Hi All,
I hope you all survived the Holiday’s! Ok now let’s get on track for 2014.
- A new Digital console for Harrah’s Tahoe
- Sound Education and Why its important
Now I know these are somewhat diverse to a degree from one another in subject matter, and can seem like they do not connect, but they do.
- The new Midas digital console we received at Harrah’s Tahoe today is a Pro3 model is very impressive. There is a lot to it much more then I can say here… but in a nut shell, it has 48 input channels, with 4 band parametric EQ’s, Compressors, and gates on every channel. The console also has 4 stereo effect return channels. The desk has plenty of output power with 16 aux sends, 8 matrix sends, a stereo buss, and a mono buss. We also have access to 16 assignable graphic eqs and or 6 effect engines witch contain a large library of assignable effect units (depending on your configuration). It is an absolute power house in a light weight and compact design less than half the size of an analog set up with the same capabilities. Along with the console, is a processing engine (DL371) which preforms the audio control from the console surface itself. An input and output unit, ( I/O ) which has XLR’s to accept inputs from microphones and send output signals to amplifiers for either main P.A. and or to Monitor amplifiers etc. Both of these units are rack mountable and are in a Rack case next to the console. Cat5 cables,are used to make the connectivity between the afore mentioned 2 rack units and the Console surface. This means that the days of running heavy 52 channel snakes are long gone. We can park our console at front of house and connect to the stage box 300′ away via 2 Cat5 cables.
Today’s digital consoles are much lighter and smaller then the analog set up in general– up by far. This goes for storage, and Trucking, the footprint in Front of house mix or monitor use on stage. It is the way to go for live sound. They are much more affordable as well so they are good for bands big and small.
We chose this console for Harrah’s for many reasons. It is very flexible for monitors on stage, or front of house set up, and even recording. Midas has great “Pre-amps’which starts you off with great sound. The console also has many features including scene memory and a USB flash drive port to store a starting point for your show, scenes, pre sets, or to transferpresets to another console. Look up the specs. on it. We also bought the Pro2c. another outstanding Midas console with even more flexibility and horse power than the pro3 in an even smaller footprint.
2.Education ties in here for an obvious reason after reading the above. No matter what digital console you buy, use, or come across, and it is only a matter of time before you do, there is a learning curve. But once you have that knowledge, you’re on your way. Digital consoles have many attributes to them, from built in this and that, to re-call-able scene memory, and so on. Josh and I have been using analog and digital consoles, amps, EQ’s, and effects for years. We both had to learn the ropes. We were taught by Some that are the best in the biz, and some we learned on our own.
For me, since the 70’s, between studio sound and live sound, I have taken many classes, sometimes over and over again. There is so much more to just plugging in a sound system, be it analog or digital, getting good sound, resolving hums, and buzzing, that education is key to having good sound.
Wayne Carlson
