Now it works. I can hear it. But the signal will not arrive in Ableton. I feel like a stupid beginner. LOL
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Nothing stupid about troubleshooting.
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Hello, my first post here, so hoping I am doing it right. Anyone have experience or observations of using the Big Six with Cubase 11 on Windows 10? Thanks for any feedback or cautions!
The included Fidus power supply started giving me noise issues, so I went ahead and replaced it with the Delta medical grade supply listed aboveāthat fixed the issues. Iām sure the SSL engineers tested the Fidus supply before they ordered, but itās a serious piece of junk and they should have known better. I asked SSL to reimburse me or send a better power supplyāweāll see what happens. More of a minor irritant than a major issue.
Otherwise, Iām happy with the Big Six, especially the seamless workflow between the analog side and my daw. Its a flexible and fast workflow.
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I currently have an Apollo Quad and Apollo 16 daisy chained alongside a cheap patchbay. I wanted faders to jam with so I bought a PlayDifferently Model1 which sounds very very nice.
Now am considering ditching the Apollos and just getting the BigSixā¦ what am i missing?
I will likely keep the Model1 bec its overdrive section and filters sound glorious for live jammingā¦
I can confirm that exchanging the PSU solves the noise issue. I own 2x BigSix - both with little noise (low freq. ticking noise) issues esp. when connecting Sequential Synths. Since I replaced the SSL PSU with ALM120PS24 on both devices noise is gone.
I run the 1st BigSiX with the internal converters and the 2nd B6 with my Apogee Symphony MK2 converters (connected to Insert Outs 1ā¦4, Bus B and Main Out). That works perfect for me.
The B6 is a gorgeous device with excellent audio quality.
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Even with the above amount of messages about noise issues I took the plunge. I recently switched back to OSX and so my Db4 is not working anymore as a studio mixer. I really wanted a mixer that provided a similar flexible routing structure as the DB4 and this is pretty much the only mixer that does thatās also pretty compact. Canāt wait to hear how it sounds and the analogue summing of it will help in creating and mixing music as well. Since I do most of the sound design and mixing within my instruments I actually like the broad stroke EQ and simple Compressors. It will give me some subtle finishing touches to play with. After reading the manual there wasnāt much that I did not like. Maybe a few more outputs would have been nice but other than that, incredible specs.
Stoked 
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[quote=āNikarga, post:432, topic:159866ā]
Now am considering ditching the Apollos and just getting the BigSixā¦ what am i missing?
I will likely keep the Model1 bec its overdrive section and filters sound glorious for live jammingā¦
How would you be using them together? Stuff going through the BigSix then from computer back out through the model1?
Currently I use the M1 with the DSUBs directly coming from the Apollo 16 which allows me to select which instruments are routed to the Model 1. Then the stereo outs of the M1 go back into a pair of inputs on the Apollo.
If I were to get the Big Six, Iād use that instead of the Apollo but wouldnāt connect it to the M1 I supposeā¦ The M1 is all analogue with no USB so it would be used in isolation as another little station of gear.
I havenāt decided on the Big Sixā¦ I dunno. Itās just a pain using the Apolloās in DAW when Iām constantly re patching and moving things around and prefer the 1 switch between USB and inputs on the B6ā¦
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Although the B6 is excellent value for a price, please keep in mind that the converters cannot compete with high-end converters like Apogee or Burl etc.
But the B6 is so easy and intuitive in workflow after a while that is has become my main mixer ecosystem. You even get better audio results by adding some high-end outboard devices to the B6. I have a Neve 1073 OPX Preamp on channels 5ā¦12 and an API-Clone Preamp WA-412 on the other B6 channels 5ā¦8. Also Elysia EQs on the main inserts. Thatās absolutely dope. You can reach high end audio quality results at the end with the B6. And itās NOT 50.000 bugs or more to invest.
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Could I ask someone on the thread to confirm a spec for me? The manual says the depth of the Big Six is 15.4" / 390.2mm. Iām wondering if that is front of the bottom to back of the bottom, or front of the top to the back of the top? Iām looking at my space and wondering if I can fit one in. TIA.
The bottom footprint depth is a little over 12ā and the top to top depth is about 15.5ā.
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Thank you so much!
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what is the consequence for me if i buy this B6? Will I have more latency? Or is the audioquality not that good? Or something else?
Of course you will loose some audio quality - e.g.
SSL B6:
Dynamic Range
DAC A-weighted 117 dB
ADC A-weighted 117 dB
Apogee Symphony MKI
Dynamic Range
DAC A-weighted 129 dB
ADC A-weighted 120 dB
The apogee converters for example have some very musical sparkle in the top end, which the B6 converters cannot provide.
The consequence for you depends on your personal expectations and your workflow. If you come from a high end setup and switch to the B6 you will either loose some audio conversion quality (when using the internal converts) or flexibility (you cannot track 16 channels at a time with B6 when using external converters e.g. tracking via INSERT OUT 1ā¦4, Bus B, Main Out since there are no direct outs for all the 12 input channels available).
If you come from a mid-range setup, the B6 is a step up - audio quality wise.
I prefer to play a4 mk2 with some dt sounds added
Hate the computer but i am afraid i need a daw at the end
I have ableton
Thought of buying b6 for standalone use
Being able to switch to ableton
I love the compressors (used to have 6) and the direct layout of the panel
But 2555ā¬ with non superb converters sound like it might be a better idea to buy a good audio interface. (People around me like universal audio Apollo)
The converters of the B6 are very good (in my personal opinion). They are as good (subjectiv view) as the audient converters i had in the past. The apogee converters are superb - but a 16x16 MK2 Symphony is at 5300 Euro at thomann - thatās twice the price of a B6. So there has to be a difference.
I also hate working with DAWs and the B6 keeps me away from the computer - workflow wise.
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Compared to RME?
Sorry - currently no rme or apollo interface in the studio. You have to check on your own.
But the recording audio result you achieve is not only a converter issue. Itās also dependent on the preamps, the (SSL) recording channel with eqs and dynamics and of course the headroom you can use.
so if I understand correctly, without a computer this is no issue. I just use the cables from my a4 mk2 and my dt, no computer or digital part of the signal is used.
But once I send it inside Ableton, there will be some audio quality loss, which might be minimal since the converters are very good, but not top notch. This makes the B6 āaffordableā.