[RyanParticipant]

Just make sure the FX returns are also getting routes to the post fade mix. Individual channels sent to the post fade mix should be after compression. Unless you’re talking about a compressor on LR?

[RyanParticipant]

Dante Controller works on WiFi so a similar app for controlling gains isn’t that much of a stretch — just connect a wireless router to the Dante network. (The Dante FAQ on DVS and Via wording seems to imply that the restriction is in software to prevent those two programs from using WiFi adapters connected to the computer.)

[RyanParticipant]

On the physical board, select the mix you want to remove the FX from, make sure you’re on the later with FX return faders (top button, I think), and then bring the return fader down and/or turn the FX return off from getting sent to the mix (no physical board on hand, but after selecting the channel I think that is under the routing page on the touch screen; or there’s a way to turn the routing off that involves holding down the Assign button to the left of the select buttons and pressing select for the channel to turn on/off).

If you have the iPad app, I put together a quick (read: minimal editing) screen capture of sending FX to a mix but not LR — the steps on the app for what you’re trying to do are similar.

[RyanParticipant]

@soundave based on what you just said, the limit should be 48 mic inputs — the SQ-7 has 32 mic inputs on the back, and the DX168 has another 16 mic inputs. Where are you getting 42 from?

[RyanParticipant]

Ah I see what you’re saying now – I misunderstood what you were pointing out (thought it was that the SQ-5 couldn’t handle 48 inputs). You’re right that the setup described still needs 48 physical inputs (only exception would be inputs coming over usb).

When OP said 32 inputs with a copper snake I assumed its an SQ-7, which could be paired with the DX168 or AB168 you mentioned for the 48 inputs.

Other combinations that could work for 48 inputs would be SQ-6 + AR2412, or SQ-5 with multiple stageboxes.

[RyanParticipant]

You’re probably thinking of the one channel one fader limitation on the Qu mixers.

[RyanParticipant]

Thanks for the heads up. Ironic, but I might be interested in a defective unit if the selling price were low enough — though if this guy doesn’t say it’s broken, then it’s probably priced too high.

[RyanParticipant]

Direct out post preamp is tapping from the same place as insert sends — right after the preamp. Direct out doesn’t mean it is post fader, that behavior is controlled by a different setting(s), Follow Fader and Follow Mute. If you need a higher signal level for a particular channel, there is a direct out trim level that can be adjusted for each channel.

https://support.allen-heath.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/1148/0/direct-outs–qu-drive–usb-audio

[RyanParticipant]

I’m not seeing anything that matches up with your statement that the Qu-16 is a recording unit… it does mention the multitrack recording to USB and compatibility with DAW software, but none of the marketing material I’m seeing for the Qu looks remotely like advertising itself as a dedicated multitrack recorder like the Tascam Portastudio.

I think that your assumption was that the inclusion of some features for recording live shows means that A&H is targeting the same market as the Tascam Portastudio when they aren’t. The multitrack/USB/DAW recording capabilities of the Qu series is comparable to other digital mixers in the same price range – the X32 and X Air, Yamaha TF, and Si Impact. It seems like Boss and Zoom make multitrack recorders that compete with the Portastudio.

As for adding features, you might have noticed that the Qu-Drive feature only supports doing either recording or playback (https://support.allen-heath.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/774/0/understanding-qu-drive-and-usb-devices) — but not both simultaneously. There might be some limitations of the USB interface IC chip or other aspects of the hardware design that make doing both at the same time difficult (which seems like a key part of the features that you want). My point is, you might think the features you want added are trivial, but there things that could make it difficult beyond just rewriting a large amount of firmware.

[RyanParticipant]

I guess in theory 100mb/s ethernet only uses 4 of the wires in an Ethernet cable (though impedance seems to be less than half dmx), and a 3 pin dmx cable has 3 wires, so you could probably craft some wonky dmx to ethernet adapter for the unused wires… but the impedance mismatch will cause problems, same reason as why mic cables shouldn’t be used for dmx. 4-pins of Ethernet to a 5-pin dmx adapter is an even worse idea, it would leave no spare wires for the dmx signal (and there isn’t any reason to use a dmx cable for ethernet to begin with; A&H definitely doesn’t have support for something crazy like that).

To be honest, you should not try making any crazy adapter. The right way to use a shared ethernet cable for carrying both would be getting a box or two like https://www.amazon.com/70405-Ethernet-Lighting-Controller-Interface/dp/B072XY2PGV/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=01VAPWQMMGWHV8VJ4GR5 that converts the dmx signal into a protocol that is properly wrapped by in Ethernet packets, then have network switches at either end of your ethernet cable.

[RyanParticipant]

I haven’t looked at the SQ much beyond the app (since I don’t own or have access to an SQ), but the initial request seems similar to the Qu — the mixer/app exchange some information about what ports (status updates over UDP, control over TCP) to use, so it isn’t always the same port.

[RyanParticipant]

@Crosan007 I haven’t seen anything that looks like initialization packets getting exchanged during the first connection — however, if you’re just looking at getting the audio stream for recording on a computer then you might not need to send anything. If you just connect the dSnake port to an Ethernet port on your computer you’ll receive packets with audio information. I recorded a sample, but there are some weird things (maybe DAC related) with the audio signal. It sounds recognizable, but the samples sent create a sort of “stepped” wave instead of a smooth waveform.

[RyanParticipant]

Maybe in 2.5 years it will go back down if we are lucky. Or 6.5 years if we continue making bad choices.

I don’t think A&H has any control over the price set by stores, other than a suggested price.

[RyanParticipant]

Interesting, I guess this gives an alternative to the official Qu-Pad app that doesn’t seem to get updates that often. Would be way more interesting if it was open source instead of a beta for a future paid app.

[RyanParticipant]

No, though if it is a managed switch and are okay with burning 2 ports for the AR2412 so that both the expansion and dSnake ports are connected to the switch, you might be able to set up routing (separate VLANs?) so that traffic from the AR84 goes to the expansion port of the AR2412, then the dSnake port traffic would get routed to the QU16. If you connect both stageboxes directly to the switch without anything to keep the packets they are sending separate, they’ll probably interfere with each other — it looks like the way the expander port works is that the packets coming in from the 2nd stagebox get added as part of the packets the main stagebox is sending to the mixer.

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