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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => LAB: The Classic Live Audio Board => Topic started by: Alon Perelmuter on October 14, 2017, 04:13:32 PM

Title: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Alon Perelmuter on October 14, 2017, 04:13:32 PM
Hi Pro,

I Wonder if you could help us to choose a new PA console for our Indoor concert hall.
With our budget we can afford SD8 or SD12,
We know that SD12 just came to the world, and we wonder what is the differences between the two, which will be better for indoor concert hall, what bugs\ knows problems the SD8 have and if there are some discoveries about the SD12...

Any information and suggestions about the two will be very helpful
Thanks in advance,
Alon
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Justice C. Bigler on October 14, 2017, 06:32:36 PM
I like the surface layout of the SD8 better than the SD12.
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Nathan Riddle on October 14, 2017, 11:37:08 PM
Take this reply with a grain of salt because I'm A) young and B) less experienced than nearly everyone else here.

But I was at InfoComm this year in Orlando and I have long had the Digico mixers as my 'dream' mixer.

I was able to 'play' with their mixers (I forget which one, I believe the SD12 was being demoed)

Strangely enough, I was disappointed in the ergonomics.

I contend, if A&H's D-Live gear fits the bill, to be a consideration.

I was also, able to 'play' with the new DLIVE series boards and fell in love with it immediately.

Sorry if my reply is outside of the scope of your post.

Best of luck!

Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Jean-Pierre Coetzee on October 15, 2017, 12:39:59 AM
You need to give us more information on what needs you have, the SD12 is a lot more flexible with options, nothing that cannot be achieved with the SD8 if need be.

As far as I know the SD8 has a higher channel count then the SD12. There are a lot of things that needs to be considered to decide between two similar consoles that have different pros and cons.
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Alon Perelmuter on October 15, 2017, 02:34:51 PM
Hi, Thanks a ton everyone.

You need to give us more information on what needs you have, the SD12 is a lot more flexible with options, nothing that cannot be achieved with the SD8 if need be.

As far as I know the SD8 has a higher channel count then the SD12. There are a lot of things that needs to be considered to decide between two similar consoles that have different pros and cons.

Sure, indeed I didn't provide additional information cause of the complexity of the things.. so I will try to write it down
so the console will be part of our indoor and permanent PA system.

MANDATORY
- 72 input channels
- pre-amps and the best quality with the signal chain and sampling quality..of course with zero latency.
- 36 AUX
- hi-quality faders and knobs - "analog feeling" as possible
- higher faders count is better..
- capability WAVES integration
- at least 8 digital FX

 and a few questions.
1.What is the difference between the Optics to the standard communication in audio quality?
2. I heard a few times about the humidity-faders problem, did they fix that in the SD12? is that the same faders as in SD8 and 10?
3. If the SD8 capable of more channels and better specs,
what is the big new features in the SD12? why they've share the same price?


in addition, If you heard about known faults\bugs in the SD consoles I will be happy to get some information
Thanks again..

Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Tim McCulloch on October 15, 2017, 04:36:49 PM
Hi, Thanks a ton everyone.

Sure, indeed I didn't provide additional information cause of the complexity of the things.. so I will try to write it down
so the console will be part of our indoor and permanent PA system.

MANDATORY
- 72 input channels
- pre-amps and the best quality with the signal chain and sampling quality..of course with zero latency.
- 36 AUX
- hi-quality faders and knobs - "analog feeling" as possible
- higher faders count is better..
- capability WAVES integration
- at least 8 digital FX

 and a few questions.
1.What is the difference between the Optics to the standard communication in audio quality?
2. I heard a few times about the humidity-faders problem, did they fix that in the SD12? is that the same faders as in SD8 and 10?
3. If the SD8 capable of more channels and better specs,
what is the big new features in the SD12? why they've share the same price?


in addition, If you heard about known faults\bugs in the SD consoles I will be happy to get some information
Thanks again..

In digital there is no such thing as "zero latency".  If this is an absolute requirement there are plenty of nice analog desks being sold at near-salvage prices (there's a mint condition Yammy PM5000 in the Marketplace right now, and finding used Midas XL and Heritage is easy).  The primary issue with analog desks tends to be maintenance:  parts are becoming (or are already) Unobtanium and you need a technician who can service them... but you'll have latency down to close to speed of light.  You won't make your channel count in one frame and the number of "aux" sends you need is not available, IIRC. 

Almost all digital consoles can be interfaced with Waves Soundgrid server, to various levels of success depending on how the digitized audio is send to/from the server.

Pre-amps are one of my favorite things to preach about:  most all preamps are based on the same commercially available chips from maybe 3 or 4 manufacturers (plus Yamaha and Music Group, who can/do make their own silicon).  Almost every console out there uses the same preamp chips within the mixer's price bracket, they may or may not use different AD converters if the converter is not part of the preamp chip.  You can't separate the pre from the rest of the analog or digital parts of the desk.  My suggestion:  do not obsess over this - audition the mixers to find which models have the sonic characteristics you seek; any posturing or postulating about the relative "quality" of a channel strip mic pre is mostly bullshit.  Seriously.

Feel of control is directly related to the amount of money being spent; again an audition is your best tool to evaluate and compare.

if by 'optics' you are referring to the transport of the digitized audio between the stage racks, mix engines and console surface, optical fibre has higher capacity.  If you're one of those guys that *needs* 196k, you NEED fibre.  From the mythical "quality of audio" standpoint there is no difference between types of fibre.

To me, it sounds like you need to talk to your Digico rep, importer or dealer and arrange for side by side demos; I'd also suggest you look at the Avid S6L and Midas Pro X (or wait until next year and audition the Heritage-D when it's released at a major German trade show...)
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Aisle 6 on October 15, 2017, 08:49:07 PM

MANDATORY
- 72 input channels
- pre-amps and the best quality with the signal chain and sampling quality..of course with zero latency.
- 36 AUX
- hi-quality faders and knobs - "analog feeling" as possible
- higher faders count is better..
- capability WAVES integration
- at least 8 digital FX

The SD8 or SD12 will certainly meet this criteria. I would also say that the Allen & Heath d-live will also meet and exceed this criteria. As will the Midas ProX Avid S6L, etc.. It will really come down to a few factors such as...

* what do your current operating/touring Engineers expect. Rider.
* what are your budget restrictions
* which operating format appeals to you personally
* Footprint
* reliability
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: Erik Jerde on October 16, 2017, 08:25:44 AM
The SD8 can mix more channels right now.  Knowing Digico this could change.  The SD12 has a lot more IO due to the integrated UB Madi and 2 DMI ports.  One of my church clients has a SD8 and SD9 currently.  Their new room is going to have a SD12 with a SD Rack via optics largely because of the I/O situation.  A second rack can be added easily via optics, one madi output feeds the in-ear system, one feeds the video router, one DMI for Dante, UB Madi for computer play back, and one DMI for future use (possibly waves).

All of that would be possible with an optics equipped SD8 but it would be more expensive and more complicated.
Title: Re: DiGiCo SD8 vs. SD12
Post by: TJ (Tom) Cornish on October 16, 2017, 08:46:25 AM
In digital there is no such thing as "zero latency". 
Especially when you add a remote effects server.