Ditch Your Digital Console For Touch Screens? 

A lot of people are saying the feel of real faders cannot be replaced and I completely agree. I use and love our M32 at my church. Yet, it’s interesting to see what’s out there and what others are using. Thanks for watching everyone!

I love both! Digital- Analog- give me anything. I'll make it work. Nothing like a tablet to help walking around a room.

I went this way for about 2 years, using the Soundcraft UI24. It's a great mixer and very cost effective but I'm over it. Wifi dropouts, slow screens, poor feel, I just couldn't get used to it. I've gone back to the Presonus Studiolive 32sc and I love it. It's just far more intuitive and faster and I'm much happier.

I did, and I’m so happy with this huge change in my studio!

We switched to a Mackie DL32r (Don’t @ me) and haven’t looked back. As a mobile church that goes into tons of different venues, it’s small, flexible and powerful, with 32 inputs and 14+2 outs, and Dante expansion options. We were amazed at how the iPad app somehow felt more connected to the mix, even over other iPad remote mixing apps. We have used an enjoy them all, but Mackie nailed this. I could see Waves being good to use!

We still have older digital models still installed in our Worship Center and overflow areas (that we also use for radio and webcast), but we just replaced our mobile unit with a boardless unit. It has a small touch screen on the front and we have a dedicated wireless network and iPad for controlling it remotely. It's nice to roll into a place, set the unit down at the stage area, plug directly into it (32 channels with the expansion), and not have to have a space in the room for a mixing station and run a snake and some power out to it. You can walk around the room and set levels as you go. We went with Yamaha since all our other hard digital systems are Yamaha. It just makes it easier to train on because the control software has the same function and feel as the others.

WE are changing our set up and going this direction because this is THE WAY to go ....THANK'S

Í disagree... Mixing with sliders on a screen will never ever beat mixing with fades on a board... Never.

We use the Soundcraft Ui24 system...made a difference, we’re only a small church but it’s been great.

Physical faders are, in my opinion, easier to mix than touchscreen. You have a greater sense of control and physical feedback. Saying this reduces cabling is a misnomer. Most modern digital desks can take a digital stagebox, which means typically 1 network cable running from stage to desk. We run a DigiCo S21 console with a D-2 rack (40 down 16 up config). This runs two network cables (for 96k processing) from stage to desk. Even with Waves, you still have the physical cables from mics, receivers, instruments going into a stagebox, it's just not at your desk like the analog boards. Having said that, this is a much cheaper and more flexible setup. Reliability of the PC would be my concern here.

Tried it for over a month, hated it never able to get the accuracy of real faders. Also realized my hands are always riding multiple faders. And I need to be looking up to what's coming using my hands to feel where the faders are.

Id like to see a sort of hybrid console... Real faders with touch screens for everything else.

Touch screens will look cool but for me personally, feeling a slider to get your levels absolute spot on is the way to go.

I am a live audio engineer for 25 years and you will imagine how it was in those years but I like innovation this is perfect for me life would be boring if all life would be the same.

Love to look into this more. Going to waves. Thank you and God Bless.

I've been down this path before. It's OK if you have a super tight organised mix but if your riding the faders is basically in possible. Having at least a gain and a fader in hardware makes a super big difference. Which is what most new digital consoles are. If you want waves then just use multi rack and run it over something like aes or danate.

I use an iPad for the M32 all the time, it works awesome for remote use but still is not as good as the real slider and button control. It’s like going from 3D to 2d. Very easy to make a mistake. And in my mind a degrade. I think a combo is the perfect solution but wouldn’t want the screen full time.

I kind of think the bigger picture is more about cabling. Reducing the big snake cables and crazy-cabling down to a network cable is huge.. Now thats been around for a while again, but that last mile and the general elimination of gear makes this something even a smaller venue (or I guess church, in this context) able to aim for a more professional and potentially more reliable setup.

Big orange! I'm from Sparta. Living in Florida now, and using touch screens. Good vid, and unmistakable accent.

I agree with it if you’re using a DAW for a stream mix and analog/digital for FOH

I love my iPhone, iPad, and iPod but I still prefer to type on a physical keyboard over a touchscreen any day. Same thing goes for a career in audio. If it was once and a while I wouldn’t mind it but not as a FOH engineer. But the great thing is we can choose!

Very cool/interesting solution! From the sounds of it, I bet this would be a great solution for churches that have to set up/tear down every Sunday. Just plug up your computer and run a cat6 to the stage box!

It's funny how in the US churches seem to have these amazing sound systems when over here in Europe all you can hope for is a 100V PA system that reverberates like crazy and the whole system just sounds like crap. Not that I'd bother, I'm not a church guy, but let's face it, these are freaking churches that are better equipped than a mid-sized venue and sound a lot better. Apart from not setting foot into a church if I can help it, I'd just love to have a go at such a venue and play with it.

I can see a good argument for going this route, especially with multi-touch screens allowing multiple faders to be adjusted. I'll admit that I love the idea of having physical sliders that jump around and impress the uninitiated, but sliders wear out and physical devices aren't easily up-gradable. I suppose a church could even run this software and ProPresenter on the same machine, though that doesn't seem like the best idea.

This is the future, But you cant beat the touch and feel of the real thing

Couldnt get into it. Realtime riding the fader still feels incredibly off.

I respectfully disagree, we do have the x32 at my church which awesome with an ipad with touch screen, but nothing closer to the experience of sliders. It is literally going from using 3D objects to 2D! Sorry I don't see the future going that route.

I just hope that when you need support, that their TS Dept is better than it is for their plugins. I have a home recording studio with Studio One Pro with close to 70 waves plugins, and yes, too many of them! We use an X32 board at my church where I am also on the WT. Thanks for the video, Woulda liked to see what Waves plugins they include.

for the money of this software you can get a full x32 with the possibility for touchscreen control.

Nice MA2 Command Wing in the back.

I love LV1, I use it 6 days a week, every week, but real faders are necessary for a busy mix

Hey guys I love the content you're putting out. However I am concerned about this video about the Waves eMotion LV1. I feel like you gave an overly simplified explanation about what LV1 is, how it works, and what you need to get it running. While yes the LV1 software is $1699 you still need a SoundGrid server ($700-$2500), SoundGrid approved network switches, and SoundGrid compatible I/O ($1799-$4000). I'm not saying that LV1 couldn't work for many churches because it's obvious it could, I just feel like people may get the impression that they can buy a computer and $1699 worth of software and replace their audio console which just isn't true. At the same point there are digital consoles on the market that can run without a surface ("console"), Allen&Heath dLive is an example. dLive can run a software controller to control the mix rack which holds the processing and stage I/O. I think it may be worth reviewing this video to see if you can more clearly communicate what is actually going on with Venue's setup, they aren't just running a PC with LV1 on it giving them a 64 channel mixer.

If anyone knocking the system for lack of "faders" would take the time to learn that there's a very good and cost-efficient board (made by Waves) that can set up with LV1 to give you the physical faders... Also, Waves is used on every big-named tour that you would attend, and the Passion conference this year (or last) used LV1 specifically. So much subjectivity in the replies, very little objective feedback. (No... my church doesn't have Waves LV1 at the moment, we mix from an M32 but will be doing Waves Live setup with it soon and plan on looking at the LV1 for the future)

How abt the feeling of the faders and knobs at ur fingertips!!! 😩🤔. 👆 🎚 🎚 🎚 🕧🕧🕧

I like mixing with my ears instead of my eyes. Got an iPad for portable mixing.

There has to be a usb interface for at least 1 or 2 faders - i like to ride some mics at my church - other than that!! i love it

I like it, but... Nothing beats the feeeling of the music when you close your eyes and use your fingers... I cant feel the difference on a flat surface in the dark. Sorry, not for me But great for the "new look".

such a great sound im shure and yes thats awsome

“It’s a NO from me” Would prefer a console with supporting iPad application.

If you had a bit of feedback and you needed to quickly nudge down the fader...A screen Can Not be quicker than resting your finger by the fader knob???

For the budget I decided to go for a digital Presonus Mark III

I like touch screens for setting a mix but when something goes wrong, I really want some faders to throw.

I have used alot of various analog and digital consoles. Digital consoles have much so processing power in it and that is awesome. BUT lack of real faders makes a bad day for me. I love the feel and resolution of long throw faders . I used a Mackie Ipad dock mixer and it was a bad day when the fader jumped to the wrong position. Give me faders or give me death!

this is good and all, i want my SSL

Wish you'd do more in depth on how their on platform is ran into the cat 6 setup to the cat 6 rig in the booth

Shoutout to homeboy with the Thursday tattoo.

What kind of hair product do you use if you don’t mind me asking, it looks shiny and healthy ☺️👍🏻

power goes out takes a while to boot up etc etc... analog gives you instant start when power is back

Great tech, but what if the pc went wacky for some reason during live show. What happens to this whole system? People who are used to microsoft windows know that not responding is something unavoidable.

If you’re watching the stage for visual queues, you want to be able to feel those mute group buttons and faders.

That is hot. I could get used to that.!!

Interested in the point to point networking for your remote campuses. Who could I speak with?

Nice video was gonna get a couple x-touch and ectenders maybe this is the way to go touch screens odd request here... Nice backdrop wall in this video, vertical purple light bars What is it can you show a close up of wall or what is the manufacture or model#, building studio and I think this looks very nice and would like do do a wall like this Thank You

That is the way to go.. great video bro

Wait,, why would you need some waves software? Anything that is adjustable using a mouse in your DAW is controllable using a touch screen monitor.

BUT HOW did you split it?

I use the Slate raven mti2

So octword real fader can't be replace

What kind of monitor touch screen are you using?

I'm here listening. Respectfully. But I disagree. What happens when the digitiser breaks?

Nice concept, while it may have it's advantages for a live or FOH situation it lacks the ability to offer the sound signature of an actual console. That applies to DAW controllers as well.

What type of tower (computer/specs) are they using with the touch screens?

How much does it cost to have a set up like this??

Sounds good, doesn't work. I had a mixer which supported iPad remote, and its was TERRIBLE to use. It's nearly impossible to look at the stage and tweak knobs at the same time. Unless the interface has some integrated live cam background like some chat application has on smartphones, this issue remains a huge problem. Same with the touch keyboard on the Lenovo Yogabook, or the TouchBar on the MacBook "Pro".

I get the enthusiasm but It's kinda like trying to steer a fighter jet with a touch screen. The brain needs more than a pad to sense nuance and physical connection. Maybe I'm behind the times. But I don't think the LV-1 is a console killer. Great addition to the industry. But it's only an addition, not a replacement.

Cool setup there. However, no actual afterlife whatsoever.

There is still a digital console, just the control surface has changed. "No more snakes, just a Cat6." Not any different from modern digital desks. Configurable screens is no different than modern consoles, which also have touch screens. The argument here is simply "is no faders better than faders?" The answer is no, it's not.

Thinking of going this direction. Will there be a delay between what musicians play and what you hear?

So how much does it cost roughly?

Which are the best multi-touch monitors to get? I know there cintiq pro touch dell canvas should be great but can I have just as good a touch experience with cheaper monitors if I don't need pen support?

I still like the tactile feedback with a real mixer. Not to mention the poor logic of, the consumer electronics industry is going this direction so we should. WHAT? We should be doing what works best, not what is 'in'. You can't keep your eyes on the platform AND mix with a touch screen. In fact, I think there is much more research that could be done with a tactile surface with haptic feedback and the like. Than again, I may be so off the reservation anyway. As I'm trying help to do church, not an alternative night club.

Couldn't you just buy a Barringer x32 and download the PC app on a touch screen display? All for just under $1,000?

Well waves http is not secured. The browser warns that your personal information could be hacked if you proceed to the web site.

Who makes the touch screens?

how do they have it set up for stage monitors / in ear mix? Do you know that that set up involves?

What happens when the internet is down.

What if there was a power outage?

"convenient & easier" and sounds worse. He said it best in the video. It's like going from "Discmans to mp3". Sorry but digital desks still aren't there. We're sacrificing quality for convenience.

this feels like aflawed comparison, he was talking about no snakes as a pro, most modern digital consoles have had the ability to use stage boxes over ethernet for some time, same with most of the routing options, coming from an analog console these things would be noticeable, but not from most modern digital consoles

is this the monitor?www.amazon.com/Dell-P2418HT-23-8-Touch-Monitor/dp/B01NBX1Q2T/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_147_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XWZNG4DZPN3M7CJ4SNRB. the link shows a different one.

I think it a bit to much tech for a chruch. I think it just makes it harder for people to serve

No thank you. How can you really ride the "faders" with a mouse?

This hardware runs eMotion. www.tactusdigitalmixing.com/

And lose the feel?.. Hell no...

Never.

If someone press the wrong button on that thing all your information is gone

Its a good stuff but i'm still 'analog man' for life

I'm surprise, that's why I'd like to know; "What audio interface will you use for a Church Set-Up? In a case where you need more than 28 input and you want to do without a mixer"

Tried it and it was an awful experience.

Good bye M32!!!! Touch screen is finally here!!! Lol

Imagine if you told people about this as the future 50 years ago, they wouldn't believe you :)

I like knobs..... NUFF said

Welcome to PC having touchscreens for the last 10 years.

3:29 but also with a digital console you can run everything on data network cables, so no snakes...

Try riding the fader on that sweaty slip slidy screen vs a fader....you are right back in amateur land

Touch screens and boogers. Not for me. Hahaha

*OLD TECH - I have been using a set up like this for years and with better sound quality and more flexibility then ANY MIXING system on the market including this one in this VIDEO! The system I have been using is a [[[ 24 Full Console Replacement ]]] with audio quality that can only be reviled with an entire ANALOG SYSTEM; utilizing ALL the same plugins in have in my recognizing Facility* ...that is my entire Eventide Suite, PSP, Valhalla, Lindell, Brainwork, Sonnox, ETC and i could even use WAVES Suites ( however I do not care for the sound of them ) included and no pops, crashes, slips or otherwise + record the entire show ON THE SAME PC intravenously fed! #UnLOCKyoURfOOL®

Just no!

Yeah yeah, lets replace real keyboard ivory keys and guitar strings with touch screen interface. Nuf said.

Great! This accent hahahaha