Digital mixer, again.

[Sam Spoons]

Not sure what you mean here Tony? If you buy a Compact then the S16 will give you 16 more inputs and 8 more outputs but an X32 full console already has the max number of physical inputs the desk can process at any one time so there would be no benefit in having an S16 for your setup with a full sized X32.

[Aled Hughes]

OK so it doesn’t give me extra hardware inputs just more choice of inputs from the ones already on board?

The hardware inputs are on the S16.

I’ll try and break it down- think of it like this:

*All and any X32 is a 32 channel mixer. They all have exactly the same ‘brain’ and processing power, but but only the big ones have the physical connections for the 32 input.

*In order to have physical inputs for all channels on the smaller X32 (Compact etc) you need to connect it to a stagebox like the S16. That gives you 16 extra physical inputs and 8 outputs in addition to the connections already on the desk. For example, you can assign the desk inputs to channels 1-16 and the S16 inputs to 17-32.

*Obviously, the Compact has less faders than the big X32, so you need to use the fader layers to access the channels (there are buttons on the desk to switch labels, clearly labelled such as ‘1-8’, ‘9-16’ etc.

*So, essentially, an X32 Compact with an S16 offers the same power and connections as the big X32, just that half the connections are moved out of way onto the S16, and you need to press a button on the X32 a bit more often.

[Sam Spoons]

Nicely explained Aled Just to add, the full sized X32 only has 8 extra faders making 24 plus master in all (the Compact/Producer has 16 plus master). All X32s are, actually, 40 channel mixers, all of which can be assigned to analogue sources (I think, not entirely sure if you can assign analogue inputs to the USB stereo channels). The aux/USB channels have a more limited feature set than the main 32 channels and you can only send 32 over USB to the DAW simultaneously but it does have huge flexibility.

[Arpangel]

Thanks for the very clear explanation Aled.
If I’m going to go in this direction, the combination is a Compact, and an S16, I still get the scribble strips (important) and all the inputs I need.
Not having matching numbers of faders to inputs, could be seen as limiting, in a live mixing/recording situation, but I guess these can all be automated to overcome that problem? if I’m correct, even though a layer may not be visible, it’s volume curves will still be active?

[Aled Hughes]

Thanks for the very clear explanation Aled.
If I’m going to go in this direction, the combination is a Compact, and an S16, I still get the scribble strips (important) and all the inputs I need.
Not having matching numbers of faders to inputs, could be seen as limiting, in a live mixing/recording situation, but I guess these can all be automated to overcome that problem? if I’m correct, even though a layer may not be visible, it’s volume curves will still be active?

The X32 does not have automation. That would need to be handled by your DAW.

If you need automation of your live inputs before hitting the DAW for whatever reason, I guess you’ll need to be looking at some rare and expensive system, with a lot of setup and syncing work and associated headaches!

I was under the impression that you’d use the X32 as a big interface/patchbay/FX unit to get the signals into your DAW.

[Luke W]

Not having matching numbers of faders to inputs, could be seen as limiting, in a live mixing/recording situation

Even with the full size versions you still only ever have 16 inputs "in view" at a time, but once you've put some time into getting to grips with the way of working then switching between layers quickly becomes second nature.

[Sam Spoons]

The Compact (and Producer) can assign inputs to both fader banks so allowing 16 visible at a time, the FS X32 has 16 faders in it's LH/input fader bank so doesn't do this.

[Arpangel]

The X32 system I need will cost me £2,000+
I’ve thought it through with your help and it’s not even almost there in my head.
It’s been great to play with, effects are very good, and it feels OK.
Space is my biggest enemy, it’s more important for me to address that than look at gear right now, as more space would enable me to have what I really need, and deep down really want, and that’s a large format analogue console, and £2,000 would go towards something really nice, so I’m not making any moves just yet.
Borrowing this X32 was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

[fatbenelton]

Still think a Speck XtraMix 6 is exactly what you need…..

[Hugh Robjohns]

...what I really need, and deep down really want, and that’s a large format analogue console...
Borrowing this X32 was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

It probably was, and I think you're right. A big, old-school analogue console is what you'd be happiest with.

You just need to find the space.

[resistorman]

This thread reminds me that I need is to quit rearranging my gear and get on with making music

[Arpangel]

This thread reminds me that I need is to quit rearranging my gear and get on with making music

I have about six albums on my friends website and another 32 unpublished, I have well over 200 hours of music in various formats that could be sorted into albums.
It wouldn’t bother me if I never recorded another note, and I’ll never live to edit all of my back catalogue.
But like a lot if by people I can’t stop recording, and also like a lot of people my stuff will probably go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things, thrown in a skip.
Messing around with equipment and playing with gear doesn’t concern me, it passes the time, as I get older my musical output is decreasing and other things are more important, you realise what is actually important in life.
Designing my modular, rearranging my studio, and posting on this forum, are all in my opinion “musical acts”