DX32-style Enclosure with Dante?

[tourtelotParticipant]

Keith?

I would buy one and 4x Prime input strips.

D.

[HughParticipant]

You might want to checkout the MSRP of Prime Input strips and the DX32: MSRP for four inputs and the DX32 exceeds $11,000. I recently purchased a DX32 and two Prime strips: one pre & one output. The Sonic quality improvement is everything I was expecting and more, however if we have learned nothing else from our respective gear journeys is the fact that cutting edge technology comes at a price: A few of us will be buyers regardless of the packaged expense, but most of us will not.
Hugh

[tourtelotParticipant]

I am aware of the costs. I have, presently, three Dante enabled Grace m108 preamps. I only record classical content and I am looking for 8 more high-end preamps. Another Grace? Perhaps. The new Millenia HV-316 preamp (it’s 16-channel)? Perhaps. Stay happy with the DT168 because, being at the “tail end” of my inputs, it’s is quite good enough as is? Maybe.

The whole Prime concept seems really great to me and being an A&H fanboy, I would like to hear the Prime preamps. But if they are not Dante enabled and remote controllable, I have no use for them.

Just me thinking out loud.

D.

[tourtelotParticipant]

Still wondering if the DX32 will come around someday as a DT32? In other words, Dante enabled. Any plans?

D.

[KeithJ A&HModerator]

Hi Doug,

Apologies for missing this before.

We’d never say never, but also never confirm or deny any possible future products, so it’s a bit tricky to answer!
I will say that I can see your thinking, being that both the DX168 and DX164W have DT/Dante variants, though these are mainly intended for install use and (similar to the DX012) I’m not sure how much demand there is for a Dante-fied DX32.
Having threads like this is definitely a useful gauge though 🙂

Cheers,
Keith.

[Søren SteinmetzParticipant]

I could see a place for a DT32 in my line of setup:
Musical 1 with need for 32 inputs and no outputs in the pit, or by the wireless racks
Musical 2 a smaller production with the need of 24 inputs and 8 analog out
Small concert tour with 16 in, 8 analog out for monitors and 4 AES out for main pa etc.

One rack to be costumized for multiple setups. 🙂

[tourtelotParticipant]

The reason I even ask is that I record, primarily, acoustic classical music. The Prime preamps interest me but I could only consider them if they plug-and-played into my Dante network. I have a DT168, but I will confess that it gets used for those “utility” inputs (the outputs all get used). The high count of important inputs run through Dante enabled Grace m108 preamps.

Love to hear the Prime preamps someday.

D.

[HughParticipant]

Very few “new and improved” audio gear offerings deliver on their promise: however the A&H prime I/Os are the real deal for those of us that are capturing acoustic performance. My A&H dealer, Myron Serber, brought my DX32 loaded with Prime INs and OUTs last month: I had booked on the 16th a session with an acoustic string Jazz trio. (guitar, mandolin and bass) These seasoned world class musicians had never experienced the detail and transparency that the new Prime I/Os deliver: they are truly a game changer. I use very good quality tube mics and have the benefit of a large, high ceiling, tracking room. The early reflections and natural room ambiance delivered in spades and no eq filtering was necessary. In my case vintage instruments, seasoned performers, a great tracking space and prime I/Os provided previously un known detail and transparency. I used tie lines through my Waves card in my SQ5 to the Waves soundgrid network that fed my Studio One DAW.

Five decades of chasing the sonic pot of acoustic gold has provided a clear understanding of the pitfalls of locked in protocols. IMO large footprint consoles and racks of outboard gear provide a security blanket for some of us, however when game changing gear becomes available their reluctance to accept paradigm change can become a regressive factor.
Please arrange an audition with the “Primes”, both in and out, and let your ears determine whether or not they are better than your beloved grace pres for capturing acoustic music.
Hugh

[SteffenRParticipant]

In my case vintage instruments, seasoned performers, a great tracking space and prime I/Os provided previously un known detail and transparency.

I’m sure the producer is a vital part of the equation as well… 😉

[tourtelotParticipant]

Sometimes, at least for me, the recordist IS the producer as well.

D.

[HughParticipant]

SteffenR & tourtelot have raised an important element in most all recording projects. A well organized recording needs someone in charge to keep the process efficiently between the lines of propriety and be a subjective judge to resolve any number of murky decisions. Most all project studio proprietors wear two hats: the Producer that is the subjective decider and the other hat is the engineer that is responsible for operation and maintenance of many objective gear chores.
The assessment of pre-amp detail and transparency is a subjective process of evaluating an objective audio event. I was a producer a long time before I opened my project studio 25 years ago. I would choose a studio that offered the gear and engineering personnel that I believed would best serve the needs of my project. More than once projects were cancelled after the first 3 hr session when these expectation were not met. The digital revolution created a new paradigm that made it possible for me to host my projects in my own custom designed space with the gear that I was certain would deliver the best recordings my musicians deserved. Many of the readers of these threads have experienced similar journeys and ultimately decisions need to be made to either stay the course with your gear or to implement gear change when the objective empirical evidence of sonic improvement is clear.
IMO this is the case with A&Hs new Prime I/Os.
Hugh

[tourtelotParticipant]

Almost a year gone by. Is there any news that a DT32 Dante for Prime modules might be on the drawing board?

D.

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