Flow 8 for live work

The new Flow8 digital console
paulfostershow
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 8:28 am

Flow 8 for live work

Post by paulfostershow »

I'm looking at changing my Soundcraft Signature 10 for a Flow 8. I like the look of the Flow 8 as it's smaller, digital and has bluetooth to stream music.

I use backing tracks in a solo show so I control everything on stage, I don't really have time to mess around with complicated menus etc., which is why I have never gone digital before.

I have read nearly every write up and watched nearly every you tube video (speaking English) but most only discuss pod casts/recording and not much reference is made regarding live work.

has anyone here used this in a live application, how easy is to control while you are on stage, whilst trying to play, sing, entertain, all at the same time?
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pvannatto
Posts: 1330
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:48 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by pvannatto »

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum. I don't have a Flow8 or have any experience with it. But I have asked Robert Lofgren (the other moderator) to comment on his live experience with that digital console. He said he will respond when he gets home.
Paul Vannatto
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Roblof
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:23 pm

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by Roblof »

A good thing about this mixer is that you can store full mixer presets for different situations that you can recall without the need for an external app.

Setting up things like the eq, compressor, etc requires the app but when that is setup you control your levels using the onboard faders. Once those things are setup you rarely need to tweak them during the performance and the tactile faders are readily available for quick level/gain adjustments.

You also have access to a builtin reverb and delay (with tap delay) so there is no need for external fx. The fx can be turned on/off with a single button press or foot control between songs.

The flow is core audio compliant (usb) so you can use e.g. an iphone/ipad to stream your audio should you not want to use a bulky laptop. Bluetooth is possible in parallel with usb.

If you connect a computer you can record a full multitrack of your show for mixing in a daw later on.

Monitoring is possible using either the headphone output or the dedicated monitor outputs.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any additional questions if you need some in-depth information.
paulfostershow
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2021 8:28 am

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by paulfostershow »

Thank you you your help guys, I think I'll give it a go. I can see many benefits for my application, I was just a little worried about the level of attention I would need on stage.

I will update my experiences here in a few weeks time, which will hopefully be of benefit to other potential users.
RexBeckett
Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:52 am
Location: Bedford, UK

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by RexBeckett »

paulfostershow wrote: Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:24 am Thank you you your help guys, I think I'll give it a go. I can see many benefits for my application, I was just a little worried about the level of attention I would need on stage.
The Flow 8 surface is easy to use for simple channel and/or main level changes during live performance. If you need to make changes to EQ, FX or Dynamics for some songs, I recommend using snapshots rather then using the app on a phone or tablet in a live performance.

You can use up to 15 mixer snapshots to save settings at rehearsal or soundcheck. These can be recalled on the mixer with a few clicks and turns. An easier way is to configure the footswitch for snapshot loading and use a two-button pedal for snapshot-up and snapshot-down. If you can avoid changes to channel faders between snapshots, you could block them from snapshot loading (turn Main off) so that any manual fader changes during performance are not lost when switching snapshots.

If you use the footswitch for snapshot control, you lose pedal control of FX muting and Tap-tempo. These are quite easy to do on the console, though.

If you use a PC/Mac/iPad connected via USB with DAW or set-list software for backing tracks, you could load required snapshots through Midi. You could also use Midi control of individual mixer controls to supplement or replace snapshots.
NZdave
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2021 1:07 am

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by NZdave »

Greetings People. This is my first post.
If I can add to the Flow for live work:
I have switched from an Allen Heath Zed 10FXi to the Flow 8 and used it once without too much thought live!
Although I have used digital mixers extensively, it was an easy switch over
One of the reasons I switched and I did buy 3 of them for use with multiple different computers around the house and this one is in my pedal board.
Is that the form factor size is perfect!
I have another couple of gigs early next month and so decided to try different monitor sends [2] which brought me to realize there is a bug in monitor 2 recall from the APP Snapshot library! Not the mixer snapshot library.
I have confirmed with Behringer and they are going to get their software team to sort it.
Thank you for listening to me.
Regards
NZdave
NZdave
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2021 1:07 am

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by NZdave »

Greetings.
I have used the Flow 8 quite successfully 2 times now, live with all channels operating and side fills [monitors 1 & 2 ~ Left & Right]
The 1st event was in a carpeted school hall a few weeks back.
The 2nd event yesterday was in a much larger NON carpeted school hall
And that time I had to pump the level up [at sound check] knowing that the hall would be shortly filled with about 170 small children and about 10 teachers.
And so pumping the volume up at a quick sound check brought into play the frequencies of a hard wooden floor and empty hall.
I was able to zoom into the problem frequencies so I knew that I could pull them out if need be later.
The event went quite successfully and I didn't need to pull out any howls etc.
The main vocal was a wireless headset turned up quite loud [to get over all of the children yaking] with just a little compression on. Worked perfectly!
And all of the Eques on all channels were flat with a touch of reverb.

However This has got me thinking that I need better control on a cell phone as I have noticed there is quite a variance in displays and or whats coming back from the Flow 8.
So I have experimented with a few different fones and also an iPad Pro. 1st generation.
The Xiaomi phone I tried was hopeless as it only had 3 gig for the OS and couldn't display the db range on the fone.
The iPad Pro has a nice large screen however I have not so good an eyesight now and the channel description or labeling is way too small.
I settled on a Mate 9. Its about 4 years old now but it was good enough.
However I just today tried a Samsung note 9 with the stylus and wow , I think this maybe more refined and also notice
that the display data when looking or sweeping through the parametric EQue on a channel gets very large so that will be perfect.

I was wondering if anyone knows of an App that I could use on a windows 10 touch screen.

This is an image of note 9 showing large readings of the parametric EQue

Thanks for listening and I hope this will help someone
Image
Last edited by NZdave on Wed Aug 11, 2021 5:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
soundog
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:19 pm

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by soundog »

I use a Flow 8 for live solo shows, and have a fairly complex setup (6 audio inputs, and virtual instrument inputs and effects). Everything is running off an iPod. The breakthrough for me was using Flow 8 with AUM, a MIDI/audio mixing app that can route audio and midi and be controlled by MIDI. With it I am able to add software effects with input from any of the Flow 8's audio channels, an independently control the mix of any channel and send/return.
luckyluca
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2022 8:57 pm

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by luckyluca »

Roblof wrote: Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:11 pm A good thing about this mixer is that you can store full mixer presets for different situations that you can recall without the need for an external app.

Setting up things like the eq, compressor, etc requires the app but when that is setup you control your levels using the onboard faders. Once those things are setup you rarely need to tweak them during the performance and the tactile faders are readily available for quick level/gain adjustments.

You also have access to a builtin reverb and delay (with tap delay) so there is no need for external fx. The fx can be turned on/off with a single button press or foot control between songs.

The flow is core audio compliant (usb) so you can use e.g. an iphone/ipad to stream your audio should you not want to use a bulky laptop. Bluetooth is possible in parallel with usb.

If you connect a computer you can record a full multitrack of your show for mixing in a daw later on.

Monitoring is possible using either the headphone output or the dedicated monitor outputs.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any additional questions if you need some in-depth information.
Dear Rob, jumping in with three questions.

Can you assign effects to a specific channel, or subset of channels?

Are channels 3 and 4 1/4” lineins?

Can I plug a ukulele pickup 1/4” to channel 1 using an 1/4 to xlr cable?

I’m ready to pull the trigger on this cool mixer. Many thanks!





Does the flow8 allow assigning effects to individual tracks?
WReed82
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:57 pm

Re: Flow 8 for live work

Post by WReed82 »

Hi Paul,

For several months I've been carrying a Flow 8 as a backup for smaller shows with a Mackie DL16S.
Yesterday I did my first gig with the Flow 8 and it went well - two Vox, two Guitars(with DIs) and two-track for pre-show music.
The active DIs were on channels 1/2(for the phantom power), and dynamic mics on 3/4.
Audio quality was fine.

The app is a bit clunky for muting FX when a musician is talking between songs.
I suggest they add an EFFECTS MUTE button to the main page.
Of course if you are a musician mixing from the stage, the FX mute button is right at hand.

NZDave, I like your big EQ font!

LuckLuca, no, the effects cannot be assigned to individual channels, they are on FX Bus 1 & Bus 2.
You could bring up one channel in an effect and only have FX on that channel.
Channels 3 & 4 are combo-jacks with XLR mic-level, or 1/4" TRS line-level.
For the Uke, I would go 1/4" ~ 1/4" in to channel 6 or 8.

Thanks and good health, Weogo
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