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georgethetech

A little market research: How much would you pay for a mixing console designed specifically for VO with built-in USB interface that is simple to use and sounds excellent? It would contain everything you need to connect to phone patches, Skype, Source Connect, and/or ISDN codecs. It would NOT contain a preamp so you can use your own. It would also mute your monitor speakers when your mic is turned on (no more feedback!).
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cyclometh · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:07 am Post subject:

Depending on various quality and flexibility factors, I could see paying from $500 to $1000- much would depend on specifics of features and component quality.

And can I be a tester? Wink

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georgethetech · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:27 am Post subject:

Quality would be somewhere between Mackie and Manley.
Transparency would be a major aspect.

What would you look for in terms of flexibility and features?
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cyclometh · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:45 am Post subject:

Flexible routing, a big one. I'm finding that the Allen and Heath we've been talking about is actually quite nice in that respect. I like the ability to really tweak what goes where.

Low, low noise and transparency == good.

For an all-in-one I'd want a really good preamp, although you did say you could use a standalone. Good ASIO drivers (low latency!) would be important.

I'm less interested in a compressor, but good EQs are nice. No need for an FX processor or any of that silliness. Maybe FX sends and returns, but really- for a VO-specific system even that's not necessary.

Aux sends, definitely.

For a VO audience, you might want to look at really making the controls simple and understandable. Give it a footprint about the size of a ZED-10 or Xenyx X1204, but only put 2 mono and 2 stereo channels on it, use the extra space for simple, easy-to-read knobs, sliders and dials. Lots of lines and arrows pointing to what signals go where when you tweak the knob or move the slider.

These are just me spitballin' (partially based on my work with Amy over the last couple of days).
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asnively · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:11 am Post subject:

I think it should be in the $250 neighborhood. Smile

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Bish · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:05 am Post subject:

It must be difficult to spec a mixer for a specific use, when within that vertical market are so many different requirements.

One "big red button" for skype/phone patch is a great idea. Anything that takes mix minus routing (and so on) out of the area of the black arts and presents it as a "consumer" item has my vote. Dumping out all of the additional channels and send/returns that the average VO never uses is a good idea, as is dumping any EQ.

I am concerned with the no pre-amp idea though. Is this a line-level mixer only? It means that this all-in-one VO mixer isn't all-in-one at all, with the owner obliged to buy a pre-amp (not everybody wants to go that route). You need something as transparent as possible on the front end of this that's going to accommodate owners of anything from ultra-sensitive condensers to thick-skinned dynamics. I'm getting out of my depth here, but something based around the Burr Brown op-amp seems to be pretty transparent. I've used a Rane MS1, and it impressed me... so a good, transparent preamp for an everyman (rather than boutique) VO mixer, should not be cost prohibitive.

I'm agreeing that $250 retail ($199) is the target price point. This is partly to do with the perception that a dedicated VO mixer is a standard budget audio mixer (say, Mackie 1202 etc) with lots taken away and a little added.

Oh... and to make it one-stop-shopping, I'd add firewire as well Smile

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Peter
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Bruce · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:54 am Post subject:

I'd certainly consider making an included preamp an option. Would a built in phone patch hybrid itself be part of the package? The fewer extra boxes the better for an "all-in-one" device.

$250 sounds fine from the consumer point of view....

B
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Lizden · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:17 am Post subject:

George! Great idea.

Frankly though, most VO don't know what it is they really need (that's why we have YOU! Smile

)

Right now I have:
- a mixer with a built in preamp that I connect to my computer and
- an ISDN Codec and
- a JK audio hybrid for Phone patches

...but I still get confused with "routing" so I DO like the "push this button to do X" idea Wink

$249-$279 sounds about right.
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:24 am Post subject:

I've been thinking about this too George. But the reality is is for it to be profitable it would have to appeal to a larger market than just VO. Custom built mixers will easily go past $2000, and that's where this would be heading in this limited market.

The next big obstacle would be keeping noise down. The only thing here that would make sense would be a digital mix desk, where you could digitally assign ins and outs-- like some of the new broadcast desks.

Keeping the preamps out would make the mixer much more efficient, because you would not need a pre for every channel. And to get a pre of any real quality, would start making this mixer very big. Besides there are to many good preamps out there that would do a better job, and a preamp should be as close to the mic as possible If there was to be a Preamp it should be a Class A unit. Any kind of channel preamp means a summing pre, along with a output pre, headphone pre-- lot's of things to consider here. And if it come down to a bunch of IC based pres, it kind of defeats the purpose, and would not be worth it to me.

The EQ section should be four band parametric, and each band should be able to be bypassed, so that it would not be sitting there adding hiss to the signal if it's not being used.

What might be a better option is digital switcher/interface. Much like what the Saffire pro 24 has.
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Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

Aside from the skype adapter I just bought from you George Wink

Vonage also has a phone adapter that you connect a regular telephone ($40 new or if you have Vonage they'll swap your old Vonage modem/router free). I have the Microtel ClearOne phone patch that my handset plugs into and everything works perfectly. So my chain goes Internet, Vonage adapter, Telephone, Phone patch. I run my audio interface output to the phone patch for sessions and everyone can hear my voice as well as playback.

The interface, a Lexicon U42S, has 4 inputs. I also have synths that I plug in too but I don't use a separate mixer, it all goes through the interface. The interface waas about $400 new. so that was the long way around saying around $400 for something that does what your mixer would do eh? Money Mouth

asnively · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:29 pm Post subject:

I would like it to easily switch from Skype phone patch, POTS phone patch, (with an adapter to stick a mobile phone in there instead), and ISDN.

Since I have to turn the mixer off completely in order to turn my studio monitors on (on my editing machine) to avoid painful feedback, I'd love to be able to toggle from headphones to monitors. <-- Update: Corey informs me that I don't really have to do this; I just have to turn down a knob.

It would be cool if there were super-specific filters labeled: HVAC, air traffic, fan noise, leaf blower. I personally could use one called "lonely kitten."

It would be neat if this new magical home VO studio mixer had a mute button that can be pushed for those "Mommy's recording right now. You guys are going to have to figure this out on your own. Quietly" conversations.

(BTW, I stuck that Short Stop (aka Cough Drop) momentary mute switch into the chain, and it's awesome!)

Firewire would be awesome. Would it be possible to attach a firewire hard drive to it to use as a scratch disk? Or would that have to attach directly to the recording computer?

Also, it would be nice if its appearance had a high-end vibe and didn't look like a PlaySkool "My First Mixer."
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Gregory Best · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:00 pm Post subject:

George, I like a lot of the ideas posted. Definitely include a good built in transparent preamp (with bypass) and hybrid phone patch and something to easily work with Skype. Don't need compression. Amy's idea of some preset EQ points for specific sounds is a good idea as well as shelving. This will be a challenge.

Many of us don't use a separate preamp. I am using the pre in my Xenyx1204FX, never use the FX that was a waste. I like the pre in the Xenyx mixer which is better for me than the one in the Mackie Spike I been also using as an A-D converter (which Mackie no longer supports). I've never figured out the routing on the Xenyx mixer and find the manual useless for a non engineer.
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Michael Schoen · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:25 pm Post subject:

I think 250--500 bucks would do -- with all that capability.
Mic would come in as a line in?
and would the phone patch be flexible enough to plug into a wireless phone -- and a wall jack?
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Pam · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:29 pm Post subject:

I'm not really one to add much to this but I would say put all the connects in the front and top for ease and simplicity. Also clearly label each one so a layman/woman could understand it. Still in the dark about aux. Something like "mic plug here" or "codec here" or "on button stoopid" would work.

Oh and if it could come in purple that would be great.
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Now what did I come in here for?

asnively · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:30 pm Post subject:

I was rooting for a Hello Kitty version.
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