Re: Think I want a console (dorsey, rivers, et al, please respond!)


coreybenson wrote:

What is an example of a side-by-side console? I'd be interested in
looking...

I can't think of any currently available side-by-side consoles, but the
Soundcraft 600 is a good example and they show up used from time to
time. Here's a link to the manual from Soundcraft:
http://www.soundcraft.com/product_***.asp?product_id=74 and here are
some pretty good photos: http://www.primalgear.com/so60032.html

If you look at the third photo down, the group of knobs above the
faders, just to the left of the patchbay, are the "side" mixer. The
tape return inputs are normalled to those 16 (two sections of 8)
channel strips which have level, pan, two bands of EQ and two auxiliary
sends. The output of that mixer goes to the main L/R output bus, which
is normally what you monitor when you're tracking.

When you mix, pressing the TAPE buttons on the main channels routes the
tape inptus to the main channels so you can use the full channel strip
(more aux sends, more EQ, assignment to subgroups) during mixdown. The
monitor mixing section is still active, so you can use its inputs for
more auxiliary returns (the Soundcraft 600 has no dedicated aux
returns) or for more channels for mixdown. In the case of the
Soundcraft 600, there are 16 monitor channels, so if you're recording
with a 24-track recorder, you need to bring the other 8 channels in to
your monitor mix some other way (they did have an optional additional
8-channel tape return monitor module).

If there's an advantage to a side-by-side (called "split monitor" by
the Brits) console, it's that the monitoring section is isolated and
easy to find your way around. An in-line console has the monitor level
and pan controls along the main channel strip, and usually a switch
that puts the EQ section into either the monitor path (so you record
flat and can play with EQ while tracking) or in the channel path (so
you record with EQ). They offer essentially the same functions, but the
physical layout is different.

The advantage of an in-line console is that there's a tape return for
every channel. If you have a 24-channel board, you have 24 monitor
returns. If you have a 32-channel board, you have 32 monitor returns.
So it lends itself better to expansion than a split console, which has
a fixed number of dedicated monitor returns. Also, because you don't
need that that extra mixer section off to the side, an in-line console
can be, and usually is, smaller, for the same number of channels, than
a split console.

.

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