C24 Disaster!

[banana boy]

Finally (after waiting since early December when the C24 landed in South Africa) got my delivery yesterday. Spent all day installing the extraordinarily expensive set of cables you have to buy to install the C24 ... cables cost me close to $3000 from the local monopoly dealer who would not even throw in four DB25 plugs I still need to specially wire to get the Cue, SLS and TB outs and the Stereo Ins wired into a bantam patch bay ... but that's a whole other story. I was also forced to pay the full $10000 list price plus local 14% VAT - no discount for cash, despite having spent on the 001, 002, Command 8, HD Accel 2, 192's, 96 etc etc ...

Would all have been worth it - if the C24 worked!

First clue was I got a couple of strange error's reported - clip hold preferences invalid. Dutifully went through set-up again and all seemed fine - sound was fantastic and the controller seemed to be working (except maybe for cue system which I could not hear working on the headphones). I had re-config'd a few current sessions to talk 1&3 for L&R and all was working well into last night.

Then I switched off the power ... and was blasted with full-level digital noise that almost ripped my speaker cones out! Thought hey, maybe I must remember to turn off monitors before the C24 - tried again all seemed OK. Left the monitors on again thinking maybe this was a one time anomaly - and almost lost the speakers again!

Turned off and turned in late at night.

Woke up today excited to get on with my new gear and on opening a session and hitting Play, was blasted by 0dB full-volume through now very stressed speakers. Tried to mute, could not. Tried to turn down the control room pot, could not - it stays stubbornly fixed at 0dB! Turned, off, on, tried again - no joy.

Of course its Saturday and the dealer's not working till Monday. Germany support was closed when I called. Just have to wait.

Want to send it back and get a new one; or maybe just send it back and stay with the Command 8.

SO disappointing!!

[MASTERLINKSTUDIOS]

sorry to hear about your misfortune but mines is working 100%. there must have been damage done to the c/24 during shipping,good thing you bought it from a authorized digi dealer so it is under warranty.good luck

[banana boy]

Hey Masterlink thanks for the sympathy! And thanks for your cool videos.

Update: I reset all anologue routing and monitor gains (under Utility\System menu) and this fixed the 0SPL Control Room gain problem. Also downloaded and installed 7.4 which included a firmware update for the C24 (7.4.0.309) and I have had no recurrence of the full volume problem. I also got the cue to work after these resets and software updates not sure if this had anything to do with the problem or not, but this too has not recurred yet.

Only remaining issue is the HUGE digital fart that happens when you turn off the C24 with your monitors on - even with outputs muted. This noise can't be good for anything! Do you guys have the same symptom, or does the C24 shut down politely when you turn off the power supply?

[Imagine]

Duncan,

Can you hear this digital farting in your headphones?

[banana boy]

Thanks for the interest Dean; no - cannot hear it on the phones, but it does come out through the Alt Mon output. Also noticed that all 16 inputs on the 192 light up like a Christmas tree when powering the C24 down - coincidentally this is where I have routed the C24 line outs - the first 192 has extra AD card . This is a BIG fart. C24 seems good except for this problem.

Can I ask again - no-one else with the new C24 have this power down noise coming from monitors you inadvertently leave on?

[Stylin' Audio]

It is always best practice to power on your monitors last and turn them off first to prevent speaker/ear damage. There is not a lot of gear that can be powered on/off to hot monitors without spikes!

[banana boy]

Thanks for the advice Colin. Just seems this noise is way more than I have ever experienced. I know well that a small click or even a large "plop" can accompany an inadvertent power up or down with audio gear with monitors on. I am running Mackie HR824's which have an auto-on feature (like many other monitors) which means they are happy to be left on all the time, effectively staying in "standby" until needed again. This has never been an issue with a Digi002, 002, HD with C|8 and even with a DM24 mixer in the chain. First big issue is with the C|24. I'd really like to know if anyone else has this problem.

Further update: Dealer called today to say their stock C|24 has a similar problem, but he described it as decaying white noise. He has promised to get in touch with Digi and establish whether this is a known issue or if there is a known fix. I haven't heard the sound on the dealer's machine personally yet, but my sound is way bigger than "decaying white noise".

[banana boy]

Here was Digi's reply to my dealer ...

We would always recommend that you turn off the monitors fully when
powering down the C|24 (or any console).

From the manual:

Shut down your system in this order:
1 Turn off monitor amplifiers or self-powered speakers.
2 Turn off all Pro Tools audio interfaces.
3 Shut down the computer.
4 If you are using MIDI equipment, turn off MIDI interfaces and other
MIDI devices.
5 Turn off the C|24.
6 Turn off external hard drives.

I have asked the dealer to come and check out the problem, but maybe this is actually how the unit has been designed?

Please could I ask if anyone has experienced this at all? If this is how it is, then I guess this is how it is. If, not I would not like to be cheated out of a warranty fix by the manufacturer hiding behind recommended operating procedures.

Any response at all would be appreciated - even if it's just to say: RTFM and don't expect the unit to shut down quietly if you leave your speakers (or Alt Mon speakers) on!

Thanks.

[Imagine]

Please could I ask if anyone has experienced this at all? If this is how it is, then I guess this is how it is. If, not I would not like to be cheated out of a warranty fix by the manufacturer hiding behind recommended operating procedures.

As far as I can tell, I'm not seeing any of the symptoms you are Duncan. Having said that, I do make it a point of turning "On" my monitors "Last", and turning them "Off" first.

Also I would remove the DB25 cables, and re-connect. It might be a faulty cable. I would also look into the power supply. Does the retail store have a PS you can borrow? Might be worth a try.

[banana boy]

Thanks again for the feedback Dean. Checked the main out cable (swapped with another), but no change. Good idea on the power supply - will check with the dealer. Will feedback. Will also follow the manual's recommendations on the sequence of powering down.

I am loving the C24 (apart from the early drama)! This is my first experience of 24 fader PT control, and after less than three days I'm totally hooked. There's a lot to learn, but so far pretty much all the workflow improvements I'd hoped for are beginning to show.

One more question - is the Alt Mon output supposed to be so soft? I had been using a Mackie Big Knob rather than my old C|8 (because there's no talkback on the C|8) and I had no problem pushing the TV speakers I use for post mixes to a level close to my main monitors without changing the main level knob much at all. With the C|24 I am having to turn up the Alt Mon (even with max 6dB off-set) half a turn of the C/R level knob to get anywhere close. Again - just one of those things I'm seeking clarity on to be sure my C|24 is the same as Digi designed it. BTW the monitor section is SO much better than the Mackie - I am hearing stereo like I have not heard for a long time! This coupled with 24-knob control of channel pans has already made a big difference in the quality of the album I am working on.

Don't you hate it when you buy something expensive, then something negative happens early on in your experience with it and then you always kind of look over your shoulder to be sure you did the right thing ... even when you are getting the benefits you'd hoped for?

Thanks again for the feedback.