Forums › Forums › SQ Forums › SQ general discussions › SQ monitor with Analog FOH: connections?
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2018/12/03 at 3:24 pm #80516
My band will be using A&H digital (currently QU-SB, but willing to get SQ) for IEMs (ME and MIPro Mi-909s). I know we will encounter all kinds of FOH mixers, analog and digital. In those situations where FOH does not want to use our mixer for everything and FOH wants to maintain preamp gain control, do I have any other options than an analogue splitter snake? (I currently own two AB1608). I think we will always be around 24 inputs.
2018/12/03 at 5:52 pm #80522I don’t think you can avoid an analog splitter snake in this scenario.
I’m not sure you can avoid this even with purchasing an SQ, even with the SQs Tie Lines feature, because I am not sure that the inputs from the SQ can be sent via Tie Lines to the outputs of the AB168.2018/12/04 at 3:30 pm #80554Thanks for help. I guess I’m hoping there was a universal digital/analog splitter. I imagine it having Dante or some other common standard and 25 pin ins/outs, so user can select the number of channels to be split and the length of analog cables.
With the increased number of acts moving to IEM, with settings memorized in their own digital mixer, I would think some company could do well with this. Whirlwind makes something, but it is not affordable. I admit that I’m a relative novice in splitting.
2018/12/04 at 7:19 pm #80561Using an analog splitter snake works just fine and has for many decades. I’ve personally never heard any audience complain about a show because analog snakes were used.
I don’t know the type of venues you’ll be playing but any venue hosting touring groups that has a FOH P.A. and mixer setup should have some type of splitter snake on site. You should travel with a short XLR snake just in case the house has a passive splitter with no output XLR tails connected.
When advancing your shows you should be able to get equipment lists from the various venues you’ll be playing . That should give you an idea of what you’ll need. Also, put your audio equipment setup in your rider so the venue knows what you’ll be bringing and will be able to determine what you’ll need to interface with their equipment.
If you’re playing small bar gigs then the above paragraph could be pointless.2018/12/04 at 9:47 pm #80563Thank you again. We are a 8-piece tribute band playing venues that range from State Fairs to theaters to retirement communities that put on shows from 200-1000 people. We also play some local large restaurants and wineries with outdoor summer concerts. So “should” is the important word in your reply. I think we will have to get an analog splitter with transformer isolation and ground lifts, just to cover all circumstances. I’m fine with that for gigs that we can drive to. We do 1-2 fly gigs a year, and I could imagine a QU-sb footprint mixer and 5-6 IEM setups in two smaller “carry-on” size softcase racks that wouldn’t require checking as baggage. That is why I keep asking for a SQ-sb and wonder about a smaller footprint “digital splitter.” I suppose we could just ask for a splitter on the fly gigs rider.
I just didn’t want to jump on an analog splitter for 2019 gigs if there was something being planned that would meet my fantasy solution. Your replies are helpful, and I hope A&H reads this.
2018/12/05 at 3:33 am #80566If you have a look at the many Dante enabled I/O units I’m sure you’d find something to suit (AudioScience lyo 32.32?), but of course that means buying an SQ to fit the card into, at which point you’re probably better off keeping the QuSB & using the SQ as your FOH board with the QuSB as the ‘stage rack’ (no preamp control from the SQ, but in your instance you wouldn’t need it), you just plug the sLink directly into the QuSB, no option port required.
2018/12/05 at 3:35 pm #80574Thank you, Biggsounds. As luck has it, I just went through a series of Dante YouTube videos last night. And I might get an SQ with Dante for home studio anyway. But, here’s a question for those of you who are primarily event sound companies: how would you feel if a band With a monitor mixer also wants you to use the band’s FOH mixer instead of your own mixer?
(I did one event with where my QU-SB was the only mixer, and the PA company provided mics, amps, and main speakers. We used IEMs. He received LR main outputs from my QU-SB, along with my IPad Pro that he mixed from. But this was a guy that obviously knew how to tune my mixer for his racks and stacks, and the band had years of previous events with this likable and confident man. Kinda ideal, but he didn’t have to learn a new mixer for one event).
2018/12/06 at 12:34 pm #80604@barryjam in the situation where you own your own IEM rack the norm would be that you also own and travel your own mic kit for consistency (so you basically are just plug and play), otherwise you’re resetting gains and settings every time, sort of defeats the purpose of having an IEM system.. otherwise, if you end up buying an SQ, I’d suggest you consider hiring an engineer you like and use them for all your shows, the improvements will be significant, and as you said, no need to teach someone how to use your board each time. Realistically if you’re doing events where you’re dealing with different engineers every time, they’ll most likely not be happy to use your console (especially in a situation where your act is only one part of the overall show).
I’d personally not be too happy about having someone turn up with another board if I had my system configured and tuned to a showfile on my own console for instance, it’s a lot of extra work for the house guy, and having your own engineer will make everything else easier too (leave them to negotiate all that stuff with the house guys, you can just concentrate on playing!).2018/12/06 at 1:08 pm #80608I agree with Biggsounds. There’s no real need to travel with and use your own FOH console if you aren’t traveling with your own FOH engineer. You wrote that your band is providing a rider for your travel dates so on that rider you should give general guidelines about the promoter/venue needing to provide a FOH system appropriate for the venue and crowd size. Since you’re already traveling with an SB console you should continue doing what you have been – providing a mix for FOH if needed.
Check out the Whirlwind site for splitter snakes. They have some nice options, including splitter boxes that have no cable tails (less breakage points and road-worthy).2018/12/06 at 5:02 pm #80619Lots of food for thought that I will show to the band leader. Since I’ve provided sound for 20 years in a mix from stage situation (lots of weddings), I already have a full mic kit. Besides Whirlwind, C.B.I. Earsplitters have many high quality options, including disconnects for the tails.
By the way, the AudioScience LYO 32.32 Dante box is about $2500 for 32 channels and 16 channels is not enough for us. I’m not absolutely sure it can be configured as a splitter and it’s connection method might limit it to installed sound situations. That is currently too expensive for me unless it was the only box I need. Staying in the A&H family seems preferable, especially if SLink is sufficient.
Biggsounds and airsickness—your thoughts are most appreciated. I’m getting a valuable education here.
2018/12/06 at 5:26 pm #80622I’m finding quite a few bands mixing IEMs themselves these days. Sometimes for the whole band, sometimes just for one person, with me providing the other mixes. They usually have analogue splits of their own, and almost always supply their own mics & DIs when they do – consistency from one gig to the next is the key here. Sometimes the analogue splits don’t cover everything, and I’ll need to supply a general drum mix back to their mixer for example.
Also now that a good FOH desk & all the “outboard” you need can be carried in one hand, FOH engineers often bring their own desks. Those that expect me to have an analogue snake are disappointed these days, so they need to bring their stage box too. (Unless they have a GLD/Qu/SQ).
I’ve never been asked, as “house” engineer been asked to mix on somebody else’s desk though.
2018/12/06 at 8:23 pm #80628I’m in a similar situation. I own a couple of systems and provide sound and lights for a few smaller festivals/fairs and a few other local bands. But the bulk of my work is playing bass (and often mixing from the stage). I also do some touring as a bass player and get to play on a lot of bigger festival stages. For those, I bring a split snake, desk, IEM rack, mics, DIs and also drop snakes. I advance the show with the system provider and send them a detailed list of what I’ll be supplying and input list. At the show, I prewire everything in the wing. Once we have the stage, I roll everything in, hand the tech tails from my split, pull out drop snakes, mics and DIs and we’re ready to go in about 10 mins. Some providers prefer I use their split (3-way) and hand me their tails and tell me what is what. In those cases, I don’t need my drop snakes but still use my mics and DIs. When they see I use Radial, Sennheiser (900 series), Audix, B91 and pro split/IEM, they don’t worry about the quality they will get. Our IEM mixes are always consistent. The house monitor guy takes care of side fills and one of the musicians’ wedges.
SQ content… I used X32 for past 6 years. Now I can’t wait to bring the SQ6 for next festival season. We have noticed our IEM mixes have gotten much warmer since using the SQ. Absolutely love the desk.
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