ruffrecords
Well-known member
At last, one of the 'big boys' builds a project mixer:
http://www.apiaudio.com/thebox.html
Cheers
ian
http://www.apiaudio.com/thebox.html
Cheers
ian
API 'The Box'
- Thread starter ruffrecords
- Start date
Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
pucho812
Well-known member
I don't know many project studios that could afford the price of the box
bieckmusic
Well-known member
wow, seems like $17 k for 4 channels of mic pre, and summing and 2 compressors...
am I missing something?
am I missing something?
ruffrecords
Well-known member
bieckmusic said:
It is very flexible and complex and also has 4 AUX sends plus talkback and headphones, solo in place and sexy stuff like that. That's where a lot of the money goes I reckon.
Maybe we should do a groupDIY version??
Cheers
Ian
ramshackles
Well-known member
Yeah but on eurocards 
ruffrecords said:
In progress already ... here http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=53603.0
I think Don has covered most bases in a small format - the only part I would like to see is some remote active fader capability, like the rack Neve system. That allows a meter or two of distance between a fader bank and the sum box.
Pretty much everything else, Don has done (or is do-ing
Short doa signal path, many auxes, up to 12 chans in a rack width, doa active summing, modular capabilities with flexible build options and another sum rack in his portfolio of design, already proven in the field.
Team this up with a rack of 500 modules and look no further.
OK - there's always space for a more comprehensive routing module, but really I could get by
with a few of these racks and a fader bank or two. The $ do mount quickly in this game - I used to think the Neve was exe, but on the bay, round 5K gets one mostly there, even in tres-exe Australia. The main problem with the Neve is the one-only aux when used with fader bank.
Not an issue with Don's generous 4 aux capability.
So - hard to beat, I think.
I just wish someone would do an active fader module (sorry - just me wistfully wishing ...)
Cheers
The Purple rack is VERY tempting and pretty flexable. No talkback, but if you're just using it as a sidecar there's no need. It's also relatively inexpensive at $2500.Dr Gris said:
I do like The Box, even at $17k. Having no buses is a bummer though!
pucho812
Well-known member
I think the money is in the fact it says API on it, nothing really in there SIP or otherwise that would have me thinking that price is even close to it.ruffrecords said:
braeden
Well-known member
These units are way too expensive for most project studios.
GroupDIY version sounds good to me
Braeden
GroupDIY version sounds good to me
Braeden
ramshackles
Well-known member
mitsos said:
Essentially a 'monitor controller' (lots of them)? Or something else?
ruffrecords
Well-known member
Seems to me the Box is like a lot of software - it's crammed with features, many of which most users will never use. I reckon the best approach is to start with the absolute minimum , add essential features and stop when it starts to look expensive. So we could start with two mic pres with EQ and a 16 input passive mixer all feeding a stereo bus. Add a per channel pan, a single AUX send, switchable pre/post fader, and a simple monitor section with speaker outs and a couple of VUs and that's it. What else is absolutely essential for the average project studio?
Cheers
Ian
Cheers
Ian
mitsos
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 4, 2007
- Messages
- 2,886
basically yes. A couple of monitor outs, talkback, insert, at least 2 headphone amps, VUs, but also 2-3 aux sends. maybe more stuff, not sure, it's early in the morning.ramshackles said:
I think it's best to leave the pres/eq,s etc out of it and focus on the rest. Inverting summing like the APIs sounds killer and already has gain built in. Plus transformers! pan would be nice, but if most people are using it ITB, they can just feed stereo signals to the bus, already panned?ruffrecords said:
ramshackles
Well-known member
Havn't you just got a summing mixer there...not sure there would really be anything new in what you are describing? I may be missing something though.
Some kind of 'build backwards' console would be cool IMO....so you can start with a center section and stop there if you wish, having a monitor controller. Or carry on and add groups and finally individual channel strips...
I suppose that making modules that operate as standalone or as part of a larger system, without having an impractical amount of wiring/rewiring to do would be difficult..
Some kind of 'build backwards' console would be cool IMO....so you can start with a center section and stop there if you wish, having a monitor controller. Or carry on and add groups and finally individual channel strips...
I suppose that making modules that operate as standalone or as part of a larger system, without having an impractical amount of wiring/rewiring to do would be difficult..
pucho812
Well-known member
I hate the term summing mixer, it is redundant. But oh well, lets really break things down and see what we need vs want vs cost.
The box in itself has 16 channels of summing and 4 input channels i.e. mic pres. It has 2 slots for 500 series modules. O.k. great 18K no thank you.
For someone like myself, I am slowly getting away from buying any new analog gear, either I trade for it or build it. So lets build a small format(16 channel mixer)
lets go over what we need and want. If it were up to me, we would build 16 channels of line input only modules that have direct out and or 8 busses, a few auxes all tied together to a master section, we can do solo's and cuts too if we like. The master section should have the usual master section equipment. There done. Everything else eq's, pre's, compressors we already have so why bother trying to work that into something we don't need. this also eliminates cost. If we really want to, down the road we could add eq's and modules that are the same width as our mixer. I would suggest 500 series size but I don't like it. Too little space to fit so much stuff. So we either do a paul wolf and make them thinner and longer like the vrack or we keep the 500 width and make longer modules. What if we had a frame that was 500 compatible in the edge connector and 500 compatible in width and depth but the PCB's would be longer. From there we could do whatever we need or length we need. And if your really ontop of the metal work, can easily make module adapters so you could fit a 500 series pre made module in there.
Something like this, call it the 1000 series and have it be twice as long as a 500 series but same width and depth. then make to either use a 1000 series card that has 2 15 pin edge connectors or put on a metal faceplate adapter that converts it into 2 X 500 series slots. lots of potential there.
The box in itself has 16 channels of summing and 4 input channels i.e. mic pres. It has 2 slots for 500 series modules. O.k. great 18K no thank you.
For someone like myself, I am slowly getting away from buying any new analog gear, either I trade for it or build it. So lets build a small format(16 channel mixer)
lets go over what we need and want. If it were up to me, we would build 16 channels of line input only modules that have direct out and or 8 busses, a few auxes all tied together to a master section, we can do solo's and cuts too if we like. The master section should have the usual master section equipment. There done. Everything else eq's, pre's, compressors we already have so why bother trying to work that into something we don't need. this also eliminates cost. If we really want to, down the road we could add eq's and modules that are the same width as our mixer. I would suggest 500 series size but I don't like it. Too little space to fit so much stuff. So we either do a paul wolf and make them thinner and longer like the vrack or we keep the 500 width and make longer modules. What if we had a frame that was 500 compatible in the edge connector and 500 compatible in width and depth but the PCB's would be longer. From there we could do whatever we need or length we need. And if your really ontop of the metal work, can easily make module adapters so you could fit a 500 series pre made module in there.
Something like this, call it the 1000 series and have it be twice as long as a 500 series but same width and depth. then make to either use a 1000 series card that has 2 15 pin edge connectors or put on a metal faceplate adapter that converts it into 2 X 500 series slots. lots of potential there.
