The end of analog.

[Paulabass]

Having used analog consoles for many years before the digital revolution, moving to digital was mostly about finding a workflow I liked. Without the underlying knowledge of routing, signal flow and effects, I can imagine it can be daunting for noobs.
I have “more” in my X32R than my entire analog system with its hunk of outboard rack gear, that I can recall instantly for a specific venue/band.
I really don’t miss analog.. and you should have no trouble migrating to digital having mastered the basics on analog!

A solid base in using analog boards is a great help. Any digital board can be a bit daunting if you don't understand routing and signal flow, which in analog was pretty straight forward. With just a bit of practice those same things become second nature quickly.

 

[lokikallas]

An analog board is still easier for me to mix from stage while playing bass with my left hand , otherwise I’ll use a tablet without issue.

 

[theduke1]

I’m still an analog guy we mix from the stage and I have everything at my fingertips without swiping.
Powered pa and monitors I’m into that. when I see a good analog mixer with onboard effects I’ll buy it as a backup
Yes I am old school, but newer is not always better
Duke

 

[Jeff Hughes]

But still, an analog board can last 20-30 years. How long will a digital board last?

 

[theduke1]

But still, an analog board can last 20-30 years. How long will a digital board last?

What he said!
Duke

 

[theduke1]

But still, an analog board can last 20-30 years. How long will a digital board last?

Like most new electronics it’s obsolete when you buy it!
Duke

But still, an analog board can last 20-30 years. How long will a digital board last?

 

[byacey]

Hmmm.... multiple problems here.
ALWAYS use a dual band external router mounted in line-of-sight ie- 15 feet up is good.
I have numerous ipad based mixers and I love them, but in a festival situation I always use a digital console. It is so much faster than analog. In selecting and buss- from input to auxes to L/R, I have instant command of that single signal chain. Looking at compressors is SO much easier that going to the FOH rack, and turning knobs labelled 1-10, with one tiny meter. I have cut back soundcheck time by at least half. If it's a band I've worked before, I can cut it down much further. Also, a band can give me a drive with all their effects and aux routing on it. Most of the bands I work with give me a drive with Behringer/Midas, DiGiCo, Venue, and Yamaha formats on them.

Unfortunately I wasn't involved in the setup; I arrived and was handed an Ipad, and to make matters worse, I don't speak Applese. As well, the stupid thing was password protected, so every time the screen timed out, I had to fumble around entering a password. In the performance, there were many cues for muting and un-muting various mics, as there was a large choir involved and a string orchestra.

It was a high stress situation to say the least; the whole time I was wishing I had a real console in front of me.

 

[fokof]

For live production in a festival setting mixing on the fly, ie. no sound checks, I prefer an analog board with knobs I can instantly access without wading through menus and sub menus.

One word : copy/paste

Not the same as a proper system with a digital console, but I helped out a friend once mixing an event on a tablet connected to a Soundcraft Ui 24R. The tablet kept dropping the connection even though I was only 10 feet away from the stage box, and the system had to be reset in the middle of the performance, multiple times. Never again. If I had a analog console with a real snake, all would have been well.

Sorry but a defective analog setup can be as Nightmarish as a Digital one.
The list of problems I encountered with analog board is endless......

 

[fokof]

But still, an analog board can last 20-30 years. How long will a digital board last?

I still mix regularly on PM1D , DM2000 and M7CL
(2001 , 2002 , 2005)

PM1D and DM2000 are good sounding console even by today's standard , still used in broadcast recording today around here.
(DM1000 too)

 

[Bassndrums73]

Yes but when that Tascam equipment finally dies or needs repaired you can’t even get parts anymore to fix it. At least not in my neighborhood.

 

[4Mal]

analog... good riddance. No problems on sound company gigs and no issues mixing from stage using an ipad.

Vast majority of issues I hear of are pilot error.

1. Pilot couldn't be bothered to actually learn the gear prior to live. Made that error myself. First gig with a Presonus 16.4.2. Thought I knew what I was doing... nope... went back to analog for a months worth of gigs and then brought the 16.4.2 back out and never looked back. Haven't made that particular mistake again with the subsequent 4 or so newer generation digital boards I have owned.

2. Pilot thought that mixing on a digital board is easy. It is... if the pilot already knows how to mix. If the pilot doesn't that is a whole nuther kettle of fish.

I used to see comments in the FB UI-24r forums complaint that the documentations and videos didn't teach how to mix... instead they taught how features like VCA's or routing or patching are used/handled... If the pilot didn't know what a VCA was, they didn't find the video useful. So they complained... Sorry Mr Pilot, you gotta pay to play. Learn your craft 'cause just buying that fancy mixer isn't going to get you home safe... True for Analog or Digital. I just hear it more about Digital as nobody in their right mind would invest in analog beyond a simple low channel count analog.

I do own a few of those low channel count analog boards. Love 'em for weddings, conference breakout rooms, other talking head gigs or low tech rentals.

 

[byacey]

One word : copy/paste



Sorry but a defective analog setup can be as Nightmarish as a Digital one.
The list of problems I encountered with analog board is endless......

I'm not sure how copy / paste helps me when I need to quickly adjust a number of input trims on various channels when an act comes up on stage cold, with no sound check. If a digital board has a reasonable control surface with the important stuff readily at hand, that's fine. But trying to dial in 16 or more channels on the fly on a tablet gui, no thanks.

I don't worry about analog problems too much. With my electronics background I can always sort out any technical issues very quickly.

 

[thumbknuckle]

My FOH position looked like this ca. 2008:

That is, of course, in addition to the mixer itself. Big, unwieldy, heavy rack. Big heavy snake that had to be manually plugged in every time I set up. Insert cables for the outboard comps and gates and stuff. The six auxes on the console gave me four monitor mixes, a verb and a delay.

This is my FOH position now:

As many as 10 monitor mixes, more if I borrow an expander for the stage box. As many verbs and delays and whatever as I want. Anything I could possibly want in terms of channel or bus processing. A bunch of sub groups and VCA's and matrix mixes.

All fits in one little case. One ethercon connector and I'm wired to the stage.

Subjectively sounds great to my ear. I can get stuff sounding the way I want really, really fast. Objectively cleaner and quieter than even a fancy analog rig.

I think you would have to be crazy to go back to an analog console in this day and age.

 

[C Stone]

I knew a lot earlier: About 15 years ago, back when there were still those 'Bargain Shopper' little newspapers with all the classified ads, here in the Nashville area I saw an ad in one of those for a 48-track SSL board and 2 Studer 2" decks for 10 grand, local pickup only (!). That's when ADAT's were going crazy, and it just went from there. . . . to now. If there's any out there now, I wonder if they're 'free to a good home . . . . .'

I must admit I often feel like a propeller salesman in the early 60's watching all those new Boeing 707's in the pattern at the airport. It often feels like the world I knew is gone.

I used an SSL console with 2" (and adat) up until about twenty years ago I feel on the days gone by thing. The sudio sold the console for $5000 to one of the artists and the last adat I grabbed was $35 I do still have four of them (blackface). Time fly's...

 

[JohnMCA72]

... Learn your craft 'cause just buying that fancy mixer isn't going to get you home safe...

Above applies to so much!!!

 

[micguy]

Nobody ever thought vinyl would come back but lots of LP's being pressed nowadays.

Vinyl has enjoyed a small renaissance, but compared to where it once was, it's a small, niche market.

 

[DirtDog]

I'm continually amazed at the going price of A&H and Soundcraft boards when they pop up in the local classifieds. But honestly you'd have to pay me to take one at this point. The space and weight savings alone would be enough, but there are so many other advantages to boot.

Yeah, no kidding. The classified sellers think this stuff is still worth it’s weight in gold. Even first and second gen digital stuff is not worth what it once was. While analog has had the staying power (and weight, and limitations), I’m thinking we’ll see most of this digital stuff as way more disposable. Hell, my first gen Presonus SL16.4.2 is pretty much obsolete (and still heavy as a battleship in comparison to current stuff).

 

[Pings Bass]

Yeah, no kidding. The classified sellers think this stuff is still worth it’s weight in gold. Even first and second gen digital stuff is not worth what it once was. While analog has had the staying power (and weight, and limitations), I’m thinking we’ll see most of this digital stuff as way more disposable. Hell, my first gen Presonus SL16.4.2 is pretty much obsolete (and still heavy as a battleship in comparison to current stuff).

the only advantage to analog is that untrained people can jump on them and start twisting nobs pretending they know how to mix

ok that's actually a disadvantage

 

[fokof]

I'm not sure how copy / paste helps me when I need to quickly adjust a number of input trims on various channels when an act comes up on stage cold, with no sound check.

Stage cold , no sound check ?

Digital board:
On vocal #1 : make gain /compressor /basic EQ / Send to vx RVB/ Send to group / DCA assign , copy/paste to the other the 7 other vocal = 1 minute
Then tweak to liking

Analogue Board :
On vocal one : make gain /compressor .... oh no , got to get to the back of the console , plug the send , plug the return , oh no , the last guy who used it didn't Normalize the stuff , %$$@?#&&, oh no , the compressor doesn't work , must be that insert , is it the send or the return , and I should plug the Graphic EQ too while at it , hoping that all these cables/bundles are working fine !!!
Always on that same channel , do the basic EQ / Send to vx RVB/ Send to group/ DCA , copy/paste to the other 7 other vocal , oh no , wait , I can't do that , I'm on an analogue console , I must do it on all the channel.

And pray that you don't need a gate or de-esser on that Vocal #1

 

[jon mccumber]

I'm not sure how copy / paste helps me when I need to quickly adjust a number of input trims on various channels when an act comes up on stage cold, with no sound check. If a digital board has a reasonable control surface with the important stuff readily at hand, that's fine. But trying to dial in 16 or more channels on the fly on a tablet gui, no thanks.

I don't worry about analog problems too much. With my electronics background I can always sort out any technical issues very quickly.

I mixed a virtual festival last weekend. 6 bands in 6 hours. Shared backline. 45 minute sets. That leaves 15 minutes to clear the stage and set the next band. Without a tablet in my hand while adjusting mics and setting di boxes while dialing in gain settings and monitor mixes, I never could have pulled it off. No stage plots. Bands arrived 10 minutes before changeover due to covid rules. Everything from rock bands to hip hop to cello/vocalist to a ragtime jazz band complete with trombone and sousaphone.