In this age of the modular digital mixer, manufacturers have at least three ways to configure their systems: put all processing, control and I/O in one traditional mixer format, split the I/O from the rest (the stage box concept) or split out the control surface from the DSP and I/O. Each has its advantages, but one could argue the latter method offers the most flexibility as system size and complexity increases.
Mixing on the C3500 is truly a joy, and its headroom and transparency make turning out a polished-sounding mix that much easier.
Allen & Heath chose door #3 for its C Class mixer system, putting all the DSP and I/O in a single box located near the stage. This box functions like a hub, to which you can connect a network of control surfaces and additional I/O modules. This not a new approach for Allen & Heath—its higher-end S Class mixers use the same concept, and much of the dLive hardware is interchangeable between the S Class and C Class systems.The C Class extends the dLive line into a market where budgets (and available space) are smaller. Based on configuration, a C Class system costs about $15,000 to $20,000—just over half the cost of a similarly equipped S Class system. The C Class matches the S Class in terms of raw mixing power and the use of Allen & Heath’s Harmony user interface; it gives up a few features in the areas of connectivity and redundancy. Most notably missing are the S Class’s dual hot-swappable power supplies and redundant cabling between control surface and processing module. The C Class also has one fewer card slot and DX port for expansion.
Brains in a Box
The box holding the brains and connectors of the dLive system is called MixRack, and it comes in three sizes: 32x16 analog in/out (CMD32), 48x24 (CMD48) and 64x32 (CMD64). Each has a pair of DX ports for adding more analog I/O, as well as a single expansion slot. This slot lets the MixRack connect to a variety of other digital audio protocols, including Dante, Waves, MADI, fibreACE (optical) and more. A dedicated ME port connects to the Allen & Heath personal mixing system. Word clock I/O and two Ethernet ports round out MixRack’s I/O.The same audio engine sits under the hood of all dLive C Class configurations. dLive uses the Allen & Heath XCVI Core for all DSP and routing, along with DEEP processing for effects. Theoretically capable of routing 3,000 inputs to 3,000 outputs, the C Class system actually offers 160 inputs and 64 outputs (or busses) at 96 kHz sampling rate with generous effects. A 96-bit accumulator means effectively unlimited dynamic range. (Did you catch that XCVI is Roman numeral 96?) That the C Class engine can do all this with an ultra-low latency figure of 0.7 milliseconds is all the more impressive.
All these inputs and outputs are slathered in audio processing as well, a testament to exactly how much power the XCVI Core brings to bear. Inputs have high- and low-pass filtering, four-band EQ, dual insert points, compression and noise gate. As with many areas of the mixer, inputs aren’t stuck with just “plain vanilla” processing. The DEEP input stage offers a modeled tube preamp simulation, for example, while the compression library includes a number of familiar modeled effects from the likes of dbx, UREI and others. The Dyn8 dynamics processor offers four bands of multi-band compression plus four bands of dynamic EQ. You can insert at least 64 instances of this dynamics powerhouse on inputs or busses.
Eight additional effects are available for sends or inserts, and this is where the DEEP processing lives up to its name. The usual effects are here, with many modeled after familiar pieces of outboard gear. Less-common effects include sub-harmonic generator, rotary speaker, transient controller and a few other surprises. Effects offer ample control and fantastic sound. The DEEP reverbs are standouts, notable for their rich sound and spaciousness.Good things come in threesAs with the MixRack, the C Class control surfaces come in three different configurations. The C1500 offers 12 faders and a single touchscreen, and is small enough to be rack-mounted. The C2500 has 20 faders and one touchscreen, while the flagship C3500 bumps the fader count to 24 and adds a second touchscreen. All offer a GigaACE port for connection to the MixRack, as well as an expansion card slot. Have some favorite analog outboard gear you just can’t part with? C Class surfaces have six XLR analog ins and outs. Need more analog I/O at the mix position? Plug an expansion box into the surface’s DX port.The addition of a VGA video output on the surface was a great touch, allowing the connection of an external monitor. View modes for this output are numerous: metering, effects, scenes, routing and more. An extra display on the C3500 is helpful, but for the single-screen C1500 and C2500 it becomes almost mandatory.
Another key area of expansion in the dLive world is that of external controllers, added with standard Ethernet connectors and cabling (or WiFi). The IP6 controller offers six knobs with LCD channel displays and assignable buttons, perfect for personal monitor mixing. The IP8 is handy for the mix position, with eight motorized faders, six bank selectors and assignable buttons. The C Class can even trigger and control lights, motors, curtains and other devices with the GPIO module. You can add up to eight of each type of controller to the C Class system.No digital mixer would be complete without a tablet app. In the dLive world, the MixPad app for iPad offers control over most mixing functions. There’s also a stripped-down OneMix app, meant for musicians dialing in a personal mix.
Unfortunately, dLive offers no Android support. This is bad news for musicians that use Android smartphones (like myself), so let’s hope an Android app is in the works.For remote control of all aspects of the C Class, you have to install dLive Director software on a PC or Mac. You can even work offline with Director, later pushing your settings to the control surface. Here’s an eye-opener: with an iPad app or Director software (or both), you don’t even need a control surface to mix with the MixRack. We’re to an ironic point in mixer evolution where the only thing that still looks like a mixer is, in fact, dispensable.
Colorful Character
The C Class control surfaces use the Allen & Heath “Harmony” user interface, which makes no attempt to model the workflow of a traditional analog mixer. Instead, Harmony exploits the malleable, modular nature of the modern digital mixer. The end result is a system that’s fast and efficient, but not particularly intuitive. Expect that new users will need to spend some quality time with manuals and tutorials before they can effectively find their way around this mixer. Once you’re familiar with the interface, however, the C Class mixer feels like a precision tool in your hands.
Speaking of hands, the C Class surface exudes quality and sturdiness from the first touch. Faders don’t wobble, knobs are smooth and tight, the housing doesn’t flex a bit. The C-series is made in China, but has none of the flimsy feel that plagues some mixers from that country. Allen & Heath stands behind the C Class with a one-year warranty.
One of the more striking aspects of the C Class interface is its color. From touchscreens and LCD channel labels and the centers of knobs, the mixer is awash in bright, saturated hues. Many of these colors give visual clues regarding the purpose of buttons and faders, some seem to exist just for the visual effect. You can change certain colors on the mixer, but you’re choosing from a palette that’s quite limited and largely quite saturated. If the C Class had color themes (it doesn’t, but should), the default would probably be called “rave.” How about “fall” or “pastels”? Subtle it isn’t, but at least the C Class interface holds its own outside—even in direct sunlight.
Mixing on the D3500 is truly a joy, and its headroom and transparency make turning out a polished-sounding mix that much easier. Allen & Heath has many years of experience building digital mixers, and the resulting refinement is unmistakable. Key functions are never far away, displays and screens reveal what you need to know in the moment. Processing power exceeds what most mixes need, as does the flexibility of signal routing. It’s like the C Class is always saying “I’ve got this.”
Allen & Heath is working hard to make the dLive into a system that can meet most any need, and I’m hard-pressed to think of a church sound setting that would exceed its capabilities. The C Class can replace FOH, main monitor and personal monitor mixers, and allow a small army of techs to control it at the same time. It can connect with most popular digital audio protocols. It can expand with controllers and additional analog I/O. It can connect with a Waves DSP engine in the next rack or by fiber to a digital recorder a quarter of a mile away. The building blocks are there for you to put together.
The flexibility of the C Class system impresses, even before a thought is given to how it sounds or how it operates or what it costs. The real kicker is that the C Class connects every input and output with incredible clarity, high-quality effects, a well-conceived user interface and a very reasonable price tag. Music pastors and tech teams take note: the “C” in C Class may stand less for “compact” and more for “church.”
