Crest Audio Music Mixer HP 8 User Manual

Road Tests  
Crest Audio HP-8 Mixing Console  
By MarkAmundson  
hen the Crest Audio HP-8 Mixing  
Console was first announced at  
Winter NAMM 2004, it sparked a  
No stereo input channel strips are  
provided standalone, but five stereo  
channels are placed in the master section,  
above the subgroup and aux masters. Each  
stereo input has an adequate three-band  
fixed frequency equalizer with a 60mm  
fader and complete subgroup and master  
assigns.The five stereo inputs are further  
grouped in to three TRS line input channels,  
and two channels with RCA jacks for CD  
and/or tape inputs.  
W
great deal of anticipation. Finally, here was  
a console with pro features at an anklebiter  
price. But we got through the better part of  
a year before we actually got our hands on  
one and, truth is, we were underwhelmed.  
A call to Crest engineering confirmed that  
they were aware of the same issues we  
had noted (manufacturing and not  
up to that goal—though the early produc-  
tion growing pains gave the competition  
some time to catch up. However, no matter  
how you slice it today, the Crest HP-8 wins  
best value in mid-market mixing consoles.  
Now, no console is perfect, and I want to  
air my modestnigglelist on some features.  
The first niggle is that no channel TRS inputs  
means that FOH usage was slightly lessened  
by forcing me to put the effects returns up  
on the smaller fader stereo inputs. Now,  
I know this where they want the effects  
returns to be, but I personally like nice, wide  
fader travels to fine-tune effects in difficult  
room acoustics. CD and tape machines  
are fine on small faders, but effects returns  
normally live large with me. Another niggle  
is something that strikes larger, vastly more  
expensive consoles, though it does apply to  
the HP-8.That is the issue of assign switches  
on channel strips and masters.When  
design-related) and said they were being  
addressed.We opted to wait to review  
the HP-8 until that happened and it appears HP-8 added two matrix outputs with 11  
Squeezing every last drop of master  
section real estate, the Crest Audio  
What it is: Mid-Market  
Mixing Console  
Who its for: Small soundcos  
needing a ton of features for de-  
manding clients. Or a very good  
monitor mix console for local and  
regional soundcos.  
Pros: Top notch mic pres and EQs,  
great aux/master metering, plenty  
of aux sends and subgroups.  
Cons: No channel TRS line inputs,  
assign switch throw amount, and  
100mm fader taper preference.  
How much: Crest Audio HP-8  
24-channel, $4,499.99 MSRP  
to have been worth the wait.  
inputs from the masters and subgroups.  
According to Crest’s owner’s manual, not  
only are the matrices used for backroom  
mixes, but it states that they can be used  
for video shoots where a vocal heavy mix  
might be desired. A most informative note  
on matrix usage.  
The HP-8 jackpanel has XLR mic inputs,  
TRS inserts and TS direct outputs for each  
channel. Although the HP-8 has a nice  
internal power supply, an external supply  
jack is available for redundant backup. Aux  
send masters, subgroup outs and master  
outs all received companion TRS insert jacks  
for flexibility. And to top off the complete  
feature set, a five-year warranty means they  
are seriously backing their product.  
Feature Set  
I finally got a 24-channel Crest HP-8 to  
conduct this review, and started down the  
checklist of mid-market consoleshallswith  
the channel strips. Each channel started  
with an XLR input, phantom power switch,  
-26dB pad switch, two to 65dB preamp gain  
control, polarity switch and a three-pole  
72Hz Lo-Cut switch. Of note is the lack of  
a TRS line-in jack, but more on that later.  
After the channel strip preamp and  
TRS insert jack, was a worthy four-band  
(two swept mid) equalizer section.The  
mid controls had a fixed Q of 1.5 with  
nice 100Hz to 2KHz, and 500Hz to 10KHz  
ranges.The low-frequency shelving control  
was at 100Hz, and the high-frequency  
shelving control at 12KHz. All equalizer  
controls were nicely scaled and had  
+/-15dB gain knobs.  
Tripping on down to my drool-soaked 10  
aux sends, they were grouped six, two and  
two with pre/post fader switches for each  
group.The fader section was conventional  
with 100mm faders, PFL switches, mute  
group switches, subgroup pair switches,  
main assign switches, mute switch with  
red LED and an L-R pan control. Metering  
is done by a single two-color LED for signal  
present (yellow)/peak (red) indications.  
[You may be tempted to take the opening  
part of this review as a slam on Crest. Don’t.  
That would be a mistake. In fact, as far as I  
am concerned, the fact that there were some  
issues with early shipping versions of the HP-8  
and that they acknowledged and TOOK CARE  
OF them is a huge compliment.Too many  
companies would have pretended there was  
no problem and tried to resolve the issue  
without anyone knowing about it. And,  
frankly, too many magazines would have  
played along. In my rarely humble opinion,  
this is one place where Crest’s hookup with  
Peavey is going to really pay off for users.  
While they may not have the pedigree some  
big-time sound guys want, my experience is  
that Peavey makes nearly bulletproof gear  
and stands behind it 100%.  
I have never had a piece of Peavey gear fail  
on a gig, and any time I had any customer  
service issue, it was resolved quickly and to  
my satisfaction. And, no, they did not know I  
was a magazine editor covering the sound biz  
when I called. So, hats off to Peavey and Crest  
for taking the high road and ending up with a  
hell of a nice console. –Ed.]  
grouped together, these switches do not  
have a lot of on/off throw to easily see which  
switch is enabled. Combine this with modest  
console lighting in dark clubs and a desk at  
waist height, and the visual angle makes de-  
tecting switch positions a double-take affair.  
My last niggle is more amething than  
a console designer thing, and the niggle is  
the 66% fader range in the +/-10dB area.  
Now, most of my gigs are moderately-sized  
clubs where I am fighting a lot of stage  
wash, and that means many an instrument  
fader hiding down into the -15 to -30dB  
range. And when that range is compressed  
to a centimeter or two of fader travel, I  
start worrying about the audience mix and  
having to double-check my finger-to-ear  
coordination. I have been happy when 50%  
of fader travel is below -10dB, but com-  
pressed scaling is not my biggest thrill. But  
should you care aboutmyniggles?Not  
very muchis the appropriate answer, if you  
need this console’s feature set.  
The Road Test  
The Crest Audio HP-8 console got its  
torture test at both the shop and a week-  
end of gigs.The above feature description  
meant there was a lot to love, as getting  
eight subgroups for less than $5,000, plus  
the 10 auxes and high-quality mic pre’s and  
EQs is certainly a heroic feat. But as I worked  
with the HP-8, I realized its strongest trait is  
as a 10-mix monitor console. Up top in the  
master section, each auxiliary (or subgroup)  
has a dedicated 12-LED bar graph, plus  
the masters. So five stereo PM mixes, or  
10 wedge mixes or something in-between  
Obviously, minimal metering was a designer can easily be done by enabling the fader  
cost-saving choice, as the PFL switch can  
provide the ultimate resolution in signal  
metering.The 100mm fader had about  
two-thirds the travel in the +/-10dB range,  
which was unusual to me, but acceptable  
for most of us.  
flip switches.  
The utility and performance of the HP-8  
are top notch. I was told just as the product  
release was announced that the mic pre’s  
and equalization were going to industry-  
leading, and I believe they pretty much lived  
 

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