The Penn Group 
Same XCVI processing power, different deployment scenarios. Here’s how to determine if you need S-Class or C-Class dLive.
Allen & Heath’s dLive represents the pinnacle of their digital mixing technology—a flagship platform trusted by world-touring artists, major broadcast facilities, and prestigious installations worldwide. But with two distinct hardware classes available, choosing between S-Class and C-Class can be a significant decision.
Both platforms share the same revolutionary XCVI processing core, the same channel count, and the same pristine 96kHz audio quality. The differences lie in redundancy, I/O density, physical construction, and deployment flexibility. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to make the right choice for your organization.
Understanding the dLive Architecture
Before diving into the comparison, it’s essential to understand how dLive systems are configured. Unlike all-in-one consoles, dLive separates the control surface from the processing engine:
MixRack: The heart of every dLive system. Houses the XCVI processing core, audio I/O, and networking. Located at the stage or in a machine room.
Surface: The control interface where mixing happens. Connected to the MixRack via gigaACE (Cat5e) networking. Can be located at FOH, monitor world, or anywhere in the venue.
This modular approach offers tremendous flexibility—you can have multiple surfaces controlling a single MixRack, or use laptops and tablets for control without any physical surface at all.
Quick Comparison at a Glance
Control Surfaces
| Specification | S-Class | C-Class |
|---|---|---|
| Models | S7000, S5000, S3000 | C3500, C2500, C1500, CTi1500 |
| Fader Range | 20-36 faders | 12-24 faders |
| Max Fader Strips | 216 (S7000) | 144 (C3500) |
| Touchscreens | Single or Dual 12″ | Single or Dual 12″ |
| SoftKeys | 26 assignable | 19 assignable |
| Soft Rotaries | 6 assignable (3 pages) | 6 assignable (3 pages) |
| Local XLR Inputs | 8 mic/line | 6 mic/line |
| Local XLR Outputs | 8 line | 6 line |
| AES3 I/O | 2 stereo in / 3 stereo out | 1 stereo in / 1 stereo out |
| Option Card Slots | 2 (128×128 each) | 1 (128×128) |
| Power Supply | Dual redundant (hot-swappable) | Single |
| gigaACE Ports | Dual redundant | Single |
| Construction | Heavy-duty touring grade | Heavy-duty touring grade |
| Rack Mountable | No | C1500/CTi1500 only |
MixRacks
| Specification | DM Series (S-Class) | CDM Series (C-Class) |
|---|---|---|
| Models | DM64, DM48, DM32, DM0 | CDM64, CDM48, CDM32 |
| Processing | 128 channels / 64 buses | 128 channels / 64 buses |
| XCVI Core | Identical | Identical |
| Latency | 0.7ms | 0.7ms |
| Power Supply | Dual redundant | Single |
| gigaACE Ports | Dual redundant | Single |
| DX Expander Ports | Dual redundant | Single |
| Option Card Slots | 2 (128×128 each) | 1 (128×128) |
S-Class Surface Breakdown
S7000 — The Flagship
The S7000 is the largest control surface in the dLive family, designed for major touring productions and broadcast facilities.
- 36 faders across 6 layers = 216 assignable fader strips
- Dual 12″ capacitive touchscreens with Harmony UI
- 26 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries (3 pages per screen)
- Dedicated channel processing screen (left) + system screen (right)
- 2 headphone outputs under armrest
- 8 local mic/line inputs + 8 line outputs
- 2 stereo AES3 inputs + 3 stereo AES3 outputs
- 2x 128-channel option card slots
- Dual redundant power supplies (hot-swappable)
- Dual redundant gigaACE connections
- Dimensions: 1325.4mm (52.2″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 55kg (121 lbs)
Best for: Major touring productions, large festivals, broadcast trucks, flagship installations
S5000 — The Workhorse
The S5000 strikes an ideal balance between fader count and footprint for most professional touring applications.
- 28 faders across 6 layers = 168 assignable fader strips
- Dual 12″ capacitive touchscreens with Harmony UI
- 26 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries (3 pages per screen)
- 2 headphone outputs under armrest
- Same I/O and redundancy as S7000
- Dimensions: 1115.4mm (43.9″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 45kg (99 lbs)
Best for: Professional touring, regional production companies, broadcast, large venues
S3000 — Compact S-Class
The S3000 brings S-Class redundancy and build quality to a smaller footprint.
- 20 faders across 6 layers = 120 assignable fader strips
- Single 12″ capacitive touchscreen (processing + system combined)
- 26 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries
- Same I/O and redundancy as S7000/S5000
- Dimensions: 870mm (34.2″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 35kg (77 lbs)
Best for: Monitor engineering, smaller touring acts, corporate events requiring redundancy
C-Class Surface Breakdown
C3500 — C-Class Flagship
The C3500 is the largest C-Class surface, offering dual screens in a more compact package than S-Class.
- 24 faders across 6 layers = 144 assignable fader strips
- Dual 12″ capacitive touchscreens with Harmony UI
- 19 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries
- 6 local mic/line inputs + 6 line outputs
- 1 stereo AES3 input + 1 stereo AES3 output
- 1x 128-channel option card slot
- Single power supply
- Dimensions: 990mm (39″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 28kg (62 lbs)
Best for: Houses of worship, theatres, corporate AV, multi-purpose venues, regional rental
C2500 — Versatile Mid-Size
The C2500 offers a practical fader count with a single screen for streamlined operation.
- 20 faders across 6 layers = 120 assignable fader strips
- Single 12″ capacitive touchscreen
- 19 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries
- Same I/O as C3500
- Dimensions: 870mm (34.2″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 22kg (48 lbs)
Best for: Churches, theatres, corporate events, educational facilities, smaller rental operations
C1500 — Rack-Mountable Powerhouse
The C1500 brings full dLive capability to a rack-mountable format.
- 12 faders across 6 layers = 72 assignable fader strips
- Single 12″ capacitive touchscreen
- 19 assignable SoftKeys + 6 assignable rotaries
- 19″ rack mountable (11U minimum)
- Same I/O as other C-Class surfaces
- Dimensions: 624.5mm (24.6″) wide × 477mm deep
- Weight: approximately 15kg (33 lbs)
Best for: Permanent installations, OB vans, space-constrained venues, iPad-primary workflows
CTi1500 — Ultralight Touring
The CTi1500 takes the C1500 design and engineers it for air travel.
- Same specifications as C1500
- Titanium side panels (aerospace-grade)
- Re-engineered alloy metalwork throughout
- Sleek steel curves replace traditional armrest
- Weight: only 11.5kg (25.4 lbs)
- Under 23kg (50 lbs) in custom flight case with option card
Best for: Fly-pack touring, international productions, weight-restricted venues
MixRack Options
DM Series (S-Class MixRacks)
| Model | XLR Inputs | XLR Outputs | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM64 | 64 | 32 | Maximum local I/O |
| DM48 | 48 | 24 | Most popular configuration |
| DM32 | 32 | 16 | Compact high-density |
| DM0 | 0 | 0 | Processing only (all I/O via expanders) |
All DM racks include dual redundant power supplies, dual redundant gigaACE ports, dual redundant DX expander ports, and 2x option card slots.
CDM Series (C-Class MixRacks)
| Model | XLR Inputs | XLR Outputs | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDM64 | 64 | 32 | Maximum local I/O |
| CDM48 | 48 | 24 | Most popular configuration |
| CDM32 | 32 | 16 | Compact high-density |
CDM racks include a single power supply, single gigaACE port, single DX expander port, and 1x option card slot.
Important: Both DM and CDM racks share the identical XCVI processing core—128 input channels, 64 mix buses, 16 stereo FX returns, 0.7ms latency, and the complete DEEP processing suite. The audio quality and mixing capability is absolutely identical.
Key Differences Explained
Redundancy: The Critical Distinction
The most significant difference between S-Class and C-Class is redundancy:
S-Class Redundancy Features:
- Dual hot-swappable power supplies (surfaces and MixRacks)
- Dual gigaACE connections (automatic failover)
- Dual DX expander connections
- 2x option card slots for networking redundancy
Why Redundancy Matters:
- Touring: The show must go on. Power supply failure during a concert is catastrophic without redundancy.
- Broadcast: Live television cannot tolerate dropouts. Redundant audio paths are essential.
- Critical installations: Corporate events for major clients, government facilities, or high-profile venues demand failsafe operation.
C-Class Single-Point Design:
- Single power supply (surfaces and MixRacks)
- Single gigaACE connection
- Single DX expander connection
- 1x option card slot
When Single-Point is Acceptable:
- Houses of worship: While reliability is important, most church services can recover from a brief technical issue.
- Theatres: Performances have some tolerance for brief pauses if needed.
- Corporate AV: Many corporate events don’t require broadcast-level redundancy.
- Educational: School and university applications rarely demand redundant systems.
Construction and Durability
S-Class Build:
- Higher-grade steel side panels
- Folded steel reinforcement at key stress points
- Designed for repeated truck loading and touring abuse
- Heavier, more rigid construction
C-Class Build:
- Professional-grade construction
- Lighter weight materials
- Optimized for permanent or semi-permanent installation
- Adequate for careful transport but not designed for heavy touring
Local I/O and Expansion
S-Class surfaces include more local I/O (8 in/8 out vs 6 in/6 out) and more AES3 connections, which is valuable when you need:
- Local playback or recording at FOH
- Talkback and communication systems
- Matrix feeds for broadcast or recording splits
- Backup analog paths
The additional option card slot on S-Class surfaces allows for dedicated redundant networking (dual Dante cards, for example) or expanded connectivity options.
SoftKey Count
S-Class surfaces provide 26 assignable SoftKeys compared to 19 on C-Class. While both are generous, the additional SoftKeys on S-Class become valuable for:
- Complex scene automation
- Multi-surface coordination
- Theatre cue triggering
- Broadcast tally and communication integration
Use Case Recommendations
Choose S-Class If You:
- Tour professionally — Need equipment that survives truck loading, outdoor festivals, and demanding schedules
- Require redundancy — Cannot tolerate any single point of failure in your audio chain
- Work in broadcast — Live television, streaming, or recording demands the highest reliability
- Need maximum faders — Large channel counts benefit from 28-36 fader surfaces
- Require extensive local I/O — Need more analog connections at the control position
- Plan to expand — Two option card slots provide flexibility for future networking needs
- Support multiple surfaces — Dual gigaACE allows FOH/monitor splits without network switches
Choose C-Class If You:
- Have a fixed installation — Churches, theatres, corporate facilities, schools
- Value portability — C1500 and CTi1500 are significantly lighter and more compact
- Work within budget constraints — C-Class provides identical audio quality at lower cost
- Need rack mounting — Only C1500/CTi1500 fit in standard 19″ racks
- Prioritize weight — CTi1500 is ideal for fly-pack and weight-restricted applications
- Can accept single-point reliability — Most non-touring applications don’t require full redundancy
- Will primarily use remote I/O — Stage boxes handle most I/O; surface connectivity is less critical
System Configuration Examples
Large Touring Production (S-Class)
- S7000 at FOH + S5000 at Monitors
- DM64 MixRack at stage
- GX4816 stage box for additional inputs
- Dante cards for recording/broadcast splits
- Waves SoundGrid cards for plugin integration
House of Worship (C-Class)
- C3500 at FOH
- CDM48 MixRack in tech booth
- DX168 stage box on platform
- ME personal mixing for band
- Single Dante card for streaming
Theatre (C-Class with Flexibility)
- C2500 at FOH
- CDM32 MixRack backstage
- DX168 stage boxes (orchestra pit + stage)
- IP8 fader controller for monitor position
Fly-Pack Touring (C-Class Optimized)
- CTi1500 surface (under 23kg in case)
- CDM48 MixRack
- DX168 compact stage box
- Complete system fits airline weight limits
The Bottom Line
Both S-Class and C-Class deliver the full dLive experience—128 channels, 64 buses, world-class XCVI processing, DEEP plugin emulations, and the intuitive Harmony UI. The audio quality is identical, and any mix you create on one platform transfers seamlessly to the other.
Choose S-Class when your application demands uncompromising reliability, you’re touring in demanding environments, or you need the maximum fader count and I/O density.
Choose C-Class when you need the same powerful mixing platform in a more compact, lighter, and cost-effective package—perfect for installations, regional production, and applications where full redundancy isn’t critical.
Many organizations find value in both: S-Class for their flagship touring rig and C-Class for secondary systems or installation work. Show files transfer between platforms, operators move seamlessly between surfaces, and the entire ecosystem works together.
Ready to Configure Your dLive System?
At The Penn Group, we’ve designed, installed, and supported dLive systems across houses of worship, corporate facilities, theatres, and production companies throughout Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky, Florida, and Texas.
Whether you need help choosing between S-Class and C-Class, configuring your I/O and networking, or integrating dLive into your existing infrastructure, our team has the expertise to build the right system for your application.
Contact us today for a personalized consultation and competitive pricing on complete dLive systems.
Last updated: January 2026
The Penn Group is an authorized Allen & Heath dealer providing sales, installation, integration, and service across seven states.
