Recently, I found myself the lucky recipient of an Allen & Heath ML3000 console to use and review for this issue of Church Production Magazine. While this product was manufactured with budget in mind, it does not sacrifice quality; the ML3000 is a multi-functional console that is easy to use.
For review purposes, I received a 40-mono channel configuration, including the standard 15-output buss and eight VCAs, as well as two stereo channels for line level inputs. On the mono input side of things, gold-plated XLR connectors start the signal chain through the input strip. Each input features pots for gain, HPF (hi-pass filter), channel EQ, eight auxiliary sends, and channel pan to the LCR busses. Switches for phantom power, phase reverse, -20 dB pad, channel mute/ assign, EQ in/out, group buss assignment, and auxiliary pre/ post are also located on the channel strip.
Instead of a fixed frequency switch, the high-pass frequency pot can be adjusted between “off” and 400 Hz. This made it easy to dial out the right amount of low-end on podium or lavalier microphones. I was also happy to see the phase reverse switch, which comes in handy when someone gives me an out-of-phase video tape, or when I want to use a bottom and top snare drum mic, where switching the phase of the bottom mic complements the sound of the drum.
The eight auxiliary outputs switch from pre to post in groups: 1-4, 5-6, and 7-8. A switch next to aux 8 allows you to configure 7-8 as a stereo pair for use with in-ear monitors or a stereo effect unit.
Auxiliary One can also be configured via internal jumpers to become a level control for a pre/post direct output signal, a feature I like when I want to use a direct output for my Smaart analysis microphone. Direct outputs on input channels can be used for a multi-track recording in which each input is split from the house desk to the recording console, or to a multi-track recording device. I often use direct outputs on channels for an isolated record feed for audience mics, podiums, or lavalier microphones to ensure that the critical inputs would be recorded directly to their own track so they could be blended into the final mix during post-production.
The unbalanced insert point on each channel, a standard option for consoles at this price point, provides the ability to inject an EQ, compressor, noise gate, or other processor into the signal chain. This unbalanced insert combines the send and return signal on a single TRS-connected cable at the console insert, which can break out to either unbalanced 1/4-inch or XLR connectors at the in/out of the device. This design is one way that the manufacturer brings you a costeffective console: it is simply more expensive to have balanced I/O insert points on each channel.
Internal jumpers on the input channels set the insert point on the auxiliary sends to pre-insert, pre-EQ, or post-EQ. When mixing monitors from FOH (front of house), the preinsert position ensures that a compressor inserted on the FOH channel will not affect the monitor sends.
The input channel on the ML3000 features a four-band semi-parametric equalizer at the top of the strip. The EQ section includes a 12 Hz and 60 Hz shelf filter for high and low pots, while the low-mid and high-mid sections sweep frequencies from 35 Hz to 15 Hz, utilizing a standard bell curve for the Q. Once again, to expand the EQ section to be fully parametric would compromise the price point of the console, which is one of the strengths of this desk. If you think you need more options on a console, you will have to look at a more expensive desk – such as the ML5000 – to meet your needs.
I found the EQ to be responsive and I was able to dial out the unwanted feedback on lavalier mics without too much trouble. I also liked the 60 Hz frequency that was chosen on the low end instead of 80 Hz, which often sounds muddy to me when I really want the deep lows of a kick drum or other instrument.
One feature not usually found on an inexpensive desk is the presence of the eight VCAs in the master section. A VCA is a voltage controlled amplifier that sends DC voltage to the channels you have assigned, thereby controlling the actual voltage of the channel that is routed directly to the LCR busses. This is handy because it is not another stage in the signal path; rather, a voltage controller for any group of channels. Usually this is the first thing on the console to bite the dust in order to meet budget. VCAs are a must for me on any console that is being used as a FOH board. I typically assign my inputs in sections according to this grouping: drums, guitars, keys, percussion, vocals, lectern, lavalier mics, band, and effects.
One of my favorite tricks is to assign the instruments to two VCAs: drums get assigned to VCA 1 and VCA 7; guitars to VCA 2 and also VCA 7, etc. This allows me to pull the drums down by themselves on VCA 1 or the whole band behind a vocal mix with the touch of one VCA fader – number 7.
How to assign the channels to VCAs or mutes was not difficult to figure out, but I did have to briefly open the manual to sort it out – even though simple directions were next to the assign button. Here’s how it works: you turn on the assign button next to the master mute/VCA section, touch one of the masters and then go through your desk using the mute switches on each channel to assign the VCAs. Under the “assign” button there is a “view” switch; when depressed, it allows you to see which channels are assigned to a particular mute or VCA.
The VCA only controls post fader sends, so your monitor mixes from FOH won’t be affected by the VCA assignment unless you use the “mute VCA” button, in which case all sends are affected. When using the console as a monitor board, the auxiliaries are configured as post fader sends so the assigned VCA controls all of the outputs on the channel strip. If you choose to configure the console to mix monitors from FOH, you would need to mute your auxiliary sends through the VCA group mutes.
The only thing that I found unclear was which mute or VCA each channel is assigned to unless one uses the “view” button. In the end, I decided that it wasn’t that big a deal, because it was easy enough to reach over and re-assign the VCA or mute, and once I had it set up, I wouldn’t change it on the fly.
The console can also be controlled with a PC via a MIDI port to control 128 scenes of channel mutes and/or VCA assignment settings. The Archiver software from Allen & Heath allows you to store the information on the PC for future retrieval if you repeat an event.
The master section features three outputs for you to feed three different configurations of speakers: left-center-right (LCR), left-right (L-R), or mono center. There is a “pan and blend” pot that allows you to pan to left/right, or blend in how much center fill signal you want from a given channel. Let’s say your church has a very wide room where left and right speakers are located far apart from one another, necessitating a center cluster over the altar area to fill in the room. The “blend” feature can dial in just the right amount of center fill to make the sound image come from the center area where the minister is speaking.
When I set up a PA, I like to keep the sound source originating from where the person is speaking. In a wide L/R configuration, I have found that the source for the sound distracts people from the message if the sound originates from another part of the room. You want everyone’s ears and eyes to be drawn to where the message originates instead of looking in one place and hearing sound from another. This is where the center cluster and the “blend” option comes in handy. You can dial in just the right amount of center fill while still sending some of the sound image to the L-R speakers. It focuses the sound appropriately while sending signal to the outside L-R speakers and blending in the right amount of center fill. Maybe then you want to assign your band to the L-R speakers and just blend in the vocalists to the center fill as well.
I expected to examine the back of the console and find ¼- inch outputs on the auxiliary, group or matrix section, but Allen & Heath surprised me with balanced XLRs on every output on the desk! Good for them, as it is easier to use balanced XLR connectors for outputs instead of a combination of ¼-inch and XLRs.
I like the matrix section as well, because it features the four group pots in addition to the LCR busses. I used the matrix for a record feed and the main output busses for the PA. Every output on the desk has an insert; I used compression on the record feeds, a 31-band EQ on a group insert for lav mics, and parametric EQ inserted on the LCR busses.
All of the output busses were assigned to VU meters on the console bridge to monitor the average signal level. The meters can be switched to display Groups 1-4/Auxes 5-8, or Groups 1-4/Matrix 1-4 in FOH mode, or Auxes 1-8 in monitor mode. In addition to the VU meters on the LCR mix, peak reading LED meters were added to view peak levels on the main outputs. These meters also display the PFL (pre fade listen) and AFL (after fade listen) routing when an input or output is cued up. The ability to view peak and averaging signals is a feature that you may not even find on more expensive console models. Each input channel also has a three-segment signal meter, giving you a visual peak reference of the mic/line signal.
Last, but certainly not least, oscillator and talkback inputs were built into the master section of the desk. With the proliferation of acoustical analysis, pink noise is used all of the time, as well as the 1 kHz tone to balance tape record feeds. The talkback can be assigned to any of the output busses momentarily when you depress the TB button on the buss. The headphone jack is located on the meter bridge in the upper right hand corner of the desk, which can be a long stretch for your headphone cable, which drags across the rest of the console. My solution was to add in a headphone extension that I ran around the outside edge of the console so it wasn’t in my way.
I compliment Allen & Heath on the case they shipped the console in, as it was sturdy and featured a great doghouse in the rear to hide cabling. The physical size of the desk was what you might expect from a typical 40-channel frame, although not as deep as some of the other desks I have worked with. It only took two of us to put the desk into place, a testimony to the weight of the console.
The ML3000 can be ordered in 24/32/40-channel frame sizes, depending on the number of inputs you need. Offering LCR on this console is a good way to ensure that people in the church market will sit up and take notice of this cost-effective, VCA-driven desk.
What you may find is that you don’t need a more expensive console for your application, because this console has so many options and configurations available within it. The ML3000 can be used in a number of applications, including recording, to monitor mixing, and as a FOH console. On the education side, Allen & Heath provides extensive white paper information on the company’s website: www.allen-heath.com, along with console layouts and application guides. Allen & Heath strives to bring flexibility and options to the marketplace in all of its products, and this can be seen by the multi-function design of the ML3000.
Pete Tidemann is principal of Linear Velocity, an audio consulting firm based
in Minneapolis, MN. He can be reached at hans@linearvelocity.com.
