Dumb question: why are you so stuck on having a mixer at this stage? To do a serious book recording, you need to get a strong, clean signal to the medium. A good signal chain:
Tight-patterned mic>>clean transparent mic pre>>recorder/soundcard.
You also need to have a proper environment to do this in. All of the EQ in the world will do you no good if you have a crappy room.
Personally, I tried a Heil PR40 last year, and wasn't really impressed. It wasn't that quiet around my computer monitors, and the 'sound' of it was a bit too hyped at both extremes for a 'natural' sound. I ended up sticking to the E-V RE-20 for many reasons.
Instead of using a typically mediocre mixer. try a good stand-alone preamp, like the Grace 101. When used with the RE20 in a decently-treated room, this rig will do it without artifacts. If you HAVE to have a mixer, look at the Mackie Onyx line with available Firewire interfacing.
I believe you when you say that you suspect the Alesis mixer. BUT twisting all the EQ knobs you can grab is NOT the answer, either.

it could be a number of things. but i've noticed that those multimix units arent the best.

but... if you'll be doing this on the computer then you dont really need a mixer.

i'd say get yourself a preamp and/or 2ch interface. do all your levels, eq, and effects on the computer.

if you're set on having a mixer, check into the Mackie Onyx line of mixers, particularly the Onyx1220 in your case. great preamps, and firewire to boot!

also, given the choice between USB and Firewire, go with FW for sure.

Please excuse my ignorance, but I got the mixer because some guy at the music store said I absolutely needed it as a step to get from the mic to the computer. He never mentioned anything about a preamp....

So, maybe I should change the thread to "what's the best preamp" for audiobook-type recordings! Geez!

So a mixer isn't needed at all? Sorry for the dumb questions....

I want to keep this as simple as possible, but with great sound quality.

Thanks

the mixer has a preamp in it (actually it has one for each xlr channel), but for the low price of the mixer, you can be pretty sure it's a pretty lame preamp.

with a mixer you'd be paying for lots of stuff that you dont need.

rockstardave wrote: the mixer has a preamp in it (actually it has one for each xlr channel), but for the low price of the mixer, you can be pretty sure it's a pretty lame preamp.

with a mixer you'd be paying for lots of stuff that you dont need.

Thanks, RSD. I guess I will have to change my search from a mixer to a preamp.

Thanks for everyone's help with this!

I think what you need is to hear the Recording.org Anthem?

Da da da dah, don't listen to the music store dudes. Dudy dudy dude. If they knew dude? Like I know dude. They wouldn't be a music store dude. Doody doody dude. Just listen to us at Recording.orgy. Orgy. Orgy. Orgy.

All you need is the DBX 286, vocal processor. Other companies have similar units. It contains a quiet, quality Phantom powered, microphone preamp with high pass filter. Limiter. Expander. "De-Esser". EQ. And a Edirol UA-1ex, line level, 2 channel, USB 1.1, audio interface. Total cost, under $500. And Audacity shareware. No mixer needed or wanted!

That part about your acoustic space....yup, you'll want some wall stuff too.

Just remember, if your book talks back to you, see a doctor quickly.
Ms. Remy Ann David

actually remy, i work at a music store and i know my stuff.

i suppose that what Remy means is to take everything with a grain of salt if you get advice from a music shop because not everyone knows everything.

good luck!

RemyRAD wrote:
All you need is the DBX 286, vocal processor. Other companies have similar units. It contains a quiet, quality Phantom powered, microphone preamp with high pass filter. Limiter. Expander. "De-Esser". EQ. And a Edirol UA-1ex, line level, 2 channel, USB 1.1, audio interface. Total cost, under $500. And Audacity shareware. No mixer needed or wanted!

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what IIRs said is perfect.

for ease of use and dirt cheap start ... the onyx sattelite.

Well sure, rockstardave. There are good music store sales guys and there are clueless music store sales guys. Most have the latter. But even with that Mackie Satellite, he'll still have to do his EQ, compression/limiting, downward expansion, in post instead of in real time on the way in. I thought because of his understanding, experience and skill level, he would be better suited with a dedicated vocal processor? I think it would also save him time and frustration? But that's just my opinion.

In goes the good sound. Outgoes the bad.
Ms. Remy Ann David

RemyRAD wrote: I thought because of his understanding, experience and skill level, he would be better suited with a dedicated vocal processor? I think it would also save him time and frustration?

Exactly the opposite: with the Satellite the only thing you can set wrong on the way in is the mic gain. From then on everything happens non-destructively and can be undone if needed.