When the DiGiCo Quantum 852 first launched at an exclusive event in England in 2023, it caused a stir with its capabilities and size. At the time, Kyle Robson and Duncan Riley of DWR Distribution attended the launch and were blown away by DiGiCo’s new flagship console leaping ahead of the still popular DiGiCo SD7.
Robson recently secured the purchase of a DiGiCo Quantum 852 to a client in the African market. The sale was orchestrated by Bizala Tshingalu, otherwise known by all as Mr B, of Glue It Sticks. Mr. B is an experienced and passionate sound engineer both in the live environment as well as the studio. Other roles Mr. B handles are artist management and audio and visual production.
“I’ve been in the industry since 2005, starting off in church environments before going professional,” said Mr. B, who moved from Congo to South Africa at age 13 years. “I went to Campus of Performing Arts, built my own production company, and here we are today.”
Despite being based in South Africa, Mr. B’s strong ties to the Congolese market paved the way for this sale. He was contacted by the church gearing up for Full Adoration, a worship event taking place on 23 to 27 April. “He asked me what the best mixer in the world was and I didn’t hesitate—the DiGiCo 852 was the only answer. With the research and assistance from DWR Distribution, we managed to get the go-ahead to pursue the purchase,” he said.
The church had already purchased two DiGiCo S21s, with previous consoles including an Allen & Heath SQ7 and an X32. The Quantum 852, however, will work on larger events and tour alongside festivals. “While it has been a dream to see a Quantum 852 enter the African market, I had originally suggested we look at multiple Quantum models as a means to achieve the end goal in the most cost-effective way. However, they were firm in their decision, they wanted the best and they now have it. It is going to be a special experience for every sound engineer sitting behind the Quantum 852. Working with Mr B has been an incredible experience, from first contact to spending quality time getting to know him better. Mr. B shares the same excitement and passion I have for audio, and I look forward to many more dealings in the future to come.”
Robson had spent a few days with Mr. B providing intensive training: “The 852’s larger screens and extra controls streamlines workflow on the console while keeping true to the DiGiCo feel we all know and love,” said Kyle. “It’s something I really appreciate and love with DiGiCo. Once you understand one of the SD/Quantum consoles, you understand them all.”
Quantum 852 has been designed from the ground up. Familiar, yet different, and with improved audio quality via enhanced algorithms, Quantum852 delivers a massive leap forward in processing power. Specs on the Quantum 852 include Dual engines with 384 input channels, 192 aux / sub-group busses, 64×64 full processing Matrix, 128 Mustard strips, 384 Nodal processing instances and 32 Spice racks all neatly packaged with 1000 nit LCD screens for full daylight operation and a newly designed worksurface, giving users the confidence that, true to the DiGiCo ethos, Quantum852 has been designed not just for now, but for the future.
With the growing number of international shows and concerts coming to South Africa, here’s hoping it won’t be long before a Quantum 852 finds its home in the country. For now, though, at least there’s one in the Congo.
