CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 17, 2014 CMS Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Okay, so Day 1 was getting the mixer, setting it up per the 5 steps outlined in the quick start guide. First try, it showed "Device not supported". Okay, try again. Reboot iPad, mixer, etc. and now it's connected. Hook up some inputs, and connect a pair of speakers. It passes audio. Proceed with trying out some mixing basics. Everything works. Take a break, shut it all down. Come back, restart everything. Back to Square 1. "Not connected" "Device not supported". Okay, it's training me now. Go through same restarts, undock/redock. It works again.Now I'm concerned. I do another shut down, and restart, and this time it's happy and connected. Proceed with checking out SRM speakers for reviews. Shut down for the night.This morning, I go back and fire up the rig. SAME OLD PROBLEM. Not connected, device not supported. I go through all the stuff that worked yesterday. This time, it connects on the second try, but all settings from yesterday are gone, and it's not passing audio. The gain knob signal indicators show signal. But nothing on the mixer. I tap on the "connected" icon, and it shows the wired device as ". It stays on this for 20 minutes while I attend to other matters.I return, and it's still in the same state. More shutdown, reboot, undock, redock, in any manner of different ways. Same results: randomly won't connect, or will connect and won't find the iPad name, so it can't sync.After literally 7 tries, it finally decides to see that there's a Master Fader app, and prompts me to choose a show, and syncs. And it passes audio. Eureka? Hardly.If I was using this for a real show, I'd have literally thrown it across the room. No joke. Whether I would have had the iPad docked during that flight is up for debate.I am NOT impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 17, 2014 Members Share Posted January 17, 2014 To me, this is not part of the quality audio experience regardless of the brand, the device or whatever. I don't have any desire to worry about crap like this, I want to be able to devote 100% of my attention and reources to mixing, both the art and the mechanics of mixing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 17, 2014 Author CMS Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 It gets better; the newest problem is that after running an hour or so the mixer surface shows no signals and doesn't respond at all. It still says its connected and running the wired DL806. I undock and redock. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Third time...it "sees" the iPad again, and starts working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 Ron, It's easy to make such comments when sitting in an armchair. In the real world, things don't always behave the way you speculate. To insist that they do does not match what I have seen out there. Wireless signal gets blocked, signal changes, it bounces, it gets corrupted or interrupted even under good circumstances. With most (we do) venues, foh is well over 100 ft from stage, so distance can be a problem. The 2 bigger venues in town are close to 200' from foh to stacks. Wired networks are used between foh and stage. Fortunately most events have a monitor board so the ME can set up mixes wirelessly but also reverts back to the control surface for the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cappttenron Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 I ran into a band using this system a few months ago and asked them how they like it. They had good success with it but then again they aren't a national act either and if it goes down for a few minutes its not the end of the world. If I'm running a show at a larger venue where people have paid a fair amount of money to see an act am I going to be concerned about another set of variables not under my control. Hell Yeah We cant even keep up a wired network up 99.9 percent of the time at work with a full time IT staff riding herd. My two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 agedhorse wrote: With most (we do) venues, foh is well over 100 ft from stage, so distance can be a problem. The 2 bigger venues in town are close to 200' from foh to stacks. Wired networks are used between foh and stage. Do yous guys use binoculars to see what's going on on-stage ? 75 feet is about as far as I'm comfortable with. And there's no reason you can't run a router wired back to FOH if that's what you need. Since you seem to be posting from FOh quite often I assume you've found a way to make that work? Fortunately most events have a monitor board so the ME can set up mixes wirelessly but also reverts back to the control surface for the show. That's what I do with the DL1608, except the ME's "control surface" happens to be the same wireless or docked. In any case I'm not saying you have to give up your physical knobs - but if you have a use for wireless mixing it can be made to work in most cases without a lot of drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 Yes, I do have binoculars, it's one of the tools of the trade for larger venues. Posting on a forum from foh is far different than relying on a wireless network connection for mixing. Made to work in most cases just isn't good enough when you are a provider of services with higher expectations than many here find good enough. It's similar to why some of you can't understand why an engineer would require an analog console only (tonight is a no digital console acceptable night). There are other people's expectations that must also be satisfied and when they sell out they get what they ask for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dbMontana Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 So Tommy's an analog kind of guy huh? Let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 agedhorse wrote: It's similar to why some of you can't understand why an engineer would require an analog console only (tonight is a no digital console acceptable night). There are other people's expectations that must also be satisfied and when they sell out they get what they ask for. I'm not sure there is anyone here that wouldn't rather have a nice big analog console and all the outboard when they are mixing a one-off. OTOH most of us would rather not hump it all themselves and have to set it up and break it down - and it is really a plus to be able to roam the stage with a surface when setting up the monitors and doing a line check if you don't have a crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 19, 2014 Members Share Posted January 19, 2014 Tommy's foh guy is pretty hard core analog, and he does an impressive job so why should he change. There are some unpredictable elements to the show involving guest artists and less than predictable "play togethers" which lend themselves to the analog approach. The point is that for some guys, analog is anything but dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 Visited a venue last night where I was unable to get any network connectivity, nobody could. The venue steward said there was some form of blocking that was installed. Never seen this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 ^ Way to get yourself on the FCC's "naughty list" . Such devices are illegal in the US last I knew - I'd sure be curious as to their reasoning for having one? Did it block both bands? I've heard of cell phone blockers being used in Japanese restaraunts, movie theaters, bars and such where they have a culture of being unable to not answer a call from their boss 24/7 and being unable to shut their phones off. These places are quite popular . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OneEng Posted January 25, 2014 Members Share Posted January 25, 2014 You could turn to the dark side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted January 28, 2014 Members Share Posted January 28, 2014 Right, I have the audio noise issue and not the hum from bad power supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Medinnersready Posted April 27, 2014 Members Share Posted April 27, 2014 Hi Craig, I am experiencing the exact same symptoms as you described in your initial post….. indeed I could have written it, it is so accurate! It happened me for the second night running tonight. All signal lights for activity on the unit and nothing on the mixer (app)…. (expletives implied!!!) How did you fair out with it in the end Craig? These failures were during gigs… I can no longer trust this effin thing in any way now which really disappoints me as I love the compressor and gates - I love(D) it all but now it can only be a practise unit and it was a bitt too expensive for that. In case I'm not clear, I should add this this is whilst the ipad is firmly docked in the mixer (iPad2 so no extra connectors required). Can anyone advise or concur with the same problem? If the unit is not fit for purpose in that regard should I seek a refund? Tnx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted April 27, 2014 Members Share Posted April 27, 2014 Yes, it's a relatively well known problem. I actually sent a video of it happening to Mackie. I too got sick of the hassle. I'd get it working eventually at gigs, but I was a source of stress. A slick idea, but too many cooks in the kitchen to make a reliable product. The fact the original ipad will no longer be supported with future software releases was the final straw. It's actually been the stable ipad that's allowed me to jump start the mixer at gigs. Without it I would have been hosed. Once it does connect, forget using the docked ipad for streaming pre-recorded audio. It's not reliable either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Medinnersready Posted April 27, 2014 Members Share Posted April 27, 2014 Thanks for that Abz…. so what is the outcome of all this then do you know? I intend to pursue this and ask seek my money back as it is not fit for purpose in that regard unless someone can give me other advice on how they proceeded after failure(s) of the set up? Any advice/experience with this would be welcomed. Tnx Guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted April 27, 2014 Members Share Posted April 27, 2014 Thanks for that Abz…. so what is the outcome of all this then do you know? I intend to pursue this and ask seek my money back as it is not fit for purpose in that regard unless someone can give me other advice on how they proceeded after failure(s) of the set up? Any advice/experience with this would be welcomed. Tnx Guys... IMO, if you can return it, do so. I really loved the idea of the thing. It’s actually pretty elegant and, while routing is vey basic, has a full set of core processing that really makes mixing as easy as it gets. Had it been trouble free I'd not have looked for something else. That said, I’m digging’ my new Qu-16. I realize now how much I missed not having multi-track recording. Also, XLR aux sends are the bees knees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OneEng Posted April 28, 2014 Members Share Posted April 28, 2014 Thanks for that Abz…. so what is the outcome of all this then do you know? I intend to pursue this and ask seek my money back as it is not fit for purpose in that regard unless someone can give me other advice on how they proceeded after failure(s) of the set up? Any advice/experience with this would be welcomed. Tnx Guys... You could also look at the Behringer X32 Rack which has many more features than the DL1608 (and sounds better too IMHO). I have never had any connection issues at all. Just plug it in and away I go. I agree with Abzurd, not having multi-track recording/playback/virtual sound check is a really big deal. This has allowed me to improve our FOH sound hugely. I would never have a mixer that couldn't do this again. If you can get the sweet deal that Abzurd did on the Qu-16, you would be near the ball park of the X32 Rack ($1200.00) and have physical faders as well. Both of these mixers are outstanding and have recall able preamps (and remotely changeable preamps). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cappttenron Posted April 28, 2014 Members Share Posted April 28, 2014 I think it might be easier to get an exchange to a better system depending on who the seller is of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted May 2, 2014 Author CMS Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 Hi Craig, I am experiencing the exact same symptoms as you described in your initial post….. indeed I could have written it, it is so accurate! It happened me for the second night running tonight. All signal lights for activity on the unit and nothing on the mixer (app)…. (expletives implied!!!) How did you fair out with it in the end Craig? These failures were during gigs… I can no longer trust this effin thing in any way now which really disappoints me as I love the compressor and gates - I love(D) it all but now it can only be a practise unit and it was a bitt too expensive for that. In case I'm not clear, I should add this this is whilst the ipad is firmly docked in the mixer (iPad2 so no extra connectors required). Can anyone advise or concur with the same problem? If the unit is not fit for purpose in that regard should I seek a refund? Tnx Sorry for the late reply; I only just spotted your post (and the incredibly weird way this thread is formatted with Quotes showing up as "comments". More new forum vB strange...). I was evaluating this mixer for a HC review. So in the end it goes back to the manufacturer like every other item I review. I requested and received many comments and experiences from others who have this mixer. We aren't alone with the connectivity issue, but a lot of others have zero problems. It really is a cool little box, and it indeed could be that the problems I experienced were caused by the iPad. But that's the problem and the main failure of the concept...you're tied to a particular tablet, and have to deal with two sets of failure modes. The potential for finger pointing is huge. While Mackie points at Apple and Apple points at Mackie, the audience is pointing at you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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