Call it a testament to just how much mind-share has been gained by makers of digital consoles for live use, but this is the third time in 25 months that FOH has done a product gallery dedicated to this slice of the market. The first one in Jan. 2004 featured 14 models from six companies, and the prices ranged from less than $5,000 to nearly a quarter of a million dollars to "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." About a year later, in our second pass, we tried to look at digital consoles "for the rest of us." Initially, we thought that it would be something less than $20,000, and quickly found out that it meant a total of two desks, the Mackie TT24 and the Yamaha DM2000–a production console that had been embraced for live use in a lot of theatrical installs and houses of worship.
Never one to shy away from getting bitten a second time, on this occasion we called it "mid-market" digital consoles and asked for submissions under the $100K price point. While the pickings are still sparse, there are more than there was a year ago, and several more systems that will be introduced in the coming months (once again, we are just a bit ahead of the curve…).
We ditched the chart format this time out because a few of the fields would have taken an enormous amount of space, so the "blurb" format seemed to make more sense. Most of the categories of info are pretty selfexplanatory, with one exception. We asked manufacturers of digital desks what happens with their system in the case of a "catastrophic" system failure. In other words, something so bad that it requires rebooting the system (lest we forget, all digital consoles are basically just big computers with faders instead of a mouse). That question just seemed too long, so we shortened it down to the cleanest version we could imagine of what a mixing engineer would say when such an event occurred. You will find the answers–such as they are–under the heading of "Oh, crap…"
Our guess is that by this time next year, there will be at least a half-dozen options in the $20K-and-less category but, until then, here is what's out there.
D1 Mini DR
• Company: DiGiCo UK Ltd
• Web site: www.digico.org
• Frame Sizes: 72, expandable to 224
• Outputs: 24, expandable to 224 (analog, AES, Aviom, Ethersound, TDIF, MADI, ADAT)
• Input Location: Outboard in two locations with 100m line system
• Interface Type: Touchscreen/channel strip
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 24, in 3 banks of 6
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: BNC coax or fiber snake option
• Preamp Gain Range: Analog (-20 to +60dB), digital +/-40dB
• External Inserts Available: Yes
• Metering: 30-segment LED with variable user ballistics, with 256-step digital metering
• Channel EQ: 6-band (4 parametric upper and lower with switchable EQ curves), 1 hi-pass filter, 1 lo-pass filter
• Channel Dynamics: Compressor, gate, limiter + side chain/bandpass filtering
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: Six stereo onboard effects, routable to any position
on console
• Compatible with…: A number of 112-track MADI recording systems
• External Digital Interface Protocol: Ethersound
• Oh crap!: Full audio, including inserts and internal effects. The surface reboots to its state 1/3 of a second before reboot. With optional RE, 100% control and mixing facility is maintained.
• Internal PSU?: Everything in the system has dual, hot swappable, current sharing supplies.
• Dimensions: 32" x 44"
• Weight: 180 lbs
• Price: Starting from $65,000
• Company: DiGiCo UK Ltd
• Web site: www.digico.org
• Frame Sizes: 48, expandable to 224
• Outputs: 24, expandable to 224 (analog, AES, Aviom, Ethersound, TDIF, MADI, ADAT)
• Input Location: Outboard in DiGiRacks
• Interface Type: Touchscreen/
channel strip
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 24, in 3 banks of 6
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: BNC coax or fiber snake option
• Preamp Gain Range: Analog (-20 to +60dB), digital (+/-40dB)
• External Inserts Available: Yes
• Metering: 30-segment LED with variable user ballistics, with 256-step digital metering
• Channel EQ: 6 band (4 parametric upper and lower with switchable EQ curves), 1 hi-pass filter, 1 lo-pass filter
• Channel Dynamics: Compressor, gate, limiter + side chain/bandpass filtering
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: 6 stereo onboard effects, routable to any position on console
• Compatible with…: A number of 112-track MADI recording systems
• External Digital Interface Protocol: Ethersound
• Oh crap!: Full audio, including inserts and internal effects. The surface reboots to its state 1/3 of a second before reboot. With optional RE, 100% control and mixing facility is maintained.
• Internal PSU?: Everything in the system has dual, hot swappable, current sharing supplies.
• Dimensions: 32" x 44"
• Weight: 180 lbs
• Price: Starting from $61,000
Model: VENUE D-Show
• Company: Digidesign
• Phone: 650.731.6300
• Web site: www.digidesign.com
• Frame Sizes: Up to 128, analog or digital
• Outputs: Up to 126, analog and digital
• Input Location: Stage and FOH
• Interface Type: Channel strip
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: Up to 56 faders/bank; 4 banks
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: Copper co-axial
• Preamp Gain Range: +10 dB to +60 dB in 0.1 dB steps; -20 dB pad
• External Inserts Available: Up to 24 at FOH
• Metering: Input peak or RMS, dB (analog VU reference); compressor and gate gain reduction meters
• Channel EQ: 4-band fully parameteric EQ with analog emulation mode; separate HPF per channel, insertable TDM plug-in EQ
• Channel Dynamics: Compressor/limiter, expander/gate per channel; insertable TDM plug-in dynamics
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: TDM plug-in reverbs from TC Electronic, Digidesign, Eventide, Sony Oxford, TL Space and others
• Compatible with…: Full Digidesign Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools HD integration
• External Digital Interface Protocol: AES/EBU
• Oh crap!: Audio continues to pass unaffected, including all channel strip processing and plug-ins. Engineer maintains control of channel faders and mutes, master outputs and VCAs, fader banking and metering.
• Internal PSU?: Yes, fully redundant, auto-switching w/user notification in event of failure
• Dimensions: Main: 13.7"H x 51.7"D x 35.5"W; Sidecar: 13.7"W x 28.7"H x 34.8"D
• Weight: Main: 121 lbs; Sidecar: 73 lbs
• Price: Varies w/configuration; systems start at $62,995
• Company: InnovaSON
• Phone: +33(0)297 24 34 34
• Web site: www.innovason.com
• Frame Sizes: 104 inputs mixable at the same time, among 208 (64 Muxipaire, 2 x 64 on 2 Diocore and 16 integrated on the local audio rack of the desk). Available types are MIC/Line/AES/Ethersound Pipe, free configuration through slots in the audio racks frames.
• Outputs: 48 Busses patchable on 208 outputs (64 Muxipaire, 2 x 64 on 2 Diocore and 16 integrated on the local audio rack of the desk)
• Input Location: 8 slots (of 8 I/O) on the local audio rack of the desk, 8 slots on coax/ optical stage box and 8 slots on Diocore (Ethersound Stage Boxes) + 16 line inputs on the DSP front panel which is in the local audio rack
• Interface Type: Channel strip, keyboard and mouse
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 80 faders, free allocation of faders function, busses function and banks (quantity and size)
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: Coax (600m), optical fiber (2,000m), Ethersound (CAT5/100m)
• Preamp Gain Range: -27/+63 dB
• External Inserts Available: Yes, free configuration among the available I/O resources in the system
• Metering: LED bar graph + on the screen bar graph
• Channel EQ: Inputs : 4 band, outputs: 8 band. Low cut.
• Channel Dynamics: Compressor, limiter, gate, expenser
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: 48 delays assignable on inputs and outputs, no reverb
• Compatible with…: Compatible with all the Ethersound third-party hardware
• External Digital Interface Protocol: InnovaSON Muxipaire and Ethersound
• Oh crap!: The audio continues to pass, the engineer has time to plug an external laptop to control the desk and DSP or to reboot the internal computer
• Internal PSU?: 2 internal PSU auto redundant.
• Dimensions: 65"L x 34"W x 12"H
• Weight: 207 lbs
• Price: 87,000 Euros
• Company: InnovaSON
• Phone: +33(0)297 24 34 34
• Web site: www.innovason.com
• Frame Sizes: 72 inputs mixable at the same time, among 208 (64 Muxipaire, 2 x 64 on 2 Diocore and 16 integrated on the back of the desk). Available types are MIC/Line/AES/Ethersound pipe, free configuration through slots in the audio racks frames.
• Outputs: 40 Busses patchable on 208 outputs (64 Muxipaire, 2 x 64 on 2 Diocore and 16 integrated on the back of the desk)
• Input Location: 6 slots (of 8 I/O) on the back of the desk, 8 slot on coax/optical stage box and 8 slots on Diocore (Ethersound stage boxes) + 16 line inputs on the DSP front panel, which is on the back of the desk
• Interface Type: Channel strip, keyboard and mouse
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 48 faders, free allocation of faders function, busses function and banks (quantity and size)
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: Coax (600m), Optical fiber (2,000m), Ethersound (CAT5/100m)
• Preamp Gain Range: -27/+63 dB
• External Inserts Available: Yes, free configuration among the available I/O resources in the system
• Metering: LED bar graph & on the screen bar graph.
• Channel EQ: Inputs: 4 band, Outputs: 8 band. Low cut.
• Channel Dynamics: Compressor, limiter, gate, expander
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: 48 delays assignable on inputs and outputs, no reverb
• Compatible with…: All Ethersound third-party hardware.
• External Digital Interface Protocol: InnovaSON Muxipaire and Ethersound
• Oh crap!: Audio continue to pass, an external laptop can take the control of the audio engine and the surface control. Audio continues to pass during the computer reboot.
• Internal PSU?: 1 internal PSU auto redundant with an optional external one
• Dimensions: 45.4"L x 30.7"W x 8.4"H
• Weight: 88 lbs
• Price: 42,600 Euros
TT24 Digital Live Console
• Company: Mackie
• Phone: 800.258.6883
• Web site: www.mackie.com
• Frame Sizes: 24 mic/line (XLR/TRS) inputs with 4-band parametric EQ/comp/gate/ variable HPF standard. 8 line inputs (TRS) with 4-band parametric EQ (stereo linkable). Onboard 24 x 24 digital ADAT optical I/O; 2 x 2 stereo digital I/O (SPDIF or AES), 2 stereo analog inputs (RCA and 1/4")
• Outputs: 12 aux sends (TRS) with 6-band EQ, including dual kill filters and comp/limiter (stereo linkable). 8 user-definable Flex Groups (XLR) (can be assigned as matrix outputs or groups outputs). Left/right/center (mono) outputs (XLR) with 6-band EQ, including dual kill filters, comp/limiter and 31-band graphic EQs standard.
• Input Location: All inputs and outputs built into the TT24
• Interface Type: Quick Mix section featuring 5-inch touchscreen LCD, 12 knobs and 8 buttons provide fast access to primary live mixing functions. The TT24 also features a TT Control software for operational monitoring and console control via desktop or laptop PC and single USB connection.
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 24 x 100mm motorized faders with full recall, as well as 4 x 100mm motorized Group Faders and a dedicated motorized master fader. 4 banks including analog (ch. 1-24), digital (ch. 25-48), returns (line inputs 1-8/internal EFX returns 1-4 stereo/card channels 1-8; not being used presently), master, (aux send 1-12/groups 1-8/left right center (mono)).
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: None, unless using the TT Control software (USB)
• Preamp Gain Range: 60dB gain (analog 1-24)
• External Inserts Available: Analog channels 1-24 have a TRS insert point
• Metering: Analog section; overload and signal LEDs
• Channel EQ: See above
• Channel Dynamics: See above
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: 4 stereo built-in effects processors with reverb, reverb through gate, chorus, mono delay, stereo delay, ping pong, flanger with presets and 3-band EQ
• Compatible with…: LP48 Lake Processor expansion Card. Lake EQs and up to 4×8 Loudspeaker Processor. Available soon.
• External Digital Interface Protocol: In development
• Oh crap!: Console can reboot within 5-6 seconds and pass audio within 6-8 seconds.
• Internal PSU?: Yes
• Dimensions: 10.4"H x 42.6"W (including handles) x 25"D
• Weight: 71 lbs
Yamaha M7CL
• Company: Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.
• Phone: 714.522.9011
• Web site: www.yamahaca.com
• Frame Sizes: 32- and 48-channels
• Outputs: 16 Omni outputs
• Input Location: Control surface
• Interface Type: Touchscreen/channel strip, Yamaha's Centralogic interface
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 4 stereo, 3 mini-YGDAI expansion card slots, 16 mix busses, eight matrix busses, and L-C-R bus
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: N/A
• External Inserts Available: In addition to the bus outputs, the M7CL provides direct outputs with selectable pre-EQ or pre-HPF output points. It also features variable level direct output capability that can be used to optimally feed stereo or multitrack recording gear.
• Metering: Accurate fast-response metering for all channels and busses is easily accessible via the M7CL display. A variety of metering points can also be selected, so you have comprehensive visual monitoring of signal levels throughout the entire console.
• Channel EQ: 4-band parametric
• Channel Dynamics: DYNAMICS 1 adjusts gate threshold level for input channels, or compressor threshold level for mix, matrix, or stereo/mono channels. DYNAMICS 2 adjusts compressor threshold level for input channels. In either case, the actual parameter controlled depends on the dynamics processor selected from the well-stocked dynamics library provided–including de-esser for advanced vocal processing. Although initially set up for gate + compressor processing, you can also use dual compressors.
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: Virtual effect and EQ rack: up to 4 simultaneous multi-effect processors; up to 8 simultaneous 31-band graphic EQs.
• Compatible with…: 16/o-Y1 AVIOM A-Net Interface Output Card, Auvitran AVY16-ES EtherSound Interface Card , MYMADI64 MADI Interface Card
• External Digital Interface Protocol: CobraNet, Ethernet
• Oh crap!: The M7CL's access management features can be a significant advantage for overall system administration
• Internal PSU?: Dual power modes: use the built-in power supply, or add an external PW800W power supply unit (optional) for failsafe dual-supply operation.
• Dimensions: M7CL-32: 1,060 x 286 x 701 (Included MBM7CL: 340)
• Weight: M7CL-32: 92.6 lbs, M7CL-48: 110.2 lbs
• Price: $19,999 and $24,999, respectively
Yamaha PM5D, 5DRH
• Company: Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Division
• Phone: 714.522.9011
• Web site: www.yamahaca.com
• Frame Sizes: 64 (48 mono + 4 stereo, 4 internal stereo returns)
• Outputs: 24 mix; 2 stereo, 8 matrix, 8 mute groups, 8 DCAs
• Input Location: Onboard
• Interface Type: Channel strip
• Input Fader Quantity/Banks: 38 smooth, 100 mm motorized faders
• Inputs to Control Surface Cabling: 1 AES/EBU AES/EBU 24bit RS422 XLR-3-31 Type (balanced) *1
• External Inserts Available: 4 24-bit/96 kHz mini-YGDAI expansion slots
• Metering: Functions w/I/O meter bridge
• Channel EQ: 4-band parametric
• Channel Dynamics: Independent compression and gating
• Onboard Ambiance Processors: 8 internal stereo multi-effects processors
• Compatible with…: Aviom, Auvitram 16-channel in/out AVY16-ES
• External Digital Interface Protocol: Yamaha MY16-C Cobranet card
• Oh crap!: There is a flexible recall safe function that enables on-the-spot cancellation and alteration of the pre-programmed settings
• Internal PSU?: Dedicated external power supply PW800W
• Dimensions: 61.1"W x 37.4"D x 11.1"H
• Weight: PM5D: 216.1 lbs, PM5D-RH: 213.8 lbs
• Price: $49,800 and $67,000, respectively
