VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[SMSinger]

I am looking to buy my first audio mixer..Does anybody have a suggestion?

[Dayo]

What is the purpose of the mixer? What are you routing and where? Is EQ important? Aux sends?

[SMSinger]

Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 5
Location: New York
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:46 am Post subject: mixer

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the mixer is for VO auditions and projects. no music production...I need at least 2 outputs.1 to record on computer ( Audacity) the other for control room monitors.
At least 2 aux ..1 for phone patch 1 spare
EQ is not too important,I can EQ slightly on the Symetrix 528>

[Living Culture]

I need at least 2 outputs.1 to record on computer ( Audacity) the other for control room monitors...At least 2 aux ..1 for phone patch 1 spare
EQ is not too important,I can EQ slightly on the Symetrix 528>[quote]

I think almost any small mixer would meet that criteria. At the very least, a second output should be available through a "tape" in/out on RCA's. But routing flexibility is sometimes limited on smaller mixers. You'll need to check if the Aux is pre or post or adjustable (its often fixed) and which one is needed for the phone patch.

Since you already have a mic pre and EQ, a Behringer 802 or 1202 would do the trick. You can get the Xenyx with a USB interface too. I have never tried the USB or newer models, but I used a an old MX2004 for many years (incl. live productions) and I never had any hassles.

Wow, good timing. You deleted your other post as I hit submit...confused me for a bit when I got the "this post doesn't exist" message.
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[CarynClark]

I started with a Behringer 802, I think, but it went caput in about a year. Not the best equipment. I replaced it with a Mackie 802-VLZ3, and it's been great. Knock on wood.
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[Tom Test]

I also once owned a Behringer 802. I do not recommend it. It was too noisy. Like Caryn, I am also now using a Mackie 802-VLZ3. So far so good. I used to have a Mackei 1202 Onyx mixer which was very good but just to darn big. And I still have a SoundcraftCompact4 mixer, which was small, nice preamps, but not enough routing options (e.g., I could not easily hook up a phone patch).

I recommend the Mackie 802-VLZ3.
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[Bish]

OK, I'll jump on here to echo what's been said already. I bought a Behringer 1204... I loved the functionality, but took it back because it far too noisy. I have auditioned a Mackie unit, and it seems far better. For the low-end price point (say up to $400), the Behringer will give you many more bells and whistles (lots of knobs, sliders, buttons and a higher channel count), but the Mackie will outperform it every time where it counts (signal path quality). I think this fact is reflected as you climb the price tree, but I can't speak from experience.

If I was back doing live bands in sweaty pubs, then a Behringer may work nicely... but it's not up to the job in a quality recording environment.
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[Mike Sommer]

I love Soundcraft mixers. The M4 is just perfect for what we do.
http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=24

They have nice 100mm faders and great parametric/British EQ's, and the onboard preamps are very nice. Everything about these mixers are warm, lovely and musical. And they have everything you need,
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[bobsouer]

Mike,

That is M4 one sweet mixer! Thank you for that link.
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[Lance Blair]

Mike, do you have any samples of recordings done with using the M4 as the main preamp? I've been looking at this model for a while. I've used the Ghost and the older (?) Spirit. I liked the way they sounded, but I could use an ear-refresher.
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[Mike Sommer]

No samples of the M4. But the preamps are derived from the Ghost console. I have an older Spirit mixer and have loved it from day one. Though I do not use the on board pres. Soundcraft just have a lovely sound, they are not crunchy or brittle like a Mackie or Yamaha, just smooth musical yummy goodness.

Brian Cummings has a Ghost in his studio, and I've done some production on it - just delicious. He uses Vintech 1272 pres, this combo is soooo smooth.

THe only downside to the M Series mixer is that the returns are RCA, if your not running outboard effects then you're cool.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[mediaking]

I have a Symterix 528e (also from ebay) and an M-Audio 1616m. I use it for the preamp, and the Symetrix for noise cancellation. The 1616m has a great software mixer--I don't miss the hardware mixers.
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