Digital or Analog?

Courtesy of Sweetwater.com

About three weeks ago we made the switch from an analog sound board to a digital one and the switch was not an easy one. When you have one day from installation to learn an entirely new sound board in general is tough but adding the digital element and new features can be overwhelming. Digital sound boards are awesome, you can do so much more with your live sound than you could with an analog board, but because it is digital many assume that it is easier to use.

As churches begin to consider the switch from analog to digital there are a few things that should be takien into consideration. First, do not assume that it is going to be an easy switch or that it is going to be a plug and play deal. Secondly, it will not solve all of your sound issues especially if you have a few people in your congregation who like to complain. Finally, it will take time to master the board.

Assuming that switching out your analog board for a digital one is going to be easy or being led by the salesperson that it will be will frustrate you during the installation and training period. Researching the digital board and any additional equipment you may need before making the decision will help you through the installation process. In our situation, we did our research but we took the word of the professional installer that it will be a simple four hour job and ended up taking twice as long. We failed to evaluate our analog system and the way it was setup before having the new system come in, which costed us time sorting through.

Believing that having a digital board will solve all your issues and complaints is wrong. The truth is it won't. It will change the way you run sound and it will change your sound for the better but all that doesn't matter to that person or persons who has complained in the past. Our sound overall is sounding better and clearer than ever before but we are still getting complaints by the same people before we made the switch. My advice is to acknowledge the complaints but don't get hung up on them.

Thinking that because it is a digital board you will be running sound like a pro in no time will easily frustrate you. Learning the basics on a digital board is easy but to really get to know the board will take time especially getting to know all of the features. Be patient when exploring the board and let your pastoral staff know to be patient as well. Your pastors will get frustrated because they're going to want you to know everything as soon as the board comes out of the box so you will have to tell them that it will take time to get acquainted with the board.

Before deciding to switch from analog to digital keep in mind these things and all the reasons why you want to make the switch. I'm glad that we made the switch especially since the board we bought has an iPad app that is truly awesome. I hope that this post can be of help to those considering the switch.