[LAU] If you don't like Behringer...

[Len Ovens]

If you don't wish to use a Behringer mixer like the X32 and want something 
similar in the same price range, the Allen & Heath Qu series is very 
similar. The USB interface is reported to just show up in ALSA[1] and 
while the remote control stuff does not come with Linux support, All the 
remote control stuff is midi and completely documented. (I have waded 
through it) There have been Android remote control applets written for it 
(well the QU16 which has been around the longest) and it understands 
rtpmidi it seems.

Despite some of the reports that the internal effects (channel 
strip/insert effects) can not be inlined with the USB IF, looking closely 
at the manual seems to indicate that these people have used the default 
settings and there are other settings that would allow the "direct out" 
to be selected from more than one place in the channel strip (post pre, 
post insert, post eq, post compressor and post delay). While there is no 
post fade, the direct out has both a trim level and the ability for the 
level to "follow" fade and/or mute. Direct out placement selection is 
global. Of course all of these settings are not in the same place  :P  The 
Direct out source is on the Channel routing screen, while the 
Insert/directout selection is on the USB audio screen... and the default 
point for the direct out would make it behave just like the Insert 
selection. I do not know what latency this would add to a track, but the 
DAW should be able to compensate for that anyway. At the least, the talent 
would be able to have a live/effected monitor of themself and other 
tracks.

On the plus side for the Qu mixers, up to 18 sources can be recorded 
direct to USB disk (this same limit of 18 is there even on the Qu32 which 
can send 32 sources to USB AI). This means that carting a computer along 
to a gig to record is not needed if you would be using the unit both for 
recording and on the road. This can be used for preliminary sound checks 
of all channels/monitors with no band in place. (The X32 can only record 2 
tracks to USB disk BTW) The 18 WAV files could then be imported into one's 
favourite DAW from USB drive for mixdown if desired.

There are scene memories so having a setup for recording as well as 
performing (more than one venue) is possible.

In all my searching I have not seen complaints about the A & H line of 
products in terms of reliability or audio "funnyness". The i/o  do not 
have transformers (not in this price range) so grounding needs the same 
care as always.

The big difference from the X32 series to the QU is that the smaller X32 
like the Producer with 16mic pre can control up to the same 40 inputs as 
the full X32. The Qu series mixers will only control the number of 
channels they have connectors for. These i/o can be replaced by digital 
snake i/o if desired. This shows in the channel strip layout on the two 
boxes. The X32 channel strips are broken into two sections with one for 
input strips and one for bus strips. So the input strips can only be seen 
in banked/layered mode. The Qu series has a strip per input with a layer 
switch to see the bus strips, both have a master strip as well. The Qu 
also has a custom layer to set as the user wishes. There is enough info in 
the MIDI spec to set up a MIDI map for use with a DAW (Ardour for 
certain).


[1] 
http://community.allen-heath.com/forums/topic/ardour-linux-qu32-usb-recording
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-2262870.html

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net