Compact digital console

[ghance]

Hi,

 

Running a small temporary venue for 35 days. 250 seats. Mix content of lecture, comedy, cabaret, jazz bands & DJ's. Min 24 channels, ideally 32. Min 12 outputs, ideally 16.

 

Getting a few wrinkled noses from band engineers about the LS9-32 on FOH. Normally I'd just tell them to get on with it.. this isn't the O2.

 

BUT I've been meaning to chop in an M7 for something smaller, and with so many consoles under £10K its a hard choice. So throwing it out there.. what would you buy & why?

 

-Midas Pro 1

-Midas M32

-Yamaha QL5

-Digico S21

 

As great as they are, stuff like CL's, Pro 2's, SC48's, SD9's are just too expensive. Ideally spend about £5K ish (so I can chop in the M7 and walk away with a little change), but consider £10K - I know the QL5 & CL1 are similar money, but there's the stage box etc.

 

Cheers

 

.gh

[paulears]

There's another running topic that has covered much of the ground - isn't it funny how the once favoured Yamaha's are now getting on the "oh dear' list - silly really, it's quite capable, and just has got left behind!

[nb705]

The QL5 is a nice little board with some big improvements over the LS9.

 

The midas Pro1 is a lovely desk, but some engineers don't get on with the layout, so you may find yourself facing similar issues.

 

The M32 I'm sure is fine, but people will turn their nose up due to the behringerness of it.

 

The Digico S21 is a new architecture and new board, generally, I wouldn't want to buy in until it's reliability is proven.

 

You could also look at a second hand Vi1.

[Electrolytic]

QL5

[Mazz]

"The M32 I'm sure is fine, but people will turn their nose up due to the behringerness of it" Really ? Then some people would need to get a sense of perspective. This is a proposed temp venue, with 250 seats. As the original poster states, "This isn't the O2"

[GaryNattrass]

In TV land the Yamaha has always been on the "oh dear" list since the 02r but there are far better consoles now from an operational point of view.

We favour the Roland ones here at BBC Scotland and the Behringers pack a lot of features for the money.

But hey you pays your money and what you can get now is astounding in comparison to the AMS Neve consoles I have owned that now get consigned to the skip!

[Bobbsy]

Hmmmm...I'm more than a decade out of the TV industry but we used a lot of Yamaha where I was...01V and 03Rs in edit suites and DM1000 and PM5D in small and large studios respectively. They all worked well--and the PM5D was very nice to use live

 

I've never seen a Roland in a studio but, as I say, I've been away for a good many years.

 

Of the list above, I quite like the QL5. The Digico look interesting but I agree that, with digital consoles, it's rarely a good idea to be an early adopter.

 

You'd think I'd like the Pro1 but, despite a number of years on the Pro6 I still feel like I'm fighting my way through it rather than having a happy partnership--but user interfaces are a very personal thing.

 

I have no problem with the M32 (or even the x32) but just like the QL5 better.

[paulears]

I love the way some bands who might play a small venue like this think that specifying very expensive, and probably hired in kit is within their 'powers'. Let's be honest, until you are a band signed to a major label with a huge fan base, you really haven't earned any rights like this, and are probably grateful for the gig! Our rider simply asks the venue for a good quality PA, suitable for the venue if it's a PA supplied contract. We detail things we really must have, but despite this, loads of systems we get would be more suitable for a world class metal band, equipment and facilities wise, while others are hopelessly under the spec we'd like. In a 250 seater, then box office has a ceiling of perhaps £3500-4000, assuming they sell out, and the venue split isn't going to have much spare to hire in after their fixed costs are covered. To expect expensive kit to be provided for a 35 day season makes no economic sense.

 

At my summer venue I smile when I get these kinds of riders for shows that I know won't sell - and when I receive them, they always say if you cannot supply this equipment please inform our engineer on this phone number. I send them a message saying what we have, and they all say that will be fine - only one person said it was a problem, because they had their show on a usb stick, scene wise.

 

If you respond saying you will be pleased to offer their specification, and assume they will be covering the hire in cost from their percentage of the split, these demands usually evaporate if they think they have to pay. Our venue is also at the end of a very long push from the truck - so even those that carry expensive PAs, often use our house system rather than bring their own one in.

[Jevans]

You also won't be able to get hold of an S21 until at least late summer, I would think, unless you've already ordered one...

[RichM]

Second hand Vi1.

[nb705]

Simple, if people are in a situation to complain about an ls9-32, they'll do the same about an M32.

[ghance]

Simple, if people are in a situation to complain about an ls9-32, they'll do the same about an M32.

 

Ok.. we both know they're in the same class.. but in my experience the perception is different. Won't disclose names, but I've had more than one respected engineer ask if they could have an M32 over an LS9.

[Bryson]

We bought a QL5, and are about to buy a matching QL1 for monitor / house console / backup duties. We tend to find it doesn't appear on the list of requested consoles on riders, but people don't object if we say we have it. I think it might be a bit new to have made it's way onto riders yet. Dante (or similar network audio over regular ethernet) is the greatest thing ever.

 

I saw a reviewer describe it as "what you'd get if you took an LS9 and had it healed by Jesus." :** laughs out loud **:

[justinethomson]

If it's a temporary venue of that size I'd ask if it's worth investing the money? I've visited many smaller theatre style venues with an LS9 at FOH! As most engineers have some experience of using it, it makes for less babysitting from the in-house techs and more time for them to get the show prepared without navigating round a desk they are unfamiliar with.

 

Is this for Brighton Fringe, by any chance?

[peza2010]

I love the way some bands who might play a small venue like this think that specifying very expensive, and probably hired in kit is within their 'powers'.

 

Here,here.

 

I play in a reasonably successful 10 piece funk reggae band, and our rider for the 10 festival dates this year pretty much says "suitable pa"

"7 Mixes would be great, 4 will do"

"We have a show file for x,y and z, but our engineer doesnt really mind"

 

I believe that actually, having a rider that reads like we are easy going has had a responce that they are happy to have a "x,y,z board" for our set, despite it not being the normal "house" desk.

 

I would never dream of asking for very specific things, and being grumpy if I dont get them.

 

I too have been on the recieving end of silly riders for no namers, and to be honest, It always seems to put them on the back foot come gig day, because they have been annoying to work with in the run up to it.