Soundcraft SI Expression

Spenser Hamilton

Spenser Hamilton

Senior
Sep 12, 2012
653
6
18
SW Ontario
Curious what feelings my fellow SFers have on Soundcraft's entry into the budget digital market. The 16 channel unit is interesting to me (as was the X32 Producer when it was announced) as it looks like it could be a potential 01V replacement.

I have to say, I've been disappointed with Soundcraft's low end product lines (we have a MFXi-20 that's been broken down and swapped for a Behringer XENYX on more than one occasion, not to mention the channel cross talk when the damn thing is working). At the same time, I've always had good results with Soundcraft's other offerings (FX16, GB-2, GB-4, GB-8, K3), it will be interesting to see what side of the coin the SI Expression lands on.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

I'm on the fence. What I've seen of it is good and the Soundcraft name has always been good for me in the past.
I'm looking to purchase a digital desk soon (using GL2400 for now), the flexibility with laptop control would be just the ticket for certain gigs.
I do know one thing, I'm glad I waited, now I'll have more choices & research to do.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Gary Weller said:
I'm on the fence. What I've seen of it is good and the Soundcraft name has always been good for me in the past.
I'm looking to purchase a digital desk soon (using GL2400 for now), the flexibility with laptop control would be just the ticket for certain gigs.
I do know one thing, I'm glad I waited, now I'll have more choices & research to do.
Click to expand...
Let me know when you make a purchase, Gary, I'll stop out and take a look while your running for CITA.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Mateusz Ciesiółka;47599 said:
Is there any different between Si Expression and Si Performer? They look identical (except housing color).
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I think the Performer has controls for lighting as well, and is about three times the cost.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Mateusz Ciesiółka;47599 said:
Is there any different between Si Expression and Si Performer? They look identical (except housing color).
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The performer also has four band fully parametric EQ's and DCA's. The Si Expression does not.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Jerry Smith said:
I think the Performer has controls for lighting as well, and is about three times the cost.
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Wrong. I thought about Si Compact, not Performer. My mistake.

Brandon Wright said:
The performer also has four band fully parametric EQ's and DCA's. The Si Expression does not.
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Maybe I'm wrong once again, but seems Expression have fully parametric EQ. The channel strip section looks identical on both models. I don't see that.

EDIT:
Yes, I'm wrong. Performer has changable Q on every band of EQ. But Compact doesen't.

Anyway, why Compact cost ~ $9000 and Expression will cost ~ $3000? Where's the catch?
 
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Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Mateusz Ciesiółka;47611 said:
Wrong. I thought about Si Compact, not Performer. My mistake.



Maybe I'm wrong once again, but seems Expression have fully parametric EQ. The channel strip section looks identical on both models. I don't see that.

EDIT:
Yes, I'm wrong. Performer has changable Q on every band of EQ. But Compact doesen't.

Anyway, why Compact cost ~ $9000 and Expression will cost ~ $3000? Where's the catch?
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The compact is supposedly discontinued for obvious cost reasons, and Soundcraft released the new cheaper versions, the SI Performer and Expression to compete in the marketplace.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Ben Gingerich said:
Anyone know costs of these yet?
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I've heard $2499 for the Expression 1. My question is, do I need to buy a card and a stagebox? If so, then 2499 + 900 + 1999 for SI E1 32x16 and I'd rather have the Expression 2 which will probably be over $3K.
 
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Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Gary Weller said:
I've heard $2499 for the Expression 1. My question is, do I need to buy the a card and a stagebox? If so, then 2499 + 900 + 1999 for SI E1 32x16 and I'd rather have the Expression 2 which will probably be over $3K.
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It will still be $2000-3000 cheaper than the next closest option with a similar feature set, the GLD.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Brandon Wright said:
It will still be $2000-3000 cheaper than the next closest option with a similar feature set, the GLD.
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True, but I'm not a regional provider, just bar, private party & wedding gigs. 2-300 outdoors at most. I could get 2 X32 Compacts, and a S-16 Behringer and have a monitor/spare console, for close to the same money.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Gary-
I believe the Expression 1 has 16 inputs on it, the 2 has 24, and the 3 has 32. these can be expanded or remoted by using a card and any of the remote stage boxes.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Raul Suarez said:
Gary-
I believe the Expression 1 has 16 inputs on it, the 2 has 24, and the 3 has 32. these can be expanded or remoted by using a card and any of the remote stage boxes.
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I'd need at least 24 inputs and I want to go digital on the snake, no need to unload the copper (I'll keep it with as backup) unless the digital fails. So, I'd be looking at the 32x16 stagebox plus a madi card + console.

If I went X32 Compacts, I could get 2 desks + S16 and have 32x16 with a spare desk (in a pinch).
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Gary Weller said:
I'd need at least 24 inputs and I want to go digital on the snake, no need to unload the copper (I'll keep it with as backup) unless the digital fails. So, I'd be looking at the 32x16 stagebox plus a madi card + console.

If I went X32 Compacts, I could get 2 desks + S16 and have 32x16 with a spare desk (in a pinch).
Click to expand...

Gary you could just buy two x32 consoles,(or one x32 mon and compact for foh) plug your instruments into the monitor console and cat5 to foh
No s16(s) required and you have the spare desk redundancy.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Gary Weller said:
I'd need at least 24 inputs and I want to go digital on the snake, no need to unload the copper (I'll keep it with as backup) unless the digital fails. So, I'd be looking at the 32x16 stagebox plus a madi card + console.

If I went X32 Compacts, I could get 2 desks + S16 and have 32x16 with a spare desk (in a pinch).
Click to expand...

You presume that the X32 and Expression are fully equal in every and all respects. We don't know if that is or isn't the case.
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Tim McCulloch said:
You presume that the X32 and Expression are fully equal in every and all respects. We don't know if that is or isn't the case.
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No, I'm just starting at the cost angle at this point. The X32 will do all I need, I'm just researching the SI Expression right now.

But a digital backup/in addition to my analog would be a nice thing to have as well.

I plan to "buy once". ;)
 
Re: Soundcraft SI Expression

Been waiting for a low cost digi board and I gotta say the Expression is probably gonna be it! The difference between it and the Performer is... No LCD scribble strip, No bell curve on the His or Lows, No VCAs, 4 1/4 inch inputs, DMX and Plastic Knobs instead of Chrome... In my opinion this board is much better than an X 32, Things I dont like about X 32 are the silly Fader knobs, Being able to reassign the faders into a usable fashion resulting in having to flip thru banks of faders to get to the fx returns, And all the orange diodes they use to display everything! I like the fact of having more faders like on the Expression 3... only time and how it sounds will tell if it is a better board than the X 32 or the over priced PreSonus... with the Expression 3 @ $3495, Expression 2 @ $2995, Expression 1 @ $2495
 
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