Mackie ONYX 1640 or Allen Heath MixWiz 16

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Mackie or Allen & Heath


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About what?

You just list two mixers with no consideration given to how they'd be used, with what gear they'd be used, under what kind of budget the consideration is made, etc.

G.
 
wow, my brains wasnt working!..

for recording purposes, to computer obviously. Cubase or Protools. Needs to record like 8 tracks simutaneously and then have extra for overdubs/other tracks.

Thats basically it.
 
Neither of those boards will record first off. That's your software, and both Cubase and Pro Tools will indeed handle at least 8 tracks.

Neither of those boards will get you into your computer on their own. If you use the Allen and Heath Mix Wiz, you'll have to get some kind of interface to get it into your computer as it only has analog outs. If you use the Mackie Onyx, you'll have to get the firewire i/o option, and you'll have to have a firewire interface into your computer....The main question you should be asking is 'How am I going to get 8 individual tracks into my computer'? Neither of those boards will do it on their own.

Outside of that, they're both pretty stellar sounding boards with two crucial mid sweeps, and both have really good preamps (yes, even the Mackie....gasp!). The Onyx does have four sub groups which I like though.
 
yeah!, i know that they dont record, sorry for me being really vague.

anyways I will be using protools and i have a firewire/ have no problem getting the firewire port for the onyx,

but should i get something different that would actually mix the channels of the programs like the tascam 1884 ?

I really like the feel of an anolog board which is what i have been using for awhile but since had to sell for some $$. So now im getting back into it and am deciding between analog and digital. I dont want to keep buying tapes and stuff so recording to analog is out of the question. I want to record with protools. But what do i need in this case to take 8 simultaneous tracks, and other ones that i would add later (would i need midi to sync it?) I bassically would much rather be doing all the mixing and levels with the faders/knobs than with my mouse. Sorry for me nto understanding alot in this field.

But the way that i understood it is that if i get an analog 24 channel mixer, say the mackie 24 channel 4 bus, i could send it to a Analog/Digital converter than by usb2.0 or firewire to my computer where i would mix/master with protools.

This dosnt seem to benecifial to me because i couldnt use the mixer for anything else like actually mixing the channels once they are on the computer.


I really need alot of help with this and help me decide on some gear that would suit my needs.

Mike
 
No sorrys needed.

Sounds like you might wanna consider something more tailor made for computer mixing because you mentioned the comfort of working on an actual mixer when....well, mixing.

For Pro Tools, you almost always have to stick to their hardware, however Digi 002 is fantasic. It's 8 actual faders that you can page up to use on the next 8 tracks and so on. Motorized faders at that so all your automation moves are kept. I think they're a little over two grand. As far as the I/O, you get 4 mic inputs and at least 4 more line in's. That may or not be dealable for you, but it's an actual interface with real faders and knobs that will control your software, unlike if you were to get those other two boards.
 
oh, i heard about the digidesign 2, that seems good but only 8 tracks? but does this mean tha ti could actually record more over one track on the computer with the same fader? like once i laid down a track and its done if i want to add a different instrument but have no more open tracks, i could unplug one xlr or soemthing then put in a new one and record with that?

if there is a way this would work with mixing like 16-24 tracks than i am sold.
 
Yep, absolutely. The 002 only has 8 physical faders. However, you page up to the next set of 8 when mixing. On the second "page", your first physical fader would become the control for track 9, and so on. And it doesn't get confusing because the software will follow what page your on, and the interface itself has windows that display your track name over the corresponding fader...those move with the pages too (kick, snare, etc.)

I think the latest LE version of P Tools goes up to 32 tracks. You can only record 8 (I think) into Pro Tools on one pass. But you can mix up to 32 with the same interface.
 
so the digidesign 02 looks to be the right tool for me?

:) thanks a ton guys!
 
From what I'm hearing, ya, you might want to seriously consider it. It's a great interface and it's very easy to use.
 
yeah, and you can't use protools softwar with either of those mixers alone. GOTTA have digidesign/m-audio hardware.
 
Also, you may want to scratch the Mackie off the list completely. If I remember right, the Onyx will send all of it's tracks out from the console,. but only returns two tracks which means that you could not mix on the console without buying even more hardware.
 
slash81291 said:
so the digidesign 02 looks to be the right tool for me?

:) thanks a ton guys!

Hold It.
Make sure you understand that the digi oo2 does have 8 inputs.
But only FOUR pre's.
You still need another 4 pres.
Perhaps two DMP3's?
 
xstatic said:
Also, you may want to scratch the Mackie off the list completely. If I remember right, the Onyx will send all of it's tracks out from the console,. but only returns two tracks which means that you could not mix on the console without buying even more hardware.

this is corrent. The firewire card will send up to 18 tracks TO the computer, but only 2 back, always and forever.
 
Mackie all the way. For the $1700 I paid I can record 16 tracks at a time. Actually I could do 32 by adding another 1640. The pre-amps are great and best of all its a hell of a live mixer you can direct record out of. How much would a pro-tools system cost that coyld record 16 tracks? :) Alot more and the quality would not be better.
 
yea, but it would be nice though if mackie could come up with something that would either allow 16 channels to go back to the board, or allow the onyx to be used as a control surface or something

being limited to mixing ITB sucks
 
Ironklad Audio said:
yea, but it would be nice though if mackie could come up with something that would either allow 16 channels to go back to the board, or allow the onyx to be used as a control surface or something

being limited to mixing ITB sucks
Most analog mixers with FW or USB interfaces are still really just analog mixers. The reason for the two channels of audio back from the PC is so they can be used for CR monitoring purposes, not for mixing. Mackie does make a DAW controller, but that is not an analog mixer.

If you want the best of both worlds, look at the Tascam DM3200 or DM4800 which are both full-blown mixers and DAW controllers in one box.

G.
 
No need on my end for the mix to return to the 1640 board. Use your software to mix. I use traction and have all the features I need to mix some very good sounding music. Mackie offer interfaces for software if you need to physically turn knobs and slide things. Dont get mr wrong if I had 20k to spend I would buy dedicated hardware. But for what I paid, I get quality recordings that rival any store bought music.
 
Most analog mixers with FW or USB interfaces are still really just analog mixers. The reason for the two channels of audio back from the PC is so they can be used for CR monitoring purposes, not for mixing. Mackie does make a DAW controller, but that is not an analog mixer.

If you want the best of both worlds, look at the Tascam DM3200 or DM4800 which are both full-blown mixers and DAW controllers in one box.

G.

well, here's my issue: i already have an onyx 1640, but don't like clicking around with a mouse to mix...i'm also starting to add outboard eq/comps/whatever that i would like to use when mixing, but with the mackie's signal flow, i'm pretty much stuck to only using them on tracking...or with sending only the selected tracks to the main out, auxing that out to another channel, and back to the board and A/D converters, blah blah blah

i've thought about getting a control surface to control levels/pan/automation/etc., but what i would LIKE is to be able to send multiple tracks back to the onyx w/o having to buy another whole set of converters. if mackie offered an upgraded FW card in the future that supported this, i'd be all over it.
 
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