QU-16 after 1 week of usage, lots of suggestions, please read

Qu Qu Feature Suggestions
1

I picked up the QU-16 after it’s firmware has got to the point I was happy with, after a week of usage here’s some suggestions:

-The GEQ should pull up when engaging the button at anytime for whichever buss you’re currently in. So if you’re in your main LR, regardless what channel is currently selected (from 1-16) it should pull up the GEQ. As it is right now, it’s a 2 step process where you have to hit the Select button on the Master fader, then hit the GEQ button.

-QU-Drive record should be selectable for which channels you would like recorded. When recording multitrack, there should be a software switch on the touch panel for each channel as On/Off. It’s just strange you have to record all 18 channels regardless of active inputs.

-QU-Drive should also have a cue point system that splits the files. Instead of having to stop, then restart recording, this would allow a break in files without a gap between them. As it is now, the quickest you can stop/start is beyond impossible to make seamless.

-It would be nice to have a “Select shows processing” setting. Anytime a channel is selected, the touch screen would automatically pull up it’s processing page. As of now, it’s a two step process (Select, then Processing button) but this would obviously be the most used page when selecting a channel.

-Offline editor, either PC/Mac or iPad is an absolute must. The fact I have to turn the console on at home before a gig to setup my nights configuration is just weird considering it’s 2014.

-When using the Shutdown command, all faders should rise to the top for transportation and storage. It’s good practice to keep all faders at the top point as they’re furthest away from the edge of the console where they’re most likely to get bumped/bent during movement to/from a flight case.

-MMC doesn’t seem to light properly when in DAW control. This could be a configuration issue for myself, I’m not sure. But the touch screen buttons don’t follow the DAW (if you’re in play/record, the button doesn’t light up)

-On the iPad, it would be nice to have an “Input List” page. At the top where the Processing, Setup, Metering buttons are, an Input List button would be nice for a ME or stage hand to access. When FoH pulls up the next Scene, it would give them something easy to glance at for patching between switchover.

-Channel Source should be patchable between Qu-Drive and USB-B simultaneously. Currently, you can only use one or the other. It would be nice to have 1-16 Qu-Drive, and 17 and up USB-B for a laptop playing iTunes or streaming back DAW FX to ST1-ST3. This might be a hardware limitation, I’m not too sure.

-A master source group for preamps would be nice also. When doing a virtual soundcheck you have to select each channel and hit the USB preamp button. It would be nice to have something similar to a Mute Group for the preamp. You could easily switch all the 16 inputs from USB at once, not individually.

-Stereo FX inserted into a mono channel return into the LR as mono. I understand traditionally this makes sense, but with this being a digital board, a Gated Reverb inserted on a snare should hit the LR as stereo. A workaround I’ve been using is patching FX3 and FX4 onto the Mix 7-8 and 9-10. This is obviously eating up 4 of my XLR feeds, and isn’t the greatest workaround.

-While in the FX page, touching anywhere in the box should highlight that page. As of now, you have to touch an actual preset then scroll from there. It would be nice to be able to touch anywhere inside it’s box and have the first preset highlighted.

-USB-B MUST be setup in the Audio/Midi panel on a Mac using the Multichannel page. When configuring it inside the Stereo page, nothing will go to anything but 1 and 2. This is very weird, and it took me almost an hour to figure out this workaround.

-iPad would benefit from having access to the Signal Generator for checking drivers pre/post show.

Overall, I’m quite happy with the console after a weeks usage. It has a great sound, it works well, and I’m not nitpicking here, just making what I feel is good suggestions to refine this already great console!

I’ve been patching my Waves MaxxBCL onto the AES and it’s really bringing this console to life. I haven’t used the built in DAC for mains yet, but I’m sure it’s still great.

This console is giving me mixes that are translating to a console in the $10k range, obviously the MaxxBCL is really helping, but I’m quite surprised by this small board. Great job A&H!

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-The GEQ should pull up when engaging the button at anytime for whichever buss you’re currently in. So if you’re in your main LR, regardless what channel is currently selected (from 1-16) it should pull up the GEQ. As it is right now, it’s a 2 step process where you have to hit the Select button on the Master fader, then hit the GEQ button.
There is no GEQ on the inputs, so this makes sense, that button only ever applies to the current mix, so it shouldn’t need selecting explicitly. Should it get selected when the GEQ is used (so the processing screen etc is up for the mix) and then fall back to the channel when the GEQ is deselected?
-QU-Drive record should be selectable for which channels you would like recorded. When recording multitrack, there should be a software switch on the touch panel for each channel as On/Off. It’s just strange you have to record all 18 channels regardless of active inputs.
Yes - the option for an “x” in the Qu-Drive recording setup would be very nice. As would the ability to name tracks/directories, but that's really nitpicking (except on playback!)
-QU-Drive should also have a cue point system that splits the files. Instead of having to stop, then restart recording, this would allow a break in files without a gap between them. As it is now, the quickest you can stop/start is beyond impossible to make seamless.
This is important, particularly given the reports of people missing out on files because of power failures etc. I’d go one further and suggest that if this can be made seamless (and it should be able to, since I can do seamless on a PC with arecord) then a configurable auto-split option could be useful, in the “I only lost the last 5 minutes” sense…
-It would be nice to have a “Select shows processing” setting. Anytime a channel is selected, the touch screen would automatically pull up it’s processing page. As of now, it’s a two step process (Select, then Processing button) but this would obviously be the most used page when selecting a channel.
I suppose it depends what your workflow is. Either I leave the screen on processing, or I’m actively doing something else (FX maybe) and select the channel to use the super-strip. Of course the beauty of digital desks is that this kind of thing *can* be an option, although it makes support harder if there are too many options…
-Offline editor, either PC/Mac or iPad is an absolute must. The fact I have to turn the console on at home before a gig to setup my nights configuration is just weird considering it’s 2014.
There is an existing thread it might be worth lending your voice to…
-When using the Shutdown command, all faders should rise to the top for transportation and storage. It’s good practice to keep all faders at the top point as they’re furthest away from the edge of the console where they’re most likely to get bumped/bent during movement to/from a flight case.
That’s an interesting option, and makes a great deal of sense actually. This is the kind of thing that makes and excellent option - after all they calibrate on start up anyway, so it’s no harder for support. If they set to zero, then move the faders up then they’ll reset to zero on startup, before resuming their “recovered” positions.
-On the iPad, it would be nice to have an “Input List” page. At the top where the Processing, Setup, Metering buttons are, an Input List button would be nice for a ME or stage hand to access. When FoH pulls up the next Scene, it would give them something easy to glance at for patching between switchover.
Simply select the “Setup” tab at the very top of the screen. If the channels are named then they all show up there.
-Channel Source should be patchable between Qu-Drive and USB-B simultaneously. Currently, you can only use one or the other. It would be nice to have 1-16 Qu-Drive, and 17 and up USB-B for a laptop playing iTunes or streaming back DAW FX to ST1-ST3. This might be a hardware limitation, I’m not too sure.
I suspect it is. I haven’t tried multitrack recording whilst playing back from USB-B but it looks like that should work (I have the system block diagram above my monitor)
-A master source group for preamps would be nice also. When doing a virtual soundcheck you have to select each channel and hit the USB preamp button. It would be nice to have something similar to a Mute Group for the preamp. You could easily switch all the 16 inputs from USB at once, not individually.
IIRC there is a page that allows this, if you go into a Channel Preamp page and then hit the Fn key Source… See page 15 of the Manual - or have I misunderstood the question?
-Stereo FX inserted into a mono channel return into the LR as mono. I understand traditionally this makes sense, but with this being a digital board, a Gated Reverb inserted on a snare should hit the LR as stereo. A workaround I’ve been using is patching FX3 and FX4 onto the Mix 7-8 and 9-10. This is obviously eating up 4 of my XLR feeds, and isn’t the greatest workaround.
FX inserted into a channel cannot return to anything other than that channel… The FX units can take from a channel and return to the FX return (which is in stereo) This may work (I’ve not tested) See Ch>Return Page 44
-While in the FX page, touching anywhere in the box should highlight that page. As of now, you have to touch an actual preset then scroll from there. It would be nice to be able to touch anywhere inside it’s box and have the first preset highlighted.
Yes - I find these quite hard to navigate actually…
-USB-B MUST be setup in the Audio/Midi panel on a Mac using the Multichannel page. When configuring it inside the Stereo page, nothing will go to anything but 1 and 2. This is very weird, and it took me almost an hour to figure out this workaround.
Is this on the mac? There was someone else with what sounds like a similar problem a little while ago. I’ll see if I can find the post.
-iPad would benefit from having access to the Signal Generator for checking drivers pre/post show.
Sig Gen, Talkback (not through the iPad, but I have a radio mic…), FX, patching setup… Lots of things the iPad could do with - it’s only software, so it should arrive gradually…
Overall, I’m quite happy with the console after a weeks usage. It has a great sound, it works well, and I’m not nitpicking here, just making what I feel is good suggestions to refine this already great console!
I agree, it’s a fine machine. But firmware updates are much cheaper than H/W updates ;)
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-While in the FX page, touching anywhere in the box should highlight that page. As of now, you have to touch an actual preset then scroll from there. It would be nice to be able to touch anywhere inside it’s box and have the first preset highlighted.

And to this one, I would add being able to scroll down the list using the sliders on the touchscreen

4

There is no GEQ on the inputs, so this makes sense, that button only ever applies to the current mix, so it shouldn’t need selecting explicitly. Should it get selected when the GEQ is used (so the processing screen etc is up for the mix) and then fall back to the channel when the GEQ is deselected?
I understand that, but when you need to ring something out quickly it’s a two step process. No matter what is selected on your current Mix, the GEQ should pull up for that Mix. For example if I’m mixing inside LR but I have channel 2 selected because I’m viewing processing, if I wanted to change the LR GEQ, I’d have to hit Select on the Master channel, THEN hit the GEQ button. I feel as though any time you hit the GEQ it should pull up the GEQ for the current Mix you’re in, regardless whether you have gone and selected the Master channel.

Simply select the “Setup” tab at the very top of the screen. If the channels are named then they all show up there.
Understood, I still think a very large bold reference would help a lot. As of now it’s little squares that aren’t making very good use of screen real estate for this. A nice big and clear font, with the specific channel would really help. A ME could just sit the iPad down near the snake and glance at it as needed instead of having to get a close up look.

Bob, are you currently developing with A&H? I’m unsure if any of this stuff is being read by programmers there. The forums are a little slow unfortunately, and I wish they had one of the developers chiming in once in a while to let us know this isn’t all falling on deaf ears.

I did some reading around in here and there’s some great suggestions all over. Everyday users don’t see things as programmers do and vice versa, but when the two combine and feed off each other, it really makes a massive difference.

5

I’m not working with them unfortunately…

I agree wrt GEQ, that button has no relevance for a channel, so it should always apply to the current mix.

In terms of iPad display, yes it could be better, but there needs to be space for the qu32 :wink:

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-It would be nice to have a “Select shows processing” setting. Anytime a channel is selected, the touch screen would automatically pull up it’s processing page. As of now, it’s a two step process (Select, then Processing button) but this would obviously be the most used page when selecting a channel.

I agree, having to press two buttons is a bit annoying to process a channel.

When using the Shutdown command, all faders should rise to the top for transportation and storage. It’s good practice to keep all faders at the top point as they’re furthest away from the edge of the console where they’re most likely to get bumped/bent during movement to/from a flight case.

Another good idea so I have created a scene called “Shutdown” where it moves all of the faders to 0db for this purpose. But again, this is now a two step process where it should only need to be one.

7

You can set up the PAFL-button to display the channel´s processing. This makes sense, because you´d want to solo a channel to make adjustments. And you can select all channels to be USB-sources with a single command, there is a tab for it in the low right-hand corner of the bespoke screen.

8

And select to follow PAFL?
Else you get the “wrong” processing selected :o

9

Yes, “follow PAFL”.

10

As far as the rather poor use of screen real estate is concerned, I am now using a stylus-pen to hit those tiny buttons, makes life a lot easier… but the metering-page is still funny, and the RTA just plain ugly. Am I alone in being fond of classic blue or green fluorescent/plasma- looking meter bars on a black background? Maybe they are more expensive to design, but it´s still just software, right?

11

We could go for configurable colours :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley:

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-The GEQ should pull up when engaging the button at anytime for whichever buss you’re currently in. So if you’re in your main LR, regardless what channel is currently selected (from 1-16) it should pull up the GEQ. As it is right now, it’s a 2 step process where you have to hit the Select button on the Master fader, then hit the GEQ button.

If you want the GEQ to be your first option and appear when you select a bus, just leave “GEQ” selected on any bus screen and you should see the GEQ immediately upon selection. Selecting a channel will not affect this bus option selection. I understand what you’re going for, but I’m OK with just having it as a primary display when selecting a bus. That way I know exactly what I’m working on and can do it with a minimum of clicks.

I don’t really find GEQ to be my “go to” option in live sound. PEQ would be my #1, but that’s just me.

13

OK- the semi-braindead finnish guy is back! I think this time it’s better not to make a statement, but I’m wondering if there is another major dysfunctionality in the scene-memory? (Yea right, The Scene Memory!)
I am thinking about moving scenes around, and creating scenes between existing ones. From what I’ve gathered, it is painstaking;

Let’s say I have forty scenes. Now a situation arises, where I need another scene at number two- position. The way I see it, I need to move 39 scenes one step forward, one by one to make space for that extra slot. Is this really the way it has to be done? I hope there is some other way that I have missed.

Cheers,

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I’d shift them along using the copy/paste functionality.

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Yes,of course, but is there a way to “paint” several scenes, and shift them at one go?

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@Bob- yes, yes, configurable skins! If you stare at something all day long, it would be great to stare at something that’s esthetically pleasing

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Besides, I don’t think it’s an accident,that the eq and some other processing functions have a black background. I’m thinking daylight-viewability also.

18

What I’m after is to be able to create an empty scene anywhere in a sequence of scenes. I could then copy/paste another scene there, and use it as a sort of template.

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What I’m after here, is to be able to create an empty scene anywhere in a sequence of multiple scenes,then maybe copy/paste an existing scene in there,and use it as a sort of template that would have all my inputs and routing etc. Not possible?

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This community-site does not work very good on an iPad. How do you delete a posting? The previous was meant for another discussion… sometimes I log in, but can’t post, because “you have to log in”. Makes you look dumb.