cheap mixer

  • Thread starter Thread starter sathyan
  • Start date Start date

Which mixer would you buy?

  • Behringer MX802A

    Votes: 7 8.2%

  • Behringer UB1202

    Votes: 14 16.5%

  • Yamaha MG10/2

    Votes: 44 51.8%

  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 20 23.5%
  • Total voters
    85
S

sathyan

New member
I need to get a mixer that can handle 3+ microphones (2 dynamic, 1 condenser) and 3 line-level (1 mono, 1 stereo). It needs to output for headphone monitoring and have stereo tape output. I don't need effects, just a simple analog mixer. I can spend about $100. Clean circuits and mic preamps are important.

1. For Behringer mixers, what's different between the MX and UB lines? Which is better?
2. Do you have any thoughts on :

Behringer MX802A ($79),
Behringer UB1202 ($99),
Yamaha MG10/2 ($99)

3. I'm looking at MusiciansFriend. Where else should I look ?

thanks
Sathyan
 
Well I wrote out a big reply and something happened and all was lost...

So here's the short take. The Yamaha has INSERTS!! This will allow you to get 4 seperate signals out from the pres.

The Behrs leave you high and dry, but if ya get creative with the aux sends and break out the soldering iron you can get 4 tracks out of the MX802A. BTW I have a 802A. I like it.

However, the inserts on the Yammy make it the choice of the three. I'm sure the pres are as good/better than the Behrs.

If you're willing to spend a little you might get cleaner pres and more features. You also get more for your money by buying a used mixer. Check out the ads in the BBS for deals.

Good luck!
Pat
 
I am really a newbie about this

Is there a FAQ about mixers (I've read this site) or at least a glossary?

aux send
return
phantom power
control room vs main out
pan
inserts (This will allow you to get 4 seperate signals out from the pres. - I'm not sure what this means )
XLR vs 1/4"
balanced vs unbalanced
ts, tsr
condenser vs dynamic


of these posted above, I'm leaning towards the Yamaha. I can't really spend more without dipping into my microphone budget (which at this point is two SM57's)
 
phonic is in the behringer range and has EXCELENT mixers.
(www.phonic.com)

Sythyan, you might check:
www.prorec.com
www.shure.com (check the service/support for nice docs)
www.soundcraft.com (has some mixer newbie docs)


here's a little about:
- aux send / return
used to send mixed signals to either a monitor OR an external FX-device (like reverb) to blend in with the main mix.

- phantom power
usually 48 volts to charge up the condensor mics.
- control room vs main out
(duh?!?)
- pan
Abreviation for Panorama, for a mono source. When using stereo you talk about (sound) Balance. (you might say Pan is like Balance)
- inserts
To feed the incoming signal (e.g. a mic) with something extra like a compressor or anything like that. You might confuse this with Aux, but it's not the same. Aux=parallel while INS=serial (you will learn later)
- XLR vs 1/4"
Connector type. 1/4"" also known as JACK or TSR(Tip Ring Sleeve).
XLR is that typical mic. connector with 3 connections.
- balanced vs unbalanced
This is more heavy to explain. Balance lines: It's to filter out unwanted noise on your signal (I won't go into details)
- ts, tsr
Connector type
TS=Tip, Sleeve JACK (typical use for mono or unbalanced signals)
TRS=Tip, Ring, Sleeve (for stereo, balance and insert lines)
- condenser vs dynamic
Microphone type. check the sure.com docs for details..

One important thing you might confuse all the time:
Stereo has NOTHING to do with Balanced lines.
(although using the same type of connectors)

good luck ro
 
I completely would DIS-recommend Phonic. If Behringer would be considered a kid's toy, Phonic would most likely be a baby's toy.

They look flimsy, they feel flimsy.
Say what you want about Behringer, their faders almost have the same resistance as those found in a Midas XL4 (high end live-desk). Soundcraft Spirit's faders are too light.

I think the new UB line of Behringer is worth more than their asking price, just don't compare it to an A&H Mixwizard of a Soundcraft Spirit M series.
BTW, Mackie is cold and sterile, eventhough they provide sturdy mixers and great master-sections. I've worked on a 1604VLZ Pro on various occasions, and always it thinned down the source.
Behringer's older mixers (MX) are also pretty cold and sterile, but at least at 1/5th of Mackie's price.

Soundcraft Spirit desks are more 'warm and musical', but also a bit more noisy. They do have better EQ's.

More advice: Don't buy a mixer with internal fx. They ALWAYS suck. Pick up a Boss SE-50 off Ebay for $70-100 and you'll have 1 cool true stereo fx (or dual mono). Or for $150-175, try to find a Boss SE-70. And if you'd have $200-225 to spend, try to find a Sony DPS-V55M. It's highly underestimated, because its reverbs can run with TC M2000 and Lexicon MPX1's (both $1000 reverbs new). Also the Sony is 4 in, 4 out, meaning it's surround and it has 9 SURROUND effects. (or 4 mono fx, or 2 stereo fx)
 
Speeddemon said:
Soundcraft Spirit desks are more 'warm and musical', but also a bit more noisy. They do have better EQ's.
Click to expand...

Speeddemon, I have an opportunity to get my hands on a used soundcraft spirit SX. Are these mixer noisier than Behringer? I've heard some not so good things about the noise level in Behringers mixers, and that makes me feel uncomfortable about the SX.

I don't have a chance to hear it, but it's in mint condition and I would get full warranty even though it's used. Do you think I should look for another mixer because of the noise level in this one? The price and features are just what I've been looking for.
 
There's no way a Spirit is noisier than a Behringer. I ditched my MX802A for a spirit E12. It sounds better and is quieter.

However, the MX802A is by no means a bad mixer. For 1/5 the price of my E12, which is one of the most affordable soundcraft mixers, the MX802 definitely had a lot of bang for the buck.
 
Esun, the E12 is a whole new design, not comparable with older Spirits like the LX7, F1 and such.

Swede, I myself have been looking at the SX for quite a while... seems like the best marriage between a small club mixer (capable of doing FoH and 2 monitor groups for a 5/6 piece band (12 mic inputs) and a nice little studio desk (8 direct outs).
As long as it's under $325-250, you're good to go... but when spending $400 or more, it might be better to wait and invest in a Soundcraft Spirit M8 ($600), which has the Ghost pre-amps.
 
Well, the prices are a bit different here in Sweden. The used SX would go for about 500$. A new M8 costs about 800$ here. I think the M12 is about 1000$. I could order an M8 from Germany and that would be about 700$, but I'm not sure if I want to order a mixer from another country. I guess I just have to think some more.
 
Im curious of the Yamaha, has anyone heard the preamps.

I have thier 8 channel Mic pre and it sounds as good as any Ive heard.
 
I am wondering about the Spirit E vs M series. If you don't need the SPDF and A/D on the M series, do the E series have the same quality pres and EQ?
 
Another important factor in determining which mixer will provide the user with adequate perf & operation is to check the boards r's
specs in relation to thier PREAMPS.
Usually mfr's of low-end mixers such as Peavy,Nady,Behringer to name a few will pad their input/out sensitivity ratings by 2-3 db's
of thier pre's than what it's ACTUALLY measured as.
The pre's of Beh's MX line of mixers are spec'd out at an input range of +12dbu which renders the use of hi-sensitivity mic's and mic'ing applications (kit-mic'ing) wholly inadequate.
 
MISTERQCUE, you know what? The spirit M-series board, that seems to be recommended quite alot around here also has a spec'd input range of +12dbu, but the other spirit boards (SX, F1, FX) has an input range of +22dbu. Does that make the spirit M-series a bad choice?
 
Swede said:
MISTERQCUE, you know what? The spirit M-series board, that seems to be recommended quite alot around here also has a spec'd input range of +12dbu, but the other spirit boards (SX, F1, FX) has an input range of +22dbu. Does that make the spirit M-series a bad choice?
Click to expand...

IMHO .0000001 cent opinion, the Spirit M's provide's vastly superior ops & perf than an Behringer!
It's eq's provides satisfactory boost/cuts of freq'y's w/o loss of gain (on Beh's mixers, if you drop mids more than 4db's, even when employing mid-sweep for compensation, additional gain is needed for make-up), Spirits provides greater flexibility and overall craftsmanship. Though pre's rtd @12 (usually on their smaller boards such as thier Folios) there is no hint of tonal additives or "coloration" inherent in Beh's.A simple side-by-side comparison between a Beh & Spirit with say a git DI'd into each's chan 1 will yield, set at unity, more unwanted sound artifacts in the Beh than the Spirit due to Beh's unreasonable mind-set to build huge, inferior heat dissapating power transformers so close the signal-path circuitry of it's units!

By no means am I an SEX-pert on the matter, just basing what I know via A/B's, ops & perf & quality on the 2!
 
starting at post #8 this thread started going for mixers over $100 bucks...lets bring it back down to where its supposed to be. the MX is the older model for which mackie sued behringer over. the UB series is a better selection but the MG 10/2 would be the selection of choice for quiet, clean pres (quality). the UB1202 would be my choice in that price range if i was going for inputs and outputs (quantity). you can also check out www.americanmusical.com
 
Speeddemon said:
I completely would DIS-recommend Phonic. If Behringer would be considered a kid's toy, Phonic would most likely be a baby's toy.

They look flimsy, they feel flimsy.
Say what you want about Behringer, their faders almost have the same resistance as those found in a Midas XL4 (high end live-desk). Soundcraft Spirit's faders are too light.

They look flimsy and they feel flimsy, but they do have better gain stages and eq than the behringer stuff. It's true. I went through it before when I shipped out to audio engineering school and wanted a mixer on my desk at my dorm. I looked at a behringer and a Phonic. The Phonic has a much better gain stage. Maybe I just got lucky, but if I go THAT lucky I will certainly buy their cheap mixer again.
Click to expand...
 
I've got the Yamaha MG10 and I like it. It has inserts on only two channels. You could get clever with the Aux bus and panning to access the other two I think.
 
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