Suggestions on budget usb mixer and laptop please!

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Sockett

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Like uve seen and heard all over these forums before, I am indeed about as green as it get when it comes to recording. My brother has been doing it for years and has offered to help me as soon as Im able to purchase the equipment which will not be until mid January or at the latest beggining of February. Now I have everything picked out that Im going to buy since Im on such a low budget. Im building a very simplistic entry level recording rig for the intentions of being able to save ideas on songs for my band and I. Nothing fancy at all, just a foundation to fall back upon until were ready to put and album together in my brothers professional studio but here is what I asked. Now ive been searching the web religiously but i figured itd probably be a good idea to maybe ask people who probably knw where to find it and how much it will cost at the snap there fingers.

1.) 8 track usb mixer for under $200


2.) Cheapest laptop that will operate with all 8 tracks being used for under $300

My brother has offered me his old studio laptop that could do it without breaking a sweat for $250. Sadly he also has it on Craigslist and will not hold it for me until Im able to afford the funds. Also the software i will be running is Sony Acid Pro 7 only because im getting it for free so it was kind of a no brainer. Anyways i would appreciate any feedback or direction on this problem of mine and also please post the link of where to find and purchase. Thank you for your time and reading my newbie nightmare.

Sockett
 
homestudioguy said:
When you say 8 track usb mixer do you mean a USB Interface that has 8 inputs or are you meaning you need recording software that will record at least 8 separate tracks?

Well like i said im as new as they come to this. My brother said i could record what i needed half ass decently at the lowest budget possible by getting this list of things without exceeding a $1000 budget, I will also put next to each one what i had originally picked out to give u some reference, just keep in mind if something doesnt make sense i dont know any better and thats why im here.

ok heres the list.

A laptop (Amazon.com : Dell Inspiron i3541-2001BLK 15.6-Inch Laptop (2.4 GHz AMD A6-6310 Quad-Core Processor, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, Windows 8.1) Black : Computers & Accessories)

Software program ( Sony Acid Pro 7 which hes giving me for free)

A usb mixer (Mackie ProFX8 Professional Compact Mixer | GuitarCenter) i know its a lil over $200 but i do have a lil leway with the price but not much more then that

Vocal Mic (MXL 990)

Studio headphones ( Audio Technica m40s)

Drum Mics ( CAD 7 piece with extra overhead pencil mic ( so 8 piece, the only time and reason ill be using all 8 tracks at once and i already own these mics)

All the mic cables, stands, 1/4" adapters and watever ever other small hardware i need but whats most imporant is towards the top.

If im missing something to get started please let me know exactly what ill need. Just keep in mind I want to be able to run all my drum mics at the same time to get a fuller sound, ALSO if i have anything on the list that i dont need please lmk what it is i have to remove.
The total for everything above minus the cost of the software is $950 and thats including the drum mic kit. Im willing to push my budget to $1100 and if u have a better list please feel free to post EVERYTHING that i would need to get up and running.

thank you
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Hey Sockett,
I delete your other post since this one's only an hour old.
It's not uncommon to have to wait a day for proper replies.
Some of our regulars are asleep right now! ;)
 
and again...

If you'd like the thread moved elsewhere let me know, but please don't start multiple threads on the same topic.
 
ok, i apologize im just trying to get the answers as quick as possible to have much more stable and confident idea of what i will need when the time comes which is T minus 60 days, but thanks for not being an asshole about it, i DO appreciate that :D
 
Sockett said:
ok, i apologize im just trying to get the answers as quick as possible to have much more stable and confident idea of what i will need when the time comes which is T minus 60 days, but thanks for not being an asshole about it, i DO appreciate that :D
Click to expand...

Lol. No problem.
BTW, I'd answer but I have zero experience with USB mixers. I know we have a few guys outside of your time zone who'll certainly be able to help you out, though.

Good luck. :)
 
That mixer is only two channel USB. You may want to fore go a mixer and just get a multi-channel USB interface. The one you reference, while it is not clear, if you read the manual from Mackie, it is just a two channel USB.

Maybe try for a multi channel USB interface and just use the DAW for a mixer, maybe some time in the future you can add a controller if you want to have faders and or upgrade.
 
arcaxis said:
Mackie's 8-channel ProFX8........ yes it has 8 channels, but only 4 channels for mics at one time. The other channels are line inputs as stereo pairs and two of those pairs share the same channel as two mic inputs. So, if planning on 8 mics at the same time, it ain't gonna happen on this mixer. The other thing is usually the USB out to the computer is configured in a stereo pair, left/right, and not 8 channel/tracks. You record two tracks in the computer, not 8 at a time.

Something like this might be a better choice and a few forum members do have one of these... TASCAM US-1800 | Sweetwater.com

This has 8 preamps for mics and I believe can send 8 tracks to the computer (someone else can maybe confirm this).

(Crap I think I might grab one of these with the price it's at with the rebate)
Click to expand...

Actually 16 tracks total. I've been selling too many of them so wasn't going to recommend it again.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Socket,
No, you really do not want a mixer for this purpose and the Tascam 1800* really is the only game in town (or world!) for a genuine multitrack interface at the price. It is also 24bits capable whereas the mixer wasn't, you want 24bits.

Computer: Yes that laptop should cope with 8 tracks easily but then so would my 8 year old 3G P4 PCWorld clunker! ....WHY do noobs always think "laptop" ? AND! think it needs to be DeepThought? Sure, if you want to run super low latency softsynths or/and a zillion plugins with the tracks you will need an i7 and a bucketload of ram but to lay 8 tracks onto a hard drive needs very little computing power by today's standards.

What you are typing om now would probably do fine. Got to go out asap.

*Might need a headphone amp, others will tell why. Get Reaper.
#
Dave.
 
Oim bek! (but got to go to town soon, crissy shopping...grrrrr!)

So, Reaper! I know nothing of Acid 7 and I doubt many here do either. I guess Bro' will be busy? Reaper is very popular and plenty of bods here will be able to help you with it. I have it, paid for but rarely use it preferring Samplitude which is another stranger.

I mentioned the headphone amplifier for two basic reasons..
1) The output level of the 1800 is said to be rather low, especially for drummers?

2) In a band/mutitrack situation you are going to need headphone feeds to several players I would think.

You say you cannot afford the kit for a month or so? Ok, but there is nothing stopping you downloading and installing Reaper on whatever you have now and getting down and dirty with the functions. It comes with sample tracks so you can have a play at mixing. Even if you don't have an AI at the moment you can rip and edit CDs and internet stuff.

Actually you CAN connect an electric guitar to any computer and record it in Reaper. not by any means a quality exercise but working it all out will be good for your soul!

Dave.
 
Everyones telling you to go for an Audio Interface, which is correct, but you may not be understanding why - read this thread about mixers and recording.
For the price, the US1800 would be the way to go.
 
ok first off my bro brought me to his buddies house who has all the equipt i listed xcept a different comp but anywho, i can record what i need with wat i listed. he just xplained the mack will record all 8 mics at once but compress them into one track, which is xactly what i want, layering 8 tracks of drums sounds like suicide for a noob like me but thnx for the input. and im typing on a smartphone lol...and laptop u ask? well my friend the answer to that wld be MOBILITY. but i myself will have a "desktop like" setup, where i will run and hdmi into a 24" monotor and also have a wireless dektop keyboard :-)
 
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