allen and heath console
- Thread starter jmorris
- Start date
I own one. A Mark II (I believe), 24 channels, 8 busses.
I like it, though its the only console I've used so I have no basis for comparison in terms of sound quality. I need to clean some of the pots, which I'll get around to eventually.
Some things I like:
Sounds pretty good.
Routing is fairly comprehensive. I can monitor off the main L+R mix, cue mix, or tape returns with the push of a button. Another push of a button assigns Auxes 1 and/or 2 to the cue mix output, so you don't have to mult off the Aux sends.
Talkback input is on an XLR and not a built-in mic, so it allows you to use a mic of your choosing. Talkback can go to the cue mix, slate to the buss and main outputs, or both. The cue and slate buttons are next to one another so you can go to both with one push.
Operates at +4, so it was quite easy to interface with my HD24.
Mono switch, which some similar consoles might lack.
Insert points on all channels, busses, and main L+R outs.
It's pretty easy to figure out. I learned the ins and outs of mine with no manual or anything.
Some things I don't like so much:
Only three Aux sends. Two are switchable pre/post, the other is fixed post.
No Aux returns. You have to bring them back on spare channels, tape returns, or the two Echo Returns (the Echo Returns are pannable and assignable to any buss, though).
No direct outputs. I think models later than mine did have them, though, so this isn't necessarily applicable to all of them.
Buss outputs are unbalanced, but on XLRs and pin 3 hot. Not a big deal, really. You just have to make a custom harness to hook it up to your recorder. I made one with Mogami cable and Neutrik connectors (XLR on one end, TRS on the other), for about $75.
It's not an inline desk, so you have to adjust your trim pots when you switch the channels from the mic inputs for tracking to the line inputs for monitoring and mixing. What I do is track my drums to the first 8-10 channels of my HD24, then set those channels on my board to the line inputs and adjust my trim pots, and I use higher numbered channels for my overdubs. So this shouldn't be a problem if you aren't using a lot of channels simultaneously for overdubs, or if you use outboard pres. It does have eight tape inputs for monitoring...there is a switch that changes between monitoring what's on a buss's output or on it's tape input.
I think that this board was intended when it came out to be used with 8-track tape machines, hence the eight busses and tape returns. It's pretty easily adapted to my HD24 (especially with the HD24's input normalling...saves me from repatching). If you're pretty minimalist in the outboard stuff you use (1 or 2 delays and reverbs, that sort of thing), it should serve you pretty well. I wouldn't spend an arm and a leg on one, obviously, but if you can get a good price on one that isn't shot, go for it.
Oh yeah, another thing that I forgot about. The System 8 had an optional sidecar you could get which added eight more channels of preamps. To connect this sidecar, there are a number of tie line inputs on the board for plugging into the busses and aux sends. So, if you so desired you could patch outboard pres into the busses if you wanted to buss a channel of outboard pre together with a channel or channels from the board. Just last night I was thinking about how difficult it would be to construct a matrix that would allow me to use outboard pres as if they were board pres...basically you would plug the pre's output into the matrix and that would then allow you to route it to any of the busses and also to the aux sends for cue mixes or sidechaining or whatever. Just a thought.
I like it, though its the only console I've used so I have no basis for comparison in terms of sound quality. I need to clean some of the pots, which I'll get around to eventually.
Some things I like:
Sounds pretty good.
Routing is fairly comprehensive. I can monitor off the main L+R mix, cue mix, or tape returns with the push of a button. Another push of a button assigns Auxes 1 and/or 2 to the cue mix output, so you don't have to mult off the Aux sends.
Talkback input is on an XLR and not a built-in mic, so it allows you to use a mic of your choosing. Talkback can go to the cue mix, slate to the buss and main outputs, or both. The cue and slate buttons are next to one another so you can go to both with one push.
Operates at +4, so it was quite easy to interface with my HD24.
Mono switch, which some similar consoles might lack.
Insert points on all channels, busses, and main L+R outs.
It's pretty easy to figure out. I learned the ins and outs of mine with no manual or anything.
Some things I don't like so much:
Only three Aux sends. Two are switchable pre/post, the other is fixed post.
No Aux returns. You have to bring them back on spare channels, tape returns, or the two Echo Returns (the Echo Returns are pannable and assignable to any buss, though).
No direct outputs. I think models later than mine did have them, though, so this isn't necessarily applicable to all of them.
Buss outputs are unbalanced, but on XLRs and pin 3 hot. Not a big deal, really. You just have to make a custom harness to hook it up to your recorder. I made one with Mogami cable and Neutrik connectors (XLR on one end, TRS on the other), for about $75.
It's not an inline desk, so you have to adjust your trim pots when you switch the channels from the mic inputs for tracking to the line inputs for monitoring and mixing. What I do is track my drums to the first 8-10 channels of my HD24, then set those channels on my board to the line inputs and adjust my trim pots, and I use higher numbered channels for my overdubs. So this shouldn't be a problem if you aren't using a lot of channels simultaneously for overdubs, or if you use outboard pres. It does have eight tape inputs for monitoring...there is a switch that changes between monitoring what's on a buss's output or on it's tape input.
I think that this board was intended when it came out to be used with 8-track tape machines, hence the eight busses and tape returns. It's pretty easily adapted to my HD24 (especially with the HD24's input normalling...saves me from repatching). If you're pretty minimalist in the outboard stuff you use (1 or 2 delays and reverbs, that sort of thing), it should serve you pretty well. I wouldn't spend an arm and a leg on one, obviously, but if you can get a good price on one that isn't shot, go for it.
Oh yeah, another thing that I forgot about. The System 8 had an optional sidecar you could get which added eight more channels of preamps. To connect this sidecar, there are a number of tie line inputs on the board for plugging into the busses and aux sends. So, if you so desired you could patch outboard pres into the busses if you wanted to buss a channel of outboard pre together with a channel or channels from the board. Just last night I was thinking about how difficult it would be to construct a matrix that would allow me to use outboard pres as if they were board pres...basically you would plug the pre's output into the matrix and that would then allow you to route it to any of the busses and also to the aux sends for cue mixes or sidechaining or whatever. Just a thought.
homestudioguy
Well-known member
I clearly don't have personal experience but FYI, my church just built a new $9 Million Sanctuary (that included tearing down the old one).
Using a Pro-Sound sales and installation firm as their guide, they bought an Allen and Heath 32 channel 8-bus as their analog board.
They bought Yamaha MC7L as their digital board.
A friend here in town who does a substantial amount of Live work has 2 rigs of Allen and Heath with each rig having A&H 32 track 4 bus and an A&H Monitor console.
They seem to quite popular here in Central, IL
Using a Pro-Sound sales and installation firm as their guide, they bought an Allen and Heath 32 channel 8-bus as their analog board.
They bought Yamaha MC7L as their digital board.
A friend here in town who does a substantial amount of Live work has 2 rigs of Allen and Heath with each rig having A&H 32 track 4 bus and an A&H Monitor console.
They seem to quite popular here in Central, IL
Not to discredit anything, but the fact that a church put in an Allen Heathn Console does not really mean anything. Also, a sound company putting out GL2000's or less (4 bus was mentioned) would be a warning sign to me if I were a renter. That being said, I like Allen Heath. They are a good compromise between cost, sound quality, durability, and features. As far as the system 8 goes, I used to have one. I do not like the way it is laid out or the meterbridge situation. It sounds "OK" but is much noisier than many of the othe Allen Heath consoles. The switches and pots also seem to be cheap and go bad quicker than many other consoles. If you were to find a 24 channel system 8 for about $400 or less in decent shape I would say it is a good bargain. Any more than that and other decent options start to pop up.