Installs Audio switcher - press of a switch

[soundtech193746]

Hey everyone!

I'm doing an install where I'll be using a Shure SCM mixer as a QuickSet mixer for simple wireless devices and a digital mixer for multi input setups where a multi input mixer in needed. I've seen this done before but I don't know what I need to pull it off... I'd like to have a switch next to it to switch between control of the QuickSet mixer and the full mixer.. what would I need to accomplish this?

Thanks!

 

[Jay Ashworth]

So you have 2 separate hardware mixing boards, and you need to switch between their analog outputs, going into one analog input of (an encoder or whathaveyou)?

You could probably do that with an RCA AV A/B switch, such as you can get at CVS or Walgreens. If you're at XLR you'll need a slightly more upmarket, but still mechanical, passive switch.

 

[FMEng]

Stay away from unbalanced, RCA phono plug toys unless you enjoy troubleshooting ground loops and flaky connections. You need a balanced audio switcher.

In order of cost: Coleman Audio LS3, ARX ABS-1, and Kramer VS-4X. All of those are controlled by a button on the unit itself.

If you want remote controlled, and can deal with screw terminals, there is the Broadcast Tools SS2.1MLR/TERM and Henry Engineering Stereoswitch II.

All but the Broadcast Tools can be looked up at Markertek. All of these are passive switchers, meaning there is no circuitry to compromise audio performance, such as headroom or gain structure.

 

[DrewE]

Many (most? practically all?) digital mixers have some sort of scene recall ability, often which can be controlled via MIDI or other remote systems. It might be practical to have the Shure mixer feed into some "extra" input(s) on the digital mixer and have a preset scene for it that routes those inputs more or less directly to the outputs as needed and mutes everything else. For that matter, if the levels don't need to be controlled for the simple setup, you could perhaps omit the analog mixer entirely as well. Of course, whether these are reasonable options or not depend on your exact situation.

 

[rwhealey]

Hey everyone!

I'm doing an install where I'll be using a Shure SCM mixer as a QuickSet mixer for simple wireless devices and a digital mixer for multi input setups where a multi input mixer in needed. I've seen this done before but I don't know what I need to pull it off... I'd like to have a switch next to it to switch between control of the QuickSet mixer and the full mixer.. what would I need to accomplish this?

Thanks!

This used to be done with a third mixer (like these https://www.rdlnet.com/subcategory_products.php?cat=4&subcat=16) or more rarely, a switcher like this one: https://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=772

In many modern systems, this is done in a digital signal processor that also serves as the central system processor. Most open architecture DSPs have control functions, so you could wire a low voltage switch to the processor. If there is more to control like projectors, video routing, etc, it is common to use a control system like Crestron or AMX.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

If your digital mixer speaks OSC -- like the x32 series -- you might look at setting up a Presets screen with, say, an Amazon Fire 7 and TouchOSC...