This year marks the 20th anniversary of Yamaha's entry into digital console manufacturing. The company stated that it has sold 3,000 PM digital consoles to date.

"You have extensive EQ, dynamics and effects at your fingertips--and now with the addition of the add on effects package in Version 2 software, there's even more control," said independent engineer Rick Reith, who used Yamaha's PM5D digital audio console during the Country Music Association Festival in Nashville, Tenn.

Yamaha said its DSP5D standalone unit and Version 2 software further enhance the operability of the PM5D console, expanding its capabilities to 96 mono plus 16 stereo input channels. The DSP5D includes two additional card slots and more effects and dynamics processing. It can be used with a PC and Yamaha Studio Manager software.

PM5D Version 2 has a Virtual Soundcheck feature that lets users switch between live inputs and inputs from a multitrack recorder, plus Effect Library Programs, such as De-Essor and built-in VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling). Effects can be used as additional 31-band GEQs, and all GEQs can be switched to PEQs.