Behringer X32 Digital Mixer

Behringer X32 Digital Mixer

The Behringer X32 is a 40-input 25-Bus Digital Mixing Console with , 16 XLR outputs, 32 Programmable Midas Preamps, 25 Motorized Faders, Channel LCD’s and a 32×32-Channel USB 2.0 Audio Interface. Each of the 32 channels and 16 mix busses  comprises and insert and 16 send channels , a 6-band parametric EQ’s, and full dynamics processing (gating, compression, expansion). Each channel also comprises a virtual effects rack with 8 stereo effects slots (e.g., reverb, delay, chorus, sub-octaver, EQ, guitar amp, compressers enhancer,  exciter, stereo imager, phaser, panner, tremolo, etc).  It can be remote controlled via an iPad or mobile phone. The X32 can allows some control over a DAW (e.g. Cubase) using HUI and Mackie control. The X32 has a high-resolution 7″ color TFT screen. The X32 connects to Midi and internet.

See also P16-M Personal mixer.

Although Behringer was considered a manufacturer of low-end hardware, the X32 changed this. The community was very enthusiastic about this mixer. The workflow is brilliant and very well thought off.

Image: X32 top view.

Image X32 back view. Analogue and digital I/O, including 32 mic inputs, 18 XLR line outs, two sets of 48-channel AES50 outputs, and six analogue auxiliary inputs and outputs.

Image: Channel-strip section on the top left of the desk provides access to the most frequently used channel settings, including EQ, compression, gating and preamp controls.

Image: More in-depth parameter editing is achieved via the display and its associated rotary encoders and clearly labelled selection button.

Image: Scribble strip. Each channel and group strip has a high-resolution colour display, which can show icons and custom channel and group names. The ‘Select’ button allows to select the channel for changing its settings.

Image: Behringer X32 setup in my studio. In the background I am running Cubase Pro 10.5. To the left and right the Yamaha HS8 monitor speakers. 

Audio interface

The 32 in/32out X-USB audio interface.

X32-Editor

Image: User interface on iPad.

Image: X32-edit PC/Mac application to setup and control the X32.

Automatically set the X-USB buffer size

With the X-USB Control Panel you can set the buffer size for your audio interface manually. I have written an authotkey script that takes care of this for you, and can be executed from, for example, the StreamDeck. For mixing and mastering I generally switch between buffer sizes. For mixing I use a buffer size of 2048 samples when I have multiple VST instruments running, while for mastering I use a small buffer size of 64 samples.

Here is the script:

;;#z:: ;Win+Z hotkey
;; Select X-USB Buffer size

;; First activate window from tray
Process, Exist, XUSBAudioCplApp.exe
WinShow, X-USB Control Panel ahk_pid %ErrorLevel%
WinActivate, X-USB Control Panel ahk_pid %ErrorLevel%

;; Next select buffer size
ControlFocus,SysTabControl321,X-USB Control Panel
ControlClick x100 y47, X-USB Control Panel,,,, Pos
ControlClick ComboBox1, X-USB Control Panel,,,,

;; 1 = 8 samples
;; 2 = 16 samples
;; 3 = 32 samples
;; 4 = 64 samples
;; 5 = 128 samples
;; 6 = 256 samples
;; 7 = 512 samples
;; 8 = 1024 samples
;; 9 = 2048 samples
Control, Choose, 8, ComboBox1, X-USB Control Panel,,,
ControlClick ComboBox1, X-USB Control Panel,,,,

;; Close window
WinHide, X-USB Control Panel

Automatically set Scene from command line

To automatically set a X32 scene, it turns out to be impossible to use authotkey with the X32-Edit application since X32-Edit does not expose any of its controls and therefore AHK commands like ControlClick do not work. Fortunately, there is a command line utility developed by Patrick Maillot that can be used to set the X32 to a specific Scene that you previously saved on your computer.

Here is the script:

;;#z:: ;Win+Z hotkey
;; Load Cubase Scene into X32
Run, %ComSpec% /c ""E:\Programs Studio\Behringer\X32SetScene.exe" 
             "-i" "192.168.178.28" <"E:\Program Data\X32-Edit\X32-Cubase-7jan2023.scn""

Links

• The unofficial Behringer Forums
• Drew Brashler (YouTube)
• Sound on Sound review
• Cubase template
• X32-Edit documentation
• X32_Command (terminal based utility from Patrick Maillot); Source on GitHub
• X32_Live Toolbox (GUI based utility from Patrick Maillot)
• MIDI table (Wiki)

Manuals

• X32 Documentation

Videos