Mixer question

[famous beagle]

Ok, so I've got the Yamaha RM804 mixer hooked up, but I'm having a hard time understanding how this mixer works. It's much different than the Tascam mixers (at least it seems to me) with which I'm familiar, and it's just not really clicking for me. I'm hoping someone can shed a bit of light. I've attached the manual here. It seems clear and succinct, but it doesn't give any information with regards to typical routing or setup.

I'm guessing that some of this might be just things that are labeled differently here than they are on Tascam mixers.

What's confusing me first off is the fact that there are two pan knobs (top and bottom of each channel) and two level controls (the fader and the "Stereo" knob) on each channel.

I won't be using this mixer at all for the preamps (at this point) because I have external pres. So I'll just be running the outputs of my Fostex 80 into the TAPE IN jacks for channels 1-8. I'll also have an FX processor hooked up to the ECHO send and most likely have processors (EQs or compressors) in the inserts as well. Those two things seem pretty straightforward to me.

I'm assuming that the PRGM busses can be used for setting up a cue/headphone mix, but I'm just not understanding exactly how this is done.

I'm also wondering if I could use one or more of the program busses for extra effects sends during mixdown.

Basically, I guess I'm just trying to figure out how I would normally set it up for the tracking process and then what would change for the mixing process.

Can anyone shed any light? Thanks much for any help.

 

[miroslav]

I glanced at the manual....

Look at the I/O on the back of the mixer ...and follow the block diagrams.

I think the top Pan which is tied to the PGM...is more like an Aux thing.

The bottom Pan is tied to the Stereo out.


So it makes sense that you could pan your Aux signals independent of the main stereo pan...to place the Aux signal....then the main stereo Pan is the overall.

How you use the PGM I/O and panning...or if you use it at all...is up to you.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I won't be using this mixer at all for the preamps (at this point) because I have external pres.

You might want to try them. Some Yamaha pres with transformers from that era are considered real sleepers, poor man's Neve.

 

[famous beagle]

You might want to try them. Some Yamaha pres with transformers from that era are considered real sleepers, poor man's Neve.

I will eventually for sure. I'd heard that ("poor man's Neve") about some Yamaha models, like the PM models (1000 and 2000) and the M models (1532), but I hadn't heard that about the RM804. Nevertheless, I'll certainly try them. One downside of the mixer is that it strangely does not have phantom power. So if I want to try a condenser through them, I'd have to get a power supply. I do have a tube condenser though that I could try.

 

[famous beagle]

I glanced at the manual....

Look at the I/O on the back of the mixer ...and follow the block diagrams.

I think the top Pan which is tied to the PGM...is more like an Aux thing.

The bottom Pan is tied to the Stereo out.


So it makes sense that you could pan your Aux signals independent of the main stereo pan...to place the Aux signal....then the main stereo Pan is the overall.

How you use the PGM I/O and panning...or if you use it at all...is up to you.

Thanks. I have studied the block diagram. It's helped somewhat, but it's still really confusing to me. Tonight I'm going to spend some time with the mixer with the diagram in front of me and try to see if I can figure it out. I don't know why, but it's just not making total sense to me right now.

 

[miroslav]

Run some test tones....flip some switches...turn some knobs.

It's a good way to see what's going on with signal flow.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Run some test tones....flip some switches...turn some knobs.

It's a good way to see what's going on with signal flow.

+1

Actual hands on experimentation is the best way to learn how to drive a car or a mixer.



Cheers!

 

[gecko zzed]

The mixer and it's functions become clearer when you realise that each channel fills a dual role, i.e. the first role is as an input channel strip for mikes or whatever, and the second role is as a playback channel once you have done the recording.

The block diagram shows how you flip between input and output mode, and where those seemingly duplicated controls fit in.