Topic: Anyone starting encounter digital mixers in the wild?

[Chuck]

One of the local clubs uses a digital mixer now. I was trying to multi-track a band one night. Two of the feeds were inadvertently routed to the same track. The engineer and I both missed it when we were soundchecking.

All those menus hidden in other menus etc... make stuff like that possible on a digital console.

You can just look at an analog board and see exactly what is going where. You may have to check where the cables are connected, but it's not as easy to miss routing on an analog board.

[kcmule]

We've started using the Soundcraft SI Expression 3 consoles.

Yeah, my main club has one of these. Seems nice for the FOH staff, but it totally made my HD24 obsolete. Worst thing? The multi-digital output card isn't available yet, even then it means taping with a laptop. Not my idea of fun.....

Joe

Actually I think those cards are out now.  http://www.fullcompass.com/product/449746.html

[DSatz]

I love the fact that the discussion in this forum ranges from recording in neighborhood bars to the Albert Hall and Westminster Cathedral.

--best regards

[runonce]

Well - looks like I'll be working with a Yamaha O2R next week...!

Not the latest - probably one of the earlier digital consoles.



I think these were primarily targeted at studio recording - but can be used for live sound.

My boss has had it for a while - and we did use it at one big show a few years ago.

Our Mackie really needs a cleaning - and instead of letting the O2R collect dust - we decided to add it to the house system at the theater I work at.

So - my weekend is going to be pouring over the manual...watching some youtube tutorials - just so I can make some sense out of whatever instruction I'll be getting.

We're setting up Tuesday afternoon - and we have a long rehearsal Tuesday evening...Thursday will be the first show.

Unfortunately - recording will probably take a back seat...I guess. (depends on if my boss wants to run the show Thursday)

Will report back with fun details!

[runonce]

Well...the Yamaha O2R is installed...I =guess= I can work this thing!!!

But - still VERY intimidating - I have no "go to" instinct with this thing yet.

The nature of the knobs and faders are different - and things can be flipped, so one knob is now another knob...OMG!..you really have to pay attention.
Some knobs are not really indexed - just more or less...where the knob is irrelevant!!!

But, we did get 5 solid scenes setup that will get me through the next show.

We also have 2, 8 channel Pre-sonus rack pres connected via Toslink...

Running the whole thing with a Lucid master clock

The mixer has all the ADAT lightpipe cards installed - and it came along with an M-Audio Lightbridge interface (firewire)

I assume I can use this to connect the Toslink ADAT outs and send the whole shebang to a computer...not sure Im going to this this time...

But - the best part...it just sounds better than the Mackie in every way - all the musicians were like "wow" - and full of compliments...

[runonce]

Well - the first outing with the O2R...not a complete disaster...but how many complete disasters are there!?!

First - damn glad my boss showed up for this gig! At least its not all my fault!

About 1/2 hour before the show - all is well. Suddenly a huge buzz starts coming through the monitors and mains...loud as hell!

We get that to subside - at the time thinking it was just a bad phantom powered DI box blowing up...

But as the show progresses - we start having this weird tone that would come and go - and seem to accompany the vocals.

It sort sounded like Feedback - but was generating a low tone that was not in the voice.

As long as the band was playing - this wasn't noticeable - and we pretty much pulled the show off...(even got a standing O for the last set!)

But - this was pretty disappointing...

So - later we tried to troubleshoot a bit after the show - dropping our master clock down to 44 (from 48) seemed to help with the false tone.
I think this tone had to be a digital glitch...I've not really heard feedback that is lower than its source tone.

And, we think our wordclock BNC cable might have been too long...(after some research)...

Im also curious if we don't have some mismatch in bit depth between our Presonus rack pre/ADs and the O2R...

On the upside - I did learn a good bit about this mixer. I think I can pull off a soundcheck...still a little slow saving the scenes.

But when it works - it sure sounds a hell of a lot better than the old Mackie...!

We have another show Wednesday...(but I think we're borrowing an LS9 for backup if we cant get this working.)

[kirk97132]

Well - the first outing with the O2R...not a complete disaster...but how many complete disasters are there!?!

First - damn glad my boss showed up for this gig! At least its not all my fault!

About 1/2 hour before the show - all is well. Suddenly a huge buzz starts coming through the monitors and mains...loud as hell!

We get that to subside - at the time thinking it was just a bad phantom powered DI box blowing up...

But as the show progresses - we start having this weird tone that would come and go - and seem to accompany the vocals.

It sort sounded like Feedback - but was generating a low tone that was not in the voice.

As long as the band was playing - this wasn't noticeable - and we pretty much pulled the show off...(even got a standing O for the last set!)

But - this was pretty disappointing...

So - later we tried to troubleshoot a bit after the show - dropping our master clock down to 44 (from 48) seemed to help with the false tone.
I think this tone had to be a digital glitch...I've not really heard feedback that is lower than its source tone.

And, we think our wordclock BNC cable might have been too long...(after some research)...

Im also curious if we don't have some mismatch in bit depth between our Presonus rack pre/ADs and the O2R...

On the upside - I did learn a good bit about this mixer. I think I can pull off a soundcheck...still a little slow saving the scenes.

But when it works - it sure sounds a hell of a lot better than the old Mackie...!

We have another show Wednesday...(but I think we're borrowing an LS9 for backup if we cant get this working.)

FWIW, yamaha digitals are notoriously known for subpar clocks and everyone I have seen is clocked with an outboard unit.  One of the reasons we avoided the yamaha's at our venue when we shopped digital boards last spring. 

As for the noise are you running DSP amps?  I know we have had a bit of a trial and error getting our DSP's set up exactly how we want them.  For us we run a LCR, Sub set up. And I have had feed back issues that actually seeemed to move around in the house...don't know how else to explain it.  But took some work getting all four levels dialed in and rung out.

[runonce]

No we're still analog into the house.

We are using a Lucid GenX192 Master Clock and 2 Presonus Digimax D8s with the O2R.

So - entirely possible something isn't synced...

I've been deferring to the guy who set this up - but since I've been reading more, I want to go in to the theatre and throw the rig on, and check a few things.

Gotta wonder if one of the Presonus pres is on internal clock...

[kirk97132]

No we're still analog into the house.

We are using a Lucid GenX192 Master Clock and 2 Presonus Digimax D8s with the O2R.

So - entirely possible something isn't synced...

I've been deferring to the guy who set this up - but since I've been reading more, I want to go in to the theatre and throw the rig on, and check a few things.

Gotta wonder if one of the Presonus pres is on internal clock...

For some reason I seem to recall a discussion on GS that the Presonous only(?) worked correctly when slaved to another master clock.  That they sucked and or would not run as mater in a chain???  It could be my mind playing tricks on me too with different discussions running into one.  Which also brings to mind latency issues with outboard gear.  We went totally digital including all DSP amps so I don't really have any experience with latency on outboard gear.

[runonce]

After another not-so-great outing with the Yamaha O2R...its out - we have wireless RF issues on long unbalanced runs from the AUXs...or something...

So - this Saturday we are installing a new Behringer X32!

I guess this has a 32 track USB interface built in.

And, since one of my jobs is recording - I'll finally have a chance to dig into some real multi-track work. (blessing or curse...)

Looking forward to the next 3 shows...didn't even record the last 2 we had so many issues!

[kcmule]

I'll finally have a chance to dig into some real multi-track work. (blessing or curse...)

It's both!

[page]

Has anyone clocked to a behringer x32 before? Did you use the aes out for clock info or what?

[kirk97132]

Here I am setting up for 100 person choir along with featured Duo's & quartets.  Hard to see my ADK TL's set up on the apron lip for the small groups.  Having the baby grand tuned.  Some of the quartets placed second and third in the world.  Should be an interesting gig first time I've done thins with our digi board.  The board is an Allen & Heath iLive-112. 

[capnhook]

                                       
mintyyyyyyyyyyyy               

[runonce]

First outing with the Behringer X32! - No problemo!