Befaco - Hexmix, Hexpander & Hexmix VCA

[@zbsfm]

This is the best mixer I've ever seen - I just only wish you could CV the panning!! That would really seal the deal for me.

[@zauwee]

Agree! That would be bonkers. Roland 531 and Xaoc Praga both have cv over panning.

[@ELEKTROGOWK]

One of my best choices ever! I was hesitating because of the size, but my considerations fell always back to the Befaco Hexmix system. The functionality and the playability are so high, that I don't want to miss it. Finally, I have a base patch with my voices and my effects from where I can start my more complex patches. It's like having a template in a DAW

[@MUNRO13]

Hexcellent.

[@lovedeathdisco]

this is such a great demonstration. thank you for immediately demonstrating a soaked verb snare "throw", exactly what i'm interested in. i think this is likely a near-future setup for what i'm doing. three returns is the selling point for me. i'll use two mostly but a third will come in handy. i am conceptualizing an external mixdown rack and this will likely be the heart of it. amazing they thought to have individual 1/4" outs. i like the style of this overall, hard dj eq's and gentle on mains. great choices. will look into doepfer and wmd as well, but i think you helped this decision a lot here. thanks for all the excellent demos that have resulted in several ericasynths purchases 🎛

[@paly4x4]

Sample and hold on 1/16th notes for the HiHat for some movement...Love it! This is why I love your channel. I always get some tips and tricks out of it, not to mention learning different modules. I was going to make a mixer and managed to make clickless mutes, but Vacrols, hmm now you got me thinking. Great video and you made my day!

[@DivKid]

cheers Brian

[@paultp12cora24]

By heck Rkid Those vactrol based mutes and momentariness gets me every time, bloody good job at demoing by the way - good job, keep up the good work marra

[@DivKid]

thank you.

[@glowwormcables9672]

Nice one Ben! Edit: After watching this.....I'm sold.

[@DivKid]

:) I thought you might be.

[@TonydeKaro]

Yeah! Thanks for all the great info you put on KZbin! I really appreciate it :)

[@DivKid]

Cheers Tony.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

My Befaco Hex VCA came today- I like it but wish that it had more features like my Intellijel Quad VCA has such as boost, better CV controls and lights that show various levels. Then again for the money it is brilliant and looks sexy in my case.

[@stotakoj6393]

1:16 Yawrorack

[@apparently_sonam]

Yoro-rack! (Yorkshire Edition)

[@DivKid]

ha! :)

Thanks. Very well explained pre and post options

[@DivKid]

thanks Manuel.

[@bebop7]

On the twentieth day of DivMas my... oh wait

[@DivKid]

hahaha

[@THREEo3]

great demo, and nice patches : )

[@DivKid]

thanks

[@ComparativeIrrelevance]

Oh, such lovely sounds at 0:25!

[@DivKid]

:) nice one

[@RobertGlotzbach]

Wonderful video, thank you for it :-) I installed my new purchased Hexmix vca today hoping to use it also as a mixer. However, the signals don't get passes to the underlying rows; Any suggestions? Many thanks, robert -EDIT- Never mind.... there was a hidden switch on the back that solved it for me.

[@DivKid]

glad you got that sorted and thank you!

[@precarious333]

Nice setup. Good work by Befaco.

[@DivKid]

certainly

[@rye_on_toast]

could this be used as an audio interface to bring line output from an external synth into the eurorack?

[@DivKid]

The channels don't offer amplification. You can amplify the stereo return tracks though.

[@johnnymidnight2982]

Befaco does make an 11hp instrument interface.

[@markmccarthy3304]

I'm torn between this or the performance mixer

[@DivKid]

I think a lot of people are. The features are different so it's really hard to choose.

[@joshlustig3327]

Considering buying the hex vca module, does anyone know if the CV inputs have a positive DC offset normalled to them? I have a bunch of envelopes/functions/other “on” signals, but I wouldn’t mind being able to have a basic level on certain sounds before applying an envelope

[@neverfox]

So this just shows how much I don't know about interfacing at different levels. I get the need for the H/L switch on the return, but what about the send? If it's coming out at synth level, isn't that a problem for sending to external effects?

[@DivKid]

You have the level knob for the pre and post send FX, so you manage that on the send output level knob.

[@qqqlive1835]

3:00 this was super useful to connect 3 VCAs to the auxes i can now shoot spider webs & rat poison sounds through my system easier

[@originalfallinggirl]

Damn, now I want this Befaco mixer over the WMD :(. I totally love this mixer but wish it had a few more channels. I don’t quite understand how you are shaping the noise with the VCA. are you using an envelope to sculpt it? Also, what is the advantage of using a second VCA with a full voice? Is there a benefit in using a second envelope or can you CV something else in the VCA? I hope this isn’t a totally ridiculous Newb question 😊

[@manfrombkk]

Great if you got tons of available HP and lots of racks. The guy or gal with a 2 x 104 as example aint gonna be to excited if they want this combo rig.

[@DivKid]

Potentially But the Befaco guys were doing great things with this size system at Superbooth with these modules. 6U only.

[@piotr803]

Great video Ben. What an incredibly useful set of modules. How are the knobs? Easy to turn? Not too slippery? They look like they'd be a bit difficult to use in a sweaty club environment...I like rubbery knobs or standard mixer type knobs, these look very shinny...cheers

[@DivKid]

the knobs are fine for me, not taken it to a sweaty club environment so can't really comment on that though.

[@soso-zz9qf]

Would you recommend the befaco mixer+expander or the WMD Performance Mixer+Mutes? I'm leaning towards this because I don't like how the WMD cuts out after -30dB...

[@DivKid]

That's been fixed, totally. It's smooth now. They've sent out replacement boards to people or changed them over for them and all orders have the fixed boards when bought new now I believe. As always this isn't something simple I can answer for you. Do you want 6 channels with EQ and 3 sends with 3 stereo returns? Or more channels, AB switching and a tonne of VCAs for level and pan?

[@maikrobin]

Thanks for the fantastic review! What module are u using for the basedrum? Sounds great..!!!

[@DivKid]

Can you tell me at what time the bass drum appears and I'll listen and tell you.

[@maikrobin]

its the Kick at min 19:32

[@LeonvanBokhorst]

Yes! Excellent... Expensive but excellent 😁 🤘

[@DivKid]

:)

[@davidowle3772]

Ack. Probably a bit nitpicky... but I'm pretty sure I can hear some cross talk coming from the muted channel 6 drone between 4:00ish and 8:00ish. 😣

[@davidowle3772]

But I don't hear any on the techno patch later... hmmmm...

[@DivKid]

Hi David, at 4.00 that's just the modular sound ducked out of the way against my voice. You can see the channels are all on and the sound is coming through as it should be. Just mixed under my voice with a sidechain compression against my voice so that comes through. That's how all my videos are edited if you hear that again and at 8.00 ... going to listen ... that's the same again. It's just the mix I have set up (volume knobs at the bottom show some are a lot lower if that's what you thought was bleed). Do let me know if I've missed anything though, I've since tested the unit and no bleed as you made me doubt myself. :)

[@chromeangel]

when adding the stmix for additional channels is there any way to apply the send and recieve to the added channels?

[@DivKid]

Hi Chad, no it just sums that ST Mix into the output of the Hexmix.

[@chromeangel]

@@DivKid awesome thanks for the reply I think this will really influence my decision to go with the cosmix pro instead.

[@DivKid]

yeah they feel very different in use both have their pluses and minuses. Are you wanting to go through the Cosmix so you can expand it out further?

[@chromeangel]

@@DivKid yes right now I have a texmix with 16 mono channels but it's a tad bit noisy.

[@ben-rosfeld]

I honestly just want the 6 VCAs! The whole set is amazing though.

[@DivKid]

Then just get the Hexmix VCA and have 6 VCAs :) ... but yeah the whole thing is great.

[@zorglub76]

For god sake, how do you keep your module so clean? I can dust my Rampage, but there are fingerprints everywhere...

[@DivKid]

no idea, I don't think it's that clean.

[@zorglub76]

In the meanwhile I took cleaning topic seriously :) , and found out that hairbrush for babies works perfectly - it removes dust, and also smears fingerprints in hard to reach areas, so modules look much cleaner... It's also great for cleaning guitar headstock and all those areas below strings and near the bridge.

[@tiltedstudio]

Say Ben, level with me - is the mute here similar-ish to your mute? Not looking to start trouble, just curious.

[@MUNRO13]

So the Hexmix, can I use this for 3 stereo voices? If I hard pan the left and rights do I get proper stereo? Or doesn’t it work like that? Great video as always.

[@DivKid]

Hi Munro, yes you can 6 mono channels you could use 3 stereo sources into it. You could also use the stereo returns on the Hexpander for mixing extra sources in if you wanted to. But there's no level control on that.

[@MUNRO13]

DivKidVideo thanks

[@mynameismynameis666]

yororack?

[@DivKid]

huh?

[@mynameismynameis666]

btw congrats to all your sweet new content and partnerships! well deserved

[@DivKid]

nice one thank you.

[@mynameismynameis666]

i may be a troll, but i am benign to you and your content. content:original. guy: straightforward, channel: organically farmed, dank stuff. i ll even bark at trolls in your comment section, but then again, most modular people are good peeplz...

[@jedgould5531]

Just hooked up my hex mix. Low levels fixed by dipswitches - you know, JUST IN CASE YOU WANT HIGH LEVELS - but still much lower levels than WMD Performance Mixer (I do not work for, nor do I have friendships with, WMD, although their prices are too high for their build quality). The Befaco Hexmix I don’t recommend despite his blessings. Three channels not working, no pan CV, and consistently lower levels. Befaco will I’m sure offer to replace, but, uh, no thanks. I was super looking forward to getting this mixer delivered, but now I’m pissed.