DP24SD: Send effect from stereo track in stereo?

[Saxomohawh]

Like the title says, is it possible to send a stereo track to an external stereo effect so that (example) track 13 goes to Send eff 1 and track 14 to Send eff 2? It seems to me that no matter if you use Send eff 1 / Send eff 2 or both, the stereo track (13+14) is output as mono.

I know a workaround would be to copy the stereo channel to two mono tracks, pan them left or right, and send one to Send eff 1 and one to Send eff 2. But it would be great if it was possible to do it directly from a stereo track.

 

[David Porter]

You understand correctly.

The only way to do that is to move the paired stereo tracks to mono tracks (you don't have to hard pan when sending the mono tracks back to the sends individually, however). The stereo tracks are "summed" when sent to the sends. No way around that.

Over time - I have come to see this as only a minor inconvenience because ultimately it is a solid work around that only takes a little extra time to implement.

 

[Saxomohawh]

Thanks!

 

[Saxomohawh]

Another related question: The effects send out jacks are for TS connectors. Will it work to use a TRS plug? I am asking because I need to from TS/TRS to XLR, and TRS to XLR are more commonly available.

 

[David Porter]

Yes. TRS plug will work in a TS jack.


In fact - I had forgotten but just looked.... I'm using TRS-to-XLR cables to go from my DP-32SD TS jack monitor outputs to the XLR inputs of my Mackie monitors.

 

[Mark Richards]

There's a post in the Equipment Tips sticky that discusses connecting outboard gear, and when to use which type of connectors.

 

[-mjk-]

I *believe* that if you do a 2 pass bounce and use Send 1 post fader, you can do 1 track at a time by panning the Balance control hard Left or Right. Since the opposite track would not make it to the fader, it shouldn't be present on the Send either.

I have not tested this. Just thinking out loud.

EDIT: This will not work. Please read subsequent messages below.

 

[Saxomohawh]

Maybe, but that is basically the same workaround as I mentioned. Takes up two more tracks.

 

[Saxomohawh]

Well maybe "copy" wasnt the right word. I didnt mean export/import, I meant "clone", "copy track" or whatever it is called. Bounce of course will also work.

 

[-mjk-]

Sorry, my use of the word "Bounce" was consistent with practice and not the machine. What I described above was simply recording the FX returns on 2 tracks, 1 at a time. I didn't mean to literally use the Bounce bus. My apologies if I confused the issue.

 

[-mjk-]

Well maybe "copy" wasnt the right word. I didnt mean export/import, I meant "clone", "copy track" or whatever it is called. Bounce of course will also work.

I should clarify this a little more. The method that I outlined does not require any cloning or copying. Take your stereo track and pan it hard left. Use send 1 to your outboard gear, and record the outboard gear to a new track. Pan your stereo track to the right, and do it again, to a second track. Without copying, cloning, audio depot, or anything else, you have just individually recorded the stereo track being processed, in just 2 real time passes.

EDIT: I confirmed that the above will not work.

My assumption was that "post fader" means that the Send signal is derived from the signal present on the fader. I assumed incorrectly.

Although the Sends 1 and 2 have Pre and Post settings, they apparently do not derive their signals from what is actually on the fader. In Post (fader) mode, either Send will take the level of the Send signal based on the level of the fader, and it will follow the movement of the fader. The Sends do not reflect panning of the signal on Stereo tracks.

What this means is, if you have a stereo track panned all the way hard left, although there is no right channel signal going to the Stereo bus, and no right channel signal present on the fader (this is in reference to how the mixer appears to function from a user viewpoint), both signals from the stereo track are going to the Send buses.

An alternative way to send individual Send signals from Left and Right of a Stereo track may be possible through the Bounce or Stereo bus, but, that presents monitoring issues and the possibility of undesirable results such as a feedback loop. So, I would not recommend those techniques.

A safe way to accomplish outboard processing of a Stereo track would be to Export the Stereo track to the Audio Depot, and then import the individual tracks back int0 2 Mono tracks. From there, Send 1 and Send 2 could be used independently on each track with the resulting output being recorded on a Stereo track.