Stagescape M20D help

[Canuti]

Hello to everybody, I’m thinking about buying the M20D(maybe used if I get a super deal), and switch my band setup from analog to digital, mainly for ease of setup, our situation is pretty typical (drum bass guitars voice and a few sequence), so we will be using always the same scene, with small adjustments regarding the venue or a few guests.

 

I already checked how this mixer works and I think it can do everything we need in a nice package, but I’m here to ask for help, since I tried it once and it was super cool, but it isn't mine so I cannot check every feature, so please I will be glad if any expert user could tell me if I’m gettin’ it right or not.

 

For live use I will need a complete channel strip for the Singer, so eq-compressor-deesser-(enhancer)-reverb, independent from other channels.

For drums, eq for all channels and compressor for overhead kick and maybe snare.

For guitars and bass, eq.

For main out, limiter and eq.

Can I do everything with integrated efx in the M20D without linking external units?

 

For Home studio use, I understand it can do as an USB audio interface for windows 10 machines, so I can sell my focusrite Scarlett and Motu 8pre and link the Line6 with Cubase with the same functionality, right?

Or I can use it only to record live performance on SD or usb cards?

 

We are afraid to loose a little bit of quality since now we are using an Allen Heat Zed22fx which is a great analog mixer, but I’m confident that with an integrated digital mixer I can balance things much more precisely.

 

Please feel free to comment, you will help me join the community of Line6users.

 

 

[silverhead]

For Live Use.... yes you can do it all with the M20d. The manual (available online under the Support - Technical Support path at the top of this page) describes all the available preset types and the specific FX in each.

 

For Home studio use..... Unfortunately the M20d is not a practical audio interface to a DAW except to capture the initial recording of the dry tracks. You can record the initial performance in your DAW just as you can directly on the M20d via usb/sd. However you cannot use the M20d to overdub, add additional tracks, or edit the FX on the recording. The latency is just too high - the M20d is designed primarily for live use, not for studio recording.

[flanger68]

Hi Canuti,

For Live use, yes, each channel can be assigned a dedicated chain of various effects, there are several...i mean really many that you can choose from.
Each preset has different effects in it, i could go on my M20d and try and take a few examples maybe...
I would say, you don't need any external unit at all.
On top of the per-channel effect chain, each channel then goes through 4 Global effects (and you can dose how much each channel gets these common effects - Reverb, Delays and other effects like Doubler are in this area.

For Home use, NO, don't sell your audio interfaces, the M20d can perform as an Audio-to-USB converter, but it introduces 4-5 seconds of latency, so not its real role.

You can probably record into a DAW what you play in realtime, but the DAW writes the signal 5 seconds later. So you can't use the M20d for overdubbing.
It is fantastic when you record using the SD card, as it produces all tracks and the main mix as separate files...so you can then import these into the DAW and proceed on the DAW.

Overall the M20d is fantastic, lots of functionality that simply doesn't exist on traditional mixers...including the real-time spectrum analyzer in all EQ effects...and the Line6 Link is awesome too. Combined with the M3T/M and L2T/M speakers, you get even more synergies and capabilities...
I recommend it, even if there is no more developement, and today you can find super-deals (699GPB from Anderton's UK for example!)

Alberto
 

[Utik]

Thank you all!!

I used it once and it was super easy, while I think the Behringer is a little more complicated..

 

Another question, for control you can use only Ipad? No other brands?

[Smiffy]

I would think carefully before purchasing an M20D. Yes it WAS a great unit but for a little more money you can get a product equally as good as the M20D with current updates and support from the manufacturer. Something like the QSC Touchmix with more Auxs, wireless built in etc. Since Yamaha acquired Line 6 it seems they have abandoned the Stagescape as far as development is concerned. There have been plenty of new guitar products arrive and I think that is where their focus will now be. Before Christmas a guy at Andertons told me they had just bought the last stock destined for the UK, and they dropped the price to an eyewatering level for anyone who already had one. They were on eBay secondhand for as much as the cost of a new one at Andertons. I believe you may get £300 for a used one here if you were lucky! I've put mine in the studio and bought a TF1 for live work. Loads of stuff on the TF that seems remarkably similar graphically to the M20D Only thing missing is the virtual stage graphic. I know it's more expensive but t's expandable, and I think it will hold its value better.