From the control room to the live room and back

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:58 am

So I've got a few home studio questions.

I just learned about this device called "a snake" (I'm a newb, so what). It sounds like an incredible device and I found one on ebay for $30:

http://cgi.ebay.com/12x4-25ft-ProCo-Roadmaster-Fan-Box-snake_W0QQitemZ220171316298QQihZ012QQcategoryZ41461QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Now about the device. If I understand, that has 12 xlr sends and 4 returns. Here's what I'm thinking.

12 sends to the 8 firepod inputs. I don't have a need for the last 6, but if I ever get another chainable firepod I'll have the inputs already to go. This part would just make my life easier not needing to run up and down the stairs.

Then the 4 returns.

Presonus just came out with a new device, the HP60. Its a headphone mixer that allows for upto 6 personally customizable mixes from 3 inputs, like click, instrument your playing and control room room mix.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRESONUS-HP60-HP-60-HEADPHONE-AMPLIFIER-NEW_W0QQitemZ220168095721QQihZ012QQcategoryZ41477QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm thinking if things can be wired right then those returns on the snake could serve as the headphone returns. I'm not sure if this would be able to work out, but it sounds theoretically possible.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding things, I just wanted to get a second opinion on all this.

Any advice?

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:58 am

Yes, that's just one of many uses for return lines!

Welcome to the club!

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:20 am

Thanks!

So, after a couple hours of personally thinking about this and mulling it over with a friend a little, this may be a better option

Just get a 30' firewire cable and run the Firepod directly into the live room. This would remove any possible interference caused by the snake and just eliminate a 'middle-man' type of device.

Also, my friend had reccomended the Mackie HMX-56 which would do pretty much what the HP60 would do, but for a hundred dollars cheaper.

Just more to think about. I figure the planning phase is free so might as well think it out a while.

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:25 pm

Don't you want to have control over the gain and the monitor volume and all of that on the firepod? Other wise you will be going back and foward to you live room and the control room, that is why (I think) is called control room rigth? anyways just a thougth.

Zoro
www.produccionestecate.com

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:54 am

Yeah... that would definitely help. I'm currently running up and down the stairs (which happens to be covered in XLRs). Not to mention stopping and starting sessions.

One cool thing is I set up remote desktop in the live room. So we can start / stop sessions on the good PC from the midranged one.

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