SC48 vs M7CL

J

Jeffrey Knorr

Honorary PhD
Jan 11, 2011
172
6
18
Berwick, PA 18603
jrklabs.com
For a regional sound company that already has access to a PM5D RH and Soundcraft Vi6, which console SC48 or M7CL would be a better fit? A Venue Profile may also be in the works so either option may have a bigger brother in the shop.

Another question, how likely are Venue Profile users willing to take the SC48 as a substitute (assuming the show would fit within that console's constraints)?

Thank you,

Jeff
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

I'm surprised at that; I would take an SC48 over an M7CL any day - but I wouldn't complain about having an M7 if that's what was available.

Partly because it's newer hardware; plug in's and such; I also find the surface easier to work with despite fader layers unlike M7's no layers.

I use a profile from time to time and see the difference with the SC48 as mainly being surface and DSP related - so long as you keep 48 or under channels that is. PQ's are something I don't tend to use; Protools firewire vs HDx.. but quite happy to take the SC48.

Andrew
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

While I own and much prefer an SC48, I do believe that M7's are more in demand for regional providers. It seems like more people carry Avid but those not carrying request Yamaha. Can anyone confirm that?

From a sonic standpoint, there really is no comparison. Before you use your first plug in, the SC48 already sounds much better than the M7. The channel dynamics are useful, compared to unusable on the M7. Then you get into plug ins. I rely heavily on the Massey CT4 compressor. For under $100, it is as good as anything you would find in most analog FOH racks.

The only problem I see with taking an SC48 when you want a Profile is plug in count. The Profile allows 100 and the SC48 currently only allows 20. But who doesn't carry a console and gets to demand the same one every show? They would have to have show files for other consoles, right?
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

I second pretty much everything Jason had to say. We owned an M7 and I swapped it for an SC48. I think I made more money with the M7, but I am making enough money to put my kids through college and I have to look at myself in the mirror every morning, so I don't regret my decision at all. :-)
I will say that I am surprised at the number of times I advance dates that the PM/BE absolutely insist on a specific digital console (usually a P5MD) because it is the only system they have a stick for. WTF, back in the old days, we had to mix every show from scratch, remember that? If I were a touring engineer I would want to mix on every qualified surface out there so I could expand my horizons AND so I could have my show saved in pretty much any format I might encounter. Just sayin'.
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

But back in the old days there was more money in live music, and bands didn't have to play every single night and had time for real soundchecks.

One thing that's a real rental hassle on the VENUE platform is the plugins... it's a hassle for the owner to have to buy and maintain authorizations, and also hassle for the touring engineer who has to specify plugins, follow up with providers that they will be available, or deal with the iLok problems that everybody seems to get. Find anybody who carries their own iLok for their special plugins and they'll probably have at least one story about having to get through a show without them. I do like mixing on the SC48, but there's a very comforting feeling about Yamaha reliability.
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

The M7CL is the PM4k of rental consoles. It always works, it sounds decent and everyone will take it, but it's nobody's first pick. From a BE standpoint, I'd rather own an SC48. From a regional company standpoint, I'd rather own an M7CL. I guess it really depends on what you're planning to do with it...


Evan
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

Is it enough to stave off the Pro-2 competition ? I don't know US pricing but here in Oz it's about 1/4 - 1/5 more of the SC48 to get a pro2 and that difference seems worth it to me. No analog to FOH is a winner for me, but I can't see that happening to an SC48 without radica re-design or added stage box IO.
 
Re: SC48 vs M7CL

When I owned an SC48 I did not run into any situations where folks asking for a Venue desk (usually Profile) would not accept the SC48. Of course all of these shows fit into the channel count etc. This was typically going out for B/C level nationals, anybody bigger typically carried.

Plugin counts were typically not a problem. Given that there is already very good gate/dynamics on every channel, 20 plugins can go a pretty long way for most users. I also did not run into many situations where the user wanted a plugin outside of the included bundles. Also, the software does a decent job importing show files made on "bigger" venue desks to a usable state.

Interested to see what the update involves. Jason/Void, any rough ETA on the announcement? I presume it may also involve addressing the AAX plugin transition?
 
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