Behringer Digital Mixer X32 User Manual

X32 DIGITAL MIXER Preliminary User Manual

The X32 has 6 separate “mute groups”. Individual channels can be assigned 

to these mute groups, allowing you to mute multiple channels with a single 

button push.
This is particularly useful in theater contexts, where groups of microphones 

(such as the ones belonging to a group of background performers) may need 

to be muted and unmuted often. By assigning them to a mute group, you can 

quickly mute/unmute a large group of channels, which is much faster than 

muting/unmuting each channel one by one. 
1.  Press the MUTE GRP button.
2.  While holding the desired Group button (located on top panel’s lower 

right-hand corner), press the SELECT keys for any channels you wish to 

assign to that mute group.

3.  When you are done assigning channels to the mute group, press the MUTE 

GRP button next to the display again. The channel SELECT buttons will now 

work normally again.

4.  Press the corresponding mute group button, on the console top panel to 

mute that specific mute group and all channels belonging to it. 

On a live sound console such as the X32, channels can be combined into a single 

output channel in two ways.
A “Bus” is a combined collection of channel signals where each channel feeding 

the bus can be done so with a variable level. One typical use of a bus would be 

an effects loop (where for example, different channels feeding the bus and the 

reverb effect associated with it, do so at different levels, so that a snare drum 

has a small amount of reverb applied while a lead vocal has a large amount of 

reverb). Another use of a bus would be to feed a stage monitor. By feeding the 

monitor mix with a bus, different channels can feed the monitor bus at differing 

levels, allowing creation of a custom monitor mix that is “just right” for the talent 

on stage.
A “Group” is similar to a Bus, except that all channels feeding the group do so at 

a ”unity gain” level, with their respective levels the same as their levels feeding 

the main mix bus. Thus, a group is best used to control the levels of a group of 

signals using a single fader, such as controlling the level of an entire group of 

drum microphones.  
To quickly divide up which of the 16 mix buses are configured as regular buses, 

and which are configured as groups, press the SETUP button and page right to the 

CONFIG page. Adjust the fifth encoder to select between different combinations 

of buses and groups for the 16 mix outputs of the console. This setting can later 

be changed individually for each of the 16 mix buses either on the SETUP page 

of the corresponding mix bus or individually per channel on the SEND page of 

the selected channel. You can feed the signal of any mix bus either directly to 

the main bus or back to any input channel if you want to apply loop type effects 

or send to a monitor mix. All mix buses are available as SOURCE on a channel’s 

CONFIG page.
Lastly, the X32 offers a “DCA Group”. This is similar to a normal group, except 

that the signals of the underlying channels are not actually combined into a 

single audio path. Instead, channels are assigned to a DCA group (short for 

“Digitally Controlled Amplifier” ) and when a single fader representing the 

DCA group is moved, it has the effect of adjusting the level of all the underlying 

channels assigned to that DCA group.
DCA groups are useful in situations where you have a collection of similar 

signals, and you want to be able to quickly adjust their overall level, but also 

easily adjust the individual levels of the individual channels assigned to the DCA 

group. For example, say you have a concert that employs 4 separate background 

vocalists. By assigning them all to DCA group 1, you can adjust their overall level 

as desired in the FOH mix by adjusting DCA fader 1. However, if you then notice 

that background vocalist #3 is a little too soft in the “blend” of background 

vocals, you can adjust the level fader on their specific channel. 
To create a DCA group on the X32 console:
1.  Press the GROUP DCA 1-8 button on the output fader layer.
2.  Hold the respective DCA Group Select button on the right-hand side of 

the console.

3.  While still holding down the DCA Group Select button, press the SELECT 

buttons for all the input channels, aux channels, fx return channels, and bus 

masters that you wish to assign to said DCA Group. Those channels are now 

assigned to the DCA group.

4.  You can also press the DCA Group Select button in order to check which 

channels are already assigned to it; the assigned channel SELECT buttons will 

light up.

5.  To adjust the level of a DCA group, simply adjust its respective fader.
DCA groups can also have custom names, colors, and icons assigned to them 

to help you remember what groups of signals are assigned to each of the 

8 DCA groups. 
1.  Press the SETUP button, then page right to the DCA GROUPS page.
2.  Adjust the first encoder to select the DCA group you wish to customize, 

then press the encoder to edit.

3.  On the editing pop-up window that appears, use the various encoders to 

select a color, icon, and preset or custom name for the selected DCA.

4.  Press the sixth encoder to exit the editing screen.
By contrast, conventional “groups” are useful when you have a group of signals 

that you wish to combine into a single signal, perhaps to send that combined 

signal to a single effect processor. For example, a common method for making 

drums sound punchy and aggressive in a rock and roll mix would be to combine 

all of the drum channels to a single stereo group, then process that group signal 

through a compressor, and then finally bring the mono or stereo compressed 

drum group back into the mix. This approach would not be possible with a DCA 

group, because the DCA is not actually combining the audio signals, it is merely 

linking the levels of all of the underlying channels digitally. 

The X32’s assignable controls section lets you take the adjustments you make 

most often, and assign them to a group of dedicated controls that are assigned to 

just those functions, and nothing else. The assignable controls offer 8 buttons 

and 4 knobs, with dedicated LCD screens to remind you of the currently 

assigned function. 
For example, you could program one of the knobs to control the aux send on the 

vocal channel feeding an internal reverb effect. Then, if you ever want to make 

the vocalist sound more “wet” or “dry” during different songs in a set, you can 

simply reach for that knob and it will always provide a quick and convenient place 

to make that adjustment. 
Additionally, the assignable controls are divided into “A”, “B”, and “C” groups, 

so you can actually program in 3 different sets of controls, offering a total of 

36 different functions.
Setting up the assignable controls is easy:
1.  Press the “view” button in the assignable controls section. The main screen 

will switch to a view that lets you make assignments for the custom controls.

2.  The main screen will show assignments for all 3 sets of custom controls 

(A, B, and C) on one page. Rotate any of the first five encoders to move the 

orange “focus” box to the specific set of custom controls you wish to assign.