DirectOut

DirectOut celebrates its 2025 Distributors of the Year

Giorgia Aurelio — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:39:59 +0000

DirectOut has recognised the outstanding contribution of its global distribution network with the 2025 Distributor of the Year Awards.

“These awards are our way of recognising not only strong commercial results, but also the expertise, commitment and local market knowledge behind them - says Lorenzo Sassi, Director of Sales & Business Development at DirectOut - Behind every successful market are people who understand the customers, the technology and the local industry. Our 2025 Distributors of the Year have shown exceptional commitment to DirectOut, and we’re proud to recognise their work around the world and continue growing together.”

PILOTE FILMS NAMED GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR

Pilote Films received DirectOut’s Distributor of the Year “Global” 2025 award, recognising its overall contribution to the brand across promotion, sales, technical support and after-sales service.
Founded in 1982 and based in Puteaux, near Paris, Pilote Films is a long-established value-added distributor serving the French audiovisual market. Its partnership with DirectOut dates back to 2013 and has developed through more than a decade of close cooperation.

“This award recognises our all-round commitment to DirectOut, from promotion and sales to support and after-sales service. We are incredibly proud of this international recognition and would like to sincerely thank all our customers and partners who have placed their trust in us when choosing DirectOut solutions.” Pilote Films General Manager, Stéphane Rosen.

AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

Alongside the Global award, DirectOut recognised three distributors for their contribution to key international regions.

DirectOut Poland Distributor, Commercial Audio was named Distributor of the Year “EMEA” 2025. The company began the partnership in 2024 and has since combined its expertise in professional audio and broadcast with a strong focus on technical consultancy and customer service.

Qvest Australia received the Distributor of the Year “APAC” 2025 award. As DirectOut’s partner for Australia and New Zealand, Qvest brings extensive experience in technology consulting and systems integration, connecting DirectOut solutions with customers working across demanding professional media environments.

In Latin America, Yamaki was recognised as Distributor of the Year “LATAM” 2025. Based in Bogotá and active in the Colombian professional audio industry for more than 40 years, Yamaki combines market development, technical expertise and customer support across professional audio, broadcast and live production.

Together, the four awards highlight the role of DirectOut’s distributor network as much more than a sales channel. Local partners act as a bridge between DirectOut technology and the professionals who use it every day, combining knowledge of their markets with technical expertise and a shared customer-oriented approach.

Explore DirectOut’s global network of partners and distributors and find the right contact for your market.

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PRODIGY.MP Powers Mixing and PA Drive at Waking Life

Claudio Giaroli — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:15:51 +0000

Fernando Rodrigues (Nando), a Sound Engineer and System Engineer with a background in d&b audiotechnik, has managed audio production for multiple stages at Waking Life since 2019.

During a conversation about which console to integrate into his workflow, his close friend and fellow sound engineer Georges Abiaad made one suggestion that changed its direction entirely: "Why not use the PRODIGY.MP as a mixer?"

That unconventional suggestion became the starting point for Nando's approach to festival audio production, and ultimately for the two PRODIGY.MP systems he uses today.

Waking Life is a music and arts festival in Crato, Portugal. Operating as a non-profit, it merges underground culture and immersive art with a year-round commitment to ecological regeneration and zero-waste practices.

Waking Life features two main electronic stages, Floresta and Outro Lado, each with demanding technical requirements. Floresta operates almost continuously, pausing for only four to five hours each day to reset the area and carry out sound checks. Outro Lado runs non-stop for 24 hours, leaving virtually no margin for technical errors, as any issue is immediately noticeable to thousands of dancers.

Waking Life's Floresta stage represents a demanding technical setup, built around a high-end d&b audiotechnik system with KSL array modules and SL-SUBS, that is deployed across the front of the stage directly beneath the DJ table. Running a stage like this for days on end, with DJ changeovers happening constantly, calls for an audio chain that is both flexible and highly reliable.

As production evolved, Nando identified new technical requirements for the Waking Life environment: the need for a compact, integrated system capable of handling both mixing and PA drive processing, while reducing the number of separate devices and single points of failure. Heavy dust, continuous operation, multiple signal formats and the growing need for equipment with redundant power supplies made it essential to rethink the entire workflow. Managing up to eight channels per DJ kit, spanning digital, analog, monitoring and recording feeds, meant building a solution around the specific requirements of the production.

Thanks to Georges’s idea, Nando built the signal chains for both Waking Life stages around a dedicated PRODIGY.MP unit. Each unit acted as the master clock for its respective system, operating at 96 kHz, and took on three distinct roles across the stage’s audio path, from the DJ booth to the loudspeakers.

The first role in each setup was as a stagebox: every DJ console connected directly to the respective PRODIGY.MP, with redundant feeds provided in both analog and AES3 formats. The dedicated SRCs on the AES4.SRC.IO modules kept both systems independent from the DJ consoles’ clocks.

Once the signals arrived, each PRODIGY.MP switched into its second role as the mixing console. Nando configured both units together with globcon software to behave as full mixers, using a Stream Deck Plus integration as the physical control surface in place of traditional faders.

The PRODIGY.MP units also managed the PA processing, using Waves plugins hosted on a dedicated external computer for each configuration and connected through the respective SoundGrid module (SG.SRC.IO). This enabled Nando to apply “subtle dynamic EQ directly on the matrix outputs,” keeping both PAs consistently controlled and balanced while preserving the integrity of the artists’ mixes.

Nando also created a GPIO-triggered fail-safe for each configuration using custom Quick Recall snapshots on the respective PRODIGY.MP. One snapshot bypasses the Waves plugin host, while the second re-engages it once the system is stable.

After processing, the signals were distributed to the amplifiers in both analog and AES3 formats, ensuring redundancy across the respective PA outputs and DJ monitors.

Both PRODIGY.MP units were also fitted with the dual-network DANTE.MILAN.SRC.IO module, providing recording and future connectivity options. Dante allowed Fernando to route the console feeds from each configuration to a dedicated computer running Dante Virtual Soundcard (DVS) and Reaper for Waking Life’s internal archives, while the Milan interfaces kept both systems ready for use with Milan-ready PA systems in other production environments.

Taken together, these three functions — stagebox, mixing console, and PA processor — show how each PRODIGY.MP unit replaced what would traditionally require several separate devices, each handling only one part of the chain.

Reflecting on the setups, Nando points to both the reliability and the flexibility the PRODIGY.MP units brought to the stages:

“The PRODIGY.MP’s versatility and reliability were the main reasons behind my choice. With DirectOut’s support in configuring globcon and integrating the Stream Deck Plus, I was able to use it beyond its conventional applications as a fully customized digital mixing console. Its processing, routing, redundancy and clocking capabilities allow me to adapt the system to the specific requirements of every production.”

“For me, as a system engineer, the PRODIGY.MP is by far one of the most important pieces of equipment in any professional toolkit. It is not simply an optional piece of equipment; it has become a mandatory part of my workflow. This is also why I decided to invest in two units.”

“I am grateful to Georges Abi Aad for the original idea and to Chadi El Masri and the 7Hertz team. Chadi was instrumental in helping me select the right cards and configure the system, giving me the confidence to build the entire setup around DirectOut solutions.”

Three festival editions, two at Waking Life and one at Boom Festival, were completed with zero technical failures. Since then, the PRODIGY.MP has continued to prove its flexibility across very different productions, from switching automatically between QLab systems at high-profile corporate events to supporting large-scale concerts and festivals with top international A-list artists.

What began as an unconventional idea for electronic music festivals has become a reliable, adaptable platform for a wide range of professional audio applications.

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DirectOut Announces Yamaha DM7 and New DM5 Console Compatibility for PRODIGY Platforms

Lorenzo Sassi — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 12:51:58 +0000

Mittweida, Germany - DirectOut is pleased to announce compatibility between its powerful PRODIGY ecosystem and Yamaha's acclaimed DM7 Series consoles, as well as the brand-new DM5 digital mixing consoles. This new integration enables engineers to directly control analogue gain settings and essential preamp functions from the Yamaha console surface, delivering a streamlined workflow for live sound, broadcast, theatre, and installed audio applications.

Through a dedicated software service available for PRODIGY.MC and PRODIGY.MP, users can access and manage analogue preamp parameters, including microphone gain, and 48V phantom power (P48), directly from supported Yamaha consoles.

The solution leverages the Dante network infrastructure for communication between Yamaha and DirectOut devices. By connecting the management port of a PRODIGY device to a Dante module, control data is transmitted through the Dante network to the Yamaha console. Once connected, Yamaha DM7 and DM5 consoles automatically discover the DirectOut device and present it within the console's internal patching environment, delivering a fully native-feeling workflow directly on the console surface.

"With the integration of our PRODIGY series and Yamaha's DM7 and new DM5 consoles, we are fulfilling a long-standing request from our customers," says Claudio Becker-Foss, CTO of DirectOut. "In line with our Audio Solution Model philosophy, third-party integration is a fundamental part of our solution strategy, and we are delighted to add a leading manufacturer such as Yamaha to our growing control ecosystem. Both Yamaha and DirectOut share a strong commitment to ease of use, intuitive workflows, and outstanding audio quality. Enabling direct control of DirectOut microphone preamps from the DM7 and DM5 consoles surface is therefore a natural fit."

The service supports DirectOut's MIC8.LINE.IO, MIC8.LINE.I, MIC8.HD.IO, and MIC8.HD.I modules when connected via DANTE.IO, DANTE.SRC.IO, or compatible Dual Network Audio - DNA module configurations featuring at least one Dante module. Each connection supports up to 64 audio channels at 1FS, enabling flexible deployment across a wide range of production environments.

The integration is available through a dedicated license for supported PRODIGY devices. The license is required to enable and run the Yamaha control service.

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DirectOut Presents ACE, USB.MADI and New RAVENNA Features for Broadcast Workflows at IBC2026

Sarah Kondycki — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:02:08 +0000

Amsterdam, Netherlands, 8 September 2026 – DirectOut will present a broad range of innovations at IBC2026, highlighting how its Smart Audio Platforms evolve to meet the changing demands of modern production. Making their first appearance at a broadcast event, ACE and USB.MADI will join the established PRODIGY and MAVEN platforms, extending DirectOut’s flexible and scalable approach to professional audio workflows. The company will also introduce new RAVENNA features, including Sync To Stream for challenging remote and distributed production environments, as well as NMOS BCP-008 support for standardized receiver status monitoring in ST 2110 infrastructures.

"A DirectOut system is an investment, not a purchase," said Luca Giaroli, CEO of DirectOut. "It's designed to evolve, gaining value over time as it adapts to new workflows and challenges—meeting today's broadcast demands while staying future-ready. At IBC2026, we're introducing new features that reflect exactly this philosophy: giving our customers more power and flexibility from the systems they already own."

ACE and USB.MADI for Broadcast Workflows
ACE and USB.MADI expand DirectOut’s Smart Audio Platform portfolio with solutions tailored to the evolving needs of modern production. ACE combines the processing power of the PRODIGY and MAVEN platforms with a compact, portable form factor, while USB.MADI provides a direct link between DirectOut MADI systems and computers. Both products give broadcasters greater freedom to build flexible, scalable workflows while maintaining DirectOut’s established standards of quality, reliability and performance.

Visitors to the DirectOut booth will be able to experience ACE and USB.MADI firsthand and discover how it complements existing PRODIGY series and MAVEN.A deployments within modern broadcast environments.

Enhanced RAVENNA Synchronization with Sync to Stream
The new Sync To Stream functionality allows RAV.IO and RAV.SRC.IO modules to synchronize directly to an incoming network stream instead of relying on PTP or external synchronization provided by the host system. By deriving timing from a received stream, Sync To Stream enables reliable operation in challenging deployment scenarios like remote production and distributed media environments, where GPS access may not be available and PTP synchronization across WAN connections can be difficult or impractical to implement. If required, the derived media clock can be further stabilized using DirectOut’s SRC technology, while additional streams can be received from synchronized source devices.

“Remote production has become an increasingly important topic in modern Broadcast concepts,” said Claudio Becker-Foss, CTO of DirectOut. “While IP-based systems enable decentralized productions at an entirely new scale, the local situation at venues like indoor sport halls may impose practical challenges. Sync To Stream comes to the rescue if GPS sync cannot be achieved, ensuring reliable network audio transport even when conventional synchronization methods cannot be deployed.”

Sync To Stream functionality will be offered as a licensed feature.

BCP-008 Support Expands ST 2110 Interoperability
In addition, DirectOut will support NMOS BCP-008, an emerging industry standard that defines a common framework for receiver status monitoring in ST 2110 environments. As part of Out-Of-Band (OOB) functionality for PRODIGY Series and MAVEN.A equipped with RAV.IO modules, BCP-008 provides a standardized approach to communicating stream health and receiver status information.

A key advantage of BCP-008 is its focus on interoperability: by standardizing the exchange of receiver status information within the NMOS ecosystem, broadcasters, production facilities, and systems integrators can achieve greater visibility across increasingly complex IP-based infrastructures. Through BCP-008, monitoring applications can subscribe to status reports and display system health information within customized user interfaces without requiring proprietary APIs or vendor-specific integrations.
BCP-008 support will be provided as part of the existing OOB license.

As one of the early companies implementing the new specification, DirectOut will participate at the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) dedicated showcase at IBC 2026, hosted at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Stand in Hall 10 - 10.D21.

Visit DirectOut at IBC2026
DirectOut will exhibit at IBC2026 on Stand 8.C77. Visitors will be able to experience ACE and USB.MADI firsthand and discover how they complement existing PRODIGY Series and MAVEN.A deployments within modern broadcast environments.

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Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai integrates PRODIGY.MP as part of major investment in audio infrastructure

Sarah Kondycki — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:46:39 +0000

Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, one of the most iconic live entertainment venues in the Middle East, has recently undertaken a significant upgrade of its resident audio infrastructure. The arena is the first multi-purpose, fully air-conditioned indoor arena in the Middle East operating all year round.

Driven by the need to meet the increasingly demanding technical requirements of internationally touring productions—while seamlessly integrating with the venue’s complex, multi-use service ecosystem—the arena invested in a new state-of-the-art audio system. As part of this major upgrade, unveiled in September 2025, the venue introduced a brand-new d&b line-array system alongside the integration of DirectOut PRODIGY.MP platforms. The result is a flexible, future-proof audio environment capable of supporting the highest-level live performances, broadcast

workflows, and event production standards.

Julian A Chetty is Head of Technical Services at Coca-Cola Arena and for him, working in one of the most iconic venues in the world is both exciting and demanding. He is responsible for overseeing the venue’s Technical department and ensuring that every event meets the highest possible technical standards. For Chetty, the choice of PRODIGY.MP to upgrade the system with felt like the natural choice and a perfect solution for their needs allowing the audio team to adapt to any workflow required by the show.

“With the integration of our new system, choosing DirectOut was the obvious direction to take,” he explains. “Malcolm Giles, our Senior Director Venue Management and Mark Jan Kar, General Manager of Coca-Cola Arena, have a strong understanding of new technologies and how quickly the industry evolves, so they were instrumental in the choice. The PRODIGY Smart Platform has become an industry standard across major touring, live, and broadcast environments. I had originally specified MAVEN.A, so being able to integrate two of the larger PRODIGY.MP was ideal.”

Both PRODIGY.MP units are fitted with Dante/Milan Dual network cards, plus two AES SRC I/O cards and an AN8 I/O card. Typically, the PRODIGYs act as primary and secondary units, with the secondary providing complete redundancy. Thanks to the flexibility of this setup, the PRODIGY.MPs are able to function as matrix processing, but also fulfil several other uses, depending on the application.

“I believe the PRODIGY platform is a device with virtually no limitations,” he expands. “While we primarily refer to it as a matrix processor, it can just as easily function as a standalone

mixer for almost any application. With all the features added over the past two years, the PRODIGY now feels closer to a fully capable audio console rather than just a processor.”

There are many artists visiting the arena and most recently Majid Al Mohandis returned for another sensational performance. Known as the Engineer of Arabic song, the record-breaking, best-selling Middle Eastern artist celebrated Eid at the arena in May 2026, selling out the landmark venue. With artists as huge as Majid Al Mohandis, there could be additional pressures on Chetty and his team but, as he expands, with exceptional solutions like PRODIGY.MP providing the central brains of their system, they can take everything in their stride.

“Pressure is always part of a live show environment, regardless of the artist,” he notes. “The audio department is always thoroughly prepared and take every precaution to ensure each show runs smoothly. The PRODIGY.MPs serve as the master clock for our MILAN setup, while also providing analog outputs as a redundant secondary protocol. They are responsible for system management, clocking, routing, and backup paths, essentially ensuring that every part of the signal chain remains stable and secure. Having the PRODIGY.MPs is a major advantage, a real asset. They provide quick, reliable solutions even in complex and demanding setups, which definitely helps reduce stress on show days.”

Looking ahead, Chetty expresses full confidence in the team's ability to navigate future challenges successfully. Even with the ultra-high expectations set by this unique venue, the overall excellence of the audio system is able to wow the audience every night. When international star Teddy Swims came through on tour, they brought three PRODIGY.MPs with them.

“It’s always exciting when visiting productions arrive with the same level of technology we’ve invested in, but for me, the most important thing is to keep those systems simple, while still retaining the flexibility to handle any request at any level,” he finishes. “The PRODIGY.MP gives us exactly that balance; simplicity in daily operation, but huge capability when we need it. It has definitely made many tasks easier without adding any unnecessary complexity. 7Hertz team – the official DirectOut pro audio distributor in UAE ed. - is always available, both by phone and email, and DirectOut Luca Giaroli’s CEO videos go into impressive depth, especially on more complex topics. With all the excellent documentation and support on hand, I feel more than lucky.”

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RCF and DirectOut Announce Strategic Technology Partnership

Sarah Kondycki — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:00:16 +0000

Reggio Emilia, Italy / Mittweida, Germany – 16 June 2026

RCF and DirectOut today announced a strategic technology partnership aimed at developing tightly integrated audio solutions for RCF’s professional sound systems portfolio.

Under the agreement, DirectOut will bring its extensive expertise in audio networking, signal conversion, processing, and redundancy technologies to support and enhance RCF’s system architectures. The collaboration is designed to deliver fully integrated solutions aligned with the RCF ecosystem, ensuring high performance, reliability, and seamless operation across a wide range of professional audio applications.

By working at a deep technological level, the two companies aim to simplify system design and deployment while meeting the rigorous requirements of live sound, installed sound, and other mission-critical environments where RCF systems are deployed.

Fausto Incerti, Managing Director of RCF, commented: “DirectOut’s technologies and engineering approach complement our system design philosophy. This partnership enables us to further strengthen our system offerings by integrating proven audio networking and signal management solutions that align perfectly with RCF’s performance, reliability, and usability standards. Over the past years, DirectOut has emerged as a global leader in the solutions we are now incorporating into our packages, enhancing the value we provide to our customers.”

“Our collaboration with RCF is centered on bringing DirectOut audio networking and signal management technologies directly into RCF system solutions,” said Luca Giaroli, CEO of DirectOut. “This focused approach allows us to support RCF in delivering integrated, robust, and future-ready systems that provide clear benefits to system designers and end users. We are proud to partner with a company that has such a significant global presence and a rich history spanning decades, with impressive revenues worldwide.”

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to technological excellence and long-term collaboration, with the goal of providing customers with innovative, high-quality solutions that offer greater operational confidence within the RCF ecosystem.

Further details on the integrated solutions resulting from this collaboration will be announced in the coming months.

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Creative Technology relies on PRODIGY.MP for G42 Supercharged 2025

Lorenzo Sassi — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:54:33 +0000

Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) was the sole technical supplier for G42 Supercharged, G42’s flagship event, held in the ADNEC ICC Halls in Abu Dhabi. The event brought together the very latest in technology from across the entire brand and delivered an inspiring a day of debate on an AI enabled future. With such pioneering technology being discussed and displayed, nothing less than the PRODIGY.MP could offer CTME the stability and reliability required to keep the event on track.

G42 SuperCharged hosted over 2,400 guests and benefitted from over 150 meters of LED screens, plus the largest d&b Soundscape system ever deployed in the region. G42 is an artificial intelligence cloud computing company, committed to investing in ways to harness the power of AI across many difference areas of human life.

In preparation, CTME built a scale version of the installation and ran four days of rehearsals in their warehouse for all stakeholders. The setup had a huge channel count with audio and visuals synchronized with smooth audio transitions that enveloped the audience.

The audio network was powered by PRODIGY.MP and this rehearsal not only proved the viability of the system, it also reduced the entire installation time to just 48 hours on site.

Tim Cook was system engineer for the event, working alongside spatial and playback engineer George Abi Aad. The pair were responsible for the programming and management of the two PRODIGY.MPs and, given the profile of the summit, they opted for three layers of redundancy, with one PRODIGY.MP handling full redundancy of playback utilizing EARS and console feeds through Input Manager, while the second managed complete redundancy for d&b’s DS100 amplifier feeds. As Cook explains, this option delivered fail-safe security and the all-important confidence required to deliver cutting edge shows to a hall full of discerning technology experts.

“Input Managers handled both DS100 processor feeds, so that if one channel dropped, it would automatically and seamlessly fail-over to the backup,” he says. “To go one step further, we implemented another fail-over layer, using the Summing Busses within the PRODIGY.MP to feed a standard stereo system as a final backup. That gave us total peace of mind and a solid safety net. The PRODIGY.MP tied everything together beautifully and made the entire workflow smoother and more efficient.”

CTME purchased its first PRODIGY.MP in 2022, alongside a range of cards to complement the existing inventory, including Dante, Ravenna, MILAN, and MADI. As Cook continues, the modular design allows the company to adapt the same unit for different systems and applications with ease, ensuring that their choice to invest in DirectOut is fully justified by the constant use the PRODIGY.MPs enjoy.

“The flexibility is on another level,” Cook expands. “No other device gives us this kind of adaptability. The interchangeable I/O cards let us build for any workflow, while the routing matrix and onboard DSP cut down on the need for multiple outboard units. It’s quickly become the backbone of our shows and, if I had one tip, it would be to stop thinking of PRODIGY as just a processor. Think of it as a flexible audio hub that can sit at the heart of any system design.”

For CT Middle East, Dante is their network protocol of choice, so the Dante SRC card is in constant demand. As with any supplier, MILAN is also being used more, especially for the new connected amplifiers that many loudspeaker manufactures are developing.

“The Dante SRC card gets a lot of use,” he continues. “The MADI cards are also essential, integrating seamlessly with our DiGiCo consoles and legacy systems. We’re also embracing MILAN, so the MILAN SRC card is being used more and more, especially with our new d&b amplifiers and DiGiCo MILAN DMI cards now in play. It’s great to see everything tying together across protocols.”

For quick and easy control, the team at CT utilize the globcon software. The third-party connectivity and reliability that DirectOut products offer is another key factor in the choice to continue investing in the audio solutions.

“We use globcon for remote management and control. It’s intuitive, responsive, and makes setup and monitoring quick and painless. We also integrate the PRODIGY with third-party controllers and consoles for more streamlined workflows. Everything fits neatly within our ecosystem, the compatibility is excellent.”

The PRODIGY.MP has become an essential part of the toolkit at CT. Its flexibility, reliability and expansive feature-set allows the team to tackle complex audio scenarios with confidence. As Cook concludes, it is not just the hardware, the relationship with DirectOut and 7Hertz is valued, too, as both companies are quick to offer support and expertise when needed.

“7Hertz have supported us in integrating our DirectOut solutions into our workflow and ensuring that we maximize the capabilities of the PRODIGY.MP,” he finishes. “Because it’s such a powerful and versatile unit, we tend to use the PRODIGY.MP in almost every situation, from system tuning and playback redundancy to matrix routing,” he says. “As a rental company, we work across a huge variety of productions with different requirements and the PRODIGY.MP provides a consistent, reliable backbone our engineers can confidently depend on for every show.”

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Nerdmatics chooses DirectOut for complex playback rigs for high-end touring

Sarah Kondycki — Mon, 25 May 2026 09:55:33 +0000

Fred Carlton is the owner and operator of Nerdmatics, a Los Angeles–based design team specializing in advanced music performance systems, as well as audio and MIDI software development. He is also a partner at ASAP Sound, a collective providing turnkey solutions for entertainment applications worldwide.
In the past, designing playback systems often required Carlton to integrate multiple devices from different manufacturers, resulting in complex and fragmented workflows. With DirectOut Smart Audio Platforms, he found a solution capable of addressing even the most demanding system designs. His use of the PRODIGY Series is replacing this multi-vendor approach with a unified, integrated platform that consolidates multiple mission-critical functionalities within a single, failsafe device.

Starting out as a musician, Carlton’s career evolved into the technical side of music production. After building guitars for Fender, a chance encounter led him on tour as a guitar technician with 30 Seconds to Mars, an experience that would shape his entire professional path.

“For 30 Seconds to Mars, the demand on their technology was huge, it pushed me to become better quickly,” he recalls. “Their playback system had to be completely adaptable, it wasn’t just hit play on a click track and forget, we were jumping and looping, so I became proficient very quickly.”

When the tour came to an end, Carlton founded Nerdmatics, officially launching the company that would later support artists across a wide range of genres.

By 2014, he was working with Linkin Park, and soon his client list expanded to include Maluma, Becky G, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, among many others. Despite the diversity of artists and productions, one element has remained constant across his systems: DirectOut.

The platform provides the stability and flexibility required to build playback rigs that can respond dynamically to live performance, rather than locking artists into rigid, predetermined structures.

“Most big pop shows now are completely locked in; every show is exactly the same, even the interaction with the audience. When you’re dealing with automation for moving stages, or pyrotechnics, it’s dangerous to have the artist in control, but for music and lighting, it doesn’t have to be that way,” he continues. “The desire for spontaneous live music, a shared singular experience that can’t be anticipated, is really exciting and it’s entirely possible to combine that with playback if you have the right set up.”

Finding the right setup has been an ongoing process of refinement. A major turning point came in 2018, when Carlton was tasked with designing a system for a stadium show for Riot Games. Searching for a solution that could meet the scale and reliability demands of the project, he discovered DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MC.

“When I built these systems in the past, I would probably be combining six or seven companies, I was basically a system integrator,” he continues. “It wasn’t easy because if there was an issue and I had to call support, and each brand would blame the next. Then DirectOut arrived and it was the first all in one system. I now have a built-in switcher, multiple styles of format and network protocol - Dante, MADI, Ravenna, Soundgrid - and they’re all compatible.”

A key advantage for Carlton is the modular architecture of the PRODIGY Series: what began with a single PRODIGY.MC configured with a Dante card and analog backup quickly grew into a long-term collaboration. Today, DirectOut forms the backbone of many Nerdmatics systems, including a recent installation for ILLENIUM at the Sphere: a 128 channel redundant audio system built around two Dual Network Dante.Dante SRC.IO cards.

Thanks to the dedicated globcon user interface, global system control can be managed by a single operator and even accessed remotely when needed, enabling ongoing support regardless of physical location.

By keeping audio routing and channel management within DirectOut devices, while handling musical elements through a flexible MIDI based workflow, Carlton maintains a system that feels musical rather than mechanical. This approach preserves spontaneity for the artist, while still providing the reliability and structure required by the wider production team.

"I like to use Ableton in rehearsals, we use MIDI locators to keep things fluid,” he continues. “I can hit play and everyone’s machines will follow, but if something changes, I can just send new locator files to everyone. It’s much more efficient than bouncing files after a long day, it's not just audio tracks and waveforms. DirectOut delivers sample rate conversion and fail over redundancy, while MIDI control allows artists to move freely through their set, enabling them to react to the live audience and cater their set to their wants and needs.”

Through platforms like Patreon, Carlton actively shares his system designs, helping others understand how a DirectOut powered approach can support creativity rather than constrain it.

For him, a robust playback system does not need to be rigid or overly technical; it can be expressive, adaptive and responsive. “The modular part of my DirectOut systems is super important because people change their minds last minute. By using PRODIGY Series solutions, I can build a system that is maxed out, so I can be asked for anything and it’s not a problem,” he finishes. “PRODIGY has done the hard work with its DSP so you can run with every single slot filled and everything happening at once, or you can run a simplified version and it’s happy. That is flexibility on another level, and it makes a world of difference.”

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DirectOut Introduces ACE — A Portable Smart Audio Platform That Fits in Your Backpack

Sarah Kondycki — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:03:05 +0000

Mittweida, Germany — May 12th, 2026

DirectOut announces ACE, a compact smart audio platform designed to adapt seamlessly to a wide range of professional workflows — from playback and drive rack applications to fully custom processing rigs —
combining high‑end performance, intelligent redundancy, and comprehensive connectivity in a portable,
travel‑ready format.

"ACE brings the power and reliability of our flagship PRODIGY Series into a device small enough to fit in
your backpack," says Luca Giaroli, CEO of DirectOut. "It's designed to adapt instantly to different workflows
while delivering the performance professionals expect from DirectOut."

At the heart of ACE are dedicated ACE Modes: globcon interfaces purpose‑built for professional audio
workflows, spanning from vertically optimized configurations for common applications to a fully open
environment for custom signal path design. Three modes are available:

Playback Mode — Quick configuration of primary and backup computers, vocal processing inserts, and streamlined output routing, with built‑in support for EARS (Enhanced Automatic Redundancy
Switching).
PA Mode — A complete drive rack solution providing immediate access to EQ, dynamics, delays, and native Smaart® integration, with pre‑configured signal flows and redundant input management for live sound and system tuning scenarios.
PRODIGY Mode — Full access to the same globcon interface as the PRODIGY and MAVEN Series,
offering complete freedom to design bespoke signal paths using advanced routing, mixing, summing, snapshot, and redundancy features.

Users select their preferred ACE Mode at activation and can freely switch between modes as requirements evolve, extending functionality through additional perpetual licenses.

"By combining the same FPGA core as our PRODIGY Series with purpose‑built ACE Modes, we give
engineers instant access to optimized workflows for their specific application — while preserving the option to build fully custom signal paths when required," adds Claudio Becker Foss, CTO of DirectOut. "ACE is compact by design, but uncompromising in capability."

ACE supports MADI, Audio over IP (Dante® or Milan native versions), AES3, and high‑quality analog I/O. To simplify configuration and system design, ACE users have access to Ask.DirectOut, the AI‑based DirectOut proprietary assistance service available 24/7.

ACE adapts to your workflow — and grows with your ambitions!
For more information, visit www.directout.eu.

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DirectOut Appoints Synthax Audio UK as New UK and Ireland Distributor

Sarah Kondycki — Mon, 11 May 2026 10:26:52 +0000

Mittweida, Germany — 11 May 2026

DirectOut, the German specialist in high-end audio solutions, is pleased to announce that as of June 1st 2026, Synthax Audio UK will be its new distribution partner for the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Synthax takes over the distribution from Aspen Media, which has represented DirectOut with outstanding professionalism and dedication for many years. This transition concludes a highly successful partnership, as Chris Collings, owner of Aspen Media, steps back to enjoy a well-deserved retirement after a long and accomplished career in the professional audio industry.

Synthax Audio UK will look to leverage its extensive relationships within the studio, live sound and broadcast audio markets, sectors it has been serving for more than 15 years. "The addition of DirectOut represents a natural and strategic fit alongside the company’s existing portfolio."

“We are delighted to welcome DirectOut to the Synthax family in the UK and Ireland,” says Martin Warr, Managing Director of Synthax Audio UK. “Having worked closely with the brand for many years, we already have considerable experience in providing sales, support and application expertise for DirectOut products."

“I also personally have a longstanding relationship with Stefan Flock, Director and Founder of DirectOut, and have always admired his vision and technical innovations. DirectOut’s reputation for engineering excellence and reliability makes the brand a perfect complement to the other pro audio manufacturers we represent, and we see tremendous opportunities for growth across the touring, live production, broadcast and systems integration markets.”

“We’re happy to welcome Synthax Audio UK as our new distributor for UK and Ireland,” says Lorenzo Sassi, Director of Sales at DirectOut. “As a long-time DirectOut reseller, they already know our audio solutions and customers very well, ensuring smooth continuity of what Aspen Media has built over the years. We look forward to taking the next step together.”

The appointment of Synthax guarantees continuity and stability for DirectOut customers in the UK. The relationship between Martin Warr and Chris Collings goes back many years, with Synthax and Aspen Media having already shared successful commercial collaborations in the past.

Reflecting on the partnership, Chris Collings comments: “The success of our DirectOut distributorship is no mystery; it’s simply the product of a shared understanding of the importance of making customers smile with great products and exemplary service. For this, I must give significant credit to the contribution made over the years by long‑standing colleagues Melanie Stephen, Louise Sammon and Sue Hurd."

“It is important to note that Synthax has been part of that journey, working with us as a DirectOut reseller; which makes its appointment as the new distributor the natural next step.”

“We warmly welcome Synthax and look forward to a successful future together in the UK market,” says Jan Ehrlich, COO of DirectOut. “At the same time, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Chris Collings for his outstanding work and dedication over many years. His expertise and commitment have been instrumental in building a strong presence for our brand.”

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