In terms of really big shows, sometimes size does matter, especially if your channel count needs hover in the 100 (or more) input range. These also tend to be designed for flexibility, with a good measure of future-proofing. In fact, you may just be a firmware update away from an entirely new set of features and functionality, Meanwhile, on the hardware side, add-on I/O cards and DSP expansions can keep your investment current and up to date. With that in mind, we uncovered a bountiful selection in a range of configurations and design approaches to fit any application, for installation or portable/touring requirements.
Allen & Heath dLive S7000
- Max Channels: 128 w/full processing + 32 FX returns
- Mix Engine: XCVI 160×64 FPGA core
- Max Sampling Rate: 96 kHz
- Channel Faders: 36
- Onboard I/O: 8 analog in/8 analog out, AES in/out, 2 GigaACE, 2 DX link, 2 network, video out, two 128×128 expansion slots
- Remote I/O: Seven I/O options — DX012 (4/8/12 line outs), DX32 (up to 32 inputs or outputs, in banks of 8), DX164-W (16 in/4 out), DT164-W (Dante 16 in/4 out), DX168 (16 in/8 out), DT168 (Dante 16 in/8 out), GX4816 (48 in/16 out). Six MixRack engines with onboard I/O (32 in/16 out, 48 in/24 out, 64 in/32 out options)
- Other Frame Sizes: 28-fader S5000, 24-fader C3500, 20-fader S3000, 20-fader C2500, 12-fader C1500, 12-fader CTi1500
- Connectivity: Dante, Waves, fibreACE, gigaACE, superMADI
- Footprint/Weight: 52.2 x 28.7”; 90 pounds
- Notes: Internal DEEP Processing FX suite. Support for “surfaceless” mix applications, compact remote controllers, GPIO interfacing. Shure and Sennheiser wireless integration.
- www.allen-heath.com
Avid S6L-48D
- Max Channels: 192; (300+ processing channels)
- Mix Engine: E6L-192, E6L-144 or E6L-112 engine
- Max Sampling Rate: 96 kHz
- Channel Faders: 48 + 2
- Onboard I/O: 8 XLR analog in, 8 analog XLR out, 8 AES in, 8 AES out
- Remote I/O: Stage 64 (64×32), Stage 32 (32×32), Stage 16 (16×8 + 4 AES out), Local 16 (8×8 + 8 AES out)
- Frame sizes: 32+2, 24+2, 16+2 also offered
- Connectivity: AVB (copper or fiber); optional MADI cards
- Footprint/Weight: 76 x 31”; 212 pounds
- Notes: Large plug-in complement; direct Waves and AAX plug-in control from the console; 128 tracks of built-in Pro Tools recording/playback with Virtual Soundcheck; optional Dugan Automix and Aviom A-Net cards; VENUE | On-Stage and VENUE | Function Map iOS control apps
- www.avid.com
Cadac CDC seven-s
- Max Channels: 128 with full processing
- Mix Engine: Proprietary DSP platform using 32/40-bit floating point SHARC processors
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 36
- Onboard I/O: 8 XLR analog in, 8 analog XLR out, 8 AES in, 8 AES out
- Remote I/O: CDC I/O 6448 (64 x 48); CDC I/O 3216 (32 x 16), CDC MC AES3 (18 AES I/O)
- Frame sizes: No other CDC seven-s frames; but smaller-format CDC six and CDC five offered
- Connectivity: Megacomms transfer up to 128 in/128 out to stagebox(es)
- Footprint/Weight: 61.3 x 30.1”; 132 pounds
- Notes: Dual 23.5” HD touch screens; 56 configurable output buses; Dugan Automixer post-fade insert for Waves
- www.cadac-sound.com
DiGiCo Quantum7
- Max Channels: 256 input channels
- Mix Engine: FPGA, up to 40-bit floating-point
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 52 max
- Onboard I/O: 12 XLR inputs, 12 XLR line outs plus 12 AES/EBU I/O, 4 MADI ports, Optocore
- Remote I/O: DQ-Rack, MQ-Rack, SD-Rack, SD-Mini Rack, SD-Nano Rack, D-Rack, D2 Rack
- Frame sizes: Up to two EX-007 24-fader expanders can be added.
- Connectivity: MADI, Dante, numerous DMI card connectivity pathways
- Footprint/Weight: 59 x 34.5”; 247 pounds
- Notes: Three 15” hi-res touch screens; KLANG-fabrik 3D integration; specialized versions for theater (Quantum 7T) and broadcast (Quantum 7B) also offered; onboard Waves SoundGrid Module; dual redundant power supplies
- www.digico.biz
Lawo mc236 Mk II
- Max Channels: 256 DSP channels (160 inputs and 96 summing buses); total I/O capacity of 864 channels with 96 groups
- Mix Engine: 40-bit, floating point Ultra High Density native-IP A__UHD Core
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 32
- Onboard I/O: 16 mic/line inputs, 16 line outputs, 8 AES3 inputs and outputs, 8 GPIOs plus local MADI port (SFP)
- Remote I/O: A__stage64 WAN-capable audio-to-IP stagebox, A_mic8 Node, A_digital64 AES3 Node, A_madi6 Node
- Frame sizes: 32- and compact 16- fader frames offered
- Connectivity: Three redundant IP ports — ST2110, AES67, RAVENNA
- Footprint/Weight: 32-fader version is 50×32”; 123 pounds
- Notes: Dual 21.5” touch screens; Waves SuperRack SoundGrid plug-in integration; integrated loudness metering; multiple surround format support — DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Pro-logic 4.0, DTS ES & Dolby EX 6.1, SDDS 7.1, DTS-HD 7.1, with diverse panning and surround aux bus.
- www.lawo.com
Midas PRO X-CC-TP
- Max Channels: Up to 168
- Mix Engine: 108-Gigiflop Neutron engine
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 28
- Onboard I/O: (8) XLR ins, (8) line outs, (8) AES in/out pairs
- Remote I/O: DL251; DL351; DL151; DL152; DL153; DL154
- Frame sizes: Single frame size offered
- Connectivity: Ethernet, AES50
- Footprint/Weight: 54 x 37”; 264 pounds (less case)
- Notes: Includes road case; 192 bidirectional channel HyperMAC router
- www.midasconsoles.com
Solid State Logic L650
- Max Channels: 288 (240 full, 48 dry)
- Mix Engine: Optimal Core Processing (OCP)
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 36
- Onboard I/O: 32 SuperAnalogue mic/line inputs, 32 line outputs, 4 pairs inputs/4 pairs outputs AES/EBU digital
- Remote I/O: ML 32.32 Analog Stagebox; D32.32 AES/EBU Stagebox; BL 11.D MADI Concentrator
- Other frame sizes: L450, L550 Plus, L350 Plus
- Connectivity: MADI (coaxial and fibre), Dante, Blacklight II, optional SSL X-Light
- Footprint/Weight: 47 x 35”; 198 pounds
- Notes: 19” touch screen; integrated control of L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive system and Meyer Sound immersive loudspeaker systems via SpaceMap Go APP; redundant power supplies; SOLSA software for offline editing/storage of console setups
- www.solidstatelogic.com
Soundcraft Vi7000
- Max Channels: 128
- Mix Engine: 40-bit floating point
- Max Sampling Rate: 96k Hz
- Channel Faders: 44
- Onboard I/O: Local Breakout box with 16 XLR in/out + AES pairs
- Remote I/O: Vi Stagebox (64×32); Compact 32×16 Stagebox, Mini 32×12 and 16×8 Stageboxes
- Other Frame Sizes: Vi5000
- Connectivity: Optional Dante, A-net, Ethersound, CobraNet , MADI and more
- Footprint/Weight: 68 x 28.5”; 139 pounds
- Notes: FaderGlow and Vistonics rotary control/screen interface; optional UAD plug-ins
- www.soundcraft.com
Stage Tec AVATUS
- Max Channels: Up to 800, configurable
- Mix Engine: 40-bit floating-point DSP
- Max Sampling Rate: 96 kHz
- Channel Faders: Modular, with 12 to 96 faders
- Onboard I/O: Configuration dependent
- Remote I/O: Fully integrated into NEXUS router
- Other Frame Sizes: 12 to 96 fader controllers
- Connectivity: MADI, Dante, Stage Tec Nexus optical
- Footprint: 48-fader version is 79×36”
- Notes: (2) 21” multi-touch displays; Nexus audio network integration; low-profile theater version (with lower displays only for improved sightlines) optional; Waves plug-in server integration
- www.stagetec.com
Studer Vista 5 Black Edition
- Max Channels: Up to 1,000
- Mix Engine: Infinity Core
- Max Sampling Rate: 96 kHz
- Channel Faders: 22
- Remote I/O: Compact StageBox, D21m I/O, D23m digital I/O
- Other Frame Sizes: 32- and 42-fader models also offered
- Connectivity: AES67/Dante, Dual-MADI, AES/EBU, CobraNet, Aviom A-Net option cards
- Footprint: 32-fader version is 58.7 x 32.8”
- Notes: Vistonics and FaderGlow user interface; optional TFT meter bridge
- www.studer.ch
Yamaha Rivage PM5
- Max Channels: 288 inputs, 72 mix buses, 36 matrices
- Mix Engine: External DSP racks — DSP RX-EX, DSP-RX, DSP-R10
- Max Sampling Rate: 96 kHz
- Channel Faders: 36
- Onboard I/O: Analog 8-in/8-out; AES/EBU 4-in/4-out; (2) MY slots
- Remote I/O: RPIo622, RPIo222; Dante-equipped interfaces include: RIo3324-D2, Rio1608-D2, RI8-D, Ro8-D, RMIo64-D, RSI064-D
- Other Frame Sizes: CS-R10-S, CS-R10, CS-R3, CSD-R7
- Connectivity: TWINLANe, Dante
- Footprint/Weight: 56.9 x 25.3”; 92.6 pounds
- Notes: (3) 15” touch panels, dual redundant power supplies; Nuendo Live recording software
- http://usa.yamaha.com/products/proaudio
