getting a headphone mix to the control room

  • Thread starter Thread starter notbradsohner
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notbradsohner

Compression Addict
Im wiring up my iso room, and I just got this idea. I want to be able to give the artists the oppertunity to make their own mix in the booth. Can i do this with something like a cat5 cable? how many channels will this support? I dont want to run a whole bunch of analog cables thru, mabye just one or two digitals. how many tracks can i get with this, or am i just crazy?
 
i think what your looking for is called the FURMAN H6 SYSTEM , or something.
 
I use an OZ Audio HM6. It has 4 inputs, a L/R main input, and an effects loop with a send and separate L/R returns. It has 6 headphone outputs. In each headphone "channel" the four input signals and the effects return level can be mixed independantly. There is a send level for each of the four inputs as well. The main input volume is set externally by whatever device is sending it to the HM6, same with the effects loop returns.

Here's an example how I use it...

mics connect to
preamps connect to
compressors connect to
patchbay connect to both
HM6 and (multitrack recorder inputs)
HM6 connects to headphones

I'm basically using this like "foldback" monitoring in a DAW recording system, so I have no delay compensation to worry about. THe main monitor output of the DAW conects to the main input on the HM6 so I can monitor a recorded track mixed with whatever inputs I've connected to the HM6 when I overdub, etc

sorry for the long post
 
One additional thing, I put a rever effect in the HM6 effects loop if I'm recording vocals, so everything is recorded dry but you can still get some reverb or any other effect for that matter in the headphone mix.
 
There are a lot of ways of doing this... but the Oz Audio HR6 as well as the Furman system is an excellent way of doing this. For years, I've always ran the 8 busses of the master console out over balanced cable to the vocal booth, to a 8 channel "cheapie" mixer, which fed the headphones of the musician in the booth. Sitting on the floor was an old alesis midiverb so the musician could add some ambience to what they hear as I record everything dry as a bone.

Nowadays, with the Oz and Furman products, you really don't have to bother with all that crap and just use cat 5 cabling.

Though to be honest, I've never EVER had a client complain about a "mix" they heard on their headphones, no matter what instrument (or vocals) the musician performs, as long as it wasn't dry. Having used mostly 8-buss or larger mixers, I generally use busses 7/8 for stereo foldback to the live room or vocal booth, or whatever.
 
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