Midas PRO1 Digital Console for Small Tours and Installations
The Midas PRO1 occupies a specific niche in the professional audio landscape, offering a footprint that suits house of worship setups in Adelaide, club venues in Melbourne, and regional touring rigs that crisscross the vast Australian interior. It represents a stepping stone between the brand's larger PRO-series desks and its smaller rackmount mixers, targeting operators who need Midas-grade sonic performance without the bulk of a flagship surface. For engineers running monitors or front-of-house for touring acts in 500 to 1500-capacity rooms, the PRO1 has become a familiar sight across venues of all sizes.
Released as part of Midas's ongoing digital evolution following the Heritage and XL8 lineage, the PRO1 combines a compact physical layout with the same HyperMac and AES50 networking backbone used across the PRO family. Its dual-rail redundancy and robust stage box ecosystem make it equally attractive to fixed installations such as broadcast facilities, corporate theatres, and performance spaces like those found in Brisbane's South Bank precinct. The console's appeal lies in balancing advanced digital architecture with the immediacy of hands-on control that recording professionals and live sound operators expect.
PRO1 Architecture and Core Features
The Midas PRO1 runs on the same operating system and processing engine that powers the larger PRO2 and PRO X consoles, scaled down to fit a 24-fader surface with a tilting display. It delivers up to 40 simultaneous input channels and 27 mix buses, which is sufficient for most small-format touring and installation applications. The dual 15-inch daylight-viewable screens provide clear visual feedback even under the harsh stage lighting common at outdoor festivals like BASSINTHEGRASS in Darwin or regional events across Western Australia.
At the heart of the console is the Midas Neutron engine, a robust processing unit that handles all digital summing, EQ, dynamics, and effects without taxing the operator's workflow. The architecture supports sample rates up to 96 kHz and provides latency figures low enough to satisfy professional monitoring engineers. Network connectivity is handled through AES50 ports, allowing the connection of multiple DL151 or DL153 stage boxes across Cat5e cabling, which dramatically simplifies cable runs for tours moving between Sydney's Enmore Theatre and the Trak Lounge in Melbourne.
The control surface itself follows Midas's established layout philosophy with dedicated channel strips, motorized faders, and a logical assignment section. Engineers familiar with the heritage of Midas consoles can study the history of consoles and recognise how the brand's analogue instincts inform this digital evolution. The PRO1 includes eight on-board Klark Teknik effects engines and a full suite of channel processing modelled after classic Midas circuit topologies that have shaped the brand's reputation.
| Feature | Midas PRO1 | Midas PRO2 | Soundcraft Vi1000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input Channels | 40 | 56 | 96 |
| Mix Buses | 27 | 32 | 24 |
| Fader Count | 24 | 28 | 26 |
| Screen Size | 2 x 15" | 2 x 15" | 1 x 22" |
| AES50 Ports | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Network Redundancy | Yes | Yes | Limited |
Sound Quality and the Midas Microphone Preamps
The preamp section is where the PRO1 distinguishes itself from many competitors in its class, featuring Midas's renowned digitally controlled analogue microphone preamps. These preamps have been refined over decades and are widely considered among the most musical in live sound, capturing the subtle harmonic detail that vocalists and acoustic instrumentalists demand. For engineers working with diverse acts at venues ranging from Brisbane's Tivoli to the Astor Theatre in Perth, this consistency translates into fewer EQ adjustments between soundcheck and performance.
The console's channel EQ draws from the Midas heritage, offering four-band parametric equalisation with switchable shelf options on the high and low bands. Dynamic processing is available on every input and output channel, including gates, compressors, and limiters that use algorithms developed from the brand's analogue lineage. The combination produces a sound that Australian engineers often describe as muscular without the sterility that some purely digital consoles exhibit when handling complex source material.
Effects processing is handled by eight dedicated stereo engines licensed from Klark Teknik, including reverbs, delays, and modulation effects suitable for theatrical productions and corporate events. Operators benefit from the same library available across the PRO family, ensuring consistency whether a console is deployed in a touring rig or a permanent installation. The internal effects quality makes the PRO1 a strong choice for houses of worship in regional centres where outboard processing is impractical.
Touring Capabilities and Build Considerations
For touring applications, the Midas PRO1 is engineered with the realities of Australian road travel firmly in mind. The console weighs approximately 40 kilograms and fits within standard aircraft check-in dimensions, simplifying logistics for tours that hop between Adelaide, Hobart, and Cairns within a single week. Its flight case is designed to withstand the rough handling typical of regional freight routes, and the internal dual-redundant power supplies add a layer of insurance against power irregularities common at outdoor festival sites.
The console's resilience under environmental stress has made it popular with Australian rental companies serving the festival circuit. Operators at events such as the regional Falls Festival stops, or at community festivals in the Northern Territory, appreciate the fast boot time and the ability to load show files directly from USB. The PRO1 also stores complete snapshot automation, which is invaluable for acts performing multiple sets in different configurations across a single tour run.
Connectivity options support a wide range of touring scenarios, with built-in MIDI, Ethernet, and the previously mentioned AES50 stage box infrastructure. The system can drive monitor mixes from FOH position or be paired with a separate PRO1 dedicated to monitors, giving flexibility for acts requiring complex IEM setups. Touring engineers regularly configure redundant stage box pairs using the dual cable runs that characterise professional digital audio networks in modern touring rigs.
Installations and Fixed Venue Applications
The Midas PRO1 has carved out a substantial role in Australian fixed installations, particularly in performing arts centres, educational facilities, and broadcast studios. Venues like the Melbourne Recital Centre and regional theatres in Wollongong have adopted the console for its balance of capability and approachable footprint. Its modest depth and lower heat output compared to larger desks allow installation in confined control rooms without dedicated HVAC modifications, which is a meaningful advantage for heritage-listed venues with strict environmental constraints.
House of worship installations represent another growing segment, with churches from Parramatta to Fremantle selecting the PRO1 for its combination of user-friendly operation and professional audio quality. Volunteer operators can be trained on the console in a single session thanks to the logical workflow and well-organised menu structure. The console's scene recall and snapshot automation make it easy to manage weekly service variations without manual reset procedures between events.
Corporate and government installations also benefit from the PRO1's reliability and remote management capabilities. The console can be monitored and updated over network connections, allowing integrators in capital cities to service regional installations without lengthy travel commitments. For venues hosting a mix of rock concerts, conferences, and theatrical productions, the PRO1's flexibility eliminates the need to maintain separate consoles for different event types.
Workflow Integration and Modern DAW Connectivity
Modern production environments increasingly demand tight integration between live consoles and DAW-based recording workflows, and the Midas PRO1 addresses this through its built-in 48-channel USB audio interface. Engineers can capture multi-track recordings directly to a laptop running Pro Tools, Logic Pro, or Reaper without additional hardware, which is particularly useful for capturing performances at intimate Australian venues like the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney or the Corner Hotel in Richmond. The recording quality is sufficient for archival purposes, virtual soundchecks, and even broadcast mix material.
The console's offline editor allows complete show preparation on a separate computer, a workflow that tour engineers increasingly rely on when juggling multiple productions. Show files can be archived and retrieved quickly, and the console supports remote diagnostics that help integrators troubleshoot installations in remote locations such as Broome or Mount Isa. Network protocols also enable the PRO1 to communicate with lighting consoles and other stage management systems, providing unified control for complex productions.
For studios that bridge live and recorded work, the PRO1 can serve as a control surface and audio interface for hybrid productions, drawing on architectural thinking familiar to operators of SSL studio automation systems. The PRO1's strength remains firmly in the live and installed sound domain, where its combination of Midas sonic character, compact form factor, and proven reliability continues to earn loyalty among Australian audio professionals working across the country's diverse venue landscape.
If your tour is heading through Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne and you need a console that delivers flagship Midas sound without overwhelming your freight budget, the PRO1 deserves a close look. Reach out to authorised Australian Midas dealers to arrange a demonstration at a local showroom or request a trial unit for an upcoming production. Many rental houses across the country stock the desk alongside their existing PRO inventory, making it easy to evaluate the console in a real working environment before committing to a purchase.