From working on both A&H SQ's and Digico S-series consoles frequently, I've seen a couple of differences. You can pick and choose which works better for you, but there are my experiences: A&H SQ has 48 inputs PLUS 8 Stereo FX returns on top of the 48. On the S21/31 you have to use your input channels for FX returns (robbing you of input channels) SQ > S31 BUT, on the SQ you have to merge channels to create stereo channels, robbing you of channels. On the S31 you have 48 flexi channels which can all be used as stereo inputs. SQ S31 S31 has 21 Dynamic EQ's PLUS Multi-band compressors. SQ has non such. Only normal EQ and compressor. SQ S31 On the SQ you have plenty of 'Soft-key' shortcuts which can be assigned to do anything. On the S31, you have...... zero. SQ > S31 S31 has a limited amount of 'sources' that can be sent to a matrix.. SQ can send ALL groups/mixes to any matrix. SQ > S31 S31 has 8x Mono Matrices, that must be linked in order to create 4x Stereo matrices. SQ only has 3 matrices that are either Mono or stereo, but always 3. SQ < S31 SQ has smart Talkback system for Monitor and FOH engineers.. S31 has non such. SQ > 31 S31 has dual "solo" paths... SQ only has one. SQ < S31 S31 has a spill set function. SQ has non such. SQ < S31 SQ has built in 48ch AMM, S31 needs a DMI card for such function. SQ > S31 SQ has one expansion slot for cards, S31 has two. SQ < S31 SQ has 7 "Direct Out" tapping point options. S31 only has 3. SQ > S31 SQ scribble strip allows only 6 characters. S31 allows 18. SQ < S31 There are plenty of other little differences. But from working with both of these consoles extensively, I have found more frustrations with the S-series consoles and more love with the SQ consoles. But again, each to his own. BOTH consoles are TOP end and sound amazing.
A&H for sure has more “features and customization” and more extra flexibility with extra channels and stuff. Personally really not a fan of it though. It sounds dark and compressed to me, but other people make it sound awesome! With waves though it’s really not better/worse, just a different way of getting to the same place. The fx on A&H are great. Digico’s fx are a total joke sometimes. I think digico is the easiest to understand because everything feels the same no matter what your doing, and the routing is more point to point and easier to not get lost in soft patching between stuff.
For me it’s night and day. None of the A&H stuff feels like working on a console. Menus, pages, and weird names for everything. The digico stuff is so fast and so easy to work on if your used to pro tools/analog consoles. I think it sounds better. The only thing the Avantis has is built in plug ins, and more inputs and outputs. I use waves which sound better then all the “in house” plugins that manufactures put in their desk so it doesn’t matter to me. I think more inputs and outputs will be coming with a software update to put it more head to head with Avantis. I do monitors from FOH and I wish the S31 had 8 more groups. It has 16 busses plus the LR. Busses are either groups OR and Aux. that’s another thing I think will be updated. Digico products are much more professional products. Built like a tank, easy to work on when you need to work on, serviceable yourself (I’ve fixed a fader that I stupidly broke with no problems) and the updates that come out make it a better desk, not just give you more software features. It The S31 does not have tons of midi and OSC functionality, but they have the I/O so it will be there one day. The Digico is a far superior desk. You’re paying for build quality, it being user friendly, and sounding better then everything else on the market. Especially if you use the 32 bit preamp cards. Hope that helps!
@@thepowerplaceproduction I’m not gonna lie, it’s a headache to work with A&H. I think they sound great and the on board plugins sound amazing too. But for someone like me that knew nothing about sound when I started using a dLive, it’s been a journey to say the least. The UI and how all the routing works in the thing boggles my mind. When I see videos of other cheaper consoles I sometimes wish I could have started on something easier. I’m still struggling after 3 years on this thing lol! However, this video has unlocked parts of my brain I think. I’ve been trying to figure out how to run my setup like this for a while now and the way you broke everything down in this video helped tremendously. The only thing the dLive can’t do is route a group through another group. I have to send groups to dca and I can control multiple dca’s with more dca’s 😂😅
Could you comment on using a Slate Raven Mti2 or MTZ to control streaming mix, be it a Matrix or Ableton Live via Dante.. What other options would you suggest for streaming mix control for the Digico S31 since it doesn't have an online editor
I don’t use anything external. The FOH mix is the broadcast mix. Just with crowds added. You can use a separate DAW setup to do the mix if you can split your input gains. That works nicely!
Hi, Do you explain in other video why and how do you use both dca and groups ? For me is not easy to understand because it’s pretty the same* and dca could affect the dynamic processing you"re doing with the groups. * I understand the difference.
All of the stuff we show sound wise works on all those consoles too! Waves interfaces with all of them. Or you can use a really powerful computer and the usb interface built in! The X32 with waves is a great cost effective solution. You just don’t get the most busses and have to do most of the processing on the individual channels.
@@thepowerplaceproduction yeah I know, it’s because in my experience small churches could barely afford a entry level mixer. It the top new content, you’re using complementary stuff like computer, external screen etc which are not easy to add to a church's budget because members and leaders often don't see the point. Even if there wre convinced, in French speaking Europe (France, Belgium, etc) we still have analog consoles. Buying all that stuff from scratche (console, stage box, monitor and computer) even in entry level is not an easy budget for small churches. However I appreciate this content and thank you very much for that. I think that in my context it is rather reserved for medium size churches or churches that are already used to using recent equipment including digital consoles.
You are a great teacher. I got thrown into sound engineering during Covid and have watched hundreds of videos. Each one I suppose expanded my vocabulary or knowledge somewhat but THIS synthesized so much complex information into understandable usable information it nearly brings me to tears. Thank you and may God bless you🙏🏻.
Not on the Digico, because the band and vocals go to the same amount of groups. That way it all stays in sync. Every input that needs to work together phase wise reaches the master at the same time. Any processing delay compensation is done inside of superrack with the latency groups. One group is set up for inputs, another for busses, and another for outputs. That means all my inputs are time aligned, all my busses/groups are time aligned, and every output is time aligned, regardless of the plug-ins used. Works very nice!
This is a great explanation of layout that applies to more than just a digico console
Great job on the video. Very clear explanations and examples!
Love this Ryan!
From working on both A&H SQ's and Digico S-series consoles frequently, I've seen a couple of differences. You can pick and choose which works better for you, but there are my experiences:
A&H SQ has 48 inputs PLUS 8 Stereo FX returns on top of the 48. On the S21/31 you have to use your input channels for FX returns (robbing you of input channels) SQ > S31
BUT, on the SQ you have to merge channels to create stereo channels, robbing you of channels. On the S31 you have 48 flexi channels which can all be used as stereo inputs. SQ S31
S31 has 21 Dynamic EQ's PLUS Multi-band compressors. SQ has non such. Only normal EQ and compressor. SQ S31
On the SQ you have plenty of 'Soft-key' shortcuts which can be assigned to do anything. On the S31, you have...... zero. SQ > S31
S31 has a limited amount of 'sources' that can be sent to a matrix.. SQ can send ALL groups/mixes to any matrix. SQ > S31
S31 has 8x Mono Matrices, that must be linked in order to create 4x Stereo matrices. SQ only has 3 matrices that are either Mono or stereo, but always 3. SQ < S31
SQ has smart Talkback system for Monitor and FOH engineers.. S31 has non such. SQ > 31
S31 has dual "solo" paths... SQ only has one. SQ < S31
S31 has a spill set function. SQ has non such. SQ < S31
SQ has built in 48ch AMM, S31 needs a DMI card for such function. SQ > S31
SQ has one expansion slot for cards, S31 has two. SQ < S31
SQ has 7 "Direct Out" tapping point options. S31 only has 3. SQ > S31
SQ scribble strip allows only 6 characters. S31 allows 18. SQ < S31
There are plenty of other little differences. But from working with both of these consoles extensively, I have found more frustrations with the S-series consoles and more love with the SQ consoles. But again, each to his own. BOTH consoles are TOP end and sound amazing.
A&H for sure has more “features and customization” and more extra flexibility with extra channels and stuff. Personally really not a fan of it though. It sounds dark and compressed to me, but other people make it sound awesome!
With waves though it’s really not better/worse, just a different way of getting to the same place.
The fx on A&H are great. Digico’s fx are a total joke sometimes.
I think digico is the easiest to understand because everything feels the same no matter what your doing, and the routing is more point to point and easier to not get lost in soft patching between stuff.
Great job but can i get full training video about this board ?
Thanks man
You're welcome!
Really want to know how this compares to A&H Avantis, not SQ or Wing. It's more than twice the price of SQ.
For me it’s night and day. None of the A&H stuff feels like working on a console. Menus, pages, and weird names for everything. The digico stuff is so fast and so easy to work on if your used to pro tools/analog consoles. I think it sounds better. The only thing the Avantis has is built in plug ins, and more inputs and outputs. I use waves which sound better then all the “in house” plugins that manufactures put in their desk so it doesn’t matter to me. I think more inputs and outputs will be coming with a software update to put it more head to head with Avantis. I do monitors from FOH and I wish the S31 had 8 more groups. It has 16 busses plus the LR. Busses are either groups OR and Aux. that’s another thing I think will be updated. Digico products are much more professional products. Built like a tank, easy to work on when you need to work on, serviceable yourself (I’ve fixed a fader that I stupidly broke with no problems) and the updates that come out make it a better desk, not just give you more software features. It The S31 does not have tons of midi and OSC functionality, but they have the I/O so it will be there one day. The Digico is a far superior desk. You’re paying for build quality, it being user friendly, and sounding better then everything else on the market. Especially if you use the 32 bit preamp cards. Hope that helps!
@@thepowerplaceproduction I’m not gonna lie, it’s a headache to work with A&H. I think they sound great and the on board plugins sound amazing too. But for someone like me that knew nothing about sound when I started using a dLive, it’s been a journey to say the least. The UI and how all the routing works in the thing boggles my mind. When I see videos of other cheaper consoles I sometimes wish I could have started on something easier. I’m still struggling after 3 years on this thing lol!
However, this video has unlocked parts of my brain I think. I’ve been trying to figure out how to run my setup like this for a while now and the way you broke everything down in this video helped tremendously. The only thing the dLive can’t do is route a group through another group. I have to send groups to dca and I can control multiple dca’s with more dca’s 😂😅
@@TuDoorCinema Thanks David! Yeah I agree with everything you just said! A&H can do it, but it's so hard to wrap my head around the consoles.
@@thepowerplaceproductioncan one use Waves alongside SQ, avantis, s31 etc or is it a standalone console rig?
Could you comment on using a Slate Raven Mti2 or MTZ to control streaming mix, be it a Matrix or Ableton Live via Dante..
What other options would you suggest for streaming mix control for the Digico S31 since it doesn't have an online editor
I don’t use anything external. The FOH mix is the broadcast mix. Just with crowds added. You can use a separate DAW setup to do the mix if you can split your input gains. That works nicely!
Hi,
Do you explain in other video why and how do you use both dca and groups ?
For me is not easy to understand because it’s pretty the same* and dca could affect the dynamic processing you"re doing with the groups.
* I understand the difference.
Yup! That video is coming shortly!
Man, great idea but none of the small churches in my country could afford a s31. It’s almost 3 the price of as sq6, wings, presonus, m32.
But it's very nice that you could afford this console.
All of the stuff we show sound wise works on all those consoles too! Waves interfaces with all of them. Or you can use a really powerful computer and the usb interface built in! The X32 with waves is a great cost effective solution. You just don’t get the most busses and have to do most of the processing on the individual channels.
@@thepowerplaceproduction yeah I know, it’s because in my experience small churches could barely afford a entry level mixer. It the top new content, you’re using complementary stuff like computer, external screen etc which are not easy to add to a church's budget because members and leaders often don't see the point.
Even if there wre convinced, in French speaking Europe (France, Belgium, etc) we still have analog consoles. Buying all that stuff from scratche (console, stage box, monitor and computer) even in entry level is not an easy budget for small churches.
However I appreciate this content and thank you very much for that. I think that in my context it is rather reserved for medium size churches or churches that are already used to using recent equipment including digital consoles.
You are a great teacher. I got thrown into sound engineering during Covid and have watched hundreds of videos. Each one I suppose expanded my vocabulary or knowledge somewhat but THIS synthesized so much complex information into understandable usable information it nearly brings me to tears. Thank you and may God bless you🙏🏻.
On the Digico are you compensating for processing delay for each group?
Not on the Digico, because the band and vocals go to the same amount of groups. That way it all stays in sync. Every input that needs to work together phase wise reaches the master at the same time. Any processing delay compensation is done inside of superrack with the latency groups. One group is set up for inputs, another for busses, and another for outputs. That means all my inputs are time aligned, all my busses/groups are time aligned, and every output is time aligned, regardless of the plug-ins used. Works very nice!
Hiii