To say that the compact digital console market has exploded over the past couple of years is an understatement, writes Greg Bester.
Filling of this gap in the compact digital console market was inevitable and after many years of comparatively meagre but worthwhile little consoles like the Yamaha 01V reigning as king, we now find more evolved specimens emerging in the market offering much more power and many more features, within the same small footprint.

But where do you go? Which console do you choose? Granted, it seems that every manufacturer has their own offering in this class and the choices can be bewildering, but ultimately the console you choose boils down to your needs and workflow. Of course, a console that sounds great, is easy to operate, can handle a wide variety of sources, has a flexible routing facility and can be upgraded easily if need be is pretty fundamental. So even basic considerations are many. Enough blab. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Allen & Heath GLD80

The GLD-80 includes 28 mic inputs, expandable to a total of 48 comprising 44 mic and four line. There are 30 user-definable busses, 16 DCAs and 20 mix processing channels. All console control is reflected in an 8.4-inch full colour touch screen. 20 channel strips in four layers are supplied, along with user-definable rotary controls and colour coded scribble strips for each channel.
Native I/O includes 4 XLR mic /line inputs, 4 XLR outputs, 4 RCA inputs, 2 RCA outputs and SPDIF and AES3 digital outputs. The AR2412 stagebox includes 24 XLR mic inputs, 12 XLR outputs and two additional AR84 expander units can be added, each offering 8 XLR mic inputs and four XLR outputs.

All stage boxes are connected to the console and each other via CAT5 Ethernet cable and can be run a maximum of 120 metres on the A&H dSnake protocol. Option cards are also available for Dante, MADI, Ethersound, ADAT, Waves and A&H ACE. Additionally, the console supports the Aviom Pro16 personal monitoring system which can be connected to a port on the AR2412 and the Hear Back system (from Hear Technologies) is compatible via the MMO option card. USB recording of two-track sources is also available.
Distributed by audiosure.co.za

Behringer X2

The Behringer X2 is fitted with 32 native XLR mic inputs and 16 XLR outputs. It can be expanded to a total of 40 inputs. There are six matrix buses, 16 mix buses, eight DCAs, six mute groups, 25 faders, user-definable buttons and rotary knobs and a seven-inch day-view colour TFT screen.
Each channel boasts a 128×64 dpi LCD scribble strip. I/O can be connected remotely via the S16 stage box via CAT5 Ethernet cable and can be placed a maximum of 100 meters from the console. Dual X32s can be networked to one another via the AES50 Supermac protocol without the need for a snake or splitter system.

For monitoring, an ULTRANET port is included to connect Behringers’ P-16 personal monitoring system. An AES/EBU stereo digital output along with MIDI is also supplied. An integrated USB port enables the user to make uncompressed stereo recordings directly to a USB flash disk and the console can act as a 32×32 audio interface via Firewire for multi-track DAW recording and mixing. The XiControl app for iPad supplies remote control facilities for FOH and monitor control, while the XiQ app for iPhone and iTouch allows access to monitor functions. In addition XControl PC software provides comprehensive control of the mixer and storing of settings along with offline editing of console settings.
Distributed by proaudio.co.za

DiGiCo SD11

The SD11 features 32 input channels including eight “flexi’ channels which can be configured as either stereo or mono. There are 12 flexi buses, L, R and C buses, an 8×8 output matrix and twin solo buses. The control hardware itself offers 12 faders in two layers and four banks and parameters are reflected on a 15-inch touch screen.
Natively there are 16 XLR inputs, eight XLR outputs, MADI, MIDI, Ethernet and USB connectivity and dual mono AES3 ports. For expanded I/O facilities the console can be connected via CAT5 to the DiGiCo D-Rack up to 100 metres away which provides 32 XLR inputs and 16 XLR outputs. Networking is also supported via PC or Mac using the SD11 control software featuring offline settings editing and remote control. An additional SD11 can be connected to another via Ethernet for 24-fader control and hardware redundancy. The SD11 can also assimilate with the Aviom A-Net personal monitoring system.
Distributed by tadco.co.za

Mackie DL1608

The DL1608 is a digital mixer which is controlled via an iPad. All in all you get 16 mic/line inputs, left and right main outputs, six aux outputs on TRS and 17 total input channels. Natively there are 12 XLR mic inputs, four XLR/TRS combo jacks.
The mixer itself features 16 rotary gain knobs, a rotary headphone control and a dock for the iPad. The 9.7 inch iPad is used to manipulate all mixer settings and parameters and up to 10 iPads can be wirelessly networked to the surface for FOH and monitor control. Finally, a stereo recording can be made directly to the iPad when it is docked.

Midas PRO1

The PRO1 features 48 input processing channels, 16 aux buses, eight maxrix buses, eight VCAs, six POPulation groups, L, R and C busses and 40 primary inputs.
The control surface offers eight input faders and eight output faders on several POP groups and VCA layers, eight user-definable rotary knobs and buttons, and all control parameters are reflected on a 15-inch day-view display. Natively the PRO1 offers 25 XLR inputs, 24 XLR outputs, two AES3 inputs, three AES3 outputs, six AES50 ports, word clock in and out and video sync ports on BNC, a DSUB diagnostics port, an Ethernet control port, a DVI display output and two USB ports. Also included is a ¼’footswitch port.
MADI and DANTE protocols can be interfaced via a Klark-Teknik DN9650 network bridge. Offline editing of pre-show settings is also available via the Midas editor PC software and the console can be controlled wireless via the Midas Mixtender app for iPad.
Distributed by prosound.co.za

Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2
The StudioLive 24.4.2 features 24 channels, four sub-groups, ten aux buses, and L, R and C buses. The mixer itself provides a total of 29 faders and an LCD screen for parameter reflection. Natively there are 25 XLR inputs, three XLR outputs, 16 TRS outputs, RCA inputs and outputs, an S/PDIF output, two Firewire ports, and three DSUB25 direct outputs. A 48x4x2 system can be formed by daisy chaining two consoles together. DAW recording can be accomplished via the Firewire port and each channel can be sent either pre- or post-processing. The StudioLive control software, running on either PC or Mac, can control the console via network and integrates Presonus’ Rational Acoustic Smaart measurement technology. Wireless control can also be accomplished by using the Studio-Live Remote for iPad app and the QMix app running on an iPhone or iTouch enables performers to adjust their own monitor mix.

Roland M-200i

The M-200i offers 32 channels, eight auxes, four matrix buses, L and R main buses, eight DCAs and eight user-definable buttons. On the surface you get 17 faders on five layers, a 132×64 dpi LCD screen and a dock to use an iPad as a 7.9-inch colour display. Natively there are 16 XLR inputs, six TRS inputs, eight XLR outputs, four TRS outputs, two RCA inputs, and USB, MIDI and AES3 outputs.
The I/O of the M-200i can be expanded by connecting any of the Roland digital stage boxes an additional 40 inputs, totalling 56. Roland’s proprietary REAC protocol is integrated into the console and stage boxes and they can be located 100m apart. Stereo recording is accomplished via the USB port and a Roland R-1000 digital recorder can be attached via REAC, which provides multi-track recording up to 48 tracks. MADI is also accommodated via the Roland MADI bridge. Roland’s M-48 personal mixing system is also available via REAC and the M-200i RCS software allows remote editing of settings and live control. An iPad utilising the M-200i remote app allows wireless control of all integral parameters via WIFI network.

Soundcraft Si Performer 2

The Si Perfomer 2 features 24 channels, 20 auxes, eight matrix buses, eight VCAs, L, R and C buses, and doubles as a DMX lighting controller. The control hardware offers 24 faders, a colour LCD display and colour backlit LCD scribble strips on each fader.
Natively there are 24 XLR inputs, eight TRS inputs, MIDI, AES3 and DMX outputs. The Soundcraft ViSi Connect range of stage boxes can be connected via CAT5 or optical MADI in order to expand the I/O capabilities of the console. Multi-track recording systems or the Waves plugin system can be interfaced via the MADI protocol. CobraNet and the Aviom A-Net personal monitoring system can be interfaced via option cards which slot into the rear of the console. FOH and monitor functions can be controlled via the ViSi Remote iPad app and multiple iPads can be used on the same network. Lighting systems can be controlled via the native DMX controller.
Distributed by wildandmarr.co.za

Yamaha CL1

The CL1 features 48 mono and eight stereo input channels, 16 DCAs, 24 mix buses, and eight matrix buses. The control hardware comprises 18 faders on several layers, a 16-bit colour LED touch sensitive display, channel scribble strips, four assignable knobs and 16 user-assignable buttons.
Using the Audinate Dante protocol any of Yamaha’s Rio stage boxes can be attached via CAT5 and placed up to 100 metres away. The Rio3224-D stage box offers 32 inputs, 16 outputs and four AES3 outputs. The Rio1608-D offers 16 inputs and eight outputs.
Stereo recording is facilitated via USB and the DANTE protocol enables multi-track recording. Yamaha’s Mini-YGDAI option cards provide AES3, ADAT, CobraNet, EtherSound, MADI, Riedel Rocknet, Optocore and Waves interfacing. Offline editing and live control are accommodated via the CL Editor software for PC or Mac and the StageMix iPad app allows wireless control of main console parameters via WIFI.