Advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter cpos
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cpos

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ok, so I've completed the pc side of things....Pentium III w/Cakewalk Pro 9.

Now I am on to hardware....... I need to get a mic (For Vocals Only) and with that, I am assuming I will need a mixer. I have a M Audio Audiophile sound card with two inputs so the mixer would help out with the synth and mic work.

Oh yeah, what do I do...... R&B with a synth and vocals. Pretty simple but I am trying to get the vocal end set up.

I don't have that much money....say in the $300 range. I'd like to go with a mackie mixer and a Rode NT-1 but the price range doesn't complement that. Any ideas???

C+
 
I've been reading that Behringer mixers aren't any good. Any insight on that?

I was going to pick one up at Mars for 69 bucks but it just seemed too good to be true.
 
I'm using the 1604 and it gets the job done. The smaller one doesnt have any faders but im sure it would be ok. Do you need a preamp for your mike? It doent have one. And how many outputs will you need? You can return it within 30 days. If youre on a tight budget than totally get it . Dont break your wallet now unless you have thousands of dollars you plan to eventually spend on recording.
Shana
 
I too use an MX1604A and it's perfectly fine for my needs.

The main argument against Behringer is that they seem to rip off product design ideas from other mfgs and offer a similarly-featured device for much less money. That of course suggests that they either use slave labor, use poor quality components and mfg. procedures, or both.
 
That of course suggests that they either use slave labor, use poor quality components and mfg. procedures, or both.
Click to expand...
I was thinking it would suggest they don't have to spend the money doing research and development, which is often the largest cost associated with getting a product to market. Plus, they also have economies of scale in their favor, as they sell more stuff than say, Focusrite.
 
I didn't realize they didn't have pre-amps. Can I also assume they don't offer Phantom?

What pre-amps and mics do you guys use? Condesors?
 
the Behringers have mic preamps and offer phantom power also. I don't care for them but that's not the point. If you need a mic preamp, they will function. The smaller units don't have inserts on the channel strips which is a bummer.
 
No phantom, youll have to get that seperately another 40 bucks or so, (just an adapter) and yeah only a condensor will need phantom.
 
No phantom power? Mine sure does, and not with any adapter.
 
Hmm... I used a Behringer 602 for a long time (70$), and they defintly have 2 pre-amps and phantom power.
Though I really enjoy my 1604 now, the 602 is a great solution for people just starting out.
That an an MXL mic, cables and stands would get you going for about 300$.

Good luck!

Oren
 
I use a 1604 too. Mainly for mixing. It has no inserts, or direct outs which sucks. And my control room routing has given up on me. No more headphones, no more control room out. And I hate it bigtime. Can't use it for anything but just mixing some different soundsources because of that silly defect. I hate that. :mad:

There's phantom power on the 1604 but it's global. Not that I care. I got a channel strip with a nice micpre that I use...

Wouldn't it be a better idea to buy a micpre instead of that mixer, if it really is the micpre that you need anyway?
 
You have a nice sound card with two inputs.Consider getting a Shure SM57 dynamic,a MXL V67M large condensor and an MAudio AudioBuddy 2 channel pre with phantom power.Should be about $250-275 retail.Do all your mixing and routing on the pc with its internal 32 bit accuracy.Why go back out to an analog mixer with extra trips through the AD-DA converters if you don't need to?
My 2 cents...
Tom
 
The Eurorack MX602 does indeed have phantom power. I had one-- actually the phantom power wouldn't shut off! It also has two pres. For an extra $30 the 802 gives ya two more...

Besides business practices, the main thing to watch out for with the Behringer mixer is quality control. The 602 I had for about a week before sending it back to the store--the knobs were all set at different tensions with no rhyme or reason to it, the phantom wouldn't shut off, the outboard power had bent pins... it was just cheesy. Bearing all of that in mind, as well as the Berry-bashing one sees on this forum, but needing the absolute most bang for the buck at the time, I returned it for an 802 ($100 or so). This unit seems quite solid for a little thing, and sounds way better than the 602. Everything about it is better. Even the pres are better, and the Behringer manual claims that they use the same pres on all their boards. So you *can* get a good Behringer mixer, but it may not be the first one you buy! (MISTERQCUE may have a different opinion... :) )


Oh yeah, there are no inserts on the channel strips of these models, as Track Rat said--but the 802 does have two aux busses, one pre-fader and one post-fader.
 
A Mackie you can always use. Even if you upgrade later they are great sub mixers.

You will only use the Behringer until you get a Mackie ;)
 
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