Mapp had previously relied on a Midas XL4 for every tour, before switching to digital desks a few years ago. "Why did I make the change to Midas Digital?" he says. "Tone, feel and most importantly, audio quality. I've had some great shows on other digital desks but nothing sounds and feels like the PRO9 does."
Citing the PRO9's EQ as one of the first features that won him over, Mapp continues, "It really blew me away, reminding me of what it was like to mix on a great analogue desk. I just pushed up the guitars, did a little tonal shaping and they sounded massive.
"Another thing I've noticed after bouncing from festivals to theatres on a variety of PA systems is how sonically huge the entire mix sounds. It reacts in a way that I haven't felt since the XL4. Some desks seem to get a little choked up when they're pushed too hard, but this keeps on going and going."
Mapp finds the options offered by the PRO9 has challenged him to think and rethink his approach to mixing. "It's always fun as well as educational," he concludes. "I'm still finding new ways of incorporating these features into my setup every day. Right down to details like the linking function for each channel, the PRO9's features have really been helpful in letting me setup each pair of inputs or outputs exactly as I'd like."
(Jim Evans)
