Hi Xdesk-ers and Slutz,

First time poster here so please be gentle..

How are people using their Xdesk's with regards to operational signal? As in, do you run hot signals into it, so they're yellow on the meters? I'm plugging my Mytek into it and I have reduced the output quite a bit to prevent too much amber light in my eyes. As it's a clean desk I guess there's no saturation by going orange?

To keep my 0300's balanced i'm either putting them on 0 or -24 (there's not steps). If on 0 the monitor controller never passes 10pm, at -24 I can take it full. What would anyone recommend?

I have an Api 3124 which I use on the Cue send to get some preamp goodness, I've not done a proper test to see if this is giving me extra benefits or the opposite, I have it so its used! I tried it on the master insert first and had to use the pad while adding no gain on the pre, changing to the Cue out I can change signals sent to the pre and use the gain.. Again, is there any good ways to do this?

Lastly, I'm using an external reverb, for the moment I have 8 outs and can use fx1 and fx2 to send left right independent. How do the fx sends work if I had a 16 out soundcard (using alt inputs)?


Thanks

As to levels, mine are fairly low. Just imagine X desk is not there and u recording API to computer. It doesn’t have a sound so no benefit running it hot. As to FX sends, u can also use CUE send. Better for reverb as don’t have to move two knobs for a stereo reverb send. Then bring it back through alt inputs or direct into fx returns or direct into Comp if recording it. Congrats I would be dead without an x desk

Thanks MoonDog007
coming from a mackie onyx I can say the x-desk is a leap forwards. I never used the onyx Eqs or pres, and the pots feel totally different on the x desk.

I get what you mean with the FX send.. I'm dealing with using both as the cue it sending to 2 channels of an api pre.

there's a lot of control packed into a single box


ahem.. time to get productive

Thanks again

i differ. It CAN be clean when you do not push it. When you do, it first compress a bit. Push a little more, and then crunches in a good way. Push more and then you have unpleasant distorition. Use your ears. The level you push into it should depend on the style and the sound you want to get. This is why it is so versatile


best

API pres do not have a sound?

Of course THEY do. The question is does the x desk?

I replied but don’t know what happened. How hot u pushing x desk in terms of the colours? Red orange etc. On channels or at bus stage? I must confess, I usually run it medium and never truly did an AB comparison so maybe u totally right. I run two electrodyne preamps after it pad them down and then do make up gain just for colour. Yes I know u guys all spell colour differently in USA

Yes i agree that X-Desk nicely colors and compresses the sound if you're push it into the yellow on the edge of red. It behaves exactly like most "big" consoles like when if you get scared to overload and back it off a bit you can easily lose the mix. The punch and that soft sweet gluey saturation is gone.

i do not have rules, i use the ear, the output goes to a burl bomber adc, that has an attenuator AFTER the input transformers, so the hotter i hit this transformers also add to the sound. I know some would say, here is where he´s getting his colour but no, the burl came after more than 6 years of x-desk use. i also have the mastering chain on the main instert, and when client approves mix, then i turn the mastering chain on and also switch the attenuator of the burl off, to where i get some desired ad clipping. i deliver both unmastered mix and mastered mix in minutes. As i said, the amount of pushing on the console depends on the material and style.

best

Hans

yes, and is difficult to back off with analog, sometimes i do have to back up a bit, tough, and it also can be done digitally

Hi everybody, now I' m an ssl desk owner. try to summing a mix with all 16 channels (8 line input and 8 alt input).
I connect master MIX insert Send and Return to my bus compressor (Serpent sb4001) but the compressor seems to work only on the LINE INPUT and not for the Alt line in.
Is there anybody can clarify about it?

Have you pressed "Cue to Mix" button ?

Hey

I've got a hybrid setup - some synths, drum machines, an SSL Fusion, some 500 series units - and currently all interact via a Focusrite Clarett Pre X interface + ADAT. Basically, no desk. Ive bought some patchbays recently but not connected them up yet

But I feel I need a desk to tie it all together, but I dont want a massive desk and I dont want to spend £10,000+

Been looking at the SSL X Desk and have a couple of questions

-- to be clear, basically you get 16 inputs but its 8 live inputs from synths etc, and 8 from the DAW via the ALT? Or can it be 16 of live inputs from synths? I need a minimum of 16 tbh

-- is there one stereo aux and 2 x Mono (1 stereo)? Not clear

-- is there an insert across the master? Im considering putting my SSL Fusion across it

thank you!

i don't own one but have researched them some. all those questions (and more) are answered in the manual

https://www.solidstatelogic.com/asse...User_Guide.pdf

each channel has 2 mono FX sends + a stereo cue that you can also use for FX but is labeled cue for typical use when tracking and setting up a cue mix for the headphones of whoever is playing/singing etc.

it has 2 inputs per channel. you can plug whatever you want into them but the intention is the have record returns going in there for monitoring while recording.. but yeah.. they're just more inputs so plug whatever you want into them.

yes there is an insert on the master bus.

Been using the x-desk with the panda for 6 years - I love it! But that's for me and my workflow. Sure seems like it should work for you, given what you wrote.

For the first two questions, it depends: Yes, you get 16 line inputs from whatever source you want, but you lose the stereo aux send. If you only use the first 8 inputs then you retain the one stereo and two mono aux sends. But, you also have two stereo returns that can act as another 4 line inputs if you're not using them as effects returns.

For the third question, yes, you get a master insert that the Fusion would be perfect for. The first 8 inputs also have inserts.

Hope that helps :-)

I have x desk and can confirm this is all perfectly correct! Just keep in mind, u can only use 1-8 tracks for recording because the other tracks do not have individual track outs. I Love my x desk and would be lost without it. I have no idea how people work without something like this honestly. My only complaint is I’d love one more stereo fx send and motorised faders. I know that would add to the price by a couple of grand but it would be so worth it. Version 2.. are u listening SSL?

Excellent point about the first 8 channels having direct outs for recording, Moondog. Having the panda I forget about that limitation, but that might be a deal breaker for you, gypsymoth. My wishlist is that I miss groups, and I really want a master fader. I got around the lack of busses (mostly) by normaling my insert sends to a Speck X.Sum, which has switchable stereo outs that normal back to the stereo input channels on the panda (an X.Sum might be worth looking at, gypsymoth). I haven't found an off-the-shelf solution for the master fader yet though.....

Thanks guys

I think in summary, the limited track count might be problematic if I'm running lots of drum tracks in. Will look into that X sum

Just a real pain - the perfect mixer doesnt exist!

I'd love to be able to track 16+ channels, have a couple of aux sends, some inserts, switchable inputs so I can sum.... but in a smaller form factor that doesnt cost the earth. Not too fussed about EQ because I do that ITB

How are you guys adding your EQs to this beast? On the inserts I assume?

anyone care to comment on the build quality of the X-desk? i've read that they're nice and solid but a few people report noise issues in the main out at the fader and some high pitched noise when control room volume is at max. there's some videos showing it. seems it's a mature product now and perhaps those issue are fixed in more recent versions? i wonder if they've done any revisions to the circuits?

Exercising the pots usually gets rid of any unwanted noises. Static builds up on the wipers and good wiggle gets rid of it fast enough.

Hey Jim. Hope you're well. Would you mind answering a couple of questions for an SSL newb who's considering this desk?

-- there appears to be 8 inserts on each channel, that can also be used on the ALT inputs? Is that correct?

-- how is the master bus insert connected up? via the centre D-SUB?

-- how many stereo AUXs are available to me if I'm tracking all 16 channels thru main and ALT? I'd like to send signals to my stereo reverb and stereo delay simulataneously if possible

-- Can the ALT LEFT and ALT RIGHT (yikes) be used as an output for something else in the signal chain?

Thank you!

Insert point follows whatever is selected at the top of each channel. There are only 8 of them but they follow after the input select switch. However if you select ALT at the top of the channel the MAIN input doesn't get sent into the CUE ST bus. ONly ALT inputs can be fed into the CUE TO MIX.

There's an output DSub and an input DSub for the centre section. Sends on one, returns of the other.

None. If you are sending ALT input into the MIX then you use up the stereo CUE. You are left with 2x mono sends which you could connect to the stereo returns (assuming your FX can run mono in stereo out)

Not in the way you are thinking. You could however use the X-DESK LINK OUT DSub to grab the MIX or CUE buses.

Hey Jim,

Can the x-desk mix bus link out be connected to the six "passive split Main L and Main R" on the output d-sub? IE - is that a direct injection point to the six mix bus?

Any tips on connecting the two mixers?

I have both the X-Desk and the Six. If you’re asking about directly connecting the two desks via a DB25 to DB25 cable (with no patch bay in between), you can do this one of three ways:

X-Desk into Six

1. Connect the X-Desk Centre Out to the SiX DB25 In/Return. In this case the X-Desk Mix Out (L/R) on 3-4 will connect to the SiX’s Channel 1-2 Insert Return. So you’d push the INSERT buttons on the SiX’s channels 1 and 2 and be able to sub in the mix from the X-Desk.

2. Connect the X-Desk Link Out to the Six DB25 In/Return. In this case the X-Desk Mix Bus Link on 1-2 will connect to the Six’s Main Insert Return. So you’d push the INSERT button next to the SiX master fader to sub in the mix from the X-Desk.

SiX into X-Desk

3. Connect the SiX DB25 Out/Send to the X-Desk Centre In. In this case the SiX Main Out (L/R) on 5-6 will connect to the X-Desk FX Return 1 (L/R). You’d push the MIX button under FX Return 1 on the X-Desk to sub in the SiX’s mix.

I use the SiX as my main desk/monitor controller and use a patch bay to patch the X-Desk in via the Six’s EXT 1 stereo input.

Nigel

By the way, if anyone is interested in a brief comparison between the X-Desk and the SiX, I posted this a week or so ago...


SSL 6 vs SSL X-Desk sound quality for summing

or you could go out of the SiX into the Insert return of the X-Desk and hit the Insert Sum switch.

If you really really wanted you could use the link out connector, but the solos and FX sends wont cascade like the do between 2 X-Desks.

Hello everyone, long time x-desk user here. This has probably been asked before, but I can't find anything on it. When turning on / off the x-desk, the volume meters go into the red. I believe this is normal behaviour. When monitors are on, turning on/off the x-desk results in a loud pop. To prevent damage to the monitors, I turn them off before I turn off the x-desk. Also, the same pop happens in connected headphones, so I disconnect them before turning the x-desk on or off. Again, this is a bit of a hassle, is it necessary? I guess the short version of my question is: can the loud pops that occur when turning on or off the x-desk damage studio monitors or headphones?

Same thing happens with mine. I seriously doubt u would damage the monitor. I guess it is possible though. It’s such a quick burst.

I would get in the habit of turning off your monitors first in general - its good practice. And conversely, turn them on last when powering up the X-desk. You can disconnect the headphones, or just turn down the headphone volume before powering down.