G@5 VS GIO

[lxkev]

I've used the Gio for a while and I've never really liked the screens, too small. So just looking at a Gio @5 with a 10 fader wing.

 

Anybody got any thoughts on which is better?

 

Cheers

[Big Jay]

They're much in the same. Just the @5 has the one big screen with 5 faders vs the 2 smaller screens and 10 faders on GIO. Nothing else really.

 

Whats the usage? You can hook up to 3 external touch screens to standard Gio also.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Big Jay

[IRW]

I'm going to have to disagree with Big Jay and say I don't consider them much the same- software-wise, yes, but physically I find the @5 much less ergonomical to work at.

 

I had an @5 to tour with a couple of seasons ago...I hated it- everything feels like much more of a reach, and to be honest, off the back of that, I'd never spec one for programming either. I found the @5 much more cumbersome, and when I'm programming, I prefer to have more (inboard) smaller screens (mainly configured to be UI- direct selects and such like) than one big one, and a couple of big external screens for output (channel table/PSD etc)- I find that the way the EOS display system works just doesn't lend itself to cramming two small screens worth of stuff onto one big one. Consequently on the tour I'd always have to cart around and set up a second external monitor with the @5, which then also turned one trip from the truck to FOH into two, along with the extra set up time- in your case, you'd probably find you'll end up carting an extra screen and your extra fader wing whenever you move the desk...;)

 

Footprint-wise, the @5 is not actually that much smaller than the normal Gio (you save 13cm on the width, but it's bigger in every other respect), and it's 3.5Kg heavier- and you do notice it!

I think this is one of those situations where you should really hire one in for a tech week (or whatever your usual use-in-anger situation may be, as I think it will very much come down to logistics/personal preference based on the points I've made.

 

[gareth]

I'm with Ian. I've used both, and given the choice I'd take a regular Gio, for much the same reasons. It didn't take long to find myself a layout which worked for me with one large internal screen of the @5 and two external touchscreens - but it never felt as comfortable as the two smaller screens of the Gio. What I missed most was the additional faders. The only advantage of the @5 for me is the extra programmable macro buttons - but that's a minor point, and far outweighed by the advantages the Gio has over the @5, in my view.

[IRW]

The only advantage of the @5 for me is the extra programmable macro buttons

 

I really don't understand why 'shift + [number key] ' isn't a thing yet on EOS. One of those (many) incredibly useful GeniusPro features that hasn't yet made the migration...!

 

[Bryson]

This is funny - a long-standing disagreement between me and someone I work with. He loves to put the @5 on projects all the time where I prefer the full-fat Gio. You can usually tell who wrote the budget by which console is in the placeholder position.

[lxkev]

Interesting that the theme seems to be the gio is more friendly to use.

 

This is for an installed venue. Hmmm maybe a Gio and some larger external screens.

[gareth]

This is for an installed venue. Hmmm maybe a Gio and some larger external screens.

 

As with any purchase of this nature, it's a subjective thing and definitely a case of 'horses for courses' - you should investigate both options to see what really works for your situation. But that's definitely the option I'd favour!

[Big Jay]

The reason I said much in the same is bar the differences I've said with monitors and faders, they are the same desk so in terms of processing or ability, they are the same it just depends on the application.

 

For me, I'd always go for the standard Gio, the only advantage in my eyes you get is the copious amount of macro buttons but when im programming, I don't really use more than maybe 4-5 macros.

I'm going to have to disagree with Big Jay and say I don't consider them much the same- software-wise, yes, but physically I find the @5 much less ergonomical to work at.

 

I had an @5 to tour with a couple of seasons ago...I hated it- everything feels like much more of a reach, and to be honest, off the back of that, I'd never spec one for programming either. I found the @5 much more cumbersome, and when I'm programming, I prefer to have more (inboard) smaller screens (mainly configured to be UI- direct selects and such like) than one big one, and a couple of big external screens for output (channel table/PSD etc)- I find that the way the EOS display system works just doesn't lend itself to cramming two small screens worth of stuff onto one big one. Consequently on the tour I'd always have to cart around and set up a second external monitor with the @5, which then also turned one trip from the truck to FOH into two, along with the extra set up time- in your case, you'd probably find you'll end up carting an extra screen and your extra fader wing whenever you move the desk...;)

 

Footprint-wise, the @5 is not actually that much smaller than the normal Gio (you save 13cm on the width, but it's bigger in every other respect), and it's 3.5Kg heavier- and you do notice it!

I think this is one of those situations where you should really hire one in for a tech week (or whatever your usual use-in-anger situation may be, as I think it will very much come down to logistics/personal preference based on the points I've made.