Mackie 32.8 bus question

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:05 pm

I have a Mackie 32.8 Bus console in the studio.
I use it just for the monitoring when i'm recording drums mostly,and i have my RME ADI8 outputs rooted to tape returns on the rear,so i can listen all the chanels.
The question is,how badly does Mackie degrade the sound quality of the original source.
For example:I have my snare drum hoocked up with my Focusrite Red mic pre wich goes to Rme and then i rout this chanel out from adat to the mackie tape in and i listn it on my monitors throug studio out on the Mackie console.
I do this only when i'm recording drums so i can make a good monitoring mix for the drummer using aux sends on the console to the phones out.
Jey

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:33 pm

Maybe i don't understand the question.

I used to use the Machie 32.8. Then i run everything trough the mixer and recorded from the Group direct output. That worked like a charm.
Very good pre-amps. IMHO.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:01 am

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:02 am

Well i',m not recording anything with mackie,but i use my outboard equipement,but i use it for monitoring cous i can easily turn up or down the faders,where i have my chanels routed out from my AD/DA converter:)
I do this mostly for drums headphone mix.
Thanx again for the answer:)
Jey

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:59 am

My question is: If you are only using the Mackie for monitoring in a headphone mix, why are you concerned at all about any degradation of the sound? Are you mixing through the Mackie?

I'm sorry, I've been avoiding this thread because from the start it smells like TROLL. I'm not saying that you are one but your question seems a little unusual to me.

You've got some nice gear and your spelling is atrocious. In a lot of cases this equals Troll. There's been a ton through here.

I expect this will be my last post here as I don't want to propagate any madness. If I pegged you wrong, my apologies.

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:08 am

Yes i know:)
I also don't know how to write it down:p
I'm not consirned about recording the signal cous i do it all with the outboard,but when i'm listening the recording through mackie:)
It's just one of those questions witch are not that important:D

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:30 pm

Long story short, if you are serious about your audio, yes. The mackie will take the quality down a few steps, but not enough to worry about the musicians monitoring through. Unless it is becoming a problem for the artist or you, it is fine. Remember though, it's less than 2000 bucks, an SSL is close to a million, and you get what you pay for. As for the fellow who records through the mackie group outs, I don't know what else you've been using, but that would not be a good way to get quality recordings, and the pres on mackies, even the new Onyx models, not to mention the older ones and the VLZ are not at all quality, low noise, or professional. That goes for in the studio or live.

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:10 am

Yes:)I know that those pre-amps are not good.
I dont use it for recording any stuff,i do it all on my outboar pre-mps(UNIVERSAL AUDIO,FOCUSRITE RED,TL AUDIO,API),but i don't have any mixer so i could make an easy monitoring mix for listening,i'm looking into buying a summing mixer Neve 8816 but no sutch money for now:)
Thanx for all your answers!
Jey

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:31 am

Bobbymacuen wrote:

but that would not be a good way to get quality recordings, and the pres on mackies, even the new Onyx models, not to mention the older ones and the VLZ are not at all quality, low noise, or professional. That goes for in the studio or live.

i highly disagree. the onyx preamps are a million times better than the VLZ pres. they're not SSL , but they dont cost a million dollars. i'd rather run through the onyx pres than anything else near that price ... hell, even doubled the price. that goes for studio or live.

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:32 am

I own a 32-8 and use it for tracking regularly. No, the pres are not the world's best, but they're far from the worst either. Several years ago I became friends with John Jennings, Mary Chapin Carpenter's producer and band leader. He had a Mackie 8 Bus for doing demos of songs at home. He told me that they liked the Mackie pres more than the SSL pres at the studio they recorded her albums in. He usually brought a few racks of outboard pres with him when tracking a project.
Would I like to have a nicer board? Sure. But until I can justify the expense, I'll keep working with the 32-8. I have a lot of happy clients who have gotten very good response and reviews from CD's I recorded for them on the lowly Mackie. You can make good recordings with them, maybe not the world's best.....but then, I'm not paying off some huge loan for equipment either.

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