Meet the DM5 and DM5 Compact

Yamaha has unveiled the latest addition to its professional digital mixing console range: the DM5 Series.

Available in two formats – the Yamaha DM5 and the smaller DM5 Compact (DM5C) – the new range brings the workflow and operating platform of Yamaha’s DM7 Series into a new, more compact format, without losing the flexibility, processing or connectivity expected from a modern professional console.

And this isn’t simply the launch of two new desks.

Alongside DM5, Yamaha is expanding the wider ecosystem with three new Dante I/O units, a new PY DSP expansion card, enhanced Dugan automixing options, new software and remote-control applications, and a major Version 2 firmware update for DM7.

For existing Yamaha users, there’s another important point: DM5 has been designed to integrate with Yamaha’s existing professional audio ecosystem. Existing R-Series and T-Series I/O can remain part of the system, DM5 and DM7 share the same operating platform, and compatible console files and feature licences can move between the two series.

In other words, DM5 isn’t intended to be an isolated compact mixer.

It’s a new part of a much bigger Yamaha mixing platform.

Meet the Yamaha DM5 Series

The DM5 range launches with two models.

The DM5 Compact offers mixing capacity for up to 48 input channels, while the larger DM5 provides up to 60 input channels, alongside a larger physical control surface and increased local analogue input count.

Both consoles provide:

• 24 Mix buses
• 12 Matrix buses
• 2 Stereo outputs
• 12 DCAs
• 16-slot onboard effects rack
• 24 additional graphic or parametric EQs
• 64 x 64 Dante I/O
• 18 channels of USB audio I/O
• DAW Remote functionality
• A PY expansion slot
• 12 channels of Dugan automixing as standard

The DM5 Compact features 16 local analogue inputs and 16 analogue outputs on XLR, while the full-size DM5 increases the local input count to 32 XLR analogue inputs, retaining 16 local outputs.

Both models include 64 x 64 Dante connectivity with Primary and Secondary network ports.

That makes the DM5 equally capable of operating as a self-contained console for smaller productions or becoming the control centre of a much larger networked audio system.

And that flexibility is really at the heart of what Yamaha has done here.

DM7 DNA in a Smaller Console

Anyone already familiar with the Yamaha DM7 will immediately recognise the thinking behind DM5.

The two ranges share the same operating platform, allowing Yamaha to bring many of the workflows developed for DM7 into the new console while reducing the overall footprint.

One of the most obvious changes is the 13.3-inch tilting main touchscreen.

It’s a deceptively useful feature.

A perfect mix position isn’t always an option. In the real world, consoles end up under balconies, squeezed into temporary FOH positions, sitting high on flight cases, positioned underneath venue lighting or being operated outdoors in daylight.

Being able to physically change the angle of the display means the engineer can optimise it for a seated or standing position and reduce reflections from overhead lighting or sunlight.

It’s the kind of feature that only really becomes important when you’ve spent enough time mixing shows in less-than-perfect positions.

But there’s considerably more happening within that display than its ability to tilt.

A World-First Touchscreen with Dynamic Glass Keys

Yamaha describes the main 13.3-inch DM5 display as a world first for a digital mixing console because of its integration of dynamic glass keys.

Rather than simply placing a row of conventional buttons alongside a touchscreen, Yamaha has combined visual status information and tactile control.

The glass keys display dynamically changing labels while simultaneously operating as physical switches.

That means their displayed function can change depending on the current state of the console.

Put the DM5 into Sends on Fader mode, for example, and an ON label can change dynamically to SEND ON.

It’s a clever way of addressing one of the challenges facing modern digital consoles.

As consoles become more powerful, there are inevitably more functions competing for a limited amount of physical surface space. Touchscreens can solve that problem, but completely touchscreen-driven operation isn’t always desirable when mixing a live show.

DM5’s approach allows the surface to change contextually while retaining tactile control.

Customise the Surface Around the Engineer

Alongside the main display is a separate 4.3-inch touchscreen dedicated to User Defined Keys.

These controls can be configured around the requirements of the engineer, production or venue, giving quick access to frequently used functions without needing to navigate through multiple menus.

Next to the main display are also four User Defined Knobs.

These can be manually assigned to parameters the operator wants immediately available, but Yamaha has gone a step further with the introduction of its new Dynamic Mode.

When Dynamic Mode is active, the controls can follow what is happening within Selected Channel View and automatically assign relevant parameters.

So rather than the engineer constantly adapting to the console, the console can adapt its controls to what the engineer is currently doing.

For fixed installations, this means the desk can be configured around a venue’s regular workflows. For touring engineers, it allows a personal operating layout to be created. And for multi-user environments such as theatres, universities and houses of worship, the surface can be adapted around very different operators and applications.

Yamaha’s Approach to Sound

For all the attention given to workflow and control, ultimately a mixing console still needs to sound good.

The DM5 Series continues Yamaha’s long-standing approach of providing a transparent starting point.

The idea is not to impose a fixed sonic character on every input, but to accurately capture what is arriving from the stage and give the engineer the tools to shape it.

Each channel provides an extensive dynamics library alongside a choice of four EQ types, complete with real-time analyser functionality.

From there, DM5 provides a substantial internal processing environment.

There are 43 high-quality effects built into the console, covering modulation, saturation and amplifier simulation alongside eight delay types and Yamaha’s natural reverbs, including REV HD and REV R3.

And for applications that need to go considerably further, there’s the PY expansion slot.

Bringing RIVAGE and DM7 Processing to DM5

One of the most interesting announcements alongside the DM5 itself is Yamaha’s new PY DSP card.

Adding the PY DSP card to a DM5 provides 32 instances of Yamaha’s premium effects, bringing processing previously associated with the company’s higher-end RIVAGE PM and DM7 platforms into the new console.

That includes the Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5033 EQ and Portico 5043 Compressor, developed jointly with Rupert Neve Designs.

The card also provides access to a range of Yamaha’s established processing tools, including:

Dynamic EQ 4 – dynamic equalisation for controlling frequency-dependent problems without permanently applying static EQ.

MBC4 – four-band multiband compression for detailed control of dynamics across different frequency ranges.

Vintage Compressor – additional character compression options for creative mix processing.

DaNSe Dynamic Noise Suppressor – Yamaha’s dynamic noise suppression processing for applications where unwanted noise needs to be controlled without compromising the wanted signal.

For DM5 owners, 32 instances of premium processing significantly expands what can be achieved entirely within the console.

For DM7 users, the same PY DSP card can also be used to expand the number of premium processing instances available within an existing system.

PY Expansion – More Than Just DSP

The PY slot also gives Yamaha a way of expanding the physical connectivity and control capabilities of both DM5 and DM7.

The PY64D provides an additional 64 channels of Dante I/O, significantly increasing the console’s network audio capacity.

The PY64MD provides 64 channels of MADI I/O, making integration with existing MADI-based systems considerably easier.

The PY8AE adds eight channels of AES/EBU I/O via a D-Sub 25 connector.

Importantly, Yamaha has incorporated sample rate conversion into these digital audio cards, making it easier to integrate equipment operating at different sample rates.

For external control, the PY MIDI GPI provides MIDI and GPI connectivity using 5-pin DIN and 15-pin D-Sub connections.

There is also the WSG-PY64 from Waves Audio, providing direct connectivity with a Waves SoundGrid system for engineers who want to incorporate Waves processing into their DM5 or DM7 workflow.

The result is a console that doesn’t have to be defined by the connections on its rear panel.

A DM5 being used in a theatre can be configured differently to one installed in a broadcast environment. A rental company can add MADI or additional Dante where required. An engineer wanting premium internal processing can choose DSP instead.

That modularity should give the DM5 considerably more longevity as system requirements change.

12 Channels of Dugan Automixing – As Standard

Automixing has become increasingly important outside traditional broadcast applications.

Corporate events, panel discussions, houses of worship, council chambers, universities and conferences can all involve significant numbers of open microphones.

Every DM5 therefore includes 12 channels of Dugan automixing as standard.

For many applications, that’s already a substantial amount of automixing capability without needing any additional hardware or software.

But Yamaha has also announced a new Dugan Package for productions that need considerably more.

Activating the optional package expands the DM5 to an impressive 64 channels of Dugan automixing.

For large conferences or spoken-word productions involving substantial numbers of radio microphones, that turns what is still a relatively compact console into a very powerful mixing platform.

Broadcast and Theatre Packages

The Dugan Package joins Yamaha’s existing Broadcast and Theatre feature packages.

Rather than requiring completely different console models for different markets, these packages allow additional specialist functionality to be activated within the same hardware platform.

The Broadcast Package adds seven broadcast-specific functions, including Mix Minus and Audio Follows Video, helping the DM5 integrate into professional broadcast workflows.

The Theatre Package adds functionality aimed at musical theatre and theatrical production, including immersive control functions and additional processing and workflow tools.

The licences are managed through Yamaha’s ProVisionaire Portal in supported regions.

There’s another significant benefit here for anyone already using DM7.

Because DM5 and DM7 share the same platform, compatible feature licences aren’t tied to one particular console type. A licence previously purchased for a DM7 can also be activated on a DM5.

For rental companies and organisations operating multiple Yamaha consoles, that’s a very useful bit of flexibility.

DM5 Joins an Established Yamaha I/O Ecosystem

A console this capable needs equally flexible ways of getting audio in and out of it.

Fortunately, Yamaha hasn’t started again.

DM5 is compatible with existing Yamaha hardware I/O, including the R-Series and T-Series, allowing it to drop into established Yamaha and Dante infrastructures.

That’s particularly significant for venues and rental companies that already own Yamaha stage boxes.

Rather than a new console purchase forcing a wholesale replacement of I/O, existing infrastructure can continue to form part of the system.

Current Rio options can therefore sit alongside DM5, allowing systems to scale from the console’s local I/O into considerably larger Dante networks.

But Yamaha is also adding three completely new utility I/O products to the ecosystem.

New RUio1608SB-D Stage Box

First is the new RUio1608SB-D.

This is a compact 16-input, 8-output analogue stage box with Dante Primary and Secondary connectivity.

Unlike a conventional rack-only I/O unit, the RUio1608SB-D has been designed specifically with stage deployment in mind.

A carrying bar makes it easy to move and position, while rubberised protective bumpers help protect the unit and reduce movement when it’s sitting directly on a stage.

This makes a lot of sense for applications where a full-size I/O rack simply isn’t necessary.

A small band setup, corporate event, theatre position, breakout room or distributed stage system might only need 16 inputs in a particular location.

Instead of deploying a large rack, the RUio1608SB-D can simply be placed where those connections are required and linked back to the Dante network.

And if a conventional rack installation is preferred, Yamaha offers an optional adapter to convert it for rackmount use.

New RUio0804-D – Dante I/O Where You Need It

The new RUio0804-D takes the same idea and makes it smaller again.

It provides 8 analogue inputs and 4 analogue outputs, alongside Primary and Secondary Dante connectivity, in a rackmount format.

This might not sound as exciting as a huge channel-count stage box, but in a lot of real-world systems it’s arguably exactly what’s needed.

Not every location requires 16, 24 or 32 inputs.

A distributed installation might need eight microphone inputs in one room and another eight elsewhere. A theatre could need a handful of additional connections at a remote position. A conference system might need local I/O in several spaces around a venue.

Dante means those connections don’t need to live next to the console.

The RUio0804-D gives system designers another building block for putting exactly the right amount of analogue I/O where it’s required.

RUio16FLX-D – Flexible I/O for Installation

The third new I/O product is perhaps the most unusual.

The RUio16FLX-D provides 16 flexible connections that can be configured in pairs depending on the requirements of the system.

Each pair can be configured for:

• Analogue microphone/line input
• Analogue output
• AES/EBU output

Alongside that flexible physical I/O is Dante network connectivity.

For a fixed installation, this opens up some very interesting possibilities.

Instead of specifying an I/O unit with a predetermined number of inputs and outputs and then designing the system around it, the RUio16FLX-D can be configured around the requirements of the installation.

A system requiring mostly inputs can be configured accordingly. Another requiring additional analogue outputs can use more of its connections in that direction. AES/EBU outputs can be incorporated where digital connectivity to other equipment is needed.

And the RUio16FLX-D isn’t limited to mixing console applications.

It has also been designed to work alongside Yamaha’s DME3, DME5 and DME7 DSP processors, making it an interesting option for auditoriums, performance venues, education, corporate AV and other scalable installed audio systems.

DM Editor – Prepare the Show Away From the Console

Modern console workflows don’t begin when the engineer arrives at FOH.

The new DM Editor application for Windows and Mac allows DM5 systems to be configured offline, so shows can be prepared before arriving at the venue.

Once connected to the console, it can also be used for online editing and backup management.

Crucially, DM Editor isn’t exclusive to DM5.

It supports both DM5 and DM7, with mutually compatible console data files allowing show data to move between the two platforms.

That’s potentially very useful.

A production could be prepared on one platform and deployed on another. A rental company could offer DM5 and DM7 at different scales while maintaining a familiar workflow. A venue with a DM7 in its main space and DM5 elsewhere can maintain greater consistency between rooms.

Again, the theme is less about an individual console and more about a shared ecosystem.

DM StageMix, MonitorMix and ProVisionaire Control PLUS

Remote operation is covered by the new DM StageMix application, which again works across both DM5 and DM7.

Engineers can remotely access the console for tasks such as walking the room, adjusting monitors from stage or working away from the physical mix position.

MonitorMix provides personal monitoring control for musicians, allowing performers to take control of appropriate monitor parameters without needing direct access to the main console.

Then there’s ProVisionaire Control PLUS, which allows custom control interfaces to be created around the wider system.

That’s particularly useful in installations where the person operating the audio system doesn’t necessarily need – or want – access to a full mixing console interface.

A lecturer, venue technician, conference operator or member of front-of-house staff can instead be presented with a simplified control interface containing only the functions relevant to them.

DM5 also incorporates Bluetooth, allowing stereo audio to be streamed directly to the console for applications such as playback and walk-in music.

DM7 Version 2 – The Ecosystem Moves Forward Together

The arrival of DM5 also brings a significant update for existing DM7 owners.

Yamaha is launching Version 2 firmware for DM7, bringing DM5 and DM7 onto the same firmware function set.

The update introduces a number of features that have been frequently requested by users, including:

• Channel Move
• Mix Bus Sends Copy
• Improved patching workflows
• New Selected Channel View modes
• Dynamic Mode for User Defined Knobs
• Improved screen response
• Faster screen transitions
• Refreshed VFX user interfaces

Yamaha is also continuing to expand third-party integration, including additional control options for external systems such as the STAGETEC NEXUS routing system.

This shared development path is important.

DM5 hasn’t arrived as a cheaper console that happens to look a bit like a DM7.

The two are being developed as part of the same platform.

So, Where Does the Yamaha DM5 Fit?

This is where things get particularly interesting.

Yamaha already has digital consoles serving very different ends of the professional audio market, from ultra-compact systems through to flagship RIVAGE PM platforms.

DM5 gives Yamaha a new option for applications that require serious channel capacity, professional workflow, Dante networking and expandability, but don’t necessarily require the size or scale of a larger console.

For live sound, it offers a compact FOH surface with enough internal processing and network connectivity to handle substantial productions.

For theatre, compatibility with existing Yamaha I/O, the optional Theatre Package and the ability to move data between DM5 and DM7 make it an interesting option for venues, touring productions and secondary control positions.

For corporate work, the combination of Dante, 12 channels of Dugan automixing as standard – expandable to 64 – and a relatively compact footprint makes a particularly compelling package.

For houses of worship and education, the ability to create customised workflows while integrating remote and simplified control could make sophisticated systems much easier to operate.

For broadcast, the optional specialist feature set, external control capabilities and multiple digital audio formats allow DM5 to become part of a much wider production infrastructure.

And for installation, the combination of DM5, Dante, ProVisionaire, the new flexible RUIO products and Yamaha’s DME processors creates the potential for genuinely scalable systems.

Compact Mixing Without Compromise

Yamaha describes the ethos behind DM5 as:

“Everything you need, nothing you don’t. Compact mixing without compromise.”

And that does a pretty good job of explaining what Yamaha appears to be aiming for.

The interesting thing about DM5 isn’t simply its channel count or the fact that it has a large touchscreen.

It’s how many elements of Yamaha’s professional ecosystem now converge around it.

There is the familiar DM7 operating platform.

There is existing R-Series and T-Series compatibility.

There is 64 x 64 Dante built in.

There are new utility I/O options for live and installation applications.

There is PY expansion for additional Dante, MADI, AES/EBU, control, Waves SoundGrid or premium internal DSP.

There are Theatre, Broadcast and Dugan feature packages.

There is offline editing, remote mixing, musician control and custom installation control.

And there is a shared development path with DM7.

That makes DM5 considerably more than simply another digital mixer launch.

It represents the next expansion of Yamaha’s professional digital mixing ecosystem.

Discover Yamaha DM5 with Amber Sound

As a Yamaha professional audio partner, Amber Sound can help you get the most out of the new DM5 Series – whether you’re looking for a standalone console or designing an entire networked system.

Our team can help with the DM5, DM5 Compact, DM7, Rio and Tio I/O, the new RUIO range, PY expansion options, Dante networking and complete Yamaha system design.

And because the DM5 is so configurable, we’d strongly recommend looking at the complete system rather than simply comparing the console on channel count alone.

The right combination of console, I/O, processing and expansion can look very different for a theatre than it does for a rental company, house of worship, university, corporate production company or fixed installation.

If you’re interested in the new Yamaha DM5 or DM5 Compact, speak to the Amber Sound team. We can talk through your application, help configure the right system and provide pricing and availability for the new range.