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Digico SD9 Live Digital Console with Stealth Digital Processing
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Roland M200i 32-Channel Live Digital Mixing Console
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Soundcraft Si Expression Digital Consoles
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Yamaha MGP Series Mixing Console
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Mackie VLZ4 Series Compact Mixer
Un-boxing a new audio console in the sound booth isn't the time for second thoughts. Choosing the right audio console isn't about picking the coolest console with the most options. It isn't about picking the one closest to your budget cap. It's about evaluating four key areas vitally important for making the right purchasing decision.
1.) DOCUMENT THE NEEDS
Start by evaluating the existing needs of your audio console, including the number of used channels (mono/stereo), aux buses, and groups. Also, note the type of channel EQ (semi-parametric/parametric) on the console and the options provided, such as the number of sweepable mids. A good way to document the existing needs is answering these questions: What signals are coming in, what signals are going out, and what’s being done with these signals within the console? Upgrading from a digital console to another digital console will require your documentation to be much more extensive regarding functionality.
Next, move to recording the impending needs. Investigate the impending needs for two areas; why now and what would be helpful right now. Why are you seeking a new audio console? Did you run out of channels? Did you need more aux controls? Are you looking for a better sounding console? Is the existing mixer on its last days of life? For example, upgrading a console because it’s old is primarily about meeting the existing needs. However, if the church would truly benefit from a console with more channels or functionality, then consider this an impending need. If you’ve been using all the channels on a 24-channel console plus using an eight-channel mixer for drums, then the real need is for a 48-channel mixer.
Digital consoles sport a variety of functionality, from supporting personal monitor mixing to multi-track recording. Learn what functionality is available—so you don’t miss out on gaining a feature because you didn’t know it existed.
Finally, regarding the needs, consider your future requirements. Future needs can be a bit difficult to identify—an obvious future need would be a larger-channel console if the current console has eight channels and the church plans on soon building a bigger sanctuary. Rick Field, head audio engineer at Radiant Church in Raleigh, N.C., says this about future needs, “… leave yourself room to grow. Buy more than you need. This is especially true when it comes to outputs. As a church and/or worship team grows, you want the flexibility of adding mixes to the stage or sending a feed to video, nursery, etc.”
2.) EVALUATE THE AUDIO CREW
You might have heard a story or two about a church upgrading its audio system and, after the upgrade, the audio sounded like garbage. The reason, usually, is that they bought a console their volunteers couldn’t handle. One might argue the reason was the volunteers weren’t trained on the console. Honestly, even with holding a training session on the console, if it’s too much console for your volunteers, the training won’t make much of a difference.
Examine the level of talent you have on your tech team. Are they struggling with using a simple analog console? Have they mastered the analog board and are they begging to do more? If you upgrade to a board with a little extra functionality, could they handle it or would they revert into volunteer volume controllers, afraid that with all of the extra functionality they could easily make a serious mistake? The key in looking at a console upgrade is considering who will be using it. It’s not about what they can use, it’s about how well they can use it.
You might have heard about a church that upgraded their audio system and, after the upgrade, their audio sounded like garbage. The reason? They bought a console their volunteers couldn’t handle.
Taking this a step further, you need to recognize if the console will be used outside of the church service. James Tingay, an audio engineer at Burniston Methodist Church in North Yorkshire, UK, puts it simply, “Our console is used during the week for other activities, so ensuring that the system can be used easily by others (albeit for just playing music or discussion groups) can help make your job simpler and easier.”
3.) REMEMBER THE BUDGET
The budget controls your next console purchase, whether you like it or not. Don’t think every bit of your console budget should be used. Once you’ve crafted all of the data from these four key areas, you might find the right audio console is available well below the budget limit.
What happens if the cost of “the perfect console” exceeds the budget by a small margin? Then it’s not the perfect console. Seriously, if you can create a solid case for why the church needs that particular console, then discuss the case with the powers-that-be. They might bend a little and extend the budget. They might allow it as long as you remove that much from your next year’s budget. Or, they tell you the budget flat-out can’t be exceeded. In the last case, re-evaluate your needs and find a mixer that meets all of the critical needs and go from there.
A tip on getting the most out of the budget is building in a replacement cost category into the budget a few years prior to the purchase. This way, you should be able to roll over that amount from year to year. Talk with your church treasurer to find out if this is allowed.
4.) REVIEW CONSOLE TYPES
Would the church be better served with an analog console or a digital console? I’ve been a guest mixer in a number of churches, often offering up my services as a wedding gift to my friends, and some of those churches would be poorly served with a digital mixer.
Analog consoles
are the perfect place for starting the investigation into purchasing a new mixing console. The reason is that most analog consoles meet your basic needs. An experienced tech can get a solid mix from any analog console. Weigh your needs (current and future) as discussed in the first section, against the plethora of analog consoles available on the market. Five analog mixing consoles for your review might include those in the Allen & Heath GL series, Midas Venice series, Mackie Onyx series, Soundcraft GB series, and the Yamaha MG series.
A solid analog console with a few rack components can get you far. Analog consoles can sound great, work great, and be great for your church. If you need more or you want to bring those off-board functions into the board, look to digi-logs, or digital hybrids—analog boards with a few digital features.
Analog console manufacturers know there is some functionality they can bring into their consoles using digital processing and a user-owned interface, like an iPhone or iPad. The primary area of enhancement is in adding graphical EQ support via an iPad/iPhone interface. The price-point of these consoles makes them very affordable and in line with many of the analog consoles.
Digital consoles
have been dropping in price and increasing in functionality over the past few years. For only a few grand, you can get a digital mixer with a host of features, effects, on-board processors, virtual-sound check, and built-in personal monitor mixing support (via iPad/iPhone). And, for the price of a brand new car, you can get a whole lot more. The price range is wide and this is where you really need to know your needs and your level of volunteer skill.
An important note on console training: your team will need training. Consider these wise words from Beau Brown, audio guy at The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Fla. Brown recently led his church through a digital console upgrade himself. “As a purchaser, I’d rather spend $3,000 on a console and $10,000 on training than the other way around. I once was at a conference where I mixed one night and another engineer mixed the next night. Same gear … and [same] band. His mix blew me away. I learned so much that week.”
Moving forward
All of the information has been gathered and it’s time to buy your mixer … or is it? Stephen Harms, audio engineer at the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, says it best: “I’d say once you’ve narrowed down choices to a few consoles, go ahead and rent them and see how it works for your room. Also, in my opinion, being a good steward is not just spending less money but spending the money you need to the first time. For example, if you fill all the inputs and outputs on a Yamaha CL3 go ahead and spend the extra cash and purchase the CL5.”
Choosing the right audio console requires evaluation of the above four key areas: current and future needs, existing talent levels, given budget, and console type. Going through these four areas puts you in the best position for purchasing the right audio console for your church.
