Over the past couple of years, we have seen new products rolling out the doors of Roland. However, they have not been what I call "normal" products for Roland, at least from history. When I think of Roland, I think of synthesizers, stage pianos, and midi control. But, digital mixing consoles? Honestly, when I saw their new line of V-Mixers, my expectations were limited. They have created great products in the past; don't get me wrong. They have been on the bleeding edge of the sampling industry, for instance. But, digital mixing consoles? Well, that's at least what I was thinking when Church Production contacted me to write a review on the Roland M-300.
With that backdrop, when I cracked open the box of the Roland M-300, I was pleasantly surprised at the look and feel of the console. Weighing in at 21 pounds, the console just feels very solid for its size. Better put, it simply looks like the M-300's layout was carefully developed. The buttons, faders, and the screen are positioned in a user-friendly way. Of particular note, all the buttons have clear labels and intuitive LED lighting. The channel edit buttons are just to the left of the display and all the system access buttons are logically placed just below the ample display. Look and feel ... solid and well-designed? Check.
Booting it Up
Let's bring it to life! The M-300 boots up fast. Very fast. But more importantly, it becomes evident quickly that everything you might want to know about what's happening with your mix is right there on the screen. The design of the interface is clear and has nice contrasting colors to differentiate all the information that is represented. As I started to navigate through the menus, I was surprised at the speed in which I was able to get around (in a previous review, I mentioned I turned in my "man card" and opened a manual. Thankfully, this time, I didn't need the manual). In fact, I had sound within five minutes of turning it on. And that's even taking into account the time it took to find the digital patch bay to utilize the on-board inputs rather than the external digital snake.
Each of the 32 channels has the normal and expected complement of dynamics (gate and compression) and a four-band parametric EQ. I was happy to see all the "soft" buttons clearly labeled and certainly self-explanatory. When the soft buttons change function based on what I was controlling, I did not have to guess what they were operating. The screen always told me exactly what they are doing. When it comes to patching inputs and outputs, as I stated before, I was able to get to the patch bay setup easily and decipher its nuances rather quickly. Any of the 32 channels can be patched to the four XLR, four quarter-inch, or the two stereo RCA-type inputs on the console or a REAC digital snake. The M-300 console is also equipped with eight auxiliary sends (switchable pre EQ/pre fade/post fade), four matrices, four DCAs and four mute groups. There are also eight fully assignable local outputs on the M-300. Outputs one through four are XLR, and five through eight are quarter-inch balanced. These features are all controlled via the three layers of faders on the mix surface. The individual sends to these busses are controlled with the navigational wheel and the intuitive Aux/Matrix section to the left of the faders. Just select the channel you wish to send, the buss you wish to use, and adjust accordingly with the level knob.
Each auxiliary and matrix send is also outfitted with an eight-band parametric EQ and a limiter. We have all become accustomed to an EQ for auxiliaries, but with the wide use of in-ear monitors in churches now, it is certainly a welcomed addition to see the limiter added-a great opportunity to help protect the musician's hearing in the case of feedback or other sudden sounds while performing sound checks or even mixing. Another welcomed addition: the support for a left, center, right configuration. The output busses can be patched to any of the four XLR or four quarter-inch outputs on the back of the console. Like the input section, a REAC digital snake offers the ability to add eight more XLR outputs.
Sound Considerations
So far, all good. However, this is an audio console, how's the actual audio? In short, my testing revealed that the M-300 reproduces sound very well for a board of this size and price point. Outfitted with 24-bit, 96-kHz analog to digital preamps on the console, I noticed very little coloration, if any. I didn't notice any "transistor" or "digital" sound. Using the remote controlled preamps via the proprietary Roland Ethernet Audio Communication (REAC) protocol, I could detect no difference when compared to the on board pre-amps. REAC also supplies a low latency conversion over Ethernet cable, which allows you lossless audio quality to a number of splits for front-of-house, broadcast or monitor consoles. However, this option does require the purchase of the optional REAC Ethernet splitter. Roland's REAC digital snake system can address 320 inputs, and can simultaneously mix 40 channels of bi-directional audio.
With all of that said, I do express one fairly large concern with this console. It's not in the performance, for sure; it's Roland's marketing. The M-300 is advertised and promoted as a 32-channel console. And given the price point of $5,995, it would be amazing. Yes, it can handle 32-channels of audio, no question. But, as mentioned earlier, the console only comes standard with 10 inputs: four microphone preamps, four quarter-inch line-level inputs and two sets of stereo RCA-type inputs. To take advantage of the full 32 channels-to handle a full band on stage, for instance-you will need to, at minimum, purchase two Roland D/A snake heads and use your existing analog snake, or one of three of the optional Roland REAC digital snakes. This adds between $1,595 and $5,795 (retail) to the real cost of the M-300, depending on if you want eight channels or 32 inputs (plus the 10 direct inputs on the board). So, for churches that have an existing analog infrastructure, it would appear that they could purchase the M-300 at minimum $7,890 retail for a 16 x 8 system, or $9,785 for a 32 x 16 channel system, again plus the 10 inputs and eight outputs on the board. Add the snake heads to the price of the board and what appeared to be a great value in comparison to other 32-channel consoles puts this console back in line with other options on the market.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a mixing option for a portable church or in conjunction with a church remodel or new construction, where new Cat5 cabling can easily be run-or if your church already has Cat5 installed-this console should then be strongly considered. Imagine being a portable church and needing to run a standard 100-foot, 75-pound snake each week. Using a REAC digital snake replaces that heavy cable with just dual Cat5 cables. At that 6 a.m. setup time, you will be thankful!
I can see this console at home in a wide range of small and portable churches. The portability factor of the Cat5 digital snakes is very attractive. The small footprint has many advantages. And the flexibility of stage box placement, along with the price point, might just make this console an ideal choice for a broad range of installations. Combine that with the intuitive interface, the dense set of features, and the Roland M-300 deserves a closer look when you next evaluate consoles.
