Preamps on Mackie mixers or rack preamps

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shadowdog
  • Start date Start date
Thanks, all this is helping bring my picture together. Yes, I do play with a heavy metal band, but do plan on recording other styles too, I would love to do this as much as possible. And also like writing and recording by myself on my four track, so would continue to do so digitally too.

I guess in my mind I pictured myself having my band play together first to get a rough draft for the songs down first (but retain our live feel), then take the time to mic the drummers drums and have him play back with the recording and get his drum tracks done, then we would each come back in and redo our other parts too by playing along with his new drums.

This is why I was thinking I could get away with 8 channels. Use 3 or so on the drums for the rough draft, 2 for guitars, 1 for bass, 1 for vocals, and one for a click track from my drum machine (or something to help my drummer keep time :)

Then when I go back I would play around with multiple miking of the drums and guitar cabs and vocals a bit. So at this point 8 would be the max I think I need.

I also do alot of late night stuff where I will just be programming drum tracks and playing thru a Voxx Tonelab and making songs myself. So that is what gets me thinking about for now saying screw recording my drummer with 8 mics if i can get a "better" unit with maybe only 4.
 
Mackie is way over rated. If you want some great preamps and a mixer get a Soundcraft M12 Series. I did an A/B test with the Soundcraft M12 and Onyx and the Soundcraft had a more thick and silky sound compaired the Onyx which sounded thin when compaired to it. The pres, EQ are all based on the Ghost design and they sound great. As hard as Mackie trys they just can't out do this board that been on the market for 4-5 years. The direct outs are even pre/post EQ switchable - Mackie for got to include that in their new onyx boards.

For an interface look at the Echo Audiowire12, Tascam FW1804 or Presonus.

http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/AudioFire12/audiofire12_both_big.jpg
 
Last edited:
yeah shadowdog, that ones are the altecs, but there are a 8 channels ones, and if u can get the C series is better (1678C).
 
u can get a nice interface with the RME guys, www.rme-audio.com, for me RME are the best ones. a multiface, or a fireface(with 4 mikes preams).
 
skanky said:
Hmmmm... Mackie preamps?? I thought it were Mackie noise generators...
Click to expand...
hummm... good thing I know better... almost sounds like your know what you're talking about... :rolleyes:
 
Shadowdog said:
CellerDweller, no Shadowkat here, just the dog, i don't have anything but a Tascam 424 4-track.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the feline confusion :p
Does anyone else know anything about the mackie 808 series powered mixers? Specifically how the pre's compare to those in the 1402-VLZ PRO, or other "higher end" or more specialized Mackies?
 
Don't waste your time. Like I said in my other post the Soundcraft M12 is still better board then the Mackie Onyx.
 
Shadowdog said:
and one for a click track from my drum machine (or something to help my drummer keep time :)
Click to expand...

Quick FYI. If you have say Samplitude (or the cheap version like I have called Audio Studio 7 - from MAGIC) they have a built-in Click Track (or called a metronome) that you can play back to the band (while recording) without the need of an additional channel.

I think Sonar4 has it as well, which tells me that HomeStudio should also have it.

My suggestion is this. 1st have the drummer record (by himself) then have the recorded (rough drums) played back to the band, record them. Then you can go back, and have the drummer record the drums for real.

This makes no sense to you?? Well, if you are recording in a garage (without having the drummer in a booth by himself) you'll get bleed through of the drums into everything else (vocals, guitar, whatever), and may have some phase cancellation (maybe not) of the drums. The way I suggested it, you'll get the cleaner vocals, guitars, and the benefit of having the percussion for the band members to follow.

The alternative, is build (does not need to be permanent) a barrier of some kind between the guitar & vocals. Ideally, in a studio the vocalist will be in a booth by him/herself, the guitars in another room, and the drummer in yet another room.
 
$800 !!!!!!!

Holy crap, man! You need to warn people, before you give someone a heart attack. I'm here all happy looking at a 410, or a Firewire Solo, and now I have to go change my underwear. ;) :D
 
pre mixed drum tracks

Shadowdog said:
saying screw recording my drummer with 8 mics if i can get a "better" unit with maybe only 4.
Click to expand...



:mad:


With a Mackie VLZ mixer and some patiences you can mix down 8 mic's into a nice stereo left and right feed to your interface unit . Don't forget to pan so the sound moves right to left as you look at the set !!!! :D


That's what I've been working with so far . I have a CR1604-VLZ with pre amps on 16 channels . I have 10 mic's on my kit , plus two room mic's . I send it all thru a Tascam US-122.

I've been looking into some of the interfaces mentioned by deepwater . The Echo Audiowire12, Tascam FW1804 or Presonus , and the Delta 1010's .

I too was looking at going the Mackie Onyx route . I happened on this
CR1604 VLZ on e-bay for a great price so now I'm looking at just a good
no frills multi channel balanced I/o interface .

The Echo Audiowire12 is looking better and better to me .


BTY , as far as pre amps , to me the Mackie is great . Of course my old mixer was a 1980's Yamaha PM-430 . It was like going from a GameBoy to an X-box !!!!! :rolleyes:

OF course money is an object so in the mean time I've got real good at pre mixing drum tracks ! :cool:
 
more confused now than ever before!

Hello Friends,

I've been reading these posts and I thought I knew what I was talking about but now I am just more confused. Allow me to explain.

So I want to do broadcast in a talk show/radio format as well as being able to record music: amped guitars or not, vocal, drums, you know all the stuff.

I was thinking of this setup:
mackie 1604
dbx 1066/ dbx 266 or something
mics and guitars plugging into these units and then into the board.
from the board we have it plugging into the echo audiofire12 and into the computer.

Now since the 1604 is 16 channels and then audiofire12 is only 12 ins/out, I may decide to get the 1642.

What I have questions about is these mic pres everyone is talking about. the mics were going to plug into the processor to give good vocals but would this also work for guitars and whatnot?

I don't know why I would need another firewire device like the presonus firebox if I already want to get echo audiofire12.

If you can understand my question, please advise. If you can't, please tell me where you are confused.

Thanks so much,
Sean
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Carvin Preamp/Mixer recommendation?
Replies
3
Views
2K
Treeline
Treeline
A
Mic Cable: XLR or TRS ...?
Replies
4
Views
3K
Slackmaster2K
Slackmaster2K
B
Mixer Vs. Micpre
Replies
3
Views
1K
tdowning
T
Whoopysnorp
How good are the Omni box's preamps?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Whoopysnorp
Whoopysnorp
D
Essentials for recording
Replies
1
Views
1K
Gidge
Gidge
Back
Top