[SML] Soundcraft Si Perfomer 3: any users? Thoughts?

[Andy Lang]

On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 12:05 AM, Jon Ares via Stagecraft
<stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>
>[An AV vendor] tucked a pitch in the bid that
> sounds like someone's marketing brochure:
>
> "The Soundcraft Performer has SHOT into the forefront of high
> performance low cost Touring Grade Digital Mixing consoles. For your
> purposes, the Performer 3 32 input console has taken over on Broadway
> and in Theatrical sound to the point that it HAS to be considered the
> go to console. "
>
> Really? Taken over on Broadway? The go-to console?

This vendor is, to use a technical term, Making Shit Up™.

I have no idea what his qualifications are for speaking as to what's
being used on Broadway, but mine are that, well, I'm a Broadway sound
engineer. I'm a proud member of Local One, and spent a number of years
as the digital systems specialist for the leading Broadway sound
provider, before moving to my current day gig as a support specialist
for Figure 53, the makers of QLab and the Tixato box office system.
Nights, I work on various shows, including the recently closed Pippin,
where I spent the last 10+ months as the vacation/whatever else cover
for the audio team there.

Frankly, at 32 inputs, that wouldn't cover many Broadway casts, before
you got to the band. It certainly wouldn't cover most bands. And
that's before we get to any playback channels!

The Si line doesn't have remotely the i/o count, EQ flexibility, or
build quality to even be laughed off of a Broadway bid. The Vi6 could,
and has, been used on a smaller show, but is more suited for
off-Broadway, due to it's limited i/o configurations. I've actually
designed and mixed on it on a couple off-Broadway shows, and I love
it. I'd equally consider a Vi1 for any show it fit comfortably on.

The only cousin in that family that could be considered remotely a "go
to" on Broadway is the Studer Vista 5, but that's still pretty
esoteric. Dan Moses Schreier and Ken Travis use them quite frequently,
and Acme used it in 2013 for Shakespeare in the Park (I can't speak to
2014). As others have noted, DiGiCo is far and away the standard "go
to", with the occasional long-in-the-tooth Yamaha PM1D or PM5D (again,
on smaller i/o count shows), and now the infrequent CL5 (again, see
limited i/o count).

This vendor is blowing smoke up your ass, and I'd strongly encourage
finding somebody who actually knows what he's talking about, and isn't
just trying to sell you what he gets the best price on.

That's not to say the Si wouldn't be a great console for you. It
shares enough blood with the Vi and Studers that I'd give it
consideration if the Vi1 didn't fit my budget, but not without
spending some hands on time using and listening to it. I just am very
strongly offended by this putz trying to claim that a piece of gear
that has never, ever in its life touched a Broadway rehearsal room,
let alone an actual stage, is a "go to".

FWIW,
Andy