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[Cory Chenoweth]

Hi All,

Looking for options to manage console switching?

I frequently get called to be the "house" Tech/A1 (on concert nights) for a local venue. The venue's system is configured for 5 drive lines (Left, Right, Sub, Front/Center Fill, Delay). With many regional and national acts carrying their own consoles these days, was looking for simpler option to manage change over from support acts to headliner. Cross patching 5 lines isn't hard, but being able to leave things patched from sound-check, and just toggle some switches or push a button, would be even easier.

I'm familiar with APB's MixSwitch, but would need 2 MixSwitches to cover the 5 drive lines. I can't justify the cost of 1 MixSwitch let alone 2. Curious what other options are out there?

Running the visiting consoles through the "house" console is an option. But venue practice has been to give the headliner the drive lines.

Thought about building a little 5ch splitter box. But then question whether I should ISO the split? How could I incorporate on/off type toggle switch(s)?

Appreciate your input.

For those interested, venue's systems is made up of: 6 HDL20 L/R hangs, 2 HDL20 center/front fill, 6 8006-AS Subs. M32's FOH & MON.

-Cory

[Jordan Wolf]

What type of DSP does the venue have to handle processing for that rig?

You may be able to utilize extra inputs on the DSP and have a preset that just changes the input patch.

If there are no open inputs, it could spark a discussion about expandability, or if there is no DSP, it provides a starting point.

[Phillip Ivan Pietruschka]

Hi All,

Looking for options to manage console switching?

I frequently get called to be the "house" Tech/A1 (on concert nights) for a local venue. The venue's system is configured for 5 drive lines (Left, Right, Sub, Front/Center Fill, Delay). With many regional and national acts carrying their own consoles these days, was looking for simpler option to manage change over from support acts to headliner. Cross patching 5 lines isn't hard, but being able to leave things patched from sound-check, and just toggle some switches or push a button, would be even easier.

I'm familiar with APB's MixSwitch, but would need 2 MixSwitches to cover the 5 drive lines. I can't justify the cost of 1 MixSwitch let alone 2. Curious what other options are out there?

-Cory

I have been advised APB have ceased production whilst they undergo a restructure, so that product probably isn’t on the cards either way.

[Steve Eudaly]

A relatively simple dsp with enough I/O like a BSS BLU-100 would fit the bill nicely and still have extra inputs to tie in an MC mic and house music without going through a console. Should be able to find a used one for well under $1k.

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

Hi All,

Looking for options to manage console switching?

I frequently get called to be the "house" Tech/A1 (on concert nights) for a local venue. The venue's system is configured for 5 drive lines (Left, Right, Sub, Front/Center Fill, Delay). With many regional and national acts carrying their own consoles these days, was looking for simpler option to manage change over from support acts to headliner. Cross patching 5 lines isn't hard, but being able to leave things patched from sound-check, and just toggle some switches or push a button, would be even easier.

I'm familiar with APB's MixSwitch, but would need 2 MixSwitches to cover the 5 drive lines. I can't justify the cost of 1 MixSwitch let alone 2. Curious what other options are out there?

Running the visiting consoles through the "house" console is an option. But venue practice has been to give the headliner the drive lines.

Thought about building a little 5ch splitter box. But then question whether I should ISO the split? How could I incorporate on/off type toggle switch(s)?

Appreciate your input.

For those interested, venue's systems is made up of: 6 HDL20 L/R hangs, 2 HDL20 center/front fill, 6 8006-AS Subs. M32's FOH & MON.

-Cory

The more standard way to do this would be to drive your fills and delay off of the house DSP and have the mixer only send L&R and subs.  That gets you down to 3 lines.  A DSP with 6 inputs would solve that natively.  A pair of Ashly LX308B line mixers would do it too.

[Cory Chenoweth]

What type of DSP does the venue have to handle processing for that rig?

No outboard DSP. Only processing is what's in the RCF speakers and the consoles feeding rig.

[David Sturzenbecher]

A relatively simple dsp with enough I/O like a BSS BLU-100 would fit the bill nicely and still have extra inputs to tie in an MC mic and house music without going through a console. Should be able to find a used one for well under $1k.

Cory,
Do not under estimate the value of having BGM and MC mics independent of the mixing console.   

Nearly every serious touring group I have worked with was natively setup for Left-Right-Sub-Front.   I would try to get your setup to this configuration if possible.   It also bumps you into being able to use a second hand mix switch if you didn't want to go the DSP route.   

Steven's idea of using a BSS BLU is solid.  I know a handful of guys that are using 806's for console switching.  A single frame can have you switching between dante, two analog desks (or AES), and having BGM and MC mics. It's also expandable many many times over with additional linked frames.  With a simple control panel you can select your desk, adjust volumes of MC and BGMs from a single 1RU plate.   Hell, my control panel has toggles for when a touring engineer wants to run subs from LR or doesn't have a front fill send and those need to come from the LR too. I can show some pictures if anyone is interested.

[John P. Farrell]

I'm familiar with APB's MixSwitch, but would need 2 MixSwitches to cover the 5 drive lines. I can't justify the cost of 1 MixSwitch let alone 2. Curious what other options are out there?

What is driving the delay line?  As a traveling BE who carries everything but racks and stacks, at the venue level you describe I usually have no problem with seeing L/R/Sub/FF and having things like delays distributed via venue processing if there is level and eq control available. 

To be fair I also carry 8 channels of LM44 with me but even without that luxury I think your best option is to drive the delay via DSP after the mix switch, or have a preset in said DSP where you can switch inputs but that's likely more costly if your current DSP doesn't support 10+ inputs.

The mix switch is also handy to leave house music going or have an RF MC mic available for announcements or emergencies. 

JF

[Tim McCulloch]

The venue's system is configured for 5 drive lines (Left, Right, Sub, Front/Center Fill, Delay).

{big snip}

For those interested, venue's systems is made up of: 6 HDL20 L/R hangs, 2 HDL20 center/front fill, 6 8006-AS Subs. M32's FOH & MON.

-Cory

So what does the delay line drive?  Is that a provisional thing, or perhaps implemented as a green room/DR/etc feed?

edit ps- John and Blackberry Smoke came through one of our venues recently, always good to put faces with names.  It was a good day at the office and a fun show.  Thanks, John! 

[Don T. Williams]

I really like the Radial Engineering SW4, but its not inexpensive.  The advantage it could have over used DSP is the transformer isolation.  Yes transformers can have their on issues, but I've had zero issues with my SW4 and it has solved more than one ground problem.  Still only 4 channels, but where does your delay line go?

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