switching between 5.1 monitors and 2.1 and 2.0

citizen77

citizen77

New member
I need some monitor management help.

I have five Adam A7's and a Adam Sub7. I use the TotalMix software which was included with my UFX for monitor management. It's a great piece of gear and software. The UFX has 8 outs. Outs 1-6 are used for the 5.1. I have 7 and 8 open.

This is where the problem is. The Sub7 has a stereo in and out, which is great for using it just as a 2.1 or 2.0 (using the sub to manage the lows). So, in a normal stereo setup, I would use outs 1 and 2 from the UFX into the Sub7 and from there use the subs outs to the A7s.

In my 5.1 setup, I dedicate out 4 for the sub. This prevents me from using the main outs (1 & 2) for the stereo mix since it cannot go through the sub.

I mix everything in 5.1 and stereo and need to check the mix back and forth quickly.

These are some hardware solutions given to me by my Sweetwater guy:
Coleman Audio SR5.1 mkII Surround Level Controller | Sweetwater.com
Coleman Audio LS3 Line Selector | Sweetwater.com
Studio Technologies StudioComm for Surround Model 68A/Model 69A | Sweetwater.com

The only problem is that I still can't use the stereo and 5.1 setup the way I want without a lot of button pushing.
1. I could purchase 2 more A7's and another Sub7 and go through outs 7 and 8, but that's getting a little ridiculous in price.
2. I could buy one Sub7 and use the Coleman Audio LS3 on the outs of the sub to switch to the A7s.
3. I could use 2 Coleman LS3s in front and behind the sub going into the A7s.

Can anyone think of other options? I'd like to do this as efficiently and as cheaply with high quality if possible (but in almost all cases, one can only have 2 out of 3: low price, speed, or quality), so something has to give. I'm just looking to brainstorming ideas for a solution.

Thanks!
 
This might not be the ideal solution, but I'll throw it at you see what you think.

Can you send your LFE channel to the main stereo outs and just let the sub's own crossover sort it out? Would that get you close enough?

That or stop using the crossover throughput on the sub even for the 2.1 setup. Send the full range output to the stereo mix to the two front monitors, and send a copy to a second stereo pair of outputs to go the sub when you want 2.1, and then when you go to 5.1, stop sending the stereo mix there and just send your LFE. I'm not sure how I would handle the routing and switching, but I'm pretty sure you could do it right inside reaper, maybe using some combination of monitorFX? Would probably take a bit of callibration, but this really might be your best option.
 
ashcat_lt said:
Can you send your LFE channel to the main stereo outs and just let the sub's own crossover sort it out? Would that get you close enough?
Click to expand...

That would be ideal, but wouldn't work for the 5.1 set up. Though I could purchase another Sub7 to do it and mute the sub on the 5.1 "setting."

ashcat_lt said:
That or stop using the crossover throughput on the sub even for the 2.1 setup. Send the full range output to the stereo mix to the two front monitors, and send a copy to a second stereo pair of outputs to go the sub when you want 2.1, and then when you go to 5.1, stop sending the stereo mix there and just send your LFE. I'm not sure how I would handle the routing and switching, but I'm pretty sure you could do it right inside reaper, maybe using some combination of monitorFX? Would probably take a bit of callibration, but this really might be your best option.
Click to expand...

Nice! Since the sub has two ins, I might be able to use the other channel to reroute the stereo mix. Or, as you said, maybe I could just route through the same channel as the 5.1 but use the routing in Reaper or TotalMix. I need to experiment, but I think you've come up with a great plan.

I've been thinking about this for so long that I've gotten tunnel-vision which has prevented me from seeing different possibilities. Thanks so much!
 
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