I bought the wrong kind of mixer didn't I?

[jbroad572]

I decided to buy a mixer to play live gigs on (with tracks playing on a cd player or ipod), eventually I'll have a singer or 2 (I'm a sax player), maybe mic some percussion, and/or poetry readings, you get the idea. Well, I was going to go with a Rolls RM65 mixer so it'd be easy to take my personal setup wherever I go even when I go to play at other churches, it'd be great to have my effects unit (Lexicon MPX1) and mixer settings right with me.
Anyways, I heard Rolls doesn't have the best quality, so I bought an Ashly MX206
http://www.ashly.com/product/mx-206-2.htm
instead of the Rolls RM65
http://www.rolls.com/rollsproducts/

Looking at the specs and features the Rolls would have been a better setup for me I think. It has a little EQ, effects sends, monitor output, and its cheaper. I'm not doing any pro level recording at the moment, so think it would have fit the bill just fine. Is there another piece of equipment I can buy to make up for what I'm missing so I can have the quality of the Ashly, but features of the Rolls?
I think the EQ would have been good because I'll have different singers and vocals eventually. I have no line inserts, which would have been good for hooking up the keyboard, but they make cables to accomodate that.
What do you guys think?

 

[Ed Dixon]

I decided to buy a mixer to play live gigs on (with tracks playing on a cd player or ipod), eventually I'll have a singer or 2 (I'm a sax player), maybe mic some percussion, and/or poetry readings, you get the idea. Well, I was going to go with a Rolls RM65 mixer so it'd be easy to take my personal setup wherever I go even when I go to play at other churches, it'd be great to have my effects unit (Lexicon MPX1) and mixer settings right with me.
Anyways, I heard Rolls doesn't have the best quality, so I bought an Ashly MX206
http://www.ashly.com/product/mx-206-2.htm
instead of the Rolls RM65
http://www.rolls.com/rollsproducts/

Looking at the specs and features the Rolls would have been a better setup for me I think. It has a little EQ, effects sends, monitor output, and its cheaper. I'm not doing any pro level recording at the moment, so think it would have fit the bill just fine. Is there another piece of equipment I can buy to make up for what I'm missing so I can have the quality of the Ashly, but features of the Rolls?
I think the EQ would have been good because I'll have different singers and vocals eventually. I have no line inserts, which would have been good for hooking up the keyboard, but they make cables to accomodate that.
What do you guys think?

I prefer regular mixers with sliders, etc. Berhinger has a number of good units for less than $100. I have 4 of them, and none has failed to do their job yet.

I use two of them as part of small rack setups. I store them in the rack case for transport, and velco them to the top during gigs. Each to see, and adjust that way. They tend to have both line and XLR inputs.

See here for one example:

http://www.mtnsys.com/variax/Images/Eds Rig.jpg

Ed

 

[wheelema]

Never get the KitchenAid that tilts back, get the one the lifts the bowl to the motor.

Hmm? What??

Opps!

 

[travelin travis]

For your needs, I probably would have looked at a Mackie Onyx 1220 or something with a similar format. Rack mount mixers look like they would be a pain to work with live. Any chance that you can return the Ashly?

 

[zacanger]

Never get the KitchenAid that tilts back, get the one the lifts the bowl to the motor.

Hmm? What??

Opps!

Yeah, I know. I have the latter.

 

[jbroad572]

For your needs, I probably would have looked at a Mackie Onyx 1220 or something with a similar format. Rack mount mixers look like they would be a pain to work with live. Any chance that you can return the Ashly?

Bought it used. Will probably resell.