iLive Surfaces feature 2 or 3 banks of faders to logically arrange the layout. Each bank has 4 layers to access up to 176 channels and masters on the iLive-176. Even the tiny, rack-mount iLive-R72 can handle a 48 channel mix with plenty of masters, FX and DCAs. Each strip comprises a motorised fader, mute, PAFL, processing select, mix select, assignable rotary control, LCD display and meter with multi-point peak indication – the top red LED will light before the rest of the meter, or while the channel fader is down, to indicate that the signal is peaking earlier in the channel path.

Note – iLive meters are fast response digital absolute peak meters. This ensures you keep control and avoid digital clipping of signals including those with very fast dynamics. It does mean the iLive meters may read hotter than those on other consoles you are used to. It is perfectly ok to work with meters reading well into the yellow.

The channel LCD display is the digital equivalent of the traditional console write-on strip. It displays information about the channel assigned to the control strip – Channel type, name or number, rotary encoder function and setting, channel status, and information about the current mix. A 6 colour backlight displays the user assigned channel colour. Safe status displays SAFE when all channel parameters are made safe. DCA status flashes when DCA is muted.

Pressing the ALT VIEW button will display the DSP channel number, socket number or dB value depending on local preferences.

All channel processing or routing is instantly accessed with SEL. Sends and assignments are controlled pressing MIX – this works either way: all channel sends to one master, or all sends from one channel to all masters. SEL and MIX can be used in conjunction with Pre/Post, Assign, Copy/Paste/Reset, Safe etc, for example to quickly set all sends to Post fade, copy and reset whole mixes or selected processing parameters.