mixer channels right to left?

[sound for sandwiches]

hi TOMB, long time no post.

I am going through a Soundtracs MR 32 channel desk that I recently acquired. So far haven't encountered anything too surprising EXCEPT... the input channel order is right to left. Standing at the console from the operator position, from left to right it has 32 input channels, then two master faders, then 8 group faders with 16 tape returns in two banks of 8 above them. The input strips don't have any numbers on them from this position, but if you are looking at the jackfield, the inputs are labeled from the factory 1-32, reading left to right. This means that channel 1 is farthest to the right from the operator position, next to the master faders.

The channel numbers could be arbitrary, except that channels 1-16 are normalled to the tape returns, which is a feature I would like to be able to use. I did confirm this routing. it's just going to be confusing to "think backwards" when I set things in my customary order for projects.

Everything else on the board is left-to-right: meter bridge, tape returns, groups, etc. I have worked on lots of prosumer consoles of different eras, and never seen this right-to-left setup before. I scoured the internet and the archives of this messageboard to see if this was addressed somewhere, and couldn't find a single mention. I have the manual and it doesn't allude to it either.

So, is this some cool feature that offers an advantage that I am going to love once I get used to it? Or is it a practical joke on non-professional recordists like me?

Cheers -David

[Nick Sevilla]

Hi,

I would go ahead and rewire those tape returns so they make more sense to you.

Otherwise you will need more Tylenol.

[sound for sandwiches]

That's definitely the long term plan. Still curious about why it would be laid out this way in the first place though.

[digitaldrummer]

mount it on the ceiling?

[I'm Painting Again]

with some consoles the faders are set to get louder when you pull them down toward you - love that