[SML] Upgrading audio mixer

[Stephen Litterst]

On 4/2/15 6:24 PM, Bill Nelson via Stagecraft wrote:
> Our local theatre is finally willing to spend a bit of money to get a decent
> audio mixer - the current one was designed for studio use, not in a theatre,
> and is a pain to use.
>
> The theatre has 10 wireless mikes and is unlikely to get any more. Sometimes
> we have a few musical instruments for musicals. We keep two CD players plugged
> in. Budget appears to be in the $2500 - $3000 range.

I'm a big advocate for the Soundcraft Expression line.  In that price 
range you can get the Expression 2 (22 faders, 24 preamps), or the 3 (30 
faders, 32 preamps,).  The Expression line all has 4 internal Lexicon FX 
processors, and a 28-band GEQ on *every* output bus.

We have since installed two of them in venues with a heavy student crew 
use.  I chose it because it's a digital console that operates like an 
analog desk -- the Eq knobs are always EQ, the compressor/gate knobs are 
always compressor/gate.  Things don't move around based on what layer or 
setting you're on.

The only downside I've found to the Expression line is the lack of LCD 
scribble strips.  But that's easily worked around with console tape. 
You can label channels in the ViSi app well enough.

For your use, I'd suggest the Expression 2 (around $2250), with the 
Dante expansion card, which opens up a huge realm of digital snakes, or 
computer inputs.

Steve L.


-- 
Stephen Litterst            Technical Operations Supervisor
litterst at udel.edu           Mitchell Hall
302/831-0601                University of Delaware