I’m very curious what line of thinking led to the “direct out” points on the SQ being post-compressor by default, and set to follow mutes. Especially when the global setting isn’t with the other global settings, but is on the routing page.
Because this behaviour doesn’t match what was common on analog consoles, and doesn’t line up with one of the more common use cases on a console: clean, unprocessed tap points for multitrack recording (which is a default patch, even). And of course, the default state isn’t documented in the Fine Manual and isn’t obvious on the console without poking at the settings. Since the default settings that follow mute and tap-off post-compressor can result in ruined live recording tracks if they aren’t changed, I’ll suggest that the settings be changed to “post-preamp” with all follow mute settings disabled.
And if you are using SQ consoles for live recording, let this be a lesson to always double check those settings when you are on a new console.
Basically use tie lines for unprocessed recordings of the physical inputs, or Direct Outs for “processed” recording of the Channels… (or at least that’s my one-sentence summary of it).
Of course, the file naming will be according to either the Input or Channel (depending on the method you are using), so if using Tie Lines, you just have to take note of what the mic was… But if you load the multitrack recording and play back on the SQ with an appropriate scene that matches the recording, the channels will be labeled in the mixer correctly.
It was just my thinking, this might have been the mindset behind their decision to implement it this way.
After many decades without having tie lines, I was happy to get this easy and streamlined solution on top in modern mixing boards . Sorry for you, if you feel left behind.
Maybe you should dive into the manual before starting a rant?
I’ve read the fine manual for the SQ several times, but was unable to find any documentation of the factory-fresh default state for the direct outs. I’m curious how you think that reading the manual in advance would have helped here?
My issue here is that while every console line has its quirks (on the Yamaha QL/CL, for example, you have to enable the direct out on each channel), defining default settings so that they work and are “safe” for most use cases is good practice. Allen-Heath has been pretty good at this historically (the choice of default preamp gain on the SQ is a decent example), but IMO they whiffed this one pretty badly.
Well, to me point “6.7 Tie Lines” of the SQ manual clearly shows what their (A&H) thinking was in implementing tie lines vs direct outs and which should/could be used for what situation. And this “thinking” seems to be valid for the whole actual product line.
But maybe I am misinterpreting something completely here?
