Foe me, I found the Soundtracs Topaz to be slightly more versatile than the Soundcraft (which was my next choice). Look for one used, in good condition. With the meter bridge, you should be able to find a used 24 x 8 for around
$1,000.

OK, I'm going to use the "B" word so please don't get too upset. Behringer makes the Eurorack MX3242X mixer which has come down in price to $800 at just about every catalog store. It has an external P/S and a built-in f/x unit (of dubious value unless you have nothing else). The talkback circuit seems to me to be in the wrong place for recording, but with the bus expander connectors you can bring the aux 1,2 to mix-b and voila! I don't know anything about the sound quality, but with the exception of the RNC, you get what you pay for. (Up to a point, and then value inversion occurs for some reason ;) ).

hi.. I have been serching for Topaz Project 8 24/8 but all of em are over 2000.. which model you are talking about? and where I can find one for 1000??

thank you ...

...To find a NICE soundtracs or a soundcraft you just have to be patient and be willing to pay for shipping...you'll be very happy with the results...Not to start a war or anything but theres nothing comparable to a mixer with individual channel boards as opposed to a 'motherboard'(ala mackie.beringer,peavey etc)..good luck and happy hunting...also a good used Tascam 1600 is a nice mixer for the money :D

I would be interested in knowing why a "motherboard" type mixer is considered inferior to a modular design type board. This is the first I've heard of a difference.

I own a couple of Behringers (8 bus and a 2004), and an older Samson four bus I use on stage with my band that sounds just fine. Of course I am of the old "cheap can be good, or at least cheap" school of studio recording...

What about the Allen & Heath GS3? It's a ten year old 16-8-2 mixer (expandable to 24 channels) that you might be able find used somewhere. I haven't had the opportunity to work with the Topaz but the A&H seems similar enough and sounds good. Has
anyone compared these two? Just my $.02.

/Henrik

(Dead Link Removed)

RIGHT -ON post Mr. Bear!!! theres also the occasional 'crosstalk' one can get from high inputs on adjacent tracks with the motherboard type of mixers...I've also been reading recently in posts here and there about mackies that windup outputting from one line through another without any reason what-so-ever....not to slam mackies or anything but i'd hate to be knee-deep into a session and have to figure out how the high-hat got into the lead vox trac...my advice is to buy a good mixer....they're out there... :)

hi, i have been checking posting here, yet I have not made my mind up yet. sound trac sounds nice, yet alln and heath also attempting. sure sound craft is also nice choice. yet, I haven decide which modle, which maker wouldbe the best choice for me. Please give em input

Add another vote for the Soundtracs Topaz. I bought mine used for cheap but it takes time to find a bargain. I've seen the 24-8 for as little as $550 without the meter bridge.

Good luck with your choice.

Don Goguen
Folk Cafe Productions

Hi folks, just joined this forum AFTER buying a used soundtracs topaz (original version) locally -$960 without the meter bridge-perhaps I paid too much? (no shipping though, and in pretty pristine shape). Glad to hear people think highly of this board. It is NOT modular, but of motherboard type-the channel strip "separators" are painted on. I guess only their higher end mixers are modular.
I noted that the input trim has a strange pattern-much of the volume is at the very top of the level. Adds LOTS of noise, too-which, (correct me if I'm wrong), if it were truly before the preamps, it ought not do. Just to "yell fire in a crowded theater", I'll bet the new mackies are lower in noise. I put my guitar through the line ins, and even with a prior preamp it was pretty noisy. I understand that this involves level & perhaps impedance mismathc, though. However, running the guitar into the mic ins seems pretty quiet, the manual specs say that the line in noise is -95 dbu, wherease the mic noise is -129 dbu (why would this be?). The groups can be pretty noisy, too.
OK, so here's my (newbie) questions: Since the ins & outs are in the back I want to run things through a patch bay. I read that a nice strategy is to run the inserts through a normalled patchbay, that way the normal connection is unbroken. Would having this extra cable & PB in the loop add more noise than it's worth? (I'm recording to PC, 24 bits).
Question 2: the topaz has lots of outs, but since I'm mixing on a PC, I don't need all of them. Is there anything I would need the monitor outs for? (it has 2 control room outs & 1 studio out for a headphone amp).
This is my first studio mixer (as opposed to cheap live board), so I'm still figuring things out-more questions to come. Thanks muchly!

Have you checked to see if the outputs are set to -10 0r +4 dbu. I ask this because also in the manual you'll find that many connections on this board are typically defaulted to -10. My manual explained this is due to many "home studio" products being unbalanced -10 connections.

If you take the a look at the pc boards on the back of the Topaz mixers you will find some solder jumpers that depending on if they are open or shorted will change the some connections from -10 to +4.

I know I chased my tail on this one until I read the manual all the way through. I also avoid using the mix buses and use the direct outs into the computer. I suggest this for any console as every stage you send a signal through adds something (sometimes good, often not).

Don Goguen

Any opinions on the Tascam M-1600? There's one available in my area for an asking price of $699. It seems to have some nice features (100mm faders, inline design, direct outs, 8 group buses) for that price. Only 8 mic pres, but that's OK; I've got a few of outboard ones and would be happy to have an excuse to pick up a few more.

Mostly, I'm wondering about headroom and sound quality, especially on the main stereo bus. I'm currently using a Mackie SR24-4. Would the M-1600 be a step up from this, or a step sideways? (Judging by what I know of Mackie & Tascam in general, I'm guessing it'll be a step down in the noise department, but that's OK as long as it's a baby step.)

Thanks for any light anyone can shed...

I have an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard 16:2DX, it seems to work great.

Pros: Direct outs each channel, two sweepable mids, plus the onboard FX are cool. Pre's are pretty good. 6 aux sends. The back panel rotates so that it can fit in variety of places.

Cons: A four bus mixing section would be nice. The little lights that indicate the channel is active look very cheesy, I am always concerned about breaking them off.

I have used it live and in the studio. This board definitly has a lot of bang for the buck! :cool:

hi... its me agaian!
I have narrow down my hoice to allen and heath GS3 or soundcraft 500 24 cha.
GS3 was my primary choice, yet while I was serchin for GS3, I found soundcraft w/i my budget.... dose anyone have experience with those two board?