Dave Bracey is certainly no stranger to the DiGiCo D5 Live digital mixing console, having used it on his tours of duty with Robbie Williams since it was first launched back in 2002. With that in mind, there can be few better people to give Version 4 software a very thorough road test. This he has duly been doing on Grammy nominated Mika's Live in Cartoon Motion tour, where he is utilising the D5 for both mixing and recording each show, the latter of which he is doing on this occasion via MADI to a Metacorder. He seems to be having a rather nice time. Here's what he thinks so far...

"I would describe Version 4 as a refinement," says Bracey. "Not so much in the mixing but in the mechanics of it, in the housekeeping features. These are more background functions like easier midi patching, plus little things such as auto input routing and being able to send either side of a stereo channel to both sides of the mix if you have a fault on stage. Things that may have just been a bit irritating in the past have disappeared, which is great.

"The new software incorporates features that engineers have had on their wish lists all the way through Version 3 and they have all come in one big job lot. Just about everything that anyone has talked about or asked for over the last two years is here now."

Bracey has found he has benefited from Version 4, but adds that many of the improvements are in areas such as accessing graphics and copying mixes, which benefit monitor engineers more than Front of House. "Access to these sorts of things for monitors is much quicker now and makes that job a lot easier," he continues. "Operationally, many of the innovations, like the improved solo functionality, are suggestions from monitor engineers and Version 4 has now made it as easy to mix monitors on the D5 as FOH."

Bracey is working in the way he has always done with the D5, fully utilizing relative snapshots. "For me it is the only way to mix," he says. "To be able to update the whole show with mix improvements at the push of just one button is essential live. There is also now a nice feature in Version 4 where you have the choice of making ‘db' controllers non-relative. This is a great introduction to the concept, which is what Kursten Smith on monitors, is using. It's a good alternative way of working for people who might be nervous of it initially.

"After a week of using the relative snapshots in this mode, Kursten saw how he could be using the fully relative mode. It's a big leap forward and a lot to comprehend in addition to doing your job. I think that's probably what scares people off until they have done a couple of shows and can see how elegantly it works."

Another feature that Bracey is particularly pleased with is the addition of effects presets, enabling any effect to be recalled to any effects engine with any snapshot. "Previously, you could only change the parameters of a given effect with the new snapshot," he continues. "Now you can recall any effect to that snapshot with any settings.

"That is a huge bonus and means there is less need for outboard equipment. I'm just using a couple of things here that I can't yet duplicate on the console. I would prefer not to use any outboard at all - I reckon that day may well come with the new SD7..."