Opinion on Monitor Mixer

[fredthe]

The high school school I work with has been offerd a good deal ($8,000) for a lightly used Soundcraft MH3 24 channel board. They've got a good FOH console (36 channel Yamaha M7CL), and they are wondering if this would be good for a monitor mix console. They already have the splitters and wiring to an on-stage mix position, all they need is the board. I know it has fewer channels than the main board, but I don't see them needing that many channels in situations where they would use the monitor board.

So, would this be a good board for monitor mixes? Or, would something else in the same (or lower) price range be better?

-Fred

[jkowtko]

If you guys like the M7, why not get an LS9-32 for the monitors? It's about the same price new. I would think it gives you much more flexibility, including a portable FOH board to use when needed.

[rwhealey]

I love the MH3 that I used. It's a real pro-quality analog board. I think it would work very well as a monitor mixer.

However, there seem to be better deals out there- here's a 40 channel MH3 for $7800:

PSW Sound Reinforcement Forums: LAB Marketplace => FS: Soundcraft MH 3 40 + 4 tour package

[epimetheus]

Must be a heck of a nice school to have a M7CL @ FOH. My high school had a funkified auto-mixer in a backstage rack. Back on topic though, if they've got the budget, go with an LS9-32. If the monitor mix position is on stage (backstage I assume?), space has got to be a concern, and that is one area in which the LS9 will be the crap out of an analog board.

[Footer]

What type of event are you wanting to mix for? Will there always be a dedicated operator? How many mixes do you need? Do you do the exact same type of show with the same people doing the same things or does it get changed up a lot?

[cprted]

Originally Posted by fredthe

The high school school I work with has been offerd a good deal ($8,000) for a lightly used Soundcraft MH3 24 channel board. They've got a good FOH console (36 channel Yamaha M7CL), and they are wondering if this would be good for a monitor mix console. They already have the splitters and wiring to an on-stage mix position, all they need is the board. I know it has fewer channels than the main board, but I don't see them needing that many channels in situations where they would use the monitor board.

So, would this be a good board for monitor mixes? Or, would something else in the same (or lower) price range be better?

-Fred

If I were in that scenario, I would rather mix monitors from the M7 at FoH and spend the $8 grand on something else. But that's just me.

[DaveySimps]

It is a nice board, but I sort agree with the others. You would be better served by spending the cash on an LS9. How often do you even need a separate monitor board? With as many outs as the M7 has, much can be done from that board. It is a lot of money that can be used on other toys.

~Dave

[SHARYNF]

I would agree with the recomendations for a LS9. The advantage is you are then back in the digital world, and all the built in processing/effects will be there. It does look your school has lots of excess funds, not sure that they are best spent on a high end monitor console. I know a few schools with a DM2000 and a mackie 32-4 for monitors

Sharyn

[soundlight]

I also agree with the LS9-32. It's a great console, and anyone who can use an M7 can use an LS9. You'll just get frustrated when you try to tap the screen (this comes from personal experience!) and nothing actually happens because the LS9 doesn't have a touchscreen.

Also, if you ever switch over to a digital snake system, you can put the same I/O cards in the back of each console and have a digital split snake.

I still don't see why a high school that has an M7 at FOH is looking to spend 8 grand on a monitor console. Just my opinion, though.

[fredthe]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm not up to date on all that is available mixer wise, but I thought there might be better choices.

I appreciate the recommendation of the LS9, I agree that would be a better fit. I wish we could get a digital snake there, but everything is already in place with analog mic splitters, so that's not likely to happen. (In hindsight, it probably would have been cheaper too, considering how much wire they had to put in the walls...)

Personally, I agree with just running the monitors from the M7. I've shown a couple of the students how to do it, but some of the just don't get it.

They are only looking at a monitor board because pretty much everything else is in place for it, and someone said "hey, I've got this board..." But it would be used pretty infrequently, perhaps 2-3 times per year. They are also looking at other uses for the excess funds, such as a wireless add-on to their intercom system (only for the 2 or 3 people who need to be truely mobile during a show), or some LED fixtures for their semi-black-box space.

This is a public school, but the parents are very supportive of their fund raising activities, and the principal is supportive of the theater. They did a full renovation of the theater 2 1/2 years ago, and they are looking at the "nice to have" extras. They got the M7 as an upgrade to the analog board that was originally spec'd because someone in the school thought it would be better, and managed to get the funds to pay for it outside of the construction budget .

I will add that it's really nice having the digital mixer there. It's located in the house, but when there's not a need for a dedicated sound person, we can just use the software to run it remotely from the booth.

-Fred