X32 Discussion

AES PNW Audio Over Ethernet Cable Workshop Video

Gee, that's a long time with no postings. Guess everyone is happy with their mixers; I sure am.

Two years ago our AES Section and I put together a workshop about audio using Ethernet cable, and it has been mentioned in this thread several times a hundred or so pages ago.

Today I finished editing the first video segment of it and put it on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKp6AaIf42o&feature=youtu.be

This part is mostly Steve Lampen of Belden giving a brief history of Ethernet and the category cables, along with my dissections of some random cables. Note that the workshop occurred before Brian Wynn proved that we need to use shielded cable with Ethercons with our X32's, and I tested a Midas Pro 3 to prove that it does, too.

I learned a lot from that workshop and hope you do, too, even though the camera work (or lack of) leaves something to be desired. The information still comes through.
 
Re: AES PNW Audio Over Ethernet Cable Workshop Video

Dan,

Thanks for posting this video. I'm through the first half and will finish the second in a bit. I love hearing this type of geeky insider talk about gear. The best thing is I can follow along and understand most of what's being said thanks to my degree in audio engineering.
 
Re: AES PNW Audio Over Ethernet Cable Workshop Video

Chris Wadden said:
Dan,

Thanks for posting this video. I'm through the first half and will finish the second in a bit. I love hearing this type of geeky insider talk about gear. The best thing is I can follow along and understand most of what's being said thanks to my degree in audio engineering.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chris. Glad you enjoy it.

If you want to stretch your audio brain, check out these videos (also made by me)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruSjIWuHFF0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De_N7dvH7qg

They are almost completely irrelevant to this thread, but they do attempt to address a question that audio people often refer to: dynamic range.

The presenter was a researcher at Bell Labs for 20 years, and is one of the world's leading experts on human hearing, as well as one of the inventors of the MP3.

In these videos, he shows an analysis system he invented that runs on Octave and displays several measurements of the components of which we generally think make up dynamic range.

I watched the first one easily 100 times as I was editing it and learned something new pretty much every time.

The second one examines what might make up "Microdynamics", of which there is no definition but has been discussed by mastering engineers as referring to minute changes in volume from one moment to the next. The measurements in both videos work on recorded music and not at all for live.

This guy also sat down at a laptop one time when I was watching him and wrote out the code for an FFT analyzer that also works on Octave, in about half an hour, without using notes or references. He is an amazingly smart person, and it's fun to try to keep up with him and get a glimmer of what he's talking about.

He gets in arguments in online forums with other smart people (and people who think they are smart) and these videos help keep him from making the same arguments over and over. He gets to say "just look at this video and you'll know what I'm talking about".

/topic swerve
 
iOS 8.4 problem

Warning: iOS 8.4 which was released the other day does NOT SEEM TO WORK with the X32 Mix. Using a iPad 2, not sure if it works with other generations. 8.4 DOES work so far with the XAir, though.

FYI.

Edit: Should say I'm on 2.10 not 2.12.

2nd Edit: That problem was trying to connect to a Producer.

Connected just fine to a full size console. Same Firmware 2.10 on both consoles. Another iPad on iOS 8.3 connected fine to both.

Hmmmmmmm.
 
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Re: X32Core headphones distorted

Klaus Roethlisberger said:
This is about the 3rd time the headphones out jack is distorted...
reboot fixes it...
X32Core kaput ?

Anybody had this ?

Best

Klaus

X32Core headphones distorted @ B-forums
Click to expand...
Nope, haven't seen that, going to guess not many people are using the Core actively. I only take it as a spare console.

However, I can't figure out a way to only load scenes to it and not load a show. Is there a preference somewhere on the iPad similar to in the Setup/Config screen on the consoles?
 
Re: X32Core headphones distorted

Ok I'm getting nowhere and I'm a bit desperate. I have a thread on this elsewhere in JV but hoping that posting here may hit a wider audience.

Please do not refer me to a page or video that contains info on how to route with a S16. I don't have one. I am getting extremely frustrated trying to make this work. I am either too stupid or otherwise unable to decode the videos and wiki info I have read to make my situation work.

1) I have an x32 rack I want to use as monitor console (using x32 input connectors) with 8 mixes out of the 8 xlr jacks. I am able to make that work. I have been using the Main LR on the aux 1 and Aux2 outs when I use the x32 rack alone.

2) I can send the x32 rack inputs to my new-to-me FOH x32 compact console. I can send the FOH main LR to the FOH aux 1 and 2 outs just fine.

3) I need to route the FOH main LR back to the X32 rack and send the FOH main LR signal out the x32 rack aux 1 and 2 connectors.

Can anyone help?

--Kevin
 
Re: X32Core headphones distorted

The aux outs aren't able to be directly mapped like the XLR outputs are, so you have to do some maneuvering to make it happen.

The most direct way to do it is in the routing tab, under 'home' change aux in remap to select the AES source for the aux. Note that you only have the option of AES channels 1-6 to work with. Make sure you present your audio from the FOH on those channels. This is an annoying limitation, as I like to present the audio inputs from the console to match and would love the aux channels to be 33-40, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

So now you've re-mapped the aux inputs of the mixer to read from the AES input. Next is to go to the aux out tab and select the aux out jack you want to work with. Here, you select the output signal. Select DirOut Aux 1. The tap point should be at IN/LC. That way what's being presented as Aux 1 will then come out the Aux 1 jack for you. Repeat for Aux 2.
 
Re: X32Core headphones distorted

Dan Mortensen said:
Nope, haven't seen that, going to guess not many people are using the Core actively. I only take it as a spare console.

However, I can't figure out a way to only load scenes to it and not load a show. Is there a preference somewhere on the iPad similar to in the Setup/Config screen on the consoles?
Click to expand...

...yes you can...:lol:

with X32-Edit

Cheers

Klaus
 
Re: X32 Discussion

So I am probably the last guy to upgrade to 2.10 ( it isn't my board, so I was conservative in picking a target release). I'm happy to see hard mutes, but do later releases provide a switch to turn off those stupid blinking lights?

Additionally, I note that if you are not on the Home page, pressing a channel select does not take you there which I believe it used to. I find this a bad thing.
 
re: routing issues

Brian jojade said:
The aux outs aren't able to be directly mapped like the XLR outputs are, so you have to do some maneuvering to make it happen.

The most direct way to do it is in the routing tab, under 'home' change aux in remap to select the AES source for the aux. Note that you only have the option of AES channels 1-6 to work with. Make sure you present your audio from the FOH on those channels. This is an annoying limitation, as I like to present the audio inputs from the console to match and would love the aux channels to be 33-40, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

So now you've re-mapped the aux inputs of the mixer to read from the AES input. Next is to go to the aux out tab and select the aux out jack you want to work with. Here, you select the output signal. Select DirOut Aux 1. The tap point should be at IN/LC. That way what's being presented as Aux 1 will then come out the Aux 1 jack for you. Repeat for Aux 2.
Click to expand...

Brian -

VERY helpful and thanks. The thing i was coming to realize was that the auxes can ONLY be sent down aes 1-8. You have confirmed this and i have it working. I can run monitors from the stage with my ipad connected to the x32 rack with independant control of the inputs and run the foh down the aes and out the rack aux outs and have trim control and otherwise full control of the inputs on foh.

tonight i was trying to keep the foh/auxes running the same way but have control of the monitor mixbuses at foh and send those down to the xlr outs on the rack. Have not got that working yet but i know i did before i got the auxes working. If you have any ideas I'm all ears.

really appreciate the clear description.

--Kevin
 
Re: X32 Discussion

There's no way to flip the phase on /outputs/, is there?

When I walk across my stereo field, with a stereo source playing, it sounds like there's a little... burble, or grind, right when I cross centerline. Single cab on each side, passive 2-way, 15 and a horn. Wondering if they wired one side out of phase.
 
Re: X32 Discussion

Jay Ashworth said:
There's no way to flip the phase on /outputs/, is there?

When I walk across my stereo field, with a stereo source playing, it sounds like there's a little... burble, or grind, right when I cross centerline. Single cab on each side, passive 2-way, 15 and a horn. Wondering if they wired one side out of phase.
Click to expand...
Dear Jay,

There is a phase switch in the Matrices' Config page. So if you run the output signal via Matrix 1...6 you could toggle the system phase.

Best regards,
Jan
 
Re: X32 Discussion

Jan Duwe said:
Dear Jay,

There is a phase switch in the Matrices' Config page. So if you run the output signal via Matrix 1...6 you could toggle the system phase.

Best regards,
Jan
Click to expand...
Failing to find a problem there, I would look in the speaker boxes to see if something is swapped around.

Also, polarity reversal of one side overall is more usually noticed by a complete lack of bass in the center, rather than some kind of burble or grind. Sounds like the HF drivers could be out of polarity or something more subtle like phase shift going on due to crossover component differences?

Jay, please tell us if you find the problem.
 
Re: X32 Discussion

Okay, I had a weird one over the weekend.

I recorded one of the bands at a little festival I do every year to a 64Gig USB stick from a full size X32. Little over an hour.

At the end, I pushed "Stop" and I'm pretty sure I waited till the little light stopped blinking. Went to play background music that was already on the USB stick, and got (...) on the screen. (That symbol "(...)" in the contents part of the recorder.) All the preloaded material disappeared and the only thing visible in the contents area was (...).

Yanked the stick and put it back in, same result. Pushing any of the knobs below the screen left the (...) visible.

Used duplicate 64Gig USB stick (minus the hour long recording) to play background music when needed for the rest of the day.

Put the first USB stick into a computer later and everything showed up and the hour-long recording played fine.

Tried that same USB stick in another full size X32 and it played fine, and although the (...) symbol showed up again when pressing the "Play Track" encoder, pressing it again caused the (...) thing to disappear and all the pre-recorded tracks to appear again.

Any ideas what was going on?

TIA.
 
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Re: X32 Discussion

Dan Mortensen said:
Okay, I had a weird one over the weekend.

I recorded one of the bands at a little festival I do every year to a 64Gig USB stick from a full size X32. Little over an hour.

At the end, I pushed "Stop" and I'm pretty sure I waited till the little light stopped blinking. Went to play background music that was already on the USB stick, and got (...) on the screen. (That symbol "(...)" in the contents part of the recorder.) All the preloaded material disappeared and the only thing visible in the contents area was (...).

Yanked the stick and put it back in, same result. Pushing any of the knobs below the screen left the (...) visible.

Used duplicate 64Gig USB stick (minus the hour long recording) to play background music when needed for the rest of the day.

Put the first USB stick into a computer later and everything showed up and the hour-long recording played fine.

Tried that same USB stick in another full size X32 and it played fine, and although the (...) symbol showed up again when pressing the "Play Track" encoder, pressing it again caused the (...) thing to disappear and all the pre-recorded tracks to appear again.

Any ideas what was going on?

TIA.
Click to expand...

I actually haven’t even played around with the record or playback for the USB drive yet. I am a little bit paranoid because I have heard stories of a USB device going bad and freezing up the X32. But yesterday I was looking at the options in the Config Tab of the Recorder and I noticed a selection box to the right that says Playback mode and it lets you select “Folder” or “Single” if you click on it. I have no idea if that might have anything to do with what you were experiencing but it might be worth checking it out.
 
Re: X32 Discussion

Kevin Maxwell said:
I actually haven’t even played around with the record or playback for the USB drive yet. I am a little bit paranoid because I have heard stories of a USB device going bad and freezing up the X32. But yesterday I was looking at the options in the Config Tab of the Recorder and I noticed a selection box to the right that says Playback mode and it lets you select “Folder” or “Single” if you click on it. I have no idea if that might have anything to do with what you were experiencing but it might be worth checking it out.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Kevin, I saw that too afterwards while trying to figure it out, and couldn't see what that did. Nothing changed when I was playing back the individual things on my USB stick. I don't have any music in folders; my guess is that it lets you play a whole folder rather than individual pieces, but I don't know that for sure.

I don't feel the USB stick playback/record is anything to be afraid of and use it frequently if not every show. This is only the second time I've had a problem with it. The first was during the winter when I was on a carpet and during setup testing touched the metal USB stick with my finger and the console instantly restarted. It freaked me out, of course, but I couldn't get it to do it again and haven't had that issue since, so it was a fluke. Saying this FWIW.
 
Re: X32 Discussion

Dan Mortensen said:
Okay, I had a weird one over the weekend.

I recorded one of the bands at a little festival I do every year to a 64Gig USB stick from a full size X32. Little over an hour.

At the end, I pushed "Stop" and I'm pretty sure I waited till the little light stopped blinking. Went to play background music that was already on the USB stick, and got (...) on the screen. (That symbol "(...)" in the contents part of the recorder.) All the preloaded material disappeared and the only thing visible in the contents area was (...).

Yanked the stick and put it back in, same result. Pushing any of the knobs below the screen left the (...) visible.

Used duplicate 64Gig USB stick (minus the hour long recording) to play background music when needed for the rest of the day.

Put the first USB stick into a computer later and everything showed up and the hour-long recording played fine.

Tried that same USB stick in another full size X32 and it played fine, and although the (...) symbol showed up again when pressing the "Play Track" encoder, pressing it again caused the (...) thing to disappear and all the pre-recorded tracks to appear again.

Any ideas what was going on?

TIA.
Click to expand...

I've recorded many shows using the 2 track usb on my desk. One thing to consider is that FAT32 format is limited to 32gb, that being said I always use a 32gb stick OR smaller. I have never lost a recording by doing this method. I also do my fat32 formatting off a mac not my pc's. I still have some 8 gig sticks that tend to goto first. Just my experience with the recorder.
 
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