The Great Question.........

[RelativeMischief]

I'm going to second what Andy said above, don't know the accesibility and functions of a digital console until you've used one designed for live applications. Myself I've gotten the chance to see a PM1D in action (though not actually used one) and the engineer didn't seem to have any problems with tweaking what he needed right away. My only hands on experience with digital was with a Sony piece of crap in a studio. I hated it, I used the Soundcraft Ghost whenever I could (analog).

Having heard both types of consoles in action I'd have to say I perfer the sound of an analog over digital. A/D converters seem to detract from the quality of the signal (this is a personal opinion, as it is with everyone. There is very little/no frequency difference in an analog or digitally converted input). Digital just sounds processed ... which might just be what you're going for in some gigs, so it's really a matter of weighing the pros and cons.

In the end: I voted analog. Nothing like all the "ooos" and "aaahhs" when you bring in an MH4

[soundman1024]

I am for digital integration in an analog world. For example I like VCA groups and automated mute groups. I also like the feel of an analog console, and the fact that the only thing that can go wrong is a pop, no crashes. At the same time recording is much simpler with digital audio. I would choose analog over digital for live, digital over analog for a studio application.

[Andy_Leviss]

See, even with the 02R, while there is that nervousness in having so many eggs in one basket, the flexibility in having so many things available in one package makes it soooooo much more useful than an analog console.

With digital, you can have dynamics processing on every channel if you need it, a graphic display of the EQ curve on your parametrics channel EQs, built in delay on the outputs, built in effects processing, etc.

To do what I do with the 02R, I'd need a rack full of outboard gear with an analog console. Have you seen the massive FOH racks that most musicals tour with? On my last tour, "The Full Monty", we had one single FOH rack, which consisted of ClearCom, a CD Burner, two MiniDisc players, and some video gear. ALL of the system processing happened right in the PM1D, which made for a smaller FOH setup, a quicker load-in, and a lighter truck pack.

So yeah, I like digital. Not to say that I don't love a nice analog console, or that I think digital is perfect. But it definitely has its benefits, and it's here to stay.

[Radman]

Digidesign Venue looks like a really great digital solution for live audio. I still works analog if the CPU crashes. There was a really good review of it in FOH not that long ago. In my opinion, digital is the way to go with large shows, even thought I've never really used a digital board.

Ahh! We didn't get our grant for new sound equip. They said it was a capitol improvement. But there might end up being a seperate sound budget in the future, instead of sharing with lights. (Sorry, little rant over now.)

[VipermanGTX]

thanks for the feed back guys. I believe a hybrid board would be a great thing indeed

[Dan-Greaves]

I like digital better because it has so much more capabilties than analog. And Its probably because I'm young and have grown up with digital.

[SuperCow]

Analog. You can't beat knobs and faders. It's just so much more intuitive and it's easier to learn.

[Roger]

Im gonna stay with analog for as long as I can. Some of the new digital consoles are looking pretty tempting though. But unfortunately none of the venues i work with wants to spend $7000 or more on a console. Which i find sad because I really want to play with the mackie tt24.

[Andy_Leviss]

That's just the point I'm trying to make, SuperCow--a digital console designed with live use in mind not only has plentiful knobs and faders, but is easier to use because there are fewer of them. Instead of having a huge barrage of knobs to twist, you have one set of knobs (or, in the case of the DiGiCo D5, one set per 8 faders), and all you have to do is touch the fader or the select button for the channel you want before you reach for the set of knobs. This way, you're always reaching for the same spot, and don't have to scan through a ton of knobs to find the right one.

Again, digital has its ups and downs. I've had a PM1D crash (thankfully not during a show), and it isn't a pretty sight. But overall, [i[with a console designed specifically for live use[/i], if you take a little time to get used to it, it's actually easier than an analog console in certain respects. It's just an adjustment because you're used to the analog way of working.

--Andy

[VipermanGTX]

Hey how about i get a Medal for this question? hm?