Blackmagic Design Fairlight Desktop Console

Blackmagic Design Fairlight Desktop Console

The Blackmagic Fairlight Desktop Console is equipped with 12 powerful channel strips, each with a touch-sensitive, motorized 100mm fader, an assignable multifunction pan knob (also touch-sensitive), a high-resolution colour LCD screen, solo and mute buttons, and a multifunction select button. Use them as traditional per-channel console controls or switch to Focus mode to utilize the knobs and select buttons of all channels to adjust the parameters or plug-ins of a single track.

High-Quality Controls

With logical navigation and transport controls and a high-quality search dial, you can move around your project with ease, speed, and ergonomic comfort, whether you're recording automation or zooming in on a specific location. The Fairlight Desktop Console also functions as a flexible monitor controller with dedicated buttons for source selection, speaker dim and mute, switching between headphones and speakers, and talkback control.

The Fairlight Desktop Console connects to your computer via a USB Type-C connection (cable included) and boasts an HDMI output for visually monitoring all console activity.

Professional and Compact Footprint

The Fairlight Desktop Console uses the same high-quality faders as the full-size modular consoles. The sculpted faders are smooth and provide the perfect amount of resistance for making subtle adjustments. The precision-engineered encoder knobs ensure a long life of noiseless operation, and the console buttons are rated at a million presses.

Individual LCDs display track information for each channel. The high-quality search dial is extremely responsive and is much faster than a mouse. The soft front-panel bumper makes long sessions more comfortable, the console can be installed flush in a custom desk, and there's even a built-in power supply, which means no power brick. A USB Type-C port provides easy connectivity with your computer system.

Multifunction Pan Knob

The multifunction pan knob can be used for panning or can be assigned to control other Fairlight parameters. Hold Control and tap to reset, or hold Shift for refined control. As it's a rotary encoder, it won't introduce signal noise like worn mechanical knobs.

Motorized Faders

12 belt-driven 100mm motorized faders offer precision volume control for adjusting levels. The bank control buttons let you switch between fader sets to control different channels. Faders can even be assigned to adjust send and record levels.

Navigation and Transport Controls

When you're working on a tight deadline and have a large project with a lot of tracks, you don't want to waste time scrolling through the timeline or hunting for a clip. The Fairlight Desktop Console helps you work faster because it includes transport buttons and a high-quality jog/shuttle wheel.

You'll be able to quickly move around the timeline and navigate clips, scrub, start or stop playback, or jump to a new position with incredible speed. The controls are logically grouped, allowing you to keep your hand in one position while navigating the timeline from end to end, or anywhere in between, in seconds. The search dial can also be used for timeline zooming, clip levels, and more.

Task-Based Controls

Control function selector buttons let you assign the buttons and knobs on the panel for different purposes. You can quickly select between master and channel controls, panning, plug-in control, EQ, dynamics, and more. By default, the console works in strip mode, giving you one channel strip per track. Focus mode lets you assign all of the select buttons and knobs on the console to work on the parameters or plug-ins for a single track.

This functionality means you can adjust the EQ, dynamics, or any other plug-in parameter for a track using all of the select buttons and knobs on the console. For example, you can adjust multiple frequency ranges in the EQ at the same time, which is impossible to do with a mouse.

Recording Automation

Fairlight's powerful automation lets you record parameter changes you make over time. For example, you can record level changes as you move the faders on the console. Fader adjustments are saved and can be edited later. Fairlight lets you automate anything from simple level changes to complex plug-in, EQ, and dynamics changes. That means you can use the console to create and save live adjustments.

The faders and knobs are touch-sensitive, activated the moment you touch them, so you don't have to move them for the console to know you want to work on that parameter. Six automation buttons enable and disable automation, set recording method, and set which automation curves appear in the timeline tracks.

Monitoring Controls

The Fairlight page has incredibly flexible monitoring, so you can preview your sound from a variety of different speaker sets. You can listen and switch between everything from headphones, nearfield or main stereo monitors, all the way up to immersive 3D surround systems.

The monitoring controls on the Fairlight Desktop Console let you quickly switch between sources, control both your studio and booth levels, or even control talkback if you have a Fairlight Audio Interface installed with your computer. You also get a level knob along with buttons for dimming and muting your speakers, allowing you to instantly cut or reduce the sound, so you can have a conversation in your studio or suite.

Features

• 12 x Touch-Sensitive Motorized Faders
• 12 x Assignable Multifunction Pan Knobs
• 12 x Informative High-Resolution LCDs
• Solo & Mute Buttons per Channel Strip
• Logical Navigation & Transport Controls
• Task-Based Controls
• Record and Edit Automaton
• Flexible Monitoring Controls
• External HDMI Monitoring
• Mac and Windows Compatible