Hello everyone, I have had an SQ5 since the beginning, after a defect I bought a new one half a year ago, now suddenly the Yamaha DM3 came out, and although it is more compact, it still offers me a few advantages, such as a large screen and output relays, and everything clearly arranged on 1 screen, but what this topic is about is the SQ Drive, this one from the Yamaha, you can put any stick in it with wav, MP3, and it will pick it up immediately, the player also works flawlessly, my question can they not update this with the Sq? so that he just takes everything and that you don’t have to put it in a separate folder, I’m sure it will make many happy
Queue up with that request 
Still, as yamaha, I think through development now the DM3, and the DM7, maybe the DM5 will also come then for me the choice for a dm5 is easily made with those modern options
Please clarify if the USB recording capability offered with the DM3 is limited to two track stereo: the way I read the feature page multi tracking will depend upon buying the Dante version along with the requisite ancillary multitrack recording gear. Another noteworthy concern is the fact that deploying either of their expansion stage boxes will also require the Dante version.
The ultra small form factor, foot print and large screen are terrific features, however the world class A&H FPGA XCIV core processing will not be delivering the stellar D-live sonic quality the DX168 offers and certainly the A&H “Prime I/Os”, 32/96K detailed transparency, will not be available with any Yamaha desk.
Everything I understand about the DM3 is from their web site and several video & published reviews. If I have miss represented the DM3’s recording capability please correct my post.
IMO they are offering a big screen and mini footprint with an entry level feature set that is designed around 10 year old, dated technology. With their $1,600. or $2,ooo. for the Dante version price points the general street opinion is that they are both over priced when compared with various similar competing Behringer small entry level desks. From a sonic quality point of view there is no way to compare a DM3 with the SQ5: they exist in two completely different sonic worlds.
Hugh
Hugh, without listening to the Yamaha mixers, the discussion about the sound quality is unqualified.
And the lack of transparency is not what is associated with Yamaha mixers.
The DM3 has a 18x18 USB interface on the back beside the normal 2track stick in the front.
I feel a SQ3 with a similar footprint and perhaps half channelcount as SQ5/6/7 could be a killer for smaller venues/meeting rooms etc.
Or maybe a CQ-16?
We definitely need an improvement for the Q-drive. Better compatibility with audio formats and readability of any stick thrown at it would be my go to wish. Not only for SQ.
Hi Hugh,
I really don’t understand, why you always point out “world class FPGA XCIV core”. Does this (essentially meaningless) phrase mean more to you than we others know?
BTW: Its called “XCVI”, not “XCIV”.
Regarding your regards about Yamaha products… really?? Without evidence you claim one of the technical industry leaders not to be able to create good sounding products??
To be honest, I have not touched a DMx until today, but from the experience with other Yamaha products, I expect the best from the best – also regarding the DANTE State boxes.
BTW… what’s the problem with DANTE Stageboxes? Yamaha seems for decades work very well with them?
BTW: “…no way to compare a DM3 with the SQ5: they exist in two completely different sonic worlds.” → How do you know that??? My feeling is: Test it for yourself and be prepared for some surprises… again… Yamaha is kind of technical leading the industry, and before you come up with discussions: please compare DLive and Rivage – its OK to just do that by the technical specs at first glance.
Best Regards,
Tobias
Tobi, to be completely fair, there is no equivalent dLive system for the Rivage price range.
Rivage costs much more than a dLive, but is following similar concepts with separated DSP racks and surfaces for remote control.
Same price range would be the DM7 or the CL series.
Anyway, would love to see an improved Q-drive in all the consoles. Maybe the new QC will surprise us.
Not to stir up a hornets nest, but for those of you that have tried the DM3/DM7, does the screen lag as much as the official Yamaha announcement videos showed? I have to assume that was a preproduction firmware version, but having 1 second lags between touch screen presses was pretty scary. People complain about the lag on the Avantis, but it’s nothing like what I saw in those videos.
So I have them both and I can’t notice any delay, and I also have a Behringer wing, the quality of the dm3’s screen is enormous and well-arranged, the effects are great, and you can see everything at a glance,
Hi Steffen,
of course – that was just to make clear why my opinion is, that Yamaha is kind of “technical lead” in this industry. Of course, you cannot compare price range, but Rivage shows which features Yamaha is capable of… and CL for example shows how many year a platform can be provided with software updates and new features. And some Rivage features made it into DM, so assuming DM-Series is not great without knowing it seem awkward…
BTW: I completly agree about the media player… not too long ago I placed a feature suggestion about that. And also I had a bug report with support about a problem that even made the bad player worse…
Best Regards,
Tobias
I’ll wait for the new update from A&H, maybe they will update that player! if not then I’ll work with the dm3
My A&H dealer, Myron Surber, also has the Yamaha line and with 3 DM3s due to be delivered soon, so we will have a chance to A/B test my SQ5 with my DX168 d-Live I/Os as well as my DX32 “prime” loaded I/Os with a new DM3. As some others have mentioned, Myron believes the newest Yamaha flagship processing has comparable sonic quality with the A&H FPGA XCVI core processing, however he is dubious about their ability to downsize their subject algorithm in the same manner A&H has with the SQ line. This is, for me, is the central issue: will a DM3 offer similar sonic quality as my SQ5 with DX32 prime 32 bit 96K I/Os?
There is a very interesting factor that the excitement around the introduction of the DM3 has made absolutely apparent: My contention of a need in the market place for an 8 fader mini Avantis is spot on and undeniable. While the USB recording interface and large screen may well be superior features, the tie lines to my Digigrid/Waves recording system greatly benefit from the world class I/Os and processing offered with my SQ5. The ability to internally load up world class I/Os and manage multiple expansion stage box inputs with 8 faders on six layers, like I am requesting with a new Mini Avantis, is impossible with the DM3.
I will report back with the AB testing results that Myron will be managing, after we do it.
Hugh
Comparing a DM3 with fully Upgraded SQ with Prime seems to be Apples and pears… Btw… Whats the Name of the DM core?
Of course you can Connect DM3 to Rio! Compare that with Prime!
Tobi, My main point of contention is an SQ has a shared FPGA processing protocol that is capable of accommodating up to 48 high end up-grade I/Os while the DM3 does not. Many of us bought into the feature rich LS9 only to discover sub standard internal pre-amps. While subsequent Yamaha desks have improved the internal pres the CL line’s 24/48 I/Os have never been considered their strong point. As SteffenR has pointed out, Rivage offers a processing protocol similar to D-Live at a much higher price point than the D-Live, however at this point apparently it is not a fully scalable platform that can be shared.
Cudos to Yamaha for their development of a ultra small desk that the industry has needed for a long while: however their DM3 will not be in the discussion of discriminating detailed transparent capture protocols that the A&H Primes currently offer. If the truth is to be told, this is the A&H trump card: World class sonic quality at an affordable price point!
Hugh
And my Point ist, the Name dies Not Matter. Even the implementing technology does Not Matter, as Long as it works.
My Feeling is, you are an a&h fanboy, which is ok of course. I too Like my SQ. But maybe dont Close your eyes for other things.
And to be honest: its often the Case, when you try to Talk “technical”, its often technically wrong or at least Not accurate. See your Last Paragraph about capture protocols… What should that be???
Affordable price: OK.
In the end, we want a better Q-Drive for the whole range of consoles.
Maybe the new desks will improve things.
There is a very interesting factor that the excitement around the introduction of the DM3 has made absolutely apparent: My contention of a need in the market place for an 8 fader mini Avantis is spot on and undeniable.
The DM3 and a “mini Avantis” would be nothing alike - either in features or price. So your contention of a need in the market place for a 8 fader mini-Avantis (while not untrue) is certainly not confirmed by the launch (and potential success) of the DM3. The DM3 with Dante costs 2k while a “min Avantis” without Dante would likely cost upwards of 10k.
The pending launch of A&H CQ series (which seems to be a QU replacement) will be much closer to the feature set of the DM3. I only wish it had either an expansion slot or Dante built in. That’s a huge negative for the CQ series (although it should help keep the cost low).