Re: [AH] (OT) Mixer recommendations

From Jonathan Lippard
Sent Thu, Jan 3rd 2019, 08:30

Thanks for all the recommendations so far everyone.

Budget is the key word here. I looked at digital mixers: even used they're too expensive. Analog it will have to be.

The main requirement is just to have most of my stuff hooked up for home recording. Live performance is not a concern. All I want is something I can use for a year or so with maybe a bit of room to grow and then replace when finances allow. Originally I *was* just thinking of picking up a nice soundcard...I'm fine with using my onboard sound for a while.

Number of channels? Well, one mic, one bass/guitar, a few mono synths, a few stereo synths, a couple free channels for one offs. I can run multiple synths through my keyboard amp at the expense of only a global EQ on the amp, so I'd really like to have the VS and the OB-8 on dedicated stereo channels. I don't mind swapping synths on some channels as I don't envisage using every piece of gear I have at once, but I'd like to minimize it. So I've mostly been looking at 10/12 channel mixers.

Feature wise, I really don't care about a mixer with parametric EQ right now, would prefer to have something with built-in effects and a USB out. My rack effects are pretty non-existent, but I'd like to change that so I'd like to have a couple busses to play with.

It's a bit vague, but my requirements are vague. The only hard requirement is my gear shouldn't sit around collecting dust for lack of use. (any tips on cleaning dirty switches on a Prophet VS or OB-8? :D)

-Jonathan

> On January 2, 2019 at 12:18 PM Jason Proctor <xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> 
> 
> the big decision is analogue mixer vs digital mixer, which in practice
> might boil down to analogue mixer + cheap (maybe built-in) soundcard
> vs nice more expensive soundcard (+ maybe a controller later on if
> necessary).
> 
> fwiw, i went digital a while back and never looked back. if you're
> recording digitally, then monitoring digital "helps" as then
> everything doesn't lack a certain something coming back out of the
> box. of course if you're recording jams which involve live
> manipulation of a mixer, then that's different and might push you
> toward an analogue mixer or a control surface early on.
> 
> the budget is $300 which doesn't give us too much to work with.
> 
> how many channels of mixer would you need?
> 
> On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 12:08 PM A. Horton <xxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> >
> > The new Tascam looks like it has a lot of potential but there are some
> > really baffling oversights, like the fact that it lacks inserts after
> > the first two channels even though it even has the blank panel space
> > to have included them!
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 1, 2019 at 3:10 PM Lorne Hammond <xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xx> wrote:
> > >
> > > I'm waiting for a good SOS review on the new tascam, a brand I always trusted.
> > >
> > > anyone been near it? Is a meter bridge coming for it?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Lorne
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Andrew Horton <xxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx>
> > > Sent: January-01-19 5:07 AM
> > > To: Jonathan Lippard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx>
> > > Cc: Analogue Heaven <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
> > > Subject: Re: [AH] (OT) Mixer recommendations
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The soundcraft signature series are a great bang for the buck.
> > >
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >
> > >
> > > On Jan 1, 2019, at 3:30 AM, Jonathan Lippard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hey all,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I finally have a computer that isn't falling apart, and a bit of spare cash to hook my instruments up and start recording again. But it's been so long since I did, I haven't the foggiest idea where to start again. My instinct is to pick up a budget analog mixer with USB audio functionality, but I could also just buy an audio capture device and do all the mixing in software. It won't be just synths, but I already can handle hardware needs for mic/guitar/etc.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > My budget is $300-ish to get something basic going.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Sorry for the OT, if too OT, please respond direct.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > Jonathan