Mixer to Mic a Drum Kit?

Hi everybody, this might not be a question about drums, it might technically be about mixers, but I want to use a mixer with at least 8 XLR inputs to mic a drum kit and send the whole kit to a PA in stereo so the panning is retained.

I looked at the Behringer mixers with that many XLR inputs because I use a little Behringer Xenyx 802 for something else, and I found that neither of the mixers I’ve looked at so far (Xenyx X2222USB and Xenyx X2442USB), seem to have any main outputs. They just seem to have AUX return, AUX send and FX send outputs, and one of them has two headphones sockets A and B.

I was therefor wondering, what kind of mixer would you use to mic a drum kit and what kind of outputs does it have for stereo output? I was hopping for a pair of XLR or 1/4 inch jack outputs.

Thanks for your help,
Gareth
 
Thanks for that. Those pictures aren't very useful in that case but hopefully when I goggle the mixer I'll find some alternative views! :-) Thanks again.
 
Yeah! Now we're talking! That back panel looks awesome! The Xenyx X2222USB has a pair of XLR main outputs. Just the job. Thanks again.
 
And, might be worth investing in a couple of XLR-XLR mic attenuators? Even with a dynamic the kick mic level might overload the Behrry's input.

The mixers are very good for the money, low noise but, ALL budget gear tends to suffer from limited headroom.

Ooo! Just spotted the "USB" suffix? Don't get that version unless you really need the facility, it only gives you a stereo recording and 16bits at that. Most USB mixers also generate a "whine". This can usually be made inaudible for live band recording but, ain't good.

Dave.
 
Would be quite tricky to get the panning right as you change venues though? It would mean the out front PA guy having to do a lot of talking to get you to adjust the mixer? When we use our PA, with monitoring at big events, we're sending them a very width reduced drum kit. Luckily we don't do any radical effects left right panning stuff, so ten to twelve and ten past twelve are about as far panned as ours get.
 
Would be quite tricky to get the panning right as you change venues though? It would mean the out front PA guy having to do a lot of talking to get you to adjust the mixer? When we use our PA, with monitoring at big events, we're sending them a very width reduced drum kit. Luckily we don't do any radical effects left right panning stuff, so ten to twelve and ten past twelve are about as far panned as ours get.

I have read quite a lot that pub/club venues, even pretty big ones are actually done in mono? There are speakers either side of the stage but that is just for convenience/line of sight sakes?

The resoning is, I understand that only a small percentage of the audience would get a decent stereo image anyway but with mono, even those smashed up a corner will at least get the full band.

Dave.
 
Thanks for the advice abut the XLR-XLR mic attenuators Dave. I’ll keep that in mind.

With regards to the panning, I don’t think I would bother with that for a live gig, but in the practice room I record the practice (I do a 50/50 mix in terms of levels of the PA output and a room mic) and it’s nice to hear the different elements of the kit across the stereo field. I think for a gig there wouldn’t be any point. I’d be inclined to suggest just sticking it all down the centre but that’s a different discussion I think!
 
Thanks for the replies before guys. I am starting to think about getting the mixer now and wanted to get some advice on a few things before buying if possible. Could this so called “headroom issue” be solved by turning down the gain on the bass drum channel on the mixer?

Also, another question I wondered is … is there a significant difference in quality if you run a mic into one of the jack inputs with an XLR to jack lead? For example if you want to mic more elements of the kit than you have XLR channels on the mixer?

I saw a video on You Tube where a guy was miking his kit with a mixer with 4 XLR channels and then he had, I think the overheads, and other cymbal mics going into his jack stereo inputs. Obviously if you have two things going into one stereo jack input channel you can’t pan them differently but if you’ve got everything down the centre it wouldn't matter right?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
The usual level for jacks on a mixer is line/instrument level so you might get away with a kick drum mic, maybe - but the rest need proper mic level. The socket isn't the vital thing - it's the preamp and the gain control, which the line level inputs don't have.
 
Yeah, thanks Rob. I thought there had to be a catch with that! I think I'd better get one with 8 XLR channels! They are not that much more expensive but as they're a lot bigger they'll be a bastard to carry about!
 
Actually it is USB. Without spending the time to research I would be willing to bet it's clean and quiet via USB, probably 24 bit.
 
I didn't notice it was USB too! Anyway, he means when you use it as an analogue mixer you get some funny noise. i.e. sending from the main outputs (XLR) to a PA or recording device.
 
Well, I assumed because he said don't get a USB one if you don't need a USB mixer. But to be fair I don't know. He might have meant it makes a funny noise however you use it.
 
Well, I assumed because he said don't get a USB one if you don't need a USB mixer. But to be fair I don't know. He might have meant it makes a funny noise however you use it.

If you don't use the USB faciltity it will behave like any other mixer and to be fair the "funny noise" is only present on some 16 bit mixers and Windows and is usually fixable anyway.

Dave.
 
Thanks. That's cleared that up. I won't be using the USB facility. It will be going from the mixer to the PA via the main XRL outs, an there is no computer in the equation. I think I am leaning towards the Behringer as it's £100 cheaper! Thanks guys.
 
Thanks. That's cleared that up. I won't be using the USB facility. It will be going from the mixer to the PA via the main XRL outs, an there is no computer in the equation. I think I am leaning towards the Behringer as it's £100 cheaper! Thanks guys.

Well the Behringer stuff IS remarkably good for the money but I suggest you look at the relative facilities of the two mixer. I see the Mackie has inserts and high pass filters per channel (bass cut). I would also bet the Mackie is better built for a "road" desk?

Dave.
 
What Mackie? They are Soundcraft and Behringer, the ones I'm looking at. Or is Mackie and Soundcraft the same brand? Anyway, another factor is size and weight. I have to carry this about! I don't think either give you their dimensions or weight in the spec. :-(
 
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