One of the more enjoyable aspects of my job is when manufacturers of audio gear come and demonstrate their products for me. In a business that is forever upgrading, it’s important for a rental house to be aware of the products that are viable and trending, and it is also imperative to the survival of a business such as this to maintain a roster of equipment that bands, engineers and promoters are requesting. Considering the expense of maintaining new and updated gear, it’s also necessary for a provider to understand the marketplace for which they are providing equipment.
While there is a bit of leeway, it seems that each market has a preference based upon its own particular needs and requirements and — while there are no formal announcements in regard to the specific equipment required — the gear that was a must-have only a few short years ago is now archaic and in need of replacement by a newer and more functional piece.
Console-ation
Consider, for example, the Yamaha PM5D, which debuted in 2004 and became the go-to console for touring acts. The PM5D held the #1 slot for about seven years until the Digidesign/Avid Profile console, which was released in 2005, caught up and overtook it in popularity as a touring and rental console. This is not to say that the PM5D is a bad console — far from it; in fact, it is a perfectly fine mixing board and there are engineers that specifically ask for it — but at a certain point, the Profile eclipsed the PM5D as the requested board due to certain functions and capabilities it had that the PM5D lacked.
Founded in 2002, DiGiCo was known to most engineers for its D5 console, but the brand did not really start taking off until the advent of the SD series, beginning with the release of DiGiCo’s flagship model SD7 in 2007. In only a few years time, the SD10 and the SD5 have become competitive with the Profile as the preferred touring console and, due to the trickle-down theory, a rental house — if they choose to compete — will be required to have at least one DiGiCo console in their arsenal of boards.
, which since the early 1970’s through to the 2000’s has been the hands-down favorite of analog consoles — was slow to enter the digital market and launched its XL8 touring console in 2006. While is still known for excellence in regard to its product, the late entry the company made into the digital console market may be working against them in regaining the top spot as the go-to board. On the other hand, the company’s reputation precedes it, so in regard to the small-frame consoles, the X32 — which is equipped with -designed preamps — has jumped into the lead as a low-cost multi-faceted digital console. The X32 has seemingly taken the top spot from the Yamaha LS9-32 channel console while — at the same time, reigning over the other 32 channel consoles on the market.
Of course, this is not to say that Yamaha, Allen & Heath, Soundcraft, Mackie and even are out of the small-frame 32-channel digital console market, nor is it any indication that one is necessarily better than the other. I also am not implying that the Profile or PM5D consoles are now history due to the ascendance of DiGiCo’s SD series. What I am getting at is that we engineers and audio companies are a capricious lot and tend to grasp for the next new thing which, when speaking about consoles, means a promise of innovative technology, more bells and whistles in a smaller footprint, better sound quality and intuitive analog-style control.
Let’s Get Intuitive
The word “intuition” is defined as such: “The ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.” Although I appreciate the “intuitive control” promise that comes with every digital console, it is my experience that a bit of conscious reasoning is still required when one encounters a new board. I also find that a bit of intuition is also a requisite not only with new gear, but also when forwarding one’s career.
Considering that most people are of a whimsical nature regarding equipment, then one should also be aware that this also holds true for a client, agent or artist that might hire an individual or a company to do audio. Just because the relationship between the audio company/engineer has worked in the past does not mean that it will continue into the future. In the same way that a new console might appear on the scene and take the spotlight, a new audio provider might do the same. Maybe they come with a better resume and — similar to the way an engineer is looking to work with a name brand — the artist too, is looking to elevate their standing by hiring someone of note. It sucks if you have had a long-standing relationship with a client or an artist and they don’t call you back for the next tour or gig — especially if there was no indication given of anything being wrong — but it may not be anything more than the mercurial ADHD mentality that has infused our culture.
Who Gets the Gig?
It might just be that every gig was perfect and the mix was great, but they decided to go with someone else anyway. What could this mean? It’s not as though you were fired, but why were you replaced? Intuition fails you as there is a need for conscious reasoning, but conscious reasoning fails you as well. Maybe it’s time you tried thinking like an intuitive console. It could be that you thought you had more input than you really did or it might just be you lacked something in your busing. It may sound odd, but what if your replacement takes up a smaller footprint? Quite possibly you were lacking in output and you were too affected. As hard as it might be to accept — maybe your dynamic was not dynamic enough! Whatever the case, whatever the scenario you have been replaced by someone better equipped to handle the situation, someone who comes with more bells and whistles and someone who is going to make everything that came before their arrival pale in comparison to the newer, updated, sleeker and intuitive engineer.
The only consolation you might have in this situation is that — unlike a new console — the new engineer is not necessarily costing more money. Hell, maybe the problem lies in the fact that the client couldn’t afford the best and had to downsize. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Or, maybe they’re just fickle.
