Five Typical Mistakes Made By Behringer XR18 Users ... And How To Avoid Them - X Air Tutorial
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2024
- Avoid these 5 mistakes for better mixes on the XR18 or MR18. X-Air. XR18 / MR18 Tutorial. Explanations, examples, and tips and tricks for audio mixing / sound reinforcement.
These are particularly notable for those audio techs and musicians coming over to a digital console for the first time. Especially, coming from a typical small 16 channel analog console without nearly the options found in the XR18.
In-depth discussion on each of these points with visual examples. Live sound reinforcement how to video with tips and tricks. Behringer X32 and Midas M32 digital console tutorial. At the end, an example of a rather serious problem that arises and is often blamed on everything except operator error. A misunderstanding that is actually the root of the problem. That point illustrates and ties into all of the other steps.
X32 and M32 Tutorial from the microphone or other source, through the outputs.
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/ alanhamiltonaudio
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I listed them more in the 'order of operations' as they would happen at a typical soundcheck, more than in the order of importance or worst mistakes.
I'd lean heavily on gain structure being a top issue to be sorted out. First in getting the gain structure correct, and right there with that, not mixing on the gain knobs. That creates a lot of downstream problems that many don't even realize they are doing. Prime among them being that changing the gain is changing the stage monitor levels if mixing monitors from FOH (which undoubtedly many XR18 users would be doing).
The information here is the same for the Midas MR18 as well.
In fact, this information also translates to the X32 and M32, but the interface will look slightly different than what you see in this video.
For a video that specifically shows the X32 and M32 and these same 5 Typical Mistakes, but is a longer video so it has more background information, click here:
(5 Typical Mistakes Made By Behringer X32 Users... And Midas M32 Users...) • 5 Typical Mistakes Mad...
If you're having trouble with your wifi connections with the XR18, one bit of advice is to buy an external router. Preferably one with 2.4G and 5G bands. The internal wifi in the XR18 is notoriously finicky and not able to hold solid connections in busy wifi environments. Probably not a problem for your rehearsal space, but can definitely be a problem for packed venues.
I'm using the PC version of the X-Air-Edit software
Download link: www.behringer.com/downloads.html
This information is for stage or studio. Houses of worship (church), or clubs. For practice sessions or in front of crowds.
Behringer XR18 / X Air Tutorials:
• Behringer XR18 Tutorials
Behringer X32 / Midas M32 Tutorials:
• Behringer X32 Tutorials
Alan's Live Production Tech Tips and Info:
• Alan's Sound Productio...
#BehringerXR18 #MusicTribe #BehringerXAir #MidasMR18 #XAirEdit
#Xair
0:00 Intro
0:20 Start of Tips
Video Summary:
This is a Behringer XR18 Tutorial (MR18 Tutorial) / Live sound tutorial /church sound tutorial. Music mixing tips and tricks for live audio and recorded audio. Equalizer tips. Compression tips. Gain structure. Useful info for bands, clubs, churches, and hall, ballroom, and other venues and users of live sound reinforcement and A/V.
Behringer XR18 setup (X-Air setup and Midas MR18 setup) are featured topic.
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Please watch: "5 Tips For Better Live Vocal Mixes - Mixing Live Vocals - Live Sound Tutorial on Behringer X32 XR18 "
• 5 Tips For Better Live...
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For an overview of the XR18's features, tips and tricks, advice... check out this new video:
ruclips.net/video/gTM7IdkCprk/видео.html
Patreon Page:
www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio
Lots of great information. Do you have a video for the latest Xair app for iPad? That's what we are using. It is a bit different and maybe somewhat limited compared to Xair Edit. We don't have a MacBook and were hoping we could do all this from our iPads. Thanks
@@mjben55 Have you tried Mixing Station App for the iPad? I think it's more similar to the X-Air Edit software than the official Behringer iPad app. Might be worth a try.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Hi Alan. Yes. I have both. It feels a little limited as well and we went back to Xair. In the process to see if I can pick up an older MacBook Pro to run Xair Edit. Would just like to use the iPad app but there is no manual or user information that I have been able to find. That's the only frustrating part of the XR18. Your information is awesome if we were actually using Xair Edit. Thank you for responding. Very much appreciated
I came back to this video after watching it a few months ago, and after now having more experience with my XR18, and these tips are just so great; definitely helped me. Thanks for all the great content!
Great to hear!
Thanks for taking time to do this video mate 👍
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
I have the XR18.... DANG!!!! i didn't know about the -18 dBFS.... This tip alone was well worth the stop here! I Subscribed and I really appreciate the short and to the point info. :) Grateful!!!
Thanks!
Wow. This was awesome.
I’ve had mine for a few months now and didn’t know most of these.
I will definitely reset mine and start again.
Number 1 & 5 was very helpful.
Thank you for posting.
New sub 😊
Thanks. I'm planning to do some more tips for the XR18 and X32 as well. Some of what I'd like to do would work best with real world examples, but right now, shows are cancelled due to gathering limits so there are no shows to do for those real world examples.
Alan Hamilton
Hey Alan
I readjusted the gain for all my instruments (passive electric guitar on on ch1, acoustic electric 12 string guitar on ch2 and 3 vocals on ch3-5) and set the gain to -18 as you mentioned here.
However, I then found myself turning the faders way up over zero to even get a decent sound out of the speakers .... like around 5+ or 8+
Especially on the electric guitar in the hi z channel 1
Am I doing something incorrectly ?
I thought the faders were meant to stay around the zero/unity mark until an instrument or singer has solo then you can turn em up for that part ?
@@RexyFan The faders would typically be around the unity mark like you say so you must have a signal path/gain stage issue somewhere.
Assuming the problem is at the console and not the speakers (are the speakers powered?)?
If they are powered, are the inputs set for LINE level input? Make sure they aren't set for MIC level.
....So back to the Behringer since I'm not sure what you have after the Behringer...
Is the Main fader at unity? I'm assuming you checked that but if your main is not choked back, and everything is right with the speakers/amps, then you need to look in the signal flow between the channel(s) and the main fader.
I would want to make sure I didn't have comps on the channels, subgroups, or mains that have a ton of gain reduction eating up your signal.
You could disengage them temporarily as a test.
Assuming that isn't it... Are the channels assigned to sub groups and are the subgroups at unity (and assigned to L-R)? And no comps, over compressing the signal there (on subgroups or on the mains) either?
Are the channels assigned to DCA's? Are any channels accidentally assigned to a DCA? It's possible to assign a channel to more than 1 DCA too. Lowest level DCA 'wins' so if you have the channels assigned to a DCA, and a DCA is choked back (whether the one you want it assigned to or one that it's accidentally assigned to), that would definitely lower your output. If the channels were unexpectedly assigned to a 2nd DCA that was low, that would 'overrule' the other DCAs. So, either unassign from that DCA or bring the DCA's up.
I also think, Behringer lets you assign subgroups to DCA's. So, if you have your channels routed thru any subgroups, and the subgroups, intentionally or accidentally, assigned to any DCA's then that would certainly lower your output if the subgroup(s) DCA (or DCA's) were choked back.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio
Great information!
I am using a pair of powered speakers (EV-ZLX12) which are set to unity. The knob shows line on the left, unity in the middle and mic on the right. I have that knob set to unity.
Im using a saved scene Which has been modified countless times, and at one stage, i did have all the channels going to the 6 aux out channels, however, I haven’t used any monitors/in ears in a few months now, so I may disengage that like you mentioned and see if that changes anything.
I may have to check for compression on the channels too and disengage any if active.
The main LR fader on the XR18 is also set to unity.
I’m not a qualified sound engineer, but more self taught. So all your suggestions are definitely helpful and appreciated.
Can’t wait to try it again this weekend with this new found knowledge.
Thanks Alan 😊
HPF (high pass filter) is one of the most important tools. When i am setting up channels on a band i have default goto settings that i change later if needed. MALE VOCALS HPF 100HZ, FEMALE VOCALS 200HZ, Guitars 100-150HZ. This is a very fast and easy way to make your mixes transparent. Also on reverbs HPF 200-250HZ and LPF around 4k. This makes the reverb not boomy or shrill. Space is everything in a mix.
With EQ go for cuts rather than boosts.
100%! Thanks for the added info and backup.
Great tips & well presented!
Thank you for your videos, you have been a tremendous help!
This is an excellent starting point. Well articulated...
Thank you! :)
Hi Alan, re my previous question about no recording icon, thinking about it more i think if i had a daw hooked up it would probably appear on the screen, as i said i am new to this field and am learning as i go. I must say your tutorials are very user friendly and straight to the point, great work.
Super helpful and good guidelines.
Not just XR18 users have been guilty of making these types of mistakes... This is good general advice for beginner users of just about any mixers.
I made a longer, slightly more in depth version of this for the X32/M32... And I did mention in the text description of that one that the concepts really could apply to any mixer. The surface/GUI might be different, but the concepts remain.
ruclips.net/video/tP7dO2Za6bw/видео.html
It's hard to do a wide-ranging video on a narrow subject on YT because it's hard for YT to understand how to promote it (or who to promote it to).
So, at least it seems to me it's best to tighten the niche to target specific users. Which is why I did both the XR video, and this X32 video.. but used the opportunity to go a little more in depth on the X32 version.
Someone searching specifically XR videos, would likely never see the X32 video suggested, or vice versa, even though they are both relatively relevant to the other.
And, beyond that, I know how many of these mixers are in use in churches, clubs, AV houses, fairs/festivals, even in trailers and buses doing touring work. And with a wide variety of users and experience levels. So, I thought I could reach the most people, and so do the most good for them, by tightening the focus.
At least that's my theory! ;)
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Not gonna lie, I *fully* expected that "Don't use the built-in wifi" would be #1 with a bullet.
Honestly, it definitely should've been. At least an "honorable mention" for 6th place or "bonus tip". I was focused on the mixing tips and things I've ran across on forums and in service calls that proved to be operator error, many times with people thinking it was some kind of system fault. So, I wasn't thinking about wifi connections.
It's a shame YT doesn't have a way to update a video without deleting it and losing the URL and view count.
I did later add the wifi issue to the video description, but I'm not sure how often those get read.
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio the mixing tips on are spot on, so thanks very much for doing that! Applicable to any digital mixer.
I know. People tend to test the internal WiFi at home, then get surprised when they all the sudden have trouble in a congested public location. 'It worked perfect at home."
@@StickTonesMusic Or they do a series of small gigs, maybe in small towns even, where they get lucky and don't have an issue. Or if they do it's short-lived. Reconnect a few times and all is OK. So they get an even bigger false sense of security about things... And then they get in a packed venue, on a street full of packed venues, and on their biggest gig yet, it fails them. And fails them hard.
It did a recent overview video of the XR18 and made sure to make the built-in wifi have a pretty good spot in the video:
ruclips.net/video/gTM7IdkCprk/видео.html
Yeah, that wifi is so awful. Also, they still include WEP which has been cracked for many years. I wrote them to complain about it but never heard back. I'd rather it not be there if it's awful. It'd be like having an EQ option that was a button to only do +8 at 1kHz.
Newly subscribed. Short and precise advice. The way I like it. Hope you have tutorials here on your channel about when and how or when not to use compression and gate on instruments and vocals.
The XR18 Channel Walkthru video hits on that topic. ruclips.net/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/видео.html
I know the bass guitar mixing video talks about compression too. I know it gets mentioned in several videos, but more in depth in some than others.
Just found this channel.... man it's awesome!!
Thanks!! :)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio do you do any hands on training via zoom?
Good stuff. When I see EQs boosted or cut like you showed, I wonder if the mic is faulty.
Great video , so much information
Thanks!
Great little video! Thanks!
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Hi Alan, nice overview of what not to do. My problem as a new starter is the icon for recording my band is not visible. Other tutorials show the record icon just under the Snapshot icon, can you help me with this, regards Graeme from Australia
Great concise and practical tips!
Thank you!
Easy to digest info
I do have an overall question - it appears that my laptop and my tablet no longer react to each other when I make changes on the fly with one or the other. Is there something I've changed in the software that make the two act independently instead of in synch.
For anyone that might be interested, I did one of these specific to the Behringer X32 (and Midas M32). The concepts remain the same, but it's a longer video that goes into more depth.
ruclips.net/video/tP7dO2Za6bw/видео.html
I listed these in a sort of '"Order of Operations" for a soundcheck' kind of way rather than from a basic mistake to the worst mistake ( or vice versa) ranking list. So, that said, if pressed on what would be the most important mistake to get under control, I'd list gain staging mistakes. At least as the first things to learn and get right. Get those wrong, and it's a cascading list of problems that follow. A solid understanding of proper gain staging, and signal flow, is really the technical basis for about everything else that follows (when it comes to mixing).
Patreon Page:
www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio
Amazon Affiliate Links-
Behringer XR18 on Amazon:
amzn.to/2LfTpmO
Midas MR18 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3q4Z4Li
This is a great video, definitely subscribing.
Awesome, thank you!
@@AlanHamiltonAudio What you're showing is more than a gear video, it's an approach to art and science of mixing. Fills in the gaps for many of us who have been doing it for years but unsure why certain processes are best practices. Confirming and illuminating at once. Thanks for sharing all the tips!
Good insights. Thank you very much. Can you maybe explain the ideal way to record the main out from the xr 18 to a smartphone?
I've never really tried recording to a phone before, so I'm not really sure. I believe there is some kind of tablet recording multi track recording software out there (Android I believe... not sure about iPad), so the answer probably lies in that... maybe?
www.androidauthority.com/best-audio-recording-apps-for-android-876472/
great video.
i am putting together a setup with my XR18 with several P16-M. do you have video(s) with advise on the DO's and DON`T's ?
thank you in advance for your help.
Thanks! Sorry, I don't have a P16. I've done service calls to help set them up, but don't own one since I don't need one for my uses. I'd love to do a video on one, but can't justify buying one just to make a video.
Maybe Behringer should send me one!? ;)
Really good thanks. I have a suggestion for a video. When using the guitar amp FX on the Hz channel. Why does increasing the Main LR volume increase the six volume?? Why are they linked? Thanks
Noted. I need to check out the guitar stuff in the XR18/X32. Someone else mentioned that previously. I forget it's there.
Hi thanks for these important tips, very very helpful. Content suggestion would be an explanation of the x edit compression advanced. When to use it and what to aim for. Many thanks.
Thanks! Someone messaged me about one on real-world EQ examples too.
I wish shows were happening now because showing some real world examples with a full rig and a band onstage would be an ideal way to do it.
Highly entertaining!
Thank you!!
😀
This is more of a sound engineer essential. I've been mixing for 10 years so i know exactly what engineers do to get a good sound. I lent my mr18 (yes, i went with midas instead) to a friend, when i got it back everything was so badly set, everything was so hot and he was using a bus for a sub when my set up comes with a drive rack
A lot of people migrated from analog to digital, and they didn't have a solid understanding of signal flow and other areas to begin with. Analog, especially with smaller consoles, is a little more forgiving to kludging around and making something work. Digital has a lot deeper holes someone can bury themselves in if they don't understand what they are doing.
Analog says "You can do this".... Digital says "What do you want to do?"
A drive rack?
@@tronlady1 think of it as an external matrix. I send my mix out signal into it and on the programming for this system I have crossovers, eqs and compression for 2 sub channels, 2 mid channels and 2 high channels. Keeps my mixing more stream lined while having my PA have clean crossovers and well tuned
I repeat... Don''t....mix...on the...gain...knob! Keep up the good work on XR tuts!
I have a habit on mixing on the gain... Some singers like to pass around their mics like a baton.
Great video!! Thank you!!
Glad you liked it!
Hey Alan, Really love your videos! How about doing one for DJs...With a couple of mics, a couple of main speakers and a sub woofer on the dance floor, a monitor, for the DJ, a couple of satellite speakers for fill and an aux for the video person(s)
Noted!
Hi Alan, great videos. Thanks!.
I use my RC-50 Looper and Strymon Reverb Pedal as a Bus effect in Ableton Live 10. It was hard to make it but somehow i managed. Still if i could see Aux monitor outs' in Ableton it would be much more easier. Do you know a trick to see all 6 AUX channels in Ableton Live?
I've not used Ableton, so I unfortunately don't have an answer for you... or even a guess :(
Hello I have the xr18 and having some issues. Only with my kick drum mics the channel does not read normal only when I tap on the mic directly but if I kick the bass drum no output and I have turned the gain up to see if that would change still not reading. I have also tried switching to a different input and still not working. What do I do?
At first I thought maybe your mics need phantom power... but if you can tap on the mic and hear it, then that can't be it.
My next thought is your gate setting. Do you have the gate turned on? For a test, try turning it off on both channels.
Also, turn the compressor off on each channel if you're using the channel comps.
Also, make sure you don't have automix turned on for those two channels.
This will at least eliminate the possibility that something is misconfigured on one or more of those things. Like the setting or what they are keying off of.
Also, turn off anything you have inserted on those channels in the FX rack.
If the problem still remains... I'm not sure. What happens if you swap the kick mics out with a known good vocal mic? Just seeing if another mic, of any kind, works OK in those channels. And by the same token, does the kick mic(s) work in another channel(s)?
Great video. Didn't know about the -18 on gain!
Yes, it's all in the scale and what the meter is telling you versus analog consoles and metering. You can let it peak higher (-15dBFS... -12dBFS) but you should be averaging in the neighborhood of -18dBFS.
On digital, like these consoles, there's a reason the top and final meter light is 0dB, versus analog where there are typically several more lights above 0dB (or more area to the right of zero on a VU meter).
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Here is some more information in general about digital metering versus analog:
blog.dubspot.com/digital-metering-peak-vs-rms/#:~:text=Digital%20audio%20levels%20are%20measured,is%20represented%20as%200%20dBFS.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you sir! I'm thinking of getting an X-Touch to go with it and recently racked it with a separate Wifi router. Have you tried the XTouch with it and if so, thoughts? I also want to use it with Reaper at the same time so will switch the touch back and forth between the 18 and the DAW.
@@rtroiani I haven't tried the X touch. I always kind of wanted to try it, but just not got around to needing one bad enough to order one. I definitely think it would be nice in a lot of situations.
Thanks I wondered about that.
Hi Alan, great video, please tell me something: After the settings have been made on the channels, and I have saved the settings / scenario, the mixer can work without connecting the tablet / PC to the mixer, do I mean the settings remain stored in the mixer? Thanks
The mixer will keep the last show/settings used until you change them, or initialize the console and erase them.
Whatever show/mix you were doing when you turn the mixer off, will be there when you restart it.
But if you do change it, or erase it, the old settings are gone unless you saved them on a tablet or PC/Mac. The mixer doesn't save scenes for recall on the mixer itself. It saves them on the control device. But it does 'remember' the last state it was in until you do something to change it. Even thru a power cycle.
That said, things like 'snippets/snapshots', those ARE saved on the X-Air. So, anytime you'd save a snippet, it would be in the console to recall, even if you're using a difference control device. But a scene or scenes that you'd save would only be saved on the control device (Tablet/PC...) so you'd need that save device to recall them. Snippets can be recalled by any device since those are saved on the X-Air itself.
But if you don't save anything, anywhere, the mixer still remembers whatever the last state it was in, even after powering down and restarting.
Great information thanks
Thanks!
ty so much, ive been doing that gain mistake
Glad this video helped!
great video!
how do I control the mute functions independently from the aux send to the main mix. So when I mute a backing track on the main mix it mutes it on the aux send too.
There are some mute options here (using PC X-Air Edit): Press setup, and then tab over to Audio/Midi.
Then mouse down to the Mute System line and there are a few options you can select.
I think the one you probably want is to change is to the Hard Mutes option.
That's the only place where you can change the behavior of the mutes that I'm aware of.
Hi Alan, great video on the XR18. Question for you: My Pastor wants to use the XR18 but with an addition of some physical faders. Can the Behringer X-touch Universal Control Surface work to add physical faders to control the XR18? Or better yet the X-touch Compact which can save some additional money? I know these are typically used for a DAW, but I was intending to use them to physically control at least 5 inputs and both of these units have 9 faders.
Not sure. I'm not tried any of the potential fader modules of any brand with the XR18 so I'm not sure what works or doesn't. Sorry. :(
Ok, thanks for responding!
Dude, you're the go to guy for the xr18. Where can I view all your tutorials on the xr18? I haven't purchased the unit yet. They are all on backorder, but I want to get a heads up while I wait.
They are here and an XR18 playlist too:
ruclips.net/user/AlanHamiltonAudio
Can u list the gain levels for all the stuffs such as
1.Vocals
2.Drums
3.Keys
4.Acoustic Guitar
5.Lead Guitar
6.Bass Guitar
and more about EQ's and FX's and their Racks
There are many many variables that would need to be known. I could tell you 18db for guitar but you might use a mic that’s super sensitive and need to be much lower or maybe you are using a club owned 609 that’s got 10 years of dirt, smoke, “fog” spilled drinks, etc on its grill and you might need to crank that gain a little to accommodate. How loud the source is matters. If they are using any sort of outboard preamps or anything before going into the PA matters. Etc etc etc.
Having problems with the effects. I have them coming thru but when I turn up the vocal on the main mix, It turns up the effect In my monitor (aux1). How could I correct or fix this issue?
I sent you a message with a possible solution... Assuming I'm following the problem correctly.
Definitely suffered from the monitor tip, where the engineer would do stage and foh and with every volume change to my guitar my monitor mix would also change between inaudible and way too hot a signal. Will pay attention to this next time around
I think I said it in the video, but I've done I don't know how many service calls where the complaint was the monitors changing, and the tech was saying "I'm NOT touching the mons so something MUST be wrong"... and after some post-mortem going thru things and talking to them... Yip, they were constantly tweaking the gains and changing the monitors and didn't realize it.
Great video, straignt forward and perfect for a novice like me. Thank you, Alan,
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Alan, A challenge I am having is I am using a iPad with the X Air and a XR18 mixer. You are using a laptop. Which the views are a lot different. Do you have a video or can you do a video with setting EQ using a iPad for a XR 18? Thank you, Chris
The same with setting gain when using an iPad. I don't see a meter to tell me where the gain is. I must be overlooking something.
@@chrisc958 Are you using Mixing Station on the iPad or the standard Behringer App? I don't have an iPad and always use and Android tablet to roam around when I'm at a gig. There's Mixing Station software for both the Android and iPad so that's why I thought you might be using that app. If so, then this video I specifically did with both the X-Air Edit and Mixing Station App being highlighted for the XR18:
ruclips.net/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/видео.html
Unfortunately, I don't think it's all that similar to the Behringer iPad app, so probably doesn't help you much if you're using the Behringer app and not the Mixing Station version. But if you're using Mixing Station on the iPad, then it should be pretty identical. And beyond that, seeing where some of the stuff is here should make it easier to find on the app even when the video is shown on X-Air Edit. In the linked video the things I demonstrate I demonstrate on both X-Air Edit and Mixing Station to show where to find the things on either platform.
Since I don't have an iPad, I don't have a way to load the other app and learn and demo it in the same way.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Alan, I am using the X Air app for the IPad not the Mixing Station.
Hi Alan, you seem to know your way around the X airs. I was wondering if you could help with an issue I am having? I have the XR16 and when I turn down a channel fader to the main LR, the sound still comes through the foh speakers, but at a slightly reduced volume. If I select a vocal channel, and drop it's foh fader, it sounds like the FX is being removed and the dry signal still comes through. I use all 4 aux's as monitor sends and if I mute aux 4, then that dry signal is removed from the foh. I haven't tried muting the other auxs yet, as I only just thought of it. Any help will be appreciated.
There might be more than one thing going on... Because it sounds like at least one problem is you have the monitor sends in the monitor master section (aux masters... bus masters...) assigned to L-R when they should be unassigned. That would explain the ghost signal in FOH even when you turn the channel down on the channel fader. Sometimes people notice this as "why are my monitors coming thru FOH?". But depending on how you're testing things you might just notice it how you're describing it. The answer to that is in this video as far as stepping you thru what to look for:
ruclips.net/video/x9wciA2wFd0/видео.html
That might solve everything, but since you mentioned FX and I'm not really clear on what you're saying for sure on what is happening there, it could be (either in addition to the above, or in someway by itself) that you've misapplied the FX Rack settings. There are some common mistakes that get made because the GUI (for sure the X-Air Edit) GUI isn't clear, plus some people don't get the concept of inserted FX versus send and return FX. So, probably might want to watch this other video and make sure you're not making a mistake there too that could be compounding the issue you're chasing.
ruclips.net/video/TV5ClH_MWrU/видео.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Hi Alan, thank you for responding so quickly. My problem was quickly solved after watching step 4 of your first recommended video (I was sending the bus to the main LR). After playing a live show with this issue and spending another 4hrs trying to solve this issue the next day, I was done. I finally understood how to apply FX correctly, by watching another of your videos, so I decided to reach out to you for this issue and I am so glad I did. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to help me out as I was not looking forward to performing again with this issues but now I am. Thank you for taking the time to make such helpful and informative videos to help guys like me.
Outstanding tips for the new/novice person on sound, and this comment is coming from a 40-year veteran.
Thanks!!
Damn…
That was good! Super useful!
Thanks!!
great stuff. Thanks!
Glad you liked it! Thanks!!
I actually high-pass the keyboards up to 98Hz to clear the low end to kick, floor tom and bass as well since they don't perform any basslines in my band's concert.
Very good point. Good tip. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Good info. Thank you. I have a question. When I plug in some Bluetooth in ears or a Bluetooth mic to the xair18, I stop having control on the iPad. The iPad cannot connect back to the xair WiFi. Why is that? Do I need a better antena?
The built in wifi in the XR18 is not very robust. Most people simply get an external router, and in particular a dual band router so they have a 5Ghz option too and not just 2.4G. It doesn't really need to be anything special, just a decent brand name dual-band router. Typically you'll fare much better using wifi with the dual band external router over the internal router. Like night and day better.
I'm not sure if the problem you're having is specifically related to BT, or if it's just coincidentally related to the router getting overwhelmed with 2.4G as it is known to do.
Also, an external router makes it easy to have a hardwired option always connected if you want.
There is always someone that will tell you they have the perfect settings and know something to make the internal wifi work just fine... But the reality is there are two kinds of XR users:
Those that have had the internal wifi crap out on them at a gig and give them trouble reconnecting... and those that WILL have the internal wifi crap out on them at a gig and give them trouble reconnecting.
A lot times people will say it crapped out on them at the worst possible time... their biggest gig yet. But, that makes sense, because big gigs, important gigs, likely mean gigs in places with a lot of people and a lot of wifi in use. And that takes us back to the problem of the XR18's internal wifi just not being very robust. The biggest gigs are generally the worst case scenarios for the internal wifi.
Question here. Just got this device and inputs 1-8 would not produce any sound. I get a signal, but no sound. 9-18 work perfectly. Is there something I am overlooking?
New, out of the box, it should already be configured properly. If it was a demo unit, or used, or someone didn't do a reset after testing then it's possible the first 8 channels are set as USB inputs instead of analog inputs. The channels can take their input either from the front XLRs or USB. And this can be done on a channel by channel basis.
You can just do a console reset to get back to factory settings if you haven't already... or you can take a look at the channel configuration and make sure the first 8 are set to analog input. The thing is, if they're not set to analog input, then who knows what else might be misconfigured, so a reinitialization is probably the best idea anyway.
In X-Air Edit you choose SETUP and in the CONNECTION tab "Initialize" is an option.
This video has a lot more info about the inputs and configurations/settings:
ruclips.net/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/видео.html
Hey Alan, I recently started using an xr16. I'm not very experienced with EQing vocals or acoustic guitars but found that the presets loaded for these sound good. how do you feel about the EQ presets?
I don't recall any EQ presets that came with the X-Air, although I know you can download X32 presets and use those. The XR has compressor and gate presets that are pretty good that you choose with buttons on the GUI of the comp or gate page.
The X32 channel presets are solid baselines... and if you downloaded those from the web and uploaded them to the XR16 then they should be good baselines (IIRC the gain doesn't transfer and possibly the polarity inverts... but that's easy enough to correct).
But other than that, I'm not aware of any EQ presets. Where did you get or find the presets?
Here’s my question which is related to EQ/Compressor and Gate setup for live-streaming.
When you assign Ch 1 & 2 for USB on a livestream through your computer, how your EQ/Compressor and Gate shall be like??? The same as your Channels??? Or the same as the Main???
It would be helpful to make a video about EQ/Gate/Compressor setup for USB-Live-streaming. Thx!
If you're coming off of the main out as your USB 1 and USB 2 feed to the stream, then all of your channels will be exactly what your EQ/Gate/comp settings are for the house... BUT.... your main L-R comp/EQ that is (or is not sent to the stream) will be dependent on the pick point you use in the routing setup for sending the mains to USB1 and USB2.
ruclips.net/video/aNlBOOhWbZw/видео.html
In the gain slider, I cannot see minus 18 because the lowest part of the gail fader is +12.
Look at the meter, not the gain slider. You're setting the gain to input meter's reading.
Hello Alan, thanks for this video. Do you know why is there a filter (on self channel) on vocal compressor preset (611 Hz) ? what is the effect ?
That section of the presets gets touched on in this video:
ruclips.net/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/видео.html
Basically, the filter isn't changing the sound itself, but changing the area of the signal that the compressor is keying off of for its threshold. So, it's mainly zeroed in on the middle of the vocal range. Lower notes or sibilance won't trigger the compressor because those are filtered out from reaching the threshold of the compressor (because those are to the left and right of the peak of the filter when you look at the signal on a graph..
But, the sound that is being compressed and outputted is still the full range signal. So that filter isn't changing the tone of the vocal.
It's probably easier to think about filtering when you think about a complete mix. If you have heavy low end (like a lot of kick, synth, and bass guitar), that stuff would take up a lot of space in the overall signal. And so would cause your house compression to kick in maybe sooner than you want. And maybe you want heavy compression on the house, but you want it more for vocals and guitars when THEY peak, not necessarily big kick hits or low synth or bass notes. So, you set the compressor up with a filter to filter the low end from reaching the detection portion of the compressor. So, now the stuff above the filter point triggers the compression when it reaches the threshold, but not the stuff that is filtered out.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio It's clear ! Thanks a lot. and i will watch the great video you mentioned.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio The gates have the same feature. Moving the filter down low keeps the snare from opening the gate constantly. Love this feature, but if you are unaware of it and the filters are set "wrong", it can work against you. And, as a veteran I found all these tips 100% basic and valid. I almost can't believe how many disagreed with them. They will eventually know exactly why these are "good practice" tips. They're just going to have to get yelled at a few times by performers for mixing with gain knobs and yelled at by venue owners for piercing peoples ear drums with feedback while they're eating dinner. Been there lol. I have a standard list in my head of where I set my low cut for just about every instrument and type of voice going. I even low cut my D112 at 30Hz. Outside gigs on windy days I've low cut the whole system at 40 because of the wind noise in all the mics. Cheers!
I just purchased an XR-18 today. Great video of the 5 mistakes. I plan on setting up seperate EQ's for each mointor send. Is this possible? Thanks for the help and video's.
Yes, each monitor send / output (Aux out) has a parametric EQ built in... and you can switch that to a Graphic EQ if you prefer graphics over parametric.
Check out this video on my channel for more info on monitor setup:
ruclips.net/video/5gzsEErKdb8/видео.html
I generally use the Graphic for wedges as it's a little more detailed when you need to ring out a monitor. For in ears, I usually use the Parametric if EQ is wanted.
MY XR18 just makes popping sounds no matter where i set input gain, master wont make any output at all unless turned all the way up and it sounds like clipping, but there is no actual sound coming out.. thoughts?
I'd reinitialize the console, if you haven't already. Don't reload a scene... just try to connect a mic to a channel and see if you can get it gained up and working correctly in the console. If you can't, it sure sounds like you have a faulty unit.
I used this before and am impressed with its utility. I’m thinking about buying this unit as both studio daw interface and as a live unit for band (I have a portable rack).
Is this a good unit for DAW Focusrite replacement and Mackie vlz replacement rolled into one? Less is more, right?
I think you'd be happy with it in that role. The amount of I/O options it gives you for band recording and monitoring in the studio is pretty hard to beat. And then the ability to use it live, gives you another level of flexibility. And then the built in FX, a comp and gate on each channel, PEQ on each output are things the VLZ doesn't give you for live.
If you're in research mode and didn't see this "overview" video yet (link at end of this post), I'd suggest watching it too. The real weakness of the unit is the built in wifi and this video talks about that as well as the positives. And the built in wifi issue is easily solved by not using it and just including a few extra dollars for an external dual band router... It's mainly an issue in crowded spaces (like a packed gig... ;) ).
ruclips.net/video/gTM7IdkCprk/видео.html
I asked myself the same question. Apparently the preamps aren’t as good as say, the focusrite ones and you can’t record past 48 khz. Another good reason to just use the XR18 live would be not having to take your studio apart every time you want to use it! Word of warning though do not get a focusrite interface! I have had nothing but trouble with mine for years. Save up and get an expensive one like a fireface. Trust me it will be worth it in the end.
Most of these tips go for any mixer really (including old analog knob farms). I would point out that HPF is pretty situation dependant. I don't HP acoustic guitars on a system without subs (2 way tops) because the lowest register of a guitar and the vocalist I've been mixing in the area aren't fighting for that space in the mix. This of course changes in a full band context. Also, the HPF frequency changes on a 4 string bass vs 5/6/+ string bass. 40 Hz is good on a 4 string, but 28-30 is better on low B basses (unless your speakers are farting out, which means it may be time to consider upgrading them). Still a very useful video. Even works on my 90's era fader desks
Thanks! Definitely correct that these tips can apply beyond the XR18, but if I made the video too wide ranging as for consoles, it would likely be too unfocused to be suggested to the target audience. And it would lead to confusion in many cases due to the visuals not matching what the user is using. Especially with the userbase experience being wide-ranging. Whereas, I know there are a lot of these consoles in use, and these topics are based on frequent forum questions, or service calls, to help that audience, and with the workflow and GUI they are familiar with.
You are definitely correct about HPF ranges, but I didn't want to get too far into the weeds and confuse things in the video. Likely, anyone with a system capable of sub-40Hz material, probably isn't using an XR18, or if they are, has a full understanding of it already anyway.
Thanks for commenting!
I'm sure you'd notice quickly, but I play a four string, tuned down full step and then dropped. So, low C. It's properly set up and intonates perfectly even though it sounds like it would be a nightmare lol. So, 28-30 for me thanks! lol Cheers!
Allan anyway you can make a video showing how to route the XR 18 to skype allowing the for audio from youtube to be heard by skype
I've not used it for Skype but I imagine the gist of the settings would be the same as in the OBS video on the channel. I'm on my phone or else I'd like it here
Greetings again! Great tutorials, I've got things rolling over here, thanks to you! Got another, hopefully simple, question:
If I set up scenes and shows on, say, my phone, and save them, I can't pull them up on another device, say, an Android tablet. Now, if I pull up a show and scene on my phone, I can see the changes being made on the tablet, but it doesn't save. Is this possible, or is there really one "master" device that has to hold all shows and scenes? My initial thought would be that they would mirror once saved, but to no avail. Thoughts?
Let me see if I follow... You save your show on your tablet, then later, use your phone, and can't save the same show (scene) on your phone?
Or are you thinking the scenes are saved inside the X-Air? ...Re-reading your question, that might be the disconnect. Scenes are saved in the control device (laptop, tablet, phone....).
BUT... I believe snippets (or snapshots) are stored in the X-Air itself. I've not actually confirmed that by doing it, but I've read it enough. And I think you can choose to save an entire show's worth of parameters via a snapshot.
I'm confident in the first paragraph that I'm telling you correctly... Not so confident in that second paragraph because I've not tried it... But pretty sure I've seen that discussed so it's worth an experiment to see if that is a workaround for what you're wanting to do.
BTW, Thanks for watching! :)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio massively helpful info thankyou alan
@@tronlady1 Thanks!
Great video
Thank you! 🙂
When adjusting the gain, do you set the fader to the lowest position?
Yes. Then slowly bringing it up after gain is set properly.
Hello Sir, Thanks for this info, it is helpful. I am having an issue playing music from an artist from the computer. We can hear the instrumentals and all but the vocals are very low. Your help is greatly appreciated!
I'm not sure I follow exactly... Is everything coming in from multiple tracks on the computer but the vocal tracks are weak? ...Or you have a mix of an already rendered file and the vocals are weak in the recording?... Or you have tracks with music and it's fine, but live vocals and the live vocals aren't loud enough?
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks sir. I figured it out. I had my computer audio cable hooked up in the wrong place of the X18.
@@timothyspitty7598 Good deal! I'm glad you figured it out. :)
Very good !!!
Thanks!!! :)
Hey, just a general question...
Can you control the XR18 with both iOS & computers, at the same time?
Im planning to have a PC in FOH, and iPad for moving about. Is this possible?
Assuming you don't use the built-in wifi on the XR18 (and you should not) and instead get an external router then you can definitely control it with multiple devices, including a hardwired PC and an iPad for walking around.
Technically, you could also connect both wirelessly, even with the built in wifi, but the hardwire makes for great redundancy in an emergency. The problem with the built-in wifi is it's not very robust and it also only is 2.4G. So, it gets overwhelmed pretty easily at a gig. And not many options to change that. The bigger the gig, the better than chance it will get overwhelmed and drop you, you not be able to log on, etc....
A dual-band external router, even a cheap one, is much more robust:
ruclips.net/video/gTM7IdkCprk/видео.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I see, thanks!
Have a solo question. Is there anyway to take that button off the iPad and computer so that students learning the sound don't accidentally hit it? That causes the speakers to go crazy. Thanks.
It sounds like someone has changed the default routing inside the XR... because solo shouldn't send anything to the mains normally.
In X-Air Edit, click on the IN/OUT button... then in the new window... tab over to MAIN OUT...
In the graph... Main should be 'attached' to MAIN LR in the graph.... and Phones should be 'attached' to Monitor.
There's also a 'Monitor' Setup in the SETUP screen but I don't think there's any way to change the monitoring there that would impact where solo routes to. Pretty sure your problem is in the above window that I mentioned and you have the MAIN attached to 'Monitor' in the graph.
Solo should only change what's heard in the headphones, not get sent to the mains for live uses. And for kids learning, you really want that working right because them learning to use the SOLO function for metering and listening to things in the headphones is a useful tool in the toolkit for an audio engineer.
FWIW... this problem happens on the X32 sometimes because it has a L-R Cue out and some people mistake that for the actual L-R out. In this case, the cue outputs are to feed engineer monitors so you CAN solo to a live speaker or speakers, but still not send it to the house. But if they connect the mains there, it is the exact same symptom you are experiencing. It's just on the XR Behringer didn't add the extra outs and just makes that an option in the routing for situations (like maybe a studio) where you might want it working that way.
Hello, how do I put effect only in a monitor? Thanks
Hello. I have a video that shows this and talks about the different options to consider when routing FX to the monitors. There are a couple of different ways to do it, depending on your end goal and maybe some compromises... or where you can't compromise (which this explains that option too):
ruclips.net/video/e_XsfTV36vU/видео.html
Hey Alan
Quick question …
Do you ever mess with your “main” EQ?
Like ok I get it you eq every channel individually depending on instruments, but do you ever tweak your MAIN eq?
As you would tweak a aux mix .
Or do you just leave it flat
Thank you
Definitely tweak the main EQ but it's very room dependent and usually very small changes... and many times is flat or almost flat. The system processor already has the dedicated speaker settings in it, so the speakers are pretty neutral as-is. Then it's just a matter of subjective decisions in some cases, and room decisions in others (and speaker placement). IOW, if the room is highly reflective and 4K or 6K is prone to feedback... then I'd look to cut 3...4...6dB there.
With software like Smaart you can take a lot of the guesswork out of the equation by comparing the sound of what is leaving the console with what is leaving the speakers and in the room where your measurement mic(s) would be. And it accounts for the time domain as well.
But with the XR18 and X32 you have the RTA function you can do a simpler version of that with a live mic(s). It's going to show you if you're hot at 60Hz, or 160Hz, or that 4K I mentioned above. If there's a ring, it will show it to you. You can generally find 2 or 3 points that are a bit hot. After that you start chasing your tail to cut more than that. A few dB applied surgically to 1, 2, or 3 spots is about all you need in most cases before the subtractive EQ turns into destructive EQ. Especially when just working by ear and/or the RTA.
You can still do the old system ringing out method for FOH just as you could for monitors. It's not perfect compared to something like Smaart and is rather down and dirty. But it's still effective.
ruclips.net/video/pu0xjl0rpMU/видео.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you so much master
Hola!
Hace un año compramos está consola y estaba funcionando muy bien pero el programa en la computadora (Windows 10) dejo de funcionar, se abre , se congela y se cierra la aplicación.
¿alguna solucion?
Abra esta dirección en la computadora:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming
Elimine la carpeta X-Edit y su contenido de esta ubicación.
Reinicie X-Edit y vea si eso solucionó el problema.
These are useful tips for people trying to mix who’ve never learned to, but nothing really specific to the XR18.
Yes, but for anyone coming to the XR18 from something like an analog console, and limited experience with this amount of processing, this has information that applies directly to them (Moreso the user of the XR18 than the XR18 itself). Things that they might not have experience with, and is shown using the XR18 so they can directly relate and follow along.
It's the same reason I did the X32 version of this video, because anyone in the same boat with an X32 wasn't likely to click on a link for XR18 information, even though it's cross platform information in many ways. And then the X32 video uses the X32 surface more, which they should be more able to directly relate to.
Although, the X32 version does go somewhat more in depth.
But the information, aside from the GUI or physical surface, is cross platform information.
The affordability of the XR18, and even the X32, has a lot of people using them, sometimes as their first foray into live sound, or first more in depth foray. Either for bands, or as volunteers on the tech team at a church or students at schools, etc...
@@AlanHamiltonAudio hmm... good point. In that case it should be helpful info. I'm surprised you didn't have any info about not using the internal wifi since that always seems to be the number one item for everyone that they unfortunately learn the hard way. Either way, good info all around. Maybe put a link to the X32 video in the description to cross reference for ppl?
@@WarLooch I thought I did have a link to it, but your comment made me check and I didn't. So I've added that. And while I was adding to the description I dropped in a comment about the internal wifi.
Thanks!
Could make a video of how to setup XR18 for an external effect in cubase
Unfortunately, I don't have Cubase to experiment with and try. So, no real experience with Cubase. Sorry! :(
Hey do you have any suggestions, I have a backing track playing. I have it hard panned left and right with a double XLR to 3.5. my problem is that the when I mute the click track on the main left and right channel, it gets unmuted when I try and add click to the bus headphone mixes. Any idea what's up? Thanks, currently pulling my hair out.
The bus also seems to effect the eq when I change it for the monitors. I'm sure there's a simple solution but I'm not having much luck finding it😅
@@tommurrayGTR I'm not sure I follow exactly what you're saying is happening... But if I am getting it... Have you made sure that the monitor send (aux out in the master section) is NOT assigned to L-R?
@@tommurrayGTR I run a similar system, I have left track with click running into its own channel, and the FOH right side to the next channel. So firstly you should use 2 channels to achieve this simply. If you want to send me your XR Scene I can look at it for you.
Quick question... the -18db thing. Is that also the case when I setup the gain from the iPad app? I don’t imagine it would be any different, but just curious. Set them to peak at around -18db no matter what app I’m using to control it?
Their calibration might not be perfect across the platforms (I'm not sure about that), but the gist of it remains true. So, yes, go with that -18dBdBFS and stay with the consistency.
And to add to my other comment, it can peak a little above that. Especially if you're dealing with a source with a lot of dynamic range.
Thank you, Alan!
Hi Alan, any tips on handling people that speak softly into a mic. Pulling up the gain runs the risk of feedback
That's a tough one. Assuming we're talking a band and not a conference, keeping the stage volume under control so you're not fighting stage volume in the house and trying to get a weak vocal over that.
Speaker placement.
One thing to be aware of is some people will shrink away if they hear themselves too well in the monitors. It might be worth a test to see if their vocals are too loud in their mix (or somewhere onstage) causing them to back away/tone it down to get their vocals down in their ears or wedges. They might even like the idea of being 'too loud' in their mix so that they can physically control it themselves (mic technique, singing quieter) due to some past bad experiences with mons. But that can be overdone to the point it hurts FOH.
Usually, if the house is tuned well, and speakers placed properly, it's hard to have a problem with a vocalist being so weak they can't be heard in the house. If the house is big enough. Mons is where it becomes the real problem. But it can be both places in the right circumstances.
Make sure any compression is actually helping and not just making things worse taking volume away.
You can use something like SMAART to tune the system (if it hasn't been set already)... Or at least ring it out with your RTA. But don't forget 2-3... maybe 4 cuts is really about it. It becomes a situation with diminishing returns and creating new problems after a bit.
Instruct them to speak loudly as if they weren't using a PA. If they won't then it's not your fault that they can't be heard.
What would cause a stereo device to sound fine in the main mix, but sound like a polarity issue on another set of aux sends?
My first thought is something wrong with the cabling/adapters on the aux sends.
I don't know if you might see something in this video talking about balanced and unbalanced lines and mixing them that might lead to an answer or not.
ruclips.net/video/UiauwFEFe_k/видео.html
What's the damage if the MR18 doesn't connect to the LAN cable or WiFi?
I've only seen that happen once for someone, and unfortunately it was a hardware problem with the mixer itself.
Is it necessary to install an internal fan for this unit? It runs pretty hot. Some days I have 30 and even 35C in my room. It's pretty small, the humidity is around 30-40%
I want this mixer to live as long as possible without repairs.
It's not necessary for normal conditions. Obviously, a fan can't hurt. You should make sure if it's in a rack it's got room to breathe and the rack is ventilated. And that you don't put the rack in direct sunlight or next to a heat vent. And ideally not in a rack with heat generating items like amps. And if it is in a rack with amps, make sure there's some distance and it's not tight packed on the hot amp(s).
If it is in a rack with amps, then that might be a case to add some fans and ventilation to the racks.
If it's not in a rack and just sitting lose, then just making sure it's in shade should be sufficient. But if it's 100degF outside, then a fan isn't going to hurt in those kind of conditions.
Hi there 🖐🏻 You sound very knowledgeable. I have a problem not getting sound. Is there some sort of setting that I am not aware of? We tried with a different mixer and speakers work! But I can't quite get this one to work on sound. Sorry I am a no0b...
On X-Air Edit (PC or Mac) if you go to Setup at the top right, and then choose Initialize, it will reset the console. The default settings should have everything ready for sound.
Connect a mic, set the gain, bring the main fader up to unity, and then bring the channel fader up slowly as you talk into the mic. You 'should' get sound.
There are several things that could be misconfigured, so initializing the mixer will get you back to a baseline that should work. And if it doesn't work... you know you have a problem somewhere... not just a setting issue. One of the common things that could be misconfigured is you could have the channels set to USB instead of A/D. To use the preamps and plug directly into the console, you need the channels set to A/D. But, initializing the console resets the channels to A/D so it would fix it as well as assign channels to the L-R (main outs) if they were accidentally turned off... or the mains or channels re-routed.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks for this info 👍🏻 I will try these suggestions & get back to you with results.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks for quick response & help! We firegured out speakers are direrectionals & needed an amp.
@@calinewsdude Cool. Glad you got it figured out.
Hello! I have the XR-18 and several Shure SM7B`s, but I cannot get the gain high enough. Do I really need a cloudlifter? When setting the gain to +18 I am not reaching more than -30 db when really shouting in the mic...can anyone help?
I don't have a Shure SM7B to actually check this with. I assume they must have lower output than most typical mics, or the Cloudlifters and similar devices would be relegated to snake-oil land.
Dear Shure : Send me a #Shure SM7B to test! ;)
But I'm surprised that a modern mic wouldn't have enough juice to drive a modern console (within normal parameters, and without a Cloudlifter type device).
All of that said.... there's +60dB of gain in the XR18. You're not just turning the gain knob to +18dB and calling it a day are you? Set that gain knob/slider wherever it needs to be so that your input METER is hitting -18dBFS on average (like most of the time) as you talk/sing/yell into the mic, and peaking higher. Even if that means using the full 60dB of gain to get it there.
Just don't let it peak, or threaten to peak, all the way to 0dB on the input meter.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I will work some more on this, and thanks for your input Alan! I am also using the SM7B on a Rodecaster Pro, where there are no issues regarding gain...so thats why I was wondering if I did anything "wrong" on the XR18
Just turn it up to +30 or +40 if you need lol
When he says set it to -18 he means on the meter. The number on the slider doesn't mean much.
I agree with every point that you made here.
Thanks!
Add a sixth...NEVER use the internal WIFI adapter.
Why
In a rehearsal setting with direct line of sight/no physical obstructions the internal router will do. The moment you fill a club and that unit is in a rack on the floor it will begin to drop out. I've had this happen a few times once the crow fills in. Losing control of a mix as the band is playing is never a good thing. Use your own WIFI router and hard wire it into the XR. Place that unit up above the crowd and things work much better. There is not a lot of signal strength in or out with the internal option. @@nosebleed1242
Can you please give us some suggestion which WIFI adapter should be used instead internal WIFI adapter?
@@fantomimicar any home use modem will work 10 times better
@@nosebleed1242 thank you for quick response 👍
Ohhh ok, All 5 are also basic tips to practice on any mixer, except you’re using the XR18. That’s what I was referring to.
I’m a live music video engineer and use this in my home office or on the go multitrack recording if needed
- gain structure (especially if you’re multitracking)
- activating channel (don’t blow your PA lol)
- set your gain
- using high pass
- EQ
Landed on this because my XR18 bricked, powers on but no communication in the USB tree, wifi, LAN. Reset the XR18 and router; bricked nothing. Just powers on. Probably not using Behringer any longer, they offer zero support and I think they’re are HQ’d in Dubai?
Can you suggest a beginners tutorial for these mixers, I’m a dinosaur so don’t understand most of the terms used, but am interested in the XR12 for my 4 piece band.
I have two Bose L1 systems that we mainly only used for vocals with a Behringer 1222 mixer but I’ve never been happy with the sound.
We are now playing small clubs and bars etc so we have been running the bass and kick/snare through the mixer so we can bring the stage volume down, I have never been involved in any of this before, the bands I have been in were all ‘plug in to your amp control your own volume and play and hope to balance everyone’s sound that way’ .
The wireless features of the XR mixers appeal to me but I get lost with the terms since I’ve never controlled the mix in any previous bands.
Anyhoo, great tutorial for this device.
Greetings from New Zealand
Thanks
Mike.
Thanks for the idea! I wonder if I did a 'starting out' type of tutorial, and then linked to other videos in the library, within that video, to interconnect to deeper concepts if that would be a good way to do it?
I just made some additional playlists this morning to separate out the existing videos a little better if you haven't seen my other videos on the XR18/ X air/
ruclips.net/p/PLWtgwSNlxTjOt3tyG7cYXrmSleKXHlepj
That’s awesome, thanks for the quick response, how is the music scene where you are?
We are getting used to the “new normal” here although things are pretty good in general, no real restrictions any longer, apart from border control being fairly strict still, people are back at bars, cafes parks etc.
Thanks
@@rubberbandlevin No real concerts here to speak of. There were a few socially distanced outdoor things in summer here and there for the industry. We had Trace Adkins in late July or Aug and that was about it. With cold weather here, there aren't many viable options for shows of any real size.
I think there are bar bands getting a few gigs randomly here in Indiana but that is about it in this region. Some places don't even have that.
I've been over and over your videos and I've yet to see anything about what is undoubtedly the most misunderstood feature on a mixer.
Could you please explain to all the novices how important it is to engage the talent button?
LOL...
I probably could also do a video on how to improve drum sounds... which is sometimes as simple as changing the nut on the drum throne!
RIMSHOT! ;)
I’m embarrassed, but I don’t mind. Thanks for confirming a suspicion about my church mix feedback issues.
Thanks! I'm glad it could help!
Question: it seems like the last driver (windows) came out in 2017. Is this something to be worried about if I also use it as an interface in my recording studio? I used to have terrible issues in the past with an NI i/o that just had no support two tears after I bought it. Thanks!
I'm seeing the latest driver being 2019. XR18 Windows-Driver 4.59
I don't think they will be abandoning the XR18 anytime soon, and if Windows was do to something to break the driver, I'd expect Behringer to fix it ASAP.
They came out with the Midas version of the XR18 (MR18) some time after the XR18, so the platform has some life left in it.
I've had great luck with the XR18 as an audio interface for Reaper.
It's great having the 16 mic pres, and 2 aux channels. Plus all the monitor routing it has, so I can give each musician a sep mon mix. I've been using the Behringer ear packs and Sony 7506 headphones for that.
Plus, with all the channels, I can route the click in Reaper to the drummer by himself, and anyone else if they want it... and how much of it they want.
Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it! That sounds great, I also use Reaper so you got me there :) I originally intended to go for the scarlett 18i20 but it seems that this might be the better choice, and might also open a possibility to work venues, when that'll be an option again. Another question, if you will: long run - is the Midas a better investment, considering the Neutrik plugs and the supposed better pres? The difference now for me would be about 200 usd on Thomann. Thanks again!
@@AmitEshbal I've not directly compared the XR18 to the MR18. ASSUMING the difference in pres are the same as the difference in the X32 and M32, then allegedly the pres would be quieter because there are some actual measurements showing they are quieter (versus someone's opinion ;) ). But it's not like the XR18 is noisy. Whether the MR18 pres are 'warmer' like some people say of the M32 vs X32... I don't know. I've never had the chance to directly compare them.
Is the warranty on the Midas MR18 10 years like the M32?
I wouldn't let the Neutrik plugs sway me... but I might let the warranty sway me.
But it depends on how important that USD200.00 is to your decision. For a dedicated recording setup, I might go for that. But you're not going to be hating life if you have to get the XR18 instead to put that 200.00 towards a mic... or food ;)
I bought the XR for a smaller mixer for small events when it didn't make sense to haul a larger console around. And I sold off all of the analog consoles except for 2-8 channel ones. For 16 channel or larger, everything is digital.
So its use as an audio interface is secondary (but getting plenty of use that way during this downtime)... For a live show, and sometimes even conferences and not even music, there's no way that an event that only needs a 16 channel mixer would benefit enough having the MR18 that it would be worth it overall on that side of the equation.
I don't think you can go wrong.
But one word of warning, if you haven't already heard this:
The cost of the XR18 (or MR18) is whatever it costs, plus an external dual band router. You absolutely don't want to rely on the built in wifi. For lack of a better word, it's just not very 'robust'. It might work fine in the country, and it might work fine in the city at soundcheck... but when the doors open, the crowds come in, the sidewalks fill with nightlife AND everyone has their cellphones out... It will fall on its face leaving you high and dry at the worst possible moment.
The internet is filled with cautionary tales about this.
There's always someone saying it's all crazy and they have the super-secret perfect setup because they consider themselves a bit of an IP expert... But they're just on the wrong side of this equation:
There are only people who've have the built in wifi fail at a gig, and those who have not had it fail... yet!
It's not a 'failure' per se'. It's not broken. It'll work again when the venue clears out, or when you get it back home. It's just not robust enough to handle the traffic.
Wow, very in depth, thanks! Yes, if I'll use it outside I'm sure to buy an external router. I mainly intend to use it for multi-channel recording and for band practice. So from all you've written I understand that it is good enough for what I need, and I'm guessing that no mix technician would be upset if he got sources I recorded with either the 18 units, right? I find it hard emotionally to let go of the shiny 18i20 and go for the behringer :) but maybe that's the better option even if my main use will be producing and recording.
And regarding the midas, yeah 10 years shpws a lot of confidence in the product which is reassuring, even before I know whether or not they have a rep here in Israel
@@AmitEshbal Yeah, I doubt anyone would be upset with tracks from either unit.
Simple, basic sound advice. Good video.
Thanks!
very informative tnx
Glad it was helpful!
me again. Trying to figure out my latest mistake. Maybe something simple but not seeing it. First month with XR-18 went pretty well, dialing things in a little better every week. BUT had an issue last week. I use what is essentially the same "scene" each week. Unexpectedly I seem to have lost the ability to solo.. more specifically, it appears that I am permanently stuck soloing aux 6 even though no solo buttons are selected anywhere, certainly not the aux 6 master solo button. HP's are obviously not giving me the LR mains since I can mute the main fader and still hear everything routed to aux 6; they follow the mix/aux 6 master. Monitor setting is still on L/R. Solo "post" selected... no "Dim" chosen on either. I could solo individual channels fine the previous week and don't believe I changed any settings- other than a Wi-Fi channel change to improve the connection. Should I save my scene to my pc and initialize the mixer? Will I get all my settings back if I do this? Help! Thanks.
In the "In/Out" section (button top right of X-Air Edit) what does the routing for your 'phones' show when you click the Main Out tab?
It should be in the "montor' box of the graph. That way it follows what you setup in the Monitor settings in the setup page. Technically, it can't be setup to follow Aux 6, but it can be setup to follow different USB sources... so you might have two things going on: It be setup to follow a USB source, and your Aux 6 bus (or maybe an aux 6 source) outputting to a USB source.
That's my first guess.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Mains are set to Main L/R and Phones are set to Monitor. In the X-Air App there is s Monitor section with a pull down menu where you select LR (with pre/post options) or individual aux sends. I thought that also chose what specifically routes to the HP. Wonder what it actually does then? Aux 6 output works normally since it feeds our livestream.
Yeah, the Monitor section in Setup would typically be: Monitor Source - LR AFL
Channel Solo - PFL
Bus Solo - PFL
Do you have your scene saved to your computer where you could email it to me?
It sounds like you have it setup right just from what you've said but maybe if I loaded it up in front of me I'd see something.
I think my email address is in the About part of my channel page. LMK if it's not. I'm afraid if I put it here, the bots will get ahold of it! ;)
I am thinking of getting this unit to sub-mix my drums and running it into our X32. I personally want more control of my own sound mix. My kit is 6 to 7 drums at times. I have an analog mixer but I am not thrilled with the sound. Would this run seamlessly with the X32?
As long as you have thought thru the complete monitoring scenarios and you can get where you need to be it should work. It's not going to connect digitally via AES50 because the XR doesn't have that connection... but for a connection via analog like a normal submixer scenario it would work.
But if you bring all your drums into the the XR, mix them, and then send them to the X32 via a L-R mix from the XR, then monitors from the X32 only have that full drum mix available. For example, someone can't hear just the kick. Or everything except cymbals. They can only get from the X32 what you're sending it as the drum submix.
Of course you could break that out more using the XR18 XLR aux outs and send (for example) 4 lines... or even up to 8 lines out. So, in theory you could send a separate kick and snare to the X32 (or whatever needed separated) for monitor mix preferences. But then that gets away from the full L-R submix you're trying to create and gives FOH more channels and more control. Which might be fine for your end goal... or not...
Usually, monitor sends is what people forget about when they start planning a submix scenario using a second console. But as long as you think through that and it does what you want, then there's plenty of horsepower and options to dial in a solid drum mix in the XR18.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio
Thank you for that timely reply.
I have thought of the limitations of the submix as you say as a whole. In addition, I did think of the possibility of sending a separate send for snare and bass drum , so that's good we're thinking alike. I guess the best way is try it out, and see what works best.
At the bigger venues, we've had professional sound guys mic my kit and it turned out wonderful. I'm trying to find that fine line between a mediocre drum mix and those pro guys. We do have sub woofers speakers when we're outside as well.
What is the purpose of the AES 50?
I've been using the standard Shure drum mics. PG56s. What do you recommend. The ones I have seem pretty avg.
@@olympiawashdrummer AES50 is what the X32/M32 platform has for a digital connection between consoles and stage racks. Eliminating an analog snake. You can even eliminate an analog splitter for mon and FOH consoles (though you have to deal with gain sharing in that case).
But the X-Air platform doesn't have AES50. Sometimes people get confused since it does have that Ultralink port on the front and think that is AES50. And once they make that mistake, they think the XR18 can make a cheap 16x8x2 stagebox for the X32 vs one of the dedicated boxes like the Midas DL32. But it can't.
Drum mics... the can of worms debate with no real right or wrong answers (mostly...) ;)
This video talks about drum mics:
ruclips.net/video/uXGug5smBrQ/видео.html
Far and away the most requested mic is the Shure Beta 52 for kick. And the Shure Beta 52 out with the Shure Beta91 In is the most requested combo for in and out mics.
But are those the 'best'? Well, you'll find people that claim to hate them. If we rewind several years, everyone wanted the AKGD112E. Then slowly THOSE went into the "they suck" category for a lot of people, replaced by the Shure Beta 52. But you can still find people that love the AKGD112 and swear they hate the B52.
The truth of the matter is, in 2023, making mics isn't rocket science and so even budget mics can be 'ok' if you look around and make sure the reviews are reasonable. You have to be careful though, because some people will stick a budget mic in a poorly tuned kick, apply poor EQ techniques to the mic (and possibly other processing questionably used) and then declare the budget mic "sucks". They expected the kick drum mic to be the magic bullet. Then they'll buy a more expensive mic, and to them, it'll suck too. Eventually, they'll probably get an even different mic, and have someone help with their rig, and suddenly they'll think they finally found "the mic!".
I like other mics besides the B52 too. It might not even be my first choice if I was touring with a band and carrying my own mics... BUT... as a provider, I KNOW it will be requested often. Also, engineers touring without a mic package KNOW they can request a B52 and 99% of the time the provider will have it. So there's a level of consistency there.
SM57's still sound fine to me on toms, but they're too fragile for flailing drummers and will not take stick hits well. I like the Senn E604s for toms (and sometimes I will use it on the snare too). Those are quick to deploy. Sound good... and will take a hit with no problem.
Usually, the snare SM57 can be positioned a little more out of the line of fire, but I also like a B57 (or B56) on snare and those WILL survive stick hits. So my go to is a Beta 57 or Beta 56 on snare, but LOTS of people still use an SM57 on the snare.
Shure KSM32's are nice IMO for OH's... But SM81's are good too. AKG are also good. In a small venue you're not even going to need OH's... and if the rig does not have a super nice top end, or the cymbals are not all that weak by themselves coming off the stage and just need a little help, then any nuances between mics will be lost anyway. So, a budget (within reason) pair of condensers can suffice for overheads and another for hats.
The PG's aren't bad. It's hard to say if changing mics would improve anything because it's hard to know if you're optimizing what you have yet. But, they are not on par with the next level mics either. Yet that said, they aren't miles apart either. They won't make or break your drum sound. The difference isn't that huge. A little more EQ, a little less EQ... can make all the difference in the world. Even a placement change sometimes.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio
Thank you Alan.
can this device be connect the ipad to play multi-tracks, as well as connecting live instruments through the xlr to play at the same time?
Yes it can. You assign USB on a channel by channel to record or playback. Use Logic is best. Unlike X32 which is playback assigned in blocks of 8.
@@PanRider939 cheers
Oh P.S. easiest way might be to mix multi tracks down to a Stereo Mix and just use AUX in. Or USB to a digital interface like Focusrite Scarlet
When you said Set the input to -18, do you mean the fader or the gain control?
Set the gain control so that signal meter is hitting -18dBFS as your source is playing or singing/testing mic at performance levels at soundcheck.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I don't grasp this as my Xair 18 only allows me to adjust the the gain as low as -12dB. Do you mean +18db and not -18dB
@@andalusianflamenco Are you looking at the channel meters and the Solo/PFL meters? That is what I'm referencing that you adjust you control for... so that the signal/meter hits the -18dBFS region on the meter.
It sounds like you're looking at the numbers on the gain control itself, not what the signal is hitting on the meters.
This video might help since it's almost entirely about the subject of gain setting (and signal flow) on the XR18 / X-Air:
ruclips.net/video/dM8aYehOTyI/видео.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio You are right Alan, that is what I was looking at; the gain control level itself. I see the mistake I made in misunderstanding your explanation in the 1st of the 5 common mistakes on this video. I apologize and appreciate you taking the time to respond and the link to your other video! Thanks so much!
@@andalusianflamenco No problem at all! Glad to help. Thanks for watching! :)
Great content. I love the hi pass / low pass filter tip. Would you make a video on how to use the USB recording please.? I have looked at every single RUclips video for this and have not been able to record off of my xr18. I have also emailed behringer they have sent me the same instructions of which I have not been able to decipher as well. It all comes down to USB ins and outs and I have gotten some kind of signal into my mixing app but it seems like the signal is coming in the same channel and going out the same channel which is what is described should be happening but it seems to interfere very erratic and makes a chattering, feed back kind of noise which is just horrible. And I have been trying to do this connected to my cell phone through a USB cable and a mixing app. I have been trying to not use my laptop since it's very inconvenient since I am playing an instrument singing, lining out the band doing the sound engineering etc etc. Please help, thanks again.
Are you talking about like what I have in this series or something different?
ruclips.net/video/ZSQcexcIbec/видео.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Something different. Every video talks about using a laptop or computer to connect the XR18 and set them up to record. I have been trying to use my cell phone (LG V60) with a "mixing app" like n-Track9 or Band Studio. All these apps say you can use them with any DAW and make your own music. I would think these apps work just fine when you use the sounds samples or plug ins they come with so you can make music without any instruments. They also advertise recording your own voice and that means there will be an audio signal coming into the app and would make it to where these apps should work with the external DAW's like they advertise. I have not been able to make the n-Track9 work with my XR18 . I am going to try the Band Studio app next. I need to poit out that I solely use my XR18 with the Android app X-Air off my cell phone. This app works great. I don't see on RUclips videos on how to set up the X-Air app to record while using a phone app. I try to go off the same steps that every video has on the of the usb send and returns and ins and outs and apply them to the X-Air app but it doesn't work. One reason may be because that the X-Air app and XR18 laptop software is slightly laid out differently and the icons are a little different. So to clarify: I am using the XR18 mixer, X-Air app, n-Track9, usb type C to usb cable and an LG V60 phone. Thank you for your response.
@@nailgunnelli I'll have to give one a try and see what I can come up with when I get a chance. I've not tried using any of those apps.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you for your response! I'm subscribing to your channel now and I hope this gives you a good idea for your next video. Happy holidays to you and your family Alan!
@@nailgunnelli I'm working on a Aux Fed subs video for later this week (might not get it finished until early next week), and then I think I'll try and tackle your video idea, so be on the lookout for it... if I can get it to work myself! ;)
Alan, whats the easiest way to send the mains output to a monitor bus, sometimes when I'm playing with my Duo i wanna hear what the FOH sounds like since I'm doing sound from the drums/percussion position ?
You only want to hear the mains for a bit and then switch back to your regular mon mix? In that case, take your monitor feed from the headphone out... Solo your monitor feed. That way it's feeding your mon mix to the headphone out. Solo the L-R when you want to hear the L-R (house) mix, then switch back to soloing your mon mix when you want to hear your mon mix.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Can I still get the EQ/FX I have going to mix 2 (My IEM) coming out of the headphone jack when soloed ?
@@miken5502 Yes. Your mix when soloed will be the same as what you'd normally hear.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio sorry to bog you down with questions. I currently use an aux send for my monitor mix and I use the headphone jack for an outboard zoom recorder to capture my audio is there any way to send the left and right main mix to an aux send? I do understand that I could send an aux send to the zoom recorder but then I need more adapters, etc..
@@drneilandmikeduo9161 It's simple enough to send a clone of the house mix to your mons, as your mons, but to be able to switch back and forth, I can't think of another way that is simple.
Do one on the best outboard router to get that you can confidently use to do a wireless mix.
I need to do a shootout... I've never really had an issue with the ASUS RT-N56U or the TP Link 1750 (at least after updating firmware on the older one of two 1750s).
But I've never tried an A-B comparison to see if one does better than the other. But, both have been absolutely fine, so I've never had a reason to need anything more out of either.... yet... ;)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio are there lot's of people are using their cell phones?
@@waimeaguyz9074 Yes. A few thousand people.
I would argue that these are more "general purpose" tips for any FOH or engineer working with mixers, period.
The first tip is the only one that honestly would've got me for a second before realizing the different scale but other than that, it's ok for the faders and the "no mixing with gain" stuff.
I'm not that keen on high passing EVERYTHING, especially on smaller gigs which this mixer is designed for, I would argue that gates would be better for unwanted super low rumbles or hisses from amps, and that realistically you won't have anything destroying your speakers at a relatively low scale.
For the last part, over EQ-in could mean more than just one thing (which I assume is boosting in this case), I would say that it's better to not boost and cut without knowing what to do, but that it would be rather better to cut where needed and then "start" adding from there to properly mix something and let it cut thru the mix and stand out.
I would've added a section dedicated to gates and compressors, which are pretty easy to mess up especially if someone picks up an XR18 without having previous experience with all this stuff.
I'm not sure why there'd be any reason NOT to use the HPF. Unlike many analog consoles that the XR18 replaces, the XR18 has a fully variable HPF. It's not just a fixed frequency button where using it could mean the cutoff is too high for some things. It's a variable control. Therefore, you have full control of where to begin the roll-off. Variable control was mainly only found on expensive analog consoles (or larger digital consoles) until these smaller units became available.
Beyond that, I don't understand why you'd say not to use the HPF in the case of smaller gigs where these mixers would more typically be deployed. Huh??? That is exactly where you'd DEFINITELY want to deploy it because you likely won't at all have the subs or sheer power to feed and reproduce those lows in the system. Let alone waste scarce headroom on lows the system can't reproduce anyway. In fact, it could even be a case where you'd want to use an even higher cutoff than the instrument's cutoff. In that case, because the system isn't capable of reproducing 30Hz on the kick, or whatever the case might be anyway.
At the least, you'd want a system HPF.
But if you're also using the console for a stream or record feed, then you'd also want a proper channel high pass on the instruments and vocals for what is going to the stream.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio My nigga u crazy, calm down for the love of god