Can I Send A Control Room Mix Out Digitally?

[Rockum]

I have a somewhat high-end digital converter that I have been using for converting the stereo mix for use in the control room, but it is causing a few issues with Solo, Dim, talkback, etc. What I really want is to send the same signal that is going to the Control Room outputs to my converter.

Is there a way to select a digital output for the Control Room mix? Doesn't seem to be possible.

 

[TascMan]

If your control room mix is your stereo buss, then just send your stereo buss out through your digital outs. Piece of cake.

 

[Rockum]

How do I set my control room mix to be the stereo out? I thought it already was. However, when I solo a channel there is no change in what I hear in the CR speakers. The headphone out properly solos whatever channels are soloed.

 

[TascMan]

Are you sending a stereo mix back from your Daw into the DM? I have mine returning on channels 33/34. Select those return channels and hit the STEREO button on the top and to the left of the LCD display. that assigns your return daw mix to the DM's STEREO buss. Look to the right, in your master section, next to the SOLO knob, there are 4 buttons. Select the top one..."STEREO" now the STEREO buss is selected to go out the CR.

 

[madoues]

Hi Rockum,

Did you ever get your issue resolved?

I am somewhat in the same situation in that I would like to feed my audio monitors digitally from the DM4800.

In my case, I have JBL 4328s whcih have three switchable inputs: AES/EBU, SPDIF, and analog. I would like to feed them with digital for the DM and analog from my computer. This way, I wouldn't need to turn the DM on at all when I am just on the web, or practicing with an mp3.

Cheers,
Dan

 

[captdan]

"I wouldn't need to turn the DM on at all when I am just on the web, or practicing with an mp3."

That would depend on two things:

1. Whether you have a separate audio interface on your PC/Mac

2. If you're inclined to switch audio driver formats in order to disengage the ASIO/DM/FireWire and choose the default/secondary driver system to run audio directly from your computer.

If your PC/Mac is equipped with a 'blaster' type audio card with analog I/O, you've likely disabled it when you installed the DM's drivers. Virtually everything audio in your system - including your DAW - depends on the primary audio drivers. Assuming you've installed DM/firewire, telling the computer to ignore these and revert to the 'default' (or secondary) ASIO system is a hassle. It requires menu selections, reboots, and other adjustments. Then, the process has to be reversed to resume utilizing the DM system. The entire ordeal is time consuming and invites conflicts and other problems. Why risk it? Just use the DM for all audio operations and set up mixer templates for 'offline' work.

As for monitoring digitally from the DM, simply assign the stereo buss to either SPDIF or AES/EBU outputs directly to your JBL monitors.

CaptDan

 

[madoues]

Thanks for your reply, captdan!

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it would be from a separate computer, a laptop that I use for going online as my audio rig does not go online. I have both computers hooked up to an A/B switch for mouse and keyboard, and I use a separate video monitor for the laptop, but it also runs 2 Seemy for the DM4800.

And as Rockum pointed out, the stereo buss is not the same signal as the control room out. Solo will not work, or the control room switching section, or volume.
It may not be a huge problem if he has two sets of speakers, just use the better speakers for final mix when there is not as much need for soloing. But if Rockum is like me and has only one set of speakers, this leaves him with no avenue but possibly to add some type of external switching after his converter to switch to/from control room out when he needs to solo. That way, he could at least use his best converter for final mixing.

In my case, I'll just leave the control room analog outs as-is and find a cheap way to digitize the laptop audio out, although it would've been easier if the control room out could be made digital. However, I may still do as you say and send the stereo buss to the other digital input of the JBL, just to hear the difference in the two converters, i.e. JBL's vs DM's.

Let me know if I am missing something; the DM is a powerful machine and I only use and understand a small portion of it's potential, I realize that. The whole automation and encoder mode sections, I haven't even touched yet, as well as many other things.

This is the first thing I find in the DM4800 that I would change; that and a color LCD, but with 2Seemy it's all good. But I really love my DM....