Mono (center) output
With many speaker systems having a center cluster as well as left and right, a mono output is almost mandatory for any live sound mixer. Low-cost mixers often include a mono output jack that simply carries a sum of the stereo signals. Better is a summed output with a dedicated level fader, as found on some models in the $2,000-$3,000 price range.

More expensive consoles (approaching the $10,000 price point) often have a dedicated mono bus to which you can assign specific input channels or subgroups. A pastor’s lavalier mic could be assigned to the center mono cluster, for example, while all instruments and vocals are panned through the stereo field.

At the top end of the live mixer range, consoles offer true “LCR” (left, center, right) panning. This three-output panning scheme sends center-panned channels to the center speaker only, and balances panned channels between the stereo speakers and the center speaker. For vocal clarity and good stereo imaging, LCR panning is hard to beat.

Matrix Outputs
One sure sign of a serious mixing console is the presence of a matrix and its corresponding outputs. A matrix allows you to create several special mixes of the board’s major outputs (subgroups, stereo bus, mono bus, etc.).

Such mixes are useful for feeding a recorder, PA zones in other parts of the church, a system for the hearing impaired, a broadcast transmitter, a camcorder or any other application that requires a special mix. The power and convenience of the matrix comes from the fact that it taps mixer outputs instead of individual input channels.

Just like a mixer, matrix systems are measured by the number of inputs and outputs they have. A matrix that offers three different mixes from eight subgroups, the left and right bus and the mono bus would be an 11x3 matrix. Small matrices (usually 4x4, 11x3 or similar) show up on mixers in the sub-$10,000 range.

Larger mixers offer serious matrix power, with some high-end models offering 16x10 or even 16x12 matrices. This type of matrix allows the mixer to sit at the hub of a complex signal distribution system, one that goes far beyond just the speakers at the front of the venue.

Automation
In an age when computers control most everything, it should be no surprise that even audio mixers offer automation to make the engineer’s job easier. The most basic aspect of mixing that consoles automate is that of channel muting, allowing the engineer to mute and unmute whole banks of channels with a single button.

The simplest form of mute automation is that of mute groups, where channels are assigned to a master mute group button. Eight or more mute groups aren’t uncommon even on modest-priced consoles.

Some mixers in the $5,000-$10,000 range offer both mute groups and mute scene automation. Instead of assigning specific channels to mute groups, a scene stores a mute button “snapshot” of the whole board. When you recall the scene, Higher-end mixers usually have an outboard power supply, which offers the benefit of a quick swap-out as well as lower noise.

The wise church purchases an extra power supply, and has it racked up and ready to go should the original supply fail. Better mixers also use modular construction, which makes it relatively easy to replace just the offending section of the mixer. Finally, manufacturers often stand behind their top-of-the-line mixers with a longer warranty (five years or more, in some cases).

Good More, Bad More
When it comes time to purchase a mixer, a higher price tag will often get you some other “mores” worth considering. Like more complexity. The more features a board offers, the greater the challenge it can pose to inexperienced sound engineers. If you want your sound crew to survive the jump from a low-cost 24x4 mixer to a 40x8 matrix system, for example, plan on providing some training.

Don’t forget more weight and a larger footprint—make sure you have the space you need to house (and the sturdy backs to lift) a larger console. A decked-out 56-input mixer can span eight feet and weigh upwards of 500 pounds. A higher-priced console may also mean more costly repairs should something go awry.

Do the good “mores” outweigh the bad ones when shopping for a new mixer? You bet they do. In the right hands, a new mixing console can make significant improvements in the sound quality of your services. It can also give your sound team the features and flexibility they need to tackle more professional, more powerful productions, ones with more impact to share the Good News.

And that’s the best “more” of all.