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Anyone using the Behringer X Air XR 18 as a bidirectional usb multitrack interface to DAW?
Hi all,
I am thinking that the Behringer eco system of XR18, X Touch, and X Expander might slay a number of dragons I currently have, doing hands on mixing of my IPad originated, Ableton arranged noises. I’ve checked the manual, and it isn’t totally clear to me, so I have a question that any owners out there can probably settle for me...
I’ve noticed that a lot of desks featuring USB interfaces (including my own current Soundcraft Signature Plus) offer a connected DAW multiple channels in but only a single stereo out via usb. What I’m looking for, and hoping that the XR18 can offer, is true bi directional. multichannel back and forth between the mixer and DAW, so I can seamlessly integrate my hardware, IPad channels, and recorded material from the DAW, chucking channels either way from Ableton to mixer or vice versa.
The ad says this: ‘ The incredibly fast and comprehensive 18 x 18 channel, bi-directional USB interface makes the XR18 an amazingly powerful digital mixing solution for recording directly to your iPad or PC. Dial in the perfect monitoring mix with effects and zero-latency, while sending up to 16 microphone signals – and the keyboard player’s MIDI notes to your DAW for recording.’
Has anyone had experience of using it this way? How is it?
Comments
By golly I have a Behringer X Air XR18 and I do have plans of using it as the nerve center for a bunch of hardware based units (Roland GR55, Boss SY1000, Line 6 Helix Floor, etc) and iPads etc. But I am more interested in its audio mixing functionality than its USB I/O.
@puppychumful : that’s good to know. If you have access to a PC or Mac DAW might you be prepared to experimentally try to see how it works as a bi directional interface?
All I need to know is: can you route multiple recorded channels from the DAW back to the desk, and if so, what is the maximum number of simultaneous channels that can do this?
The manual mixes up all versions of the X series and functions of the IPad and PC apps in such a way as it is difficult to determine.
It reads like you should be able to handle 18 simultaneous in from mixer to DAW and 18 simultaneous out from DAW to mixer via the single USB connection, or any combination thereof (e.g. recording two bits of kit live, alongside four channels of prerecorded DAW, and routing all six to another six channels on the desk, live) but it is difficult to tell from the written info alone.
I have an X32 rack and it works as a bidirectional interface. X-air 18 will do the same. One thing to realize though, if you’re planning to use x-touch in xctl mode for the x-air, the extender will not do that. The extender is mackie control only. I’ve been hoping for that to change for a while but doesn’t look like it will so extender is not on my radar. Once live sound gigs start again and my x-touch is used more often in that capacity I’m looking at console 1 fader for my studio setup.
Other than that though, x18 will work well for what you want. Oh, and I just saw you said xr18, if that’s the one the iPad goes into rather than the stagebox form factor, they work the same way.
You may want to think about the Midas version. I have the dl16 stagebox to go with X32 rack and the preamps are noticeably better. Not the the behringer preamps are bad, but the Midas definitely are better. I use a lot less EQ when I use them as opposed to the ones on the X32 rack itself.
Just so I understand 100% correctly, you can connect both a PC and an iPad simultaneously and pass audio back and for between the two (as you would with an iconnectivity box)? I can’t fathom from the manual if MIDI pass through works between PC and iOS device as well as the audio? Also has anyone used the newer usb c iPads with it?
Mtia
@nunrgguy not simultaniously it says or, not and.
Ok. Back to the drawing board. Ta.
I was thinking about buying the X32 a few months ago when it was £645. It's £950 now.
The global inflation meltdown is just getting started.
I bought the xr18 and it was the best purchase in a loooooong tine. It’s a bargain and works flawless on my M2 pro, recording and/or playback all 18 channels (lowest latency) no problem (Logic pro). I use a 2nd ipad for the editor. The editor crashes sometimes but it‘s not a big deal, everything is always saved in the mixer itself. But i like the app nonetheless. Everyone can download and test it, that‘s what i have done before. The routing is SO flexible, it gave me some headscratcher in the beginning.😀 FX are quite good too.
Only downside for me is the maximum of 48khz but i can finally mix and multitrack my jams with very low space used (i.e.hardware mixer alternative would be soundcraft signature 22 mtk), that‘s more important to me.
I don’t understand why someone would spend that much… Why not just buy a good multi-in/out interface and build your own “mixer” in AUM?
Prob way more stable that behringers software I’d think just based on update frequency…
It‘s not an interface, it‘s a“standalone“ digital mixer with mulititrack interface. This is a not minor difference. It has a dsp with 4 xFX units with klark fx, fully equiped channelstrips with peq,gate, (sidechain) compressor etc. The same mixer, in fact the whole x series, are available with the“midas“ brand as well but slightly better preamps.And they have a very good reputation in the live music world, regardless the bad „b“ brand. Especially the X32.
I paid 580€ for a B-stock and i‘m not aware of any interface with 18 inputs - let alone the dsp and standalone functionality- in that pricerange. And how can AUM help me here when i‘m using logic?
The editor might crash in rare circumstances, the mixer does not. It works rock solid. There is even a 3rd party editor, which is well regarded. but i like the behringer one more. And In my experience AUM can of course crash if you use the“wrong“ (combination) of AUs. I don‘t see any stability advantages here.
And really, it‘s the first time in many years a setup“just works“ the way i want it.
If you’re using xr18, x32, Midas variants of the same, Soundcraft, Allen and Heath, mackie, some new Yamaha, and a few others, get mixing station pro to control them, it’s awesome. Custom layouts, custom buttons that can do macros, rock solid performance (I even use it on an iPad mini 2 from 2013 and it still runs it perfectly and the OS is supported), plus you can attach control surfaces wireless to iPad (or other platforms on which mixing station runs) and be connected to the mixer wirelessly.
I bought mixing station as well but for now prefer the official editor. It does all i want/need and - important - is WAY prettier 😀🦄 But if B drops support for their editor at some point i‘ll sure use mixing station. But what do you mean with
„ plus you can attach control surfaces wireless to iPad (or other platforms on which mixing station runs) and be connected to the mixer wirelessly.“
Do you mean hardware controller? I realized that the X18 itself does support only basic midi cc but personally i‘m fine with that. Going to use some CC on my faderfox EC4 but not planning to go any further cause it would destroy the small footprint again.
Yes, I attach an x-touch and x-touch extender to my m32c through mixing station. I’ve also used a bcf2000 and a cm labs motormix. I just use the cck on my lightning iPad to connect them and it works well. For the cm labs, I used a usb-midi interface because that only has DIN midi. Any control surface running mackie control or HUI protocol can be used that way, and any generic MIDI controller can also be used. One of these days I’ll try mapping my Roli block to see what uses that might have.
I’m using my mixer for live shows though, often for theater, so having real faders is essential. On some gigs I just control with iPad though if there’s no room to set up faders.
Here’s some pics of things set up in different ways
At the show I did at a school a few weeks ago I just used my x-touch extender to supplement the school’s x32. That’s the photo with all of the stuff in it…
I’ve used the behringer app in the past, but it takes too many presses to get to the things I need so I like mixing station so I can set up the surface to access things quickly. I do also use x32 edit on Mac to set things up, so the combination works well for me.
If you want to really get nerdy with this stuff, I built one of these the other day and so far it works great!
https://www.z-liverec.com/how-to-build-a-multichannel-recorder/
I see. Nice setup, thanks for the explanation (and link) 👍 Having some real faders would be nice but for now i accept the tradeoff since space is more important. I do use it only at home so that‘s ok. Though i have an eye on an X-touch. Maybe later, maybe not. We‘ll see.
When recording, there’s no doubt that using the app will get you where you want to go. I don’t have space either, that’s why I wound up doing live sound. I use other peoples’ space. Ha!