The What: Yamaha Corporation Japan has launched the RIVAGE PM10 Digital Mixing Console, an enormous, evolutionary step for Yamaha PM Series Digital Live Sound Consoles.
The RIVAGE PM10 Digital Mixing Console
The What Else: More than ten years have passed since the Yamaha PM1D and PM5D defined the direction for the digital console market. The new flagship RIVAGE PM10 significantly increases the quality and versatility necessary in a live sound environment, and inherits features from the renowned PM Series Consoles. Evolved features and performance define yet another milestone for Yamaha sound reinforcement consoles. The PM10 system is comprised of the CS-R10 control surface, DSP-R10 DSP engine, RPio622 I/O rack, three types of RY cards, and two types of HY cards provide the flexibility to configure and ideally match the scale and functional requirements of any application.
“Our new flagship RIVAGE PM10 system is the result of more than 40 years of PM Series history and reinforces our passion to provide industry-leading commercial audio products,” stated Laurence Italia, vice president/general anager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems. “RIVAGE PM10 will ignite the market for a new era of extraordinary sound, operation, and reliability. Needless to say, RIVAGE PM10 would not be possible without the dedication of the Yamaha Japan R&D team as well as feedback from our customers.”
Under the fundamental philosophy of Yamaha live sound consoles, Hybrid Microphone Preamplifiers have been newly-developed, as has the analog section both in terms of components and overall design, achieving an extraordinarily pure, natural sound. Impeccable models of the Rupert Neve Designs (RND) transformer circuitry and acclaimed SILK processing have been created utilizing Yamaha’s VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) technology. The SILK processing feature even includes selectable “RED” and “BLUE” characteristics, and a continuously variable “TEXTURE” knob that facilitate sonic shaping right at the input stage, adding musical sparkle or power as required. Josh Thomas, general manager of Rupert Neve Designs, had this to say about the collaboration: “We have done a number of listening sessions to compare our hardware to the transformer and Silk Texture emulations that Dr. K of Yamaha Japan and the development team achieved. Rupert and I are both very impressed by how closely the emulations get to the original analog designs. We hope that you all enjoy the rich Rupert Neve sound.”
The channel EQ and dynamics have been significantly upgraded with three newly developed algorithms plus the classic Yamaha “Legacy” algorithm. The new “Precise” algorithm includes Q parameters on the low and high shelving filters that allow filter overshoot to be flexibly controlled for added musical impact. An “Aggressive” algorithm has been designed for the most musical response, and the “Smooth” algorithm offers smooth, natural control while retaining the fundamental character of the source. Two Dynamics stages are provided, each functioning as a gate, compressor, ducker, or de-esser as required. Two compressor types are included: “Legacy Comp” features standard Yamaha digital console compressor characteristics, and “Comp260,” a VCM model of a popular analog comp/limiter from the mid-70s.
A total of 45 plug-ins are available for creative processing, with substantially increased processing power. New and noteworthy are plug-ins created in collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs, TC Electronic, and Eventide.
Collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs has resulted in the “Rupert EQ 773,” “Rupert Comp 754,” “Rupert EQ 810,” and “Rupert Comp 830,” all VCM models of Neve designed outboard devices from the 70s and 80s. All four models deliver the gloriously musical vintage outboard sound still favored by many discerning engineers. The alliance with TC Electronic has resulted in the inclusion of two new reverb plug-ins: the “VSS4HD” room simulation reverb that offers a multitude of reflection settings with musical-sounding reverb processing capabilities, and the “NON LIN2” plug-in that can function as an envelope-filtered gate reverb without requiring a trigger.
“I wish to congratulate Yamaha with raising the bar for live console design significantly,” stated Thomas Lund, CTO of TC Electronic. "By directly integrating the world's finest EQ, dynamics and reverbs, this mixing system is truly outstanding. Therefore, a big congratulations to the users also.”
Cooperation with Eventide has produced the “H3000-LIVE” harmonizer, an accurate reproduction of the H3000 Ultra Harmonizer algorithm with an interface streamlined for live sound use. “The marriage of classic Eventide effects with the state-of-the-art Yamaha RIVAGE PM10 mixing system is a match made in heaven,” addd Ray Maxwell, Eventide's vice president of sales and marketing.
