I must confess that I've always regarded Roland's digital consoles as rather Toyota-like. To me, they've always seemed like reliable, user-friendly, and eminently practical mixers that offered good value for the money—but not much in the way of excitement.
So, when Roland Systems Group announced they would preview a new console at AES in L.A. last month, I assumed I'd see the digital audio equivalent of a nicely refreshed Corolla.
Nope. Not even close. What I saw was a rather stunning new Lexus. Roland is taking aim at the upper midrange console market – systems in the $20,000 to $50,000 bracket – and is doing so convincingly. Churches that were looking at mixers in this class from “brands A, D, M and Y” will certainly want to add the M-5000 to their must-consider list.
To emphasize the major step up, Roland has dropped the long-standing “V-Mixer” moniker and instead has designated the M-5000 as the first in its the new generation “O.H.C.R.A.” platform, an acronym for Open High Resolution Configurable Architecture. Let's poke under the hood and see what's cooking with this new technology platform.
Read the official news release: Roland Announces M-5000 Live Mixing Console based on New O.H.R.C.A Platform
The big news behind “Open” is in audio networking options. With its proprietary REAC network, Roland was a pioneer in the complete integration of control and multi-channel audio over Ethernet. The tradition continues with inclusion of dual REAC ports on the M-5000, but now you can also equip two card slots with ports for Dante, MADI, Waves SoundGrid, or additional REAC ports. Certainly REAC retains an advantage in that you get full integration and control of all functions in the head-end of your Roland digital snakes, as well as with the R-1000 48-channel recorder and M-48 personal monitoring systems. But now you can keep all those advantages while still while also benefiting from networked connections to Dante-equipped amplifier/processors or full access to Waves plug-ins. Since Roland has such an ample selection of snakes/stage boxes, it's less likely you'd want to use another network on the front end, but now you don't have to rule it out.
Do you need 96 kHz sampling? Even if you couldn’t hear a difference now, you don’t want to be asking yourself “What if…?” when you upgrade to better amplifiers and loudspeakers.
The “High Resolution” part of the equation signals a step up to full 24-bit/96-kHz converters, something already implemented in the M-5000's companion line of digital snake systems. Frankly, I was skeptical about the need for 96-kHz sampling until I compared recordings of 96 kHz FLAC files with 48 kHz and 44.1 kHz equivalents. The difference was clearly audible, even on relatively inexpensive monitors and headphones. I confess I've yet to A-B the two formats in a live situation, but at this point it wouldn't make much sense to invest in anything less, particularly at anywhere near this price point. Even if you couldn't hear a difference now, you don't want to be asking yourself “What if…?” when you upgrade to better amplifiers and loudspeakers.
The best part of O.H.C.R.A is saved for last: Configurable Architecture. This is a far cry from the old days when, for example, you would buy a 32-in x 8-out console with a fixed number of aux and matrix outputs. Instead, with the M-5000, we have a whatever-you-want-in by whatever-you-want out console…almost. The only limits are the number of physical inputs and outputs (analog, AES3 digital or networked) from connected snakes and the M-5000's 128 simultaneous mixing paths. From there, you can mix and match the I/O functions in any way that suits you, allowing you to essentially custom configure your console to your exact needs – and change the configuration when your needs change. It's all user-programmable, online or offline, with Mac or Windows software. Once programmed, the various functions translate seamlessly to the hardware work surface, with all the relevant information appearing on the 12-inch color touchscreen, LCD “scribble strips” and color-coded knobs and switches.
The configurability extends beyond I/O options into workflow. You can program the faders to switch as traditional by-input-number banks, or you can have them spill in either direction, or even designate “anchor” channels that will pull up corresponding channel groups. In addition to the three eight-fader sections (which can be all inputs or split into input, DCA and/or output), four faders at the far right can be assigned as master output along with any other critical level controls that must be available at all times. Also included is a user-definable control section, which again allows immediate access via color-coded knobs and switches to always-important function and parameter changes.
All of this might seem somewhat daunting to churches that rely on volunteer operators who may be used to analog or (relatively) fixed architecture digital consoles. Is this too much of a good thing? I don't think so. Remember, once it's set and configured to the needs of your church, it's all a done deal and locked away under the hood – Roland assures me that the M-5000 will have multiple levels of access control. Unauthorized tinkerers can't mess with it. In Sunday-to-Sunday operation, all this should be transparent, and you're better off in the long run using console architecture and workflow custom fitted to your production needs, even if it does involve a period of, shall we say, “re-familiarization”.
In a nutshell, perhaps the biggest advantage the M-5000 has over the competition is that, as of its unveiling on November 4, 2014, it is the newest of the lot. That means Roland had the opportunity – and they took it – to leverage the latest developments in core digital chip and networking technology. Clearly, nobody could have built this console at this price point five years ago. As for five years from now, the M-5000's flexible architecture likely will keep it competitive. True, I surmise that by 2019, some consoles may be offering 192 kHz sampling, but frankly in blind A-B comparisons of recordings at 192 versus 96, I'm barely above a coin-toss.
Finally, to close out, I'll run down a quick laundry list of features that should assure you that, indeed, this board is very much a contender in the mid-high price range.
Regarding input and output capabilities, the M-5000 patch bays can accept up to 300 inputs and 296 outputs – more if you “dumb down” to 48 kHz. Yes, you're limited to 128 discrete mixing paths, but you can have redundant inputs for each mixing channel, or patch inputs straight through to one or more outputs without taking up a mix path.
Each mix channel includes four-band parametric EQ, two dynamics processors (pre- or post-EQ), delay, and access to eight multi-effects processors. Channels may be linked in 12 groups for simultaneous parameter settings. Sixteen local analog inputs and outputs are available on the rear panel.
On the output side, the main out supports mono, L-R, L-C-R and 5.1 surround mixing. Other mix functions include built-in sub-group bus, a mix-minus bus, 24 DCA groups, eight mute groups, and up to 32 graphic and parametric equalizers independent of the multi-effects processors.
And there's more… Two selectable solo systems are provided in monitor modes, so you can have one for stage wedges and one for in-ear systems. Also, a dedicated space on the work surface for an M-48 personal mixer lets you access the engineer's monitor mode” for intuitive adjustments of any unit out on the stage. As for recording features, if you don't have Roland's R-1000, you still can record and play back via a 16 x 16 ASIO USB audio interface. And, of course, comprehensive wireless remote functions are available on your very own iPad – which, of course, also has a dedicated shelf on the M-5000 work surface.
There are at least a half-dozen more features of possible interest to some users, so if you're shopping in this category you'll want to check the Roland web site for details .
Going back to my automotive analogy, remember that Lexus is owned by Toyota, so you will notice a family resemblance in some respects to Roland's venerable V-Mixer series. But if you were thinking that it was time for your church to move up to a digital console with more power, performance and feature sets that you could get from Roland...think again.
