Topic: Pros and Cons GLD vs iLive | Allen & Heath Digital Community

Pros and Cons GLD vs iLive

This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by eotsskleet.

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2013/09/28 at 10:09 pm #24026

GCumbee
Participant

As a prospective dealer with a demo GLD80/AR2412 to evaluate what are the pros and cons of either the GLD vs iLive platforms? I have attended an iLive training seminar a couple of years ago but can’t remember that much about it. I hope to be able to sell both but not sure whether I should get an iLive for myself also. Obviously the ability to have more than 48Ch I know, engine in the stage box I know. But how much, if any better, is iLive? Say compare a T112/48 to a GLD112/48? Reverbs and delays, dynamics, mic preamps/EQ’s? etc. Been in audio business over 40yrs. Seen just about everything. I am very impressed with the GLD. Is has been a thrill learning it. Very impressed with sound, EQ’s and FX and ease of operation. Better than any dig board I have worked on.

Just looking for opinions and advice.

George Cumbee
Mid-America Communications Audio/Video(MIDCOMM A/V)
Paducah, KY USA

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/09/29 at 1:02 am #35013

Chris93
Participant

Anything that’s the same, is the same. Reverbs, delays, compressors etc (as long as you stay within the setting the GLD offers).

The iLive offers some features the GLD simply doesn’t have, keying compressors from another channel etc.

I’ve seen problems with both, the iLive was the only one that wouldn’t pass signal as a result of the problem, but it was fixed.

Non T series iLives have nicer build quality than T series or GLD.

Chris

2013/09/29 at 3:50 pm #35017

KB7981
Participant

A couple of the big differences that come to mind right away is iLive series allows connection of PL-anet remote devices (nice for installed sound where there are remote areas that need to make overall volume adjustments for that area or even allow performers to adjust their monitor mix), and then there are more surface / rack combinations that can all be mixed and matched to fit needs.

Kris
Indiana, USA

2013/09/29 at 6:59 pm #35023

clarocque
Participant

I had a GLD 80 w/ AR2412 & 2 AR84 and own 3 iLive systems… for me I chose to sell my GLD based on the following:

Channel count: iDR48 is a full 48 channels of mono or stereo preamps vs 44 and fixed stereo for 45+

Ability to run a show with just a stage box and controller of your choice: i.e. surface, iPad, Computer

Tactile control: Ability to have access to more setting on the channel strip with out needing touchscreen

Lim/DeEsser on all channels

With multiple iLive mix racks I felt I had more redundancy options than I did with my GLD.

Encoder functionality: I like the GLD had the option to assign encoder to different things with a function key, but like that iLive is dynamic (a hybrid of the two would be cool)

I definitely liked the GLD’s boot time, touch screen and layout programming via screen better though

My $0.02

T112, T80, iDR48 (2), iDR16 all w/M-DANTE, Qu-16, PL10, MixPads, Editor

2013/09/29 at 7:24 pm #35025

GCumbee
Participant

In looking at your list the primary thing I think is channel count. All the others are not real deal breakers. I like the larger meters on the T but with a meter screen that is not a biggie either. I was also thinking about portability. iLive just bigger, heavier. I had some guys over to look at the GLD80. They were comparing it to a Yamaha M7 and could not believe that it was pretty much as powerful a machine as the M7 in a much smaller footprint. Of course sometimes size matters. It is hard for say a church to justify pulling out a PM4000 to replace it with a small board. I had this to happen on an install I did with a Roland Vmixer in FL. They took out a M2500 large analog board. Freaked a few people out

quote:

Originally posted by clarocque

I had a GLD 80 w/ AR2412 & 2 AR84 and own 3 iLive systems… for me I chose to sell my GLD based on the following:

Channel count: iDR48 is a full 48 channels of mono or stereo preamps vs 44 and fixed stereo for 45+

Ability to run a show with just a stage box and controller of your choice: i.e. surface, iPad, Computer

Tactile control: Ability to have access to more setting on the channel strip with out needing touchscreen

Lim/DeEsser on all channels

With multiple iLive mix racks I felt I had more redundancy options than I did with my GLD.

Encoder functionality: I like the GLD had the option to assign encoder to different things with a function key, but like that iLive is dynamic (a hybrid of the two would be cool)

I definitely liked the GLD’s boot time, touch screen and layout programming via screen better though

My $0.02

T112, T80, iDR48 (2), iDR16 all w/M-DANTE, Qu-16, PL10, MixPads, Editor

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/09/29 at 7:29 pm #35026

GCumbee
Participant

I have a large church prospect that has 2 large Soundcraft boards for FOH and live TV and streaming mix. I sold those to them about 15years ago. GLD would be a big switch, 112 not so bad. T112 would be similar in size. Big thing on this is splitting 2 consoles, dealing with 14 RF mics at the FOH position plus CD, DVD and computer all stereo. Where to put the IDR and getting an engine for the second board etc. etc. Rep and I have figured it out. Just a lot of hardware and cost to accomplish their need. 44mic plus 2 stereo on GLD would work, but cutting it close with no room for expansion. They only need a lot of mics a few times a year when they use an orchestra.

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/09/29 at 10:33 pm #35027

GCumbee
Participant

I think my big question is if I were to put the same source be it live music or recorded through both systems and all things equal as for levels, etc. Am I going to hear several thousand dollars difference?

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/09/30 at 1:01 am #35028

GCumbee
Participant

In looking at the iLive forum there seem to be a lot of issue threads. Various problems. Several pages with recent ones so does not appear to be old firmware problems. Have not read many of them just the titles. Just find that curious since the GLD forum does not appear to have as many. More feature things and operational. Less problems. Is that a fair assumption? Of course there are a lot of QU threads in there since there is not a QU forum yet. I tried to eliminate those…

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/09/30 at 3:44 am #35031

BobWitte
Participant

More iLives in he world then GLD’s….

Bob

GLD80, AR2412, 2xAR84, Dante, GLD Remote

2013/09/30 at 3:46 am #35032

GCumbee
Participant

I figured that but noticed the difference…

quote:

Originally posted by BobWitte

More iLives in he world then GLD’s….

Bob

GLD80, AR2412, 2xAR84, Dante, GLD Remote

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/10/03 at 2:01 am #35072

Anonymous
Inactive

Hi There

After installing a bunch of iLives and GLDs, i can easely say that the GLD sounds a lot better than iLive.
The biggest reason i would spec an iLive today would be channel count and a few other very specific features.
My general rule now is that if channel count and buss count is not an issue, GLD is an easy choice, specially with the GLD112.

Gil Parente
Design & Integration
Atlantic Pro Audio, Inc.
Gparente@apa-ee.com

2013/10/03 at 2:44 am #35073

GCumbee
Participant

Gil:

Thanks. That is encouraging. I need to study up on the iLive although I don’t have one. I was just asked by a dealer today if I would be interested in going to TX and installing and training on one. I have done an iLive training seminar but it was a long time ago. I think after spending a lot of time with GLD I could pick it up pretty quickly….

GLD 80
AR2412

2013/10/03 at 5:47 am #35074

clarocque
Participant

@GCumbee

If you can put your hands on both and try them, that would be great – they definately have a different feel. At the same time have some similarities.

As far as which one sounds better – well that is subjective, I personally like the sound of my iLive over my GLD… but maybe that was pre’s, maybe it was the dynamics, maybe it was in my head. My point is, what sounds better is so subjective… that is better left to your own ears.

Channels count and functionality are probably the things to look at the most – both are nice units.

T112, T80, iDR48 (2), iDR16 all w/M-DANTE, Qu-16, PL10, MixPads, Editor

2013/10/03 at 6:55 am #35077

eotsskleet
Participant

I hope there will be an iLive2 coming up that includes the new nice features of GLD with the flexibility of iLive!

Best GLD-Features:
– Fast touchscreen
– Fader-Bank setup with drag&drop
– push&turn knob (Freq. and Q)
– intuitive channelstrip and logical menu (easy to use for everyone)
– fast bootup
– offline editor

Best iLive Features:
– flexibility with use of different racks (channelcount)
– de-esser and other dynamics/effects for more channels (not only for
– more DSP/CPU/SSD
– more possibilities with scenes, user-buttons, monitor, inserts, etc

So tell me A&H when will the release date be? [8D]

GLD-80 / AR2412 / AR84 / Qu-16
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