First of all, I am totally against mixing monitors from FOH. I always try to stress the fact that these are two different jobs, with different ways of approaching a mix… besides the fact that a monitor engineer can react faster than a FOH engineer, when someone on stage needs help…but sometimes production budgets are limited, especially when working clubs or small events, so it is what it is. Although it’s not my first choice, I never turn down a dLive and needless to say, it gets the job done perfectly.
Here is my issue. The way to adjust monitors without affecting the FOH mix is by using a Y cable to split the source to two different inputs on the stage box, so you can have complete separate control of eq, dynamics and level, with the monitor channel in PRE or POST fader, whatever the preference may be. But on the dLive, let’s say I want to patch the kick to input 1 for FOH and input 25 for monitors…when I patch it to 25, it takes the input 1 patch away. It’s either one or the other. If I patch the kick to input 1 and 2, both channels are going to share the same gain, remaining common for both.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m wondering if there is a way to soft patch a source on the surface, without using a Y cable? This would also allow me to have two different DCA sets; one for FOH and one for monitors, as if I had two distinct mixers. I’m sure this can be done, but maybe I don’t know the system enough?
Again, I strongly believe that monitors and FOH are two different worlds and that a few extra bucks for a monitor engineer would only allow better results.
I use a different channel for each input that I want to customize for IEM. You can assign multiple channels to draw from the same input without a Y-cable. The only caveat as you know is that the preamp gain section is shared. However, it’s not a big deal since the Trim level is independent to alter the level as you wish. Everything past that is also independent (dynamics, EQ, etc). I don’t know why you aren’t able to get that to work.
You are correct….I can use the trim. Thanks, I didn’t think of that. Guess I’m too old school.