Rack setup with Mackie board...?

[tbowen]

Guys, I have been extremely out of the loop for years now and am just getting back into the technical side of my music. So, I guess I am a newbie and I need some help. Currently I have a Mackie 16 channel board, I think it is the 1604-VLZ PRO. I got this a few years back and have used it maybe three times just in my home with my fostex 4-track. I have no power amp, compressor, EQ, effects, etc. I don't have a whole lot of money to work with but I was wondering what you guys think I should get. I am looking for a basic setup with power amp, effects, compressor, and I guess a power conditioner and anything else you guys deem essential. I want this setup primarily for home use but a little live stuff if necessary, therefore I want an amp with a little balls to it if you know what I mean. I don't need to know about mics or speakers or monitors, just what I should have in my rack to complement my Mackie board. Thanks for helping me out!

-thomas

[rynomig]

This is what i have to go with my mackie sr24... alesis meq-30 band graphic equalizer, peavey ultraverb 2, behringer 2400watt power amp and feedback destroyer (parametric eq), Furman compressor/limiter. Used mostly for live, but also some homerecording.

[Treeline]

I run my board with powered speakers, in this case a pair of Mackie SRM450s (tough as nails, always deliver), and a pair of passive subwoofers powered with a 1970s vintage Soundcraftsmen amp (that's the opportunist effect - get a good deal on an amp, clean it up, find speakers, put the thing together).

My rack is very, very simple: I run the signal to a BBE Maxcom compressor, then into a 31 band stereo graphic EQ, then XLR outs to the mains. The EQ lets me sound the room and the compressor has an automatic setting that turns it into a very effective limiter - so I don't get beat up by a hot room any more. When I run in mono mode I can use the second channel to tame the stage monitors as well. It's saved my butt more than a few times.

I use two mixers; the first is a Mackie CFX12 that I love for its utilitarian abilities. Your mixer has better preamps, though. The other mixer is a big honking Onyx that I use for bands. There have been times when I got input crazy and used both mixers at once... aak. I'm just beginning to fool around with the firewire thing to use it as a recording interface. Pretty cool rig - doubles as a good live mixer and a great recording interface.

The key to any of my live work, and its struggle, has been to gain control over the unexpected; like someone walking past the mains wearing a hot wireless lavalier. Those mains can't have a tantrum in front of a couple hundred people. I'm a visual / graphic kind of thinker; I need to see what's happening to keep it straight. So I love that real simple analog setup.