The fader strips provide dedicated mixing controls for the channels assigned to the current bank/layer. 

All faders and rotary controls are touch-sensitive, and are clearly labelled by the panel's displays. Any fader strip can control any type of channel and supports six banks, each with two layers. This allows you to control inputs and masters from any fader position, and handle lots of signals from very few physical faders.

Controls Overview

Each fader strip is divided into the areas described below.

There are three possible variants: the single- or dual-fader strips (in a channel bay), and the main fader strips (in the centre section). Note that the lower controls (4 to 12) are identical for all variants. The upper controls (1 to 3) differ as follows:

  • In a single-fader channel bay, the upper section provides input gain, A/B switching and six assignable Free Controls (FCs).
  • In a dual-fader channel bay, the four upper Free Controls are replaced by a second (upper) short-scale fader.
  • In the centre section, the main fader strips are identical to the channel fader strips but have no upper controls.

1. Input Gain

2. A/B Switching

3a. Free Controls & FC PRESETS

3b. Second Fader

4. SEL (Fader Select)

5. Fader User Buttons

6. Label

7. Input Meter & Status Indicators

8. Channel Mute

9. Layer Flip

10. R/W (Read/Write)

11. Fader

12. AFL & PFL

Single-fader Strip
(Channel Bay)

Dual-fader Strip
(Channel Bay)

Main Fader Strip
(Centre Section)

Operation

The main points of operation are as follows.

In a channel bay:

  • The upper rotary control (1) always adjusts source gain.
  • On a single-fader panel, the remaining rotary controls (3a) are assignable Free Controls. These can be assigned or paged to any channel parameter: EQ, Compressor, Aux sends, etc. 
  • On a dual-fader panel, there are two assignable Free Controls (3a) and an upper fader (3b). The upper fader always controls the alternate layer.

On all fader strips:

  • Press SEL (4) to select the channel. For example, to adjust its parameters centrally or perform an access/assign operation.
  • The fader user buttons (5) are programmable and can trigger channel operations: e.g. Conference on/off, Talkback, Snapshot Isolate, EQ on/off, etc.
  • The label (6) identifies the channel. If there is signal present at the channel input, then this is shown on the input meter (7).
  • Press FLIP (9) to switch the fader strip to the alternate layer. On a dual-fader panel, this reverses the upper and lower fader assignments.
  • Use the fader (11) and/or MUTE (8) to adjust the channel level.
  • Press AFL or PFL (12) to monitor a channel in isolation.

The rest of this topic describes the controls in more detail.

1. Input Gain

The upper rotary control always adjusts source gain (either mic/line or INMIX gain depending on the source type). The amount of GAIN is shown at the bottom of the Channel Display.

2. A/B Input Switching

The A and B buttons can be used on input channels to switch between a main and backup source. For each channel, the sources must be connected to the A and B inputs using the Signal List display. If nothing has been assigned to an input, then the corresponding button cannot be selected.

Note that each channel supports a third (C) input. This can be switched from the input section on the Central GUI's Main Display or programmed onto a user button.

3a. Free Controls

On a single-fader panel, every fader strip includes six assignable Free Controls (FCs). On a dual-fader panel, there are two assignable Free Controls plus a second fader (described later).

Each Free Control can be assigned to any channel parameter, and the default assignments can vary from channel to channel. For example, to access an aux send level on one channel and compressor threshold on another.

The controls are color-coded, making it easy to distinguish between the parameter types: EQ (blue), dynamics (magenta), aux sends (green), etc. The current function and value are shown on the surface displays.

The default assignments can be changed using the COPY/RESET AUDIO panel (as described here). At any time, you can override the default assignments by recalling an FC PRESET (either from the centre section or channel bay). These change the function of all Free Controls either globally across the console or within the bay. When you deselect the FC PRESET, the controls return to their default assignments.

Note that, when a bay is isolated, it is possible to expand the parameters for a single, selected fader across all Free Controls within the bay. This is a great way to access say all of the EQ parameters for a channel. See mc²96 - Isolated Bays.

Each Free Control includes a touch-sensitive rotary control, push-button and display. The button function depends on the assigned parameter (e.g. EQ on/off). The surface display shows the current function (e.g. EQ GAIN) and its value (e.g. 0.00 dB). The rotary control operates in the same way as other rotary controls on the surface:

  • Turn for fine adjustment OR push down and turn for coarse adjustment*.
  • Tap down twice in quick succession to reset the parameter value.

*The fine/course tuning behaviour can be reversed, globally, using the "Console → Potentiometer → Invert Pot Fine/Course Tuning" option (in the System Settings display).

FC PRESETS, BANK/LAYER & ISO BAY

Beneath the Free Controls is a horizontal strip of buttons that provide FC PRESET control, BANK/LAYER switching (locally for the bay) and ISO BAY.

Note that the same local BANK/LAYER and ISO BAY functions can be found at the top of the Channel Display.

The PRESETS (1 to 6) are user-defined FC PRESETS that can be applied to all 16 fader strips within the channel bay. Note that global FC PRESETs are also available from the centre section. See mc²96 - Master Controls: FC PRESETS.

To program the user-defined FC PRESETS:

  • Start by assigning the required parameters to a fader strip's Free Controls and press SEL (to select the channel).
  • Then, press and hold a preset button (1 to 6) until it flashes - this stores the selected channel's Free Control assignments. 
  • For the recall, press the same numbered button - the stored Free Control assignments are recalled to all 16 fader strips within the channel bay.

The BANK 1 to 6 and LAYER FLIP buttons provide local bank and layer switching for the 16 fader strips within the channel bay. They can be used with ISO BAY on or off as follows:
  • Press a button to change the bank or flip layer of all 16 fader strips.
  • If ISO BAY is off, then the bank and layer is reset by the global BANK/LAYER buttons (in the centre section).
  • If ISO BAY is on, then the bay is unaffected by the global BANK/LAYER switching.

ISO BAY ON isolates the channel bay so that it is unaffected by the global BANK and LAYER switching. If AFL2/PFL2 is enabled, then the isolated bay feeds the second AFL/PFL bus. Once ISO BAY is enabled, the DSP, AUX, BUS and page buttons can be used for expanded parameter control. See  mc²96 - Isolated Bays.

3b. Second Fader

If the channel bay is fitted with the dual-fader panel, then the first four Free Controls are replaced by a second (upper) short-scale fader. The upper fader always controls the alternate layer. Press FLIP (beside the lower fader) to reverse the assignments.

The upper fader and its user buttons are labelled by the mini TFT displays. The upper fader comes with four user buttons, a fader strip SEL button, MUTE plus AFL and PFL monitoring. These operate in an identical manner to the first (lower) fader described below.

If you need to adjust other channel parameters, then press a fader SEL button and use the parameter control areas in the Central Control Section.

4. SEL (Fader Select)

The fader SEL button can be used to select a channel, otherwise known as placing a channel "in access". Once selected, you can adjust the channel's parameters centrally (from the Central Control Section or Main Display), or perform an access/assign operation such as moving the channel to a different fader strip.

On a VCA or bus master, you can press and hold the SEL button to activate Reveal In Place. The slave channels appear beside the master so that you can quickly adjust their parameters.

5. Fader User Buttons

The four fader user buttons can perform "channel-related" custom functions such as mix minus control (CORD and CONF), snapshot isolate (SNAP ISO) and talkback (TALK).

The buttons are switched globally, through four pages of functions, from the FADER USER BUTTON panel (in the centre section). The current functions are shown in the fader strip label displays (above/below each user button).

All user buttons are programmed from the Custom Functions display and are stored at a system level. This means that any changes will affect all users.

6. Label

The fader strip label display can show either a text label or image to identify the channel.

The "labels" are switched globally from the centre section LABEL buttons. From here, you can choose which text labels are in view, and whether LiveView images are enabled.

For the text labels, there are three possible options:
  • CHANNEL NAME = the system name of the channel (e.g. INP 1). This is system-defined and cannot be edited.
  • USER LABEL = the user label given to the channel (e.g. Guest).
  • INHERIT SOURCE = the user label given to the source connected to the channel (e.g. Mic 1).

If the IMAGE button is enabled, then the 'Signal Thumbnails' assigned to the channel or source are displayed instead of the text labels.

The background color of the display can also be used to quickly identify the channel.

By default, the following colors are applied: white = input channels; green = aux masters; yellow = groups; red = sums; blue = VCA masters.
The colors can be edited from the Channel Config display if you wish to customize the setup.

7. Input Meter & Status Indicators

The fader strip label display includes a signal present meter. The pickup point is always at the channel input. This allows you to check that signal is present before opening a fader.

Below the label and meter are several channel status indicators. When lit, the indicators show the following information:

  • LNK = processing modules within the channel are linked as part of a link group
  • AUT = automation is enabled (for the fader).
  • C/L = either the compressor or limiter is active.
  • G/E = either the gate or expander is active.
  • SUR = the channel format is surround.
  • STE = the channel format is stereo.
  • ABV or BLW = when using timecode automation, indicates that the level stored in the play pass is above or below the current fader level. 

8. Channel Mute

Press the MUTE button to mute the channel.

The mute position can be set globally for all channels to either after fader or after the input mixer. In addition, you can disable the MUTE button operation, globally, to prevent accidental operation during a live show. Both options are defined in the System Settings display: select "Global → Status" and then look for the "Channel Mute" and "Mute" options.

9. Layer FLIP

Press FLIP to switch the fader strip to the alternate layer. On a dual-fader panel, this reverses the upper and lower fader assignments.

Layers can also be switched locally within the bay or globally from the centre section.

10. R/W (Read/Write)

The R/W (Read/Write) button can be used to step in and out of write (on a fader) when using the timecode automation system.

11. Fader

By default, the fader adjusts the channel level from -∞ to +15dB. 

The faders can be switched, globally, from the FADER CONTROL panel (to adjust a different level parameter such as an aux send or the direct out).

All faders are motorised and touch-sensitive. The fader motors can be turned off (for non-moving VCA slaves). There is also a notch that can be set to any position, and an overpress function that is triggered when you pull back on the fader (e.g. for a fader start or backstop PFL). These options are defined in the System Settings display (under "Fader/Joystick → Fader").

12. AFL & PFL

Press AFL to listen to the post-fade channel signal. Press PFL to listen to the pre-fade channel signal. The listen buses can be switched to different monitor outputs using the Control Room Monitor (CRM) options on the Central GUI side panel.