Midas m32 advise

[Chris BeckmannParticipant]

Hey Guys & Gals looking into purchasing a new mixer have been looking at the Midas m32 and or  M32r I want to be able to use it in a studio and also for a live gig using WSG I was just curious if anyone here has one or has used one and if you would recommend or steer into a different direction I’m not looking to break the bank just yet and I am limited on space so I’ve really been leaning to the M32r it’ll give me 40 channels with the stagebox which should be more then enough for now and I am pretty sure it has room for expansion so just looking for thoughts

[PaulParticipant]

i had a M16r for about a week, apart from being overtly complicated for a novice like me lol it had a few issues with faders and software. The support wasn’t great and it was hastily returned. (In fairness this could just be a one off unlucky fault in the product) However my plan B, a Presonus studiolive was an awesome choice and I’ve never looked back, the support is really good too. Great for live and studio work- it’s does it all effortlessly.

[Chris BeckmannParticipant]

Hey Paul I currently have a presonus rm32 ai but the trouble is they don’t support it anymore and I can’t get the waves soundgrid to operate on there so that is why I am looking to upgrade what is really aggravating is the mixer is probably only about 4-5 years old and wasn’t cheap but what is these days I can’t even find a Dante option card for it anymore so I’m looking for something that’s gonna be a bit more flexible to the needs and unfortunately I don’t feel comfortable with going to another presonus board for the sole reason I don’t believe they support soundgrid

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by Chris Beckmann.

[PaulParticipant]

Hey Chris, have you seen this AVB to Dante device? Just been released- https://www.presonus.com/products/AVB-D16

Not sure if that helps?

 

[Chris BeckmannParticipant]

I have not seen that one but I did speak with presonus about the one for soundgrid it won’t work with my mixer the avb isn’t the same protocol and like I said earlier they are not supporting my current mixer which in turn makes me wonder if I purchase another presonus board how long will it be supported and to me seems they keep things proprietary to there hardware and software don’t get me wrong though I do like their products just won’t suit my needs

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

Note 1 - an M16R is an entirely different physical beast than an M32R - just like an XR18 is different from an X32...

I have used an MR32 live exactly once, and I loved it. It works well. What's a WSG?

If you are OK with 48K (I still don't think the M32 does more than that) you could look at an X32 Compact for a lot less $$ and the same connectivity to remote boxes, etc.

If you don't need "real faders" and can work with tablets the X32R (rack mount) could save a bit, but I suspect the Compact is a better choice.

 

[Chris BeckmannParticipant]

Hey Chris WSG is Waves Soundgrid works off ethernet and allows you to use plugins in real time both for tracking and as a live board  48 k is fine for me I don't see any need for anything more right now. I did look at the X32 and gave that some thought but I still keep going back to the M32, I have seen and heard one in a studio it sounded really good but I haven't heard an X32. I also don't care so much for the layout of the X32 as far as the screen seems you would need to be right over top to see it where as the M32 has a nice tilt and would probably work better in my setup. Is the MR32 live that you worked one the same as the M32R?

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

OK - don't know anything about WSG. I would guess that the plugins on the M32 would serve the purpose. The M32R (not Live, earlier version) certainly looks better than the X32 😉  but I don't expect that there is any significant difference in the sound. Aesthetics are important. If the panel layout and such is what works then great. I have certainly stood over an X32 and an M32 and have a preference 😉 the M32 is much nicer.

Its all pretty much the same software. I suspect that people can't tell the difference between an M32 and an X32 once the audio is mixed-down to 2-track...

I would happily trade mixing live on a Mackie board for an M32 of any variety 😉 along with the digital control that is afforded by the M series

 

[Chris BeckmannParticipant]

Well Thanks for the input I guess I'll keep doing my research till I actually pull the trigger but more and more it looks as though I'm gonna end up with the M32R do to the fact I need it to be portable and the desk space is limited

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

Keep an eye on the MusicGroup items on eBay - that's where Behringer/Midas sells their refurbished gear. Can save a fair bit of $$. I have seen M32 on their list of items occasionally...

https://www.ebay.com/sch/musictribe/m.html?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEFSXS%3AMESOI&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2654

I haven't seen one lately...but they show up...

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

No idea about budget, or what you *really* need...M32R is $3200. Add stage box... X32 Compact is $1800. Add X32 Rack for $1200. Use the X32R for a stage box - lots of inputs, lots of outputs. You wind up with a "crap ton" of physical inputs - 16+ on the Compact, 16+ on the X32R. You also get a "spare" mixer, just in case 😉 Many people tout a dual X32R setup, they use tablets for fader control and the like. Driving an X-series or M-series with the computer software isn't a bad deal at all...I am perfectly happy using a laptop with a trackpad for "mixing" since I rarely move 2 faders at once - DCA (VCA) does the trick for controlling groups.

It's "older" tech, but it has been well vetted. You could look at some Yamaha or Digico gear, but...

You can also plug a Dante card into the X/M mixers and play with AOIP. 100m simple cable to remote...same distances with the AES50 on the Midas/X32, but the AES50 stuff requires separate network...Dante can work on existing networks...

If I was going to build it all again I would invest in a pair of X32R mixers, along with an SD16 stage box. Literally put the SD16 on the stage, X32R to the side, X32R at FOH position or at the other side of the stage. FOH position becomes a tablet or laptop wandering around in the venue.

I really enjoyed using my XR18 (stage box mixer) connected to an iPad 24-track recorder (Auria) and X-Air Edit on my laptop to drive the mix...works really well. Low-rent band 😉 low-rent bars 😉 low-cost, but effective gear...the XR18 is my computer interface when it isn't on the road...

 

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

At this point I go back and look at WSG and wonder what plugins you might be using. The plugins on the X/M series mixers are pretty decent, and cover the full range of goodies...I normally just use the per channel gate/EQ/compressor, with "The Combinator" on the main mix - multi-band compressor.

Unfortunately the Wiki with all the plugin info is "behaving badly", but all the classics are available...pretty comprehensive...

 

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