Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/714540
19 The Cantar-X2 was released in 2006 with major hardware changes, and added software features such as AutoSlate, PolyRotate and PDF Sound-Reports, as well as a Mac and PC software called the GrandArcan that could control all the parameters of the machine. The Cantarem, an eight- channel very portable miniature slide fader mixer, was also new to the market. In 2014, Aaton introduced the X3 with major changes in design and features. The X3 is capable of recording twenty- four tracks. Featuring forty-eight analog and digital inputs; eight AES, two AES42, twenty-four via Dante, eight analog microphone inputs and four analog line inputs. As a com- panion, the redesigned Cantarem 2 is equipped with twelve faders. Production Mixer Chris Giles was introduced to the Cantar-X2 by Miami base mixer Mark Weber. Chris regales, "When I was covering for Mark on Bloodline (Netflix), a scene took us from a boatyard and then into the mangroves after nightfall. Not a problem for us! Rain or shine, grab the Cantar, put it in a bag with a few receivers, something to cover it when it rains, my boom pole and we are off!" Chris describes the versatility of his Cantar-X3, combined with the Cantarem 2 mix panel in his current configuration. Chris Giles' cart Good profile X3 with two SD card slots, two USB, Dante, Ethernet and WiFi antenna The Cantarem 2 mix panel Venue -> Passive split (Y Cable) -> X3 (1-12 analog) -> 970 (1-8 analog) Remaining 9-12 -> X3 via Dante -> 970 via Dante X3 Mix -> 970 (Dante) Fader assignments -> 1-12 on the Cantarem 2 -> 13-18 on the X3 faders -> Line outputs 1-4 on remaining X3 faders The Cantarem 2 mix panel -> 970 (1-8 analog) Remaining 9-12 -> X3 via Dante -> 970 via Dante Whit Norris is a recent convert to the Cantar and his reasoning was twofold; he could interface the X3 with his Sonosax SX-ST8D and record twelve channels with the Cantar's built-in mixer. Whit describes the other positives: "I could record on four drives at one time all within the X3. There's the SSD drive, two SD cards and a USB slot. The redundancy is unique to our field." Whit gave the machine a real 'test drive' on Fast & Furious 8. With the help of Chris Giles, they came up with a suitable routing plot. Whit assigned the mix to track 1, a combine of the mix out of the Sonosax and the internal X3 inputs. The AES inputs on the X3 to tracks 2-9, from the Sonosax AES outputs 1-8. The mic/line inputs directly in on the X3 are assigned to tracks 10 through 17. The line inputs 1-3 are