Opinions About the Yamaha M7CL

[dwt1]

Hello:

We are currently planning the new sound reinforcement system for our theatre and have been debating consoles.

Originally, it appeared that we were going to go with either a Soundcraft Series II or an Allen and Heath GL3800. The audio contractor has now offered up a Yamaha M7CL console as an additional possibility. Any of the consoles fit our budget.

I have done a bit of research and have read few if any negative comments beyond, "it is new". Does anyone have any insights to offer regarding the console?

One reason for looking seriously at this is the potential for better readying our students for working within the industry. Also, we will still have our old analog console available for training purposes. And, lest anyone wonder, we do two musicals per year with 10-18 wireless, one straight play, a radio drama (before a live audience), children's theatre, about 10 concerts and two dance recitals.

Student learning, and providing the best we can for them, is always paramount in our thinking.

Thanks for your opinions.

Dana

[soundlight]

I have looked extensively into the M7CL and the PM5D on the yamaha websites and review & sales websites. I really like the featureset of the M7CL, and the fact that all of the regular analog controls are replicated right next to the LCD. I also like the graphic equalizers controled by the faders, and the fact that you can pull up any channel on the screen with one button and adjust all of the eq/mix bus sends/etc from the knobs after pushing that button. I also like the 8-block system, where you can pull up a group of eight channels on the center section. If you have the budget to get it, go for it. It is an amazingly flexible console, and, from what I have learned from my research, a very easy-to-use console. I have also already seen one in use on the tour of "STOMP!", and I have a feeling that it will be becoming popular in the industry. So, if you can get it, it will not just be an awesome setup for your rig, but you will be able to teach students real-world digital console skills. That would be great, considering how popular digital consoles are becoming on broadway tours and other show tours. You would be able to train your students first on the old analog console, and then have them step up to the digital console. Awesome!

PS: If you end up going with a new analog console instead of the M7CL, I'd go with the Series II hands down. I'm a die-hard soundcraft fan, and I believe that the Series II is an incredibly flexible console for an analog board. That is what I would choose if my school was going to get a new console. (I tried to raise the $5600 needed for a new 32-ch series two this year, but that didn't fly...)

[LDSFX]

I cannot praise the M7CL anymore! I have worked with it on 2 shows,not to mention a good friend of mine is the president of Hollywood Sound, the premier distributor of the M7 in SoCal. The CentraLogic technology (making the task of a managing a digital console more logical) and the seperate user accounts make the console ideal for a venue where multiple users will have access to the console. Certain operators may each have their own USB key and each have their own personal capabilities on the console. Also, if the console must be left unattended during a production, the board can be "locked out" in which levels can be set and they cannot be changed no matter how much the faders are moved. The scene recall also presents capability for automation and FXand EQ recall. The price is beyond reasonable and the value for the price is truly incredible. If the funds are available, I would never hesitate to purchase an M7.

[audioslavematt]

The big question is, do you have an engineer that would be able to sit down and figure it out, then teach others? It depends on what you have personnel wise. I'll admit I haven't done much more than look at digital consoles and read about the interfaces. To me it seems like unless you know what you're doing, the end results could be less than adequate sound. But of course, that's just stupid old me talking.

[dwt1]

Hello:

A training session would be part of the installation process and fortunately, our first major event will not happen until mid September.

Dana

[Peter]

If someone wants to buy me one of these, I'd take it in a heart beat! I saw one in use at a Casting Crowns concert a few weeks back and it just looked super cool. The op had settings pre stored for the all 3 groups that preformed and just had to tweak things live. It just looked super cool not having to reconfigure things between acts! But I guess you get that with any digital board if you know what your doing.

[spydee]

We just used this console on a corporate show last week.
Amazingly flexible and easy as pie to use. Love it!

We're trading our Verona 480 for one, we liked it that much!

[gaylardarse]

M7CL is bloody brilliant, can't fault it in any way, if you need 48channels and under 16 buses there is no other desk that can really compete, can see no reason to use anything else....

[Andy_Leviss]

Having had a little more time to play with one at the recent PM5D school here in NY, I can say that, for Dana's use, and most school uses, it's a great little console. For more professional situations, I tend to like it less, for two reasons.

One, if you're used to other Yamaha consoles, it's actually a bit counter-intuitive; certain ways of working common to the other Yamahas were changed to make the M7 easier to learn, with the side effect that experienced users may find them trying to do something that doesn't work (especially with things that you can only do with the touchscreen, that you may be used to doing other ways).

Two, the faders. They just don't feel very good, very lightweight, and just feel "cheap". They're the same faders used on the original 02R and some of the other older consoles, and they just don't have the smoothness or heft that even the faders on the DM2000 (which are bordering on too light already) or PM-series have. Again, it's a cost-factor thing, and for many uses it won't matter, but I know that I wouldn't enjoy mixing a fullscalle fulltime show on it.