Speck X.Sum line mixer

[vince @ speck]

Product Press Release

Contact: Vince Poulos
760-723-4281 Voice
vince@speck.com

New X.Sum Line Mixer

San Diego, CA – August 25, 2005 – Speck Electronics, a manufacturer of <br>quality professional audio products, today announced it is shipping the X.Sum.

The X.Sum is a 1U analog line mixer that will mix 32 signals with unmatched signal <br>routing, generous amounts of headroom, and a neutral signal path. The X.Sum can <br>be used for external DAW summing, line inputs for external mic preamps, or as a <br>submixer for synths and samplers.

The X.Sum design takes you beyond the simple “hard-left” or “hard-right” <br>summing box, and gives you 16 “stereo” input channels with level, pan, mix <br>assign, and mono select.

Priced at $1490.00, the X.Sum is now available from select audio dealers as well <br>as factory direct.

Speck Electronics has been producing quality professional audio products for <br>over 30 years. Founded in 1973, Speck Electronics has consistently provided<br> innovations in audio mixers for all segments of professional recording and touring. <br>Other products include the XTRAMIX rack mixer, LiLo line mixer, the Model ASC <br>4 band equalizer, and the MicPre 5.0 preamp.

http://www.speck.com/XSum/XSum.shtml


###

[Jay Fitz]

Vince Poulos...the real MixerMan! Very cool box.

We have them on order so if anyone is interested just give a call. $1425 for a 32x4 1RU mixer/summing box! C'mon, who doesn't want one!

[Albert]

How does the switching between the Mix-A buss and Mix-B buss work? Can channels be assigned to both mix A and B at the same time?

[electric]

hi,
when engaging the "mono" switch do both the left and right signals go up the middle? I ask because on the back on the left channel has "(mono)" designated next to it. therefore can you sum 32 mono channels together or 16?

regards,
electric

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by Albert

How does the switching between the Mix-A buss and Mix-B buss work? Can channels be assigned to both mix A and B at the same time?

When the Mix switch on any channel is in the "out" position, the channels' stereo signal is routed to the Mix-B stereo outs. When the Mix switch is depressed on any channel, it's stereo signal is routed to the main Mix outputs. This function is on a per channel basis. So you can have some of the input channels assigned to the main stereo mix, and some to the Mix-B.

The Mix-B outs are accessed from the RJ-45 multifuntion I/O connecter. You'll need a small breakout box for this.

Another function of the RJ-45 connecter will also let you connect your own external pres to the X.Sum should you want to experiment with a more "colored" sound.

[Mystical]

I could be wrong but it's common practice to label the left input as the mono input or left input when in stereo use. You see this on alot of gear.

Great job Vince, I was wondering when this thing was going to come out... I know what my next three paychecks are going towards.

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by electric

hi,
when engaging the "mono" switch do both the left and right signals go up the middle? I ask because on the back on the left channel has "(mono)" designated next to it. therefore can you sum 32 mono channels together or 16?

regards,
electric

I'm sure this is obvious, but perhaps it should be mentioned again....There's a difference between having a mono source connected to a stereo channel -vs- monoing (the algebraic sum of two signals) the left and right signals.

The Mono switch will sum the left and right signals. It's not really "up the middle" because the summed L/R signal can be panned using the pan pot.

The "mono" designation on the rear left jack should be used when you have only a mono source.

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by Mystical

I could be wrong but it's common practice to label the left input as the mono input or left input when in stereo use. You see this on alot of gear. And yep I'm pretty sure that when youe hit the mono button it shoots the signal up the middle to the mix buss... essentialy taking the pan pot out of the circuit.

Great job Vince, I was wondering when this thing was going to come out... I know what my next three paychecks are going towards.

hitting the mono does not take the pan out of the circuit. It just combines the L & R signals. The sum of the L & R signals are then "mono" and can be panned.

[Mystical]

Ha you just caught me between edits... ya I was was totaly off track on that asumption... and I was just going to ask you about that. But you just answered my question. I thought when engaged it just sent that track up the middle. But I now see it's for a summing of the stereo input, very crafty there vince... that's a well thought out feature.

[Albert]

Originally Posted by vince @ speck

When the Mix switch on any channel is in the "out" position, the channels' stereo signal is routed to the Mix-B stereo outs. When the Mix switch is depressed on any channel, it's stereo signal is routed to the main Mix outputs. This function is on a per channel basis. So you can have some of the input channels assigned to the main stereo mix, and some to the Mix-B.

The Mix-B outs are accessed from the RJ-45 multifuntion I/O connecter. You'll need a small breakout box for this.

Another function of the RJ-45 connecter will also let you connect your own external pres to the X.Sum should you want to experiment with a more "colored" sound.

So the Mix-B switch under the Monitor knob and above what I assume is a headphone jack: that will allow you to switch the headphones between buss A and B? Is there a way to monitor mix A and B at the same time? Is there any way to get separate control room and main mix feeds of the same mix buss? For eample to send mix A out the TRS main outs and out the RJ-45 connector.

Will the RJ-45 connector allow multiple units to be ganged together as one mixer? Finally, will you be selling a RJ-45 breakout box to go with the X.Sum?

A lot of questions, I know. The unit looks great Vince!

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by Albert

So the Mix-B switch under the Monitor knob and above what I assume is a headphone jack: that will allow you to switch the headphones between buss A and B? Is there a way to monitor mix A and B at the same time? Is there any way to get separate control room and main mix feeds of the same mix buss? For eample to send mix A out the TRS main outs and out the RJ-45 connector.

Will the RJ-45 connector allow multiple units to be ganged together as one mixer? Finally, will you be selling a RJ-45 breakout box to go with the X.Sum?

A lot of questions, I know. The unit looks great Vince!

It is a H/P jack, and yes, the Mix-B switch selects bus A or bus B. The Mix-B switch controls other signal funtions too.

I beleive the answers to you other questions are yes, yes, and yes. But maybe it's time to go to the flow chart to clarify those answers.
http://www.speck.com/PDF/XSum/XSum_Signal_Flow.pdf

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by vince @ speck

It is a H/P jack, and yes, the Mix-B switch selects bus A or bus B. The Mix-B switch controls other signal funtions too.

I beleive the answers to you other questions are yes, yes, and yes. But maybe it's time to go to the flow chart to clarify those answers.
http://www.speck.com/PDF/XSum/XSum_Signal_Flow.pdf

The lack of direct outs really kills the deal for me, how does one get one's individual inputs into a daw with everything coming out the 2 channel mix bus ?

Nice unit as a summing box; perhaps for live use as a submixer, but otherwise, it's missing a vital function, that is, discrete outs.

Ed

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by Sharp11

The lack of direct outs really kills the deal for me, how does one get one's individual inputs into a daw with everything coming out the 2 channel mix bus ?

Nice unit as a summing box; perhaps for live use as a submixer, but otherwise, it's missing a vital function, that is, discrete outs.

Ed

Ed,

It's not that the X.Sum is missing a direct out function... it was never considered as a option during its design.

The X.Sum, for lack of a better description, "is-what-it-is", a 32 x 4 line mixer in a 1U format. For a DAW studio, it's primary application would be as a "back-end" mixer for converters. You could even setup the mixer with converters on some of the inputs to the main mix, AND external pres or samplers on some of the other inputs being sent to the Mix-B outs. The X.Sum has a stereo mix out as well as a seperate monitor level.

Beyond that, sounds like your looking for a full-blown recording desk. That would be the only way to get you 32 inputs, and 32 direct outs.

[...Vince decides that he's not going to let Ed walk off the showroom floor without one last attempt to sell him a mixer. Vince smiles, puts his arm over Ed's shoulder, and walks him over to the....]

If you want a line mixer with more bells/whistles (and direct outs), take a look at our LiLo.

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by vince @ speck

Ed,


[...Vince decides that he's not going to let Ed walk off the showroom floor without one last attempt to sell him a mixer. Vince smiles, puts his arm over Ed's shoulder, and walks him over to the....]

If you want a line mixer with more bells/whistles (and direct outs), take a look at our LiLo.

The Lilo sure looks like a terrific unit, but having recently sold off my Sony DMX r100, I was looking to downsize, this is what I did:

Api 3124+ into a Rosetta 800. I also added (and this is where something like the X sum with 16 or 32 outs would've been the ticket) a Digidesign 96 I i/o, it's the 16 input, directly to Pro Tools model.

At the time I did consider the mini-mixer you sell, but its small controls scared me off.

I really do think there's a market for something like the x sum with just a bit more flexibility, something like the Api 8000 series without the need for a master controller. You could make it in 8, 16, or 32 i/o configurations with a send, return and insert on each channel, it'd be ideal as a front end for a DAW multiple i/o converter such as a pair of 192's.

And why the direct outs? I write music for television, the norm for delivery these days is stereo stems, I'll often have several stems for the synths alone - we need INPUTS!!!

Perhaps it's something to consider as a future product.

Anyway, your stuff looks great, I spent a lot of time poring over your line a few months ago - keep up the good work.

Ed

[Crandall1]

I gotta say, Vince, it's great that you announced this product here on Gearslutz, fielded all sorts of suggestions, some stupid and some not, even implemented a couple of them, and here it is. Wouldn't it be nice if all hardware manufacturers were like that?

In any case, this is _exactly_ what I need. I can sum 16 channels from my DAW, and I still have enough inputs left to submix all my synths and use the mix B to go back to the DAW. I don't know how the rock guys will feel about this box, but for people that deal primarily with electronic music, this is a god-send. I'll be buying one shortly. It is a bit more expensive than I expected it to be, I'll say that much, but not ludicrously so. Still well worth the money, for my needs.

[The MPCist]

Great product Vince!

A question. How does it compare to the XtraMix?
Not feature-wise but specs/sonic performance, etc.

Thanks

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by The MPCist

Great product Vince!

A question. How does it compare to the XtraMix?
Not feature-wise but specs/sonic performance, etc.

Thanks

Good question!

Channel -vs- channel, bus -vs- bus, and (1) channel assigned to (1) bus, the X.Sum -vs- Xtramix will be about the same. The difference, like with ALL mixers has to do with the number of channels that are assigned to a bus at the same time. More channels assigned, more bus noise. ("I cannae change the laws of physics, Captain!") Not by great manitudes, but it will be higher.

So.... since the Xtramix has the "potential" to have 28 stereo channels assigned, and the X.Sum has the potential to have 16 stereo channels assigned, the Xtramix is going to be a bit noiser than the X.Sum. Most of the other spec's are the same.

That's why I suggest to customers that inputs be "sub-grouped" on the Xtramix. That is, take the input channels and spread them out amongst the 8 busses.

I hope this answered your question.

[Albert]

Originally Posted by vince @ speck

That's why I suggest to customers that inputs be "sub-grouped" on the Xtramix. That is, take the input channels and spread them out amongst the 8 busses.

That's the way I do it with my two XtraMix's, but wouldn't the noise add up to the same whether it's spread out among 8 busses or 2 busses? It's still the same number of channels ultimately being funneled down to the stereo mix.

Also, I looked at the signal flow chart, but I want to make sure I understand it properly. Is it possible to have a main mix and monitor mix of mix A? It seems from the flow chart that you are always choosing between A and B, but I really think I might not be reading it right.

The price is a little higher than originally projected, so I have to wait a bit before getting the X.Sum. It looks like it will fit perfectly into my studio though, and be very useful. Can't wait!

[Scinx]

Thought this would be beneficial to post on the board
I PMd Vince with the following question:
Can both left and right inputs be individually mangled with? (e.g. if I had a mono source of vox in Ch 1 L, and a mono source of doubling vox in Ch 1 R, could these individually be manipulated (decrease/increase in volume, etc.) or is that assumed to be done in the box?)

His reply as follows:

The answer is yes. dissimilar signals can be connected to the L & R inputs of a channels. The volume adjustment is a bit tricky, but not impossible. You just use a combination of the volume AND balance controls.

Let's say the Vox was in the L, and the delayed Vox was in the R. But you only want a small amount of the delay blended to the Vox. To do this, turn the balance mostly to the L until you get the correct Vox/Delay ratio... then turn up or down the input channels' volume pot to adjust the level for both.

[Unknown soldier]

What are the sonics on this piece? Seems to be clean and neutral. A lot of the summing boxes coming out now are meant to color - mixdream, nicerizer, etc.
In an ever growing summing box world, where does your box fit in?

Also, can I create a seperate headphone mix? I'd like to have the ability to have both monitors and headphones readily available, turning one up while the other is down.

Thanks!

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by Unknown soldier

What are the sonics on this piece? Seems to be clean and neutral. A lot of the summing boxes coming out now are meant to color - mixdream, nicerizer, etc.
In an ever growing summing box world, where does your box fit in?

Also, can I create a seperate headphone mix? I'd like to have the ability to have both monitors and headphones readily available, turning one up while the other is down.

Thanks!

The X.Sum has a neutral signal path. It's just my opinion.... but i beleive the mixer should be the piece of equipment that does not add coloration to the source signals. Use your mics, pres, EQ's and compressors for character/coloration, and use a mixer with a neutal signal path to hear all those great devices.

We offer a break-out box option for the X.Sum that will allow the user to bypass the output circuits in the X.Sum and connect a pair of external preamps should you want to experiment with "character" sounds.

"Where do we fit in the summing world".... I think the X.Sum is clearly targeted to the "Crossover" customer that wants the benifits of a summing box and the flexiblty of a mixer. If you just want it to sum, then set the input controls to the 0dB calibrate postion and walk away. When you're ready to mix things up , then you have variable controls and switches to play with.

Yes, you can have a seperate level control for the main mix and a headphone mix.

[Duardo]

That breakout option sounds pretty slick. How much extra will that be?

-Duardo

[eskay]

We offer a break-out box option for the X.Sum that will allow the user to bypass the output circuits in the X.Sum and connect a pair of external preamps should you want to experiment with "character" sounds.

Vince I f*ckin love you mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Spiros Kassimis

p.s. are you buy any chance of Greek heritage?

[MrChang]

Originally Posted by Scinx

Let's say the Vox was in the L, and the delayed Vox was in the R. But you only want a small amount of the delay blended to the Vox. To do this, turn the balance mostly to the L until you get the correct Vox/Delay ratio... then turn up or down the input channels' volume pot to adjust the level for both.

(I'm a little tired, so maybe that's why I'm not seeing this clearly)

Doesn't this fly in the face of the summed mono signals being able to be panned? The pan function becomes a balance/gain ratio of the L & R inputs? So hard left would = no right channel signal? From what I've read so far, it seems that you could move the mono-summed signals, together, around in the sound field...

Originally Posted by vince @ speck

hitting the mono does not take the pan out of the circuit. It just combines the L & R signals. The sum of the L & R signals are then "mono" and can be panned.

Where am I going wrong? To showcase my further ignorance:

In panning a stereo signal on the X.Sum in increasing increments to the left is the right channel slowly disappearing from the stereo image or is it being added to the left side? Sorry if this is obvious...

Nice touch with the mono button on the master and the ability to switch the monitor path between mix a & b!

[MrChang]

Also, what's under the hood in the master section for gain?

Can the level control on the monitor/b path be jumped to only control the h/p?

Price for the break-out box?

This does look very tempting!

[rnbeatz]

Originally Posted by Duardo

That breakout option sounds pretty slick. How much extra will that be?

-Duardo

And when will it be available?

[MrChang]

One more question, Vince. Are there detents at 0db on the channel level control and at center on the pan?

Thanks.

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by rnbeatz

And when will it be available?

There are two versions of the breakout box at this time; The Mix-B output, and the external summing output. We will have other versions in the near future.

The other versions will sort of depend on the imagination of X.Sum customers. There are a lot of possibilites with the "multi-purpose I/O" connector. If you want to throw-out some ideas, I'd like to hear them.

The breakout boxes are availaible now. $49.00 retail each.

[vince @ speck]

Originally Posted by MrChang

One more question, Vince. Are there detents at 0db on the channel level control and at center on the pan?

Thanks.

No detents on the X.Sum.

[MrChang]

Vince,

Any more insight on some of the other questions posed? Thanks.

John