Neatest, potentially slickest, MacBook rigs - sharing ideas

[ElmerJFudd]

Currently I am carrying around my VR-700 and/or my PX-560 with a MacBook. Typically I USB one board to the MacBook and use 3.5" audio out to a Radial AV2 di. This splits to FOH and my monitor.

 

Sometimes I swap the AV2 for Keylargo if I want to also use the VR and PX internal sounds.

 

This generally creates ugly cabling bullshit - especially irksome are the consumer grade USB and 3.5" to Y RCA and the desire to sum to mono in MainStage and have a dangling RCA. The Keylargo neatens up mixing but also ads an external PSU. As does adding an external SSD for large sample libraries.

 

If you're in a similar boat - have you tried to assemble a quick and neat setup solution? Using a rack?. A guitar pedal board? Velcro? Creative ideas?'

 

Thanks for sharing!

[nursers]

I'm gravitating towards a rack at present. I've pulled the trigger on a Radial KL-8 mixer (anyone want to buy a Key Largo?) and am hoping to rig it up so most cabling is just plug and go. Very keen to hear other people's experiences.

[EscapeRocks]

The "Easy" Mainstage Rig:

 

Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2

Casio PX-5S

iConnectivity Audio 4+ mounted to the Battery cover of PX5S

Rolls PM-351 Velcro'd to top of Audio 4+

MacBook Pro on Samson Laptop stand

 

Audio L+R out from PX5S to Audio 4+

USB from PX5S, S61MK2, and Audio 4+ to Macbook

Audio Out L+R from Audio 4+ to Rolls PM351

Rolls PM351 Audio Out L+R to FOH

 

The Rolls is my ears mixer.

 

The laptop sit to my right so the three cables (USB) from the boards/Audio i/o are together and nice and neat.

 

 

Big Rig with wireless ears and Wireless Headset Mic:

 

Same boards then;

Small stand for 4 space rack with:

 

Shure Wireless Ears and Mic boxes

Focusrite 18i20

i/o panel

Livewire power

 

PX5S Audio to 18i20

USB from boards to Macbook

USB from 18i20 to Macbook

18i20 audio out to Roll PM351 audio in

Shure Wireless Mic In box out to Rolls PM351 Mic In

Rolls Ear Audio out to Shure Wireless Ear box IN

 

Macbook sits on top of Rack

All connections go thru the i/o panel in the rack

 

Pic of Audio 4+ on my PX5s

 

 

The Rack for big rig

 

 

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

There he is. Thanks for jumping in, Dave.

 

 

[nursers]

Yep Dave's rig is what I always think of when these discussions come up

[EricBarker]

Keylab88... 'nuff said. Builtin laptop tray.

 

I think I've already beat the horse dead about not having a USB Interface in other threads. But yeah, I just run out of my MacBook jack into an Allan & Heath ZEDi10 analog board on the floor. Mojo61 and mic go in as well. No DIs, just XLR outs from the A&H. MacBook sits right on my Keylab. When using another board (that doesn't have a builtin laptop tray), I have a laptop tray that attaches to the stand, but it's not as slick.

 

Sum mono in MainStage with a "Gain" plugin on the master bus, whose soul function is to sum mono.

[Tusker]

Sum mono in MainStage with a "Gain" plugin on the master bus, whose soul function is to sum mono.

 

The gain plugin on the master bus is what I use also. Gainstaging is in-the-box. I am typically using just one side of a Radial USB Pro. With mono, it's half as many cables from there on.

[EscapeRocks]

Hey guys:

 

Do you use the Mainstage Gain Plug in, and the "convert to mono" preset?

[nursers]

I don't but it could be based on ignorance - why do I want to use it?

[Markay]

If you monitor or send to FOH in mono it is a simple way to ensure your sends are mono out. And yes I use it extensively.

[keyman27]

soul function

 

Great name for an R&B group doing corporate events!

[analogika]

soul function

 

Great name for an R&B group doing corporate events!

Also a channel strip setting for that guitar player whose playing is just a little sticky, or the singer whos just not feeling it.

[nursers]

If you monitor or send to FOH in mono it is a simple way to ensure your sends are mono out. And yes I use it extensively.

 

Thanks Markay - so dumb question #2 - is summing to mono better than just running out from the audio interface / mixer in mono?

[Markay]

If you monitor or send to FOH in mono it is a simple way to ensure your sends are mono out. And yes I use it extensively.

 

Thanks Markay - so dumb question #2 - is summing to mono better than just running out from the audio interface / mixer in mono?

 

As Jerry pointed out above, if you are sending to FOH and monitoring in mono it makes your cabling and signal chain really simple by doing it "in the box", thereafter its all mono. No need for stereo DI's etc. No need to worry about how a device further down the chain is summing to mono. For me using a Focusrite USB audio interface it is one side out into mixer and then to monitor and FOH.

[nursers]

Gotcha - thanks

[psionic11]

If you're in a similar boat - have you tried to assemble a quick and neat setup solution? Using a rack?. A guitar pedal board? Velcro? Creative ideas?

 

For quick and tidy setup (and breakdown), without racks, I made a "pedal board / shelf" I put on tier 3 of my Baby Spider Pro.

 

It's first on during setup, last off during breakdown. It holds all USB and MIDI cables (tie wrapped in pairs and labeled), wrapped up wall warts and shorty power cords already plugged into lightweight UPS. I even have 2 color coded XLR shorties perma-plugged into the Largo to connect to my FOH stereo snake.

 

On the shelf is an Integra, Mio4, and Key Largo.

 

Rest of keys gig rig is Kronos61, Prophet Rev2, FCB1010, and MacBook on laptop attachment for the Baby Spider.

 

Took me awhile to refine this method. It's quick, efficient and neat. Even with my bass rig, mic stand, monitors, and cable runs, I'm still first in the band ready for sound check.

[psionic11]

Hey Dave, looks like you have a red PX5S. Nice.

 

I entertained the idea of painting mine black, but Nord Red will turn heads!