Routing to give a stereo group a stereo plugin on the VENUE plus AES EBU uses

[somtech]

In theatre I commonly route radio mic vocals to a mono group and then I use the Trim plugin to route the signal back onto a channel. This mono group can have various inserts placed on it and then gets sent to various matrixes requiring these dynamic and eq processed vocals. The channel then is a send only to the various orchestra foldbacks and as a general fx sends. The beauty of this is the signal is all post fader to foldbacks etc.

While having trouble sleeping the other night I worked out I could use the AES EBU in and out (as I haven't had the need to use them up till now), instead of the Trim plugin, to send a signal out and back onto a different channel while keeping everything in the digital domain. As the AES EBU is one cable that deals with two signals I discovered there is another use for it…..

Stereo groups containing drums or vocal backing or strings may require a stereo group plugin. I would send these to a stereo group but the SC 48 wouldn't allow a stereo plugin over this stereo group. By putting a cable from the AES EBU OUT to AES EBU IN I am able to patch the left and right side of the group to the left and right out of the AES EBU (one plug but digital signal is stereo). Then I can route the AES EBU in to either a stereo channel or a stereo effects return. At that point when we have the signal in stereo on a channel or FX Return where we can use the channel eq and dynamics or insert a stereo plugin. Of course this channel can then be routed to the various outputs. There is only one AES EBU IN and OUT on the standard SC48 but more on the Profile or if using an extra IO16 card (wish I had one… and the remote … oh well maybe one day).

In the mail is an AES EBU analogue converter (AJA ADA4) which seems a simple and cheap option to increase my SC48 input count to 53 + firewire inputs and output count to 20 + firewire outputs

Hope this 2 cents worth is of benefit to someone.

PS Venue 3 is great. Enjoying many of the new features. S