# multiple mixracks one surface? **URL:** \ **Category:** dLive General Discussions\ **Created:** [15 February 2021 22:21 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664 "2021-02-15T22:21:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 22:21 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/1 "2021-02-15T22:21:26Z")
IS THIS POSSIBLE WITH DLIVE? to add inputs… ILYA ---
**Author:** ![mjcelectronics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@mjcelectronics](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/mjcelectronics)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 22:25 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/2 "2021-02-15T22:25:25Z")
No, not in the way it was with iLive. Connecting Mixracks together is of course possible using any of the digital I/O cards but they remain separate consoles so you need to manage them separately using a surface or Director instance per Mixrack. ---
**Author:** ![jgrift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@jgrift](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/jgrift)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 23:01 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/3 "2021-02-15T23:01:30Z")
It would be much cheeper to do this with any of the DX racks vs buying another Mix Rack. Total I/O count on dlive is really large. ---
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 23:06 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/4 "2021-02-15T23:06:37Z")
I do have a giga ace card…could do multiple surfaces to one rack…thought the other way around was possible… Thanks I ---
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 23:12 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/5 "2021-02-15T23:12:59Z")
and 2 idr 32 and surfaces… Ilya ---
**Author:** ![theotherdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@theotherdave](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/theotherdave)\ **Post date:** [21 February 2021 18:55 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/6 "2021-02-21T18:55:08Z")
I wish you could do this. It’d be great if you could to tweak the monitors from FOH, or FOH from broadcast, etc. ---
**Author:** ![steffenromeiss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/steffenromeiss/32/2684_2.png) [@steffenromeiss](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/steffenromeiss)\ **Post date:** [22 February 2021 06:54 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/7 "2021-02-22T06:54:45Z")
> I wish you could do this. It’d be great if you could to tweak the monitors from FOH, or FOH from broadcast, etc. You have no clue what you are talking about? ---
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [23 February 2021 00:23 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/8 "2021-02-23T00:23:37Z")
It’s unfortunate that every forum must have a “SteffenR” type .wayyy too many posts in my opinion. useless and with a total lack of decorum…perhaps a language thing?.. Ilya ---
**Author:** ![steffenromeiss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/steffenromeiss/32/2684_2.png) [@steffenromeiss](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/steffenromeiss)\ **Post date:** [23 February 2021 02:27 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/9 "2021-02-23T02:27:37Z")
Thanks… nice but how is the post from Dave related to your question? It is already possible to control monitors from FOH and vice versa… so senseless post ---
**Author:** ![summitcn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/summitcn/32/2846_2.png) [@summitcn](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/summitcn)\ **Post date:** [24 February 2021 11:31 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/10 "2021-02-24T11:31:51Z")
Do you require more than 128 channels being mixed at once? Or do you only need more input sockets available? If only more sockets, then adding a GX4816, DX or DT boxes would do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 01:02 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/11 "2021-02-26T01:02:30Z")
> Do you require more than 128 channels being mixed at once? Or do you only need more input sockets available? If only more sockets, then adding a GX4816, DX or DT boxes would do the trick. I have 2 x dlive idr32 that’s why I asked the question…I don’t want to buy more equipment, just wanted to know if this was possible as in older Ilive… Thx I ---
**Author:** ![Brian-1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/brian-1/32/4395_2.png) [@Brian-1](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/Brian-1)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 01:41 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/12 "2021-02-26T01:41:05Z")
> I have 2 x dlive idr32 that’s why I asked the question…I don’t want to buy more equipment, just wanted to know if this was possible as in older Ilive…. Ah, now we get the real question. Using iDRs with Dlive is something that has been discussed before and it is possible using GigaAce connections. Just be aware that you will not have preamp gain control of the iDRs on the DLive surfaces. You will need to use software connected to the iDR to control that. [https://community.allen-heath.com/forums/topic/dlive-with-idr-and-xdr](https://community.allen-heath.com/forums/topic/dlive-with-idr-and-xdr) ---
**Author:** ![mjcelectronics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@mjcelectronics](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/mjcelectronics)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 10:55 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/13 "2021-02-26T10:55:23Z")
> I have 2 x dlive idr32 Don’t think Ilya means idr32, based on the original question I think they’re DM32s. The only reason I brought up iLive is that you could link 2 mixracks on that system using the second one as a kind of expander. With dLive that’s not currently possible, and likely never will be. ---
**Author:** ![steffenromeiss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/steffenromeiss/32/2684_2.png) [@steffenromeiss](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/steffenromeiss)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 13:54 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/14 "2021-02-26T13:54:44Z")
> Ah, now we get the real question. We had the real question from the beginning and it was answered already… In the early days of the dLive there was mentioned that it could be made possible in the future but I guess that there is no real need for it anymore, since the dLive system can handle over 500 input sockets already. But… you can send tie lines from one dLive rack to another so it would be possible to use the input sockets of one rack as the inputs of the other one nevertheless the control of the preamps would only be possible with another surface or Director. ---
**Author:** ![ilya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ilya](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/ilya)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 22:49 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/15 "2021-02-26T22:49:42Z")
> Don’t think Ilya means idr32, based on the original question I think they’re DM32s. I stand corrected yes dm 32 …and i also have 2 idr…so 2 ilives and 2 dm…with surfaces… > Ah, now we get the real question. > > Using iDRs with Dlive is something that has been discussed before and it is possible using GigaAce connections. Just be aware that you will not have preamp gain control of the iDRs on the DLive surfaces. You will need to use software connected to the iDR to control that. [https://community.allen-heath.com/forums/topic/dlive-with-idr-and-xdr](https://community.allen-heath.com/forums/topic/dlive-with-idr-and-xdr) > > > Thank you Brian…I id not know we could mix mixracks… > > > > I ---
**Author:** ![steffenromeiss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/steffenromeiss/32/2684_2.png) [@steffenromeiss](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/steffenromeiss)\ **Post date:** [26 February 2021 23:10 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/16 "2021-02-26T23:10:53Z")
> Thank you Brian..I id not know we could mix mixracks….. Well it’s not really mixing mixracks (sounds weird 😃 ) you can connect every other desk or stagerack with standard interfaces like MADI, DANTE or Waves and as others already mentioned the problem is the lack of preamp control… ---
**Author:** ![theotherdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@theotherdave](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/theotherdave)\ **Post date:** [4 March 2021 01:37 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/17 "2021-03-04T01:37:31Z")
> how is the post from Dave related to your question? It is already possible to control monitors from FOH and vice versa... so senseless post It’s another use case for having one surface control multiple MixRacks. Also, since you’re saying it works now, how do you wire it up? The manual talks about a single MixRack being controlled by multiple surfaces, but I haven’t seen anything about a single surface controlling multiple MixRacks. ---
**Author:** ![steffenromeiss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/steffenromeiss/32/2684_2.png) [@steffenromeiss](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/steffenromeiss)\ **Post date:** [4 March 2021 10:14 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/multiple-mixracks-one-surface/10664/18 "2021-03-04T10:14:36Z")
no no I didn’t say you can control multiple mix racks at the same time I just mentioned you can control monitors from FOH and vice versa… you can log out your surface from one mix rack and connect it to another one to control it… and after you did your changes you can go back to the first one but the simplest way would be to use Director for additional control. a multiple mix rack solution would allow you to combine processing for a virtual desk with 256 mono input strips but still 64 buses if you really need this, there are better solutions on the market…