Any Behringer XR18 users here ?

What's Hot
Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
I'm diving in to our new XR18 and setting it up as much as I can in advance of our next practice session (the first with the XR18).  I'm not confident to take it gigging yet until I know my way around it a bit more.  Assuming there might be a couple of folk on here who have one, are you aware of any handy tips / places to ask ?

Ta muchly.
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«13

Comments

  • kennedydream1980kennedydream1980 Frets: 1143
    edited December 2018
    This guy sells EQ presets for the x air as well. I bought them and they have worked really well for me. The drum presets especially are excellent 

    https://dbbaudio.com/downloads/behringer-x-air-presets-download/
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I use the x18 xr18 and x32.   Just ask when you’re stuck - if you can use a normal desk then they are very easy.   
    The facebook group is good. 

    As discussed in another  thread always use an external dual band router.  

    Play around at home so you know how to change the page you want to see - I’d spend some time getting used to using the eq and the output routing buses - should be set already in the obvious way but I once got stuck when a bus wasn’t set to correct output aux.  

    Next I’d move onto the effects and built in channel dynamics - I use the comps and gates sparingly if I’m mixing from stage.  

    Make sure you can switch effects, eq, dynamics on and off - easy to miss.  

    I setup my effects with a short rev, longer Rev and delay on 3 effect buses and have master mute button for those effect returns for quick on/off.    

    Labelling channels is handy and you can think about the layout with colour coding. 

    Check you can switch between the master bus and “aux” buses - I name them for the particular monitor to make it more obvious. 
    Rta on each output of handy to ringing out feedback before the gig.   

    Shout if you can’t find something.  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    Definitely splurge on an external router... connection can be pretty hit and miss without it and it will bite you on the arse at some point.
    Great bit of kit otherwise though.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • +1 for the external router
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    edited December 2018
    Our experience:
    1. External router is essential. Once you’ve got everyone’s devices logged onto it then set the network to “not visible”.
    2. Two of us did an initial set up in my kitchen to check that we knew where to find things, and did an initial set up.
    3. We booked a village hall to set up the whole band and get channel EQs right for each mic/instrument.
    4. We recorded into Logic on a laptop, using pre-fader output from the mixer. We played the recording back through the PA so that we could listen together, and agree the EQs and channel volume. Then we saved the desk settings.
    5. We use the Aux sends for IEM monitoring. That way we’ve each got our own channel, and can control it from iPads and ‘phones.
    6. Each person has a different colour for their input channels, and the same colour for their Aux send. 
    7. I EQ my monitor Aux to compensate for the frequency response of my IEMs. The others don’t bother.
    8. We decided to keep things simple, and not bother with compression or reverb.
    9. We use a snake. It’s light weight tails put less strain on the Behringer’s sockets than xlr cables would.
    10. If you’re using a laptop, rather than iPad, it allows you to group channels. You can then change volume of all drum channels together
    There’s probably a lot more which I’ve forgotten.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    Wow.  Thanks a lot guys - that's a lot of great info there already !  I'm hugely appreciative.  I'm intrigued why the trend seems to be to either not use, or be sparing with, the comps, gates and reverb.  I've just set up the channels with the default presets for gate & comp on the vocal and kick drum mics (though I wasn't sure what to do with the overheads).  I've put a 75Hz low cut filter on every mic bar the kick.  I've stereo-linked channels for the keyboard and my JamMan Stereo pedal.

    I was wondering if I needed to put a limiter (hard knee comp) on the aux sends for the IEMs for ear protection ?  Is that overkill ?
    I've got that at the moment with our analogue desk via an external rack unit but.... ?  I could always still use the external unit with the XR18 - but - if I can do it internally, all the better.

    I'll check out the forum mentioned in the meantime.  Thanks again ! :-)

    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    Emp_Fab said:
    ... I'm intrigued why the trend seems to be to either not use, or be sparing with, the comps, gates and reverb.  

    Keeping it simple. Compression and gating are there to solve problems. If you don’t have those problems then don’t add complexity.

    Reverb. We’ve got two guitarists. Both of us use reverb as part of our sound. Our singer uses it on his vocals. In each case it comes from our personal equipment, with levels and durations appropriate to the song and venue. The last thing we want is to smear another layer of reverb across the whole sound.
    Emp_Fab said:

    I was wondering if I needed to put a limiter (hard knee comp) on the aux sends for the IEMs for ear protection ?  Is that overkill ?
    I've got that at the moment with our analogue desk via an external rack unit but.... ?  I could always still use the external unit with the XR18 - but - if I can do it internally, all the better.
    We’ve not found the need to do that. I understand why you would want to do it. In a pub band, without a sound man, then the volume can rise through the set as everyone gets more energetic. I’ve had problems where a compressor turns my IEM mix to mush, and I end up pulling them out.  
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I only run the dynamics sparingly when I’m mixing from stage because I’m keeping the adjustments to a minimum.    If a gate threshold is wrong and cuts of a quiet singer I can fix that from out front but not if I’m playing guitar.  

    I’m not keen on using a lot of compression on vocals - unless you have the aux split before the comp a singer can strain to get louder monitors and they can lead to a lower gain before feedback.         

    Personally I’d run the hpf a little higher on vocal channels - 120 but you can experiment to find the freq where it is having an impact on the vocal.   
    I don’t hold back with the reverbs and blend two depending on the band and the room but without a footswitch I’ll usually use a lot less if I’m playing in case I miss manually turning it off between songs (use a mute group for doing that) 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • onyironyir Frets: 45
    I've been using one with my band for a couple of months now. We're just using the built'in wifi with an old android tablet and I haven't had any issues. Only Pub gigs, though
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • kennedydream1980kennedydream1980 Frets: 1143
    edited December 2018
    You can route a pair of Aux sends to the headphone output on the mixer. Which is handy if you wanted to use In Ear Monitors and didn't have a wireless system or a wired IEM setup. We use it for our drummer, we position the mixer so it's close to him and he just plugs his headphones directly into the headphone output on the mixer.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    How did all of you approach finding the right sound for your bands in the first place ?  By that I really mean, how much cooperation was there from the rest of them !  My lot can get a bit impatient and certainly one of them at least doesn't grasp the importance of a good FOH and in-ear mix (mainly because he doesn't use IEMs !) and I always feel I'm under the clock when it comes to soundchecks.  As stupid as it is, I reckon if I wasn't doing it, their idea of a soundcheck would be "One, Two....  is there any sound ?" :-)
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Emp_Fab said:
    How did all of you approach finding the right sound for your bands in the first place ?  By that I really mean, how much cooperation was there from the rest of them !  My lot can get a bit impatient and certainly one of them at least doesn't grasp the importance of a good FOH and in-ear mix (mainly because he doesn't use IEMs !) and I always feel I'm under the clock when it comes to soundchecks.  As stupid as it is, I reckon if I wasn't doing it, their idea of a soundcheck would be "One, Two....  is there any sound ?" :-)
    The first gig with our XR18 we had a good hour to EQ everything. I was out front with an android tablet mixing it from there. It was just a case of finding the nasty frequencies on the bass and drums then notching them out. I then saved that mixer scene as a template which I start from on each gig. From that point I make very minor adjustments for each venue. Usually the adjustments are just general levels and the mix of the reverb/delay on vocals.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    With any significant new pa gear I always like to play with it at leisure.
    Hire a hall, set up the rig and have the drummer turn up at least an hour before everyone else. That way you two get a head start. The others hear something good as they arrive and don't hang around for boom boom time.
    The object is to learn the system and get default settings rather than rehearse songs, although playing part of the set will need to take place.
    Try to get everyone to feel they take away a benefit and feel positive about the investment in time and money.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    Emp_Fab said:
    How did all of you approach finding the right sound for your bands in the first place ?  By that I really mean, how much cooperation was there from the rest of them !  
    We had a lot of cooperation because everyone wanted to make sure that their instruments were audible. The sequence of events was:
    1. Two of us did an initial set up in my kitchen to check that we knew where to find things, and did an initial set up.
    2. We booked a village hall to set up the whole band and get channel EQs right for each mic/instrument.
    3. We recorded into Logic on a laptop, using pre-fader output from the mixer. We played the recording back through the PA so that we could listen together, and agree the EQs and channel volume. Then we saved the desk settings.
    The really interesting bit was all standing behind the mixing desk, facing the PA, and realising that we all had similar views about the mix.
     
    At a gig we recall the settings, do a line check, then play a verse and chorus to check that we can all hear everything. If someone’s got a new amp or instrument then we might do something specific to make sure its levels and EQ are OK.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    Thanks a lot for the help guys.  I'll get my laptop ready with a DAW app to do the virtual soundcheck thing too :-)
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    I’ve discovered that there isn’t an official Behringer app for the iPhone to control individual IEM mixes.  There seems to be an app for every other device- but not, strangely, the completely unpopular iPhone!

    I have read that there are paid iPhone apps though...

    Several of our band use iPhones so this might be a good time to ask if anyone can recommend an iPhone app for IEM control?
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • 3 iPhone users in my band, we all use this app and it works perfectly:

    XAir Monitor Mixer by Eric Tetz
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/xair-monitor-mixer/id1271279395?mt=8
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    There’s also this one:

    X Air FMP Remote by John Milner
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/x-air-fmp-remote/id1112931654?mt=8
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • kennedydream1980kennedydream1980 Frets: 1143
    edited December 2018
    simonk said:
    There’s also this one:

    X Air FMP Remote by John Milner
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/x-air-fmp-remote/id1112931654?mt=8
    That looks more like an app to control the full mixer. I wouldn’t want members of my band to have access to that. I only want them to have access to their individual IEM mix. The app I suggested is tailored for that purpose.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.