Behringer Ddx3216

[pandamonk]

Hi, this is my first post on this forum.

I'm thinking of building my own studio within the next year or so. I've been looking around, and everything is so damn expensive.

Mixer:

I've found the "BEHRINGER DDX3216" which seems to be in my price range, as I would like to have a digital mixer. Does anybody know if this would be a good mixer for recording? If so, it says that it has 5.1 surround capabilities, and I'm wondering how i would connect it to my computer, ie. would i need a new sound card? I already have 3 sound cards, lol. I have "Sound Blaster Audigy LS", "Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster MP3"(i think) and standard one with the computer.

speakers:

Would these be ok, "M-AUDIO Studiophile LX4 - 5.1 System", for monitoring?

 

[pandamonk]

it says that it has 5.1 surround capabilities, and I'm wondering how i would connect it to my computer

Ok, i now know that i need a sound card with 2 ADAT I/O for 16 audio inputs and 16 audio outputs
I have been looking around and have found a few, but they are all out of my price range. I'm looking for one under £200(that's 363.28 USD), if possible. I've found the "Frontier Design Dakota 24-Bit PCI Soundcard" which would suit me perfectly, but I need something cheaper, if possible.

 

[brzilian]

Behringer = CRAP

I'm thinking of building my own studio within the next year or so. I've been looking around, and everything is so damn expensive.

Ok, that should be telling you something then. Save up your money until you can afford something decent.

Garbage in = garbage out

Your work will only sound as good as the weakest link in your audio chain.

 

[pandamonk]

even then ddx3216? Have you tried it? I know most are crap, but i thought, being digital, it should be ok.

 

[MadAudio]

Read this again.

BEHRINGER = CRAP.

Just because it's digital doesn't mean the build quality is any better than Behri's analog stuff.

 

[pandamonk]

Ok, ok. So what would YOU suggest? Remember i don't have a big budget, being a student and all.

 

[brzilian]

No offense, but you need to think things out.

Answer these questions first:

What IS your budget?
Why do you even need a digital mixer?
Why don't you just get a multi-input soundcard (Delta 1010)?
What kind of inputs do you need (balanced,XLR, phantom power)?
What are your computer's specs?
What software are you going to use?
What are you recording (vocals, instruments, drums, guitar)?

 

[prestomation]

panda,

I use the DDX3216 in my homestudio. I only actually have it because my dad used it for live sound, but it serves me well. I use it with the now discontinued Steinberg VSL2020, which is very similar to the sound card you're looking at.

I personally think your money would be better spent on a multiinput soundcard from M-audio or similar. I only use the mixer for pre's/AD-DA and its extensive routing. I don't use any of the digital stuff, compressors/eq/effects or anything, they aren't very good.

I'm not going to tell you it bad or good, but i'll let you listen to some stuff done on it.
http://www.myspace.com/aftermathpataskala
That's my band's site, those three songs used the pres and convertors in the DDX. So you can at least attain that quality.

 

[pandamonk]

I'm not going to tell you it bad or good, but i'll let you listen to some stuff done on it.
http://www.myspace.com/aftermathpataskala
That's my band's site, those three songs used the pres and convertors in the DDX. So you can at least attain that quality.

Thank you!!! Finally someone who lets me make up my own mind. What equipment other than the mixer did you use? I like the sound of the bass. Not keen on the drums and guitar n vocals, but that could have something to do with the effects on them and the equipment, eg amps, mics, levels etc.
Last songs good.

 

[pandamonk]

What IS your budget?
Why do you even need a digital mixer?
Why don't you just get a multi-input soundcard (Delta 1010)?
What kind of inputs do you need (balanced,XLR, phantom power)?
What are your computer's specs?
What software are you going to use?
What are you recording (vocals, instruments, drums, guitar)?

Hmmm, budget, £0 at the moment. Emm Probs about £2000 ($3,664.62) on all equipment, ie. computer, software, mixer(or some other), mics, monitors,electric drums(possible) etc.
I don't NEED a digital mixer, I just saw this one, thought it was a good price for what it offers, like the idea of recording in 5.1, like the 32 channels, like the idea of a digital mixer(i don't really know)
I might do that
need blanced,XLR,Phantom,MIDI emm
I don't know yet, still to buy computer, don't wana use this one. Seen one with 3 Ghz processor speed,80Gb HD(but would possibly upgrade by 200Gb),512mb RAM(but would possiibly upgrade by 1Gb)
Pro tools LE hopefully
Vocals, Drums, guitar, bass, violin,(for my band anyway),many others for other bands(that's if the studio is good enough for paying customers(BETTER BE!!!LOL)

I know this is what everyone says, but, I hate using just a mouse to do all my mixing etc

 

[MadAudio]

Thank you!!! Finally someone who lets me make up my own mind.

I'm assuming you're still young.

You already made up your mind, all on your own. You just came here looking for affirmation. Which you just got.

Enjoy your Behringer!

 

[pandamonk]

I'm assuming you're still young.

You already made up your mind, all on your own. You just came here looking for affirmation. Which you just got.

Enjoy your Behringer!

Yes, You're right, I am still young.
And yes, I made up my mind, with the abilities i possess at the moment. That is why i decided against going straight out and buying it. Because, i know my abilities are pretty small. I came here to ask advise from experienced professionals on how to start. Yes, I am young, so that affects my budget greatly. Yes, I am extremely in-experienced, so that affects my judgement greatly. But I do have a dream, and I am going through the process to making it reality. I'm just out of school and straight into college to start on a course, so I can become experienced in this wonderful world of music. While at college learning about how to use all the equipment etc, I want to be out doing it for real, in the real world. I came on here for advise after months of searching the internet to look for the best thing suited to my needs,(with the search abilities i have)and with a fully thought out idea i came here, and was told, yeah Behringer's shite, don't go anywhere near them, choose this instead. Obviously I'm going to be a bit skeptical at first. That's my whole idea basically turned upside-down. And from someone who, i presume, hasn't even tried this mixer(correct me if i'm wrong), and has just tried, maybe, one or two from that maker and decided they're whole range are shite(Again, if I'm wrong, i do appologise). Also, i don't even know how experienced you are in this industry. You could be a kid, like me, who has heard from another kid that behringer are crap, because one mixer broke down once and someone complaned about them in an internet forum(I know i've went a bit far here, but still, i have no way of knowing).

Sorry if any of this has offended anyone

Pandamonk

 

[MadAudio]

No, I should apologize. Your eloquent response tells me your not just a hobbyist with visions of grandeur. And this time I'm not being sarcastic.

 

[brzilian]

Hmmm, budget, £0 at the moment. Emm Probs about £2000 ($3,664.62) on all equipment, ie. computer, software, mixer(or some other), mics, monitors,electric drums(possible) etc.
I don't NEED a digital mixer, I just saw this one, thought it was a good price for what it offers, like the idea of recording in 5.1, like the 32 channels, like the idea of a digital mixer(i don't really know)

No offense, but what are you going to do with 32 tracks if you don't even know anything about recording yet? If you want to record 5.1, what are you going to output to? The only technology capable of working with 5.1 are DVDs. To encode 5.1, you also need the right software. PTLE is not it. Nuendo and Sonar Producer are the only tools that do 5.1. Are you recording music or producing DVDs?

Pro tools LE hopefully

Again, it doesn't do 5.1. It also only works with Digidesign hardware or M-Audio hardware if you use the M-Powered version of PT.

Vocals, Drums, guitar, bass, violin,(for my band anyway),many others for other bands(that's if the studio is good enough for paying customers(BETTER BE!!!LOL)

Do you realize the market for recording studios is dissapearing? There is no money in renting out recording time and equipment nowadays. People (like you) can go out and spend $2000 on their OWN tools without paying $50-100/hour for studio time.

Finally, expensive toys don't make you sound good - experience does. Start small, learn your tools inside and out and then move on when you outgrow them.

For the record, I'm 29, have owned a lot of different equipment along the way and work in this area somewhat professionally doing sound work for church and producing video/3D animation at work. I also started with all this stuff when I was 12 so chances are I've been doing this longer than you've been alive.

 

[pandamonk]

No offense, but what are you going to do with 32 tracks if you don't even know anything about recording yet?

It's not that I don't know anything about recording yet. I do, to my knowledge, know a fair bit for the amount of teaching I've had(ie. one week at college, lol). I've recorded a couple of my bands demos with a small behringer UB-1204Fx, and think I got a good sound for the equipment and my experience. I'm starting off with 32 tracks because, I'm quite a quick learner and in a course studying on much bigger equipment(ie. 02R96, and 2 control surfaces,which i haven't seen yet), Also I will be wanting to be on the same sort of level with the other local recording studios(they aren't great so it should be an impossible task)

If you want to record 5.1, what are you going to output to? The only technology capable of working with 5.1 are DVDs. To encode 5.1, you also need the right software. PTLE is not it. Nuendo and Sonar Producer are the only tools that do 5.1. Are you recording music or producing DVDs?

Ok i was planing on outputting to PTLE, but now that you have said that i will be forced to change my mind, so i don't know what i will output to. I will be recording music. I know it's a daft idea but i just fancied being able to record in 5.1 surround. I might have to cancel it though.

Do you realize the market for recording studios is dissapearing? There is no money in renting out recording time and equipment nowadays. People (like you) can go out and spend $2000 on their OWN tools without paying $50-100/hour for studio time.

Yes, i suppose i did. I wouldn't be looking for $50-$100/hour. I would be looking to be in competition with the local studios. I think one charges £18($33), not sure though. So i'd be looking to better them on price and hopefully quality(their's really isn't too good).

Finally, expensive toys don't make you sound good - experience does. Start small, learn your tools inside and out and then move on when you outgrow them.

Exactly, this for me, is starting small. A £400($735)digital mixer, i would consider that to be a good place to start. I'm in a course at the moment so I'm trying to build up experience.

For the record, I'm 29, have owned a lot of different equipment along the way and work in this area somewhat professionally doing sound work for church and producing video/3D animation at work. I also started with all this stuff when I was 12 so chances are I've been doing this longer than you've been alive.

You've been doing it as long as I've been alive, yes. I'm 17, have owned 2 mixers(still own one)in my time and I'm a student in Music & audio technology. I've recorded a couple of demo's and have mixed for a couple of gigs. I started a couple of years ago a got really into it straight away.

Thanks for your reply

 

[prestomation]

The DDX only has 12 micpres and then 4 more line inputs. To use the other 16 channels, you have to come in digitally on ADAT or AES/EBU with addon cards. If you need more inputs you need to buy addition pre and convertors. That second bank of 16 needs to come in digitally.

Another thing, their are only 16 buses(digital buses) on the DDX. Even if you had 32 channels coming in, you can still only record out on 16 buses.

 

[pandamonk]

Yeh, i don't think id have more than 16 channels coming in at any one time.And yeah, i have planned for the ADAT card etc.

 

[pandamonk]

No, I should apologize. Your eloquent response tells me your not just a hobbyist with visions of grandeur. And this time I'm not being sarcastic.

Thank you MadAudio. That was the first time I have ever been called eloquent.