Master Fader V2.0 Wants and Speculation

[sam.spoons]

The infamous and all enlightening BenO statement about Multitrack recording.

beno (Admin, Mackie) commented  ·  October 31, 2012 3:00 pm  ·  Flag as inappropriate
Unfortunately, this is not possible with the current DL1608 hardware.

There is only one way that's possible and that Mackie implemented V1.1 USB, That's a 1995 issue spec and this mixer was started in 2010 (iPad 4 era). The USB V3.0 was issued in 2008. Talk about state of the art. The V1.1 could only handle 12Mbits on paper thus 17Mbits as required by 16 tracks at 44.1K without overhead would be impossible. There is just one problem with that theory, IT"S NOT HARDWARE!!! This is a digital mixer and after the A/D converter it's software moving numbers around until you send it back to analog via the D/A converter. Sending the data to the iPad won't even be noticed by the Tuna (Blackfin) on a USB 2.0 480Mbits on paper, 250Mbits real world transmission rate. The USB implementation is also not restricted to V1.1. The code is available from Analog Devises for V2.0 etc.. Next, the iOS v4 had usable multitasking implemented which would make multitrack a lot easier. Apple may not have provided more than 2 channel audio recording API's but that's why 3rd party developers and OEM's exist. They write their own code for this like Audiobus. In closing it's quite interesting to note that 16 channel recording has not been rejected in the Mackie feature lists. So do you want to believe a marketing droid that can't tell the difference between hardware and software?

I'm glad to bow to your greater knowledge here WK an it would be wonderful if Mackie did implement multitrack recording with MF and the DL. I'm not going to hold my breath though, even if it's possible I don't believe Mackie have the will to do it 

[RoadRanger]

The Behringer and Phonic "clones" announced both do multitrack - Mackie is going to have to do it too or lose the market.

[sam.spoons]

Given Mackie's "we know better than you" attitude these days I'm still not holding my breath

I still like my DL though, warts and all. It does 90% of what I want and 100% of what I really need very well indeed.

[Jkowtko]

As soon as the others get close enough to the DL's price I suspect you will start to see trouble for the DL and Mackie jumping.

Currently the Presonus 16.0.2 is around the $1k mark but it has only 12 mic preamps.

The Behringer X32 rack is selling at FullCompass for $1500 ... get that down to $1000 and I'm sold

[sam.spoons]

Mackie will just release a DL1608mk2 with a lightning connector and "different, multitrack capable, hardware" to try to get us all to upgrade 

[Jkowtko]

$1000 is the magic price point for me ...

[thedrums]

Looks like Mackie is working on a Break Switch option as of today.

[RoadRanger]

From Mackie's FaceBook Page:



Woo!

I'll assume this will let me assign the fx to one or two and have my much desired FX mutes available at any scroll position.

[Jerrylee]

Rr what would this have to do with fx?

[RoadRanger]

Rr what would this have to do with fx?

On the Behringer you can assign the fx to a mute group .

[Tnelson494]

That will be cool if it's somewhere on the main page and if you can assign anything to it be good to kill all the Mics in between sets

[Jerrylee]

Rr what would this have to do with fx?

On the Behringer you can assign the fx to a mute group .

Yes, BEHRINGER.

[WK154]

The best you can hope for is that Mackie will make the DL a MFi product such that other apps (Studio 6, Auria, etc.) could use the audio from the DL. The simpler solution would be to make it play with Audiobus. This of course would mean playing nice with other manufacturers software, probably not in their "I'll take all my marbles and go home" plan. A second look at core audio for iOS shows no restrictions on number of audio streams available for recording (within performance limitations) and playback as is demonstrated by apps such as Auria etc..
Jerry got your tracking number yet for the rack or will I beat you to it?

[RoadRanger]

Assuming Mackie gets mute groups right in 2.0 my interest in the X32 Rack will be significantly diminished. I might even commission a custom rack case for the DL1608 this week . I've been holding off to see what 2.0 will give us...

[Jkowtko]

Assuming Mackie gets mute groups right in 2.0 my interest in the X32 Rack will be significantly diminished. I might even commission a custom rack case for the DL1608 this week . I've been holding off to see what 2.0 will give us...

Mute groups is a decision maker between these two?  Why would you not take the x32 rack?  Price alone? or are there other feature deficiencies when compared to the DL?