Wonder what others have thought that run the FOH
 
I went and looked at a few new digital mixers last night and even sat back at the Travis Tritt Setup here recently.
 
I really like the idea of running a board much like messing around in Sonar.
 
My fear for Small Man Live operations would be the board losing its mind, getting corrupted, or just freaking out at the worst possible time.
 
With Analog, there is always the option to bypass components that flake out on ya and keep the show going.
 
Just thinking out loud

A well, modeling guitar amps are digital in that sense of setting it all with the presets or changing the presets programmed into the amp and I have not had an amp freak out yet so far. In fact about anything that is made is digital nowadays and you add something to make it sound more analog I guess. It's all crazy out there I suppose or in here, well whatever it is wherever it is.
 
The amp does not freak out, I guess I do at times.

 
 

I use a Presonus StudioLive 24, I love it.

The new 32 channel version is even better, I may upgrade soon...

I would tell you all about it, but just look up the Presonus web site. It's easier (and I'm lazy).

All new technology (to you or me) is, at first, a bit scary. I tend to think the same way... what if this goes wrong.... or that... after using it for a while, my guess is, you'll wonder how you got along without it in the past.
 
Imagine not having computer based digital daws, or cell phones that access the internet from the middle of the woods (in a deer stand).... some how, we managed, but they have certainly changed how we do things and not too many of us would want to go back to the old days of 2" tape or coin phones

I say go with the digital. The reality is that they are way smarter than any analog console. You just have to be aware of what page you are on at any time. And if something starts to feed back you need to know how to get onto the main faders and their Aux sends quickly and efficiently. That is the main thing. Yamaha's have a HOME button which is very cool. Puts you there in one button push, no matter where you are or what you are doing.
 
They are very reliable and I would not let that sway you either. The power supply in any analog console could go under and also render the gig finished too.
 
There are a lot of things going for them. Digital processing on every input and output usually and that can often include a raft of dynamics processors and EQ's. They cut down on the amount of external stuff you need pure and simple. There are often nice timebased effects in them too making sweet reverbs and delays a very real possibility and easily.
 
Complete scenes can be stored for later recall. This is a major bonus. Especially if there are 4 bands on in the night and you are the last one. Special effects can be had with digital mixers like switching scenes several times even within a tune or between songs allowing for some pretty incredible options.
 
If you get something like the Presonus mixer you can run a laptop and a special version of Studio One live for multitracking live performances quickly and easily and totally painlessly. Now even if you insert channel strips and things on the mixer channels during the live recording, Studio One will recall all the same effects and automatically insert them on mixdown thereby creating the same mix exactly in the studio. If you want it that way of course.
 
I have been asked by a big PA company here in Melbourne to learn a couple of big high powered digital consoles for mixing rather large events next year. I am going to do it because it will be a journey of learning and I will have a valuable skill for lots of work later. These days too if you want to be employed by any decent PA hire company for mixing duties they want to know what digital consoles you know, not analog.

I've got a Presonus 2442 as well.
It's an awesome bit of kit and you get a lot for your dollar investment.
There's a bit of a glut for choice at the moment with most major brands having new offerings out.

I'd say go for it. Just remember the subtleties of mixing with a digital desk when compared to an analog one. Gain staging is a different animal altogether. Takes a bit of rethinking but if you've been using a DAW then you're already on the right page.

As for reliability I've found modern desks, even fairly cheap ones are much more reliable than some of the older budget ones.

I still can't get over setting up my desk near the stage without a snake or stage box. Giving individual performers in a band control over more me through Qmix and being able to go anywhere in the auditorium and control my desk by remote control via an iPad. I can save the scene for that gig at that venue. I can play a prerecorded track of a bands music and setup the sound without even having the band there and get it reasonable . When the band arrives I've already done a sound check and only a little work to dial them in perfectly

You've got to make the technology work for you otherwise what's the point. I've been using a laptop 6 years and Sonar 5 years to do live mixing and have only changed since having my Presonus desk for the last 2 years. Mind you I can pick my gigs as I'm now retired and not under pressure to get work.