Good mixer for around $200?

bcodemz

New member
I'm looking for a mixer for a karaoke setup. No recording. My budget is around $200. Durability is important.

I have no idea what to look for in a mixer. I just need something to mix the microphone sound with the background music from my PC. I just want to connect my PC to my mixer, hook up a couple of SM58s, and connect to my receiver.

Thanks

BTW I'm in Canada
 
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For such a simple use, a Mackie 402-VLZ3 would fit the bill, but might be a bit over budget - not sure of the price in your country. Behringer make an equivalent for a lot cheaper, but expect lower durability and maybe lower quality mic preamps.

I have a Mackie 802-VLZ3 - I think I could jump up and down on it and it would be fine.
 
For such a simple use, a Mackie 402-VLZ3 would fit the bill, but might be a bit over budget - not sure of the price in your country. Behringer make an equivalent for a lot cheaper, but expect lower durability and maybe lower quality mic preamps.

I have a Mackie 802-VLZ3 - I think I could jump up and down on it and it would be fine.

I have an 892 as well and very pleased. But, I have a PCI card and need the pre's and XLR connections. If you have an interface that already has those, you may not need a mixer.

What is your interface?
 
I have an 892 as well and very pleased. But, I have a PCI card and need the pre's and XLR connections. If you have an interface that already has those, you may not need a mixer.

What is your interface?

What is an interface? Is that my equipments?

This is the setup where the mixer will go.

I have a Dell XPS 420 as a HTPC. It has a GTX 560 graphics card, and I use the HDMI out on it to hook it up to my receiver. Alternatively, I have a Creative Xtrememusic sound card that is currently unused.

My receiver is a Denon AVR-X4000, and it takes the input from my HTPC via HDMI. My receiver does not have an XLR input. The receiver is powering a pair of Energy RC-70s.

I (will) have 2 Shure SM58s as microphones. Originally I planned to just hook them up to the mic input on my computer, but people here told me that's a bad idea and I should buy a mixer.
 
I would save your money, get an interface (ex. Tascam 1800 for $300) and it has all the inputs you need, phantom, XLR, direct instruments and you will get a very good recording.
 
I have an 892 as well and very pleased. But, I have a PCI card and need the pre's and XLR connections. If you have an interface that already has those, you may not need a mixer.

What is your interface?

I assumed OP wasn't trying to send any audio into the PC, rather take audio from the PC, into the mixer, mix in two SM58s (via mixer preamps), then into his main amp. Therefore, line out from the PC would go into line in on channel 3/4, the two SM58s would go through the preamps of channels 1 & 2, then the main outs go to the amp (via appropriate cables/converters).

Did I get that wrong? OP says 'No recording'.
 
I assumed OP wasn't trying to send any audio into the PC, rather take audio from the PC, into the mixer, mix in two SM58s (via mixer preamps), then into his main amp. Therefore, line out from the PC would go into line in on channel 3/4, the two SM58s would go through the preamps of channels 1 & 2, then the main outs go to the amp (via appropriate cables/converters).

Did I get that wrong? OP says 'No recording'.

No, I think you got it right.
 
Yamaha MG82CX -- Problem, it's discontinued. It looks like the new kid is the MG10XU

Yamaha MG10XU | Sweetwater.com

The MG82CX was a great unit for on-the-spot karaoke... Two mic inputs with a single knob compressor, built-in effects, etc. The MG10XU seems to have all that plus a USB input (which looks right up your alley).
 
Those little Yamaha MG10/2 mixers are great bang for the buck. Decent preamps for a small mixer. I've had my MG10/2 for over 10 years now, and it's been a constant companion to my Delta44 card that whole time. I used to use it for the preamps, now I just use it for monitoring. I love that little thing, I'd recommend it all day long if it weren't discontinued. The MG10/2C added compression to the feature set, and the MG10/2CX added compression and other effects (would be useful for karaoke). And the MG10XU that MM linked to above is the current production model, and the USB is a cool (and much-needed) addition for the DAW crowd. That little Mackie that Johnny linked to above looks just about right as well.

I think that any of those would suit your needs. Plug your mics into the XLR jacks, send your sound card's stereo output to one of the mixer's stereo line input channels, mix to taste, and send the mixer's stereo output to your receiver. You'll just need a couple of adapters to go from your sound card to the mixer, and from the mixer to your receiver.
 
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I was thinking something with a compressor is necessary. Cool the Yamaha has compression in the channel strip.

Karaoke backing tracks are compressed and/or limited, but the live vocals are not and it never matches well. Besides the bad singing, lack of vocal compression makes karaoke singers sound horrible!!! :eek: For karaoke to sound even halfway decent, you've got to get the vocals to the same dynamic range as the backing tracks.... that means use a compressor.

Get the Yamaha recommended by Massive.
 
No you can't buy anything!!!! We haven't finished misquoting you, getting your requirements wrong, suggesting something completely different than you asked about, all for a price you can't afford. lol
 
No you can't buy anything!!!! We haven't finished misquoting you, getting your requirements wrong, suggesting something completely different than you asked about, all for a price you can't afford. lol

Thats right, I only just got the :drunk: and :eatpopcorn: out,

Alan.
 
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