Re: [AH] (OT) Mixer recommendations

From Andrew Wacht
Sent Fri, Jan 4th 2019, 11:33

Behringer XR12. It=E2=80=99s digital and has no faders but otherwise I =
think it hits your points.




> On Jan 4, 2019, at 1:45 AM, Brian Willoughby <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx> =
wrote:
>=20
> Given your budget, I couldn=E2=80=99t really think of anything to =
recommend. So, I started thinking outside of the box.
>=20
> Once upon a time, famous bands made music without a mixer - because =
the electronic mixer had not yet been invented! The earliest 4-track =
recorders didn=E2=80=99t even have a mixer, and once they did, they =
weren=E2=80=99t actually stereo mixers with pan pots. Bands would record =
one or two tracks at a time, and then destructively bounce down to free =
up additional channels. This era has a distinctive =
=E2=80=9Cleft-center-right=E2=80=9D hard-panning style (that new bands, =
such as Stereolab, often return to for nostalgia, style, or other =
reasons).
>=20
> You don=E2=80=99t have to work with quite such a restricted setup, =
because I assume you have a computer with multitrack mixing software. It =
seems like all you really need is the ability to record two channels and =
play two channels. Your DAW can handle mixing everything together so =
that you have way more than 2 multitrack channels internal to the =
computer. I assume that you can=E2=80=99t play more than one instrument =
at a time anyway. So, even if you use MIDI to play the synths, there=E2=80=
=99s no real requirement that you record the synth analog output at the =
same time you record your guitar or mic channels.
>=20
> What about getting the best stereo audio interface that $300 can buy, =
and then handle all of the multitrack mixing in the box?
>=20
> I assume that a $300 stereo audio interface will sound much better =
than a $250 analog mixer with a $50 interface.
>=20
> Brian
>=20
>=20
> On Jan 3, 2019, at 12:32 AM, Jonathan Lippard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> =
wrote:
>> Thanks for all the recommendations so far everyone.
>>=20
>> Budget is the key word here. I looked at digital mixers: even used =
they're too expensive. Analog it will have to be.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> 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)
>>=20
>> -Jonathan
>>=20
>> 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).
>>>=20
>>> 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.
>>>=20
>>> the budget is $300 which doesn't give us too much to work with.
>>>=20
>>> how many channels of mixer would you need?
>>>=20
>>> On Jan 1, 2019, at 3:30 AM, Jonathan Lippard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> =
wrote:
>>>> Hey all,
>>>>=20
>>>> 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.
>>>>=20
>>>> My budget is $300-ish to get something basic going.
>>>>=20
>>>> Sorry for the OT, if too OT, please respond direct.
>>>>=20
>>>> Thanks!
>>>>=20
>>>> Jonathan
>=20