Headphone cue setups

[davemc]

Ok the place is almost finished rebuilding. Or better be soon

I am wondering what to setup for the cue sends?
I used to send out 4 mono sends from Pro tools, via a power amp into headphone boxes.

I was thinking about sending out two stereo sends instead.
One to a 8 channel headphone amp in the control room feeding via patchbay 3 in the main room and one in each iso booth leaving 3 local for the Control room.
The second a 6 channel one in the main room.

What do you guys use for cueing. Do you liek to send stereo or mono sends to headphones?
I really do not want to allocate more then 4 outs, so one of those 6-8 channel headphone mix boxes is out.

[digitaledit]

Whatever you do...definitely send stereo to the cue mixes. The most important thing you can do for an artist out in the other room with headphones on is to make them comfortable by making them sound good in their cue. Singers especially. They just won't sing well unless they like what they hear

[petermeechanuk]

I prefer the option of using either stereo or mono . I find that whilst singers tend to prefer stereo, drummers are often happy with mono.

Having mono sends gives you the option of both. Mono also gives you twice as many different headphone mixes in the live room. For stereo, just combine two mono (one for left , one for right). There are several headphone amps that allow for this . The DACS for one has 4 mono inputs A to D and can send either A+A, A+B, B+B, C+D etc. out to the headphones. I.E. 4 individual ins, and either 4 mono, 2 stereo and 2 mono etc. etc. outs.

Alternatively and mini mixer between the foldback send and headphone amp can acheive this.

-Peter

[Jules]

4 x mono when tracking...

Out from PT

I am often amazed it works to be honest.... (the low latency loop through the computer etc etc)

Stereo for overdubbing

2 x stereo Crown D50 power amps / Beyer DT 150 heaphones

ProControl attenuates the level for one pair, a Behringer composer set to -10 operation brings the 2nd pair down to a safe level..

[stealthbalance]

for what its worth, when i put together some travelling PT rigs with pres and the whole 9 yards, the headphone system boxes used were the furman headphones-
it was really easy, really load and totally flexible with talkback and all . we daisy chained from box to box , and could give the whole band individual outs or a stereo mix or both - really great set-up. i think it is 8 mono and 2 stereo pots.
and the distribution box bolted right in the rack like another 192 if needed.
s

[davemc]

Well I have hooked it up like this 2 stereo sends out through 4 outs of PT into 4 XLR's to the main room.
I have hooked up 2 Behringer cough headphone amps.. They can have each output switched to Mono L or Mono R and have a bass and treble and cost AUD$200 each...(yes I know slave labour, but they have more functions then my current furman 6 channel which I might use in Control room)
I will take a send from here into the vocal booth..

[7rojo7]

Furman 8 mono channels and 4 stereo, 6 satellites with local effect send (ART fx101, saving for something better) Everyone is GOD.
In ProToools; Auxilliary tracks set to converter inputs (double mixer,1 mixer for record track sends and my monitor mix, aux mixer for cue sends) the actual mix changes according to the instruments I have to record. I send my mix on one stereo buss (D, theres a solo cicuit on subgroup D so they can hear my mix on playback which stops the stampede after a good take, I have small delicate place), mixed drumset on one stereo buss (A), any ensemble submixes or special effects (B+C), Mono inputs KIK, SN, VOX, BS, GTRs, BKVX1, BKVX2, but it varies GTRs could easily be French Horns on any given project and I'll mix multiple sources into the mono tracks if I have to. I usually don't run into whiny runt problems because everybody is busy with some thing to do. I can have more satellites if I want and every satellite can run a bunch of cans. I have only closed cans because I got tired of singers looking at me like I was the devil when they turned their head sideways on a mic. and let out the banshee hiding behind all the speakers. AKG 270, Beyer DT 150 And I have for me some audiotechnicas. Any volume controlling is done by the victims of their own mix.
At the end of tracking I copy the session and throw out the aux mixer.
Waiting for new converters to make it all happen in super sexy mode.

[De chromium cob]

Originally posted by 7rojo7
Furman 8 mono channels and 4 stereo, 6 satellites...... Everyone is GOD.

This is what we do as well...You set up the channels from the patchbay- Usually the stereo mix, drum overheads and a effects return if wanted on the stereo channels while the mono channels get kick, snare, bass, guitars, vocals, ect....Everyone gets their own box and you can daisy chain them together....