"If there is any fear factor left for sound engineers in the concert fraternity, this is the desk that will lay that fear to rest," says the company's Karl Christmas. "Easier to use than a conventional analogue desk: That was the dream we set ourselves; the development of Centralogic being the interface which made that dream a reality. A completely intuitive touch-panel control surface guides the user through a natural progression thanks to a straightforward and logical navigation system. Naturally we've implemented Yamaha's acclaimed selected channel concept so operational choices appear immediately familiar."
Single function physical controls, and all digital controls, are accessed from just two main display screens - a system so intuitive and logical you could even operate the whole desk from the display panel alone, say Yamaha.
Available in two formats, 32 or 48 channels, both with 4 stereo inputs and three mini-YGDAI card slots, the M7CL main features include 16 mix buses, 8 Matrix, Left/Centre/Right bus, 8 DCAs and 16 omni outputs. The popular concept of built in power supply, pioneered with the DM2000, is continued here, backed by optional single or double failsafe external PW800W PSUs.
On-board effects and graphic EQ are the perceived advantages of digital mixing, and the M7CL has them in abundance, say Yamaha. The on-screen Rack button allows instant patching of effects or EQ to any channel, while another touch takes you to detailed editing within your chosen effect or graphic.
Eight signal processors can be used simultaneously; conventionally deployed as four graphics and four effects, but with all the on-board effects units capable of operating alternatively as graphics, up to eight graphics can be used. If you don't need the effects - the choice is yours. Operators can exploit processing power further through the new Flex15 GEQ - standard graphic EQ gives 31 band operation; select Flex15 and each GEQ module functions as two 31 band units with 15 bands available at any one time.
Effects are equally powerful and flexible - echo, modulation, ambience, distortion are all available from Yamaha's established Rev-X stable of high quality 32bit 96kHz digital effects. Channel control follows the inherent M7CL discipline of operational simplicity; full-length 100mm motor faders are provided for all input channels in both formats, {32 and 48 channel, mono and stereo} plus stereo/mono masters, with a further eight Centralogic faders of identical type, for consistency of operational feel. Each input fader has it's own 'On' key, 'Cue' key, plus 'Sel' key to assign that channel to Selected Channel controls for more detailed channel manipulation in the Centralogic section.
(Lee Baldock)
