Yamaha QL

[ghance]

Hi,

 

So we have a small studio theatre customer wanting a compact digital console. Mixed bag from music & cabaret to one man shows & lecture talks. Some of the solo music acts will have riders that read Midas XL4, 4-way system, 105dB at FOH - a hang-over from the glory days of playing international arenas as full bands.

 

The Yamaha QL1 with 32-way stage box is more than TWICE the price of a Midas M32R plus 32-way stage box. Neither are rider friendly "preferred" desks, but close enough to cut it. Pro's & cons to each. You might grumble about Music Group product reliability, but I've only had good experiences with the X32, albeit horrible to navigate and feels flimsy. Yes we know the QL1 is rock solid & will still be gigging in 10 years, but at these prices I could buy 2x M32R's with DL32's and still walk away with £900 change.

 

Yes I know you could buy a Midas Pro 1 & stage box for similar money as the QL. And I don't want start a debate on the Allen & Grief QU-16 or Wackie DL1608.. And yes the Soundcraft Performer 1 has sufficient redeeming features that we can forgive it for wearing a DMX port in public. But please. can we discuss just the QL & M32.

 

Many thanks

 

.gh

[carlskeats]

For an Install desk that needs a highly flexible patch and quick and easy operation QL is absolutly worth it. Dante networking allows for very easy high quality multitrack recording and easy I/O expansion. One of the otehr nice feature for patching is the ability to highlight the selected channel on the RIO stage box. With M32 the patching is very fixed and not as flexible, so you are limited to banks of 8. M32 is also not as easy to get around quickly.

I have demo stock for both consoles so if you would like to arrange a demo please PM me.

[Bryson]

We have a QL5 and we're about to buy a QL1 for monitor duty.

 

Unfortunately there isn't a direct linear price/performance ratio with these things. Yes, the QL is twice the M32 price. Is it twice as good? No. Is it "better"? Yes.

 

This is the case with products even within the same manufacturers range. For example, I just bought an ETC Gio which is almost twice the price of the Ion. And again, it's better, but probably not 2x better despite being 2x the price. These things don't scale linearly as you move up the scale. Is a Mercedes E-Class 3 times "better" than a Toyota Corolla?

 

In the end it's up to you to weigh up the pros and cons and make the right choice for you. If you feel like the QL is too much for your assessment of what it can do, then by all means don't buy one.

[sam.spoons]

The "artist psychology" aspect needs some addressing here too. Recently I did a gig were a well known 'rebellious cockney' was distinctly shirty because we supplied two 12" monitors (capable of around 133 dBV each at his ear level) not the 15" he specified in his rider. I'm very much of the mindset that my job is to supply what the performer needs and to, within reason, pander to his/her whims but he was just difficult. Most will be happy to take what you have available once they realise you are taking their needs seriously. The cockney would never be satisfied, whatever you provided, most 'pros' are truly professionals who will be happy to go with decent kit even if it's name would have never troubled a tech rider 10 years ago.

 

I've also had a few A list folk bands (and their management) complement me on the sound of my Mackie DL1608/QSC K12 rig recently.... sometimes it's how you drive it not the engine capacity that counts.

 

 

The questions are, can you afford the QL? Will the guys signing the cheque be happier if you have that as opposed to the M32? Should you go rider friendliness or function?

[Stuart91]

The questions are, can you afford the QL? Will the guys signing the cheque be happier if you have that as opposed to the M32? Should you go rider friendliness or function?

 

Those are good questions. I'd like to add one other. What else could you buy with the savings if you went for M32 over QL, and how much positive difference would that make?

[sam.spoons]

And actually, if budget is an issue, would a Berry X32 not be the better choice? I suppose you (or they, the client) have to decide whether to attempt to give the odd musical dinosaur a reality check regarding the quality of modern mid range PA gear or to pander to them and go for maximum rider friendliness. Tough call (but I know where I'd put the money if it was mine). http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

A few years ago (pre digital at my end of the food chain) we did sound for a small corporate event (a sort of mini rock festival, 499 max crowd on a TEN). The headliners had a rider asking for what, for the event, was a rather excessive number of gates and compressors (given the small crowd capacity and budget) but we supplied what was required but could not comply with the "no Behringer" bit (at least as far as gates were concerned). The band's sound engineer was heard to mutter (fe*king Beh&$%ger) several times during the soundcheck but still produced the best sound I've ever heard out of our A&H/Crown/EAW rig.

[TomHoward]

Is the M32 widely known enough to be a more problematic rider desk than a Yamaha?

Can you justify the price? In features, no. In rider compatibility, people might not like an X32 by name, but might be pleased with a Midas? Are the riders mostly visiting with operators or just people being pretentious about equipment brands?