Hiya,
Well the Carvin vs the Allen & Heath...I have to say that the Carvin is packed with a lot of quality components & features just like the A&H, with a few slight differences. I guess it would depend if you felt those differences were worth the extra $$ for the A&H.... While the Carvin and A&H EQ's are nearly identical in features and close enough on the fixed frequency's to be negligible, the differences between the consoles comes into
play in the specs and the smaller features.. For example--if you put the two side by side and compared overall "noise" (empty
channel turned all the way up for hiss), you would find the A&H a quieter
console. For features of consideration is the fact that the A&H offers
phantom power on each
channel, while the Carvin offers the phantom in groups of 8 channels. Thats can be a key issue--cause if your phanton fails on one
channel on the Carvin--it effects 8 channels total in that
block, while on the A&H it only effects that one
channel, making for a quick
re-patch. Both are gridded out in blocks of 8 channels--you're not going to find individual
channel strips on a
console for under $30K--so thats not an option. The GL3300 also offers a 12x2 matrix option--which can be a handy feature to have on a
console for a couple of extra mixes or outputs. Also the A&H has signal indicator lights per
channel, instead of just a peak over-load light which can be helpful to know that a
channel has signal coming in before you unmute it, plus it gives you some
eye candy to watch during the show.
Both consoles have the usual
gain,
phase & assign
button features, but check out the individual features you find on the A&H--they are comperable to more higher-end consoles. Both use ALPS faders 100mm--very nice faders.
And both use external
power supplies (suggest you have a back up
power supply too--always go dual!!). The talkback function on the A&H allows you to go to each aux separately as when doing monitors. A final consideration--the warranty... Carvin's warranty is 1 year, while the A&H is I believe a 3 year warranty (check that with A&H--but they used to be 3 years and I cannot imagine they would change that). That could be a big consideration for a
purchase of this magnitude. If after a year of good hard
road use--do you want a
console that is still under warranty for another two years, or one that you own and are stuck with? Also--check the warranty's on both--see what exactly they
cover and what they do not...AND is the
power supply covered in that warranty or is it a separate warranty--and does that
cover damage done to both components??
Usually when I shop for a
console, I like to stand at them for choices, and see if it is spread out to the features and things that are in my reach and easy to find and the features that I need or want to have available. I also like to get a ""feel" for the desk--run the faders, run the knobs...basically molest it
and see which
console "feels" more durable and sturdy to me for taking a lot of use.
You will probably be dropping your new
console in a good sturdy
roadcase for protection--only thing that strikes me of concern is that the Carvin is fan cooled--which begs me to ask the question of why and where are the fans and how noisy are they. Sure--most higher end consoles have some kind of cooling and most are darn near silent, but you need to make sure these fans are not blocked by cables and your
roadcase parts for it to be effective. I've seen fans on some consoles be UNDER the console--which does SQUAT sitting in a foam lined
roadcase.
I'm not going to tout either
console over the other--I would just comment for you to check out the features and details/differences of both, and ask yourself as to why one does something and the other doesn't--and will that
effect me later on in my mixing and what I may run into. Will you ever run into a situation where you needed two more mixes and wish you had that matrix 12x2...or need to be able to route your mixes out of the groups to various areas or amps or delay devices? or need to have that A&H "center"
mono mix to
send to a video truck cause all the auxes are used up? Both are excellent consoles in features...again for my money, I would suggest you check out the features, the warranty & service, and the "unknown" factor you may run into down the
line and if your
mixer can handle it for outputs or inputs.
hope this helps you decide and consider your options....
-wolf
