At the recent InfoComm show in Orlando, I was treated to a double preview of what just might be the future of live sound mixing in churches…and also in theaters, clubs, on tour or just about anywhere else.
If this trend takes hold, the one-piece audio mixing console – analog or digital – may be headed for extinction as the market shifts to modular, network-connected digital mixing systems. Avid unveiled its S3L at InfoComm, a complete and fully functional system expected to ship before the end of this year. Also available for hands-on demos was the Tactus system from Peavey's Crest Audio division. Developed in partnership with plug-in powerhouse Waves, Tactus takes the concept a step further, though only a preliminary prototype was on display and a ship date remains well over the horizon.
Avid's S3L comprises three core components: an S3 control surface, a two-rackspace E3 DSP engine (usually placed at FOH), and at least one Stage 16 I/O box with 16 XLR mic/line inputs and eight XLR line outputs. The system accommodates up to four Stage 16 boxes for a maximum 64 x 32 I/O capacity. And you'll want an external flat-screen monitor (not included) to keep tabs on everything.
The compact and lightweight (by typical console standards) S3 control surface provides 16 software configurable channel strips, each with a 100-mm motorized fader, dedicated solo and mute buttons, and 32 encoders. Every function is labeled with embedded LED “scribble strips.” The rear panel has local I/O for talkback, near-field monitors, recording devices and headphones.
The brains of the system is the HDX-powered E3 DSP engine, which runs Avid's popular AAX plug-ins, and the standard version ships with an appealing array of eight popular plug-ins (Avid Channel Strip, Pultec Bundle, Bomb Factory, etc.). The E3 also has an array of local input/output options, including 4 x 4 analog I/O, AES3 digital I/O, word clock, and more.
In addition to 16 x 8 analog I/O, each Stage 16 stage box also offers four channels of AES3 digital outputs. The stage boxes and the E3 4 engine share audio and data over an open-standard Ethernet AVB network, while the control surface and E3 communicate via EuCon, originally developed by Euphonix but now an open standard as well. S3L is fully compatible with the company's Venue show files, and, not surprisingly, the system integrates seamlessly with an AVB-capable laptop (Apple at this point) running Pro Tools software (included) to provide 64 channels of recording and playback.
Avid expects to ship the S3L by the fall, with prices starting around $18,000 for a basic 16-channel rig and topping out around $30,000 for 64 channels.
The Crest Tactus system is similar in many respects, notably in that it is a modular system with a separate control surface, monitor screen, DSP engine and expandable stage box options. But there are notable differences.
First, of course, is the software component. Tactus serves as the hardware and DSP host for Waves' eMotion LV1 software mixer, which debuted at the Winter NAMM show in January. A fully loaded package, eMotion accommodates up to 64 mono or stereo inputs and the full array of bussing and matrixing options, including eight-each DCA faders, mute groups and user-assignable functions. In addition to comprehensive EQ and dynamics, each channel also accepts up to six Waves processing plug-ins.
The number-crunching for the system takes place inside the Tactus.FOH server, a rack-mount unit that houses the Linux-based processing core along with 8x8 analog I/O, word clock, MIDI control, and Gigabit Ethernet ports for the proprietary Waves SoundGrid network that ties everything together. The Tactus.Stage stage box is based on a 32x16 analog I/O configuration, and two units are network linked for the full 64-channel capacity. Also, 64-channel recording and playback is accessible to any DAW (digital audio workstation) on a computer loaded with Waves' SoundGrid network drivers.
As for control, Tactus borrows a page from a well-known, high-end console maker by splitting functions between a touchscreen and (as the name implies) a tactile control surface. The touchscreens won't be part of the Crest package, but rather user add-ons obtainable – at steadily decreasing cost – as mass-market, plug-and-play devices. At the InfoComm display, all functions were controlled on a 28-inch screen as the tactile control surface is still under development. According to a Crest spokesperson, the comprehensive touchscreen control will allow a simplified control surface, probably with 17 motorized faders, dedicated mute/solo functions, LED “scribble strip”, master section functions, and a large assignable encoder.
Pricing is not yet available, but the spokesperson says that the target is to offer comparable performance and functionality at well under half the cost per-channel any existing 32- or 64-channel all-in-one digital console. And that would include any extra costs for two touchscreen monitors (one for overview, one for the currently selected channel).
So, will slimmed down, network-connected “consoles” become the new standard for mixing church audio? It will take some time – largely because so many of us are now heavily invested in new “conventional” digital consoles. But based on what I witnessed at InfoComm, the trend is irreversible.
