Over the past decade, we’ve seen the proliferation of digital consoles in both live and recorded sound. This is not to say that analog consoles are going away at all, so it’s prudent for church sound personnel to be familiar with both sides of the playing field. The vast majority of today’s digital consoles are well laid out and easy to use, but still, some users prefer an analog workflow and layout.

Taking a cursory look at two 32-channel consoles below - Yamaha 01V96V2 digital (with expansion card) and Allen & Heath GL2800 analog - and we notice some immediate differences. Obviously the 01V96V2 is more compact, even though both have the same channel count.

This is due to its layering capabilities. Through the technology of layer pagination, the user can “toggle” through multiple inputs, and while these “virtual” layers are not quite as immediately accessible as the physical channel strips, it only takes a press of one button to arrive at the right channel to make an adjustment.

The result is that digital consoles can provide the same and/or more channels in a much smaller footprint than analog consoles.

On the other hand, the most common complaint I hear about digital consoles is the lack of individual physical control for each function. With an analog console, every function is physically present and readily apparent to the user.

Allen & Heath 32-channel GL2800 analog console.

Yamaha 01V96V2 32-channel (with expander card) digital console.

Along those lines, another noticeable difference is the distinct lack of the traditional channel strip on digital models. Rather, as you can see, each channel on the 01V96V2 has a single fader, a broadcast style on/off button, solo button, a multi-use rotary encoder, and a select button. The rotary encoder itself is a space saver, as it takes that place of the pan pot, the entire aux/send section, and allows the user access to the input/output assignment menu.

The real power of this digital mixer is found in the select button. Once any channel is selected, you can access a full complement of digital effects, as well as complex routing options including four-band parametric EQ, gate, compressor, phase, delay, and stereo/surround panning.

On the analog model, these features take up much more space on the work surface, in addition to the fact that some of them are not available.

As an added bonus for those having suffered at the hands of intermittent physical connections between outboard gear during a show, there’s no greater comfort than knowing the digital dynamics processing is safe within the console.

Truly one of the most compelling features of digital consoles are presets with recall capability. The 01V96V2, for example, offers dozens of “scenes” that can be stored for instant recall, as well as matching I/O libraries which allow the user to recall custom routing and settings throughout a show.

This functionality makes transitions from song to song a breeze, because with recallable levels, effects, and routing, down time is practically nonexistent. Another benefit of digital presets is the ability to have a basic mix saved and ready for recall, which can offer a great starting point for soundcheck and shows.

Of course, experienced users should have little trouble setting up a mix on an analog console in fairly short order, but the ability to be up and running almost instantly, along with the possibility of nearly seamless transitions, is a big plus for digital.

One more notable difference is the seemingly infinite patching capability of digital boards. With typical analog designs, for example, each channel strip has a dedicated input, which correlates to a dedicated input gain - everything in it’s place and a place for everything. Output routing is the same, a 1:1 ratio.

On the other hand, the physical inputs of the 01V96V2 can be re-assigned to different input channels. (However, note that this can lead to a visual disconnect between input gain and channel strip if one isn’t cautious.) Output routing can be equally flexible yet complex; a single output channel can be duplicated to every single available physical output if the user so desires.

For beginning sound operators, it’s often easier to learn an analog console, which more closely mirrors the basics of signal flow.

And again, there’s the physical aspect, with all controls intuitively accessible, easy to grab and set. This especially holds true for environments like churches, where volunteer help is common and the ability to walk in and mix with little training is key.

Yet whether it’s a matter of size, form factor, routing, onboard effects instantaneous recall, or some/all of the above, digital consoles have more than enough compelling features and advantages. Also note that there are a number of hybrid analog/digital options.

While price differences between the two formats is something each user should investigate, a general statement can be made that they’re fairly even when comparing “like” models in terms of channel counts, features and so on. (A big upside to digital is that significant upgrades such as a new software version can dramatically enhance the functionality of a current unit, and this is often provided free or at a low cost by the manufacturer.)

And as always, the standard rule of “you get what you pay for” applies. Which leads us to reliability. At the outset, digital was a bit lacking in this regard, but now, both formats are comparable, which is to say, both are very good. The bottom line: whether it’s analog or digital, it must be a quality product from a reputable manufacturer, or lack of reliability can be the unfortunate result.

I leave you with the words of long-time sound engineer Dave Natale: “I’ll sacrifice quality, flash factor and everything else for reliability.”

Kyle P. Snyder is an audio engineer with innumerable credits in the public and private sector, writing about audio engineering, recording technology, and a multitude of other tropics for ProSoundWeb.