Yamaha unveiled their new TF series of audio consoles during April's NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) show. While we wait to receive our first review unit, here's a quick look here at what we do know about their new console line.
Yamaha's TF series maxes out at under $4,000, bringing it in at a sweeter price point than the company's LS9 series that has seen a lot of use in smaller churches. Three channel counts are available: 16, 24 and 32.
This console line is bringing multi-touch screens into the product line, allowing the user to set parameters like EQ curves by dragging band center points across the frequency band and up and down in gain on the screen, and using familiar pinch and unpinch two-finger motions to change the Q bandwidth. Other effects can be manipulated in a similar fashion. However, those happier with physical knobs can still adjust parameters in this way as well, which provide a more granular level of control over what you can do with a finger and a touch-screen.
They've also incorporated the overview display from the Yamaha CL series of consoles, providing an eight-channel at-a-time view of your system showing the major parameters. When you want to tweak an EQ, touch the EQ space for that channel on the overview display, and the screen changes to the EQ page for that channel. This brings improved ease-of-use and more precise control into the company's lower-cost console lineup.
Other ease-of-use features include a “one knob” EQ and compression feature, designed for either the novice audio tech or as a starting point for more experienced operators. It appears that you pick a preset based on the instrument you are working with or the specific microphone you are using, which causes an EQ or dynamics preset to engage. This is preset expected to be appropriate for the selected application. The “one knob” aspect is used to set the overall impact level that preset has on the sound. This sounds like a nice feature to help out those new to mixing and haven't yet developed the ear and experience for setting the EQ and dynamics from scratch. It will be interesting to hear how well this works, as EQ'ing is meant to adjust the audio signal to the speakers and the room – something that the preset can't take into consideration.
Similarly, the TF series adds a “Gain Finder” feature to assist with setting a proper gain structure on the console. Using the gain finder, you turn up the gain until a green indicator bar stays lit most of the time for that channel. Again, it seems like a nice feature for those new to mixing.
Missing from the TF series appears to be the ability to add option cards like an A-Net interface.
And the last thing I'll mention on the TF series is the remote-control capability for both general mixing as well as monitor mixing for the musicians via iOS devices --- a welcome, and long asked-for feature. But there does not appear to be any support for Android devices.
Our review unit should be shipping any day. Look for an in-depth product review in mid to late summer.
