I would like to one day open a recording studio and have a question about mixers. I currently own a Mackie 32x8 and am not really interested in going digital. In a "budget" recording studio do you think people would be turned off to the fact that I was using a Mackie. Without getting a Neve or SSL and blowing a wad of money, will my Mackie be enough to get the job done or should I be considering other options. I really like Mackie as a company and think they build great products but Id also like to do things at least somewhat right. Also are the Mackie mic pres suitable for recording drums and guitars and stuff?
"Budget" recording mixer
- Thread starter beatmstrj
- Start date
guitarboi89
New member
loads of studios get by with mackies, i really wouldnt see it as a problem. You should be able to record quality tracks with the pre's.
And once youve got a couple of payed recordings done maybe invest in 2 channels of really good pre's for vocals/important instruments.
And once youve got a couple of payed recordings done maybe invest in 2 channels of really good pre's for vocals/important instruments.
Ironklad Audio
New member
if you can't mix on a 32-channel mackie, you can't mix on anything
Look for a used Soundcraft 6000, Amek Big, D&R Orion, Trident Series 65, 75, or 24 etc....
I agree with Chessrock on this. If you want to be really low budget, the Mackie will be fine. Most of your clients at that level won't even know the difference, and will often times even think it is cool and impressive. If however, you want to be around for a while, and have some more serious clients, get rid of it ASAP.
I agree with Chessrock on this. If you want to be really low budget, the Mackie will be fine. Most of your clients at that level won't even know the difference, and will often times even think it is cool and impressive. If however, you want to be around for a while, and have some more serious clients, get rid of it ASAP.
a mackie is fine. although, 32 lines is useless if its nto gona be recorded live.
but honestly, your fine.
there's only like 5 big name brand analog mixer brands [behringer/mackie/yamaha/peavey/alesis] those are liek the onyl real analog mixer brands i can think of, and out of all, i personally liek behringer and mackie the best
i have a 16 line behringer in my studio, soon im gona upgrade it to a digital tascam but until then, im fine with it. i ahve a snake hooked up to it, and the built in pre amps are a savior
but honestly, your fine.
there's only like 5 big name brand analog mixer brands [behringer/mackie/yamaha/peavey/alesis] those are liek the onyl real analog mixer brands i can think of, and out of all, i personally liek behringer and mackie the best
i have a 16 line behringer in my studio, soon im gona upgrade it to a digital tascam but until then, im fine with it. i ahve a snake hooked up to it, and the built in pre amps are a savior
beatmstrj said:
lol well i never had a pre amp until recently... so the built in pre amps in the behringer helped me when i used my condensor's as overhangs.
but i got my mixer really cheap. i only spent about $175.
you can find a desent mixer from behringer for really cheap.
but i suggest just to keep the mackie for now. you're fine with it. there's no reason to get a different one.
but if you do decide to go digital, the tascam digital series are very nice. i cant wait to own one of my own
buryher17 said:
I actually sold my behringer eurodesk 24 channel before upgrading to the mackie so im not really looking to downgrade anymore. Im just kinda wondering if I should just get a couple decent mic pres or if I really need a new mixer to "impress" the clients.
Price wise you can expect anywhere between $2000 on a good day to $10,000. The difference I would say is pretty huge. A lot of the price difference will depend on a combination of size, features, condition etc.... In general all of those desks will give you between 16 and 24 busses, MUCH better sounding preamps than the budget mixers, MUCH better sounding EQ's than the budget consoles, sometimes some automation, better headroom, better summing, more routing etc.... Having a solid desk as your centerpiece is a really nice option. In my opinion, a good console is the most cost effective way to make sure that everything you record gets a a good quality signal path. Consoles like the one I mention will sound at least as good, and almost always better (in my opinion) than all of your more expensive entry level channel strips like the Focusrite platinum series, presonus channel strips etc... For example, an Amek Big. Certainly not the best sounding AMEK console, but can be had for around $5000 for a 32 preamp, 64 input console with 24 busses and built in patchbay. That would be less than $200 a channel, but sound better than most all of the $600 a channel strips available on the market. With the Amek you can also add different automation packages for recall, moving faders, dynamics etc... The Soundcraft 6000 should run even less than that, but does not have the automation possibilities as easily as the Amek, but in my opinion sounds better. A D&R Orion would be about the same price as a big, but sounds much better than both the Big and the Soundcraft, but is a transparent type sound which not everyones wants or needs. D&R's are harder to find though. They are not as common in the US, and most owners do not want to sell them. The Tridents are excellent rock'n'roll consoles. They have a good fat sound, not as many features, but highly respected. The Tridents I listed are not as nice as a Series 80 or "A" range, but don't cost nearly as much either. In any event, if you are recording bands, then I do not think you would regret the purchase, and it will go much farther than the same money spent on outboard.
xstatic said:
Thanks for the very good info. I took a look at pictures of each of the models you listed to see what they were about. I believe the first studio i recorded in used a D&R Orion (im guessing cause i seem to remember there being two faders per channel and I had no idea why, but im pretty sure thats uncommon). I think starting out ill stick to my mackie 32x8 but certainly consider those mixer options as they dont seem too out of my budget if things start panning out.
LemonTree
Suck 'em and see!
episg said:
Cornwall is ALLEN & HEATH country! I'd be keeping my eyes n ears open for an old SABER PLUS
buryher17 said:
Now THAT is funny as hell!!
The two faders per channel is actually very common in the studio industry. That typically denotes an "inline" console which is a very ergonomic yet highly functional way of slamming a lot of inputs in a smaller frame. Cheaper inline copnsoles (ala Ghost, Allen Heath GS etc...) use rotary pots for the tape returns and often offer very few features on the tape return path. My current D&R console offers automation, VCA isolation, insert with bypass button, full 100mm fader, 4 band sweepable EQ, 4 dedicated and 4 swichable aux sends just on the tape return path. Basically, the tape return on many nicer consoles are virtually fully functional channel strips, just without an actualy preamp (line in only).
andycerrone
Banned
beatmstrj said:
Mackies are fine. I've got myself a Mackie and it's done me plenty of justice. Yeah, if you want to start improving, there are better quality peices, but if everything else isn't as good, then you're better off just sticking it out with the Mackie. The most important thing is you know that board inside and out. As long as you know it's strengths and weaknesses, then you'll get plenty of good recordings out of it, and that's what you want, right?
andycerrone
Banned
Hah, you guys ar ehorrible. Leave the kid aloneDrJones said:What do you mean? There is only 5, wait!, I mean "like", 5 or maybe a couple more (I think?!). Wait! Uhhhh..... did I just write this? Oh Nevermind......
