Mixer types and Auxilliary , Questions

S

smop

New member
Are there any types of mixers that mix the auxilliary return for each channel (effects returns) _within_ each channel and will send the mix out the direct outs ? (rather than only mixing in the Auxilliarys at the master mix or end of the mixer... are most or all mixers like this ?)

Also, are there any low cost mixers that have just auxilliary controls, and no EQ ..
or any mixers that contain two sub mixers: a just-auxilliary mixer like that , and a separate mixer with just EQ but no auxilliarys?

thanks
 
It might be better if you just explained what it is you need to do.

There are many types of mixing console around for "specialized" purposes, but, this does not mean all of them are cheap or "specialize" in the way you might want them to.

Question 1 - This is usually want the Insert is for. The input of the channel strip is sent to the insert out, you can run that to whatever you want, the output of the component hooked up the insert out will output to the insert in, then it will continue to the rest of the channel strip.

Some mixers have a Direct Out on every channel strip. On less expensive consoles, this Direct Out is Post Fader, so if you were using the insert on the channel, that would be before the Direct Out, so anything present on the insert chain will be present at the Direct Out.

There are some mixers with "In-line" monitoring which would allow you to have two inputs present in the same "strip" of the console, but, there are no consoles that I know of that off have idividual Aux outputs per channel. That would add up to A LOT of outputs on the console, which is why the master Aux output is used for Aux sends.

Question 2 - There may be, but this would be a VERY unusual setup in either case. Think of your mixing board as your nerve center of the studio. Most recording consoles are well laid out for it's task. There ARE mixing consoles that have Sub Group ouputs, and this can range from 2-24 Group Outs, but usually the more group outs you have, the more expensive the console it. I am sure too that there are many cheap mixers that don't have Auxillary outputs at all and just eq.

Again, maybe you should explain what it is you are trying to do. I have a feeling that your needs would be simple to fulfill, you just may not be aware of how it is properly done with equipment that is currently available.

Ed
 
I have a Tascam 688 mixer/8track that Im trying to figure out how to add a lot more auxilliary loops to..

The 688 has TRS insert jacks for the main channels. I was thinking of using them for adding more auxilliary(effects loops) by connecting those inserts to the inputs and direct outputs of another mixer of some sort (one with a lot of auxilliary controls). At first I was thinking that would put all the channels auxiliarys/"effected" sound back out the direct outs (and back into the 688s inserts)
Now Im guessing that wouldnt work because the auxilliary return signals are not sent back out the direct channel outs are they?

I thought something like that might exist (an "insert auxilliary mixer") because it seems like a good way to add more auxilliarys/effects..


Im a bit unsure about how auxilliarys/effects sends work or _can_ work. At first I had thought they always functioned more in-line , (like an insert actually!) right back into the channel itself post aux send of course). Now it is seems that auxilliarys/effects sends always work by just gathering signal from each/any channel (via a channels aux control) sening to the aux/effects outs, returned at the aux/effects ins, but then are summed together and mixed with the main mixer output and not back with the channels. Is that correct??
 
That is how it works.

Why do you feel you need so many more aux outputs? I seldom use more than 4. 6 on a huge mix or tracking session.

Ed
 
lots of effects, and vocoder, looping device, sampler
and am not using a conventional set-up..


damn.. : ( is there some reason why no (?) mixers auxilliaries are in the insert format?



Does it seem like such an auxilliary insert mixer add-on would be very widely usefull ? (hmm .. maybe a regular mixer could be modified to work like that)



thanks
 
Hmmmmmmmmm...

The most Aux sends I have ever seen on a console were 16. I can never imagine using that many, but hey, that is just me. Too many effects on a mix tends to muck it up a lot. But, to each their own. I try to track as much stuff the way I want to hear it. But, some stuff I like to wait and see what I can do at mix with it.

Many effects that are just for one instrument (track) can use the insert on the channel. Shared effects use the Aux sends. Pretty simple and straight forward that way. In some cases, I will send the track from the recording machine directly to a dynamic processor or a effect processor before it gets to the channel strip. This ONLY requires that you have the whole setup on patchbays to do it easily.

I still cannot imagine needing more than say 6 Aux sends for effects. If you are using many dynamic processors, either the inserts or running directly out of the tape deck to them is a very common practice.

Ed
 
If I read your ? right a Mackie 8 buss will let you assign returns 1 & 2 to any of the 8 busses as a stereo pair and returns 3 & 4 to haedphones 1 or 2. I forget if you can assign the solo buss but if you can you can also assign returns 5 & 6 to the solo buss. This would allow for mixing your channel aux outs to 6 or maybe 8 stereo groups. Granted you will need a multing patchbay config to bring the outs of many different outboard effects or whatever to a TRS termination that you could plug into the return jacks. Or you could just get a seperate mixer to mix your returns too.
 
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