ATC: Audio Tools Critique

Boone Productions, LLC Presents: ATC: Audio Tools Critique (An opinionated critique of gear that I come across and work with)

[booneprollc-blog]

Here's an article for every #Sound #Engineer #Operator #Technician and even every #Musician and #Singer. If you ever on stage in any functional capacity, this is a MUST READ for you! WHY?! Because the more you know, the easier your job (and everyone else) will be! #teamwork

[booneprollc-blog]

I did an event recently that required two mics and a DJ setup. It was a last minute phone call to fill for another engineer who was booked already. Therefore, console demands were out the window. After all, it’s just a “Track Act.”

A “Track Act” is a performance in which a singer is accompanied by a CD, DJ, and/or mp3, etc.

Because it was Track Act, I had no expectations of which console I would be using.

So, I get to the venue and the Behringer X32 was sitting at FOH.

I’ve heard some good things from my colleagues about this console, especially at its price point (around $3000 RETAIL). Therefore, I was intrigued and interested in using this console for this first time.

So here’s what I look for when I evaluate consoles: Functionality, Flexibility, Accessibility, Quality (FFAQs). Let’s start with Functionality. I only came across two issues, which is pretty good. First was the copy-&-paste feature. It works but I couldn’t copy another setting after the first copy-$-paste use. It was not a big deal for me because I’m use to using analog anyway, (For all the youngins in the audio world LEARN ON ANALOG) therefore I’m use to individually matching channels. Again, with no training on this console whatsoever, I’m sure the correct use based on the configuration of the console allows the feature to be used over and over effortlessly. The next issue was the Tap Tempo used for the beats per minute setting for delays and/or echos. The response accuracy to the taps was a bit slow, but still close enough to get through a show. Other than that my grade for Functionality is 9 out of 10. Flexibility on the other hand, may be an issue for those who like to customize the layers on shows. The routing setup for the inputs are in banks of 8 channels at a time. So if I wanted to route the delays to be next to vocal mic (which I did for my show) I could not (and was not) able to because I cannot individually routing a single channel. Flexibility 4 out of 10. The easier you can get around a console, the faster you can achieve the sound that you're looking for. That is Accessibility. And I have NO issues getting to any page or layer on this console. Accessibility 10 out of 10. Quality. If you know anything about Behringer, then you know that they collaborate with the good folks of Midas/Klark-Teknik. And the Klark-Teknik preamps that are built into the console probably have to be best in its price class. The compression is tight and strong. Quality 10 out of 10. Would I use this console again? I sure would, on an event that is looking to manage every nickel and dime. Yea, it may have its issues, but what console doesn’t. OVERALL 8 out of 10. There you have it folks. Till the next one.....