ruffrecords
Well-known member
A perennial problem for analogue mixer designers is how to sensibly handle the several different functions a mixer needs to be able to perform in a multitrack situation viz. tracking, overdubbing and mix down. The two standard answers are a split or inline design. I am sure there is a third (limited) option and I want to propose a fourth for comment.
The limited option applies only to small and/or low cost mixers where you cannot really afford the cost of a split or inline solution. You simply wire all the tape returns to channel line inputs and manually switch each channel between mic (to record) and line (to overdub or mix down) inputs. Direct outs and or group outs are patched to tape in as required by the session. This requires nothing extra from the mixer itself; all the reconfiguration is done by the engineer. OK if you have up to 8 tracks and a limited budget.
Split simply adds an extra line level mixer with its own set of controls for tape returns. This is OK when tracking as it lets you produce a monitor mix but for mix-down you probably want access to the channel EQ so there is some heavy switching or re-patching to achieve this. Usually relies on the recorder sending tape in back out in tape out when the track is recording. OK if you have plenty of money and space but basically a bit of a kludge. Same re-configuration of tape sends by the engineer.
Split Inline attempts to solve all these problems but to my mind it too is a bit of a kludge. According to Doug Self's version of a split console, every channel is also a group. Nice easy route from a channel to bus to tape in for every tape track but personally I see no reason for a single mic to be forced to go via a bus to reach a tape in. In some ways this is as kludgy as the split arrangement. Also in Doug's arrangement there is no way for tape returns to pass via channel EQ on mix down. All sorts of tweaks to this format have been made including flipping EQ and faders all of which to my mind makes the mixer far more complex and difficult to understand than it needs to be.
My fourth option attempts to provide straightforward switching between modes without a separate mixer or a group bus per channel but with easy access to the channel EQ for mix-down. What I am about to describe may have been done before or is even well known but it works for small mixers (8 channels/tracks) as well as it does with bigger ones and cost very little to implement.
The basic idea requires one three position toggle switch per channel, a tape input per channel and one big master mix-down button. It relies on being able to break into the signal path after the mic/line preamps and before the EQ. A relay is fitted here which, when operated switches the EQ input from the mic/line preamp to the tape return input. With the three position toggle switch in the centre the mixer works as normal. You use direct outs or patched groups to tape ins when tracking. When you have finished recording a track or tracks, you switch their 3 position toggle switches to Play. This operates the relay and routes the tape return through the mixer. In this way you do not need a separate monitor mixer, the mixer faders do the job for you. The channel aux sends can be used to send foldback to musicians from recorded tracks or to add FX to the monitor mix and the inserts/direct outs and EQ work as normal.
When tracking is done and you are ready to mix down, instead of having to switch all channels to Play you just hit the big Remix button which operates all the relays and does it all for you. Once again all the mixer features including EQ are available. However, there almost certainly will be some channels you don't want to switch to Play - ones you are using as FX returns for example. This is the purpose of the third position of the per channel three position toggle switch. In this position, the relay power is disconnected so it ignores the big Remix button and the channel reverts to a regular input channel function.
Comments, thoughts?
Cheers
Ian
The limited option applies only to small and/or low cost mixers where you cannot really afford the cost of a split or inline solution. You simply wire all the tape returns to channel line inputs and manually switch each channel between mic (to record) and line (to overdub or mix down) inputs. Direct outs and or group outs are patched to tape in as required by the session. This requires nothing extra from the mixer itself; all the reconfiguration is done by the engineer. OK if you have up to 8 tracks and a limited budget.
Split simply adds an extra line level mixer with its own set of controls for tape returns. This is OK when tracking as it lets you produce a monitor mix but for mix-down you probably want access to the channel EQ so there is some heavy switching or re-patching to achieve this. Usually relies on the recorder sending tape in back out in tape out when the track is recording. OK if you have plenty of money and space but basically a bit of a kludge. Same re-configuration of tape sends by the engineer.
My fourth option attempts to provide straightforward switching between modes without a separate mixer or a group bus per channel but with easy access to the channel EQ for mix-down. What I am about to describe may have been done before or is even well known but it works for small mixers (8 channels/tracks) as well as it does with bigger ones and cost very little to implement.
The basic idea requires one three position toggle switch per channel, a tape input per channel and one big master mix-down button. It relies on being able to break into the signal path after the mic/line preamps and before the EQ. A relay is fitted here which, when operated switches the EQ input from the mic/line preamp to the tape return input. With the three position toggle switch in the centre the mixer works as normal. You use direct outs or patched groups to tape ins when tracking. When you have finished recording a track or tracks, you switch their 3 position toggle switches to Play. This operates the relay and routes the tape return through the mixer. In this way you do not need a separate monitor mixer, the mixer faders do the job for you. The channel aux sends can be used to send foldback to musicians from recorded tracks or to add FX to the monitor mix and the inserts/direct outs and EQ work as normal.
When tracking is done and you are ready to mix down, instead of having to switch all channels to Play you just hit the big Remix button which operates all the relays and does it all for you. Once again all the mixer features including EQ are available. However, there almost certainly will be some channels you don't want to switch to Play - ones you are using as FX returns for example. This is the purpose of the third position of the per channel three position toggle switch. In this position, the relay power is disconnected so it ignores the big Remix button and the channel reverts to a regular input channel function.
Comments, thoughts?
Cheers
Ian
Some friends of mine tried to sell high performance analog mixers, and got drowned by the tide of cheap digital (after Uli's X32 redefined the market). They had a well respected established analog brand, and a customer base that swore they would never go digital, until they did :
