Hi, Im the head tech at a high school here in Australia. We are currently going through the planning stages of renovating our hall including buying new equipment and building a totally new booth. We currently have a Yamaha MG266C Analog Mixer (about 4 years old) but I can't decide weather to go with a Behringer X32 compact with a S16 (or similar digital system) or keep the analog console and get a snake to run to the stage. I already know the pros and cons of digital vs analog but its not like we are a professional, must have best sound quality possible type thing. Personally I prefer analogue but I know since i'm so new to this industry digital will be the norm in the future. We use our system every day of the week for about 20 mins and twice a week for a school assembly plus night event and some conert type stuff. Do you think it is worth the upgrade to digital or should I hold off for a few more years? If you have any suggestion for digital consoles with a digital snake option let me know. Thanks
Mixing console help choosing
- Thread starterSam Cash
- Start date
jkowtko
Well-Known Member
IMHO digital mixers tend to have smoother sound, and with built-in dynamics on each channel it's really easy to control the signals. I always have compressors turned on for each channel, and whenever needed I can dial in PEQ feedback suppression on select channels. You can't do that with an analog mixer without a ton of outboard equipment. So, for the price the X32 gives you a lot of capability and convenience. Not to mention wireless iPad/iPhone mixing, DCA, etc (there are a lot of features for the money).
I've mixed on plenty of analog mixers, but I own a Yamaha 01V96v2 and DL1608, and am considering an X32 in the neaer future. I wouldn't go back.
I've mixed on plenty of analog mixers, but I own a Yamaha 01V96v2 and DL1608, and am considering an X32 in the neaer future. I wouldn't go back.
Yeah the console is filling the needs but id kinda like to upgrade to digital.
We have a Yamaha 01V96VCM in our other space. I liked the fact with the X32 you could just hook up the S16 without messing around with Dante and whatnot. Thanks for your opinion
Bubby4j
Active Member
I use a full x32 at my church. Once you start mixing on a digital console, you'll never want to go back. There's simply so many conveniences on a digital board. I love the fact that every channel has compressor, gate, and flexible EQ plus you can save and recall scenes with the touch of a button. No need to worry about someone messing up your board settings (...if you keep backups).
Ric
Active Member
In your situation I can see the major advantage of digital will be the ability to store a setup & recall it quickly.
This will allow for those unskilled in setting up a mixer to recall settings you've done, to suit each event.
ie. Setup for a lectern with Mic, store the settings, level/eq etc, then recall it. Setup for playing a CD, or DVD etc.
This will allow for those unskilled in setting up a mixer to recall settings you've done, to suit each event.
ie. Setup for a lectern with Mic, store the settings, level/eq etc, then recall it. Setup for playing a CD, or DVD etc.
Digital is a great teaching tool also, because you can visually see changes on the screen. For example, teaching a young student PEQ is very abstract, but if they see a GEQ side-by-side and compare the patterns, it begins to make sense. Being able to do that on an iPad touch screen while hearing the changes in realtime - priceless.
I keep a old analog board around to show the basics, and students quickly graduate to our Yamaha LS9-32 within a day.
I agree that there is no reason to change until the current board is not doing the job, but when comparing the cost of an installed snake to an x32, it is very enticing, and probably worth the investment. You haven't listed your uses, but as a word of caution, when we went to the yamaha from our 16 channel analog, I thought it would be overkill, but we quickly filled all of those channels, and going to add a stagebox for 48 channels. Depends on what you will use it for.
BTW, seen the x32 at church, and would prefer it over the LS9 for school purposes.
I keep a old analog board around to show the basics, and students quickly graduate to our Yamaha LS9-32 within a day.
I agree that there is no reason to change until the current board is not doing the job, but when comparing the cost of an installed snake to an x32, it is very enticing, and probably worth the investment. You haven't listed your uses, but as a word of caution, when we went to the yamaha from our 16 channel analog, I thought it would be overkill, but we quickly filled all of those channels, and going to add a stagebox for 48 channels. Depends on what you will use it for.
BTW, seen the x32 at church, and would prefer it over the LS9 for school purposes.
Fountain Of Euph
Active Member
Second on the LS 9
Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.
Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.
TimmyP1955
Well-Known Member
I'd go digital if it's in the budget. And my first choice would be the X32, even over the LS9 (which I use regularly). That the X32 is priced so low by comparison a wonderful thing.
