User Manual
Master Fader and My Fader Reference Guide
46
An overview of the subgroups may be accessed via the overview screen as described on pages 17-18. Here
it is possible to see the settings of all subgroups simultaneously and head straight to the subgroup needing
updates simply by tapping that subgroup channel.
A subgroup’s ID button – naming, image, color, linking and presets – works exactly like that of a
channel’s ID button. Refer to pages 34-38 for more information on these features.
VCAs
While subgroups have processing, VCAs do not. In fact no audio actually passes through a VCA. VCA stands
for voltage control amplier and the key word there is control. VCAs remotely control the faders of all
channels assigned to them, adding or removing gain to the channels based on the VCA master position.
Because the DL32R, DL1608 and DL806 follow the model of analog consoles, groups for submixing are
often not needed since VCAs may be used instead.
One reason to make a group assignment might be to apply signal processing to a group of inputs as a
whole. Here you would use a subgroup. Another might be to easily control a lot of channels from a single
fader. Here you would use a VCA. Simply put, if DSP is not necessary for a group of channel inputs, VCAs
are the way to go.
VCAs allow creation of fader groups controlled by a master VCA fader. These control any number of input
or output channel faders. In addition, VCAs allow muting and soloing of VCA groups (muting and/or soloing
all channels assigned to it).
So you’ll create a VCA for drums, bass and guitars, as well as one for instruments that contains all the
channels assigned to drums, bass and guitars. Use the rst 3 VCAs to mix the members of the band and
the last to control the level of all instruments together relative to the vocals.
Ultimately you’ll end up with a set of VCA masters that represents your groups of channels and you can
mix on those faders, only needing to return to the channels to make relative changes to channels within
the groups.
Another benet is that with VCAs the post-fader sends are also controlled by the channel VCA. So when you
adjust the vocal channel from a VCA, the vocal reverb send will be reduced as well.
Finally, outputs can be assigned to VCAs, as well. So you could have a VCA for all the outputs in an install
allowing you to control all the speakers in the venue from a single fader while allowing each to still have
separate processing.
The DL32R has six VCA masters and the DL1608 / DL806 have four VCA masters each.