We are ready to purchase a new sound system.
The ole' faithful Allen & Heath 48 channel is my first choice.
What about the Mackie 24 channel digital or the Yamaha digital.
Do I really need a digi board?

I would refrain from analog, they get dust in the sliders and they are ruined.

Quoted: I would refrain from analog, they get dust in the sliders and they are ruined.

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Quoted: Quoted: I would refrain from analog, they get dust in the sliders and they are ruined. ??????????????????????????????????????

dust = crackling noise when sliding sliders.

Anyways, im no sound engineer. But i did stay at a holiday inn last night.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I would refrain from analog, they get dust in the sliders and they are ruined. ?????????????????????????????????????? dust = crackling noise when sliding sliders. Anyways, im no sound engineer. But i did stay at a holiday inn last night.

 
Go back to sleep.

Quoted: Quoted: I would refrain from analog, they get dust in the sliders and they are ruined. ??????????????????????????????????????

+1

Analog boards have been the backbone of our industry for decades.
For the "average sound guy", they just can't be beat, especially if touring/live sound is
in the mix. They take a licking and keep on tickin'!

Having said that, digital boards can be fucking fantastic, IF you know how to use them.
Most guys I see, fuck up a totally good event/show with a digital board because it's
worlds apart from the analog board they're used to.

It's hard for a lot of folks to grasp the concept of digital buses and virtual buses, etc.

Now, it really depends on your application.
More info is needed.
Fixed installation? Touring? BUDGET? Music Industry or Stage Presentation?

As far as brands, Allen & Heath are great, but so is Yamaha, Soundcraft and yes even Mackie will serve you well.

Cheers!

I'm the 'sound tech' in the band, we run sound from stage.

We recently made the leap to digital, we are using a Yamaha O1V.  They are phenomenal.

Every channel has parametric EQ, gates, verb, etc... you can choose preset eq's for different instruments, etc.

We downsized so that now the only outboard gear we have is a GEQ for mains and monitors (feedback control) and the crossover.

One of the great features is being able to save your settings in memory... up to 99 different 'gigs'.  When you go back, just recall that room's setting, and you're set.  Faders jump back to where they need to be, EQ and effects recalled, everything but channel gain.

The other thing is that you push a button to switch what you're looking at.  Mains, Aux's, Effect 1, Effect 2, etc... push it and the entire board switches to that 'mode' like it's a dedicated board.

So if you're on the mains, and you want to adjust vocal 2 on Aux 3...
Push Aux 3
(faders jump and settings recall to that mode)
Adjust vocal 2
Push Main
(faders jump back to the main board settings).

Slicker than shit.

ETA:  I like the memory slots, I can 'tweak' stuff between shows, compare what works from gig to gig, etc.