Digital Surfaces Yamaha 01V96 YGDAI

[chausman]

Let me explain my situation. I have a Behringer (don't say anything yet) MX3282A console. It has 32 channels, 8 aux, 8 group. I would like to get a new snake, but (weirdly enough) I saw some videos where people where doing all the weird stuff with the motorized faders, and I thought, I would rather have that. (I first learned on one at a church, so I really liked it) I was trying to find this online, but couldn't tell. Can you get a YGDAI card and a stage box and then use Cat5 as a snake? I think you can, but I'm often wrong. And if you were to do this, does anyone have any suggestions to which I should buy?

 

[metti]

Yes you can do that. Yamaha's official solution, which I think it also one of the cheaper options out there, would be to combine their MY16ES64 card with their SB168ES stage box. I have a similar setup with two of the stageboxes and a DM1000 and I have used M7CL and LS9 systems that use the SB168ES. Anyway, it is completely possible but doing this with the 01V96 presents a few issues. The 01V96 only has one card slot so you are limited to 16x16 I/O via remote stage box. Yamaha's box is only 16x8. I'm also pretty sure that the 01V96 doesn't support remote control of the head amps (preamps) and that you then need to use some sort of software app to control that which would start to cut into some of the convenience factor. The final, and probably most significant issue, is that this setup would cost way more than the 01V96 itself. You would be looking a $6k+ for the card and the box and you would still only have 16x8 worth of snake.

 

[bishopthomas]

... does anyone have any suggestions to which I should buy?

Any suggestions on how much you want to pay? LS9-16 with the cards/stage boxes. M7CL-ES (stage boxes plus control surface). Allen & Heath iLive. Digico SD7. They all use digital snakes. Is that your only qualification?

 

[chausman]

Any suggestions on how much you want to pay? LS9-16 with the cards/stage boxes. M7CL-ES (stage boxes plus control surface). Allen & Heath iLive. Digico SD7. They all use digital snakes. Is that your only qualification?

After reading more, I don't want to try anything with the digital snake after all. I thought I would but, not anymore. Sorry.

 

[bishopthomas]

Good call. A digital snake in an install kind of defeats the purpose (in most cases). Put your money toward something more worthwhile.

 

[museav]

Good call. A digital snake in an install kind of defeats the purpose (in most cases). Put your money toward something more worthwhile.

It is definitely situation dependent, however I've actually found digital snakes to often be a good solution in installs. In the case of a system upgrade or expansion a digital snake may allow you to run more channels within the existing infrastructure (conduit, boxes, etc.) while in new construction it may reduce the infrastructure required, thereby saving money on that aspect. And in either a new or upgraded install a digital snake can often make having multiple potential console locations much easier to accomplish.

 

[bishopthomas]

I knew someone (likely you, Brad) would have the counterargument, which is why I said "in most cases." Of course you are correct, but I would say 90% of installations will not benefit from a digital snake. Another 5% will settle on copper after they see the price tag, and the remaining 5% actually have the budget to be considering it in the first place.

 

[museav]

I knew someone (likely you, Brad) would have the counterargument, which is why I said "in most cases." Of course you are correct, but I would say 90% of installations will not benefit from a digital snake. Another 5% will settle on copper after they see the price tag, and the remaining 5% actually have the budget to be considering it in the first place.

It's really just supporting that it is situational. Probably the majority of my projects over the last couple of years have utilized some form of digital snake, be it as part of the console or via networked audio such as Cobranet, EtherSound and Dante or Crestron's DigitalMedia systems for AV. In one case the decision was due to the existing infrastructure, the cost difference for a console that utilized a digital snake was much less than the cost of ripping up the floors to add additional cabling paths that would have otherwise been required to the FOH location. In another it was a cost effective way to support the user's desire of being able to have the console at any one of several different locations. I would simply say to not dismiss copper or digital snakes without first considering how either may affect both the overall goals and the overall costs.

An anecdote, a few years ago I sat in on a talk led by a representative from a speaker manufacturer that is very popular in the theatre world. During his presentation he made the assertion that fiber was the future and that anyone recommending copper, regardless of whether for analog, digital or networked audio, was doing a disservice. Maybe that was appropriate for the type of clients and venues he routinely dealt with but it was, and still is, definitely not applicable to most users and venues. Based on some discussion later that night, that comment left the impression with many of those in attendance that this manufacturer was rather out of touch with the market they were trying to adddress in that presentation. Simply a good example of a generalization that really should be assessed based on the specifics of each application.

 

[bishopthomas]

Well said. Your "situation assessment" mentality is great, and reminding us of that is always appreciated.