Using Behringer's P16 System IN THE STUDIO | Monitoring with UAD Console

After searching for videos on setting up the Behringer P16 system (which includes the Beghringer P16I. P16D, and P16M) in a recording studio application and coming up empty handed, I decided we had to make one. Hopefully this helps some of. you Universal Audio Apollo users who are considering adding a headphone system to your recording rigs. The Behringer P16 system is incredible. Amazing design, excellent functionality, and at a price you can afford.
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Gear Links:
Behringer P16M - amzn.to/3BUwVzw
Behringer P16I - amzn.to/3SIm9Cm
Behringer P16D - amzn.to/3Acd1yV
Behringer P16 Bundle - amzn.to/3zLdIh1
Universal Audio Apollo X16 - amzn.to/3JNdZoc
Universal Audio Apollo X8P - amzn.to/3vX0g8W
Universal Audio Apollo X4 - amzn.to/3bOmJ0P
Universal Audio Twin X Quad - amzn.to/3BWNs60

[@hhentz61]

Thank you so much for this! It’s been hard to find any videos that show this setup. I own the Apollo Duo and x8p. Please post more! I would like to see a video on how you hook everything up.

[@bestkeptsecret1350]

So freaking helpful I searched high and low for an explanation of how to setup with my x6

[@hypercalm23]

We used ours in a live setting. We used P16 as a one per channel setup. Vox on 1, guitar in 4 etc Another group used the system and because the board was digital they used it in a stereo fashion. So 1-2 was stereo one. And 3-4 was stereo 2. And they just did the mix on their phones. Our setup gets to feel very limited trying to squeeze in as much as possible. But running it stereo they had access to all the channels including the FX .

[@carlosandres1531]

Hi Justin, thanks for your interesting tutorial. I have a recording studio now set up with an Apollo x8p, a Focustrite Scarlett Octo Pre connected to it via ADAT, and for monitors I've got several P16. In order to get the signals of both sound cards to monitors I've got a Behringer XR 18. I've connected channels 1-8 out from Apollo to channels in 1-8 from Behringer and channels 1-8 out from Octopre to channels in 9-16 from Behringer. Now during recording I'm trying to route the channels of the Apollo and Octopre via Behringer to the P16 (via a Behringer P16-D connected to Ultranet). I thought that assigning in the Apollo Console the desired Output of the affected channel (ie. Line 3 or Adat 2) It would go to the respective Behringer Input (in this case Ch 3 or Ch 10 in the example). But in it doesn't work that automatically, sometimes displaced. On the other hand the only way to hear the DAW in the P16 is assigning it to Line1 and/or Line2, otherwise the DAW doesn't sound. I know what I'm telling is quite complex, but I'm near to get crazy because I'm not able to understand the logics behind the Apollo Console software. And besides the outputs in the console channels itself, there is the I/O Matrix. How do both interact ? If you give me some clue to understand it I would be quite grateful. Thanks in advance Justine

[@GospelMusicians]

Good stuff

[@DavidBarrowIII]

My friend has the Hear Back Octo system. This video helped, as far as the Console routing. I didn't find to many other videos that showed the Cue Mix "Mirroring" that ended up being the missing link to getting his monitoring system going. I wish someone would do any extensive video on the Console Cue Mix Mirroring and how to set up the routing to multiple outputs. That information seems to be missing from the big UAD Apollo picture.

[@justinbrogdon]

I ran into the same struggle. Great video idea, I'm on it. Be sure to subscribe!

[@brettryanstewart]

Great video, Justin. And far as I can tell, the ONLY one of it’s kind on YT, which was surprising. So I’m close to investing in the P16 and this approach to using the cues is appealing. My original plan was to monitor tracking through ProTools at a very low buffer rate, creating sub mixes on the channel sends in PT then sending those sub mixes out to each of the Line Outs in UA (ie Drums on Line Out 1-2, bass on Line out 3, and so on…). What I’m wondering is how, with this setup you’ve shown… If I’ve only got enough of the P16 Mixers for musicians (roughly 4), then would it be possible to still use headphone outs on the UA? I’m guessing I could assign it in the cue window to just piggy back one of the Cues 1-4, but then I’d only be getting whatever is on that respective cue, right? Trying to wrap my head around this.

[@KrisGorski]

Thanks for the video. Very well explained :). I have 7 of them and have used them for years with Apollo, but I find them very noisy. I've started looking into alternatives, but they are all much more expensive. You can, as you mentioned, overcome the 4 cue limitation with the virtual channels etc, but I would have preferred 8 hues. That is not going to happen, though, due to hardware limitation. I've been recoding mainly with Luna for the past 2 years, which is great.

[@artysanmobile]

I have always used the TOSLINK inputs and have never had problems with noise. I have never tried the analog inputs. Have you tried the digital inputs to see if there is a difference? I recall it is possible to use the mixers compressors very badly and inadvertently, resulting in a very noisy output. But once I check them all and remedy that, I can’t say I’ve ever noticed noise in the IEMs.

[@jay_palacios2314]

I love using the Adat out of the Apollo in to the p16 Logic playback is adat out of console stereo Click is out as well with my midi keys I have snare,kick, kick out individually out adat into each channel of the p16 Then the rest of the drums stereo. The I have line outs from my second interface directly into the line in of p16i

[@ignitemultimedia9428]

Any issues with latency when mixing the adat and the line level signals from the second unit? Interested in using and X4 with an X8P. X4 would be my monitoring unit but want to hit the P16-I with the full 16 channels for max flexibility

[@jay_palacios2314]

@@ignitemultimedia9428 hmmm great question. I don’t notice the latency mainly because I’m using adat out mainly the inputs off my main unit which is the 8p, I have the next 8 direct out of the clarette 8 into the 16-i

[@jay_palacios2314]

@@ignitemultimedia9428 i have kick in, kick out, snare top, as adat out into my p16i then I have stereo virtual channels out into p16i as play back , drum stereo mix that has remainder of drum mics. Then logic click adat as my last of Adat. All other channels on clarette are directly going into 8 direct channels on the p16i Sorry if that’s confusing

[@andytasker79]

Superb vid thx. Is there a way to have your main monitor mix going to the p16 too? I have 2 guitarists set up. I’m thinking your exact routing, but instead of the reverb feed, have another mono guitar feed. If I could send the main headphones mix - I could just use the reverb on an aux still. (In my head, one way would be to simply run the headphones out the front of the Apollo into the powerplay unit? Or would that cause havoc with the levels from the cues (I.E they’d only really be able to make their mixes louder - but not quieter than the headphone mix)

[@justinbrogdon]

Thanks Andy! The way I have mine set is I have my DAW (Pro Tools) output mirroring to Virtual Channels 1/2 (linked) and that is sent to Cue 1 (stereo). On the Powerplay I have channels 1&2 linked and anyone can raise or lower the overall track and make adjustments to individual instruments in the other channels. Hope that answers your question. Cheers!

[@dionreload]

Such a shame the apollo x16 doesnt provide 16 cue outputs or at least the way you showed it 8 stereo’s😂. Thanks for making this video!

[@Tizbax]

agree

[@GregoryGuay]

How did he get 16 channels of audio to the Behringer monitor rack to distribute to the P16???

[@anubis2006noe]

Can you show how you integrated it with the Apollo set up? Like ins and outs?

[@justinbrogdon]

I'd be happy to help you sort it out. Which Apollo interface are you running?

[@DecibelStudiosLA]

What Apollo do you have? How did you connect it to the p16 system. How does the p16 system know that cue1 goes to channel 1 and so on. Thanks

[@justinbrogdon]

I am running an Apollo X16, connecting to the P16 interface with DB25 to 1/4" TRS snakes. As shown in the video, it's all about approaching your Cues as busses. They can be mono or stereo. As an example, I have all of my drums going to Cue 2. In "Cue Outputs" I mirror the output to outputs "3-4" and then I link 3&4 on the P16 mixer. Channels 3&4 are my drum mix. If it's mono, just pan left or right (left for channel 3, right for channel 4). I hope that helps. Cheers!

[@harold12A]

Hi. Is it mandatory to buy the behringer mount for the P16 ? Any other alternative ways to hook it to a mic stand ?

[@justinbrogdon]

Don't quote me on it, but I am pretty sure each P16 mixer comes with the holders.

[@artysanmobile]

Has anyone else suffered the ‘rot’ of the soft-touch plastic used on the P16’s knobs and switches? I have a large system with 9 mixers that are mostly unusable anymore, and I am not amused. I could not have possibly known when I spent a few thousand dollars on this ingenious system that it had a very short lifespan. If anyone has found a resolution to this, I’ll be grateful for your response.

[@justinbrogdon]

Man, I have not experienced that and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I never do. Have you had any luck reaching out to Behgringer's customer service about the issue? Even if out of warranty, I would think they'd want to help with an issue like that. That sucks! Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

[@artysanmobile]

@@justinbrogdon Thanks for the advice.

[@Rumeel12708]

Hey what's the best way to connect 4.4 balanced IEMs to the behringer? Just use an adapter from the 6.5 to 4.4 or using line out R&L to 4.4?

[@justinbrogdon]

I just use an adapter like this one...amzn.to/3vQbHlM

[@Rumeel12708]

@@justinbrogdon thank you!

[@PatStockdaleMusic]

Can you tell me how you are hooking it up from the interface to the p16i?

[@justinbrogdon]

Hey Pat, I have two DB25 to TRS 8 channel snakes that come out of the back of my Apollo X16 and go into the 16 inputs of the P16 Interface. Hope that helps. Cheers!

[@DecibelStudiosLA]

So is there anyway to send a full 16 channels to the p16 from the Apollo? Or are you stuck with only being able to send 8 tracks ?

[@justinbrogdon]

Unfortunately not.

[@DecibelStudiosLA]

@@justinbrogdon now I feel like a fool for purchasing the P 16 system. we’re not even able to use it to its full extent. maybe the only other way for it to work is to go adat or ProTools accents. But even then I’m wondering if there will be a latency issue.

[@justinbrogdon]

@@DecibelStudiosLA I was very frustrated when I first got it too, but after using the system for monhs I really like it. I have protools playback going to cue 1 stereo, drumes going to 2 stereo, bass going to 3 mono (L), guitar to 3 mono (R), vox going to 4 mono (L), then I have the click routed to through one of the 8 flex route channels. I like being able to put a little reverb on the drums and vox also. Our mixes sound great when tracking, and the system is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it. That's been my experience anyway. Good luck with it and let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers!

[@dionreload]

There is a way!

[@dionreload]

Change from monitor out on every channel strip on console to the desired output. Notice that some outputs sre grayed out because of the cue sends they are taking up. Good luck

[@rainingkind]

Dumb question: how is the apollo connected to the p16i

[@justinbrogdon]

You'll go from the outputs of your apollo to the inputs of the P16I. I'm running an Apollo X16 so I just ran 2 DB25 to 1/4" TRS snakes from the interface to the P16I. Hope that helps. Cheers!

[@peteryousef5177]

please i need to know how to connect from ano......... mixer to p16

[@justinbrogdon]

Assuming you meant to type "analog" mixer? In order to do this, you will need auxillary outputs. However many aux outs you have, you will want to route those into the P16 inputs. Cheers!

[@peteryousef5177]

@@justinbrogdon i have insert only i do not have direct out and when i connect trs to insert it stopped my sound on mixer

[@justinbrogdon]

@@peteryousef5177 Bummer. You will need a mixer output to input into the P16. Good luck.

[@peteryousef5177]

@@justinbrogdon really you not understand me

[@peteryousef5177]

@@justinbrogdon i do not have direct out on mixer . what have only insert . when i connect anything to insert it stopped the sound . i need to solve this problem