1 (edited by Todd Loomis 2021-01-18 20:01:02)

Topic: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

If you guys could build something digitally that could do this, I believe you would have a HUGELY successful product that could potentially totally dominate the studio world.  People would be replacing their Presonus Central Stations, Cranesong Avocets, Grace M905s, etc.  Digital level control is more accurate than analog level control anyway...  and any loss of precision/bit-depth would be negligible.

Using Totalmix along with a brand new interface with DSP required...   basically, within RME interfaces, copy the Cranesong STC-8 or Grace M905, and provide a really nice remote that connects to the computer via Cat5 for super long cable runs.  Then, add more extensive features like the TC Electronic Clarity M (customizable speaker sets including surround systems, instant switching between multiple speaker sets, full bass management, integrated speaker delay, etc.  Allow for bi-amped systems as well).  If you had this capability built into Totalmix, and a hardware product interface/converter (pcie, firewire, etc) with DSP that could do it, you guys would take over the world almost immediately...   I believe the product would completely dominate in the studio market.

Current RME products are "close", but not quite there...  and then great marketing focused on the "complete digital monitor controller system" would complete the package.

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

2 (edited by Todd Loomis 2021-01-31 00:50:41)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

A little more info too...  I have a tuned mastering room with big B&W mains.  The mastering rig is flat to around 27Hz.

   When mixing though, I like to use nearfields.  BUT...  nearfields without a sub are tough.  If I had a speaker management system like this, I could use my mastering mains as a subwoofer with my nearfields...  just by having that be one of the speaker "setups" with bass management set up to do it.  These features would also allow me to use different crossover points and delays (for time alignment) with my sub if I wanted to use one subwoofer system for multiple speaker systems.  I suppose I could put together a complicated system to do all of this, but it would be far easier if these features were built into Totalmix.

   Basically, I would like to be able to dedicate a specific totalmix output channel for each "speaker" in my rig...  and each "speaker" could have it's own crossover/filter and/or delay...  and then if we could save "speaker setups"...  and then switch between setups like Cranesong Avocet, or Grace M905, Presonus Central Station, etc.

This would be AWESOME.  Please consider this...  I think you guys could do it so well...  Totalmix is amazing, and these features in Totalmix would really put it over the top.

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

3 (edited by waedi 2021-03-07 21:40:54)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

You mean a hardware piece with faders and knobs as a controller device for TotalMix ?

I would not buy it.
I use a Macbook Air. It is small, leightweight and powerfull and I am very fast doing monitor mixes for bands in recording sessions.
No space for additional equipment in the box.
Microphones, cables, computer and interfaace, all in one bag my studio-to-go.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

4 (edited by Todd Loomis 2021-01-31 02:22:56)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

waedi wrote:

You mean a hardware piece with faders and knobs as a controller device for TotalMix ?

I woukld not buy it.
I use a Macbook Air. It is small, leightweight and powerfull and I am very fast doing monitor mixes for bands in recording sessions.
No space for aditional eequipment in the box.
Microphones, cables, computer and interfaace, all in one bag my studio-to-go.

No - you totally missed what I'm talking about.  I'll try to be more concise:

All I'm really asking for is new features in Totalmix (which could possibly require more DSP on RME cards).  Imagine you have two monitor sets...  Auratones, and Mackie HR824...  and you want to switch between them.  You could use a monitor switcher (Cranesong Avocet, Grace M905, etc)...  BUT why is this necessary?  Totalmix could handle this.  Imagine you have a 8 channel D/A.  Well, connect 2 channels to the amp going to the Auratones, and two channels to the Mackie HR824.  Now how do you switch between the "speaker sets"?  Totalmix could do it with mutes, etc.  BUT if Totalmix was "designed" to do this, it could handle it more gracefully.  Now imagine you add a subwoofer.  Just dedicate another D/A to the sub (channel 5, as your first 4 are used for the other speakers).  If totalmix had the option to add delay and/or crossover filtering to each output, you could use the same sub with both your Auratones, AND your Mackie HR824.  You'd just save one "speaker set" in Totalmix with the sub configured to work well with the Auratones.  Then save another "speaker set" with the sub configured to work well with the HR824s.  You wouldn't have to buy a separate subwoofer for each speaker system.  You could just configure the crossover/delay differently within Totalmix for each speaker "set".  The delay would be helpful for time aligning the sub to the mains, so if you could save the delay, that we be awesome too.

   Now using the ARC USB, if Totalmix could do everything I just described, you would no longer have a need for an expensive dedicated monitor controller.  Totalmix and the ARC usb could perform the same functions (speaker set switching, volume control, etc)...  probably BETTER.  The only hardware change I was suggesting is I'd prefer CAT5 to USB for the ARC, as CAT5 can travel much farther.

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

5 (edited by waedi 2021-01-31 02:45:35)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

Ah ok. I think I know what you want.
Every DJ has this, it is a crossfader !
Fading out one and fading in another with the same move.
You just want it reverse.
One source goes to two destinations (pair of speakers)
If you find an old Dj-mixer, you could do a test and connect the sound to the mixers output and the input to the amps,
then you probably can switch the speakers with the crossfader.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

6 (edited by Todd Loomis 2021-01-31 03:29:11)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

waedi wrote:

Ah ok. I think I know what you want.
Every DJ has this, it is a crossfader !
Fading out one and fading in another with the same move.
You just want it reverse.
One source goes to two destinations (pair of speakers)
If you find an old Dj-mixer, you could do a test and connect the sound to the mixers output and the input to the amps,
then you probably can switch the speakers with the crossfader.

Exactly.  That's the basic idea...  but I'm using a $50,000 tuned mastering speaker system which I use for mastering work...  along with a few different nearfield monitoring systems I use when I'm doing mixing work.  Currently I'm using a Cranesong Avocet as a speaker switch, which works well.  I've been thinking of adding a subwoofer to my nearfield systems, but I got thinking, if Totalmix had these abilities, I could use my big mastering system as a subwoofer whenever I have to work on my nearfields...  and technically, a system like this could replace the Avocet as well - although the volume control in Totalmix would obviously be digital rather than analog as on the Avocet.

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

Hahahaa ! A used old Dj-mixer is not what you want to see in your studio.
It is more a TotalMix feature request, than a new product.
Totalmix should offer a crossfader.
May be right-click on a fader of the software-playback channels open a submenu where you can activate crossfader.
Then in a second submenu you have to choose 2 other channels or 2 mixes.
Then this fader is no longer active for the channel, it is then a crossfader for the two selected things.
And to make it even smoother a button would be nice. You click it and the crossfader moves all the way softly, magic.
Why not. This could be embed in Totalmix as a new feature.
Hands up everyone who wants it !

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

8 (edited by Todd Loomis 2021-02-02 01:24:32)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

waedi wrote:

Hahahaa ! A used old Dj-mixer is not what you want to see in your studio.
It is more a TotalMix feature request, than a new product.
Totalmix should offer a crossfader.
May be right-click on a fader of the software-playback channels open a submenu where you can activate crossfader.
Then in a second submenu you have to choose 2 other channels or 2 mixes.
Then this fader is no longer active for the channel, it is then a crossfader for the two selected things.
And to make it even smoother a button would be nice. You click it and the crossfader moves all the way softly, magic.
Why not. This could be embed in Totalmix as a new feature.
Hands up everyone who wants it !

Thanks would be kind of a rigged way to do speaker switching, but it would do nothing for bass management.

   I'd like filters on each speaker/output channel that can be used as crossovers for subwoofer integration.  I'd also like delay on each channel for time alignment.  I think if it was designed to function as a monitor controller/switcher like the Avocet or M905, and it also had the delay and filters, it would work.

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

What would be even cooler...  if in addition to bass management and delay on each channel, RME interfaces also had one stereo output that had ANALOG volume control...

https://www.noiseradiationstudios.com

10 (edited by mr.r 2021-03-14 12:38:13)

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

I would not want to use an analog volume control that works without relay switches, otherwise l/r imbalances will happen. And relay based controller are very expensive.

I think totalmix with the existing external knob is pretty great. One just have to make sure that the volume of the monitor speaker is no way to high that you must turn down totalmix like -40db all the time - but mainly because a reasonable volume limit for 0dbfs is a safety measures in case you have a computer crash..

I think RME explained somewhere that this resolution loss with digital volume control in totalmixis a myth.

Re: NEW PRODUCT IDEA - full digital monitor controller using totalmix

I think ADI-2 DAC is actually pretty close (especially thanks to the remote, which is surprisingly convenient), but indeed it supports only one stereo monitor pair and one set of headphones,
I'm not sure if "bigger" product with more outputs paths would be viable (cost-effective) for the target audience...

HDSPe AIO, ADI-2 DAC, Fireface UFX, Octamic D, Octamic II
Reaper, Windows 11, M2 Studio