Behringer X32 Rack

The Behringer X32 Rack puts the X32 mixing engine in a 19-inch rack chassis. It has 32 input channels, 8 aux channels and 8 FX return channels. It also has 16 aux buses, 6 matrices and main LRC. The unit itself has 16 Midas-designed preamps, a 5-inch screen and two AES50 ports for stage boxes. There are no channel faders. Instead, the front panel works on one selected channel at a time, with a channel level control, mute and solo. So in practice, people mix the Rack from a laptop, tablet or phone over its Ethernet port. Behringer describes that port as giving full OSC-based remote control.

Why the Behringer X32 Rack suits Showcaller

That makes it a natural fit for Showcaller. The Rack often lives in a machine room, a stage-side rack or a hotel AV cupboard. Nobody is standing at it. Showcaller connects to the same Ethernet port through the Showcaller Bridge App on the show network. It uses OSC on port 10023. Then it turns plain requests into Tool Function calls. You can say unmute the panel mics or main down 4 dB. You can also say more presenter in the stage wedge on bus 5 or recall scene 12.

Tool Functions by plan

The Behringer X32 Rack runs the same Tool Functions as the full-size X32. The Behringer X32 and Midas M32 integration page lists them all. Starter covers channel faders, mutes and names on channels 1 to 32. It also covers the main stereo output and the 16 mix buses, with each channel’s send to them. That is most of what an unattended Rack needs during a show. For example, the operator can ask what a channel or bus is doing without opening an app. Get channel mute, Get channel state and Get bus mute handle this. Pro adds the eight DCA groups, preamp gain and 48V phantom power. It also adds polarity, high-pass filter, channel EQ and gate and compressor settings. Enterprise adds effects sends and returns, scribble-strip colors and scenes 0 to 99, matching the Rack’s 100 scenes.

Two points specific to the Rack

Its onboard preamps are the 16 XLR inputs on the unit, so ask for gain and phantom on those. And because nobody is watching faders move, the confirmation step matters. Showcaller confirms scene recall and save, phantom power and effects sends with the operator before sending them. For full specs, see Behringer’s X32 Rack product page.