DHD.audio plans to unveil its third-generation mixing console at IBC 2026 on September 11, promising a new control surface that remains compatible with DHD processing cores introduced in 2020. For stations, that compatibility claim may ultimately matter more than the features still under wraps.
The company will introduce the product at stand 8.B46 during IBC, which runs September 11–14 in Amsterdam. DHD calls the console one of the most significant advances in its 30-year history, but has not yet disclosed a model name, complete specifications or pricing.
The upgrade path is the real story
A broadcast console is not a disposable consumer device. Stations may keep a desk in daily service for a decade or longer, while replacing computers, codecs, automation systems and network infrastructure around it.
DHD says the new surface will work with its existing generation of processing cores. If that claim holds across actual configurations, a station could modernize the operator interface without discarding every engine, interface and connection already installed.
That could reduce capital cost, wiring changes, off-air time and staff retraining. It could also extend dependence on one vendor, making the limits of backward compatibility just as important as the benefit.
Questions RNN will take to IBC
- Which current and earlier DHD cores are supported?
- Can a station mix old and new surfaces in one facility?
- What functions require new licenses or processing hardware?
- How are power-supply, network and control failures handled?
- Which AoIP standards and third-party systems are supported?
- How long will parts, security updates and software support remain available?
- What is the installed cost—not merely the list price of the surface?
Wait for the demonstration
This remains a manufacturer preview. No independent demonstration has established workflow improvements, reliability or total ownership cost. RNN will evaluate those claims after the console is visible at IBC.
The purchasing question is straightforward: does the new console make operators faster and the station more resilient while preserving enough of the existing investment to justify the transition?