The PM5D is a great live sound console, its quality and reliability has made it the world’s first choice of large digital mixer. Despite its maturity and popularity, the large user base of discerning professional engineers always wanted to add more features to suit their many different applications.
The PM5D V2 is the result; it’s loaded with new features grounded in actual day-to-day experience ranging from subtle refinements to seriously notable innovations. And owners of the original PM5D aren’t excluded from the good news: a free firmware update, downloadable from Yamaha’s Pro Audio website, will bring any existing PM5D up to the PM5D V2 specification.
System scalability was another big request from PM5D users and now this is achieved by adding Yamaha DSP5D Digital Mixing System units. DSP5D provides essentially all the functionality of a PM5D-RH V2 in a rack-mountable unit that can be seamlessly controlled from a PM5D V2 console. Up to two DSP5D units can be used with a single PM5D V2 console. A PM5D V2 plus one DSP5D gives you a total of 96 mono and 16 stereo input channels, while adding two DSP5D units to a PM5D V2 provides 144 mono and 24 stereo input channels to comfortably handle large-scale applications. And of course your processing power is doubled or tripled, respectively.
All the Effects and Processing You’ll Need Onboard
The PM5D V2 offers every processing facility you’ll ever need onboard. Every input channel has 4-band EQ plus a high pass filter, a separate gate and compressor, and delay of up to 1000 milliseconds. The stereo and mix outs have 8-band EQ, compressor, and delay. The matrix outs have 4-band EQ, compressor and delay. The cue and monitor outs even include a useful 1000 millisec delay. But the PM5D V2 doesn’t stop there! It features twenty 31-band GEQs or a combination of 12 GEQs and eight independent SPX2000-class multi-effect processors that can be patched into any of the console’s input, stereo, mix, or matrix channels, offering a comprehensive range of reverb, delay, modulation, and combination effects. The PM5D V2 also comes with Yamaha’s incomparable ADDON EFFECTS built in! You have immediate access to acclaimed REV-X Reverb programs as well as the Compressor276, Compressor260 and EQ601 programs from the AE-011 Channel Strip package and the Open Deck programs from the AE-021 Master Strip package.
Virtual Soundcheck
Here’s a perfect example of a version-2 feature that has been implemented in response to feedback from the field. With a multi-track recording systems such as Steinberg’s Nuendo DAW, the PM5D V2 can not only be part of a top quality recording set up, but a live recording made during a rehearsal or performance can be temporarily patched to a selection of the console’s inputs and used for setup and adjustment when certain musicians or performers aren’t available. The results of this “Virtual Soundcheck” can then be directly saved to a scene without the need for complex re-patching, console reboot or fear of accidental changes to setting. And unlike similar features found in other consoles, the PM5D V2 lets you assign individual channels to the Virtual Soundcheck function as required, so you can keep sound effect or BGM channels alive while doing a sound check.
Extra EQ
The PM5D’s eight SPX2000-class internal effect processors offer a vast amount of DSP power. But since not every application requires full use of eight powerful effect processors, some of that power may be diverted. In version 2 that potential can be put to good use in providing additional insertable graphic and parametric EQ units. The PM5D V2 offers a plentiful supply of independent equalizers with new narrower Q settings for input and output processing, but every engineer runs up against situations in which no amount of EQ seems to be enough. That’s where the expanded EQ capability provided by this new feature will really shine.
Solid Security
Although the original PM5D offered plenty of security-oriented features, version 2 provides even greater security that will keep the system operating properly in the widest possible range of applications. A new Load Lock function, for example, makes it impossible to inadvertently load data that might change critical settings from external memory or the PM5D Editor. There’s also an Output Isolation feature that allows full input channel control while preventing scene recall operations from changing output compression, delay, EQ, fader, patching, and other output parameters that needs to remain constant even through band or program material changes. You can specify any or all of the output parameters you want protected. And you can now assign “read-only” status to specific scenes to prevent them from being overwritten by store, load, or edit operations.
Channel Move Function
This seemingly simple function can be a huge advantage when revising a channel layout plan. Mono and stereo input channel setups can be “moved” to any other channel in one simple operation so you don’t have to spend time re-entering all of the related channel settings, including patch and HA settings.
01 F.O.H or Monitors for Concert
When DSP5D is located near PM5D V2 for front-of-house or monitors, you can connect it to the console via a pair of D-sub 68-pin cascade cables. In the setup shown here, with a single DSP5D cascaded to a PM5D V2, you have 96 mono channels, 16 stereo channels and 48 omni outputs (24 Mix buses, 16 Matrix buses, Stereo Mix and Cue/Monitor). Other peripheral gear such as playback or esoteric effects and insert units can be mounted in the same rack as the DSP5D.
02 Concerts Using the DSP5D as a Remote I/O
If the console needs to be located a significant distance from the stage you can add a DCU5D Digital Cabling Unit so that the DSP5D can be located on stage and connected via a "digital snake" consisting of a single CAT5 Ethernet cable. The DCU5D is connected to the console via a pair of D-sub 68-pin cascade cables. In addition to the 48 inputs and 24 outputs provided by the PM5D V2 itself, you now have another 48 microphone/line inputs and 24 omni outputs on stage. (Totally 24 Mix Buses, 16 Matrix buses, 48 OMNI outs). Of course, all DSP5D functions can be controlled directly from the PM5D V2 console. You could also add one or two MY-card output interfaces such as the MY8-DA96 to the DSP5D, and use them to drive an on-stage power amp rack for monitors and FOH speakers.
03 Dual DSP5D for Theater and Performance
If you need more on-stage I/O capability for complex staging, for example, add a second DCU5D and DSP5D as shown in the system below. The second DCU5D is connected to the first DSP5D via a pair of D-sub 68-pin cascade cables, and an Ethernet cable connects to the second DSP5D. In this example each DSP5D drives a power amplifier and FOH speaker — a fast and easy setup for theaters that don't have a built-in sound system that will handle the job. Monitors could also be easily accommodated if required. Wireless receivers can be connected directly to the DSP5D units for reliable performer mic pickup. This setup gives you 96 microphone/line inputs and 48 omni outputs (24 Mix buses and 16 Matrix buses) on stage.
04 Opera House with Orchestra Pit and Stage DSP5D Units
In this system, which is designed primarily for an opera-house type situation, one DSP5D unit is located in the orchestra pit while the second DSP5D unit is located on stage. As in the preceding systems a DCU5D is connected to the console at the rear of the house via the D-sub 68-pin and CAT5 cascade cables, and an Ethernet cable connects to the first DSP5D. The second DSP5D is connected to the first DSP5D via a DCU5D unit in the same way. This makes 48 microphone/line inputs available in the orchestra pit, and another 48 microphone/line inputs available on stage. The DSP5D channels can be controlled directly from the PM5D-RH V2 console. A pair of DME64N units connected to the stage DSP5D outputs perform processing and distribution for the FOH speakers, box seat speakers, and a back-stage speaker system. The orchestra pit DSP5D directly feeds powered monitors for the musicians in the pit.
