a really big audio boulder if you aren’ t careful.
The same sort of analogy works here for other brands, of course. Yamaha and Midas and others offer this sort of‘ walk up the line’ approach. But keep in mind that some brands tend to lean to one end of the pricing spectrum or the other a bit— just as you won’ t see a budget Ferrari or a crazy expensive $ 500,000 Mitsubishi. Notice I said‘ lean’ and‘ a bit’, though. Again, just as with some car lines( like Toyota), there are console brands that span a wider range from entry-level to touring-grade.
A PURPOSE-BUILT RACER OR AN SUV? Once you’ ve somewhat narrowed down the brand selection based on an approximate price range, the next question to ask is what you’ ll be doing with your vehicle. Will you need to pack the camp supplies and tote along the dog and three kids? Then a compact hot hatchback is probably not the best choice. You may be in the market for a larger SUV. In console terms, this means that you’ ll want something that is networkable( to add more inputs and tap into other systems) and something that offers a higher channel count overall and perhaps something that can cover front of house and connection to a monitor console and broadcast, etc. At this level we do have some options in the‘ compact car’ price range( like Qu and SQ), but you’ d likely start to look more at the mid-tier Avantis range.
This is also the point in which a‘ pro’ rig from A & H( dLive), DiGiCo, SSL, etc. comes into play for some. Just as with cars, the‘ pro’ monicker is a bit of a misnomer. A‘ pro’ racing pedigree S-Class Mercedes is just as likely to be driven by the investment banker and the racetrack hobbyist and the‘ pro’ in the local race circuit. Similarly, many more dLive rigs are deployed into houses of worship than in international touring acts. The‘ pro’ descriptor here is much less about the actual person driving the console and much more related to the sorts of mixing duties the gear could tackle if it had to. I’ m not sure about what a‘ pro’ SUV would be( maybe a Mercedes G-Class?), so the analogies and metaphors don’ t always track in every case.
Back to the SUV point, I’ d just add that it is important to list out all of the ways in which you might someday use the console. What might I eventually need the console to do? One benefit of paying the extra money up front for a DiGiCo or a dLive comes in the flexibility of tossing Fido in the backseat and strapping a surfboard to the roof for that one annual trip to the beach for the summer camping trek. Put another way, the Easter service is going to be much easier when you have 30-40 extra inputs available on the console vs. trying to tack together a few smaller channel count consoles, etc. Not impossible to do with the compact car, but someone might end up getting a little uncomfortable on the drive. Opt for the SUV if you think you’ ll need to grow the family at some point down the road.
DRIVING IT HOME. My last point here in the car and console connection is around service level. You won’ t have much luck finding a replacement Bugatti
part in the middle of nowhere out on Route 66. As you get into more niche and small-scale console players, be very careful with how you approach service. Make sure you research the local support network and the expected availability of parts and repair services. On the other hand, you can find a mechanic and a parts store in just about every town with something for your Ford F-Series. Check with your audio engineer friends and the audio forums to see what sort of durability and support levels folks are seeing with any gear that you intend to purchase for the church. What is the service level experience for brand / model X consoles?
Does the car / console connection help clarify some basic concepts for you? I hope it was helpful. Now get out and kick some tires and put the audio pedal to the metal— happy mixing!
Jeff Hawley A 20-year music industry veteran— equally at ease behind the console, playing bass guitar, leading marketing teams or designing award-winning audio products. He currently heads up the marketing for Allen & Heath in the US.
108 June 2025 Subscribe for Free...