For many of us who mix on a regular basis, our console is like an old friend. Its familiarity, consistency, and sometimes even nostalgia draw us in and keep us engaged while we turn and adjust real or virtual knobs and faders. But there comes a time in all electronic relationships when we must move on from our old friend and embrace newer technology. Knowing the time and circumstances that signal an upgrade, along with the salient features and functions to look for in a new console, is the key to ending a solid, old relationship and starting a successful new one. And understanding what constitutes a future-proof path for the new mixer is a bonus akin to finding out your new friend holds season tickets to all your favorite sports teams’ home games.
Most live mixers in use today are digital; that is, they convert analog signals into the digital domain, process that digital audio as ones and zeros, and then convert back to analog at the output (since all sound begins and ends as analog). However, there are some holdouts to the digital monarchy with old analog desks still sprouting up from time to time in the wild. With rare exceptions though, almost any new mixer will be digital. Given this basis, it is vital to consider the current console ecosystem as well as its potential replacement.
Analog vs. Digital Compatibility
Analog mixers function as standalone devices in a sea of universally compatible hardware. The brand of mixer is irrelevant to a 100-foot stage snake, a stereo compressor, or a reverb unit. All of it just works together. Digital, on the other hand, is brand specific and sometimes series or even model specific within the brand. An ecosystem encompasses the control surface, digital processor, input and output components, internal and external plug-ins, stage boxes, Ethernet switches, personal monitoring systems, and the control network. Each digital ecosystem relies on proprietary software written for that product and, even with universal external transport protocols such as Dante, carries additional proprietary protocols incompatible with other brands. As a result, it is imperative to understand that selecting a brand is like marrying into a family.
For each brand, all connected products and plug-ins must be compatible to work. Dante and AVB transport protocols provide connectivity between systems, but the primary system composition is brand exclusive. As technology progresses, the products change and sometimes obsolete themselves if locked into a fading protocol, such as CobraNet, which once reigned supreme but is now antiquated and must be replaced with a Dante or AVB network. Even with Dante or AVB, an older digital mix system with a failing stage box is a signal it may be time for an overall upgrade since it’s unlikely that family of products is still viable in the market and its software supported by the manufacturer, with some notable exceptions such as DiGiCo.
Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Mixing Ecosystem
When a stage box fails or a mixing control surface begins to show signs of deterioration such as bouncing faders and unintentional rebooting, just know the replacement timer has begun its countdown. Meanwhile, as frustrating as it can be, the relentless evolution of digital technology marches on. Chip sets embedded in consoles from the last decade pale in comparison to the performance of their current iterations. Premier digital consoles from 2008 that sold for $125,000 end up on the used market for a tiny fraction of their original price while analog studio desks from decades past sell for multiple their original cost and are revered for their purity. While not “fair,” it is simply baked into the lifespan of the live digital world. Early digital devices fail now because they were cutting edge at the time of manufacture, and that time has passed. It is unwise to try and keep older consoles running when improved performance is available in a new console, often for less than the cost of repairing the old one.
Another sign that it’s time to upgrade is when the needs of the ministry outpace the ability of the technology. For example, the flagship Yamaha PM1D was an outstanding console when it debuted in 1999 and remained useful until the methods of contemporary worship changed. It no longer mattered that the PM1D kept everything on just two layers when audio engineers learned to navigate multiple layers in real time. A console that is one-third the size of the PM1D, such as the Yamaha DM7, can handle more tasks, process signals more cleanly, and do so at one-fourth the cost. Digital consoles have moved from aping analog replacements to offering their own unique structure and form. In addition, the introduction of remote control via iOS devices means the console surface no longer needs to provide everything in one place or that the console surface is even required at all. Monitor mixing can now be done onstage, standing next to the musicians with an iPad, while the smaller-format physical mixer stays put. Mixing methods have evolved beyond the capabilities of the largest and most elaborate desks of the previous generation.
The Digital Difference
New consoles eschew most physical controls and even the revered “fat channel,” which puts most controls for EQ and dynamics in one spot, in favor of touch-and-turn adjustment and macros built to handle a dozen executions at a time. Live mixing is done in real time; it is all about the speed of implementing changes, and the latest generation of mixers is able to move with the pace of the music. For a ministry striving to keep up with new songs, new arrangements, multitrack backing, and deep video and lighting integration running on time code, a new-generation console is a wise investment.
A Bounty of Options
There are half a dozen brands of live mixing consoles that churches use today on a regular basis, each with its own cheering section. One brand may have sonic advantages relative to the others while another offers a simplified workflow and a third boasts a unique feature set. The bottom line is any console on the market today is quite capable of excellent performance within its domain. While a $2,500 mixer will not perform at the same level sonically or functionally as a $25,000 console, it will deliver solid results in the role it’s intended to fill. One factor in play is the 64-channel limit at the lower end of the range. Chip sets are designed recognizing that limitation in the mass market, and moving up toward 100 or more channels will require a greater expenditure. Whether brand A or B is chosen comes down to preference, mix flow, and the ability of the manufacturer to provide timely support and service.
Consider the Applications, Pick Your Possibilities
A church on a growth path will want to consider the concept of campus-wide compatibility and linearity. If the main sanctuary mixer is a large-format mixer from brand A, then it makes sense to equip the youth room with the small-format version from the same brand and to have the portable system based on the most compact version of the same mixer, as well. This way, a novice can learn on the portable rig, graduate to the youth room, and then be well prepared to take the reins of the large console in the sanctuary. Plus, if a stage box goes down, then a single spare can work anywhere on campus.
Recording, virtual soundcheck, and streaming functions are now a given for new consoles, and they are necessary for many ministries to have. Multitrack recording directly from the mixer removes any need for an outboard recording rig and the cumbersome connections it requires. A single cable now provides 32 channels of full-bandwidth recording to mix down for broadcast or use as source material for virtual soundcheck. Training someone on a console used to mean either bringing in the entire worship team for an evening or learning on the fly during a service. Virtual soundcheck allows anyone to mix in an empty room with the full complement of instruments and voices from the previous service in play. Streaming, even in a post-COVID world, is the centerpiece of many churches with online attendance that often exceeds in-person attendance. A current-generation console will have the tools available to deliver a bespoke mix for the online audience with response and detail appropriate for the medium.
Knowledge Is Key to the Future
Future-proofing the mixer also goes beyond channel count, campus-wide linearity, and even features to rest on the ability of the manufacturer and the retailer to provide timely, accurate, and reliable service and support. A new mixer is little use to the church if it has software issues, if the operators fail to understand its functions, or if the stage box won’t connect. For this reason, it makes sense to select a brand and a reseller capable of delivering on the promises made during the sale. Being able to pick up the phone and speak directly to someone knowledgeable about the product who can convey the right steps to take is worth more than saving a few dollars or “getting a deal.” Thankfully, you can always call your personal Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 for that very kind of enthusiastic expertise.