‘We have one of the most diverse clientele, with a massive variety of events,’ says A/V Manager Ira Cohen of the University of Toronto’s Hart House – one of the largest and busiest event spaces in Canada. Hosting around 7,000 annual events, including conferences, concerts, corporate and social events, Cohen recently designed and oversaw a new audio installation for the Hart House’s Great Hall, the signature space at the venue.

Cohen’s design uses a Soundcraft Si Expression 1 to control the system, which includes BSS Blu-80 signal processing with a CobraNet expansion card for full Harman integration with the console. Cat5 connections are used to patch the console to control the entire equipment rack.

‘Together with the CobraNet expansion card, this one-of-a-kind system offers an incredible amount of flexibility with the ability to run any type of event or show imaginable,’ he says. ‘Factoring in the expansion capabilities, it is a system that Hart House has longed for and one that we are truly proud of.

‘I have long held Soundcraft in high regard, and over the years I have had the pleasure of mixing on various analog and digital boards and have always trusted the level of sonic quality and control you get with Soundcraft. At this price point, there is no other board in the market with as many top quality features as the Si Expression. It allowed me to present a proposal design at half the cost that external companies offered.’

‘The console has exceeded performance expectations,’ according to Cohen. ‘Its ease of use out the gate has been a pleasure to work with – I am mostly impressed with the layout, because it’s quite nice to have the physical controls of your channel strip and dynamics right in front of you. Overall, it is a very economical and straightforward board to operate, which is great for new users. All the advantages of digital are literally at your fingertips, rather than through page layers.’