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[Patrick Tracy]

It looks likely that I'll be adding a new position that will entail using a Midas M32. About eighteen months ago I started on my first digital console, the Si Expresson 1, with which I've become quite proficient.

What are the conceptual differences that are most likely to trip me up now that I've got the Expression way of doing things as my reference point? I'll be scouring YouTube for tutorials, but I figured some here would have advice for my specific situation.

I've already discovered things like having all the aux sends for one channel on a bank of faders, which looks useful.

[Tim McCulloch]

With the M32 it's easier to mis-configure the desk into a big steaming pile of "this doesn't work right" than with the Soundcraft.  The EQs sound different (use the "VEQ" filters in the parametric and it will sound more like you're used to).

Many choices made in a global preference can be changed on a per-channel or pair of channels basis, like mix sends pre/post/etc selectable only as adjacent odd/even pairs of channels.

Metering is DBFS.  Minus 18 is the new Zero VU.

[Patrick Tracy]

With the M32 it's easier to mis-configure the desk into a big steaming pile of "this doesn't work right" than with the Soundcraft.  The EQs sound different (use the "VEQ" filters in the parametric and it will sound more like you're used to).

Many choices made in a global preference can be changed on a per-channel or pair of channels basis, like mix sends pre/post/etc selectable only as adjacent odd/even pairs of channels.

Metering is DBFS.  Minus 18 is the new Zero VU.

Thanks, Tim. I was able to turn the Expression into a steaming pile once or twice then untangle it, so I have no doubt I'll get to try on the M32. I'm comfortable with -18dBFS as my zero. Looking forward to some new varieties of eq.

The odd/even pair things sounds irritating. I'll be on guard for that.

It's been an interesting journey from reading Evan Kirkendall's posts about sorting the 01V96 to finally making the plunge into digital consoles. Much studio work with DAWs has helped prepare me.

[Luke Geis]

There are workarounds for the odd-even thing. Obviously, the channels can only be linked as such, but you can patch any input into any channel so you can move things where they need to be. The banks of 8 thing is another crux, but again there are ways to cheat it a little.

The biggest trick I figured out is to look at the main work surface. You will see it goes from HA, to compression, gate, EQ, Buss sends and then main. The menuing that you see in the window is laid out the same way. It helps greatly when you want to be somewhere quickly to remember that.

Other than that, you can learn the mixer in about 10 minutes. The trickier stuff like output/input patching is a little off-putting, but once you re-learn the language it just makes sense.

[Dave Guilford]

I switched from 5 years of expression use to a midas m32 back in January (6 months ish) and still struggle with some of the quirks.  It’s def NOT as user friendly , and a lot of the workflow is backwards from Si series.

It looks cool and fun to use, but really kind of cumbersome - nothing is as fast or easy as Si.  It’s a lot of “push these buttons to get where you need” instead of “here’s what you need”.

I’m sure you’ll be fine.

[Taylor Hall]

It’s a lot of “push these buttons to get where you need” instead of “here’s what you need”.

I agree, being able to have custom views on the console itself would be killer. I played around with a yamaha CL recently and being able to create a custom "home screen" was really nice. Granted that can also be done in the Mixing Station app, but being able to do it natively would be great.

[Alec Spence]

With the M32 it's easier to mis-configure the desk into a big steaming pile of "this doesn't work right" than with the Soundcraft.

Isn't that just because the X/M32 is more highly configurable than the Si, i.e., the more you can do, the more you can break?

Many choices made in a global preference can be changed on a per-channel or pair of channels basis, like mix sends pre/post/etc selectable only as adjacent odd/even pairs of channels.

Not quite - though I'd not even realised the mixbus pairing thing until I checked after your post.  You can select mix-bus tap points per individual input channel for each odd/even bus pair.  This pairing would never cause me a problem, but it would if it applied per input pair.  Interestingly, the XR18 doesn't have that limitation.
The odd/even pairing limitation that does bug me is that you need adjacent odd/even channels for a stereo pair.

Otherwise, you're really overthinking the challenges.

X/M32 Edit for Windows and Mixing Station for Android iOS are brilliant, way better than the Soundcraft software.

The loss of fader glow is more than made up for by the gain of LCD scribble strips.

I love the 4 dedicated bus send rotaries, and the user assignable section.  Others are less bothered by it.

For some, the Midas name makes the M32 more rider-friendly.

[Dave Pluke]

Other than that, you can learn the mixer in about 10 minutes. The trickier stuff like output/input patching is a little off-putting, but once you re-learn the language it just makes sense.

Agreed.  I'm reasonably familiar with (and own) both consoles.  I find the Aux/Bus sends on the M32 to be much less fluid than the Si's "Mix1, Mix2, etc." buttons.  The channel EQ and Compressor are more flexible on the M32.

@Patrick - I don't anticipate you'll have many issues with the transition.

Dave

[Patrick Tracy]

Thanks, everyone.

[ProSoundWeb Community]