[bagelsParticipant]

The Qu-SB app (not the hardware) is what I’m talking about, specifically when compared to apps from A&H competitors, which offer the features I discussed.
You falsely assumed I did not read the manual, while simultaneously insulting my audio experience. That’s not at all constructive. I am a professional web and mobile app developer with 20 years experience, focusing specifically on UI and usability, which is why my analysis should prove useful. I shouldn’t have to brandish my credentials just to post my opinion in a forum literally asking for user opinions without being harassed by trolls, but I guess this is the world we live in now.

I think this is a case where blame could be equally distributed. Indeed, there’s no reason to bite someone’s head off for being new or not knowing something, and experience in one area or lack thereof does not determine the validity of an opinion. However, I can also understand the reaction, and if you are able to look at your wording in an unbiased manner you would likely as well. Even your reply would probably aggravate somebody more than placate them, and if that’s the goal, by definition you would be the one trolling. Not assuming something so negative of you, I’ll instead consider what to me is more likely, that you are under-informed and defensive, which can be a bad mix along with the egos we all naturally have, in varying sizes.

People already pointed out your misunderstanding of PAFL or how it is useful, particularly in live applications, so I won’t focus on that, though I agree that clearly not understanding a relatively simple function demonstrates an unfamiliarity with the field and the specific needs of board ops and other audio engineers or producers (Not that the Qu-SB is likely used by all too many producers, as it’s benefits imo lie most with portable stage rack boxes and live sound, though I don’t know anybody that uses it specifically so I can’t say. Note that is generally how I would talk about something where I’m not sure; I’d acknowledge my POV and the potential angles I’m lacking before giving my opinion, which is of course open to criticism). That lack of understanding isn’t the issue, or shouldn’t be, as nobody was born knowing the ins and outs of audio engineering – they all had to learn at some point, and really one never stops learning, especially in fields with big technological components as the rapid advancements mean there’s always new systems, protocols, standards, functions and anything else imaginable coming out – really only the nature of sound itself, acoustics and music theory, along with some others I’m neglecting, stays constant. Even things like standard audio connections (XLR, 1/4” TRS/TS, Bantam TT, RCA etc.), while much longer in lifespan as industry standards, do change, as is evident with data cable connections both in the audio world and the general technology sector, be it the quick evolution of USB from 1 to 3 to USB-C 3.1 and Thunderbolt (for Mac), the brief reign of FireWire, or resilient contenders like Optical Digital Audio Cables (Toslink, S/PDIF, ADAT, etc.) that continue to be used in newly-made top of the line hardware to this day. So not knowing something itself is hardly a sin, and in fact not many can honestly claim to know most everything in the field, but awareness of what you do and don’t know, along with respect for the time it took others to stockpile knowledge abd experience both go a long way in making people more likely to help and/or generally be friendly and welcoming.

As with most things in life, the surest way to make a poor impression is to be overly confident about one’s capabilities or knowledge when the only benefit, potentially anyway, is an ego boost for feeling smarter than others. That tends to rub the ‘others’ the wrong way for obvious reasons, and even a total expert that gives off a “smarter-than-you” vibe is not likely to be so warmly welcomed, though if someone is, in fact, that much of an expert, people may listen begrudgingly and will eventually come around to respecting that person’s opinions even if they dislike the person’s personality.

You, however, kind of gave off that vibe but then made your lack of expertise all too obvious. I promise even just having toned down the wording so that things don’t carry an air of disgust and disappointment, with the unspoken suggestion that you could have done far better, would have made s mountain of difference. Lest you think I’m exaggerating, consider this listbif adjectives and descriptors:
– “Painful”
– “awful”
– “incredibly frustrating”
– “wholly unhelpful”
– “shocked and saddened”

Despite your initial claim that you generally like the app, it doesn’t come off as such, and the phraseology acts like it’s not just in need of some tweaks, but an ill-planned, poorly executed app overall. Phrases like “your mobile devs should understand how to scale font sizes down” also, intentionally or not, suggests that they can’t handle very simple bits of coding, which I know not to be true just from using the GUI on the Qu-16/24/32, which no doubt was developed by the same group, or at least led by them. That won’t particularly even make the AH team want to listen, let alone replies you might get, offended by the suggestion that things were haphazardly thrown together resulting in subpar quality on people’s beloved mixers. Even across firmware updates I’ve seen some impressive improvements. Maybe you do like it, but I promise it doesn’t come across.

Also, as somebody who can be guilty of the same, I’ll say that using too many big words or an unnecessarily obscure vocabulary can be off putting to those just getting to know you via a post. While I understand that it can just be the way you speak, it can also come across as a deliberate attempt to sound smarter than others.

It doesn’t really help that impression or the general feel people get to use acronyms like FOH while admitting to have never used the mixer live, considering a live situation is the only one with a FOH engineer. It probably makes some who are FOH board ops think of times they’ve been given unrealistic instructions by people with minimal audio experience, coupled with a presumption that any failure to meet said unrealistic goal is a marker of the op’s own capabilities. That obviously wasn’t you specifically, if someone thinks of such a situation, but it triggers a mindset that isn’t too thrilled to begin with.

I could be wrong as could others about your experience level, but the PAFL comment stuck out for a reason, being that it’s hard to believe someone could have much experience with boards in particular or audio engineering in general and not understand the purpose, moreso if you read the manual to no benefit. There’s nothing wrong with lacking experience as I said, but people don’t like people pretending to have more than they do, and I suspect that’s part of the sense people got from it.

It makes sense, too, that you might not have experience with a board and only the SB and an app, and that would explain not understanding some of the layoit or functionality, as it’s meant to be intuitive if you’re used to a board, and so there may be things that seem unnecessary if you are starting on a tablet.

Anyway, I’ve already written a novel but I had some time to kill. You may just ignore this, but if you take the advice to heart, you’ll probably find your ideas, which may sometimes be very good, are better received. Even had you softened the language a bit and said “I’m new to the Qu-SB and generally mixing (or whatever the case is), and here’s some feedback as somebody learning on the app alone”, along with not insisting a function is useless because you don’t understand it (“It seems redundant and cluttered for each channel to have a PAFL, but I’m not sure I fully understand the use of it, if anyone can enlighten me. From my POV, it seems like it could be hidden in a menu to reduce the business of the GUI” for example, would have never been criticized), the entire reaction would have been different. If you find this happens more than you like (the comment that it’s the way the world is suggests so), I’d recommend taking this advice to heart. Much is in the way you present ideas, not the ideas themselves.

Oh, two last things: You may well have 20 years web/app dev experience, though I have the feeling that includes amateur and freelance / teenage years experience also from the impression I get, but regardless, if so then having something focused on Apple / iOS rather than android should be no surprise or anything new. Just like graphic designers use Apples far more frequently than a random person, they are also popular in audio engineering – with programs like Logic or hardware like Apollo’s AI, lots more is Apple-only in this sphere than would be viable for something aimed at an average consumer. So that’s really not too strange and they aren’t missing 75% of the market, as someone with all Apple products likely wants an iPad over another tablet.

Second, idk if this is really a reason here, but you basically said Mackie and Behringer are direct competitors. Mackie isnt a bad company at all, but they are far more entry level in nature than A&H’s line up. Behringer, meanwhile, is known pretty exclusively for copying things that already exist and work and selling for cheaper, having saved on R&D by letting others do it for them and usually on materials and general quality as well. Behringer is as entry level as it gets. There’s a reason, iirc, their mixers with apps are less than 1/2 the price. The target market is different and so comparing the apps doesn’t necessarily make sense – and if you are new to audio gear and find those easier, consider that perhaps it’s exactly because they’re aimed at somebody without a background rather than somebody used to knobs and sliders.

Phew! With that, hopefully you can give an opinion and everyone can get along just fine..

[bagelsParticipant]

Thanks for the reply,

I didn’t realize that was why but I’d noticed the difference between the two, however I don’t think that’s the issue, since it works fine with the main output from the Qu (XLR L/R) going as a line in to the pc. Since that’s what USB 1/2 out is set to, it seems weird that they’d be at different levels, since both would be subject to an 18 dB gap. But only with USB set do I not really get a signal.

Since literally everything else works, I feel like it’s something about OBS, the Qu, and my PC if others don’t have the issue. I’ll try it out on a laptop when I get the chance and maybe try different USB out channels (maybe it’s looking for LR on a single channel?), I haven’t had much time of late and the line in is fine if non ideal. I’ll update if I have luck in case anyone later finds themselves with a similar issue.

Appreciate the help.

[Author]

Posts