Bandwidth Audio Visual’s Mixing Board Fleet: A New Era of Sound Excellence
Bandwidth Audio Visual has recently made significant strides in enhancing its capabilities by upgrading to the Yamaha DM3D Multichannel Mixer with Dante. After extensive real world testing, we confidently replaced our previous mixing board standards, marking a huge shift in how we approach live events and installations.
When Bandwidth Audio Visual was established, our go to mixer for smaller shows was the Allen & Heath QU-16. An amazing board still after all its years and known for its rock solid resiliency, the QU-16 is feature packed making it a favorite in the mixing community. We appreciated for its intuitive touchscreen interface, large surface area and its ability for technicians to know its operation However, as we expanded and began hosting more interactive virtual live events, it became clear that a more powerful and transportable solution was essential.
Our growing demand for streaming and video conferencing highlighted the need for enhanced USB functionality, while events with bands necessitated greater multitrack capabilities. Additionally, as we started working in Dante configured rooms, the need for a Dante-compatible mixer became evident.
To find the ideal replacement for our QU-16, we evaluated several alternatives, including the Allen & Heath SQ5, various Behringer boards, the innovative CQ Series and Yamaha’s TF1. Ultimately, we found that the Yamaha DM3D stood out as a "Goldilocks board" — not too big, not too small, but just right in terms of price and specifications. Across the board, our we think most industry experts agree, confirming that the DM3D is indeed an exceptional fit for our needs.
The Pros
The Yamaha DM3D offers flexibility with two sample rates: 48kHz and 96kHz. For our events, we typically operate at 48kHz, which suits the requirements of our setups. In crafting event spaces, we utilize a specialized board mode that enables the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) like Biamp, or Extron to switch routing inside its matrix to allow for our board to take over a show when the event gets larger then the system was build for in what we call “Easy Mode”
We often get asked if were using the Tio1608-D2, and at this point we are not. Currently, we maintain our fleet of analog snakes for extensions, but we have plans to transition to the Tio1608-D2 in 2025. We do believe this will be a worth while investment but is not a high priority with perfectly good systems..
When it comes to construction the unit feels amazing, its chassis feels sturdy, its screen battle proof and its faders are very, very smooth.
The Cons
-In terms of operating the mixer remotely, we’ve encountered some challenges. As a company primarily working within the Android/Google ecosystem, we have limited access to the full features of the Yamaha mixing app, which is optimized for iPads. While we can still operate effectively using the Android version, having the ability to utilize more advanced functionalities would enhance our overall productivity during events.
-We would also of loved to see an internal Wi-Fi Router as alot of the systems are coming out seem to have these installed.
Summary
In summary, the Yamaha DM3D has proven to be an invaluable addition to Bandwidth Audio Visual’s suite of equipment. Its blend of power, portability, and advanced features has greatly improved our live event capabilities, positioning us to meet the evolving demands of the industry. As we continue to explore new technologies and refine our approach, we expect that this mixer will remain at the forefront of our sound engineering solutions.