CRAS Upgrades Hardware & Software in Two Studios

In preparation for its inclusion of Dolby Atmos as part of its curriculum, The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS), an institution for audio engineering education, is proud to announce it has retrofitted two studios in both its Tempe and Gilbert, Ariz. campuses with numerous hardware and software upgrades in time for its most recent crop of students.

“As studio production continues to evolve, keeping up with the latest trends and new technologies, such as Dolby Atmos, is vital so our students are not just keeping up with the industry, but are many times ahead of the curve,” explained Robert Brock, CRAS Director of Education. “We are pleased to offer our students the very latest industry innovations to invigorate and add to their skill sets so that they are properly prepared for their internships and careers once they graduate.”

Dolby Atmos transports you from the ordinary into the extraordinary with breathtaking, moving audio that flows all around you, even overhead. With Dolby Atmos, listeners are fully immersed in the action.

In Studio D in both campuses, CRAS has upgraded to:

  • Avid S6 M40; 25 fader control surfaces equipped with meter display modules, a major standard in post production and high end music production.
  • Pro Tools HDX2 DSP card systems; expanding processing power for the Pro Tools Systems.
  • Avid MTRX Interfaces; include extensive digital input and output capability, including the Dante audio networking protocol; the Dante protocol is quickly becoming an important standard for moving audio over conventional network systems. The MTRX interfaces are also equipped with additional MADI I/O capabilities.
  • JBL Intonato; a new advanced monitor control system that is providing monitor tuning and bass management functions.
  • Additional (4) M&K LCR950 speakers; providing height/overhead channels to create immersive surround mixes.

This past year, CRAS has also upgraded its 42-foot remote production trailer with Atmos, including a Dolby DP590 Atmos processor, (4) JBL Control 1 Pro overhead speakers, a Crown 4150 amplifier to power the speakers, and JBL Intonato control speaker management system; a brand new product that has sophisticated capability for fine tuning speaker performance in the room and is purpose-built to handle complex Dolby Atmos® installations.

The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes Broadcast Audio, Live Sound, Audio Post for Film and TV, Music Production, Commercial Production and Video Game Audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have excelled in their individual fields. CRAS’ structured programs, and highly qualified teaching staff, provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in Audio Recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the Audio Recording industries.

The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 12, API Legacy consoles, SSL G+ and AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.

“We want everyone to see, hear, and feel how our 11-month program focuses exclusively on what a student needs to know to begin living their passion in any one of the many facets of the Recording Arts,” Hamm concluded.