X32 Discussion

Re: X32 in use

Andrew Prince said:
Chris!

Are those JBL SRX718s subs? If so, what are you driving them with?
Click to expand...

Hey Andrew,

They are indeed the SRX718s. The pair are being driven bridged-mono with a QSC RMX4050HD. The tops are Turbosound TXD-151's, being driven
with another 4050 but being run in stereo. It's a great little setup with lots of punch.

Chris
 
Re: Here we go...encoder dying.

Shane Presley said:
Holy crap guy, were you writing your memoirs on the scribble strips? I have one in a club install since september....
No issues yet and not using an ipad for naming. Wierd
Click to expand...

I didn't think it was used too much. I got mega-support from their care@music-group. $2.68 each. I'll take five, please. :)~:)~:smile:
 
firmware 1.15 bug with aux in remap to aes50 channels - all preamp gains linked

Running firmware 1.15, I found a little bug when remapping the aes50 channels to the "aux inputs" in the routing section: all preamp gains are linked together, the channels work fine and the preamps and phantom work fine, but all channels in that group share the same linked gain and phantom settings. The channels are seperated out correctly and are independant for everything else though it seems.

One other thing that I found wierd was in x32edit (osx) v1.10 - those channels come up as "card", but the ipad says aes50(a1-6).

Gotta say, other than that... Fantastic Job! Love all the changes!
 
Re: Monitor Whine

Hi All,

As I mentioned over the course of a couple of earlier posts,

  1. I sent in a console to get the monitor whine fixed, among other things;
  2. It came back with that problem unfixed, with the tech saying "problem could not be found";
  3. My monitor guy Matt later sent his personal X32 in to get the monitor whine fixed, along with a printout showing an FFT window of the problem;
  4. It came back with a note saying the "noise reduction fix" or something similar had been done.

Tonight I finally got a chance to SIM his console and compare it to the one that came back unfixed, and lo and behold, his console is 6 db quieter than mine at the noise peaks.

This is the unfixed console. Notice the 6kHz peak and how much higher it is than the reference line:

IMG_1750.jpg

This is the fixed console. Just clears the reference line, and there's some other stuff that's cleaned up as well.

IMG_1751.jpg

Here are the two superimposed. Not as easy to see as would be nice (there's a red X on the peak tracking cursor). That 6k peak is the highest.

IMG_1752.jpg


Here's the values readout, showing a little over 6db improvement.

IMG_1754.jpg

Although the 6k tone is still there if you listen for it, it is much more down in the noise. A few more db and it would be indistinguishable from the noise floor.

The studio guys would have to decide for sure, but I would think the noise would still be unacceptable for listening to control room monitors. I think it's probably also unacceptable for monitorworld, but it's a closer call now than it was. And the option of routing the monitor outs through any of the other 16 analog outputs, which are all quiet, is still available.

So they fixed his, why couldn't they fix mine?

:cry:

Still, I'm happy that there's at least a partial solution, when they choose to provide it.
 
Re: Monitor Whine

G'day Dan,

You are 100% correct - that noise is unacceptable - Mine has been back numerous times, replaced, then repaired again...The last word from the good people at the service center was that they tried but it's still there - If a fix comes along they'll let me know.

So - Unfortunately, I have a 6K whine to deal with in the studio, along with the rotten fan noise, but that's 'normal'... I think I'm expecting too much for absolute silence (re the fan), but that 6k through 15 inch horn loaded studio monitors (with slot tweeters) is quite bad!

Thanks
Pauly


Dan Mortensen said:
Hi All,

As I mentioned over the course of a couple of earlier posts,

  1. I sent in a console to get the monitor whine fixed, among other things;
  2. It came back with that problem unfixed, with the tech saying "problem could not be found";
  3. My monitor guy Matt later sent his personal X32 in to get the monitor whine fixed, along with a printout showing an FFT window of the problem;
  4. It came back with a note saying the "noise reduction fix" or something similar had been done.

Tonight I finally got a chance to SIM his console and compare it to the one that came back unfixed, and lo and behold, his console is 6 db quieter than mine at the noise peaks.

This is the unfixed console. Notice the 6kHz peak and how much higher it is than the reference line:

View attachment 7740

This is the fixed console. Just clears the reference line, and there's some other stuff that's cleaned up as well.

View attachment 7741

Here are the two superimposed. Not as easy to see as would be nice (there's a red X on the peak tracking cursor). That 6k peak is the highest.

View attachment 7742


Here's the values readout, showing a little over 6db improvement.

View attachment 7743

Although the 6k tone is still there if you listen for it, it is much more down in the noise. A few more db and it would be indistinguishable from the noise floor.

The studio guys would have to decide for sure, but I would think the noise would still be unacceptable for listening to control room monitors. I think it's probably also unacceptable for monitorworld, but it's a closer call now than it was. And the option of routing the monitor outs through any of the other 16 analog outputs, which are all quiet, is still available.

So they fixed his, why couldn't they fix mine?

:cry:

Still, I'm happy that there's at least a partial solution, when they choose to provide it.
Click to expand...
 
Quality - Is there something I can do?

G'day All,

I seek your advice please - I have an issue with the quality of vocal recordings I am getting.

In particular I can hear a substantial difference in the quality of recorded vocals with the X32 and maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Just so you know the setup - it's for recording. I (obviously) have the X32, in a very quiet room, with a PC thats virtually silent, running Cubase 7 as my DAW of choice via firewire. The PC is 'Kick ass' with SSD drives, heaps of ram WIn 7 etc etc.

I'm recording at 24bit 48khz, in this example using a neumann U87, and monitoring using quested mid field monitors, (And some dirty big 15 inch 3 way JBLs for back patting listening :))

My problem is the quality of the vocal recording - it's not ..(ummm .. searching for words to describe sound.. always challenging)... 'present'....Drums & guitars etc are ok, but lets face it - the vocal has to be really good.

I'm at a loss to know how more direct the path could be... The vocals sound a little strained.... a little 'back', rather than warm and 'in your face' ....

I'm thinking that perhaps it's because I have to have the microphone gain down so low, in order not to clip - and as the X32 compressor doesn't effect the recorded sound, that's won't help. So.. in effect, the majority of the time I'm well short of using 24 bits.. But that's just a thought I could be wrong.

If the X32 had a digital input, I could just plug a good preamp into it and try that - but it doesn't.

The mic is just plugged into a channel, and (to my understanding) it's then just preamped and goes straight to the firewire regardless of what you do in the channel.

Is there anything you smart people can come up with that will allow me to get a more direct recording of vocals using the X32? Cubase only allows one audio driver at a time so I can't (for example) use the digital out of a good preamp into the PCs SPDIF input, _and_ monitor using the X32.

Thanks for any good advice

Pauly
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

Pauly Mel said:
My problem is the quality of the vocal recording - it's not ..(ummm .. searching for words to describe sound.. always challenging)... 'present'....Drums & guitars etc are ok, but lets face it - the vocal has to be really good.

I'm at a loss to know how more direct the path could be... The vocals sound a little strained.... a little 'back', rather than warm and 'in your face' ....
Click to expand...

Maybe you need a high end preamp a tube? Looks like you're searching from more warmer sound tubes can give...
Does some minor reverb not add what you're looking for? Or some tube emulator?
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

Hi Antoon,

Thanks for the reply however I think you are missing my point -
I have 'nice' preamps and all that stuff - What I lack is a way of using the X32 while using those preamps - I am multitracking of course, so I have some tracks recorded in Cubase, and am laying vocals over those - This means I need to be able to monitor the previously recorded tracks while recording the vocals - I route 8 outputs from Cubase back to the x32, and the chanell outputs (from the x32) back to Cubase.

So - I _could_ use a preamp, and use it's analog oputputs into the x32s channel inputs which means going into another preamp - certainly not something to solve the problem. But again - Thanks for your response.

Pauly


Antoon van den Oetelaar said:
Maybe you need a high end preamp a tube? Looks like you're searching from more warmer sound tubes can give...
Does some minor reverb not add what you're looking for? Or some tube emulator?
Click to expand...
 
Re: X32 Live recordings

Randy Martin said:
OK here a video of the band from last friday's event.. The recording is all X32 2 track usb recording from the usb recorder built in the X32..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151556956690036

Hope ya like..

Randy
Click to expand...

Nice job mixing the band! And speaking of the band, holy !@#$. Great instrumentalists and vocals. Really enjoyed the lead singers voice. Singing up in the stratosphere. Then I saw the keyboard/guitar player singing harmonies above him! Wow, nice job. You can tell the band is made up of well seasoned pros. Best of luck to you and the band!
 
Re: X32 Live recordings

Bill Garvin said:
Nice job mixing the band! And speaking of the band, holy !@#$. Great instrumentalists and vocals. Really enjoyed the lead singers voice. Singing up in the stratosphere. Then I saw the keyboard/guitar player singing harmonies above him! Wow, nice job. You can tell the band is made up of well seasoned pros. Best of luck to you and the band!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much i have been working with those guys for about 2 years now and only played about 15 show in the last 2 years. but thanks ok there a great bunch of guys to work with..

We will have more videos coming soon from that show that i will post as soon as they are ready..

You have a fine day and again thanks..

Randy
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

Hello from Finland

Just to rule out things - you might try use one of your known preamps, have it´s analog output connected in one of the AUX-inputs - like connecting your preamp into line-input of analog desk. Then record the voice and listen to a significant difference. If not, try another U87 - them tubes come to age, too.

Or you could connect your mic-pre´s digital out directly into your computer to record one track - then connect computer back to X32 , record parallel second track with X32 and compare results.

Nuuska
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

Thanks TImo,

That's a good idea - I'm using all the aux inputs for other purposes (sound modules).. but I'll unplug one and give it a go. The U87 aren't tubes, and this one is pretty new so I don't think the mic is the issue. I have a bunch of other neumanns and the result is similar.

Thanks for the reply
Pauly




Timo Ulkuniemi said:
Hello from Finland

Just to rule out things - you might try use one of your known preamps, have it´s analog output connected in one of the AUX-inputs - like connecting your preamp into line-input of analog desk. Then record the voice and listen to a significant difference. If not, try another U87 - them tubes come to age, too.

Or you could connect your mic-pre´s digital out directly into your computer to record one track - then connect computer back to X32 , record parallel second track with X32 and compare results.

Nuuska
Click to expand...
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

Pauly Mel said:
Hi Antoon,

Thanks for the reply however I think you are missing my point -
I have 'nice' preamps and all that stuff - What I lack is a way of using the X32 while using those preamps - I am multitracking of course, so I have some tracks recorded in Cubase, and am laying vocals over those - This means I need to be able to monitor the previously recorded tracks while recording the vocals - I route 8 outputs from Cubase back to the x32, and the chanell outputs (from the x32) back to Cubase.

So - I _could_ use a preamp, and use it's analog oputputs into the x32s channel inputs which means going into another preamp - certainly not something to solve the problem. But again - Thanks for your response.

Pauly
Click to expand...
The 'problem' you're mostly having is due to the good quality of the preamps and a digital desk. The preamps are quite neutral and therefor doesn't add any character to the sound, unlike some analog ssl desk or similar. Having no analog eq-strip doesn't help either.

The bad news: This natural sound can be percieved as 'sterile' compared to analog strips or external preamps (since they are built exclusivly to add a character to your sound). In other words, the x32 won't add any character to your input.

The good news: Since the preamps are neutral you won't have any issue running your external preamp to the xlr inputs on your x32. It will preserve all the meat and goodness from your preamp. Just make sure to get the gain structure correctly set.

If you want to add some character to your inputs on the x32 try to use the veq instead of the peq. The veq is more of the british vintage sound of yesteryear. Also, in the fx section there is a tube preamp you can add for that warmth.

Uli has said that more emulations are on the way to add to the x32 goodness but we will probably have to wait until v2 of the firmware before that happens...

Remember, the hard rule is - If it sounds good, then it is good!
 
Re: Quality - Is there something I can do?

The X32 have a 10Kohm input impedance, and not every microphone is indifferent to such a high impedance. A good matching transformer or a 1kohm shunt between pin 2 and 3 might change the sound of the mike.
 
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