Digital board advice

[Tx75022]

I am trying to find a digital board w/ memory settings that can be recalled via a memory card of some kind.
Our fellowship center is very multipurpose and has lots of different people w/ very broad levels of sound understanding running the board. Most times one organization will use the board, change settings and then the next organization will come in and not know why nothing is working. They have an understanding of “I press the mute button to turn and off and I slide this little thing up and down to make it get loud and soft.”
Training is pretty much out of the equation since it is “you were here first, go run the board” thing for each group. There is never a consistent person and they did not want that. So…
I would like to find a board (around a 40 channel footprint) where I can go in and set it up for each group and then give each group’s leader some sort of memory card that has their settings. That why they can go, pop in their card and recall the board to the particular settings for their organization no matter how the board was left.

Make sense?

[cmchamp]

All I can say is good luck finding one within reason. What do you do if they loose their card?
Since I gathered this is for the church's facility, then I would get approval from your leadership/elders/pastor to provide training. Those 'organizations' that come to the training get to utilize the equipment. If they don't come to the training, do gear. Would you run a NASCAR™ race that way? There are many other things that come into play here, such as SPL exposure levels, etc.
The least expensive digital board with pre-sets coming in a 48 channel framesize would be a Mackie TT24 with 3 Onyx800R (or similar) pre-amps. You're looking at $12k list price, or around 9 k street price. The other option with this board would be 2 TT24's linked together for 48 mic/line ins, 16 line ins. You're then looking at 16k list and 12k street.
All digital boards have scene or snapshot storage function. These can be locked so each group has a base point to start from. Another option would be to have each group use a laptop with their saved settings as I'd be surprised a sub 20k console would have 40+ mic channels for 1, and a flash card option (2).
Additionall - So... since they don't want consistancy, then how dow they provide quality from week to week? If these are Christ centered groups, how do they assure they are providing their best for His service?
I find it quite distressing that 1) they would not request training, and 2) the church leadership would not require it for the use of their facilities.
C.

Doh!
Ok, I'll do it over again.
Simply stated - good luck finding something with flash ram access under $20k.
My best suggestion would be to find the digital console of choice, and use scenes or snapshots locked as starting points for each group.
The least expensive option, IMHO would be the Mackie TT24 with 3 Onyx800R's - list 12K, street 9k. 48 channels, 8 line and away you go.
I do find it odd that these organizations that 'use' your facilites don't want traing, and it apprently isn't a desire of the church leadership to 'require' that for the use of their facilities. They may sing a different tune after slapping down 10k for a digital console.
You wouldn't assign NASCAR™ drivers on a first come-first serve tickeholder basis, would you?
C.

[Tx75022]

I would agree with you, but I cannot get training as a requirement and most will not accept it as an option because they feel they do not need it. I am not real happy w/ the money they we are going to be spending on this board wither since none of the equipment is taken care of now. (i.e. the entire system stays on 24/7 and must channels are left un muted so if a small group wants to use the room they do not have to have anyone on the board they just plug a mic in and start talking. Just ignore the loud pop.) I am not happy w/ the situation but I have been overridden so I have to just live with it and keep repairing the damages.
Last word I got was we will be looking around the 20k range.

[Arlin]

From what I have seen and heard, Cory is giving good advise suggesting the tt24. I have not experience with it or any other digital board, but it looks like the most user friendly and affordable (under $30k) digital board out there.

BUT
THERE WILL STILL BE A TRAINING ISSUE. The tt24 does not store presets directly to a disk or memory card (it may be possible with the PC Link), but it can stor presets internally (up to 99 i think).
So users will still need to know how to load, switch, and manage the stored presets.

[sheldon]

Originally Posted by Arlin

From what I have seen and heard, Cory is giving good advise suggesting the tt24. I have not experience with it or any other digital board, but it looks like the most user friendly and affordable (under $30k) digital board out there.

BUT
THERE WILL STILL BE A TRAINING ISSUE. The tt24 does not store presets directly to a disk or memory card (it may be possible with the PC Link), but it can stor presets internally (up to 99 i think).
So users will still need to know how to load, switch, and manage the stored presets.

We rented a TT24 last Christmas so we could use the memory or "Snapshot" function for our Cantata. It is VERY easy to recall saved snapshots. You press the Snap button and scroll down the menu to the one you want and select it. All the faders instantly move to the saved settings.

Part of the reason of renting the TT24 was to make sure this was the unit we wanted. It did everything we needed and more. We hope to install ours before summer.

Remember what Mackie says about the TT24, it was designed for the analog user. And the really mean it! In its basic form, just about anyone can step up and mix sound once set up. It takes some getting use to the EQ's and then some more time to learn the advanced functions.

Cory cannot toot his own horn here, but I can toot it for him Give him a call or PM him for details and pricing.

[cmchamp]

And let me chime in here. Though it was reviewed positively in Church Production Magazine this month, it does have issues. I've had to send 1/2 (3/6) back because they failed my QC testing or had quirks that the Mackie Guru's hadn't heard of before. I personally test every digital device that goes through my shop. Additionally, they are not manufactured in China, but Malaysia (I believe - I'll have to check the stock box).
C.

Thanks for the flowers Sheldon

[Gord]

You may want to check out the Yamaha M7CL 48 faders on the deck you can lock out settings with a password or usb key. We are probably going to be getting one for our new sancuary. You can see if it is what you want on thier website

[Gracetech]

Yamaha would be my suggestion. I have played with the Mackie TT24 and that's about all i want to do with it IMHO. Yamaha has 5 consoles that will do 40 cannels and up but i will only recomend 3 for your desired use. They are as follows.

DM1000 (cute but powerful)$5,000 range

capable of 48 channels with full processing on each ch.
8 auxes
8 group busses
and Main stereo mix
plus 4 effects engines
and all of this at 24bit/96khz if you want
computer control and recall

M7CL (Faders, Taders everywhere)$20,000&$25,000 range(or so i'm told)

comes in two flavors 32 or 48 with 4 stereo ins
16 auxes
8 groups(DCAs) plus 8 matrixes
and LCR out on master(i like this feature)
and again lots of processing and 24/96khz
this has recallable mic pre's
usb memory sticks to hold user settings
and user lock out features
computer control and recall

DM2000(big hause)$20,000 range

capable of 96ch's
12 auxes
8 groups and 8 matrixes
LR mains out
and again lots of processing and 24/96khz acctually twice that of the forementioned.
computer control and recall
lock outs


I would have to say that the M7CL sounds like the perfect fit for you but it's your choice.