ANY USB A to USB B will work, best to get shielded ones.

V2 Firmware has been released and it has 25 more screens added

Useful feedback. Thanks.

Great video

Is anybody using this unit to play back backing tracks from a DAW (using the sound craft as the audio interface) alongside taking live inputs etc. I'm wondering in this set up what happens if the computer crashes? Does it effect the mixers set up or do the DAW channels just cut out and the the mixer continues as normal?

What I want to achieve is Ableton playing: Backing track L&R, Bass, Click through the Soundcraft and outputting to individual outputs for front of house and drummer. Then a back up computer running alongside with a focurite sound card outputting the same stems and being fed into additional channels on the sound craft kept muted until a problem arises (I'm hoping I can swop quickly by changing scenes??). This is obviously all undermined if any kind of rebooting of the unit is necessary etc.

Many thanks,

Mark.

I only have a ui12, but I suspect the ui24 would just keep mixing on the last settings if you had a DAW computer crash. If your DAW computer was also being used to control the ui24, then a crash of the computer itself would mean you'd have to reboot your computer or otherwise get control of the ui12 to unmute the channels receiving input from the focusrite/2nd computer.

I suppose you could test it by doing something to make your DAW crash (overloading tracks, FX) and see how the ui24 handles it?

Doesn't everyone update the firmware on a device like this as the very first thing when received?

How is situation with latency on UI24R?

I like Audioquest. You can get some really expensive cables from them. I've never done any tests to compare the various price points, but use the cinnamon USB and HDMI cables.

Ok, that's the problem, at least for me anyway. I am a musician first and a sound tech a far second or third. There is nothing in the manual that tells you to update firmware first; how am I supposed to know this? BTW, I have given up on the manual as it is written (poorly I might add) with an experienced sound tech in mind and not a musician. It makes a lot of assumptions and doesn't even have a glossary of terms they use which to me is silly.

When I started doing my own sound years ago I bought a Mackie because the manual was so well written and very easy to understand. I was up and running in no time. If I fully understood the Ui24 I would write a real beginners manual.

I know there are people who took it out of the box and never opened the manual and had no problems, but these are also people who have used digital boards before.

This is all JMHO

I hear where you're coming from, but in today's technology laden society, it's not just audio gear, but any device that has factory programming and may have been sitting on a shelf in a warehouse somewhere that should be updated. A camera, for example. Anything that can be connected to a computer should be checked for updates when bought. I am surprised that you couldn't even connect, though.

You wouldn't even need to change scenes, just set up a mute group with the focusrite channels & have your phone handy with the mute groups on screen. Unmute the backup & mute the primary.

The ui24 is a clean sounding unit but built in wifi is completely unreliable. Two for two gigs fell flat on it face even while standing on stage next to it,,had to strike the unit and hook up my console both times,not what i signed up for at 1000,00$.will try external router,but now is another 200.00 and you lose ethernet hard line,lost time and patience, will never trust this on live shows again

Did you try changing WiFi channel to 5ghz? I had one of the first units out and had a few drops at first. After a firmware upgrade and WiFi channel change I’ve had almost no issues. You should be able to get a WiFi router for way less than $200 and if it has multiple ports you can still hardware. Give it another shot if haven’t yet done these things. Mine has been very good so far.

Almost all of us Ui12-16 users figured this out long ago. Connect the Ui via Ethernet cable to a reliable external dual-band router. I've been using my Ui16 with an old Netgear N600 (WNDR 34 1st Gen) for more than 18 months of more-than-weekly open mics and pro sound gigs without a hiccup. Used WNDRs are all over ebay at around $25, so I'm thinking of getting another one as a backup.

I've gone further and made several ways to mount the router where it has good line-of-sight. I found a pvc plastic-pipe coupler that, with a little trimming, is a perfect cradle to hold the WNDR upright, mounted one on the side of the big rollaround stacking tool box that I take to gigs, and epoxied a broken mic clip into another so it can go on top of a spare mic stand. That one also fits into a big spring clamp that can be used to mount it on a speaker tripod or satellite pole. A selection of Ethernet cables in various lengths (up to 100') set me back about $20, and an extender for the power-supply cable to the router was about $4.

The only issues I've encountered were once or twice when a powerful local wifi network hijacked my connection, but that's easily addressed with a channel change (and often simply selecting the Ui's wifi again). Use an app like wifi analyzer to check channels.

If you want hardwired Ethernet and an external router, simple. Just run a cable from one of the unused switch ports on the router to your computer. Remember, Ethernet-to-router connects to a switch port, not the yellow modem port, as one helpful helper did once. I put tape over the modem port after that incident.

I've even found that I can have devices logged into both the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz bands at the same time, with each having complete control. Just starting to play around with having multiple tablets in front of me at the same time to minimize lateral scrolling and repetitive toggling between functions.

I just noticed that American Musical Supply has the Ui24R on sale until the end of June, a $100 instant rebate that drops the price to US $899, with a decent 12-month, zero-interest finance deal to boot. Not showing up at other retailers yet...UPDATE: Zzounds has the same price, so I wonder if this is a short-term promotional tease from Soundcraft or an adjustment.

I'm thinking of upgrading from my Behringer X18 to the Ui24R. I'm hoping for better audio quality. I use this as my home studio mixer. Running synths and drum machines, and hoping to multitrack into AUM on my iPad, as I do with my X18. I was a bit worried when I heard that I could only multitrack without any processing. I'd like to multitrack post Eq, Chorus, etc. Is this possible now? I might miss a few X18 effects, but hoping for less muddy sound, better preamps. Any opinions welcome...

I'll maybe buy UI24R so i have a question for folks that already have device: Is there any minuses that you find on this device? Is there something missing that is standard in devices at this price range? What do you think about sound quality vs other devices? I checked videos and everything looks great but i want response from users. Thanks!

I would hold off buying until more information becomes available about Mackie's new dl16s ($699) and dl32s ($1299). They appear to be multi operating system mixers aimed squarely at competing with the UI and XR series. They are stage box/rack mount mixers with an efficient, compact case design more similar to the XR series, and they apparently have been working on changes to the master fader control software. It remains to be seem what Mackie has actually achieved, but they've had the opportunity to study the XR and the UI series and could be bringing an updated generation of wireless mixer. Competing manufacturers sometimes leapfrog each other's products...

Hi, I m new here. I m thinking about picking up a ui24r. Now we use 2 zoom r24 for recording our band. It's a great tool and the quality is more than i d expected. But we are running out of tracks (now 16) for recording the band live. The ui24r has 22 regular inputs and 2 via usb for playback of mp3/wav. I was wondering if this usb can be used to connect a usb audio interfase. In that case the ui24r would have 2 more normal inputs. Anybody tried? Thanks!

Does it have any options for adding hardware control surfaces? (PC or mobile app)

The unit itself is an Audio interface. If u wanted to turn channels 21+22 (line level inputs) into preamps (for mics etc) you could buy a separate 2 input preamp and run the output of this separate preamp into channels 21+22 via rca (1/4” or XLR to RCA lead). Dunno how good the quality would be depending on the quality of the cable but it’s possible. Or if one of your instruments is a line level instrument and doesn’t need a preamp, plug it into channel 21+22 with the appropriate cable/adapter for RCA in.

The other 2 tracks are just the stereo playback from USB stick.

The USB interface part of the unit is separate. This allows you to record all 22 inputs + main (L+R) and all of the 8 aux busses into a daw (32 tracks).

At this point no, which is a bummer cause it would be cool to be able to plug in a hardware control surface. I know that it’s a bit freaky relying on touch screen but you get used to it quite quickly. Honestly I had the same fear of “what if something goes wrong and I can’t locate it fast enough on the touch screen”. But you soon learn to setup mute groups, normal groups and vca’s and whip around the ui. Sometimes I also have my phone enabled sitting on the main screen as a failsafe.

Hi altogether, I read the thread I would like to add my findings as an owner: The UI24R is the in my opinion a very useful tool with many options which others are currently not able to apply or serve. From an IT-perspective I like the complete HTML based Interface which makes the unit completely OS independent, this gives it five stars over all other solutions: It does not matter at all how you are going to control it, just open your browser an you are able to do everything what your browser (!) will allow you to do.
I agree, this is a full blown mixing console with all features you are expecting with an unbeatable price tag currently, but it requires Sound engineering competence to know how to treat the controls or routing, similar to any more or less full featured digital desk. You can use it limited as well, and it is able to behave like that, but at some point as a beginner you will start to ask yourself the meaning of certain controls....
I am coming from analog, own a few digital desks and are familiar with live as well as with recording, but I have to admit, that this unit behaves like it should (up to now no crashes) and offers everything you would expect from a live mixer (studio capabilities not proven yet), and I managed to turn it into a really useful live mixing surface... did anyone tried the big desktop option except me ? This view opens a complete new world (requires a network connected PC with at least full HD), I am already talking to harman about this feature.

Soundcraft Ui24R has a support/experience Facebook page. Original developers hang their as well. Check it.

Anyone directly compare this against the Allen & Heath Qu-SB ?

I started off looking at the lower priced options but am thinking for my use/budget there is value going up to the $600-$900 budget (used). The only comparison I have found highlights the native iOS app vs Web interface (which either is equally fine with me - I am a technical enough to manage the IT aspects of either unit fine) and also that the Qu preamps are possibly a little more analog/vintage and the Soundcraft a little more pristine (no idea if this is true). I am looking for something to self-manage my 4 piece jazz/rock/fusion band but then also serve as a basic home recording unit too. I won't use a lot of effects but probably straight up vocal channel performance stuff is the most important to me. Any opinions are welcomed.

I am a big fan of A & H dependability and after purchase telephone technical service commitment. Today we see way too much "Wall Mart business model" of buy it but don't call me if you need help attitude. I have no way to evaluate Harmon's policy in this regard however I will strongly advocate both A & H and Waves for their after purchase service.
My QUsb is the fourth A & H processor I have owned: the QU16 I gave to my garage band teenage grandsons. The QU line offers bullet proof capture devices and their QUsb is a great choice for self contained acts that are looking for clear uncluttered processing with sonic quality that defies it's entry level price tag. I use my QUsb for quick set up guitar/vocal solo gigs with an AT4060 mic with NOS Mullard tube. I am not a big fan of the the flash drive multi- track protocol however the USB output to a DAW works much better. I also have a Digigrid /Waves LV1 system that offers world class sonic quality Digico "D" pres and is controlled with two 24inch touch screens. While the Waves system is better for large FOH live performance and studio work it requires 12 times the investment and I can't carry it under one arm.
Some folks are less that impressed with the QUsb proprietary I-Pad protocol but I find it very intuitive and easy to use. The best advice I can provide is to audition all of the contenders with your vocal mic of choice and monitor with head phones the gain staging and EQ/FX processing until you find your sound.
Hugh

Thanks for the comments on the QU-SB, Good advice as it really seems like that unit and the UI24R differ maybe slightly in sound and also general interface/workflow but are generally comparable and at the head of the pack in units with this form factor. I suppose test driving for ones self is the only real way to know. I do see a few more of the UI24R's available used and a little cheaper which I guess is another factor.

It is not the size of the screen that matters relative to how much mixer real estate you are going to see on a screen. What matters is the amount of pixel resolution. Average PC pixel resolution, on a high end 16:9 screen is is 1920 x 1080. (W X H)

Typical PC screen resolution is 1366 x 768. You will see more inputs using a 1920 x 1080, but you may have to shoot higher (4K) if you wish to see the whole mixing board at once. Some of the PCs with the highest resolution go to 4K (3840 x 2160). Some of the high res touch screens that go to 4K are very expensive indeed! Their costs start around $1,900.

4K UHD Touch Screen Displays, Ultra High Definition Touch Screens

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Pete Buchta, CTS-D, CTS-I

I have a small home studio set up. Currently using the Behringer X18, which is okay, but it quickly can become quite muddy, even with just a few synths playing. That’s just my experience... I was wondering whether to go down the Ui24R route, for better pre amps, for my synths and stuff? What improvement can I hope for? Or the Midas MR18 equivalent. As it’s for recording my tracks at home, I need the best audio quality but at a very limited budget point.

We're all so desperate to get the best kit with the "better pres" all the time, without ever acknowledging just how good contemporary mixers are.

Have you ever stopped to consider that your few synths might actually be giving you a muddy mess, best resolved by reprogramming/patch selection?