Given the solid success of the DL1608, it's hardly a stop-the-presses surprise that Mackie is upping the ante with its new iPad-controlled, 32-input/16-output DL32R. Nevertheless, it is a cause for celebration by Mackoids and iOS devotees alike, as now the popular concept moves up to a level serious mixing power that's more than adequate for most small to mid-sized churches. It's also a radical re-thinking of the entire FOH mixing concept because – hey, you don't need a FOH position! This is a wireless rack-mount mixer, folks. You mix from wherever you please.
Now, let's face it, how you feel about the DL32R will be colored by how you feel about the iPad. Here, I confess my bias: I'm a fanatic. I consider my iPad the most flexible, reliable, intuitive and downright amazing piece of electronic hardware I've ever owned. It's my constant companion, from waking in the morning (alarm clock) to preparing for dreamland (scripture reading, 1037 versions in 731 languages). I've loaded it with apps for recording, PA system analysis, and control of five different amplifiers and mixing consoles, only two so far applied to real hardware. My iPad has taken a few tumbles, albeit shielded by a leather case, and never flinched. It has been rock-solid reliable for two years, with only very minor (cough, compared to that you-know-what OS) glitches after major software upgrades. (If you go for a DL32, install your upgrades on Monday morning, not Saturday night. No worries.)
With that prejudice out in the open, let's dive into the DL32R hardware. The front panel of the 3U rack unit sports 24 analog inputs (24 XLR, 8 combo), all equipped with Onyx+ preamps, along with 14 freely assignable analog outputs on XLRs. There's also an AES3 digital master output along with analog monitor and headphone outs. On the back panel you'll find the two USB ports for connecting a computer and a USB drive for direct recording. There's also the network card slot, which for now only connects to your WiFi router, but in the future will offer a Dante audio networking option.
As for features, a list of highlights would include support for 10 simultaneous iOS control devices (including personal monitor mixing on iPhone or iPod), a 32x32 USB 2.0 computer interface connection, and 24x24 direct recording and playback to/from a hard disk – perfect for virtual sound checks. The computer connection also allows you to access Mac or PC audio plug-ins for live mixing.
The DL32R's sole control surface is the company's Master Fader iPad app. The 32-channel version isn't in the App Store yet, but most of the features are in the 16-channel version which I downloaded last week. I'm impressed. It's obviously made to be iPad-native; everything is easy to find, grab and move. And intuitive? Wow. If you've ever used a DAW (digital audio workstation) or a digital console, everything will fall right into place. I was setting up complete demo-mode mixes within minutes with no reference to the Help section. The only thing that had me stumped for a couple minutes was finding the channel dynamics. (Tap the red bar above the fader.)
When the 32-channel version is available (still free?), you'll have access to 36 mixing channels, each equipped with four-band parametric EQ plus variable HPF (high-pass filter), gate, and compression. Stereo link is available on 32 inputs and four returns. The 28 available output busses are also fully loaded (four-band PEQ, 31-band graphic, etc.) and you can configure for a mix/match of 14 aux sends, six matrix busses, six subgroups (all with stereo link) plus main L/R. Add to that list the three built-in stereo effects processors (with modern and vintage options) and you obviously have serious mixing power gliding under your fingertips.
And, of course, since this is a full-fledged digital console at heart, you also get snapshot recall and a load of factory presets for common input configurations. If none quite fit the bill, modify as you please and save as your own. Also offered – and this is critical for church work – is access control. I can't find it in the current app version, but I assume it's coming and I will check it out thoroughly. I won't buy a digital console without it. (Our church almost bought one last year but didn't, primarily for that reason.)
The DL32R has a list price of $2,499, but street prices of under $2,000 are already posted, even though delivery is still a few weeks away. For that price, you'd be hard pressed to find more features and flexibility for the money, particularly if you already have an iPad read to go. And, personally, I'm almost ready to go myself. However, as much as I love my iPad, and as much as I'm impressed with the DL32R…I have a lingering fondness for The Tank.
That's the moniker I've pinned on the stalwart, British-heritage analog board that has served our church for – yikes! – nearly 14 years. In terms of built-in features and mixing power, it pales in comparison to the DL32R, but I'm reluctant to – literally – lose my grip on it. Yes, I'm old school. I like to pump life into a mix with as many as six or seven faders under my fingers, with my eyes steady on the stage. Also, with analog, what you see is what you can get; it's not much, but it's all right there, all the time. And that makes digital console hardware control surfaces somewhat of a compromise. Yes, you still have tactile control, but with most of them you have to press “select” buttons to access channel controls, and you also work between fader banks. That usually means taking your eyes off the stage to see what's going on.
And that's what intrigues me about the DL32R with iPad control. I took my iPad down to the church, propped it up on the ledge above the console, just below eye level, and found that I could mix on it quite handily without taking my eyes off the stage, merely by shifting focus from foreground to background. Hmm. Maybe this could work.
It's a brave new world, and we old fader-pushing fogeys will have to adjust. The DL32R presents a daring new concept, one that involves a bit of risk that's best handled by availability of a back-up iPad (not because of reliability but rather in case of disappearance) and a high-quality WiFi router. Even if you're not ready to cut the cords and abandon FOH, you owe it to yourself to at least download the Master Fader app and imagine the possibilities. It's amazing how mixes done in demo mode are uniformly flawless.
