A Device to SIMPLIFY Your IN-EAR MONITOR Setup - MIDAS 4816-O Splitter

Hey everyone, so it does appear that Ultranet is only available for Midas/Behringer products, so it seems like it will NOT work with other mixers (presonus, soundcraft, etc). Thank you all for adding the comments to share this info! I appreciate it! But it will work well with Behringer mixers such as xr18, x32, and Midas mixers such as Air18 and Midas 32.

Would the DN4888 work the same way if I don't have a physical input on the XR18 but basically just have the inputs Infront to be easier for plug and play?

Does this introduce any latency? Thanks so much!

Hi, Thanks for your content, it´s very usefull.

So question, does this setup still allow the band to set up their own in ear mix vs. the FOH mix or will what is heard in in-ears be the FOH mix?

There you go, these are a great option as well 🤔

Hi Scott, thanks for the very informative video. Please clarify one thing for me, the splitter is only necessary to separate the signals going forward and the mixer, right? Since I want to set up my XR18 in a home studio, where all the instruments and microphones will be connected to the XR18, so to use the Aux as In Ear monitors, all I need is a wireless preamp or do I need something else.
I appreciate your help if you can of course.
Thank you

Im a little bit confuse bcoz im a newbie, i got a question sir, what if i put an active speakers in output 1 in DN4816, can i assign for example channel 1 to 5 in xr18 that i want to heart it? Or the whole 18 channels sound?/output?

Or i can only hear channel 1 bcoz i only plug it into output 1 in DN48?

- Ultranet is a Music Group thing, so only Behringer, Midas, Klark and Turbosound will have that protocol

- How did you think you're supposed to get 32 channels out of a protocol that only supports 16? Adding a second unit just mirrors the same outputs as the first one. You need to use the stageconnect system for this, which is not supported on neither X32 nor XR18. See that big switch where you've set it to "Ultranet"? That means you can't use StageConnect at the same time for both inputs and outputs.

- Analog + M. I hope this is a planned decision with your dedicated sound engineer, or is solely for the talkback mic. Because this is basically taking away control from FOH. Why on earth a FOH engineer would give up control of mute on a channel is beyond me

- Yeah, it shares gain, and if you intend to tour with this rig, expect to get turned down by house engineers. This solutions means that FOH have to use your preamps, your gain setting, going through several steps of AD/DA conversion and a line level output. BIG no-no. Analog split is the way to go, only way to separate the signals and have full control with own preamp. This is like surrendering all control. If it clips on your preamp, there's absolutely nothing FOH can do. If anything at all is wrong on your end, FOH is fricked. I have no idea how you managed to find two engineers that didn't mind surrendering all control to you.

- Although I strongly oppose this way of splitting with same pre-amps, if you really want to do it this way and you're prepared to get sweared at by house engineers, there is a way to adjust trim instead of gain. The reason it doesn't let you have separate gain is because it's only one pre-amp. It's physical. You can't have two different gains. There is nothing called pre-gain. That would just be a silent signal. If you use X32, switch to digital trim instead of gain, and you won't disturb FOH.

- What is meant by "Unity gain" when referring to preamp gain? Unity gain is level balancing of input and output. Preamp is made to not be unity, but to boost the level. Could you clarify what process you and the sound engineer did?

- I'm not that experienced with XR18, but on X32 you can just set selected outputs to "off". And even if this isn't an option on XR18, why don't you just route some other channel, like USB 18 to all outputs you don't need? Why route several channels so that you have to remember to keep of their faders?

- IN/LC yes, this is actually a big misstep by Behringer. It would be understandable for certain older systems, where the low cut is digitally controlled, but is actually analog and pre-conversion. Their lowcut is not analog and is post-conversion. There is absolutely no good reason that they should include low-cut as part of that tap point. It means that FOH will get the lowcut that is applied in the IEM mixer. The block diagram even shows that there is (or at least there was a plan to make) a pre-lowcut tap point, but it doesn't exist anywhere on the current firmware. Such a shame.

Great video, but only for Midas or Behringer users.

Hi Scott, awesome video, this has been really eye-opening for me and I am close to pulling the trigger on one of these with an X32 and an S16 for my band. I was wanting to run it past you please? We have 26 inputs, including tracks and click... the tracks make up 6 channels, sound fx, strings and keys, all stereo pairs. I'm thinking if I don't send click to FOH and I sum the stereo pairs to mono feed in X32 I can send them as mono which makes 22 outputs to FOH. Am I right thinking that I could assign the outputs on the S16 to be anything I need? Like, could 16 of my 22 outputs come from the 4816-O and the other 6 come from the S16? This would still leave me the 8 on the X32 for IEM mixes (and potentially FOH if the need ever comes up). I thought I needed to buy two 4816-O's but then I remembered the S16 has outputs and I'm hoping I can save the £300 and rack space. TL/DR: Scott, please help me to count...

Nice Tool…….i think on your console you can lock the gain 🤔

Hey Scott, loved the video. I appreciate the sentiment of simplifying and trying to achieve these results in efficient manners but there are a couple things I want to point out:

1. Ultranet is a propriatory protocol that works primarily with Behringer and Midas so that's a big limitation. That being said so many small to mid sized venues are using x32s and m32s I am willing to bet that you will run into more gigs where you can use this system, than you would of NOT being able to use it. On the other hand with larger and more complex rooms/venues, most of the time it is Avid, Yamaha, or Digico in my experience which do not sport ultranet if i recall correctly.

2. I think this will be a non issue for bars, and smaller mid sized clubs but if you are pushing a mix through larger wattage and powerful big PA rig then not being to have control over headamp gain is like taking away a pipe wrench from a good plumber. For smaller PAs the gain staging is less impactful on the actual sound for the audience so I think most club engineers will be fine and may even see it as convient. However, For (arbirary numbers/valies) something like a 5 box of dual 6.5"s per side array, that would be challenging. Gain staging is important for making sure volumes are easily manipulated and you can adjust all mix busses to be happy, however gain staging plays a MUCH larger role on those large PA systems with digital consoles. For those shows most, if not all, the audience is hearing PA and almost none of the acoustic or natural band sound from the stage. That's where your gain staging is essential to making sure your EQ and Compressor are reacting exactly how you want them to becausd that is what the audience hears.


I apologize for any missplellings or grammar mistakes. This was a long winded response, typed on my phone!

-Jake

Every professional sound engineer I know will not accept getting a Post-Gain split.

Hey Scott! So did the 4816 replace both of your S8 3-way splitters?

hey Scott, thanks for the videos. is there a risk to the 4816 unit if FOH accidentally sends phantom power back?

If you really need to label your input list then I mean cmon it’s pretty easy to remember any import list especially on 32 ch consoles lol

Have you experienced any extreme noise from the output ports of the Midas unit? I just got mine and it’s got an unusable amount of noise coming from the ports

We have the behringer x18. And most times run our own sound, but in a case we didn't run our own sound, just ears, why would we need this over having our splitter snake? I mean it's really cool so I am interested. Is this operating as outputs, and then you are running a bunch more xlrs to the front of house snake? That's where I kinda got lost with the video

Hey Scott, is there a way to add more inputs to the XR18 using a method like this?

can 7 member band connect with their in-ear monitors to that?

I’m blown away I’ve always needed more outputs who knew you could use the “p16” for that purpose

Hey Scott, great video, not sure my band needs all those outputs, i currently have an xr18 & we use 4 P16-M's with a P16-D
Our wireless systems are stereo systems which is just fantastic
My question is, in that 16 midas out unit, i assume there mono feeds, how would you get a stereo feed from them, i know on the xr18, i would just link outs 1 & 2 into lets say a shure system connecting to the L & R
Easy peazy, & ive heard so many things about MS, but right now im using xair edit maybe you could explain to me how to get a stereo feed
Thanks, you just got a new subscriber

Your videos are simple to follow and great quality.

hey, thanks for this, trying to get a grab of this but maybe you can help.
do you think the following IEM rack scenario would work ?
Gear : X32 + 2x ARTS8 + 4816-I + 4816-O
so basically getting :
In to X32 = 16 (2x ARTS8) + 16 (4816-i) = 32 inputs
out to FOH = 16 (2x ARTS8) + 16 (4816-O) = 32 outputs


do you think the 4816 can achieve that and if yes what would be the signal path ?
would that effectively split the signal so that both the band & FOH gets their own separated signals ?
finally do you have a better solution to get more than 16 in/outs on a IEM ?

Please can this work with SOUNDCRAFT UI24R

Hey man! Thanks for the video, sounds like exactly what the band need. Just one thing I need to confirm though - when you say 'don't adjust the gain', do you mean the gain of the MAIN mix, and not the individual IEM mix buses? Thanks!

Question on the Ultranet outputs:
Could I set the tap points such that I also also have EQ and FX on each channel sent to the 4816-O over Ultranet? Let's say EQ+Reverb on two vocal channels.

Very helpful video, thanks.
Though as a network engineer I'd add that you shouldn't use cat.5 specifically. While it will likely work just fine over short runs, better cables like cat.6a or cat.7 offer much better protection against internal and external signal interference, and the price difference is trivial if not zero.

The Unity Gain to FOH is Freaking Awesome ......

Hi Scott , very good explanation of it works you , however you talk in your tempo how you use to talk , its goes a little to fast for a dutch guy like me ihave to rerun it everytime how routed in the mix station app . For the rest you,ve been a lot of help👍👍

Nice - we have been doing the same since it came out!

are you still using this with no problems or issues with FOH folks?

This is the splitter I’ve been searching for! Thank you for this Scott! Do you happen to know if you can also use a PowerPlay P16 personal mixer in conjunction with this splitter?

can i use it for allen & heath qu32?

If you need guitar or drum help at Sweetwater... Chris Arnold.

There HAS to be an easier, faster way with RF... but, it's RF and subject to interference. Imagine a concert near a power utility company's transformer station...

Hi Scoot, thanks for the video!
I have a question, I use the ultranet output to connect a P16. In this case, what do you recommend?
Could I use the P16D HUB and would I get the same result?
Could I connect another MIDAS 4816 to this HUB as well?
Thank you very much for your time and your videos.

Killer video!!

So, all instruments are connected to the Xair FOH mixer from it via the ultra net port it is connected to the 4816 and from the 4816 all band members get their IEM mix right?

Hey Scott, do you know if you can chain a 4816-O to a 4816-I and then have one ultranet cable going the XR-18? Basically making a 16x16 snake...

Just out of curiosity; would a fanned snake be absolutely needed? Couldn't FOH plug into straight into the MIDAS 4816-O? Label each out on the Midas?

The first rule of bringing your own IEM rig: thou should have a passive split - no one at FOH want's to share a pre-amp. Note: Ultranet is not Ethernet. Ethernet is a networking standard. While they share the same physical connectors/cable they are not compatible. Please do no use Ethernet to describe CAT cable terminated with RJ45 connectors because you confuse the shit out of the new commers.

I recommend to name, but actually not to numbered what you send to FOH because each engineer has a different way to number their channel at their input level, so they'll usually go ahead and chose their own number coding instead, so that can creates confusion. Other than that, perfect video. Also super helpful!!!

Is it possible to use this as a bus output for IEMs? So rather than sending one channel out, you can send all channels out one output and mix your own IEM mix? Does that make sense?

Scott, when it goes out of your splitter, how do you hear it? What device do you use for your in-ear?

Edited: I'm assuming you actually have the XR18 close by with the band and use the aux outputs to your in-ears, correct? For a second I thought FOH had the XR18 and you had the splitter. I understand now. Great video!

I suggested this exact rig on Tiktok only to have all the audio bros screaming at me that I should be burned at the stake 🤷‍♂

Thank you, you explain everithink so clearly🤗

Thank you for this info! :) I’ve been using IEM’s since the early ‘90’s. It’s amazing to see the advances in tech. Although it can make setting up a pain, once that initial setup is dialled in, subsequent setups should be much quicker. To any budding musicians out there, get some IEM’s, it will help save your hearing. Just some friendly advice from an old, partially deaf rocker! :)
❤ from 🇨🇦 :) \m/, ,\m/

Hi I’ve got an A&H SQ5 and an A&H AR2412 with digital snake connection for FOH. What mixer can I use for monitors (in ear or physical) - if I use one of the rack QU mixers can I do the signal tap on the SQ5 to route to the QU for monitoring? Thanks very much.