Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Fri, 08 September 2006 12:32 |
I'm not a big fan of pushbutton assigns that run along your fader travel path. I'm afraid I'll accidentally reassign things in the heat of the mix. Soundcraft's MH series don't have pushbuttons there. |
Bennett Prescott wrote on Fri, 08 September 2006 11:37 | ||
Yeah, but they've got pushbuttons freaking everywhere else! That aux send section is a minefield Seeing as the only reasonable fixes for the "pushbuttons along the fader travel" problem all cost a bunch of money or board real-estate (which, believe me, is money) I'll learn to keep my pinkies away. |
Ronnie Blenden wrote on Sat, 07 October 2006 05:58 |
#2 While there may be an internal jumper changover to fix this, my biggest complaint on the console is when you flip it to monitor duty. Its cool that your submasters become the monitor send masters for monitor outs, however, it is not cool to me that the rear panel outputs dont switch. <snip> The xlr outputs that were once subgroup outs become the aux outs and you are forced to use TRS outputs for your mix outs. |
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...can anybody tell me what exactly does pad mean? |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Tue, 10 October 2006 10:59 |
The complaint about the GB8 not having pads is that the GB8 owner will need to stock up on a half dozen of these for most normal shows. |
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...Everything that's line level at FOH goes into a 1/4" jack... |
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...Good to meet you at AES, I'll post several embarrassing photos soon. |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Tue, 10 October 2006 10:59 |
The complaint about the GB8 not having pads is that the GB8 owner will need to stock up on a half dozen of these for most normal shows. -Bink |
Fred Garrett wrote on Tue, 10 October 2006 14:10 | ||
We have had our GB8-48 since early April (2006)and have put at least 25 different bands through the board and we have yet to see an input that requires a pad... |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Tue, 10 October 2006 17:20 |
I've never used the GB8 so I can't comment on regular mics being too hot, etc. I'll bow to your experience... Thanks for the correction. -Bink |
David Morison wrote on Tue, 12 September 2006 07:59 |
Hey, good review, thanks. Have you had the chance to compare it with the Series TWO? It seems to offer just a very slightly different set of features for a bit more money - I'm not sure how it's meant to fit in Soundcraft's line, unless they're going to ditch the TWO in the near future. Cheers, David. |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Sun, 15 October 2006 22:45 |
Next week, weather permitting, we'll have the console outdoors at the Roxbury Band Shell in Johnstown, PA. |
Mathew Thomas wrote on Mon, 23 October 2006 04:04 |
was reading the specs of the GB8, and its states that it has a 1kHz oscillator. can anyone tell me what exactly this is and what is its function? thanks, appreciate it. |
Mathew Thomas wrote on Mon, 23 October 2006 03:04 |
was reading the specs of the GB8, and its states that it has a 1kHz oscillator. can anyone tell me what exactly this is and what is its function? thanks, appreciate it. |
John Roberts {JR} wrote on Mon, 23 October 2006 07:00 | ||
Once upon a time the CR osc would be used to put slate tones on master tapes to confirm reference levels (they would also use other high and low frequencies to confirm frequency response). These days the tone is probably used as a constant feed to confirm some audio link is functional (sat, recording truck, etc.) for troubleshooting, setting levels, or just to keep the link active. JR |
John Roberts {JR} wrote on Mon, 23 October 2006 10:00 |
Once upon a time the CR osc would be used to put slate tones on master tapes to confirm reference levels (they would also use other high and low frequencies to confirm frequency response). |
Mac Kerr wrote on Mon, 23 October 2006 13:17 |
Not to be a contrarian, but a slate is the identification between takes, noting what that take is. The tone that accompanied a slate could have been 1k, but was more likely to have been 100Hz, or something even lower so that it could be heard as a tone in fast wind mode. Some recording consoles would output that tone, and turn on the TB mic when you pushed the "slate" button, allowing you to ID the take while the tone was recording. Alignment tones of 1kHz at operating level, and 100Hz and 10kHz at operating level, or 10dB below operating level at 7.5ips were used for physical and electronic alignment between tape machines, and were usually only at the head of each tape, or even only the head of the first tape of a session. Mac |
Mathew Thomas wrote on Sun, 29 October 2006 09:03 |
Hi, just another quick question about the GB8. it has an internal power supply right? i read that it has an DPS3 Redundant Power Supply option. is it crucial to get it? meaning it would be a backup power supply? thanks. |
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I really like how the GB8 handles itself EQ wise. You can definitely hear the signal "snap in" once you start to dial it in. |
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So, would you like to Road Test this console for yourself? For more information, get in touch with myself or Sara Elliott here on the LAB. |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Sat, 25 November 2006 00:33 |
In all the time I've had the GB8 I've been unable to give all 48 channels a work out. |
Bennett Prescott wrote on Mon, 27 November 2006 15:04 |
Sounds like you finally got enough console! |
Tom Der wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 13:25 |
Hopefully this post will get Sara from Live Sound off my back. |
Bennett Prescott wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 12:31 | ||
I'll go goose Paul Magro to give you a little more positive press on the MH2 as well. Thanks again for shipping us the desks. |
Tom Der wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 13:25 |
However feel free to fire off a question if you do need something. |
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Hopefully this post will get Sara from Live Sound off my back. |
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Hopefully this post will get Sara from Live Sound off my back. |
Tom Der wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 22:24 |
These days switch mode supplies are dependable enough so you've seen us and Midas start using them in our lower mid-range consoles. You still have to make sure that you properly implement it so as not to introduce radiated noise from the supply in to the audio buses. |
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The DPS3 is esentially not much more than the PSU assembly from the GB series mounted in a chassis. My gut says that we accidentally shipped 2 DPS4 supplies (instead of 1 DPS3 and DPS4)when we sent the MH2 and GB8 to Bennett. The DPS4 is currently only used as a spare PSU to the MH2. I'm not sure if the voltages and pins are identical between the two. |
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I agonized a bit about whether to offer it in a tourpack configuration with case or not since the case on this level of console represents a significant portion of the console cost. |
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No need to defend Sara, she's perfectly fine at taking up for herself and will no doubt try to poison me with polonium (or something equally exotic) slipped into my chicken tikka masala during our next dinner together. |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 23:07 |
Umm... well the DPS4 does work with the GB8... I've used it for the last several outings with the console and no magic smoke. Hope this doesn't anger anyone. -ducks- |
Tom Der wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 21:24 | ||
No need to defend Sara, she's perfectly fine at taking up for herself and will no doubt try to poison me with polonium (or something equally exotic) slipped into my chicken tikka masala during our next dinner together. Thanks for the comments. Standing by for more.... All The Best, Tom
Anyone doing their job well get's a vote from me... Hey, just like her profile says... she get's us Gear and Beer. No complaints here! |
Jim Bowersox wrote on Tue, 19 December 2006 16:45 |
The room holds about 600 people and is very, very nice sounding. Virtually anechoic (it's a dual purpose concert room/movie theater.) The PA is a flown Turbosound Floodlight system, QSC powered. More than enough power for the room, and very nice sounding if I do say so myself. Perhaps Brian B or Ryan Lantzy can chime in. |
Mario Salazar wrote on Sat, 27 January 2007 16:50 |
I have to say that I am a bit bummed that this console does not have pads. I was seriously considering it over the Allen and Heath but pads are necessary, especially when doing multi-act shows. I can't tell you how many times during a show a guy with a drum machine or processor jumps to a program that is hot as hell and that is when the pads save me. I would hate to think of having to grab a pad and disconnect the input to insert it. Why is it that there is always a catch in this price range? |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Tue, 30 January 2007 20:03 |
Sounds like the kinds of complaints I would have if I mixed on one. No PFL on the VU? Ouch. No tickle-level green LED on the ladder? Ugh. The Verona gives you -18dBu, the K2 -30dBu, the M7CL -60dBFS which would be about -42dBu... the GB8's -10dBu is too high. |
Josh Evans wrote on Thu, 24 May 2007 04:01 |
...Also I didn't see a mention of the output voltage when driven into clip from something like a sine wave.... |
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...Id seriously be curious about the grounding scheme for the inserts as others have not met up to par in the past. Does PIN1 have the typical zero length termination to chasi or something else? |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Thu, 24 May 2007 07:22 |
I'd like to know the answer, too. I can't even begin to guess how designers answer the pin 1 problem with unbalanced jacks such as the GB8's Tip Return inserts. The problem is that the shield is part of the circuit. Balanced inserts would have made me more interested in this mixer. -Bink |
John Roberts {JR} wrote on Sun, 27 May 2007 10:30 |
Unbalanced insert jack fields are not optimal for long feeds in noisy environments but they work adequately well for short runs. |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Sun, 27 May 2007 10:47 |
...In support of this, I have yet to EVER run into a piece of outboard that didn't sound perfectly adequate using unbalanced insert TRS - 2x TS cables. I haven't been doing this quite as log as some others, and I'm sure others' experience differs. |
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...the confounded TRS-2xTS cables that are USELESS for every other SR application. |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Sun, 27 May 2007 12:47 | ||
In support of this, I have yet to EVER run into a piece of outboard that didn't sound perfectly adequate using unbalanced insert TRS - 2x TS cables. I haven't been doing this quite as log as some others, and I'm sure others' experience differs. For as tedious (and/or costly) as making insert cables and snakes is, I'd be happy with all unbalanced gear at that point. Additionally, I'd wish the outboard manufacturers would start selling gear with single point insert jacks just like the console makers. That way, one TRS-TRS cable would connect the send and the return rather than the confounded TRS-2xTS cables that are USELESS for every other SR application. |
Michael 'Bink' Knowles wrote on Sun, 27 May 2007 13:43 |
Just this past week I got less hum/buzz from an outboard dbx 166XL when using a Ramsa WRS4424's balanced group outs and returning balanced into a spare channel versus using the mixer's unbalanced group inserts with a TRS==>2xTS cable. I've had this exact same experience with other mixers as well, and with a host of outboard gear. It wouldn't be as critical if it were a loud band with a dense sound but if the subgroup is for speech and is being recorded, the slight hum/buzz in the background is that much more exposed. -Bink |
Ryan Lantzy wrote on Sun, 27 May 2007 10:47 |
Additionally, I'd wish the outboard manufacturers would start selling gear with single point insert jacks just like the console makers. That way, one TRS-TRS cable would connect the send and the return rather than the confounded TRS-2xTS cables that are USELESS for every other SR application. |
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...Id seriously be curious about the grounding scheme for the inserts as others have not met up to par in the past. Does PIN1 have the typical zero length termination to chasi or something else? |
Tom Der wrote on Tue, 29 May 2007 07:50 | ||||
JR already commented correctly on this but i had already sent the comment over to Graham Blyth, one of Soundcraft's founders and still chief designer and not to mention the GB in the GB Series of consoles. He responds: The Pin1 issue is not really a problem, even for unbalanced send/return loops because Pin1 is taken straight to chassis and there are emc caps from the other pins to the Pin1. According to Jim Brown, who is the real guru on these things nowadays, we’re all completely screwed when we get up into the Giga Hertz area, because even the shortest and thickest piece of track is enough of an inductor to cause problems. However, actual field experience does not seem to exhibit audibly the problems that Jim quite rightly warns about, and generally all the major console designers are using best practice with regard to pin1 issues. Admittedly I’m over here rather than over there, but I’ve not heard any “Foxy Lady, come on in …” over the Church PA stories for sometime now. All The Best, Tom Der National Sales Manager Soundcraft USA |
Dan Mortensen wrote on Wed, 06 June 2007 18:34 |
... 1) Concerning the lack of pads on this console and the GB series: Andy and Bink's comments about using FXL-MTRS adaptors have not received enough love. Why pad the signal down to reamplify it when you can go in a line input?... |
Adam Thiesen wrote on Thu, 18 October 2007 03:27 |
We recently installed a GB4 32ch in the club I work in a few nights a week. I'm still getting used to it but so far it's a great board. I do wish there was a pad for each channel though. I usually need to put the -20 pad on anytime I use the DI. I've also noticed that the peak light on the channel will light before the peak when soloing gets to the Red. |
Eric John wrote on Mon, 24 August 2009 14:20 |
I read somewhere (maybe on here) that the board "sounds" better with the external power supply... can anyone substantiate this? I'm using the internal without any problems. |
georginna wrote on Sat, 29 August 2009 00:34 |
What I don't like about it is that it only has 4 mute groups, all on pushbutton assignments in line with each and every fader, exactly like the group assignments. Maybe that's just because I'm used to the k2-40 that is digital as far as it's mute groups are concerned, and instead of 4 it has 8 mute groups. |
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Although I'm not a huge fan of the 128 possible mute scenes you can program into it, I'm sure it has it's uses in some situations. Probably not for live audio though. Thank's!... |