Studio Berlin Upgrades Ü2 Truck with Lawo AoIP Tech for Berlinale 2025

Studio Berlin recently completed a comprehensive modernisation of its OB truck Ü2, integrating cutting-edge Audio-over-IP (AoIP) technology from Lawo. At the heart of this upgrade is a 48-fader mc²56 MKIII console, replacing the previous mc²66 mixing desk. 

Additionally, A__stage units have been implemented as I/O devices, along with the mc² DSP App, providing 256 DSP channels. The existing Lawo VSM system has been expanded to optimise control over the IP-based broadcast infrastructure. Headliner discovers how this technological upgrade was completed in time for the 75th Berlinale in February, 2025.

The Berlinale is a premier destination for artistic exploration and entertainment, standing as one of the largest public film festivals in the world. Every February, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe, serving as both a cultural celebration and a vital industry hub for filmmakers and media professionals. 

With its dynamic programming and extensive networking opportunities, the festival is a key event in the annual cinematic calendar.

Founded in 1951 during the early years of the Cold War, the Berlin International Film Festival was conceived as a "showcase of the free world" for Berlin audiences. 

Shaped by the city's post-war turbulence and unique divided status, the Berlinale has evolved into a powerful platform for intercultural dialogue and critical cinematic engagement with pressing social issues. Today, it is regarded as the most politically engaged of the major film festivals.

The Berlinale not only brings global cinema icons to Berlin but also nurtures emerging talent. It provides a launchpad for filmmakers across all disciplines, supporting their careers, projects, and creative visions. Through its numerous industry initiatives, the festival drives innovation and serves as a significant economic force both internationally and within Germany.

Each year, the Berlinale showcases approximately 200 films spanning a wide range of genres, formats, and artistic styles. 

From narrative features to documentaries and experimental works, the festival invites audiences to engage with diverse perspectives, challenge their assumptions, and experience storytelling in fresh and unconventional ways.

Beyond screenings, the Berlinale fosters an active dialogue with its audience through a rich selection of discussions, expert panels, and interactive events. This commitment to engagement and exchange ensures that the festival remains not just a cinematic event, but a vibrant cultural conversation.

This year, the Berlinale’s eight sections offered the audience a diverse film programme and around 340 audience discussions with film teams across approximately 1,000 public screenings during the Berlinale.

Studio Berlin’s Ü2 truck was responsible for producing both the international film festival’s opening ceremony and the awards gala. 

These events were live-streamed and later broadcast with a time delay by the broadcasters Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) as well as ZDF/3sat. In collaboration with X Verleih, the opening gala and premiere film were also transmitted live to seven cinemas across Germany.

Beyond the console and stageboxes, a key component of this upgrade is the integration of the HOME mc² DSP App. This software-based solution enables highly scalable, decentralized signal processing, perfectly suited for modern IP-based production environments.

“With the HOME mc² DSP App, we can manage DSP resources flexibly and efficiently – an essential improvement for our workflow,” explained Mathias Heinrich, head of audio at Studio Berlin. 

“This is particularly crucial as we continue to upgrade and expand our studio facilities and control rooms. Virtualisation eliminates the need for dedicated DSP hardware, which not only saves space but also provides exceptional flexibility in configuration and scalability.”

During the transition, it was critical to integrate the new technology seamlessly into Ü2’s existing 3G-SDI workflow. “The challenge was to replace a well-established infrastructure with emerging, continuously evolving technology,” added Leonard Weißhahn, audio engineer at Studio Berlin.

“The HOME mc² DSP App has proven to be a solid, future-proof solution: it delivers the renowned Lawo quality and performance while offering a valuable learning and development opportunity for both Lawo and Studio Berlin.”

The full transition to IP technology required efficient routing of all relevant audio signals while ensuring seamless communication between the mc²56 MKIII console, A__stage units, and the redundant DSP App. 

Here, the existing Lawo VSM system played a crucial role, providing centralised control of the entire infrastructure and enabling intuitive workflow optimisations.

The new IP-based structure of Ü2 also significantly simplifies setup and adjustments for productions. “Previously, modifying signal processing during large-scale productions was a challenge. With the HOME mc² DSP App, we can make real-time adjustments as needed without reconfiguring physical hardware, saving both time and resources,” Heinrich added.

The upgrade process for Ü2 began with the delivery of new components. Thanks to the close collaboration between Studio Berlin and Lawo teams, installation, testing, configuration, and programming were completed efficiently, ensuring the truck was fully operational in time for Berlinale. 

This teamwork, extending throughout the production days, guaranteed a secure live broadcast of the Berlinale opening ceremony.

With this upgrade, Studio Berlin is setting new benchmarks in mobile audio production. “We now have a production environment that meets current demands while being fully prepared for future developments in the broadcast sector. 

At the same time, we are gaining valuable insights together with Lawo as we navigate this exciting technological transition,” Weißhahn said.