Does the S3 have Fader Levels?

[KeyplayerG]

On the System 5 Controllers, the fader buckets came with a Swap Level. So 8 faders actually controlled 16 channels. Does the S3 have that feature as well (So, faders 1 - 16 faders can swap with 17 - 32)? Is that why they won't allow you to cascade 2 units like you can with Artist Mix?

[J-S-Q]

I've never used a System 5 but how is this feature different to just banking?

[KeyplayerG]

Originally Posted by J-S-Q

I've never used a System 5 but how is this feature different to just banking?

It works like a small format digital desk (ie: Yamaha DM2K/02R-96, Mackie D8B, or Panasonic DA7, etc.). You have a layer that has tracks 1-16 then a second layer that has tracks 17-24, etc. You would have has many layers as tracks, then additional layers for the Aux, Bus and MIDI sections. So your work surface only has, say 16 physical faders, but it could control 48 channels via 3 layers. You could swap all 16 channels (24 on the DM2K) or any individual channels as you wish for quick reference.

System 5 has one swapable layer. So, you could have double the channels per fader bucket. A 16 channel configuration would yield 32 channels BEFORE YOU'D HAVE TO BANK any channels in the DAW. It's a very efficient system and if you've spent a lot of time on digital desks, it's instantly intuitive.

I'm assuming they kept this feature in the S6. But I wondered, since they now offer VCA Spill Zones, if they included this feature in the S3.

[J-S-Q]

Isn't this largely achieved with the Layouts feature (although you can't swap individual tracks to different layouts)? Or am I still missing something?

A while ago I added a request to Ideascale for layouts that have more than 16 tracks. Then you could switch between different layouts AND back within any particular layout:

http://protools.ideascale.com/a/dtd/...ls/264419-3779

[KeyplayerG]

Originally Posted by J-S-Q

Isn't this largely achieved with the Layouts feature (although you can't swap individual tracks to different layouts)? Or am I still missing something?

This has nothing to do with layouts. Your original banking question was more to the point. Think of it as banking through VERTICAL stacking rather than horizontal movement up and down the tracks.

Rather than scrolling up and down the mixer for a track, you simply flip layers. That way, you do less scrolling. As I said, it's just a more efficient way of managing the tracks when limited to a smaller number of faders.

[deejae]

Key, are you sure the "layouts" feature on the S3 doesn't achieve what your asking. It sure looks and sounds like it, but I might be misunderstanding you. Check out this Avid video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S0OUvs6hwA

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by KeyplayerG

So your work surface only has, say 16 physical faders, but it could control 48 channels via 3 layers. You could swap all 16 channels (24 on the DM2K) or any individual channels as you wish for quick reference.

I understand how this could potentially be a useful interface for paging through flipped sends, but I'm confused how surfacing 48 channels “vertically” via 3 layers is different to banking “horizontally” through them, 16 channels at a time? Asking because it does sound interesting and I'm curious exactly what you mean :)

[KeyplayerG]

Originally Posted by LukeHoward

I understand how this could potentially be a useful interface for paging through flipped sends, but I'm confused how surfacing 48 channels “vertically” via 3 layers is different to banking “horizontally” through them, 16 channels at a time? Asking because it does sound interesting and I'm curious exactly what you mean :)

It's different because it's INSTANT! You're on track 8 and need to go to track 24. You hit the flip button and you're on track 24. You're not looking for it. You're not scrolling to it or past it. You're there INSTANTLY.

This may not seem like much of a difference. But if you have large track counts, say 400 tracks, you just narrowed your search field to 200 INSTANTLY. That difference will become far more apparent 8 hours into a 12 hour day. I'm not sure what's difficult to understand about this advantage. I can't really think of any other ways to explain it.

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by KeyplayerG

That difference will become far more apparent 8 hours into a 12 hour day. I'm not sure what's difficult to understand about this advantage. I can't really think of any other ways to explain it.

Ah, that makes sense. I guess you can almost get there with layouts, but that's not so flexible if you add/delete/reorder tracks.

[KeyplayerG]

Meanwhile, I still don't have an answer from any of the owners about the feature. So, I guess the answer is "no."

Hey Eddie Jones, could you answer this one for me?

1) Does it have the swap layer?
2) WHY can't we link multiple units like the Artist Mix?