Mixer/studio/ signal path setup question

  • Thread starter Thread starter 3des
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3des

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I cannot believe I have to ask this, but here goes:

1st, my recording setup:

Keyboard
Guitars (through stereo effects board)
Studio monitors
mics for vocals or acoustic
headphone amp
PC for recording (Important note, only two ins *L/R* for stereo)

and last, but not least, I sold the Mackie CFX12 mixer (don't ask why... and now I just bought a rinky-dink Behringer Eurorack MX 802A)

The dillema:

My bassist friend and I were doing some recording tonight and we realized that we wanted to only record one instrument at a time so we could mix and process each instrument after recording (duh!), however, we obviously want to be able to hear each other as we we're playing/recording, essentially sending one instrument to the main outs, and the other to the ctrl room/monitor outs... This particular Behringer doesn't seem to have this functionality.

So, the guy at Guitar Center suggested I route the AUX sends to the recorder and that way I could use the aux pots to drop the instruments I didn't want to record, however.... after doing a bunch of A/B recording tests, something didn't sound right, and I suspect the aux sends are only mono or somethng because the recordings sounded like they lost the stereo image when recorded that way..?? (each channel/input has a 'pre' and 'post' pot, and when I was recording, the pre controled the left channel of my signal and the post controlled my right, and not evenly either, I had to crank the post a lot farther right to get an even L/R signal..)

So, it appears I need to upgrade the mixer to something that will allow me to have multiple instrument/channels in, and able to 'on/off' which ones are routed to the main outs for recording, yet send everyhting else out to the headphone amp...

I'ts a bit of a mess, I have the 'Tape Out' going to the headphone amp for monitoring, I have the PC out goping to the 'Tape In' (though I could use one of theregular inputs but I only use the PC out for monitoring, not remixing in to route back to recording.. follow?), and the 'Ctrl Out' on the mixer goes to the studio monitors, and the 'Main' outs go to the PC 'in' for recording...

I just need a reccomendation on the cheapest mixer with MIC pres that will allow all inputs to be routed in or out of the main mix so as to record only one instrument at a time without losing the backing instruments.

Much appreciated and thanks for reading this mess!

Maybe I need to get a book on using a mixer!? ;-)

-thanks
 
You are Right

It seems you have already figured it out. Unless your mixer has some direct outs or channel inserts you can tap off of your only route to the PC would be your aux sends, which may not be of any quality.

As far as suggestions, since you already have the mixer (unless you are going to sell it) you could get a decent quality 2 channel mic pre (like the DMP-3 $200 or RNP $475) and split the sends to the mixer for monitoring and the pc for recording or get one of the small Soundcraft (or mackie ,ugh!) mixers that have better routing capabilities
 
Mixer

Don't know your budget but check out http://www.musiciansfriend.com for mixer prices. Behringer has a whole line of inexpensive mixers that will make life easier for you. I know alot of people talk Behringer down but for the low budget studio you can't lose.

I have the UB2442FX-Pro mixer and the possibilites for connectivity are phenominal. Has as many features as any of the other brand names with great sound quality and low noise.

With a "hookup" from within a local store it cost me only $320.
 
Thanks but no, I'm no better off

I must be crazzzy!!


1. "wedsr1": I ALREADY HAVE A BEHRINGER! Doh!

2. "tmix" - Re: "It seems you have already figured it out"

No, I don't. Although you admittedly did your best to help, what I was looking for was someone with the specific knowledge of either the mixer I have or an actual reccomendation for a cheap mixer that serves the one purpose I'm searching for (direct outs?) how about just a simple switch for each channel 'to mix: on/off' ? And although some dedicated mic pres would be good for mics, it does nothig for the other instruments going straight into the mixer.



Sounds like I need to call the pros. Thanks anyway.

Perhaps in person is what I need to do. go down to the store and get up close and personal with a board and a rep!

Wish me luck.
 
Any decent mixer will give you a few options for sending out different mixes. Those little behringers usually don't qualify. You could use two aux sends for a stereo signal. Aux one could be Left and Aux two could be Right.

Get a Mackie 1202 or Soundcraft M4 for a clean mixer with enough routing options.

Why do you think you need to record everything in stereo? I have 24channels of simultaneous input and I rarely use more than one channel per source. Somtimes I use multiple mics for acoustic guitar or drums but usually it's just one channel at a time.
 
Hiya 3des. You can do everything you want with what you've got - no need to spend any more money. With the pre and post fade sends you've got two mono outputs which you can combine to record a stereo signal onto your PC.

To amplify on Tex's advice, plug the L out from your stereo source into (say) Channel 1, and the R into Ch 2. Make sure all faders, EQ, everything, on these 2 channels are set at 12 o'clock (except the pre and post). Plug the Aux send 1 out into the L input of your soundcard and Send 2 into the R. All send knobs are turned right down except the pre send on Ch 1 is at 12 o'clock, as is the post send on Ch2.

Do what you like with the other channels. When you come to recording them, do the same as you did with 1 & 2. You're cooking on gas. Apologies if this was oversimplistic - don't want to patronise you but was just trying to make it crystal clear in one post.

Have fun

Garry
 
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