difuze is a new company, created by the merger of the Montreal dubbing and distribution division of Technicolor, as well as SPR (a dubbing and audio services studio) and the subtitling specialist CNST. difuze offers a wider range of services including post-production, dubbing and subtitling, as well as delivery of content to all platforms. The company recently acquired a brand new Avid console, the Pro Tools S6, with the support of CEV.
CEV oversaw each step of the console installation. The previous one had been running for more than ten years and no longer satisfied difuze’s needs when it came to mixing multiple tracks. The Avid Pro Tools S6 supports over 1000 audio tracks, and can mix up to Dolby Atmos. As the difuze team was already working with Pro Tools, this choice was the natural one. “Everyone in Montreal is working with Pro Tools, whether for editing, post-synchronization or sound effects,” explains Stéphane Bergeron, who is the main user of the new console.
This Avid console lets sound engineers create the most intuitive and immersive streams. The S6 modular control surface combines the best features of the ICON and the System 5 family of products, providing superior ergonomics as well as intelligent studio control. The S6 is a standard, based on proven technology and recognized by leading audio professionals, to create the best possible tracks faster.
difuze’s S6 also features 56 faders allowing two users to manage all tracks simultaneously. “This technology is well established. Having been released 5 years ago, it quickly became a standard in the industry,” said Richard Fecteau, Director of Infrastructure at difuze. difuze will also allow freelancers, who are already familiar with it, to come and to use it in the studio.
“We always prefer CEV for the choice of our technologies,” added Richard Fecteau. They consistently offer us a personalized service. We always want the best price. Additionally, they are located a few blocks away from our facilities. The difuze team received training at CEV, which allowed them to see the product and try it. Stéphane Bergeron received two onsite training sessions.
Pierre Perrier, senior technician at difuze (infrastructure and production solution) was tasked to install the console. Suzie Blanchette, an ACSR pro audio & video specialist at CEV, assisted him from the start. “There were 100 boxes to unpack,” he explained. Each module was packaged separately. The S6 is, basically, a large remote control. We did not have to rewire the studio. On the contrary, we used to have nine network cables and now there are only three. The monitors were a big challenge on which we had to work.”
Once the console was installed, CEV and difuze started it up for the first time. Alain Roy, Account Manager at CEV, followed the entire operation. Everything was done with the CEV team. “The installation was a two-week operation. It was necessary to remove the old console before installing the S6, says Stéphane Bergeron. It took 2 or 3 days to make sure we were able to work with it. The sound engineer sat with the CEV team throughout the process, with Pierre Perrier playing a key role in engineering. “We had to make sure the delivery was on time and then Stéphane took over,” he added.
Doing actual work on the console was easy, and CEV was always there for us throughout the process, said the sound engineer from difuze. “One major advantage of this console is that we can customize it to the extreme, said Stéphane Bergeron. I quickly became productive because my reflexes established themselves very quickly. In fact, I did not need to learn about the console’s capabilities. Instead, it adapted itself to our needs. I chose the functionalities needed for myself. When I talk to other sound engineers who use the S6, I am always surprised to notice we all work in different ways, customizing it to our tastes and needs. We exchange ideas and tips on the best way to manage the surface, to better use it. ”
CEV is always there to answer any questions the sound engineer may have. This is important when finding oneself working on urgent projects and needing reliable support quickly.
Avid products are an important choice for CEV because they are the standard used in Hollywood. Moreover, CEV is the only Avid service center in Canada.
