Roland M-380 Digital Mixer

[Sage1314]

I'm considering purchasing one of these for the school I work at. Anyone have any advice?

[DanHerbert]

Advice in general to buying a digital mixer for a school? In which case it has been covered many times - search for digital mixers (in my view digital mixers are a bit of a no no for schools) or advice and views on the Roland M-380?

[soundiesam]

I played with one at PLASA its like the M-400 and its an awesome little desk not complicated at all!!! People will try and convince you that going digital may cause you problems but with this desk theres not much you can go wrong with

sam

[Sage1314]

I'm committed to going digital - I had originally planned to get a new analogue desk, but I've since changed my mind, so just looking for advice about the desk..

 

Thanks Sam, yeah I had a mess around at PLASA too - we were looking at the Yamaha LS9-16 last year and this is hands down better on the surface! But want to know if anyone's used one on a more regular basis? Or the 400, I understand they're very similar desks!

[DanHerbert]

It was more from the point of view of what happens when you leave...will the school be left with a desk that no one can operate!

[soundiesam]

I used the M-400 live lovely little desk I found it very intuitive..... depending where your based SFLgroup in Reading doing training course I believe... im sure mark payne is around here somewhere!!! hes got lots of experience...

[Matt Riley]

I've used the M400 a tiny bit. Fantastic little desk. As a dyed in the wool yamaha man, I found it easy to pick up and it's more intuitive (IMO) and has more functionality than the LS9. M

[paulears]

When people wish to go to moving lights in schools, everyone shouts no. Oddly, I cannot think of a better thing for schools than buying a digital mixer.

 

Up until maybe four years ago, there was a good reason for still buying analogue, because there's little point training on a digital desk if what you're going to see in venues are all analogue. However, the exodus of analogue has been swift, and although a bit of history is useful - I cannot see any point in not having a digital audio desk. The operational style is second nature for anyone up to speed on computers, and the simplicity of a single product that doesn't requires acres of rack space for compressors and other kit can't be knocked.

 

On top of this, the range of analogue kit is shrinking rapidly, leaving a pile of budget kit and not much else.

 

We've had just 1 M-380 through our venue, but the 400s are quite a common sight now. Everyone seems happy with them.

 

For schools and colleges I can't see any snags whatsoever. When I was teaching I bought a Yamaha 03 - it was great. Easy to explain, easy to operate, and actually simpler sometimes for students because after people have fiddled - which they do all the time, it's so easy to push a button and have all the carefully tweaked settings restore normality!

[MarkPAman]

Thanks Sam, yeah I had a mess around at PLASA too ............But want to know if anyone's used one on a more regular basis?

 

You should have spent less time messing around and more time asking questions! :unsure:

 

As it will not start shipping until December, nobody will have used one (unless they work for Roland).

 

It is just an M400 set out differently though - less faders, more layers. OLE files will work with both desks without needing any conversion. Any extras that you see in the M380 spec (multiple user layers, quicker access to gates/comps, smoother fader action etc) will be added to the M400 in a software update at the time the 380 starts shipping.

 

It will cost less than the M400, but not by much, so you need to put a high value on space saving.

 

Edit: Just noticed that Paul's seen the M380. Maybe there's some road testing going on.

[bensilvey]

We have an M400 and it has been in use for a good six months. It is mainly used by volunteers, some of whom have minimal technical experience, and pretty much without exception they have picked it up in a couple of hours hand holding. It's a great desk.

[paulears]

I'm rather stupid - I fear. I read Marks' post and doubt crossed my mind. I've been to the Roland site and looked again at the pictures. I was absolutely certain this way what I saw, but as this was about 6 weeks or so ago, I really don't think it could have been it - I've been trying to match memory against hard facts, and I'm wondering if it could have been something else? It was certainly not as wide as the Roland M-400, it was black, screen in the centre, just like the 380. It was plumbed into an Alesis HD24. I'm wondering if it could have been anything else, but I can't think what it was? A mystery - any ideas. I was convinced it was what I saw at PLASA - but stand to be corrected.

[Sage1314]

Well, you're right, it doesn't go on general release til December - Maybe I should go for the M-400, having seen the price of one compared to t'other, it's not budget breaking

[Chris Adam]

Have you used the M-400 in anger? If not, get one on demo before you part with your hard cash. There are a lot of little digi desks out there around the same price, so it will come down to how you like to operate.

 

I was given an M-400 to mix a 3 band bill on last year in a kind of "go on, bet you can do it just as easilly on this desk instead of analogue" challenge. The day before the gig I thought it was pretty nice. Pre amps were the only thing that let it down, but at that price it would be ludicrous to compare the sound to an XL4. Gates work fine, comps work fine, on board EQ and Fx seemed to do the trick and I even managed to find a nice reverb in there. Screen was far too small for my eyes, but again - for that price I couldn't expect more. I can't remember now if it has a VGA out to make it bigger, but if it doesn't - it should.

 

Anyway, soundcheck went well, a bit slow to get around but not bad. again, sounded "fine" but I've heard better.

However, for the gig I just found everything too small. I caught myself with my face just a few inches off the screen trying to read what I was changing. The first two bands on were locals and as always, they play 6db louder in the gig opposed to the soundcheck so getting access to that many changes proved a bit of a finger twister.

 

I think for conference, maybe theatre and smaller stuff this could be quite a good choice. If you are going to do quite a few bands on it, I'd try it out first. Digi desks will always take a bit of getting used to, but I just fine this one like mixing on a portastudio.

[niclights]

In contrast we tested the m400 on a 4-band bill in place of our usual pm3500 and all the outboard. Tight schedule, all bands checked and show went well.

 

I think it would be an excellent purchase for a school. With the digital stageboxes there's just ethernet to FOH. The value for money is incredible IMO.

[Chris Adam]

Niclights has hit the nail on the head with his last sentence - the value for money is incredible. I couldn't agree more. You get a lot of features for your cash. You could buy a hell of a lot worse - providing there is someone there who isn't a technophobe.

 

One of the first things I'd do would be build a preset that had a 1:1 patch, with all channels routed to mater o/p's so that effectively if an untrained person comes up to a desk that has been routed all over the place and dynamics on every channel, all they have to do is load the said preset, plug in a mic and hey presto - just like their old friend Mr Analogue.