Thursday, April 9, 2009

Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles

Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles

The Yamaha LS9-16 and LS9-32 are Yamaha’s newest addition to their digital console line. Both consoles boast incredible features that are truly unsurpassed by any other consoles in their class. If your organization is looking for a cost-efficient high performance console, look no further!

Many of our clients here at JSS are looking for systems that they can invest in. In other words, they want a solution that is “future-proof.” Yamaha’s LS9 offers expansion slots to allow for more channels to be added if the need arises after the console has been chosen. Also, kiss your nasty external effects racks and all of those crazy cable messes goodbye. The LS9 is loaded with award winning reverbs, delays, compressors, EQ’s… you name it!

Another thing has proven to be quite appealing to JSS clients is how quick and intuitive the LS9 work surface is. The first step to purchasing a digital console is getting past the fear of learning how to use it. Let me be the first to assure you that this is as easy a console as any to learn how to use and even easier to operate. I would argue that the LS9 is the best entry-level digital console. Check out our website for a video that will help you understand the workflow of the Yamaha LS9.

In addition to having an amazing feature set, the sound and quality of the Yamaha LS9 really takes the competition by storm. Whether you are speaking of the Mackie TT-24 or TT-32, or even the Roland RSS V-Mixing System, the Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles simply is the step above. Yamaha has been dedicated to the engineering of digital consoles for many more years than the other manufacturers. If you want a pro sound and a tour quality console for a price that won’t break the bank, check out either the LS9-32 or the LS9-16.

If you do have any questions that I haven’t answered in this blog, please feel free to contact me at anytime and I will be happy to help. Thanks for reading!

Forrest Colegrove
615.663.4481
JSS.net

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Mixing Live With Yamaha Digital Mixers

As a professional audio engineer and sound mixer I have the opportunity to mix on a number of different mixers, in many configurations, from many different manufacturers both analog and digital. With that experience I am able to confidently determine which mixer is right for a clients particular needs.
I was one of the first to take the leap and embrace Yamaha’s PM1D, Yamaha’s flagship digital mixing system early in 2000. It still remains today the benchmark for high profile live production events such as the Grammy’s and the Super Bowl due to its reliability and it’s ability to meet demanding production requirements. Nearly 10 years later in 2008 I tracked Keith Urban’s Live DVD - Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing Tour utilizing a digital split direct from the PM1Ds I/O, 96 channels of Lightpipe to Pro-Tools. The sounds were clean, big and I’m proud to say there were no over dubs on the recording. What you hear on the DVD is all-live.
Recording from digital mixers straight to your hard disk recording system is nothing new. I began interfacing the PM1D with Pro-Tools, Nuendo, and Tascam machines starting the first year I took possession of it. Digidesign has done a brilliant job marketing the fact that their consoles interface with Pro-Tools, and they do, but it is certainly not a new feature. The advantage I’ve found with Yamaha digital mixers is that it’s easy to interface with a number of different hard disk systems, including but not limited to Pro-Tools.
The PM1D has been and continues to be an outstanding digital mixer and system but it can also be way more mixer than what the majority of productions may require. Introduce the Yamaha PM5D and PM5D-RH Digital Mixing System; similar in most ways to its big brother the PM1D, it is a powerful, leaner version of it. Input and output channel counts and DCAs are trimmed down as is its footprint - meaning less investment, less to rent, less to transport, less to set up and much happier business managers.
The PM5D and the PM5D-RH with recallable head amps being my version of choice, is a very efficient and robust mixing system. With 48 mono inputs, 4 stereo inputs, 24 Mix outputs, 12 Matrix outputs, expandable to 96 & 8 In, as well as doubling just about everything else using the Yamaha DSP5D the Yamaha PM5D-RH meets most production requirements and budgets.
When interfaced with a recording system, flip the console into ‘Virtual Sound Check’ and you can get a jump on what the band will sounds like in the room. Allowing the engineer to ‘tweak’ the mix for the room using actual inputs from say the night before. I recently tracked Amy Grant’s Lead Me On Anniversary Tour using the PM5D-RH. We were able to flip the mixer into ‘Virtual Sound Check’ and we would punch-in and overdub parts from the previous nights performance. A very powerful tool that literally slashes the cost of producing a live recording and making it much more practical for any band or artist to capture what they’re doing in their live performance. Again, with the cost so affordable it’s quite practical even if for archiving purposes.
With dynamics available on every channel, award winning reverbs and effects, and on board ‘plug-ins,’ there are plenty of sweetening tools right at your fingertips to get the mix results I expect from my mixer. If your production is looking for the right tool for the job, there’s a good chance the PM5D-RH might be the right digital mixer for your production or facility and your budget. Call us today to find out!

Jason Spence – Audio Engineer/Owner of JSS
(615) 534-1190
JSS.net

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles

Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles

The Yamaha LS9-16 and LS9-32 are Yamaha’s newest addition to their digital console line. Both consoles boast incredible features that are truly unsurpassed by any other consoles in their class. If your organization is looking for a cost-efficient high performance console, look no further!

Many of our clients here at JSS are looking for systems that they can invest in. In other words, they want a solution that is “future-proof.” Yamaha’s LS9 offers expansion slots to allow for more channels to be added if the need arises after the console has been chosen. Also, kiss your nasty external effects racks and all of those crazy cable messes goodbye. The LS9 is loaded with award winning reverbs, delays, compressors, EQ’s… you name it!

Another thing has proven to be quite appealing to JSS clients is how quick and intuitive the LS9 work surface is. The first step to purchasing a digital console is getting past the fear of learning how to use it. Let me be the first to assure you that this is as easy a console as any to learn how to use and even easier to operate. I would argue that the LS9 is the best entry-level digital console. Check out our website for a video that will help you understand the workflow of the Yamaha LS9.

In addition to having an amazing feature set, the sound and quality of the Yamaha LS9 really takes the competition by storm. Whether you are speaking of the Mackie TT-24 or TT-32, or even the Roland RSS V-Mixing System, the Yamaha LS9 Digital Mixing Consoles simply is the step above. Yamaha has been dedicated to the engineering of digital consoles for many more years than the other manufacturers. If you want a pro sound and a tour quality console for a price that won’t break the bank, check out either the LS9-32 or the LS9-16.

If you do have any questions that I haven’t answered in this blog, please feel free to contact me at anytime and I will be happy to help. Thanks for reading!

Forrest Colegrove
615.663.4481
JSS.net

Yamaha M7CL Digital Mixing Console

Yamaha M7CL Digital Mixing Console

Yamaha’s M7CL Digital Console is a very unique console in that it covers many different needs. At JSS, we stand behind the M7CL because we can incorporate it in touring systems, live recording systems, and live audio systems for churches and schools. For our larger touring clients we even use the M7CL as a monitor console. Overall, the M7CL is one of the most versatile digital consoles on the market.

The M7CL comes in two frame sizes, 32 and 48, properly named M7CL-32 and M7CL-48. In most cases we have more interest in the M7CL-48 because our 32 channel clients tend to choose the LS9-32. Understandably, if you do not need more than 32 channels of audio it would be unnecessary to move into the M7CL-32, however, the M7CL offers more processing power for AUX Sends and Effects as well as more outputs and an additional expansion card slot.

One of the biggest attractions that is unique to the M7CL is the Centralogic control interface. This interface allows for any grouping of 8 channels to be displayed on the touch screen for editing at one time. Of course this includes inputs, outputs, AUX Sends, effects, etc. You can also select one channel at a time to view every item in that channels path. I find that the Centralogic interface makes M7CL the fastest large format digital mixing console on the market.

Another feature that makes the M7CL unique is that it is a single layer console. This means that, as the user, you can see every input on the console at one time and the faders are right at your fingertips. In order to edit, you must select a channel or a group of channels. Some people may see this as a downfall, but this allows you to focus on mixing and not editing your sound.

All in all, the M7CL is a fantastic addition to any professional audio system. As I said before, the M7CL can be found in a church or out on tour with some of the biggest names in the industry. If you have any additional questions regarding the Yamaha M7CL please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks for your time!

Forrest Colegrove
615.663.4481
JSS.net