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[Matthias McCready]

Hello All,

Looking for some console suggestions, here are the needs:

The console should be digital (as that will better meet our needs). I think 48ish channels will do. Getting to 48 channels is accounting for stage capacity with some extraneous micing. However a few extra channels never hurt anyone :-)

It is doubtful the console will ever be used by a rider. Many of the users may be newer or learning so an intuitive board with depth would be nice. As there will be lots of users too much customization may not be inherently beneficial. I am assuming most digital boards have scene options (so if someone decides to monkey with the routing).

Reliability is absolutely essential. It is a church context and they are eventually planning on doing music 24 hours a day (which is REALLY hard on gear). They are not anywhere near that point now and at when they get closer to that point a second redundant console and system will probably be added.

I plan on using a digital snake with IEM's on stage. In addition to IEM monitoring will need 16 sends to the stage (can come from the digital snake) I am sure any board with 48 inputs has 16 outs, but is worth noting. As far as IEM we were planning on getting Digital Labs unless the brand has their own IEM system. My favorite IEM's I have used have been Roland, but last I checked they haven't put out anything new with a decent channel count. Leaving Allen and Heath.

Budget is whatever the right tool for the job is (within reason we probably don't need a $50k console  )

Some added bonuses would be: good workflow, recording (protools integration?), and ability down the road for easy splitting for backup console.

Consoles I have been looking into so far are the Midas Pro 3 and the Allen and Heath GLD-112 (yes I realize these consoles have very different prices).
What other Consoles are out there?

Also what is the best way to connect a board to 3rd party IEM's? For example say I got the Midas Pro 3  and Digital Labs Live mix would it be linked as follows:
Midas Pro 3> Midas DN32 (Dante card) > Digital Labs Live Mix Dante Card > Digital Labs M32 > Digital Labs Mixer

Thanks for the help!
Matthias McCready

[Mal Brown]

I like the Soundcraft si Expression 3 a lot.  It has the most analog workflow of the digital boards I have tried.  The preamps are very nice sounding, less brittle / digital than some other boards.  The comps are very nice.  Overall a really well thought out feature set.  I would be inclined towards their stagebox for I/O.

[Philip Roberts]

Yamaha CL/QL, Allen Heath dLive, Roland M5000 all seem to meet your needs.

With the Yamaha you could also consider using the Yamaha MonitorMix app and then some sort of Dante headphone amp, (focusrite AM2, or Studio Technologies 362)

[David Sturzenbecher]

Yamaha QL5. Currently my go to console for many applications. Easily meets your channel counts. Expandable. Great app.  Plenty of training resources online. Broad user group.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Matthias McCready]

I like the Soundcraft si Expression 3 a lot.  It has the most analog workflow of the digital boards I have tried.  The preamps are very nice sounding, less brittle / digital than some other boards.  The comps are very nice.  Overall a really well thought out feature set.  I would be inclined towards their stagebox for I/O.

So the board is 32 channels, but can be expanded via Madi to have up to 64 channels or I misunderstanding it?

Yamaha CL/QL, Allen Heath dLive, Roland M5000 all seem to meet your needs.

With the Yamaha you could also consider using the Yamaha MonitorMix app and then some sort of Dante headphone amp, (focusrite AM2, or Studio Technologies 362)

The Yamaha QL and A&H and Roland 5000 all look interesting. I especially like that they integrate a spot for the m48 on the Roland 5000, which is nice as seemingly no matter how much IEM mixing instruction you get some musicians just don't get it!

Yamaha QL5. Currently my go to console for many applications. Easily meets your channel counts. Expandable. Great app.  Plenty of training resources online. Broad user group.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Ql5 looks intriguing

Thanks for the recommendations keep them coming I will be looking into them over the coming days!

Thanks Matthias

[Matthias McCready]

I should make a note on price. While I am not originally looking at price it will matter in the end. I want to make sure we have the right tool for the job as upgrading due to lack of forethought can be expensive. That being said I want to find the point of value where diminishing returns are reached. I would define diminishing returns as the point where the features are no longer inherently useful for the needs for example: Maybe a $5k console will work, but  $15K console will work be useful in the future and meet some needs, while a $25k board might not really be anymore useful than the $15k board (prices do not inherently reflect budget).

It should also be noted that the total architecture is being considered for cost. Different console brand may mean different I/O, IEM brand, and redundancy options for down the road.

Thanks again I really appreciate the input!
Matthias

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

I should make a note on price. While I am not originally looking at price it will matter in the end. I want to make sure we have the right tool for the job as upgrading due to lack of forethought can be expensive. That being said I want to find the point of value where diminishing returns are reached. I would define diminishing returns as the point where the features are no longer inherently useful for the needs for example: Maybe a $5k console will work, but  $15K console will work be useful in the future and meet some needs, while a $25k board might not really be anymore useful than the $15k board (prices do not inherently reflect budget).

It should also be noted that the total architecture is being considered for cost. Different console brand may mean different I/O, IEM brand, and redundancy options for down the road.

Thanks again I really appreciate the input!
Matthias

The point of diminishing returns starts very early - Behringer X32 or so. Anything more than that requires more money for smaller feature jumps (no, I'm not advocating the X32 in this case).

 I own a couple GLD systems and I think they are great. From what you listed as your initial requirements, it will meet them just fine. Do more expensive boards do more stuff? Definitely. Do you need it?  That's another question, and usually the answer is that you know you need it if you need it.

I don't think being on 24 hours a day is a problem for any mixer.

[Alex Pregel]

I second the QL5/CL5. Seems like it has everything you are looking for at a reasonable price point. Easy integration with almost anything from the Dante card for you IEM, stage box, and pro-tools (with virtual sound card). Also the workflow is pretty user friendly!

Here is a good comparison between the two:
http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/products/mixers/ql/specifications.jsp

[Mal Brown]

So the board is 32 channels, but can be expanded via Madi to have up to 64 channels or I misunderstanding it?

It is a 30 channel frame with 4 layers. P

Nope, you have it.

[Mark Mattocks]

I plan on using a digital snake with IEM's on stage. In addition to IEM monitoring will need 16 sends to the stage (can come from the digital snake) I am sure any board with 48 inputs has 16 outs, but is worth noting. As far as IEM we were planning on getting Digital Labs unless the brand has their own IEM system. My favorite IEM's I have used have been Roland, but last I checked they haven't put out anything new with a decent channel count. Leaving Allen and Heath.

I love the Allen & Heath M-1 monitor mixers. Forty channels available on each mixer with a good user interface. These will work with QU, GLD, I-Live and D-Live. The D-Live is a really powerful and flexible platform.

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