ORF upgrades the Vienna Musikverein's sound control room with a mc²56 console from Lawo

ORF updates the sound control room of the Great Hall of the Musikverein (Austria), home of numerous concerts such as the world-famous New Year's event with the Vienna Philharmonic, with a mc²56 console from Theirs.

With the 2025/26 concert season already underway, Austrian Public Broadcasting has renovated its sound control room with IP-based audio technology by Lawo. This modernization represents an important step forward in improving live broadcast workflows, allowing the intricate soundscapes of orchestral performances to be more accurately captured and ensuring solid operational reliability for live productions high level.

The decision to implement Lawo technology was driven by the need to improve system compatibility and foster synergies across ORF's production infrastructure. “This new configuration is more than just an upgrade: it is our gateway to next-generation IP audio technology,” he says. Reinhard Tomek, audio technology project manager at ORF. "It gives us enormous flexibility for future expansion and seamless integration of external devices. The addition of Lawo's HOME platform simplifies system management, while keeping interfaces with external IP-enabled systems open and adaptable."

The core of the new infrastructure is a production console mc²56 MkIII con 48 faders, driven by a A__UHD Core audio engine Licensed for 256 DSP channels. Two stageboxes A__stage80 provide connectivity, while the signal architecture is managed through the plataforma HOME from Lawo, designed for IP-based production environments.

The console runs on the latest software version, 12.2, which introduces several key improvements. In particular, a new 7-band equalizer with three dynamic bands allows sound engineers to shape orchestral audio with exceptional precision. Additional improvements include optimized channel displays, more intuitive operation of audio crossover points via the HOME API, and the ability to switch banks and layers directly from the fader panel.

Previous versions of the software, such as 10.12 and 12.0, laid the foundation for deeper integration between the console, DSP and network. With the HOME mc² DSP application, you now also have CPU-based processing resources. Another highlight is the complete integration of Waves SuperRack V15. Extensive plug-in packages can be loaded from Waves en Immersive Wrapper and manage them directly from the console, which is ideal for immersive formats such as 5.1.4, 7.1.4 or 9.1.4.

“Native control of Waves processing within the console greatly speeds up live operations,” explains Tomek. “It allows complex sound processing to be integrated directly into the workflow, eliminating the need for external workstations or workarounds.”

Following the launch in August, Lawo delivered a three-day hands-on training session for ORF sound engineers, focusing on the practical application of the new features. The system made its debut on September 20, 2025, during the season-opening concert with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Lahav Shani. “Despite the new technology, it was a routine production for our team, a clear sign that the system is intuitive and the transition went smoothly,” concludes Tomek.