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Author Topic: Digital box mixer?  (Read 5908 times)

Dave Pluke

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2019, 02:04:16 PM »

Soundcraft Ui24R looks interesting, have yet to use one.


I recently took possession of one and am very pleased.  It is sonicly and feature-wise, an upgrade to the Ui16 and, with V3 firmware, can be cascaded with a second unit for more inputs & outputs.

FWIW, I've used an XR18 and prefer the Ui24R.

Dave
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Steve Garris

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2019, 03:08:23 PM »

Hi Mark,

For your use my first choice would be the Mackie DL16S, as I find the interface easy and fast to mix with.
The new app is almost ready for prime time...

Midas MR18 has some features the DL16S doesn't have, and is missing some that I use.

QSC Touchmix is ok, and the interface is getting better.  Analog gains.

A&H Qu-16 is a bit limiting for me.  Qu-SB looks like it could be useful.

Yamaha TF-Rack looks a bit stripped to me.

Soundcraft Ui24R looks interesting, have yet to use one.

Presonus is not my cup of tea.

For most of these you can download the app for free and give them a try.


Any of these have features we didn't dream of thirty years ago,
in the small space we couldn't have imagined.

Thanks and good health,  Weogo

I'll second the Mackie for ease of use. The software is very intuitive, and the unit sounds great.
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W. Mark Hellinger

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2019, 03:12:02 PM »

I'm up in Spokane and close enough to you to arrange for you to demo it, if you're interested.
Thank you for your offer Lee.  Depending on the weather, I may take you up on it.  Right-now, I'm not venturing too-far away from my shop's wood stove.  I suspect the same for where you're at.
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Mal Brown

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2019, 05:47:01 PM »

I consider the Ui-24r to be best in class.  I have used most of those with the exception of the A&H.  The ui interface is awesome and the sound quality sets it apart. 

The other important  aspect of the UI-24r is that it is a web server.  Any device that supports HTML 5 in a browser is a potential for a controlling device.  When you upgrade the firmware in the board, the most you have to do on any device you want to use is clear your browser cache.

Compare that with everybody else and you have to use an app. Which means you have app level and OS compatibility issues to deal with.  I can’t tell you how painful that was for me a few years back...

That said if there truly are integration possibilities between the x32 and other stuff in your inventory, there is a powerful argument.

I personally did not care for the XR-18. Either from a workflow or sound quality perspective.

My second favorite was the Mackie dl-1608.   I did hundreds of gigs on mine and it was great. They do suffer from the whole app and OS thing but the UI of their app is very good in my opinion.  If I were not happy with Soundcraft, I would likely be using a DL-32r.

Regardless of the digital mixer you pick, do use an external router.  Preferably a good one.  Get it up high on a stand.  TP Link Archer C9 is what I’m using today.  I use the 5ghz side for mixer control.

When you are out front mixing on an iPad surrounded by bone and water bags, that will save your bacon...
« Last Edit: February 10, 2019, 06:32:33 PM by Mal Brown »
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Rick Powell

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2019, 07:37:49 PM »

One advantage of the X32 rack is that it can function as a mixer if something happens to the tablet or its connection, whereas a lot of the small digital mixers would be non-functional.
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Steve Garris

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2019, 01:34:33 PM »

I consider the Ui-24r to be best in class.  I have used most of those with the exception of the A&H.  The ui interface is awesome and the sound quality sets it apart. 

The other important  aspect of the UI-24r is that it is a web server.  Any device that supports HTML 5 in a browser is a potential for a controlling device.  When you upgrade the firmware in the board.  The most you have to do on any device you want to use is clear your browser cache.

Compare that with everybody else and you have to use an app. Which means you have app level and OS compatibility issues to deal with.  I can’t tell you how painful that was for me a few years back...

That said if there truly are integration possibilities between the x32 and other stuff in your inventory, there is a powerful argument.

I personally did not care for the XR-18. Either from a workflow or sound quality perspective.

My second favorite was the Mackie dl-1608.   I did hundreds of gigs on mine and it was great. They do suffer from the whole app and OS thing but the UI of their app is very good in my opinion.  If I were not happy with Soundcraft, I would likely be using a DL-32r.

Regardless of the digital mixer you pick, do use an external router.  Preferably a good one.  Get it up high on a stand.  TP Link Archer C9 is what I’m using today.  I use the 5ghz side for mixer control.

When you are out front mixing on an iPad surrounded by bone and water bags, that will save your bacon...

Same here! I just picked up the Ui24 but still mixing on my DL1608. I'm router shopping now, and learning the Ui. Can't wait to actually start mixing on it. I have wondered in I should have just purchased the DL32.

It should be noted that you can hard-wire a touch screen PC to this mixer, and they have a display setting that shows more parameters & channels that can be applied. See the pic from the Ui24 user group of FB.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2019, 01:40:56 PM by Steve Garris »
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Jay Barracato

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #16 on: February 10, 2019, 02:51:41 PM »

Maybe this has been hashed through here... but I couldn't find specifically what I was looking for searching... maybe because I don't know enough to ask an understandable question... so bear with me:

Long story as short as I can make it:  I perform in a 5 piece band.  We're seemingly enjoying local "success" (our product seems to be in demand).  We rarely perform in venues equipped with house systems, so we're generally supplying our own sound and lights.  My fellow band mates' primary interest is in performing/entertaining... "the gear" is simply the means... they just want to plug and play with minimal fussing around (goes without saying), but quality is a truly supported priority, so-long as the pursuit of quality doesn't go past a diminished point of return.

We generally "mix from stage" using a simple box mixer... the box mixer system works well from the aspects that it's intuitive for the band, it's quick, easy, reliable, and works fine for especially dialing in an acceptable stage mix... but the house mix is less sure...  the box mixer "on stage" is a bit of throwing the baby out with the bath water for making the over-all machine function... a compromise solution as with most things in life, but I suspect this aspect is needlessly over-compromised?  Commonly we (I) rely on feedback from spouses or reliable critics in attendance for tweaking the house mix.  But, I'm thinking it would be great if I could hand one of those in attendance that I trust (like my wife Liz) a tablet to tweak the house mix and punch effects in and out as suitable... as opposed to set-it and forget-it.

Any suggestions?
Hey Mark,

The rolling rack plus drawers etc. that you just sold me are the basis of my FOH work box which serves as a support for either a x32 rack, a x32 compact, or a m32.

While I have a fondness for having faders available, I have over the last month become fairly comfortable with the rack and tablet mixing. I have the key show components on dca's on a 10 inch tablet and effects buttons on a 7 inch. What else fine while show is engaged. Troubleshooting is a tad more difficult

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

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Jay Barracato

Mal Brown

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2019, 06:38:25 PM »

Same here! I just picked up the Ui24 but still mixing on my DL1608. I'm router shopping now, and learning the Ui. Can't wait to actually start mixing on it. I have wondered in I should have just purchased the DL32.

It should be noted that you can hard-wire a touch screen PC to this mixer, and they have a display setting that shows more parameters & channels that can be applied. See the pic from the Ui24 user group of FB.

Yep.  When I do an FOH position I have a Dell 21.5” All In One pc as my interface.  I wander with an iPad a lot though.  I’ve gotten quite comfortable with that approach.

I still have an SI-1, an Impact and 32x12 stage box for when a guest engineer needs faders or if I just need more channels.  I will probably pick up a second ui-24r a couple of months out.
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Chris Grimshaw

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #18 on: February 12, 2019, 10:31:05 AM »

One advantage of the X32 rack is that it can function as a mixer if something happens to the tablet or its connection, whereas a lot of the small digital mixers would be non-functional.

... Which is why I went with a TouchMix16. If the iPad or WiFi dies for whatever reason, I have a reasonably functional backup.
At this sort of price-point, you pick your compromise and pay your money. The TM16 does a lot of things right for me, but the touchscreen from the early 2000s, analogue trim pots and limited routing are low points.

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Mal Brown

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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #19 on: February 12, 2019, 12:54:46 PM »

I just don’t have tablet or comms failure with my rig.  With the UI 24 you also have the option of a hard wired connection over ethernet.  For me it has been bullet proof what way.

I also have the board and the pc and router on a UPS. And I carry at least 1 spare iPad.

Importand to recognize that ALL of these mixers are essentially computers and if something goes down - with no recovery strategy - you could be in trouble.  In my case an old analog emergency board lives on the truck.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2019, 01:00:18 PM by Mal Brown »
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Re: Digital box mixer?
« Reply #19 on: February 12, 2019, 12:54:46 PM »


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