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Compact Digital Audio Mixers With the introduction of relatively low-cost compact digital audio consoles, even the smallest audio post facilities are now able to buy suitable digital mixers to replace their older analogue units. The main benefits are the speed of reconfiguration made possible by the snapshot recall facilities, the compact size and the built-in signal processing facilities shared by all these models. Yamaha were the first company to introduce affordable compact digital audio mixers and currently offer three models - the ProMix 01V, the 02R and the 03D. The ProMix 01V is suitable for smaller installations - for instance to provide highquality mixing and monitoring facilities for a non-linear video editor. The 03D can be used to record up to eight tracks with Alesis ADAT or Tascam DA-88 recorders or DAWs such as Pro Tools - to suit smaller audio-for-video post-production studios. The 8-bus 02R rivals the capabilities of much larger consoles with its ability to accept up to 32 tape returns and can be linked with an 03D or another 02R to suit larger post-production or project studios. A major advantage of the Yamaha mixers is that they have been available for some time and are proven products in the marketplace. Just available or about to be launched are three competitors for Yamaha. The largest, rivalling the 02R as far as inputs and features are concerned, is the Tascam TM-D8000 which comes from a company with plenty of expertise in audio and post-production which is reflected in the ergonomic design and construction quality - with plenty of dedicated controls for engineers to get their hands on. Unlike the Yamaha mixers, the Tascam has dedicated remote transport controls for audio and video recorders along with GPI triggers to control other studio equipment. It doesn't have built-in reverb and effects processors or motorized faders, though, and it doesn't have full onboard automation - offering external software automation from your PC instead. The Panasonic/Ramsa DA7 sits somewhere between the 03D and the 02R in features, and promises excellent sound quality via its 24-bit converters - although this also lacks the built-in effects processors of the Yamaha models. For me, the one to watch is the forthcoming Mackie Digital 8-bus model. This is laid out far more like a conventional console than the Yamaha models, and packs in all the features Yamaha left out or implemented as afterthoughts - such as dedicated Midi Machine Control, more mic inputs, a hard drive to record automation data, connections for computer monitor and mouse, and slots for third-party effects cards. Looking at these consoles in a little more detail, let's start with the Yamaha ProMix 01V. This features 20-bit A/D converters and has twentyfour inputs, fourteen outputs and balanced XLRs with 48 volt phantom powering for microphones on input channels 1 - 12. Internal processing is 32-bit with 44-bit digital EQ and one I/O slot is is provided for digital interfacing with 8-track digital multitrack recorders. Eight assignable digital outputs are available using optional I/O cards for TASCAM, ADAT or AES/EBU. Next up, the Yamaha 03D 4-bus mixer has a total of 26 inputs and 18 outputs with 20-bit A/Ds and D/As. The sixteen analogue inputs all accept line level signals with
the first eight also accepting microphone sources. Individual phantom power is available on inputs 1 - 8 and channels 1 and 2 have inserts for connecting external dynamics processors. Other audio connections include stereo inputs and outputs, four bus outputs, four aux sends, one stereo monitor output, a record output and a 2-track input. It has 60 mm motorized faders, fader and mute grouping, surround sound mixing, realtime automation, snapshot memories, Midi remote capabilities and can be linked to another 03D or to an 02R. Onboard controls or an optional mouse can be used to manipulate the parameters displayed on the 320 x 240 pixel backlit display. The 03D has a dynamics processor and parametric equalizer on every channel and two onboard digital effects processors offer 64 basic effects including reverb, delay, amp simulator and guitar preamp while another four aux sends are available for connecting external effects. You can add one 8-way digital I/O card for ADAT, TASCAM DA-88, AES/EBU, a Yamaha Cascade kit to connect to another 03D or to an 02R, or a Yamaha-format digital I/O card. Channels 17 - 24 on the 03D are fed from one of these cards - typically acting as 'tape' returns to monitor the audio recorded onto ADAT or DA88. Outputs to the card can be derived from any combination of buses, aux sends, direct outputs and stereo outputs so, although the 03D is technically a 4-bus console, simultaneous 8-track recording is achievable. An optional ESAM II interface is available for integration with video edit controllers and the provision of input delay settings of up to 200 milliseconds and bus output delay settings of up to 40 milliseconds can be useful to help solve picture sync problems. These features make the 03D ideal in a broadcast environment - in non-linear editing suites using equipment from Quantel, Avid, Lightworks and SGI or for a variety of audio applications within VTR, DVTR and Telecine suites. For dedicated audio post studios, the 03D's 'big brother', the 02R, is a much better choice with its 100 mm faders, 40-input, 8-bus configuration and four slots for digital I/O cards. Version 2 offers improved automation - new copy, move, timecode offset and capture functions plus offline editing - and the motorised faders are now touch-updatable. Routing flexibility has been improved - so stereo output and aux sends can now be sent to the digital I/O cards and busses can be routed to the analogue auxiliary outputs. The 02R even allows 16-bit recorders to record at 24-bit by using two tracks for each audio channel. Facilities houses involved in DVD production or Dolby Surround mixing can use the new surround panning capabilities to mix in 2+ 2, 3 + 1 or 5.1 formats and video editors can use the optional ESAM II interface to integrate the 02R with video edit controllers. Larger installations will also be interested in the Tascam TM-D8000 8-bus, 40-input, 24-track recording console with inline monitoring, six aux sends and surround mixing features for 2 + 2, LCRS and 5.1 formats. There are sixteen analogue mic/line inputs with individual phantom powering and channel insert points plus twentyfour digital monitor returns. Input channels 1-16 are switchable to TDIF-1 digital inputs for up to 40 digital monitor returns. The console also has EQ and dynamics on each channel plus four fader groups with dedicated group mastering faders and four cut groups with dedicated cut master switches. 100 snapshots of console settings can be stored and there are libraries for EQ and dynamics - each of which can store 100 settings.
The Ramsa DA7 is an 8-bus mixer with thirtytwo inputs and six aux sends/returns, twentyone 100 mm motorized faders, parametric EQ and dynamics processing on every channel, and snapshot recall of all settings. It is equipped to mix 5.1 channel surround and features 32-bit internal processing with 24-bit converters. Using the channel flip buttons the twenty faders do triple-duty as level controls for channels 1 - 16, 17 - 32 or Aux sends 1 - 6, Aux returns 1 - 6, and buses 1 - 8. A fourth flip layer gives you MIDI faders. The first eight mic/line inputs have XLR inputs with phantom power while the second eight have 1/4" stereo jacks - with inserts on every channel - and there are six aux send/return jacks. Three expansion card slots allow connection of ADAT, TASCAM or AES/EBU digital recorders while a fourth slot provides eight analogue inputs/outputs. Yet another slot lets you use the optional SMPTE and Video Sync input. The Mackie Digital 8•Bus features 20-bit A/D and 24-bit D/A and both 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound capabilities. It can be supplied with up to twentyfour tracks of analogue tape inputs/outputs, ADAT/TDIF digital inputs/outputs, plus a video sync card with word clock and RS422 for ESAM control. There are twelve mic/line inputs and twelve line inputs with twenty-four associated 100 mm faders and you get built-in EQ and dynamics processing on each channel with both snapshot and realtime automation. A particularly neat touch is the inclusion of speaker select and level controls for both large and small monitors. This mixer is just packed with well-thought-out features, such as online help and a removable media bay for backups, and has built-in reverb and delay - along with the IVL Vocal Mastering System. The market for such consoles has been growing steadily over the last year or so and now looks set to expand rapidly with the introduction of these new models. So - tough choices if you are looking to buy! Larger installations will probably choose between the Tascam with its excellent machine control facilities and the Yamaha 02R with its onboard processors and automation. Smaller facilities may decide to wait for the launch of the Ramsa while many will choose the 03D with its excellent onboard multi-effects processors and optional ESAM II interface - or even the tiny, but powerful, ProMix 01V. My money is on the Mackie 8-Bus which promises to combine the best set of features with the most ergonomic design to suit most applications. Mike Collins © 1998
