BillFitzmaurice.info

Rich4349 wrote:I checked out the affordable mixer links you guys posted. $200 is doable all day, but I'm the kind of gear head that would rather buy bigger and buy once. What's the next step or two up from those? More channels? more features? Higher quality components?I read some reviews on musician's friend to stick with Peavey or Mackie, but I'm sure every brand makes a few turds here and there. Any recommendations for something qualitatively better, say around 300?

Yamaha MG series is solid and reliable. Check out this one...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MG16XU

Bruce Weldy wrote:Yamaha MG series is solid and reliable. Check out this one...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MG16XU

+2 to Bruce. The Yamaha line are absolute workhorses. Worth the little bit of extra $$$ for superb quality and the mic pres are second to none, IMHO.

Another thought, I like the Yamaha MG's, but unless you save cash by buying them used, it's not too much of a step to get into a small digital board setup...

For example, Northern Sound has the MG16XU for $362 (plus shipping). For $70ish more, you can get a Behringer XR16 ($433). Assuming you already have a compatible tablet, it's not that much more of an investment for a whole lot more processing and flexibility.

That said, yes, the Yamaha MG series boards are indeed "solid, reliable workhorses" and would be a good choice.

Mackie has some nice 16 channel mixers, and used ones are easy to find.

How does a Behringer Eurodesk MX9000 Pro 48/24 sound? I have a lead on one at a good price. (2003 model)
So it sounds like new digital models permit you to use them wirelessly via tablets? That sounds REALLY convenient. Has that been available for long? (Long enough to find last year's models on CL?)

If you are hitting the $300 mark, I would be looking for the Allen & Heath GL2200. I have seen them go for around £300 as large format analogue mixers are becoming very unpopular with the new generation of digital. Not sure if they are more expensive in the American market.

Rich4349 wrote:How does a Behringer Eurodesk MX9000 Pro 48/24 sound? I have a lead on one at a good price. (2003 model)
So it sounds like new digital models permit you to use them wirelessly via tablets? That sounds REALLY convenient. Has that been available for long? (Long enough to find last year's models on CL?)

...yes and no... Yes, the technology has been around long enough for good deals to come up on ebay, but, no, the lower-end inexpensive digi units are relatively new...so you're not yet likely to find the $500 models for $250 used, but rather perhaps the $2500 models for $1500 used...

As far as the Eurodesk is concerned, it looks to be a decent console, but be aware that you would likely need (ideally) an external rack with gates, compressors, EQ's, and reverbs, and the cables to connect everything, and that setup time will likely be longer, and pack space will be larger...not a big deal, as long as you realize that this console does not have any processing capabilities on its own.

Do any of the newer mixers have crossover, noise gates, compressors, etc built in?

Rich4349 wrote:Do any of the newer mixers have crossover, noise gates, compressors, etc built in?

All ofthe new digitals have comps, gates, eqs, verbs, etc. You can sort of make a crossover with the x32, but its a bit awkward.

Oh, cripes- these here tek-nawl-a-geez are really moving ahead! 48x48 Digital snakes?? Wowsers.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DShowCable

And this little puppy, here, doing it all on your phone, tablet, or laptop:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Ui16

Rich4349 wrote: And this little puppy, here, doing it all on your phone, tablet, or laptop:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Ui16

FYI, the Behringer XR16 I talked about above is similar...cheaper, but has 4 fewer XLR's. If you're running live sound for a band, for instance, you might need a minimum of 16 XLR inputs (or 24, or 36+...but 16 is a good versatile start).