Digital Mixer that runs plugins?

[Guest]

I'm exploring options to move away from a computer based setup.

Just wondering, are there any digital mixers that can run plugins?

[James Perrett]

The Avid live sound consoles will run AAX and Waves plugins

https://www.avid.com/solutions/live-sound

Certain Digico consoles can be made to interface with Waves plugins but the plugins actually run on a separate computer.

I'm not sure that there is anything at the budget end of the market though.

[Drew Stephenson]

All you're really doing is moving the computer into the mixer rather than having it separate.

[Luke W]

James has beaten me to it really, I can't think of anything other than the Avid consoles and anything that will work with solutions like Waves' SoundGrid. I'm not sure what sort of budget you're looking at either but there's definitely nothing cheap!

I think the motivation for moving away from computers for a lot of people comes from wanting to avoid plug-ins and the like, so you may not find many options. Plenty of people opt for a digital desk and use all of the built-in processing/effects, whether or not that approach works for you depends on what you're wanting to achieve.

[MarkOne]

Allen and Heath have a suite of their own plugins for the SQ range of mixers (possibly others too)

https://www.allen-heath.com/sq-series/ ... rocessing/

But obviously you are limited to what A&H make available.

[Dave Rowles]

Soundgrid on digico is probably the most obvious intergration, along with AVID desks using protools based system.

However you can also use LiveProfessor as a host for plugins at low latency, then using mutli-channel audio protocols such as Dante you can run into and out of a computer system. Other A&H desks have their own plugins that you can use, and the newer high end Yamaha Rivage desks use a plugin system as well.

You can also use liveprofessor on quite a few low end digital desks, as long as they allow for return from a computer. For instance on an X32 you change the inputs in the routing page to be taken from the card, then that acts as the returns from the usb connection. You can then alter the gains on the preamps via a separate menu.

I've tried it, and, to be honest, unless you're on a system or gig where very little stage sound reaches the audience it's not that much better than using the desk EQ comps etc. That said, if you need a plugin because it's the only thing that generates that special sound you need, then it's a good work around.

But as far as I know there's no desk with a general VST host built in....I'd love to be proved wrong on that though!

[zenguitar]

Of course, at the heart of any digital mixer you have a computer.



Andy

[Guest]

Thanks guys.
I work on a computer screen all day long and I just want to get away from that plus more often than not when inspiration strikes I'm met with some error or OS update, I want to go back to something simpler.

I've a few plugins I like for ease and sound so I was just wondering if such a modern mixer existed but not looking likely.

I was looking there at Tascam DP-24SD but it's 10 years old, and I don't think it's internal processing will give me what I'm looking for.
So wondering about the digital mixers that simply record to SD card or USB and having the connections to connect out.
Does something like UA do a hardware-box that can run plugins without a computer host/large screen?
Also considering maybe digging out my old Yamaha AW4416 and investing in a nice pre-amp and some analog outboard, 16 tracks is plenty and that machine had powerful automation.

Just exploring my options, I guess I want something that I can switch on and go without software errors getting in my way, like a few decent tools, hammer, drill, measuring tape that fit in the work bag and last for decades.

[Luke W]

Thanks guys.
I work on a computer screen all day long and I just want to get away from that plus more often than not when inspiration strikes I'm met with some error or OS update, I want to go back to something simpler.

That's understandable. I assume you're looking for a complete all-in-one type solution to mix on as well? If you were to have a tracking setup that let you just hit record and go, and then have the multi tracks handy to throw into a DAW at a later stage then you've got a lot more options. You won't have your go-to plug-ins of course, but you may even find that with the right device the on-board processing got you near enough to where you wanted to be for monitoring purposes. You could then replace with the favourites further down the line.

[OneWorld]

It is something I would like to do - create music without a DAW, each upgrade of my current DAW seems to increase latency, the DAW lifetime went from V1 to the current V12 and certainly up to about v8, functionality, speed, ease of use etc, improved with each new version, then it started to get 'overblown' and certainly slower

I have tried all in one hard disk recorders, but I do a lot of MIDI recording, so I have to factor HDDs out of the equation - I did try a hybrid DAW + HDD setup but that became convoluted. I try the digital desk + DAW with recording facilities, but the recording facilities on the desk seem very limited, so now I am considering the Akai MPC X, it records MIDI, Audio, has sampling, plugins etc but the audio recording is not done by way of disk streaming, which as far as I understand limits things somewhat.

I did lust after the TASCAM SX1 back in the day, it seemed the perfect choice, but the SX1 vanished off the scene almost as fast as it appeared so I guess there was a reason for that, that particular approach to recording wasn't popular? I feel instinctively that there is a market for a device that boots in an instant, well 5-12 seconds, and into the working environment eg ready to load a file/project within that 10 seconds. Can record say 16 tracks of audio, better if 32, + 16 tracks of MIDI, can load plugins, has line and mic inputs, a decent pre-amp and facility to mix down to stereo to create a master track, USB connectivity

But seeing as there is no such machine, maybe there is no requirement for one

[James Perrett]

But seeing as there is no such machine, maybe there is no requirement for one

There is such a machine - a computer. The problem is that most people expect their computers to do everything imaginable so they load them up with all kinds of extra software that runs in the background and slows things down.

If you can discipline yourself to set up a computer and DAW software with the bare minimum of additional software to get the job done then you'll be repaid with reliability and quick loading times (or at least this is true with the software that I use).

[Guest]

But seeing as there is no such machine, maybe there is no requirement for one

There is such a machine - a computer. The problem is that most people expect their computers to do everything imaginable so they load them up with all kinds of extra software that runs in the background and slows things down.

If you can discipline yourself to set up a computer and DAW software with the bare minimum of additional software to get the job done then you'll be repaid with reliability and quick loading times (or at least this is true with the software that I use).

I've a dedicated Mac. Not switched it on for while, had a friend over last week and I wanted to play her something. Switched it on and Pro Tools refused to work complaining my interface was at a different sample rate. It worked fine last time I switched it on. This happens a lot for me, there's always something.

[Guest]

It is something I would like to do - create music without a DAW, each upgrade of my current DAW seems to increase latency, the DAW lifetime went from V1 to the current V12 and certainly up to about v8, functionality, speed, ease of use etc, improved with each new version, then it started to get 'overblown' and certainly slower

I have tried all in one hard disk recorders, but I do a lot of MIDI recording, so I have to factor HDDs out of the equation - I did try a hybrid DAW + HDD setup but that became convoluted. I try the digital desk + DAW with recording facilities, but the recording facilities on the desk seem very limited, so now I am considering the Akai MPC X, it records MIDI, Audio, has sampling, plugins etc but the audio recording is not done by way of disk streaming, which as far as I understand limits things somewhat.

I did lust after the TASCAM SX1 back in the day, it seemed the perfect choice, but the SX1 vanished off the scene almost as fast as it appeared so I guess there was a reason for that, that particular approach to recording wasn't popular? I feel instinctively that there is a market for a device that boots in an instant, well 5-12 seconds, and into the working environment eg ready to load a file/project within that 10 seconds. Can record say 16 tracks of audio, better if 32, + 16 tracks of MIDI, can load plugins, has line and mic inputs, a decent pre-amp and facility to mix down to stereo to create a master track, USB connectivity

But seeing as there is no such machine, maybe there is no requirement for one

I picked up an Akai MPC ONE last year thinking it could be a dawless route but I just can't make sense of it, the OS is horrible.

Zoom's R20 looks like a cute basic solution but for 2022 it sure has some misgivings. Finger pinching to zoom in on a waveform causes the waveform to go blank so you're fingering in the dark so to speak
Also, on closer inspection you can't move waveforms freely, they are moveable to a degree but the resolution doesn't allow 100% movement. Seems pointless to me.
Oh and you can only set 3 time signatures: 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8 WTF!

There's a big movement of people wanting to go back to 4 and 8 track portastudios and they're selling for top bucks on the 2nd hand market.
There's something creative about having less and I know I was far more creative before I got a PC.
Interesting to see Tascam have brought back their own cassette tape for sale, maybe they've cottoned on to this desire for retro devices. They said Vinyl would never make a return but it has, I truly think there is a market for something old school. Whether that's analog or not, I do think the portastudio is coming back based on Zoom and Tascam's recent products. Be great if Yamaha and a few others entered back into that space.

[Sam Spoons]

I've a dedicated Mac. Not switched it on for while, had a friend over last week and I wanted to play her something. Switched it on and Pro Tools refused to work complaining my interface was at a different sample rate. It worked fine last time I switched it on. This happens a lot for me, there's always something.

I can't remember the last time I switched on my dedicated, 2008 Mac, running Reaper and have it not just boot up into the project I'm working on. It has had hardware problems a couple of times over the years, one fixed by a replacement memory board and the other sorted by pressing the backup machine into service (but I will fix the other one when I get around to it ) but software problems? No...

[MOF]

There's a big movement of people wanting to go back to 4 and 8 track portastudios and they're selling for top bucks on the 2nd hand market.
There's something creative about having less and I know I was far more creative before I got a PC.

Personally I think this is all just pure nostalgia.
I get more done with Garage Band on my iPhone, if I’m out and about, or Logic on my iMac in my studio than I could ever have done with 4 tracks and later 16 tracks synchronised to Midi instruments and samplers.
Having everything non-linear, automatable and no quality issues e.g. bass guitar on the narrow tracks of the Fostex E16 has transformed my tracks. Then you add all the virtual instruments and effects to the equation and not having to pay for reels of tape. I couldn’t go back!!!

[Bob Bickerton]

Thanks guys.
I work on a computer screen all day long and I just want to get away from that plus more often than not when inspiration strikes I'm met with some error or OS update, I want to go back to something simpler.

I'm not sure there's much difference between looking at a computer screen, or looking at a much smaller screen on a digital mixer which is essentially the same thing - but smaller!

Anyway an obvious solution would be to sort out your computer system. I hardly ever have OS update problems or errors, but then I'm on Apple and I tend only to update OS when I've checked that my software is compatible.

Another approach might be a hybrid system whereby you track independent of a computer, but use the computer for mixing. That way, you probably just need some comfort reverb from your device and then use your plug-ins for mixing.

The Zoom R20 looks like a good option in that respect (though I haven't tried it). Easy multitracking and then it can also act as an audio interface when the time comes.

I guess it's finding a workflow that matches what you want to achieve.

Bob

[Rene Asologuitar]

I'm exploring options to move away from a computer based setup.
Just wondering, are there any digital mixers that can run plugins?

************************
Hi,
I am very interested in this venture.
I am currently recording via computer Quick time Player, and interested in some of the options available.
Thanks for starting this thread.
Rene