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Behringer XR18 X-Air

#261
On another note with the XR18, has anyone tried the 18 track recording app called MixTools?
I have installed it in the laptop that's connected to the mixer. You connect using a USB cable and it records 18 tracks and stores it for further processing using a DAW.
Will try it out on our next rehearsal to see how clean it is.
Should be great for live shows also.
 
#265
seamonkey said:
Price drops like this at this time of year just might indicate something new at NAMM 2017
Click to expand...
I'll tell you what - I had bought a second one as a backup before they had the price drops......Even though I wish they were cheaper then, I am glad I have them...... this is probably one of the best decisions for my band, doing sound for other bands, and doing sound for the venue I work with that I had made. It fits almost everything I am/have done so far. I picked up a set of the PRX712's when they got marked down too, and may try to eek one more out, but want to get another KW181 instead at this point. That said, I have recommeded these to several friends, and can't help but laugh when they tell me that they can't get past the Behringer name.

That said.......
I wonder what they DO have in line for NAMM 17.......??
 
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#269
goneflyin said:
On another note with the XR18, has anyone tried the 18 track recording app called MixTools ?
Click to expand...

Yes, been using it since it first came out. I basically record everything that gets mixed on the XR18. All 16 channels plus the LR output for a total of 18 tracks. Works great, I always have a ThinkPad connected by Ethernet to a dual band router, so it's only an extra (USB) cable to make it all work.
I highly recommend it.
 
#272
MixTools is the capture software. It's not really a DAW, all it can do is record the USB output to 16bit wave files.
That's what makes it so handy, there is no configuring, it automatically recognizes the existence of the XR18 ASIO driver. Just connect to the XR18 and launch the program.
You'd have to open the wave files in a "real" DAW and convert to MP3.
 
#273
popgadget said:
MixTools is the capture software. It's not really a DAW, all it can do is record the USB output to 16bit wave files.
That's what makes it so handy, there is no configuring, it automatically recognizes the existence of the XR18 ASIO driver. Just connect to the XR18 and launch the program.
You'd have to open the wave files in a "real" DAW and convert to MP3.
Click to expand...

This looks pretty cool, I'd rather have a little bit more functionality, like playback immediately after the gig to verify the recording. Not to mention, arghh...It won't run on Macs, although I might try it in Parallels.

Waves Tracks Live has been really easy to use, no frill, it takes a few minutes to set up, and it's free. The paid version has some more functionality, but since I bring tracks back into the XR (or my X32), that's not needed yet. I still may spring for it later on. I own Reaper and it's really great, but way more functionality than I need. And if I'm going in that deep in digital recording (A distinct possibility next year with my country artist), I'll probably go with Logic. I've really tried to avoid getting into recording, I used to hate the process (the engineering, not the fun recording part!), but with these days of independent releases and management, it's starting to look inevitable.

As is plainly evident with all things around here, there's 1000 ways to do things, and you can spend as little or as much as you want... :D
 
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#274
Geri O said:
I've really tried to avoid getting into recording, I used to hate the process (the engineering, not the fun recording part!), but with these days of independent releases and management, it's starting to look inevitable.
Click to expand...

I have actually found the engineering part to be quite fun, and really helping in getting a good relation with FoH/monitor techs. When in Rome...
 
#275
Ulf_Hansson said:
I have actually found the engineering part to be quite fun, and really helping in getting a good relation with FoH/monitor techs. When in Rome...
Click to expand...

:roflmao::roflmao: That's exactly right!! :D

Some of my reluctance comes from a little early studio experience in the 80s with our own band. Cutting bass and drums was great, but then we'd sit there while the guitarist, keyboardists, and singers wanted to "cut several takes and pick the best one". ARGGHH! And I don't sit still in one place for very long anyway.

But looks like I gotta get over that this time around. At least, we aren't waiting for tape to shuttle back and forth anymore...
 
#276
Regardless of how you capture the tracks, it's an interesting excerise to play them back as a "virtual soundcheck" and tweak stuff that you couldn't do in a live situation.
Mixtools has no playback capability, so you have to use "real" DAW software that can output 16 tracks via USB.
 
#277
Geri O said:
:roflmao::roflmao: That's exactly right!! :D

Some of my reluctance comes from a little early studio experience in the 80s with our own band. Cutting bass and drums was great, but then we'd sit there while the guitarist, keyboardists, and singers wanted to "cut several takes and pick the best one". ARGGHH! And I don't sit still in one place for very long anyway.

But looks like I gotta get over that this time around. At least, we aren't waiting for tape to shuttle back and forth anymore...
Click to expand...

That's definitely a huge improvement. And remember that, after nailing your bass line in the first take, you get to enjoy poking the other musicians for having to comp together something from their endless re-takes. (I mean, you don't have to tell them you spent all night recording that track you just faked...)
 
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#278
Just picked up an XR18 and look forward to using it soon. It's my second attempt at smaller, lighter, more versatile wireless mixing. My last was with a Presonus 16.4.2 and I hated all the outboard gear I needed to make that happen. The form function of this is almost perfect and the reviews and price make an easy thing to try. That said there's one sill area I can't find an answer to. I'd assume that others have a similar circumstance. Is there a method, or device, that would allow me to wirelessly send a stereo music signal into either the USB or channels 17/18? I always play music before shows, between sets and after during teardown. When mixing from the stage it's easy enough to hard wire connect the iPod to the XR18 but if I do sound work for others and mix wirelessly and remotely then it would be great to be able to start the music from wherever I am at the time without having to physically be at or near the unit to stay and stop the iPod.
 
#280
I attached one of these using double sided tape and connected it with a short 1/8" to RCA cable:

Amazon.com: Logitech 980-000910 Bluetooth Audio Adapter for Bluetooth Streaming: Computers & Accessories

Parts:

Amazon.com: cable 3.5mm Stereo to Dual RCA Audio Adapter Cable, 3.5mm Male to Dual RCA Male, Red/White (30S1-01160): Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Hosa GPR-123 RCA to 1/4 inch TS Right-Angle Adaptors, 2 pieces: Musical Instruments

I usually stream to it from my phone. It's bluetooth so it does get some interference/stuttering as I walk around sometimes. I haven't pushed the range much.

I'm kind of intrigued by the Chromecast Audio idea though. Would it be able to connect to the SSID of the XR18 along with my phones and tablets and communicate with them?
 
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