The thought of how we can produce our live sound weighs heavily on our minds. We assume that analogue is the norm and innovation news informs us that digital is the direction in which the industry is going at a fast pace.
With the advent of digital power amps, mixing desks and processors and even digital multicore links, high power, lightweight and compact PA systems are available for all levels of live performance from pub bands to stadium rockers.
The technology comes at a price! This price, although now more affordable than ever thanks to budget priced equipment from Soundcraft, Allen and Heath, Crown, Yamaha DBX and Showtec, is still too high for some.
For those of us who are happy to ignore the ergonomic and time saving benefits of DSP settings, onboard wizard selection tools and huge memory banks, they will soldier on with the real-time immediacy of the analogue knob-twiddling without a computer screen or digital read out in site.
Although erring on the side of caution many of us sound geeks favour the analogue tools that we all grew up but the truth of the matter is you can carry around a lot of kit in a small space if you go digital. This is especially applicable to line array or small medium throw PA boxes controlled by DSP settings and governed by a digital mixing desk packed full of all the add-on processing tools that would take up all the space in a six foot effects rack if provided by their analogue counterparts.
Budgeting for the sound system that your band wants to use will always throw up issues and wading your way through the pros and cons of all the above will be best achieved by visiting your nearest specialist PA centre.
You could try: http://www.absolutesoundandlighting.co.uk
