Introduction • viii
©2008 Axia Audio — Rev. 3.0
A Note From The President of Axia
Nearly 20 years ago, I designed my first broadcast
console for PR&E. I look back on that time with great
fondness; we were building bullet-proof boards for the
world’s most prestigious broadcasters, making each new
console design bigger and fancier to accommodate a
wider variety of source equipment and programming
styles. The console was the core of the studio; all other
equipment was on the periphery.
Then things changed: the PC found its way into
broadcast audio delivery and production. At first, PC
audio applications were simple, used only by budget
stations to reduce operating expenses. But soon the ap-
plications evolved and were embraced by larger stations.
Slowly, the PC was taking center stage in the radio stu-
dio.
Like many, I was captivated by the PC. Stations
retired carts, phonographs, open-reel decks,
cassettes — even more modern digital equip-
ment such as DAT and CD players, replac-
ing all with PC apps. Client/server systems
emerged and entire facilities began using PCs
to provide most – or all – of their recorded
audio. Yet consoles continued to treat PCs as
nothing more than audio peripherals. I knew
that we console designers were going to have to rethink
our designs to deal with computer-centric studios.
During this time, traditional broadcast console com-
panies began producing digital versions. But early digi-
tal consoles were nearly identical in form and function
to their analog predecessors. It took a fresh look from a
European company outside broadcasting to merge two
products – audio routing switchers and broadcast con-
soles – into a central processing engine and attached
control surface. Eventually nearly every console and
routing switcher company followed suit, and a wide va-
riety of digital “engines” and control surfaces flooded
the market.
But, advanced as these integrated systems were, they
still handled computer-based audio sources like their
analog ancestors. Sure, the router and console engine
were now integrated, but the most important studio ele-
ment – the PC – was stuck in the past, interfaced with
100-year-old analog technology. The PC and console
couldn’t communicate in a meaningful way – strange,
considering that PCs everywhere were being networked,
fast becoming the world’s most popular and powerful
communication tool.
Then a group of Telos engineers developed a method
of using Ethernet to interconnect audio devices, allow-
ing computers and consoles, controllers and peripherals
to interact smoothly and intelligently. Powerful, flex-
ible networks had finally come to our studios. As with
the transition from carts to computers, the benefits are
many and impressive. A few networked components can
replace routing switchers, consoles, processing periph-
erals, sound cards, distribution amps, selector switches
and myriad related devices.
This deceptively simple networked system costs a
fraction of other approaches, yet has capabilities sur-
passing anything else. The system is modular and can
be used to perform discrete functions in a traditional
environment. Concurrently, it easily scales to
serve both the humblest and the very largest
of facilities. Console, router, and computer
work in harmony.
So, equipped with this new technology
and countless ideas, we launch Axia, the new-
est division of Telos. Axia is all about deliv-
ering innovative networked audio products
to future-minded broadcasters. On behalf of our entire
team, I welcome you as a charter client. Axia is the cul-
mination of nearly 40 man-years of some of the most
ambitious R&D ever applied to the radio industry. And
this is only the beginning. We have more products, in-
novations, and partnerships in the pipeline.
You already know your Axia system is unlike any-
thing else. So it shouldn’t be surprising that your new
system is loaded with new thinking, new approaches,
and new ideas in virtually every conceivable area. Some
concepts will challenge your traditional ideas of studio
audio systems, but we’re certain that once you have ex-
perienced the pleasures of the networked studio, you’ll
never want to go back. And now, for something com-
pletely different...
Michael “Catfish” Dosch
February 2004
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