Analog VS Digital Mixers, Which Is Best?
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If you are a band or a freelance sound engineer, you may have been around to other big events and seen this big console in the middle of shows controlling all of the sound, and wondered “ Is that what I’m missing? “. Maybe you seen the engineer walk around with a tablet and was blown away that all the mixing was on that one tablet? Well lucky for you, I’ve had hands on with both styles of mixers, and I’ll give some pros and cons of each, and maybe you’ll decide what you want.
First things first, When do you use it?
Before taking off on each one, I’ll give some cases where you would use an Analog mixer, and a Digital mixer.
Note: Analog has physical faders, all controls on surface, and multi control.
Digital mixers include, tablet faders, stage box mixer, and a fader mixer, all points are mainly for tablet mixing, and physical fader mixing.
Digital- Weddings, Corporate Events, Small Rooms, Free to Roam
In Weddings it’s best for the sole reason of not having a big console right in the middle and it ruin the good aesthetic of the wedding, no snake runs and people tripping over it. For Corporate events is the same, no big console, snake runs, and faster set up and load up time. Small rooms are good to save space on a dance floor, or sitting area. Free to roam is having a tablet with you to walk around and hear the differences of sound in the venue.
Analog- Theater, Concerts, Multi FOH, Cueing
For a place like a Theater, it will be great due to it staying in one spot and not in the way of people walking up and down of a auditorium. For Concerts, they will have the right amount of space for the Analog, and Digital Consoles. Multi FOH is when multiple bands show for a event, and they use the same mixer, it will be easy for any sound engineer due to hands on and ease of knowing the Console. Lastly, Cueing is crucial in Theaters, and Concerts, you want precise movement and no delay like a tablet
Analog Mixers, Pros and Cons
Pros-
Feeling More Connected To The Mixer, ‘Natural’
If you want a to be more connected to the mixer, almost as a musician is to their instrument, then having a analog is best for you. While the musician plays a certain solo you can ride the fader and without looking down know where the others are, and you feel more comfortable having physical faders in your disposal.
You Can See The Whole System
A good advantage of having an analog console, is seeing the whole desk of faders, EQ knobs, Aux knobs, Mutes, Solo, Main fader, and so much more. It’s really best to see everything at once so you can navigate quicker and have no issue going to each channel unlike a tablet.
Reliable
Having an analog mixer means you don’t have to rely on a router for mixing, or internet for all devices to be connected, the best experience when there is no service in the area.
Mixing Quickly And Having Multi Touch
Being able to mix is crucial, so having all the Channels, Faders, Aux, EQ, all in front will help you mix quickly going from each input to the next. Following this, having the multi touch advantage of pressing all Mutes, Faders, and Solo buttons, this is good if you want to mute the whole band, or moved the volume of the mix, and even soloing groups of instruments.
Hands On Effects During Songs
I mentioned being able to have multi touch, but that also means to control multi live reverb, chorus, and delay effects all on the mixer. Having a good feel of having those faders is always a plus.
Cons-
More Work And Lugging Around A Giant Case
Most of these cons can be crucial or not as bad, but one is doing a lot of work of loading up a heavy console, and finding space also to fit in the trailer or truck.
Takes Up Space
Not only it takes up space in a trailer or truck, but if you are running a wedding, or corporate event, it will take up space and if you are put in a far corner, you’re going to need longer cables.
Crowd Barrier
You may not notice it the first couple times, but having your block in the middle of the show will somehow tell the crowd to line up with you all the way in the back, and you may be in their way.
Band Barrier
Having the console in the back will block you from being one on one with the band on stage, you may have your Talk back, but if theres a issue with the monitor you have to leave your console. run on stage and listen, and go all the way back and try to fix it, you may want help for that one, because may kill time
Snake, Cable, And Line Runs
Having a Analog console means, you need at least a 100ft snake from stage to mixer, extensions cords if your not close enough to power, and a table for the console, a canopy if its sunny out, and guess what, it takes time to roll out, and roll up snake runs.
Digital Mixers, Pros And Cons
Pros
Less Work, Saves Time
If you are looking into a mixer that will help you save time, then a digital is right for you. By just having a Stage Mixer, you put it on stage, plug everyone in, and your done, you run with your tablet and you are ready to go, and its good for the times when you want to be quick
Better Connection With Band And Audience
By having a Digital mixer, you are able to walk around with your tablet and communicate better with the band on stage, and since you have the control in your hands, you are able to talk to audience members instead of worrying about leaving an analog console
Less Annoyed, And Being In One Spot
For someone who had experience staying on an analog, you’ll have someone go up to your ear and tell you how to do your job, but with having a tablet you’re able to roam around and not be stuck in one spot in the venue.
Easy To Monitor Stage And Front Of House
Being on a analog far away, you only get to worry about FOH, and don’t get what to hear what the musicians hear, so being able to have the tablet in hand, you able to go on stage and hear the actual monitors if there are any problems, and you can go down and run FOH, you have free mobility when it comes to mixing the Front, and the Stage.
Digital Console With Stage Box Means One Cable
They may sound confusing, but you may ask if getting a digital console with faders, does that mean I need a snake also? You are absolutely right, but if you have a stage bog, you need one Cat5 cable to run from stage to Console, saves time, and long multi cable runs
Cons-
Not Being Able To Navigate Multiple Movements
If you are someone who loves to be able to move multiple faders at once, then Digital might not be for you on the tablet side of things, as a lot of digital mixers have faders if it’s right for you. You may want the EQ and Aux moved at the same time, but most apps won’t have that option as many have different layouts.
Harder To See Outdoors
If you are running a band with a digital mixer, then having a tablet outdoors isn’t good either, having experiences this, turning the brightness up won’t help due to the glare, and it may effect you while setting a band during the during. A counter to this is having a Digital mixer with faders.
Relying Only On A Router
For Tablet mixing, this is crucial, if you don’t have a nice stable connection, mixing will mean useless, as many audience members use there phones and having a interference will be an issue, and it is big problem if you only have a stage box with no faders.
Not All Controls Are Visible
The best perks of a analog mixer, is all the controls are up front, on a digital mixer, if you are running a Tablet, all the controls are not visible. Each channel strip has its own page of EQ, Compressor, Gate, Effects, and Sends, and a whole page of just the faders, maybe you don’t know how to navigate it? Maybe you are in a hurry to EQ has quickly as you can, and you have to constantly change pages in each channel, it’s not the worst, but you may want to see everything.
Finding A Location To Be Comfortable
Having an analog mixer you’ll be fine in your own area, thats not the case with mixing on a tablet, but of course if you have your digital mixer with faders on it you’ll have your own corner. Having a only tablet mixer means you’ll be more focused being near the stage and in front of the speakers, but when it’s all said and done, you’ll want to have a place to sit and relax, but after soundcheck there may be a lot of people taking up the seats.
Less Attention To The Band
This last con is crucial, being on a tablet you are glued to constantly changing small things on your mixing app, I am at fault for this, and you don’t look up at the band and do the changes they want, like to have more Kick, or more Vocal in their monitors. So always look up when you have the chance so the band does not get mad at you.
Conclusion
So in conclusion you may have made up your mind on which one you want, or you already have, as technology advances these cons will slowly drift away as now the band can run their own monitor on stage, and some consoles can mix on their own. There is no Good or Bad of Analog and Digital, if you know the cons ahead of time and learn them, then you’ll blame yourself, and not the Mixer, a mind ahead of things is crucial, so you can be at your full potential.
