[GeoffParticipant]

I just tried that with SQ Mix Pad running on my PC, and it works fine. I saved the show to a new file on an external SSHD, loaded an older show (from the external drive), and then the most recent one again. 41-48 are once again showing as mono inputs. I haven’t actually tried this with a console, but the editor seems to handle it.

Are you using an old version of the editor perhaps? I’m using ver. 1.5.0

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

I’m not sure about your SQ, but mine dates every file as Jan. 1, 2017. So it doesn’t even have a running clock that just happens to always start at the same place.

Might as well get used to it. It’s one of the [annoying but minor] limitations of the SQ’s operating system.

The exception to this is show or scene files that I have created or edited on a PC. They will have the correct date, assuming my computer’s clock has been set accurately.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

You’ve got up to 128 channels in both directions between SLink ports, so it sounds like it will work.

What are the extra inputs from? Video playback, etc.?

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

Turned out to be Operator Error, not a feature of a bug.

I had some of the Mixes set to SAFE, which of course prevented them from changing. The whole recall filter/safe thing can be a bit of a minefield. Other than setting up some scenes to just change FX, I didn’t think I had engaged any, but I guess that wasn’t the case.

Thanks for the reminder.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

Normally you would measure the output between pins 2 and 3, not 1 and 2.

+4 dBu is 1.23 Vrms, so pin 2 to pin should be about half that, or .6-.7 as you are measuring. But if the output is somewhat asymmetrical, you could still have the correct voltage between pins 2 and 3, but measure low between 2 and 1. This might affect available headroom on the output, but otherwise isn’t a problem.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

I discovered the same problem 3 years ago, running Windows 10 on a generic desktop with AMD processor. No solutions were offered at the time, except to allow the computer to boot before turning on the QU-16. It sounds like things haven’t progressed past that.

BTW, for streaming I prefer to use the L/R outputs as my main streaming output, and set mix levels to get a proper (-10 dBFS) output to go to the interface. Typically I’ll have quite a lot of make-up gain in the bus limiter to get there. Then I treat the PA as just a monitor feed, although I set to sends to Post-fade. It takes a little bit of juggling of the PA mix to get them both sounding right, particularly with effects, but it creates a good “one console” solution. This way the console headphone feed is the streaming mix, unless you AFL/PFL something. If you want to hear the PA mix, simple take the headphones off.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

I had this same thing happen with just one file. Part way through (the 30 minute file) it started repeating audio, although the time on the display kept incrementing. It only happened with one file, and always happened in the same place. Copying the file to a new location on the external SSD fixed the problem, so I’m assuming it was just a corrupted file, and the copy process fixed it.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

It sounds like you have a wiring error somewhere. Perhaps in the amp rack or the outlet that it is plugged into.

One possible scenario is a “reverse polarity bootleg ground” or RPBG. A bootleg ground is sometimes found in older homes with 2-wire (no ground) wiring. When a 3-prong outlet is installed, the installer simply connects the ground terminal to the neutral. This will test “correct” with a simple 3-light tester, but it is not safe and may induce a lot of noise into audio circuits. What is really dangerous is when the polarity of the hot and neutral inadvertently gets swapped. Then the chassis is hot, but it still tests “correctly” with the 3-light tester. When the hot-chassis device is connected to one that is properly grounded, sparks fly! You need a non-contact voltage tester (NCVT) to check for this condition.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

Rather than a gate to reduce the crowd mic, a ducker is what you want. You can find it in the compressor library. The difference between a ducker and a compressor is that the ducker reduces the gain by a fixed amount when the threshold is exceeded, whereas a compressor reduces it proportionally above the threshold. The other factor is you need to key (side chain) the ducker from the piano channel. If it needs to be keyed from more than one channel you can burn an aux to do that. Use the filters to fine tune it so you don’t get false triggers. There are half a dozen different parameters to work with to get it sounding as natural as possible.

In general getting your audience mics in coherence with the rest of the stage sound can be done by placing them close to the PA speakers. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but I’ve tried it, and it does work.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

With a guitar plugged into the FX unit, and then plugging that into the console, you are running everything in series.

But using an AUX send means now the effect is in parallel with the dry signal. If you haven’t already, set the wet/dry control on the FX unit to 100% wet. The extra latency on the dry signal will not mix nicely (unless you’re looking for that kind of effect) with the dry path in the console. You also probably only need to use one AUX to feed the FX unit. I’m not familiar with the M300, but almost all FX units sum the left and right inputs before processing them (there are exceptions, but they are generally not the cheap ones). The resulting effect will be “stereo”, so feel free to use a stereo return, but the stereo inputs are usually just there to preserve the stereo dry signal, which you are now ignoring.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

It was one of the purple AR2412s that had the problem. I’ve since bought my own, and it is the newer(?) black version with locking XLR inputs. No problems at all with it, although I don’t have a lot of time on it yet. I have not been curious enough to open it up and see if the PSU is the same or similar to the purple one. If it keeps on behaving itself, I probably won’t.

Geoff

[GeoffParticipant]

I recently bought an SQ5 and borrowed an AR2412 from a friend to use on a larger job. He warned me that it sometimes “takes 20 minutes to boot up”, and one time he actually had to relocate the console to the stage and mix from there. At first, it worked fine for me, powered right up and connected to the SQ5, no problem. During testing later on it failed, with the same symptoms others have mentioned, no lights on the front or back but the fan was running. It’s about four years old, so well out of warranty, and my friend said to open it up and see what you find.

Fortunately once I got it apart (a lot of screws!), it was still malfunctioning, and I was able to test PSU voltages. ±15 and +48 were all there, but nothing on the +10V rail, which also feeds the blue LED on the back. That ruled out the primary side of the PSU, and nothing appeared to be bulged or burnt with the components for the +10V part of the supply. There was continuity all the way from the cathode of the rectifier diode to the output, but I reheated all the connections, partially reassembled it, and tried it again. This time the 10V was solid and seems to be staying that way. Although I couldn’t see anything that looked like a cold joint, I think there was one and reflowing the connections has fixed it for now.

I didn’t get into any of the circuit boards on the front panel, but I suspect the +10V gets regulated down to +5V for all the digital circuits there.

A word of caution: This is a switch mode power supply. It is connected directly to the AC line, and there are voltages in there that can KILL you. The main electrolytic capacitor has about 170 volts on it, and there will be twice that if you’re in 230V land. It’s a place only an experienced electronics tech should be poking around, not an enthusiastic DIYer.

Geoff

[Author]

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