Analog Consoles at NAMM

When "hiking" the the NAMM 2017 showroom floor I began to notice that true analog boards were hard to find. A big name like SSL only had their smaller nucleus or XL desks on display. API had their AXS Legacy desk on display, but it felt more like a museum piece.

AXS Legacy

In the back of the API booth was the new modular smaller format API 1608 16 Channel Recording Console. Basically API's answer to the modular SSL XL-Desk(similar price point)

API 1608

The NEVE Genesys Black offers the flexibility of an analog console with a truly virtual recall system. Unlike the SSL and the API you can adjust compressors and EQs and save the automation for automatic recall later.

Slate Media Technology had their RAVEN MTi2 27” Multi-Touch Production Console featuring a state of the art multi-touch panel and the powerful new RAVEN 3.0 Control Software. on display

RAVEN MTi2

Even the smaller format mixers, normally a cheap Behringer or Mackie were replaced with digital small format touch screen mixers.

So are true analog consoles dead? Are they saving them for the AES show (this year in New York in the fall)? Are people not making music this way and have they become merely an outdated and expensive status symbol for recording studios? Or has production and recording become such a part of the initial creative process that "the Lab" or "studio" is no longer a needed space for creativity.