AV/IT TEAM:
Bruno Caruso (top), manager of Design and Integration; Allan Santos, assistant manager of Post Production Facilities
GOALS: Emerson College, an academic leader in media, communication, and the arts, integrated Focusrite’s RedNet solutions into its state-of-the-art production and learning environments at its main campus in Boston. Their strategic implementation enhanced the college’s ability to deliver industry-facing training in sound design, immersive audio, and media production, offering students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.
The integration was spearheaded by Bruno Caruso, manager of Design and Integration at Emerson College’s Engineering Department and aligns with the institution’s commitment to real-world production environments. Emerson’s Media Technologies and Productions Department designed and continuously supports their facilities, which span the media production techniques, from pre-production and recording to sound design, mixing, and final deliverables.
“Focusrite has been ahead of the curve in Dante networking, and that was a major factor in our decision to go with their RedNet solutions,” Caruso said. “We were looking for interfaces that provided a comprehensive range of I/O, including Dante, analog, optical, and MADI, without compromise. The RedNet lineup checked all those boxes, and its reliability and reputation in the industry made it an easy choice.”
CHALLENGES: Emerson facilities include five theaters, two television studios, immersive sound stages, a radio station, three recording studios, which serve as classrooms, and mix and post-production suites that cater to multiple disciplines throughout the College of Communication. As a result, one of the major challenges of this project was seamlessly connecting spaces across campus.
FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Dante-based networking and RedNet technology revolutionized student and faculty workflow efficiency throughout Emerson’s facilities. “We can route audio across multiple buildings in downtown Boston, using smaller rooms as remote voice-over booths, amp rooms, or ADR spaces,” Caruso said. “Because of our Dante infrastructure, a performance in our largest theater can be recorded in a completely different building in real time, while our radio station does a live mix for broadcast—all with virtually zero latency.”
Through partnerships with Parsons Audio, Emerson sourced and installed a comprehensive RedNet setup, including RedNet 16Line, RedNet D64R and RedNet AM2, among other devices. Caruso and his colleagues configured and calibrated the entire system in-house, ensuring seamless integration with their existing workflows.
Beyond infrastructure, Emerson found that Focusrite’s RedNet Control application serves as a valuable educational tool. “The graphical interface makes it easy to teach students about audio routing and signal flow,” Caruso noted. “It allows them to visualize how audio moves between rooms and devices, reinforcing both theoretical and practical knowledge.”
Looking to the future, Caruso envisions continued expansion of immersive audio education at Emerson and has encouraged Focusrite to develop additional tools to support spatial audio, loudness monitoring, and room calibration. “We’d love to see more built-in DSP solutions for Atmos and immersive workflows,” he said. “Focusrite has been fantastic in listening to the needs of educators, and we’re excited about where they’ll go next.”
As a thought leader among media institutions, Emerson College is at the forefront of audio education, ensuring its students graduate with the requisite skills and experience to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. Through its partnership with Focusrite and ongoing investments in cutting-edge technology, Emerson continues to set a standard for media production education. With campuses in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands, Emerson fosters creativity and innovation, preparing students for leadership roles across the media landscape.