Flexible Insert Boxes

Flexible Insert Boxes

One of the great things about Crookwood's R1 and R3 audio routers is their flexible record paths.

Unlike other insert boxes, you can choose what outboard you want to insert in the record path, and in what order (with the R1, for both digital and analogue inserts).  You can also insert our analogue level controls, and MS processors, and choose the converters you want to use as well.

This allows you to use the best tools for the job in hand, in the best configuration, effortlessly.  And because you can connect your whole arsenal of outboard to the router you can do it quickly without ever touching a patchcord again!

How it works

Unlike other insert boxes, all our routing is done with crosspoint switchers, actively with digital switches for digital signals, and passively with balanced relays for analogue signals. With clever software, this allows us to place the inserts in the order you want.

On our front panels, you simply click the device insert buttons in the order you want them to be placed in the record path. Simplicity itself! The panel's LCD shows you the order so you can see what you've done.  You can even remove an insert and replace it back into position to see how it affects the sound.

Sonic Issues

There is a lot of noise on internet audio forums about the number of inserts you can have on an insert box without affecting the sound.  This is a) wrong, and b) a red herring.  The idea of having up to 15 analogue inserts on our router, is not that you actively insert all 15 in series (although you can do if you want!), but that you can choose the best 2 or 3 inserts for the particular job you are doing from your whole toolbox of inserts, without patching!

If you're worried about sonics, you might also like to ponder the following:

• A crosspoint switcher adds one relay for every device that is actually inserted into the signal path, as opposed to  6 or 7 permanently in series, for fixed position insert switchers.
• Designed properly, you'll use less cable going from a device to a router, than a device to and from a patchbay. That is the audio travels a shorter path.
• Our routing relays are permanently sealed against the corrosive pollutants in the atmosphere. Unlike your patchbay and cords.
• All of the connections to our consoles are permanent. No more intermittent connections, and damaged patch cords getting in the way.

Speed and Power

Let's say you want to process a signal in a DAW with external outboard.  You might wire it like this:

• DAW out to DAC,
• DAC to analogue EQ,
• then to analogue compressor,
• then to ADC,
• then to digital limiter,
• and back to DAW. 
• Oh, and lets say you want to add MS processing around the EQ. 

This is 16 patches on a patchbay.  By the time you've cleared the old patch, found the patchcords, located the holes, patched up and verified you did it right, 5 minutes could have passed.  On our consoles, you can do this with 7 button presses, say just 10 seconds!

Spot the difference?

Now consider how long it would take to change the devices, alter the order or even do something more complex. With manual patching you'd give up. However with the Crookwood it's so easy. This saves you time, and allows you use that time to be creative and experiment with devices and levels to get that perfect sound.