Broadcast Mixer - Would it work ?

English Hardware
1

Hi All,
After browsing around looking at broadcast mixers for a new home studio I’ve had a bit of an idea. Would it be possible to turn one of the new digital live mixers into a broadcast one . The reason i ask this is for around £500 i would have a rather high spec digital mixer for a fraction of the cost of a pro broadcast one. Now i fully understand that the proper digital consoles for broadcast will have a lot more features than what i’m specing here but as i say mine is for a home studio environment so doesn’t need to be.

So here is what i want for the mixer
1 Mic Channel
1 input for TBU
4 x Stereo inputs for play out and cart wall (Mairlist)

1 Clean feed output
1 main output
1 VT Bus (not essencial)
Fader Start
Monitor Muting

And heres the kit i am thinking will do this:
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/Xr12.aspx/ (Behringer xAir 12)
http://www.behringer.com/assets/BCF2000_P0246_Front_XL.jpg (Behringer BCf2000)

So basically the plan is to have the XAir along with my play out PC in the cupboard (Racks) and then the BCF2000 in my home studio controlling the xair via midi. The headphones and also the monitor output would also be routed into the studio so all in all there would be 4 wires coming from the racks.

Midi In
Midi out
Monitors
Headphones. (this would have a volume control on in the studio)

Seems like it could work right ? Going down my list here is the ideas

1 Mic Channel (Easy just a normal mic input, don’t need 48v as have a mic processor that has it on)
1 input for TBU (Easy again just a normal line input)
4 x Stereo inputs for play out and cart wall (Mairlist) (again simple normal line inputs, I’m sure via midi i can link 2 mono to work as a stereo fader right ?)

1 Clean feed output (Aux 1 with every fader giving a aux out feed bar the TBU)
1 main output (Easy it has this)
1 VT Bus (Done via aux 2, would only be mono but as it will only be voice thats fine)

The only things i am not sure on is the fader start and monitor muting. In theory could it be possible to assign some sort of midi command that when Fader one is raised the monitor output is muted or turned to 0 ?

The other issue would be fader starts due to be using the midi mixers out port this couldn’t go into my play out PC. Thinking about this would there be any way to trigger the fader start on marlist via using the midi out on the X12 instead ?

Apologies for my long winded explanation and i appreciate that due to one of the products not yet being released there is a bit of guess work in this. I’m basically just looking to see from people a lot more technically minded than i am if this is me going off on one or if this has the reality to be a good idea.

Many Thanks

2

I like the concept here, no idea whether their software/panel will allow that config but I like it.

3

Looked at the price and thought: Better look for something like a D&R Airence or Airlite.

4

It’s funny you should say that, the Airence would work out quite a bit more but would be rock solid, I’ve had a loom around for any used units but as its fairly new haven’t seen any for sale. Looking to see what D&R release the Airlite at cost wise, any rumour on the Uk price of it ? Looks a great little console.

I currently have a Airmate and love that, but as this would be installed for long term i think a switch to digital would be best. As i say its not for heavy usage just its home use.

Many thanks! Its something I’ve had my eye on for a while with their Powerplay system, as i say at the moment the product hasn’t been released but if i get the chance to have a look at a unit sometime will report back.

5

Rumors are that the Airlite will be around €1500 (+ VAT). But definitve pricing hasn’t been announced yet, as far as I know.

6

I know this is an old thread, but I’ve also been looking at mixers recently, and the Airlite is currently priced at £1076 at Broadcast Warehouse.

Even though it is an entry level mixer in there range, I like the fact it has no master fader, something that the pro/high-end broadcast consoles have in common. Also the USB functions, and fader starts that are suppose to work with software like mAirlist is also very cool. Not to mention it is over £200 cheaper than the tried and tested Airmate.

So what did you go for hayd93?

7

I liked the concept of the AirLite but it only appears to have one output bus, I found that I surpassed that way to quickly. neat idea though!

8

True, but there is Aux Send, CRM (phono), and Master (both phono and balanced XLR), so I guess it depends on what your needs are.

I must admit I do like the AIRENCE-USB, and would go for that over the Airlite, but it is £500 more expensive, and to really get the max benefit you would need to drop another £788 on the extender for more inputs.

But then again I’m rocking a Behringer 1622FX, so anything is better than that ;D

9
Streamer wrote: I liked the concept of the AirLite but it only appears to have one output bus, I found that I surpassed that way to quickly. neat idea though!
Streamer, in which way or situation is one output bus a limitation?