Complete Guide to the Best Soundboard

If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best soundboard is, then I’d recommend the Allen & Heath SQ-7 48-Channel Digital Mixer as the best one.

Whenever we go to concerts or live events, we want the sound to be rich and match the mood of the occasion, right? It’s the same with church events, especially Sunday worship services; we want the overall sound to enhance our worship experience. The best soundboard for the church could help create just the right mix to match the ambiance and help you focus on worshiping and praising the Lord and listening to the preaching of His Word. 

Here are the Best Soundboards we will be reviewing:

• Allen & Heath SQ-7 48-Channel Digital Mixer
• PreSonus StudioLive 64S 64-Channel Mixer
• QSC TouchMix-16 16-Channel Compact Digital Mixer
• Yamaha TF5 32 Channel Digital Mixer
• Soundcraft Si Expression 3 Digital Mixer

What is the Best Soundboard?

A church soundboard or a soundboard is also known as a mixer or mixing board. This gear or equipment can take in signals from multiple sources such as guitars, keyboards, and microphones. It can merge these inputs and send them as one signal to the speakers. 

Why is a Soundboard Essential?

Is it vital for a church to have a church soundboard? Worship services aim to provide an experience where nothing distracts the congregation from worshipping the Lord and listening to the preaching of His Word. When the sounds from the musical instruments or microphone don’t sound good, they can be a distraction. A church soundboard or mixer can help create and blend sounds that will match the ambiance of the worship service. Here, in turn, allows the congregation to listen to the preaching and have a wonderful worship service experience. 

Where Should a Church Soundboard be Located?

The best spot for a church soundboard should be where the sound technician or engineer could hear what everyone or the congregation hears. It is imperative so that he or they can make the necessary adjustments to make the overall sound balanced. There is the risk of sounding louder on one side of the room if you put the soundboard in a corner spot or location.

The sound engineer or technician should also be able to see the stage. He can see the signal or cue if the worship leader or the pastor needs the sound adjusted. 

Who Should Run the Church Soundboard?

The person behind the church soundboard should be the church sound technician or sound engineer. They have a good understanding of their role in producing an excellent sound for the worship service. It would include but is not limited to creating the best mix or setting that matches the mood of the preaching and supports the music or audio needs of the worship team. 

Some church sound technicians are not audio engineers by profession, but they have enough experience in proper audio mixing, especially in a live setting. Most importantly, they have the heart to serve the Lord and the church. It means that even though it’s not their profession, they are willing to be trained and improve their skills to be excellent in what they do. 

Things to Consider When Buying the Best Soundboard

If you are planning to buy a mixer or a soundboard, here are some of the things you would need to consider before purchasing:

Budget

Knowing your church’s budget will help you decide your possible options and which ones are pretty stretching it out. You should also do your research to know the best quality ones that would fit your budget. Expensive doesn’t always mean they’re the best, and the cheaper ones don’t always mean low quality.  The best soundboard should be within the budget of the congregation.

Ease of use

We’ve mentioned that some church sound technicians aren’t audio engineers by profession. Some are just volunteers, which means they might find it challenging to use soundboards that are complicated. It would be good to choose the best soundboard that is easy to operate and, if possible, has training or tutorial videos that go with it. 

Analog or Digital

Again, this takes us back to the sound technicians or the lead or primary user of the church soundboard. It is an important thing to consider to know what they are comfortable in using. They might be someone who is more at ease in mixing using many knobs and small displays of analog-like mixers. They might find it challenging to mix sounds or audio on a tablet. 

On the other hand, they might be leaning towards upgrading to a digital church soundboard. They might find it easier to use remote-controlled soundboards or larger displays and fewer knobs. 

How many channels are needed (Inputs and outputs)

Another thing to consider would be how many inputs and outputs you would need for your church soundboard. Aside from thinking about your present needs, you should also consider adding more channels in the future, especially if your church is planning on expanding and adding more sound equipment. 

Settings of effects and equalizer 

The built-in and additional effects features might also be something to consider when choosing the best soundboard. These selections provide options to fine-tune your church music’s audio or sound. For example, some mixers help improve the sound of woodwind instruments or thicken the background vocals. It might help in producing a richer sound or better match the mood of the preaching. 

Consider remote mixing controls

Most manufacturers of the best soundboards now offer an app (or up to three) where you can control the mixer using a tablet and a smartphone. Some features allow mixing by WiFi from a smartphone or tablet or musicians to control and monitor their mix through their smartphones. Explore and try out the features of the remote control of the mixer to see if it will meet your church’s needs. You might find that a soundboard can do more than add some cool new effects. The best soundboard can even transform your audio tech team’s approach to audio or sound. 

Check the pre-programmed settings’ recall options

The best soundboard includes external USB or internal memory storage. This capability can allow you to save configurations, layouts, and settings. It will be an advantage if there are different types of services in the mornings and the afternoons or evenings (e.g., traditional vs. contemporary). It can save time by instantly recalling the settings for each service instead of taking longer by adjusting the sound.

How to Run the Church Soundboard

How should a sound technician or audio engineer man the booth and run the church soundboard? 

It’s what you do with the gear that matters

You may have the most expensive or the latest gear, but it’s pointless if you don’t know how to use it. You should familiarize yourself with the soundboard to maximize its features. 

Learn how to blend the sound of the instruments and vocals into the mix 

It might mean playing around with the volume of the vocals and instruments. You might need to lower the sound of the background vocals so the lead would stand out. You might also need to soften the sound of some of the instruments, like the drums and bass. The goal is for the overall sound should blend well and support each other to create excellent audio. 

Think about how you could maximize the use of a mic

It would mean setting up the mic and familiarizing yourself with its features, such as frequency response. You might want to see how you can best modify its sound to serve its purpose best, whether it’s for vocals or an instrument. 

Consider the speaker’s quality

The quality of the speakers makes a difference when choosing the best soundboard. What type of speakers do you have in your church, and how old they are. Check for any sound problems and observe any differences in sounds from the left and right speakers. Familiarize yourself with their features as well, such as their frequency range and the limit of their loudness. The bottom line here is to make sure that your church’s speakers still work well and produce good sound quality. It ensures that it won’t defeat your purpose of creating an excellent audio mix for the worship services.  

Make the Lead Vocal Channel a Priority

Praise and worship are one of the main parts of a worship service. It is why it’s a must to ensure that the lead singer is heard and understood. It may require tweaking with the volume, effects, reverb, equalizer, whatever you need to do to make them sound clear. 

Note that while you want the lead vocal to stay on top, it still needs to blend well with the sound of the instruments and the backup. 

How to Care for Your Church Soundboard

To be a good steward of the equipment and tool entrusted to you, you need to know how to keep the church soundboard in good running condition. 

Put a scheduling system in place 

You can create a system where rehearsals and church events are scheduled. It will also help the sound technicians to know when they are needed to assist. Also, it will help ensure that only the people who know how to handle the soundboard and sound system will touch the gear. 

Place a cover over the board and use the lock feature of the console

Covering the church soundboard indicates to the church members that it is not something they can play around with. It also helps avoid gathering dust. On the other hand, the lock feature is beneficial if people still tinker around the console despite being covered. This only works, though, on digital soundboards. The lock prevents adjustments or changes in the settings. 

Communicate well with church members/team

Advise the congregation members on the importance of the church soundboard or the sound system in general. Communicate and explain the process that everyone in the church needs to follow, to keep and maintain your audio mixer and sound system in good condition. 

Here are the five best soundboards that you might want to consider:

Allen & Heath SQ-7 48-Channel Digital Mixer

The Allen & Heath SQ-7 48-Channel Digital Mixer is the flagship soundboard of Allen & Heath’s SQ Series. They designed this console to perform well in medium to big scenarios such as live productions, corporate events, AV, and worship services.  

This best soundboard from Allen & Heath is an easy choice for IEM or in-ear monitor setup, and it provides twelve stereo mixes that can also be configured as auxiliaries or as groups. The Automatic Mic Mixing feature makes it perfect for panel talks, conferences, and other similar events. 

The SQ-7 is filled with the most number of onboard mic preamps and output sockets that are built-in. There are thirty-two new line or mic inputs and three stereo lines that can serve as mono inputs. This console also has a flexible multi-track recording feature and can easily be stored directly on a drive or USB key.  

You can also download for free the SQ MixPad app on Android and iOS platforms. This app allows you to control the main mixing functions wirelessly. It enables you or the sound engineer to do audio mixing from different listening spots, add extra local control, and set up or adjust monitor mixes from the stage. You need to have an Android phone or tablet or an iPad and a wireless router. 

Pros:

• It is packed with choices that allow the user to design and create their flows 
• Features drag and drop on the mixes and channels individually 
• Features color-coding and custom-naming on display 
• The SQ MixPad app allows you to control the main mixing functions wirelessly 
• It is designed to perform well in medium to big scenarios 

Cons:

• Quite pricey and would stretch out your budget

PreSonus StudioLive 64S 64-Channel Mixer

The PreSonus StudioLive 64S 64-Channel Mixer offers both the ease of use of the analog mixer and the power of a digital one. Its interface displays all the essential controls and makes them accessible. You won’t have to search and find them inside layers or menus. 

It may be easy to use as an analog, but again, it features the power of an up-to-date digital console. Some of its capabilities are multitrack recording, the wireless remote control, and modern digital sound mixing. 

This product also boasts superior sound quality where you can easily hear clarity and details of sound. Its top-of-the-line Burr-Brown converters on each output and input give a high level 118 DB of dynamic and lively range. You will be able to capture each high and low with excellent accuracy and no noticeable distortion. 

This product also has a StudioLive 16.0.2 USB firmly integrated with a complete suite of highly advanced software. It gives you the ability to mix audio over a wired network or wirelessly from anywhere using the UC Surface software that it touch control. This software is compatible with Mac, Android, iPad, and Windows. 

Pros:

• It’s easy to set up
• It works great for live settings as well as for studio recordings
• You won’t have to worry about running out of processors for signal
• The buttons for functions are color-coded and clearly labeled
• You can mix audio over a wired network or wirelessly from anywhere using the UC Surface software touch control

Cons:

• This sound mixer tends to overheat or would quickly heat up 

QSC TouchMix-16 16-Channel Compact Digital Mixer

The QSC TouchMix is designed for musicians and production professionals who need the power and capability of a large mixing console in a compact, affordable, and easy-to-use format. TouchMix offers enough power and functionality to satisfy demanding professionals as well as a range of features and functions that help less experienced users achieve great results. A fantastic design, sure to be a popular piece of equipment. 

The TouchMix-16 provides the user a choice of Advanced Mode operation, which has total control over all parameters, or Simple Mode, which provides only the most essential controls. For many practical engagements, Simple Mode is all you’re likely to require. It offers everything you need and nothing you don’t. 

The QSC TouchMix Series represents a breakthrough in innovation and digital mixer design – the result of collaboration between QSC and industry icons Greg Mackie and Peter Watts. TouchMix resets the bar for performance and value and redefines the user experience for professionals and novices alike.  

Pros:

• Up to twelve external devices may be connected at once to a TouchMix mixer
• Includes WiFi dongle, dual USB ports, and a dedicated talkback channel
• Twelve dedicated XLR ins, four XLR, and 1/4″ hybrid in/outs
• It has stereo AUX outs as well in addition to its XLR main outs
• Includes four professional effects engines

Cons:

• It can only record and play from .wav files 
• It cannot record or playback to .mp3 or .mp4 format 
• You need to convert afterward if you want .mp3’s to reduce the size 

Yamaha TF5 32 Channel Digital Mixer

The Yamaha TF5 32 Channel soundboard depicts years of steady development for this brand. For the TF project, the Yamaha engineers started from square one. They had to find different thinking about the way people treat mixing audio. They were cautious not to get tangled up in any conventional methods or practices without a thorough evaluation. 

This Yamaha TF5 console is the 32-channel variant of the TF mixer series. This mixer is perfect for events that require large numbers of synchronous inputs. It may be the best thing for your studio or event stage. 

Making adjustments and getting around this console is quick and straightforward based on a direct multi-touch screen. You can do it with just a turn of a knob or a simple touch.

also, it allows pinch-and-pull gestures, a quick swipe, and double touches for the user to make changes and adjustments. The always and ever available Touch and Turn control of this mixer makes accurate adjustments super easy. 

It can be connected via USB and has some onboard features such as compression, delay, reverb, and chorus/flange. 

Pros:

• An entry-level soundboard or console but with excellent quality
• User-friendly interface
• Features a one-knob feature that works great for audio mixing beginners
• It allows pinch-and-pull gestures, a quick swipe, and double touches for the user to make changes and adjustments
• This mixer is perfect for events that require large numbers of synchronous inputs

Cons:

• It has minimal features, and you can’t use it for holding enormous events

Soundcraft Si Expression 3 Digital Mixer

The Soundcraft Si Expression 3 Digital Mixer could be a game-changer. There is a lot of mixing consoles flooding the market these days like the metal chassis with knobs and faders that do the job but it doesn’t sound particularly great. Still, they impact the market significantly. So Soundcraft developed the Expression Series. Essentially it is an update of their much-beloved Compact Series, introduced at a price that is competitive with the budget consoles that have grabbed such a large part of the market.

Now you can get a Soundcraft console with the legendary “British sound,” the creamy EQ, and the colorful preamps that defined so much of the music that defines contemporary music. The Si Expression 3 is the 32-channel version of this mixer. 

The Si Expression 3 features 32 recallable mic preamps, plus 4 line inputs, 4 internal stereo FX returns, AES in, and a 64×64 expansion slot offering more than enough scope to use every one of the 66 input processing channels. All Si Expression consoles have busses, output processing, and connectivity to match the versatility of the inputs. The 14 aux/group mixes can be configured as 14 mono mixes, 8 mono plus 6 stereo mixes, or almost anything in between, while the 4 matrix mixes can be mono or stereo as needed.

Pros:

• The color touch screen interface
• 32 mono mic inputs with 4 line inputs
• 4 Stereo Lexicon Effects engines
• Delay in inputs and outputs
• Freely assignable insert loops

Cons:

• This console is also pricey and would require you to stretch your budget a bit 

Conclusion

Of all these beautiful options for a soundboard, the best soundboard that tops our list would be the Allen & Heath SQ-7 48-Channel Digital Mixer. For one, it has a sturdy case that, even if you use it frequently in travel or transit, is well protected inside and out. Also, there are so many functions and features that won’t limit its use. 

Aside from using it in Sunday worship services, your church can also use it for significant events like worship concerts and conferences. This best soundboard from Allen & Heath is also easy to set up and easy to use, even if it’s a digital console. The overall appeal, ease of use, quality, and versatility make it the perfect option to invest in for the best soundboard.