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Midas Pro 6 Digital


Bobbsy

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If you heard a crash several months ago, be aware that there have been a number of software updates since then.

 

I listed my "minor niggles" above, but crashes weren't one of them. The Pro6 at the local venue has been used day in/day out since late January this year without a crash and has been rock steady.

 

(For the record, it's not my own mixer and I wasn't involved in the choice--I'd suggested several others to try--so I have no vested interested in painting a good or bad picture.)

 

Bob

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I'm not sure if it was a hardware or software fault - a Midas engineer came and replaced hardware, though it ended up going back to Midas.

To be fair I think is was a very early model.

I've also heard of one causing problems at another gig, but that was pre-release.

If I hear only good things from now until the summer it'll be on my wishlist!

What do these retail at by the way?

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What do these retail at by the way?

 

 

Because of the way the Pro 6 can be customised, I can only comment on the installation here. The standard control surface, the "brain" unit, 4 separate remote I/O boxes (two on stage, one in the amp room and one at a patchpanel to link to an installed system of analogue multis), interfaces for these I/O boxes plus a remote control giving easy access to the GEQ functions cost about $160K Aus (around £75K at the present exchange rate).

 

Afraid I can't break it down more...I just freelance there and wasn't involved in the actual purchase.

 

Bob

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I had a demonstration today and a will have good play tomorrow, then do a show on one in a couple of weeks, after today I am looking forward to doing a show.

So far I like it a lot.

 

I did find the touch sensitive controls are a bit sensitive but it will at least stop people dumping their headphones, talk back mic, I-pod, mobiles, laptop etc on the surface! (all objects I have had to move off our Heritage). ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I can resurrect this thread for a few more comments as I've now done my first "big" show on the Pro 6.

 

(FYI, it was a production of "Singing in the Rain"....22 RF mics, 21 mics in the pit, a stereo feed from a vocal booth, and something like 6 boundary and shotgun mics for tap dancing. The Pro 6 was also sending out MIDI to trigger sound effect and video playback from Qlab.)

 

On the positive side, the board worked flawlessly and sounded great. I don't want to go audiophool, but I'm convinced that the nice preamps and the quality of the EQ makes it easier to get things to sit nicely in the mix. The functionality and layout was fine for theatre...we put the various orchestra sections on Pop groups and used the VCAs mainly for mixing the radio mics. Although not in any way unique to the Pro 6, the MIDI triggers for Qlab were a great way to handle a show with lots of video playback and a reasonable number of sound effects.

 

However, the downsides:

 

First, despite promises, the automation still can't handle fades so any cue that needs to fade in or out had to be done manually. This meant most of them as, with the number of radio mics in use, simply using the mute controls would have resulted in sudden changes in the noise floor. FYI, Midas are still saying "fades soon".

 

Second, again despite promises, still no off line editor. This became a major issue for the poor guy who programmed the show (not me) because the initial programming took about ten hours and changes during the tech period averaged 2-3 hours after each run. All this time had to be spent in the auditorium bent over the mixer. Again, the off line editor is still expected "soon".

 

Third, both of us involved in the mixing agreed that we'd like a bit more flexibility in the two display screens. The two "normal" displays are to have the "Overview" screen on the left and the meters on the right. However, we both found the "Overview", once we're into the run and not programming, doesn't give us much we need that can't be seen on the control surface itself. However, the display we'd LIKE to have had on an automation-heavy show was the meters on the left and the automation screen on the right. If there's any way to get this configuration, I certainly don't know it!

 

FYI, the problem of overly-sensitive controls was solved by using them as a script rest!

 

All in all, a very positive experience. The two major complaints are due to be solved eventually with software updates--it's just too bad Midas didn't have two fundamental items in place for the release. However, once those are resolved it'll be an excellent desk.

 

Bob

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Its been while since I've been on a Pro 6 as im out with an XL8 for the year, however if its the same on the Pro 6 software as I believe it is. All you have to do to run what you want on each screen is just select it on the drop down menu on the top left hand corner. The screens should then show what page yo've selected to look at e.g. Effects and Automation

 

Glad you had fun on it I find audio quality wise now to go back to anything else and I've found its the most tactile user interface ive come across yet.

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I've been informed that the "crash" I heard a while back was in-fact a digital feedback loop. Once the loop began the only way of stopping it is to turn the console off.

I'm told since this happened a software update has been released to prevent this.

So I stand corrected with the "crash statement" (everyone thought it was a crash at the time).

 

The console is now back on my wishlist!

 

Also, has anyone been using (thought of using) the console for monitors?

Any thoughts?

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