Live Event Worship Production
Jan 11, 2012 5:13 PM
Grace Bible Church in Oxnard, Calif., recently added a Yamaha LS9-32 digital audio console to enhance its six annual “The Living Christmas Tree” performances. The program has been running since 1973. Alan Hatmaker, chairman of the Elder Board and lead audio technician, designed a portable sound system for the program and other special events in 1981. The original system consisted of a Yamaha MQ series console.
“We chose the MQ for its many professional features and overall quality. In 1991, the church decided to upgrade the installed sound system,” Hatmaker says. “The centerpiece of the system was a Yamaha PM1200-32 console. Since the PM1200 was an entry-level pro-series console, it gave us great value with its high-quality construction (weighing in at around 150lbs.) and great features. The PM1200 served us well for the past 20-plus years until this year, when it was replaced by the Yamaha LS9-32. We chose the LS9 since it, like the PM1200, is an entry-level, high-quality Yamaha professional series console that will provide us the same long-term service we had with the PM1200.”
Hatmaker says that one of the biggest features of the Yamaha LS9 is the console’s built-in effects. “This feature alone allows us to remove five pieces of outboard gear between the console and amplifiers, resulting in higher reliability of our overall system,” he says. “The LS9 is great for going from tree setup to Sunday service setup. We use the Scene function to toggle between the two set-ups.” He also sights compressors, available for each channel, as another feature the audio team appreciates.
Yamaha LS9-32
Product at Work: Yamaha LS9
The 32- and 64-input Yamaha LS9 digital consoles are designed for sound reinforcement requirements within small-to-medium-sized houses of worship, installed sound applications such as theatres and performing arts venues, regional sound company rentals, and corporate installations. The console is housed in a small footprint frame and consists of built-in mic pre amps on the first layer of both the 16- and 32-input consoles.
