DMusic.com | for indie musicians and fans | Free MP3 music downloads

Forums > Music: Recording

New Mixer

Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 2:41 PM Hi all! I'm looking to buy a new mixer, something a little more modern and fit for purpose than the one i'm using right now. The problem is there are so many, plus although I know how i use my mixer at the moment, I don't know what the possibilities could be with better features! Does anyone have any advice on what to look out for when buying a mixer? Anyone have any insight as to what I might be kicking myself about if I buy the wrong one? I'm looking at either a budget Tapco Blend 6 or a Behringer right now...
ndstgmoe	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 3:14 PM Just looking at the Tapco... Mackie preamps are a plus. I personally would want something with actual faders, but that's a complete personal preference. It might be nice to have more than a two band EQ as well, but I think it depends on what you're recording process is. Seems like a pretty good unit for the price. Behringer - I'm not going to comment on - too many people have too many opinions, and I just don't know their stuff well enough. (I have a 4 channel Behringer compressor that I have never used). I can't offer much else, as I haven't really looked into anything like this. What programs are you using to record? Do you have any outboard gear (fx processors or compressors or EQs or anything)? Do you have a lot of plugins? Are you using this only to get signal to the computer? What kind mics do you have?
imemine	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 3:57 PM Mackie and Yamaha make pretty inexpensive boards now that are relatively quiet with decent pre-amps. (I use the term “make” loosely, they’re made in china) I have the Yamaha MG16/4 and I’m pretty happy with it. $300 or less. You can get a Mackie for around the same price. Do yourself a favor and pass on the Behringer, it's not that much cheaper.
GeneHilbert	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 3:59 PM Mackie............ I own 3
imemine	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 4:07 PM Gene has spoken!
Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 4:27 PM Thanks for the replies guys! The two band eq and the lack of a slider are definately things that I see as negatives. All I'm really doing at the moment is recording through a condenser mic with phantom power, sticking it through the mixer into the pc and into Adobe Audition. I don't have any plug-ins. As for effects and the like, I use the compressors and echo etc that Audition supplies. Guitar effects are courtesy of a couple of pedals and my amp. All instrument recording is also done through the condenser mic.
Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 4:31 PM Oh yeah, I forgot to add... Given that I use the pc for most of my production and the mixer is only a medium to get the sounds from mic to pc - is there another product that'll transmit a high quality sound but is relatively inexpensive that I could use?
imemine	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 4:40 PM Uuuuuu, okay. Not really relevant to the question but thanks for sharing. In any case, both boards have phantom power and preamps that are likely better than what you’re currently using----unless you have a high end preamp. I good preamp would be your alternative but those can cost as much or considerably more than the above mixers. I use the mixer simply to keep from plugging and unplugging stuff all the time. The punch-in button is a nice feature for me because if I’m not using that in put, I can eliminate it from the signal path completely without unplugging anything. For me it was more about S/N ratio and preamp quality than it was about features. Your system is always only as good as its weakest link! If I had loads of money I’d buy a sweet tube preamp!
GeneHilbert	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 4:45 PM LOL..... I'll tell ya, two different friends of mine have bought mixers. One is a soundcraft and the other is some piece of crap the salesman wanted to unload on some unsuspecting buyer. I look at these boards and they are shit, pure and simple. Cheaply made and with no rhyme or reason as to how they are laid out. Knobs and buttons all over the damn place. I've had to run these 2 pieces of shit at rehearsals and a couple of gigs...... The last time I refused and brought my own gear complete with one of my Mackies. I had a 5 piece band up and running with sound check working in an hour. Mackie are laid out logically, they hold their value, and the company stands behind their gear..... What more do you need to know.
ndstgmoe	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 5:01 PM word. I've got two Onyx 400fs (mackie preamps) and they are more than good. I don't use the mic inputs as often as I'd like - my board preamps are just too good sounding. But I'd say find a cheap mackie and you'll be pretty satisfied. On a sidenote, if you ever get the bucks together and want a good standalone preamp, I vote for something like this http://www.joemeek.com/threeq.html Fuggin works wonders and it sounds great. Specially if you're recording one track at a time.
Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 5:08 PM Hey Noah, I just took a look at that Three Q preamp, I guess that would suit my needs perfectly as I only ever record one track at a time. Plus I could afford it (just about!). I never even knew something like that was an option, I know NOTHING about this technology... I'm gonna take a closer look at it.
ndstgmoe	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 5:19 PM It's definetely an option, but I you would also need to go through the mixer to get the signal to your computer. Like all my mics go through my board - then into the line ins on the 400f - which is connected via firewire to my computer. So you would still probably need a mixer or something like that. Before I got all my fancy shit, we were using this: http://www.zzounds.com/item--TASUS122 It sounds fairly crappy by itself, but if you were going through the Meek first, it would just be a way of getting signal into the computer. I dunno. there's so much out there and probably a lot more options for you than either of us can think of.
Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 6:08 PM Hey Noah, I just took a look at that Three Q preamp, I guess that would suit my needs perfectly as I only ever record one track at a time. Plus I could afford it (just about!). I never even knew something like that was an option, I know NOTHING about this technology... I'm gonna take a closer look at it.
Matthew	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 6:09 PM Hey Noah, I just took a look at that Three Q preamp, I guess that would suit my needs perfectly as I only ever record one track at a time. Plus I could afford it (just about!). I never even knew something like that was an option, I know NOTHING about this technology... I'm gonna take a closer look at it.
Distilled1	Date: March 20, 2007 @ 6:12 PM I like my Alesis 12FX the pre amps seem decent the on board effects are decent ..and the new models are USB as well..and they go down to an 8 as well as non effect models. I am looking at a makie for the next one. I don't like Barienger but thats just me
Matthew	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 1:53 PM I got a "cheap" Mackie in the end,It's got lots of space for expanding my recording process. Here's a link... http://www.mackie.com/products/dfx6/ Can't wait to try it out this weekend
imemine	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 2:37 PM Excellent choice!.....and look, it seconds as a stepping stool!
ndstgmoe	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 2:41 PM dammit! I was just about to point out the stomper dude. You beat me to it. That's awesome. That's gonna be perfect for you. Have fun with those built in effects too.
imemine	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 2:48 PM Gotta be quick! Just ask the ladies!!!
ndstgmoe	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 2:51 PM Funny... I usually just stomp on the ladies like a Mackie mixer.
Matthew	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 3:29 PM hehe, i like the detail in the hand
leedsquietman	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 3:44 PM I use a (fairly old) Mackie 1202 mixer for recording guitars or miced instruments such as vocals etc. Considering I paid only 100 dollars CDN for it on ebay and it was in mint condition, I'm happy, although for home recording only, I would probably just buy a really good preamp now or a nice preamp/audio card combo, such as the RME fireface 800 or Presonus Firepod. Your Mackie DFX should be reasonable for it's cost. I've heard good things about the Yams that Ime uses. I might have considered the Mackie 1202 VLZ over the DFX, as I find many of the fx built into those budget mixers are not as useful as the marketing would like you to believe (they can be a bit noisier and lower in quality than stand alone fx or plugins) and probably I have better plugins in Cubase and other VSTs, but for live situations, if you don't have many stomp boxes or hardware fx, etc they can be useful.
Matthew	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 5:32 PM I must admit i'm not all that bothered about the fx regarding my recording process, although it'll be fun to mess about with them and practice live performances using them. The 1202 does look very good, but it's about £60 more expensive (and i'm already well over budget). I hope that I've got a good solid mixer that I can have some fun with for years to come - hopefully you guys will also hear some difference in the clarity of my recordings! Thanks for the help, you all gave me some things to think about and aided my choice
Matthew	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 5:38 PM I must admit i'm not all that bothered about the fx regarding my recording process, although it'll be fun to mess about with them and practice live performances using them. The 1202 does look very good, but it's about £60 more expensive (and i'm already well over budget). I hope that I've got a good solid mixer that I can have some fun with for years to come - hopefully you guys will also hear some difference in the clarity of my recordings! Thanks for the help, you all gave me some things to think about and aided my choice
Veracohr	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 5:44 PM Do you really need a mixer? Because you could go with a channel strip, or just an outboard preamp. A channel strip would give you EQ and compression as well. Either would probably have a better mic preamp than a mixer of equal price.
Matthew	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 6:10 PM I've got the sucka now so I'd better need it haha I'm gonna have a looks at the options over the next year or so now I have the mixer, then I'll see how my needs have changed and i expect I'll have learned a bit more about all this. Why on earth does it keep double posting?
leedsquietman	Date: March 21, 2007 @ 7:35 PM The preamp pres probably have a little extra gain and perhaps quality for the same money as a mixer but in the sub 300 dollar category there's probably not too much of a difference. The mixer gives you the added benefit of live use if you should so require it. And the Mackie pres even in their budget products are reasonable and better than some in that price range. The channel strip idea is valid too, although if you're running DAW software like Cubase, Sonar, Logic etc they have inbuilt channel strips and reasonable compressors and EQ in the box or you can buy some quality plugs for not too much money to this effect.
Matthew	Date: March 22, 2007 @ 3:42 AM I'll have to keep all this in mind before blowing my cash in the future. on another subject I have really old leads going around my setup(I'm talking 15 years old) and they were cheap things when I got them. Do you think they make a big difference in recording quality? If I were to get a new set to go from the mixer to the pc would it be worth getting more expensive ones or is the difference so negligible that it couldn't really be heard if you're not a bat?
Distilled1	Date: March 22, 2007 @ 10:21 PM I believe in gold tipped and monster cable but hey its just a name. I think quality is what you want... name dosen't mater research does yes old leads will cause static and noise
Matthew	Date: March 23, 2007 @ 3:59 AM Thanks distilled. Well I got my new mixer, it's a world of difference to what I was using before. The sound is so clear - also the eq system actually does something noticeable! Haven't had time to work everything out yet, but it's also got a great instruction manual so I'll go through it this weekend. I'm happy
ndstgmoe	Date: March 23, 2007 @ 6:22 PM sweet dude! now go record some shit so we can compare it to your old stuff.
Matthew	Date: March 25, 2007 @ 1:16 PM I've done my first recording, it' a song called "Wemdu" - the sound quality is far superior to the last one, but there is still a little noise as my amp (i was recording the guitar by mic) was quite loud. Plus my bridge pickup is noisy.