It just offers us so many new options.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
06/12/2025
In a live broadcast from the Reagan National Defense Forum, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher Kubasik joined Morgan Brennan on CNBCs Closing Bell: Overtime. Ku...
06/12/2025
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...
06/12/2025
HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...
06/12/2025
NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...
05/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...
05/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...
05/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...
05/12/2025
Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...
05/12/2025
FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...
05/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...
05/12/2025
Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...
05/12/2025
As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...
05/12/2025
ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...
05/12/2025
It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...
05/12/2025
Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...
05/12/2025
In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...
05/12/2025
In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...
05/12/2025
LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK In an most important update to the workings of deal-based programmatic advertising, IAB Tech Lab has released version 1.0 of its Deals API for public c...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Pass the turkey. Pass the stuffing. Pass the cranberry sauce. All are common requests of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and f...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Netflix announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's $1.02 billion acquisition of spectrum from UScellular in a decision that was issued sho...
05/12/2025
The Best Coldplay Songs: 21 Tracks That Shoot for the Stars From Yellow to Viva La Vida, Fix You to Paradise, this playlist goes back to the start.
December ...
05/12/2025
Zafris Lecture Series Brings Nabil Ayers to Berklee The 32nd annual James G. Zafris Distinguished Lecture series was held on Thursday, November 13, with guest...
05/12/2025
Introducing New Perks to Help You Get Even More from LinkedIn Premium Published on Dec 5, 2025 Categories: Company News, Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Co...
05/12/2025
Friday 5 December 2025
A new Game of Thrones Tale: Official trailer for Sky Exc...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Don Lee, Lee Jin-uk, and Lalisa Manobal to Star in Netflix Act...
05/12/2025
Tis the season of giving once again and this year we've taken our Give Back Fridays' concept and turned it on its head.
In the autumn we were approach...
05/12/2025
Brayden Gogis doesn't remember a time when he wasn't completely fixated on games in all forms. In preschool, when they asked us to dress up as what we ...
05/12/2025
The Grinch steals the spotlight as the theme for The Late Late Toy Show 2025
Tune in tonight at 9:35pm on RT One and worldwide on RT Player
#LateLateToyShow...
05/12/2025
RT Announces New Presenters of Flagship News Programmes
New RT Six One News co-presenter Tommy Meskill
Sarah McInerney & Justin McCarthy join Morning Ir...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & ...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir AJA Ki Pro Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & just:in linux
More Details:Starting with version 5.5, both just:in mac pro and just:in linux sol...
04/12/2025
Wangu Kanuri from Kenya and Godwin Asediba from Ghana are two of this years finalists for Thomsons Young Journalist of the Year Award. The pair are runners-up i...
04/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: ProximaVision's Claudio Lisman on Why Tethered Drones Could Be...
04/12/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Imry Halevi, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Co...
04/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: LiveU Lightweight Sports Production: A Step Change in Spor...
04/12/2025
London to Riyadh: DAZN brings the boxing glamour to new production levels for Be...
04/12/2025
Analysis: Paramount bets on the battering ram' with Champions League play By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - 10:12
Print ...
04/12/2025
Space City Home Network Launches SCHN DTC App for Astros and RocketsThe Rockets and Astros were previously the lone NBA and MLB teams without a DTC appBy Jason...
04/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Content Workflows Workshop Spotlights Evolution of Spor...
04/12/2025
New Sponsor Spotlight: Geotech's Patrick Wambold On the Unreal Engine Revolu...
04/12/2025
Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nationally and RegionallyBy Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 1:52 pm
Print This Sto...
04/12/2025
(L-R) Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Mohammadreza Eyni, Sara Khaki, and Judith Helfand att...
04/12/2025
SBS launches Future Frames initiative to support emerging First Nations video ed...
M3 Makes Its Way Into Audio Over IP Remote-entertainment-production company's foray into IP is instructional for all genres By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
