Mixers?!?

J

Jae Little

New member
I need a mixer for my equipment but I just don’t know which is better…

Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro (Surface Mixer)
Rane SM-82 (Rackmountable Mixer)

I heard it’s best to go with the SM-82 because it has more stereo lines than the 1604-VLZ Pro. Plus, people think it’s best for me to just mix everything in software than on a mixer so I can get an accurate sound. Oh yeah, I’m doing all production and little recording of vocals.
 
It depends on what you want to do with it. If you're doing "all production and little recording of vocals", then it sounds like you won't need that many mic inputs, so between those two, the Rane seems to match your needs better than the Mackie. (Run-on sentance!) Just becuase you heard that the Rane is better doesn't mean it is, it all depends on what you're using it for.

I don't really get what you mean by getting an "accurate sound" by mixing with the software mixer instead of an external hardware mixer. :confused: Many people have done it both ways, both with excellent results.
 
I know I won't need the mic inputs. I'm saying I heard it best fits my needs with what I'm trying to do.

As for the accurate sound thing, not all mixers will give out good quality. Not saying that the Mackie won't but I know it's a good mixer because I know a few friends with it. But I was also going for the Rane because it isn't going to take up space. And I won't need all the extra inputs and effects that comes with the Mackie.

I just want to make the right move on this and not regret it.
 
Between these two, for your needs, the Rane seems to fit your bill very nicely. You seem to have done some research on the subject, and you know what you want, so I'd say go for it.
 
guido #2 said:
Is the Rane just a LINE mixer?
Click to expand...

Oh, crap. You're right, I didn't even look it up. Well, now that I have this key piece of information, I would say definitely go for the Mackie between these two. Skip the Rane, then. I don't know if that one even counts as a mixer. :p
 
Yes, it's a stereo line mixer...

Only thing that's going to be going through it is production equipment

Motif ES Rack
Fantom XR
MPC2000XL
Clavia Nord Lead 2X
Korg MS2000BR
Korg Triton Rack

So, y'all don't think a stereo line mixer is needed? Because I was told I would need a lot of stereo lines and the Rane has 8 but the Mackie only has 4.
 
It just depends what you want....
I think the Rane is a rackmount mixer and the Mackie is rack or table-top. The Mackie has 16 channels, Each channel has a LINE input. Pan each channel L/R and viola! You have 8 stereo channels.
And as a bonus, the Mackie has 16 MIC inputs tha a line mixer won't have.
Plus the Mackie has direct outs on the first 8 channels.
All in all, the Mackie will be more versitile down the road, should your needs change.

The bottom line will be cost. I'm sure the Rane is much less than the Mackie.

Go to the respective websites and do some real comparisons. Time is on your side
 
Yeah, I second everything that guido said, I would go with the Mackie, you never know when you would want to be able to plug in a mic! :)
 
I decided that I'll just go with the Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro. For a lot of reason, not because of the Mic lines because I won't need them with what I'm doing.
 
Jae Little said:
I need a mixer for my equipment but I just don’t know which is better…

Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro (Surface Mixer)
Rane SM-82 (Rackmountable Mixer)

I heard it’s best to go with the SM-82 because it has more stereo lines than the 1604-VLZ Pro. Plus, people think it’s best for me to just mix everything in software than on a mixer so I can get an accurate sound. Oh yeah, I’m doing all production and little recording of vocals.
Click to expand...

well if your doing mostly mixing and editing and using software then i sujest the following:

a Alesis HD24 http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=1 for capture
a Aphex 1788a http://www.aphex.com/1788A.htm for preamp

the alesis hd24 has serveal options on getting the data to your computer from ethernet, adat optical, and i heard that they have a firewire verson. I havn't comfirmed this though.

or if you need to go low budget try the mackie Onyx 1620 with the firewire option for getting the data into your computer. the onyx 1620 has more sterero inputs then the 1640 and cost about $500 less.

http://www.mackie.com/products/onyx1620/

I hope this helps

Audio Monk
 
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