Model 12 Audio Routing Questions

[Zacharie54]

Hi all,

I looked around and keep on getting more and more confused... If I want to use the Model 12 as my main interface for my Windows PC from time to time, do I have to sacrifice channels to be able to hear my DAW? Is my understanding of the routing correct?

Thanks! How happy have you been with the Model12? Any regrets or particular issues? I am looking to use it to record some of my jams with friends, and to also record some musical projects.


Kind regards
Zacharie

 

[Morgelec]

I setup a Model 12 template in Cubase that I use. I come out of Cubase on tracks 1 through 9/10. Tracks 11/12 are the main Stereo L/R. Works great!

 

[Zacharie54]

Thanks for your response. So if I understand correctly, this means you can't use the stereo input of 9/10? Leaving you with the 1-6 monos + 7/8 stereo inputs (total 7, pretty much right?).

 

[Morgelec]

My template is using 9/10 input, I have 10 inputs.

 

[Zacharie54]

Hmmm could you elaborate please? Sorry, I'm fairly new to this! but if it uses the 9/10 input, you can't use the 9/10 as input for a TRS for example right? 10 inputs?

 

[Morgelec]

Are you talking about using a smart phone? In that case, it uses the music/talk input which is a TRRS input and that disables inputs 9/10. If you are not using the TRRS input you have all inputs 1-10 to use for instruments, vocals etc.

 

[Freebird]

Well... I do not have a Model 12...I have model 24... and an old 244 Portastudio from the mid-80'...

But,,, if your mixer works like Model 24... and if I correctly understand it all these "Model-Series#"...

Your channels 1-8 are MONO channels. while channels 9-1 0 & 11-12 are "STEREO CHANNELS ".

And Channel 13-14 are most often used to route a Bluetooth as a device using a "stereo channel.... S

So you will have...

Mono channels 1-8...

Stereo channels 9-10 & 11-12...

13-14 are used as as Stereo Master Mix! ONLY!

Regarding the question about "Model-Series"overall... my Model 24 is GREAT!

No issues at all and works exactly as my "User manual tells me"!
Just read the manual with an open mind... and you will be fine!

The manual have it's grammatical & and "philosophical/quantum Theo-practical " issues that not always targets the question you have at hand... but with careful reading and analysing/translating the facts at hand... one CAN figure out things on you're own!

 

[Morgelec]

Freebird, no channel 13-14 on model 12, but on Model 16, yes. The Model 12 has the STEREO MASTER MIX on 11-12.
I once also had a 244, and years spent inside a DAW made me really miss it. But the Model series mixers are just what I needed. I find being able to make music without using a DAW to be inspiring. Of course we ultimately need to use the DAW to master and perhaps mix, but I have to say since I got the Model 12 I am creating more music than I have in years!

 

[Freebird]

@Morgelec Yup... couldn't agree more! Sorry bout my mistaking the Model 12 for Model 16...

But cut away a couple of channels and we will be "down there" though!

I still use my Portastudio 244 for running my final stereo mix through it and adding reverb, delay, compression & limiter to do my "old school" kind of Mastering.

Just LOVE that "Old School" analogue final touch!

He...I also just LOVE my Model 24... it's like a Portstsudio 244... but on STEROIDS!

It just have MORE channels and routing possibilities!!! = NO needs for "bouncing" or "overdubbing", which causes "locked in sounds" and/or "degraded sounds!

Model 24 is GREAT in that respect!!!

And like you... I have NO problems using a DAW to make my mixing/mastering!

But then I run my final stereo mixes through my old school 244, on only tracks 1 & 3 for even more "Analogue Warmth"... Leaving the channels 2-4 out to avoid some "bleeding over" ... as "4-track casettes are prone to"... yup...subjective I know... but still adding some more "feeling" to the final track...

... I guess/hope/dreaming about!

 

[-mjk-]

If you guys would like to share things like DAW templates, we can set up a repository for those, similar to what we've done for the documentation.

 

[Freebird]

@mjk Absolutely... that would be a GREAT idea!

 

[Morgelec]

Sure mjk, more than happy to.

 

[-mjk-]

OK, great. I'll do housekeeping on this thread later to clean out these messages.

The forum itself cannot host the files, however we can make a Documentation and Manuals sub-forum for this main forum, just like the others. In that forum we can add links to all the documents, manuals and things like templates that the users have created and make available. What I need from you users is for you to place your resources in a Dropbox or Google Drive, etc. folder and provide a public link (anyone can view) so we can add it to the sub-forum. Before you do this, give careful thought as to whether you can make this a permanent link or not. Of course, unforeseen circumstances do occur, but if you can spare the cloud storage space then by all means please get it set up and place your resources there. We'll be ready to make the sub-forum shortly.

Thanks.

 

[Zacharie54]

Thanks to everyone for your great answers! Am pretty much sold on it. Though I must admit that I think I'll always have a part of me that's wishing it could've been analog rather than digital lol. But then again, at the end of the day there isn't any other product out there than can sound or be like it in such a small size (and price). Plus deeper down the line I'd be looking to get a 4 track R2R to get that lowend back up. Anyone have experience using the Reel after the Model12 as a mastering technique?

 

[JSchmo_Bass]

Yes that’s my dilemma too... keep the Model16 or Model12. The 12 keeps getting the gigs due to its easy portability and track swap feature when creating, and overall I am just finding it easier to set levels and mix in general. But the 16 *when everything is perfect*, sounds just a little better.

I don’t have access to a R2R but I have tried running the master tracks out thru a pretty decent JVC 3 head cassette deck + some NOS Maxell XLII cassettes. Surprisingly, with careful calibration and level setting this actually worked quite well, adding pleasing compression and glue and “tape sound” without too much added hiss. It also allowed me to play with levels of the master too, and listen on my home stereo. I wouldn’t do this for every song, but for some it’s a cool “effect”.

It does introduce latency if you try to do this in 1 step real due to the playback head being a tiny bit behind the record head. so the return track is best captured as a playback to a new song. That kind of messes up the idea of just processing just a sub mix of say drums and bass via tape. That’s what I really want (since to me the tape magic is mainly in its effects to this aspect)..

I suppose the only solution there is to time align a sub mix track set with the rest of original tracks in a DAW...?