SOundboard Lifespan

[Jerrya]

Afternoon (or evening) everyone. Need some help. Out church is running a Crest X-eight soundboard, and we are trying to determine the averaqe lifespan of this soundboard. Does anyone know what it might be?

Thanks!

Oh, its manufactured date (we believe) is 2000, and up until a few months ago, was mobile. It is now in a permanent soundbooth.

[cmchamp]

I don't remember when Crest was purchased by Peavey, 2004 maybe?
Anyway, you should have a true Crest board there.
Lower quality boards such as those from Mackie, may see a quality life span of 10 years tops.
Mid quality boards such as the GL series from Allen & Heath can see 15 years or more. I have an Allen & Heath GL2 that was manufactured in 1992. Still in service.
Top Quality boards should see 15 to 20 years of service if they are maintained and kept covered when not in use.
C.

[pdc]

The Crest X Eight was not a real Crest console. It is the same console as the HP8 more or less.

When Hartley Peavey bought Crest, he told them the last remaining designers to come up with something cheaper, so they put in lower quality switches, pots, faders, etc. I know where a 56 CH console is right now for about $1k. Once they start to go, you want to get rid of it. They are a money pit. That HP and X-8 console is what sent the Crest guys over the edge. They left and started APB, and continue to support (on some level) the real crest consoles. I had a V12 and they took care of me a couple of times.

If a console is well maintained, and it's AC is well conditioned/regulated, I would say 5 to 7 years max. If you buy a Mackie, Allen&Heath, Soundcraft, etc...you might get 3 to 5 max out of them. Depends on the series.

The issues for Mackie has been parts. Loud is terrible about maintaining a parts and service chain. So, I would not ever sell a Mackie to a church, because I cannot be for sure that I can help them 5 years from now, where as Soundcraft, Yamaha and A&H are better at it.

Crest/Peavey still make that console and have parts. You should be good for a while. When they announce it is no longer current, sell it. That is what I would tell my own church.

The average church should not look to hold on to an analog console for too long. The time has come where the market has fallen out from underneath them. It is now possible to buy a mint GL3300/48 for $1200. People just see digital consoles as solution for their situations. But, all of these digital consoles use hardware and software with a short lifespan as well. Either way, churches will be buying consoles every decade or so.

[Frank DeWitt]

Originally Posted by pdc

Either way, churches will be buying consoles every decade or so.

I wish more consoles were modular. Upgrade the control surface this year. The CPU next year, maybe add a few more ch of preamp input. Much easer on the budget.

Frank

[Esoteric]

Interesting. I have a GL2 in mint condition in my rental inventory....

From 1994.

Not saying that is the rule, but I have several clients with mid 90s GLs that are still in perfect working order.

[Tim Padrick]

We have a mid-80s Peavey Mark VIII in storage. Almost everything still works, and most of what doesn't could be fixed very easily. Pretty good life, that.

[Ray A. Rayburn]

Originally Posted by pdc

Once they start to go, you want to get rid of it. They are a money pit.

I think that is a good general rule for consoles sold into the church market no matter what the price point. Many folk seem to think that a $10,000 console is "expensive", and it might be in the church market. Folk who want to learn what a top quality console is like should look at the Neve, Harrison, SSL and other true professional consoles in the $250,000 and (way) up price range. If you own such a console you probably have a service tech on staff, and repairing the console makes sense.

Originally Posted by pdc

If a console is well maintained, and it's AC is well conditioned/regulated, I would say 5 to 7 years max.

While there are individual examples of consoles that last longer, the range you mention should be the guidelines for church budgeting. In other words every church should put away in the bank at least 1/7 of the cost of their console each year so they will be able to afford to replace it when it starts to wear out.