Sunderland University Radio Stations
We were approached by Sony to design and commission all aspects of the installation, including 4 radio studios, 4 edit booths, 2 TV studios, 15 lecture room systems and auditorium.
IVC Media carried out the full design of all broadcast facilities comprising of Studio 1 main on-air, Studio 2 standby on-air, Studio 3 Production, and Studio 4 Drama along with four sound booths, control and rack rooms.
We effectively provided the university with a fully fledged radio station as a flexible and varied teaching resource for their respective courses in radio journalism at St Peter's Campus. In many ways the new facilities here are better specified than many small commercial stations. The brief was to supply four studios and four edit booths plus a central racks room, with links out to two seminar rooms, in which were a large number of editing workstations.
Cabling between studios, booths, seminar rooms and the central rack were installed on site during a first fix phase, and were terminated later to krone frames or patch panels once the construction of the various rooms was complete.
Studio 1 - Main On-air
The largest studio, based on a 32-frame analogue Soundcraft series 10 desk and featuring Neumann microphones and Harbeth monitor 20 speakers. Rep/Rec equipment includes two Sony CD players, two Sony MD recorders, Sony cassette, Myriad with flat screens, Sonifex TBU and Drawmer Comp/Lim, connections for News, IRN, ISDN and station output/off-air monitoring, and space for a presenter seated at an L-shaped console with three guest positions.
Studio 2 - Standby On-air
This studio existed previously in the old campus building and was moved to the new St Peter's Campus. The studio is based on an old analogue Sonifex Sovereign split desk and featuring Myriad with centrally mounted CRT monitor in traditional look ash furniture. It is provided with connections for News, IRN, ISDN and station output/off-air monitoring and has space for a presenter seated at a large L-shaped console with two guest positions.
Studio 3 - Production
A long thin studio based on a smaller frame analogue Soundcraft series 10 desk and featuring AT4033 mics and Spirit Absolute Zero speakers. Rep/Rec equipment includes two Sony CD players, two Sony MD recorders, Sony cassette, Myriad with flat screens, and Sonifex TBU. There are connections for News, IRN, ISDN and station output/off-air monitoring and space for a presenter seated at a straight console with two guest positions.
Studio 4 - Drama
Studio 4 is a flexible space with room for a hexagonal studio table fitted for four guests with AT4033 mics and Beyer headphones. Other drama mics includes a new pair of matched AKG C414's. Speaker monitoring is provided by Sony Brooklyn speakers matched with a Quad 306 amplifier.
Sound Booths 1 to 4
These are more or less identical and feature D&R Airmate mixers offering basic facilities including Myriad (Cool Edit and Adobe Audition) or Sadie editing, AT4033 mic, Beyer headphones CD player and MD recorder. A passive D&R Hybridman TBU is integrated into the desk woodwork. Connections for IRN, ISDN (via Quartz router) and station output/off-air monitoring. Edit Booth 1 is used for news reading, and is selectable in studio 1 to 4 as an outside source.
