Installing a Qcon Pro XS Expander Episode 2 - Connection and settings

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After 18 months I have finally got hold of a Qcon Pro XS 8 channel expander for my studio. In Episode 2 I take you through two ways to physically connect the expander to your system via USB. I also look at the settings within your DAW and set up as a second Mackie Controller (in an entirely new installation of Cubase) plus how this works in two different configurations to suit your setup. If you enjoy this or my other videos please consider putting a pound or two in the tip jar at my BUY ME A COFFEE page.
www.buymeacoffee.com/Moonhare...
Living With the Qcon Pro X - Installing a Qcon Pro XS Expander Ep1 - Making space • Installing a Qcon Pro ...
I bought the Qcon Pro X when I was building my home studio (Moonhare Studio) in 2017 and I am currently using it to control Cubase Pro 10 on a 32g RAM Dell windows PC. Despite having a superb feature set and tough build quality, it suffers from a User Manual that is very light on useful guidance, some patchy support from Icon and a few quirks which I can live with. In fact it is now such an integral part of my workflow I’d be lost without it.
You can join me on Twitter, Instagram or Soundcloud and if you’re into like and subscribe rest assured I’ll upload lots of other helpful hints that I’ve learned along the way. Remember I’m just a home studio user trying to pass on information so don’t feel compelled to join the channel if your inbox is already bulging - just pop by every now and again and check on my health.

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6 фев 2019

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Комментарии : 37

@Whenstarsfade 3 года назад

Thanks for the info! Well explained.

@vacuumelite2065 3 года назад

Very humble. Very helpful. Thank you, kind Sir. 😊♥️😊♥️

@MoonhareStudio 3 года назад

Always pleased to help out.

@sirjaz1 5 лет назад

Thank you for this video.It is much appreciated.

@MoonhareStudio 5 лет назад

No problem. Glad it was useful.

@MattCloverDJ 4 года назад

A great and very useful video. Well presented. Liked and subscribed.

@MoonhareStudio 4 года назад

Thanks Matt - hope these save people some time setting up.

@HumanityForsaken 4 года назад

Thank you so much for taking the time making these videos

@MoonhareStudio 4 года назад

Just glad to help out others like myself who just want to get on with making music and not struggle with poor user manuals.

@Musical.Maze.1 3 года назад

Hi and thanks for the video. Question 1: The faders when moving by hand or when moving automatically do they make any noise? Question 2: All buttons, knobs, faders and DIAL wheel are sturdy and very well responsive? Question 3: Faders with any "frozen" problems? Thanks again!

@MoonhareStudio 3 года назад

Hi there. I think it is worth checking out a couple of the newer videos I have done on some of these topics. My vid on the motors button has some content about the sound of the faders. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Z298L8JI8vc.html . Obviously they are motorised so there is some noise although if you turn them off none at all. I have no frozen fader issues but again I have gone through the process of calibrating them correctly and I cover that in detail here so worth a look - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q0s-AWDTOJQ.html. Overall the quality of the buttons, knobs and faders is excellent. I have used a number of Midi Controllers over the years and this is the most sturdy one I've owned. I have been using my Qcon for over three years and nothing has yet broken, come loose or failed on me. One last video I did was my honest opinion about Midi Controllers and whether you should buy one and that is here - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iYOb_VjPxFk.html . I hope that helps.

@Musical.Maze.1 3 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio Many many thanks for your quick response! 👍 👍 👍

@geir6159 5 лет назад

Thx for video! I have a few questions. Have you tried using bome midi translator to get life in to the mastermeter? I have checked the specs, and it looks simple to just translate the mastermeter and make a generic remote to feed the meter. Am I "totaly off" on this workaround? Im considering scaling down my front end and just go UA Apollo and a good working control surface. The Meterbridge is the absolute sellingpoint for me, on the Icon Q pro x. I would feel naked without a meterbridge in the studio ;)

@MoonhareStudio 5 лет назад

I've never used a home midi translator so I've no idea. Obviously all the channel meters work fine, it's just the master channel. I tend to meter from the screen and the Cubase mixer anyway so it doesn't bother me. I use the Qcon metering more as a visual clue to navigate around the tracks as I scroll. I will look into your potential workaround. Would be epic to find a solution because as far as I can tell so far, no one has cracked it.

@geir6159 5 лет назад

Ok. I think Bome midi translator is the key to get that meter working. I have used Bome midi translator software for years in the studio. It is one of those magic handy troubleshooter software that makes midi work across platforms. It also does macro and transforms key and mouse to midi, and the best part is that you can combine several different midi devices with different protocols in to one working unit. Basicly take the midi from the IQP X true the bome midi software, Translate the midi coming from the generic remote with the master midi from cubase to the protocol adress for the mastermeter on the IQP X. Now the IQP X can read the midi info from cubase generic remote on that protocol adress. I think that should work. :) Im considering dumping my analog/hybrid rigg and just go full digital. It should not be to much off a change if I can use something like the IQP X to replace my console. Probly will miss the eq and the summing, but having a working mastermeter is handy. My master vu’s on my console are the only meters I check every now and then. Rest are just for signal confirmation and gain setting. But I do like keeping a eye on the channel im mixing in too. :)

@safetyconsult 4 года назад

Hi there. A few questions before I buy my first Qxon Pro X and XS. I read some reviews and a lot of people are complaining about noisy and nervous clicking faders. Is this really an issue? Or does this depend on the DAW implementation? I use Cubase Pro 10.5. 2nd question. Is it possible to bank two XS modules (1-16, 17-32, etc) and let the X module keeps 8 faders for VCA and Groups?

@MoonhareStudio 4 года назад

Marco Snoek Good questions. Q1 As far as the clicking issue I do have one of the Pro X units that does that. The sounds are very low level and when I'm mixing, even at low levels, don't cause me an issue. I decided early on it was just not worth sending my unit back over it. The Pro XS does not click. I think it is literally some units and not others so potentially you could just return a "faulty" unit. Q2 I have not found a way to do that yet. I'm not saying it is impossible but I suspect without some nifty third party programming the answer is unfortunately no. Certainly not out of the box. That said I'm not sure if any other midi control surfaces do that either. I'd be interested to hear if they do. Are you a Cubase user? If so check out my video on track filtering which although it won't directly address this issue, does make the process somewhat simpler during a mix. It's what I feature in my Mixing Like An Amateur vids too. Please be aware I'm not in any way affiliated to Icon or endorsing their products over any others. I've been through various controllers and this is the closest to the feature set I wanted. I love the units and live with the shortfalls.

@safetyconsult 4 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio Thanks for your quick response! Yes, I am a Cubase user. Not professional but I am a producer of amateur musicals. Soon I will start my first home studio. That is why I am looking for the best affordable controller solution. My top three for now: 1st: Qcon Pro X; 2nd: Mackie MCU; 3rd: Presonus Faderport 16. A director I know well pleaded not to choose Qcon Pro X because of the faders (he sent it back and still uses his mouse in Pro Tools). This makes me doubt. Yes, I will definitely check out the other vids as well.

@MoonhareStudio 4 года назад

@@safetyconsult If you're looking into the Faderport as well then check out Chris Selim's review here (and for Cubase users his channel is one of the best. Thoroughly recommend subscribing if you haven't done so already). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-J6fD2EFpxdw.html. I think the Faderport looks very good value and I like the information that is displayed on the top of each channel strip. It doesn't have a master fader like the Qcon (I like that feature but that's not necessarily going to be a deal breaker for many) and it will take up less space on your desk if you're work area is a bit cramped. Also remember that there is a more cost effective option from Qcon - the G2 Pro series which a number of my subscribers use. As far as I can see most of the features are identical, just without the meter bridge at the back and only one LCD strip (the useful one!). A side note - the meter bridge on the ProX series looks cool but practically I rarely use it for metering, relying on the on screen mixer in Cubase for that. Also for Cubase users the master channel meter does not work. Never has and probably never will. Good luck whatever choice you make.

@TheJPZ75 2 года назад

is each unit able to control 32 tracks , 4 banks of 8 ? with 3 extenders and a main would be a total of 128 tracks controled ? id assume the pro g2 is the same , im still debating on which to purchase , thanks

@MoonhareStudio 2 года назад

Hi there. No the maximum is 1 Qcon Pro X with three extenders giving you 32 channels, each one controlling 8 tracks. But do remember you can scroll along banks of tracks for a (potentially) infinite number of tracks. See my more recent videos for more Info.

@TheJPZ75 2 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio ok cool , thanks

@jodavis6296 2 года назад

Gday Darren. LOve all your videos mate and have finally received my Pro x and Pro xs. Got a quick question if you don't mind. I have my set up as the XS on the right of the Pro x and the LCD strip says 1-8 on the xs an9-16 on the pro but it seems to be just replicating the channels and I can only go from channels 1-8 then 2-9...go figure! The faders on both machines move together as replicating as well. Any ideas? Cheers Matt

@jodavis6296 2 года назад

Disregard, I'm an idiot! The song I chose to muck around with only had 17 tracks!! Nooob!!

@MoonhareStudio 2 года назад

😂 Well that was an easy fix then. Bit like when I couldn't get the scrub wheel to work on the Qcon only to realise you can only scrub through audio, not Midi!

@mattdavis7855 2 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio We are only human after all my friend!

@yamansitar6153 3 года назад

hi, thanks for the help , is there a way that when I use my mouse and say move a eq highpass filter in my DAW and that it would show on my screen on my g2 for adjusting ,thanks

@MoonhareStudio 3 года назад

Hi there. (I am assuming the G2 is going to work in the same way as the ProX which I think it does. You would need to have your EQ already open on the G2, it won't do it automatically as far as I'm aware. However if you do have EQ selected then you should see the LEDS around the relevant pan pot change as you move the mouse. This might not be particularly obvious though so I would suggest inverting the controls (I think the button is labelled FLIP on the G2 - slightly different layout to the ProX) so that the faders are being used to control the EQ. Then if you use a mouse to move a control, the motorised fader will move so you will instantly see which control it is on. Sorry I can't be more help

@yamansitar6153 3 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio ahh nice one ,, yes it dose that , think I'm being lazy hahah as I think it would be great if you can set it up that when you clicked the mouse on the screen on you eq that it would take you to the right page on the g2 so you don't have to scroll on the g2 to find the right fader ,,thanks for the replay

@yamansitar6153 3 года назад

hi , iv been trying to get more than the 2 audio Efx my g2 only shows 2 when iv got 4 ,,,thanks

@MoonhareStudio 3 года назад

I'm not exactly sure what the question is. Are you saying you are trying to install with 4 units and it isn't working? I am due to do a video on this shortly but I'm in the middle of upgrading to a new laptop so the studio is out of action for a week or so. Let me know more about your query and I'll try to answer.

@yamansitar6153 3 года назад

@@MoonhareStudio thanks bro , I got it fixed still learning about the g2, but thanks

@DVTOM Год назад

I use Studio One 6 and the faders are correct 1-16 but the lower display is backwards 9-16/1-8 I have tried everything to reverse it but when I get 1-16 on lower dispaly the faders are backwards....how do you fix this? I have reset it back to factory and started over and nothing seems to work.

@MoonhareStudio Год назад

I'm not familiar with Studio One but for just reordering the lower display I do cover that in the video. You need to select how many extenders you have direct on the boards as they power up. I go through this depending on which order you have the extender and the ProX but remember that the important thing is to have the channels operating in the right order across the 16 which will be a setup feature inside your DAW. The lower display to my mind is pretty pointless. If you have a 50 channel mix and scroll across away from the first 16, the lower display doesn't update to reflect that. I have actually turned the contrast off on the lower display and blanked it as I didn't find it served any real purpose.

@DVTOM Год назад

@@MoonhareStudio I got it to reverse. I had to name each unit the opposite then order them, then go back and rename them a second time and finally the fader order matches the lower display order. Thanks for your response. I use this with Protools as well and never had this issue.

@MoonhareStudio Год назад

So glad you got it sorted. Every DAW seems to have slightly different quirks but thanks for letting me know. As you can imagine I get a lot of queries so it always helps if people let me know solutions for DAWs I don't have experience with. Darren