Hear Back- installed!

[stainless]

this works GREAT!

granted, if you only record one musician at a time this isn't for you, but if you record multiple players....

this (IMHO) is a vast improvement over the RME mixer... I seemed to be constantly changing levels... someone would turn, different tone and someone else couldn't hear something... and usually,a s the session wore on, hearing would set in and everybody would have a need to "turn it up!"

Mixers are 8 channels, more than enough for most any session I can imagine anyone in a home/small to medium studio would need. Additional mixers are ~$250 each

total cost for system (4 mixers) with cables and Atlas mounts (purchased separately) was just under $1500

The "package" comes with Cat 5 cables (4 - 50') but I chose to run my own and crimp the ends so as not to have excess cable (not recommended unless you have a lot of patience), and I wall mounted the mixers using Atlas podium mounts with short extensions

The RME Matrix/mixer is a great idea and tool.... but (again IMHO) it has it's limitations and drawbacks.... the Hear Back lets the individual musician adjust HIS OWN DAMN MIX!

there I said it!!

BTW, Sweetwater matched the lowest price on e-Bay  (surprised the hell out of me)... and I still get their support and 2 year warranty

[gaz7224]

It looks like a cool system.  Seems much simpler just needing a ADAT out and Cat5 cable, rather than messing around with lots of Analogue connections.  And it takes the pressure off you for creating headphone mixes, and puts it in their hands.

It's always so cool waking up to a new 'toy' on your doorstep too, like christmas haha.

Glad you've got it set-up and working.

[stainless]

I'm really quite pleased, as part of the decision was just being tired of the near constant complaints (I can't hear myself... he/you,drums are too loud... all I can hear is....) so I'm glad I'm happy with the result

and it prodded me to get stuff on CraigsList and e-Bay that I just wasn't using anymore (most due to upgrades... but a few of those "seemed like a good idea" at the time....

and it's got all kinds of volume... and I'm guessing it's digital all the way to the mixers (as Cat5 has no shielding whatsoever... I know cuz i stripped the ends of all the cables and crimped the ends on)

One person on GearSlutz claimed to be able to hear the 1.5 msec latency....  everyone else had positive things to say, one guy had 2 of them slaved together for 16 outputs(?!)  I can't detect the 1.5 msec myself... so works for me just fine

[gaz7224]

I'm wondering if I could use part of the system to feed headphones in my live-room.

Do you think it'd work if I used The Extreme Extender ADAT I/O, connected to a 8 channel ADAT to analogue converter, and then connect that to a headphone amp?

It seems a good solution, because I'd have 8 sends over a single Cat 5.  I don't need the entire system, just the cat5 to ADAT converters.

The Aphex AS-141 converts adat to analogue doesn't it? If so, I could use that.

Or can you buy a headphone distributor with ADAT in?

I'm presuming the ADAT extenders will work as a standalone ADAT to CAT5 converters.

[stainless]

The hear back is replacing a Aphex 141 -> Presonus HP60 using the RME Mix Matrix for the individual headphone mixes

I have no complaints about the 141or the HP60 (though at high volume the HP60 starts to get a little 'hissy"... The RME I found to be a bit of a PITA, though others love it.... it's definitely not intuitive and the learning curve kicked my behind!

as to the extender... not sure... but I think it mainly increases the length of  your cable run.... but wouldn't separate out or do much with the signal(s) except act (I think) as a 'booster"

I'd ask them directly