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Wing Rack and Wing Compact
- Thread starter kittywithabanjo
- Start date
s0c9
Supporting Member
Not planninh on jumping anytime soon. I've run the full-sized Wing a couple of times, will do again (freelance work) in the morning at a church.
It's a VERY DEEP glorified X32, WAY TOO DEEP (IME) for most users. Yeah, it's got a nice [slick] touch screen, lots of layers, 4 main outs, still got sends on fader and drag n drop assigns on sources to channels and a bunch of other fancy features such as 24 XLR inputs on.the Rack. They still work with the AES50 interface, so the S32, S16, etc can still work. I haven't seen many Wings around tho. They're nice, but I'm not going to go out and order a 4-space rack unit when I can get most of the same things on the X32R.
My $0.02
It's a VERY DEEP glorified X32, WAY TOO DEEP (IME) for most users. Yeah, it's got a nice [slick] touch screen, lots of layers, 4 main outs, still got sends on fader and drag n drop assigns on sources to channels and a bunch of other fancy features such as 24 XLR inputs on.the Rack. They still work with the AES50 interface, so the S32, S16, etc can still work. I haven't seen many Wings around tho. They're nice, but I'm not going to go out and order a 4-space rack unit when I can get most of the same things on the X32R.
My $0.02
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If your versed in that level of digital mixer operation and need what it can do fine. What I have seen sometimes people buy a digital mixer, any brand and level thinking all the features will somehow operate themselves.
s0c9
Supporting Member
Absolutely… I work with far too many bands that have small footprint digital mixers (XR, TM, DL, etc) who think that they need gates, compression and effects on every channel.. because they are available.
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My weakness is anything tech. I work from home as programmer analyst/DBA/server admin... plus my hobbies are building Windows pc rigs, owning and playing with android/iOS /MacOS devices... etc.... so I'm surrounded with tech at home. I didn't really need a digital mixer, but I bought the X32R when it dropped half the price recently... just because I wanted to learn/play with a X32 mixer in my home office for no reason... other than use it for personal silent practice, and to have friends over to play music together at home. Also, the churches I play with have multiracks accounts, so I can interface the iOS PlayBack app with the X32R, which separates all instrument/vocal stems into individual channels... and works great. I can basically practice with the pros in the recordings in stereo... makes playing alone in silence fun at home... especially with my bassboard setup.
But like @Mike Caldwell and @s0c9 mentioned, there are a lot of functions and features on digital mixers, so there is a learning curve. I'm still new at it... just adding FX to my personal mixbus to a vocal mic, drums, etc... took me a while to figure out no matter how many videos I watched on how to do it. Seems like everyone has a different way of doing things. As a programmer, I'm having a blast learning my X32R (EQ/Gate/Compression/Sends/Routing etc)... but I can see how can be frustrating. I still haven't scratched the surface of knowing the ins and outs of my X32R.
As for on jumping on a Wing rack? Heck ya... but not at $1599 after getting my X32R. The X32R does what I need it to do, and it is already too much for what I personally use it for. Maybe in the future... probably when the Wing rack is a decade old tech like my X32R... LOL...
But like @Mike Caldwell and @s0c9 mentioned, there are a lot of functions and features on digital mixers, so there is a learning curve. I'm still new at it... just adding FX to my personal mixbus to a vocal mic, drums, etc... took me a while to figure out no matter how many videos I watched on how to do it. Seems like everyone has a different way of doing things. As a programmer, I'm having a blast learning my X32R (EQ/Gate/Compression/Sends/Routing etc)... but I can see how can be frustrating. I still haven't scratched the surface of knowing the ins and outs of my X32R.
As for on jumping on a Wing rack? Heck ya... but not at $1599 after getting my X32R. The X32R does what I need it to do, and it is already too much for what I personally use it for. Maybe in the future... probably when the Wing rack is a decade old tech like my X32R... LOL...
I actually like the Wing a lot. Definitely a good step up from the X/M32 format of surfaces.
I’ve operated one only a few times. It wasn’t ours or mine. And at the PA co where I’m part-time for the last few years, the next step up from the M32 are Yamaha CL5s. Even though the CLs are discontinued, it’s still the helluva mixer it always was. And I hear there are DM7s in the plans.
I own an M32C and DL32 for my band stuff. I considered a Wing rack, but at my stage of the game, I’m gonna hire someone else to handle things if it’s over my M32 rig’s capabilities.
I’m just tired of the production side in general.
I’ve operated one only a few times. It wasn’t ours or mine. And at the PA co where I’m part-time for the last few years, the next step up from the M32 are Yamaha CL5s. Even though the CLs are discontinued, it’s still the helluva mixer it always was. And I hear there are DM7s in the plans.
I own an M32C and DL32 for my band stuff. I considered a Wing rack, but at my stage of the game, I’m gonna hire someone else to handle things if it’s over my M32 rig’s capabilities.
I’m just tired of the production side in general.
s0c9
Supporting Member
@Geri O - you're 100% correct.. The Wing is a major upgrade from the X32. It's slick, works well, but ain't for the faint-of-heart.
That was the point of my initial comment about NOT rushing out an buying one.
Many local bands here use Touchmix, Mackie DL, Behringer X/XR series mixers for their gigs. Many don't know how to even use those!
Going to the Wing would be akin to giving a CL5 (or MC7 or QL5) to an XR18 user. They'd be instantly lost.
There are MANY great (and slick) features on the Wing, but given the nbr of X32's out there, I expect the transition to be slow.
IT's a VERY DEEP console.
The church I ran the Wing at Sun am, didn't even have a single SCENE (show) saved.
I mentioned it to the WL and showed him how to save/recall scenes/shows - just in case. I explained why it was needed.
I created a "church default" - settings from their last service and one of my own..should I ever go back (freelance gig).
In passing, he mentioned that they had to have someone from their main location (this was a satellite location) come out and restore the settings - he thought from a USB stick - on that very console a while back.
Imagine the damage a volunteer "tech" could do - inadvertently - with the HUGE touch screen, complex routing, IEM mixes, multiple outputs, source-to-channel assigns, etc.
FWIW , FYI , etc...
I bought a DM7-C to replace ce my old M7CL-48 as monitor desk , but after trying it at FOH , I decided to keep it there.
It is a Major step up from CL-5 ( wich I love ) , I now use the CL5 as monitor desk
They are AMAZING for the price
For a band that would look for a VERY GOOD small format board , look no further
(I also have a SQ5 , not the same league)
Photo as size reference
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A trick I do when setting up a digital mixer for someone is save that default "reset" scene two places, once towards the top of the scene list and another at the very bottom of list. The one at the top could end up being over written at
some point the one at the very bottom takes a little more effort to get to.....and of course to a USB stick.
some point the one at the very bottom takes a little more effort to get to.....and of course to a USB stick.
On the X/M32s, I di this as well, but the scene in #99 is recall-safed.
It's been helpful.
s0c9
Supporting Member
When there are literally ZERO saved scenes on the Wing.. not sure it really matters which slot is used, but yeah, on X32’s I run for others, I tend to save scenes to higher numbered slots - for the reasons you stated!
That church started out with ZERO and now has TWO scenes (shows) they can recall/restore as needed.
Both saved with everything included. Nothing filtered.
Haha yes fair i have used a wing, and have been studying up amd working in wing edit to prep. But yes you have to be careful not to go too crazy, just because you can do something, doesnt always make it a goodn idea.
As nice as the Wing is, I’d probably go to an M32 instead. I already have a DL32, so that would be the most flexible move. My MR18 works just fine in the practice studio. Given how deeply I’ve become committed to Mixing Station, I’d probably look at the M32C and save some weight and rack space…
I love the X32 Rack, and the Wing Rack looks tempting. Just can't justify the price, because I bought the X32 Rack about 6 months before it's price was cut in half. Figured I could sell it to get SOME money back, but I'd be way too much in the hole buying the Wing Rack until I get more miles under the X32.
One feature that jumped out at at me was the four headphone amps with the stereo jacks. However, apparently they aren't separate assignable output jacks, and are just always a hard wired copy of the 4 pairs of XLR output jacks? Is that true? That just seems like a crazy missed opportunity for using it as an IEM split rig, but also retaining the ability to use it for direct FOH when needed.
One feature that jumped out at at me was the four headphone amps with the stereo jacks. However, apparently they aren't separate assignable output jacks, and are just always a hard wired copy of the 4 pairs of XLR output jacks? Is that true? That just seems like a crazy missed opportunity for using it as an IEM split rig, but also retaining the ability to use it for direct FOH when needed.
That will be a great little rig. I heavily considered a M32C/DL32 rig a few years back.
