need help finding good analog mixer

[astyle]

Hey everybody
First time on the forums here, had to test out the search. then i got bored so im posting a thread.

Im currently collecting analog synths and drum machines (roland/korg) for ambient/techno production and im a guy who doesnt spend a lot, but loves good sound quality.

Iv always used my ecler for recording dj sets, but now that im producing i need something with multiple midi, xlr, stereo AND rca. I have always hated behringer but apparently the mx1604 got some good reviews and its CHEAP.
I get a good deal on mackie's gear so i was looking at an older 8 bus as well.
what about yamaha?

setup:
dj gear (2 techs, ecler nuo 5, korg midicontrollers all going through traktor scratch using the audio 8 interface)
ableton live for editing

production gear:
Korg ms2000r analog mod synth
korg microkorg synth/vocoder
roland tr 909
roland tb 303
roland mc 909
more to come

Anybody got ideas for a good 10-24 channel mixer that sounds good under $600

 

[darrin_h2000]

Anything soundcraft...try craigslist to find one...avoid Behringer

 

[astyle]

even old soundcraft gear?

 

[astyle]

Bump for being completely confused.

you cant just say any soundcraft....im sure there are some older ones to avoid.

Somebody mention a specific one with super low noise please.

 

[TheChikenMaster]

I will say any soundcraft any mackie they're all "low noise" and sound great. Don't touch behringer even if you were stranded on giligans island

 

[Jeff_D]

even old soundcraft gear?

I have a Soundcraft M8 I picked up about 6 years ago (I know, that's not *that* old). LOVE it. I would take anything from Soundcraft, new or old over anything Behringer is putting out. That is, of course assuming it has the features, in, and outs that you need.
Just keep in mind, if go with with something *old* (like 10, 15, 20 years old), there is a chance you'll need to do (or pay someone) some clean up and refurbishing. I don't think my soundcraft has a scratchy knob or fader on it. Everything works the same as the day I bought it. Soundcraft stuff has a pretty good rep for their mic preamps too (reason I bought mine), so they have that going for em.

 

[astyle]

Awesome
There is a spirit folio for sale locally for 200. I think i might pic that up.

Ill throw behringer out the window....i was offered it for basically free, but i guess its not worth having junk around the house.

Are the CR-1604 mackie mixer's better than the soundcraft spirit folio's?

 

[Jeff_D]

Awesome
There is a spirit folio for sale locally for 200. I think i might pic that up.

Ill throw behringer out the window....i was offered it for basically free, but i guess its not worth having junk around the house.

Are the CR-1604 mackie mixer's better than the soundcraft spirit folio's?

Obviously, check prices before you buy. And, of course, make sure it does what you need it to do. I do have a small Behringer mixer around. It sometimes (rarely) gets used as a heaphone mixer, so it's not totally useless, but it's not in my actual recorded signal path. If someone wants to give you one, take it.

 

[astyle]

If someone wants to give you one, take it.

it wasnt quite "give", he wanted to trade for some old paintball gear that i havent used since high school.

Thanks for all the info though Jeff. Even sharing for everyone that you have a behringer in the house takes some balls apparently.

Has anyone used the biamp mixers? or Tascam?
on a side note, my pops owns a live sound company, they use a lot of mackie, but he said some of the yamaha gear is pretty good too. (but live sound is a lot different than recording)

Im not lookin for power, just quality.

 

[Jeff_D]

rofl, for the record, I also own a Behringer headphone amp. Again, not in the recorded signal path.

Live sound isn't all *that* different then recording. As far as mixers go, the biggest difference would be your routing capability. A live sound mixer is going to take all the mics you have on the stage and mix them together to be sent to a mains amp and monitors amp. With recording, you ideally want to be able to get discrete signals from each of your mixer channels into a recorder.

 

[Jeff_D]

Anybody got ideas for a good 10-24 channel mixer that sounds good under $600

Also, IIRC, I think I paid less than that for a new Soundcraft M8 from a local sound company. It took them a afew weeks to get it in, but worth the wait. See it here...
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...630916&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26047689

That has 8 mono mic channels and 4 stereo line-level channels. For your synths and stuff (stuff I don't know much about), you probably need the stereo line-level channels. It also has direct outs for each of the mic channels (but not the line level channels) that you can connect to a multi-channel soundcard or interface (the 8 mic channels on mine go to a Delta 1010lt soundcard).

Have you thought through how you want to connect these things and what you need to be able to do as far as signal routing? I don't even own a synth at all, so, I'm not a good person to help with how to set it all up. Just make sure you know how and why you are going to connect everything before you spend a bunch of $.

 

[astyle]

Have you thought through how you want to connect these things and what you need to be able to do as far as signal routing? I don't even own a synth at all, so, I'm not a good person to help with how to set it all up.

I would like at a minimum, 4 stereo inputs. IF anything i would like more than that. I only need one or 2 mic inputs, i suppose i would just use those for mono deals, but most of my synths run stereo out along with midi too clock them in.

I have a native instruments soundcard that is very nice for recording. It has 6 line inputs/outputs, 1 mic, 1 midi and all fed through usb.

I will need xlr/stereo out for the hafler p3000 amp in my rack, which feeds to my dynaudio bm6 monitors.

it will be lots of stereo, lots of xlr, lots of rca, and little of the mono.

edit:
I think 600 was steep. Im hoping to be less than 300 used.
soundcraft compact 10???

 

[astyle]

By the way jeff
that M8 is gorgeous! Almost worth saving a couple months!

 

[TheGuitarMan]

I have a Soundcraft M8 I picked up about 6 years ago (I know, that's not *that* old). LOVE it. I would take anything from Soundcraft, new or old over anything Behringer is putting out. That is, of course assuming it has the features, in, and outs that you need.
Just keep in mind, if go with with something *old* (like 10, 15, 20 years old), there is a chance you'll need to do (or pay someone) some clean up and refurbishing. I don't think my soundcraft has a scratchy knob or fader on it. Everything works the same as the day I bought it. Soundcraft stuff has a pretty good rep for their mic preamps too (reason I bought mine), so they have that going for em.

Another vote for Soundcraft. Bought a used Spirit M12 and it's a great mixer. The faders are light years better by way of feel than that old boat anchor of a Tascam I was using previously.

 

[astyle]

Another vote for Soundcraft. Bought a used Spirit M12 and it's a great mixer. The faders are light years better by way of feel than that old boat anchor of a Tascam I was using previously.

Thanks for the tascam input! Im glad to see some variety entering this thread. Looks like the Soundcraft is winning the battle over the cheaps + mackie. I do however want to point out a couple of things iv read about in searching for a mixer.
1. I really liked the sound of getting a soundcraft M4/M8. Good sound, low noise, did what i needed, right price. Then i read that soundcraft has been bought out by a new company that tends to run others down the tubes? Starting to second guess.
2. In a lot of other forums that i have been trolling around in, people are pointing out the Allen & Heath mixers. As a DJ, i know they make great live dj gear and the EQ on the Xone 92 is by far better than any mixer made for dj's for any price. Iv noticed the Allen & Heath Zed 12fx is cheaper than the Soundcraft M series. Should i go for the Zed? Does it have the famous "british eq" that they are famous for?

 

[Jeff_D]

Thanks for the tascam input! Im glad to see some variety entering this thread. Looks like the Soundcraft is winning the battle over the cheaps + mackie. I do however want to point out a couple of things iv read about in searching for a mixer.
1. I really liked the sound of getting a soundcraft M4/M8. Good sound, low noise, did what i needed, right price. Then i read that soundcraft has been bought out by a new company that tends to run others down the tubes? Starting to second guess.
2. In a lot of other forums that i have been trolling around in, people are pointing out the Allen & Heath mixers. As a DJ, i know they make great live dj gear and the EQ on the Xone 92 is by far better than any mixer made for dj's for any price. Iv noticed the Allen & Heath Zed 12fx is cheaper than the Soundcraft M series. Should i go for the Zed? Does it have the famous "british eq" that they are famous for?

I'd have no qualms buying Allen and Heath either.

 

[Doowah]

Another vote for Soundcraft. Bought a used Spirit M12 and it's a great mixer. The faders are light years better by way of feel than that old boat anchor of a Tascam I was using previously.

And yet another vote for Soundcraft from me, too. I bought a used Spirit M12 based on recommendations from some members on this forum. What a nice piece of kit! I only paid $350 for it on eBay, so don't overlook the used market. It will satisfy my needs for quite a while to come, I'm sure. I use it primarily for local monitoring of my vintage synth rack equipment. It sounds great and feels like it is built well and will probably outlast me. Good stuff, for sure.

 

[astyle]

Nothing really used available on the M series. looks like an m8 or m12 will cost about 500 bucks before january. Maybe things will change after the holidays.

This is probably a noob question, but iv noticed that the soundcraft and allen &heath mixers have more mono than stereo. EVERY MIXER DOES. Can i run xlr into two mono channels instead of stereo into one?

is this what they mean by "2 channel system"?

 

[Jeff_D]

Can i run xlr into two mono channels instead of stereo into one?

Yeah, well the xlr is a mic preamp. You'd want to hit the 1/4" line input. Most of those are balanced, so you'd just need a TRS cable. You'll just tie up two mixer channels for one device.


I was thinking about something... If you connect all your synths to channels on a mixer, then what will you record? The stereo output of the mixer with all signals combined? Maybe a patchbay would be a better choice than a mixer. You can rack all your synths (assuming they're rack mountable ), then connect the outputs to the backside of a patchbay. You could route the input cables from your interface to the patchbay too. Then just patch the out from the synth you want into the interface input of the channel you want. Ideally, I'd think you'd want each synth track recorded separately.

Also, google "line mixer". They do make mixers that are all line level that might be better suited if you decide you do need a mixer.

 

[Jeff_D]

line mixers... http://www.sweetwater.com/c1014--Line_Mixers
Not as *cool* lookin, but maybe more functional? Then get a separate mic pre or small mixer to use for vocals. Again, the question becomes, how while you get the signals from the synths to where you want em without combining all your synth tracks prematurely. The basic premise of a "mixer" is to "mix" multiple sources into one output... kind of at odds with the idea of multi-track recording.