What is your budget?

Deusx:
What part of the world are you in? This makes a BIG difference as to what you have access to and your budget. Example: a dbx 286a mic processor (which is a good low-priced channel strip for voiceovers) is a mere $200 in the States. In other parts of the world, it can cost almost $500 !!
Why do you want a mixer? I use Sonar 6.0 with a composer/partner. Our 2 Tascam DM24s sit idle. So do my analog boards...In any case, you might look at a Yamaha DM1000 or 01v96. With the Yamahas, their onboard DSP dynamics/EQ are good enough to not need outboard processing. And the moving faders really impress the clients!

iam in Pakistan and my budget is around 12000 us $.
i thought of the mixer because i found it convinient using basic eq on it rather than uploading from vst's, however even if i get a mixer i don't want want to go for something that might take me long to understand how it works because of my very little experience with mixers. work on vst's most of the time. i am a musician but right now working aaaand learning about sound engineering.

Deusx!! A sound engineer not knowing how to get around on a mixer is like a race car driver saying,"I need an automatic transmission because I can't shift gears"!!!
Well, if you want to learn to be a sound engineer, you need to learn about mixers! Even these days, where so much can be done right at a computer, you need to know what to do behind a mixing desk. Let's say that you have a talented client who gets a "record deal" after you cut some demoes for him. He says that he has a budget to hire you to go to some big fancy recording studio in, say, London, to do the tracking, all expenses paid, and will not take "no" for an answer. But you say, "I'm sorry, and I realize that I am a sound engineer, but I really don't know how to operate a mixing board, so please don't take me to London." :lol:
Of course you need to get around a board, and you'll wonder why you didn't learn how sooner!
In any case, with the budget you have, you should be looking at a Yamaha DM1000, or at the very least an 01v96. These aren't rocket science, they are very intuitive to operate, and they are very powerful tools to have at your disposal. Just don't make the mistake I made and buy a Tascam digital board!
There are plenty of books out there that will help you learn about mixers.
And I even read somewhere that there are actually websites to help those that ask pertinent questions about them :wink: We're here to help you, man.
Just don't ask,"What's a mixer for?".... 8-)

You mean like this post?

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bent wrote: You mean like this post?

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:twisted:

YEAH!!! Just look at that guys avatar pic....it says it all !
Deusx, you're not in that camp and you don't EVER want to be, OK?
Learn about mixers...they are our friend!

Deusx, you have already been working with some quality microphones. Your software and plug-ins are rather sophisticated. So, I have to assume that you are already reasonably proficient with what you have described.For your situation, I wouldn't necessarily change the way you work and what you work with.

What I would suggest that would differ from your existing system that you have used would be a DAW/software control surface. Just like the Yamaha suggestion, which is a fully integrated digital mixer and DAW like device and controller. Digidesign also makes these types of devices with numerous different models and corresponding prices. Throw Mackie, Allen & Heath and others into the mix and you will probably take to it like a duck takes to water? Are there ducks in Pakistan?

To the issue of hardware-based compressors and limiters and other stuff like that, yes, many of those above mentioned digital mixers can accommodate some external analog processing. It largely depends upon the unit you choose. And just like Moonbaby indicated, if you don't know your way around an audio console, you won't know how to make any kind of choice. Our suggestions won't help you in that respect. Needless to say, those devices pretty much all do the same things. It's only the manner in which you do them that differs. Only you know what makes you comfortable, confident, professional. We can't give you that experience as much as some of us might like to. It's like life. You know it's time to die when you know it's your time and not before then, hopefully. None of us can answer that question. There are however many well produced training/educational DVDs/courses for specific pieces of equipment available. Such as many of the Digidesign devices/control surfaces/digital mixers, etc.. These may not give you the answers you seek but may give you a better overview as to what you might want to recommend for purchase, if your level of understanding is there?

I've heard Pakistani rock-and-roll when I worked for VOA. Wasn't bad.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Awright, here he is again. Wasn't here for quite a long time.

You should listen to what Remy says. All of her posts are "pro". Period.

You should get a decent preamp. You have good mics that need something like a Neve or Focusrite (I mean their Pro-stuff) or you name it. 2nd a decent ADC/DAC.

You don't need a mixer. Forget about people saying that digital sounds worse than analog. They don't know how to mix.

You have Waves Plugins and Sonar. That's basically all you need.

Regards.

Bill

I must have missed something here. I didn't read ANYONE on this thread stating that "analog is better". The mixers I cited are all digital...
There are advantages to using a dedicated mixer over the ITB approach.
In the case of the Yamahas, they offer extremely powerful DSP to yield very effective musical dynamics and EQ processing, better than at least 90% of the plug-ins I've heard. You add to that the flexible routing capabilities, excellent onboard A/D and D/A converters and their flexible re-configuring, plus the tactile feedback and moving faders, all in a very tough, dedicated package. And I'm sure that there are advantages of the ITB approach that can be stated as well. None of this has anything to do with "analog vs. digital".

Forget about people saying that digital sounds worse than analog.

I didn't read ANYONE on this thread stating that "analog is better".

Can anyone tell me how one can come to the conclusion that the very first sentence (see above) referres to the statements on this thread?

hey guys thanks a lot for your suggestions, i definitely am interested in working and learning on a different system then i currently have, i am studying from books and web surfing and have a couple of friends here who can help me how to deal with a mixer, and i know that i will learn it.i have little time to prepare the list so needed some names for the mixers , compressors, limiters, for the mixers i am gonna c what you guys mentioned about the mixers but also need some suggesions for compressor and limiter, audio interface.

I've heard Pakistani rock-and-roll when I worked for VOA. Wasn't bad.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Yes maam music scene here is getting better especially youth is going through the process of learning about quality music and listening to it but main source basically is internet not tv, we are now listening to the stuff from 60's, till 80's, i have a band and working on our first album, started learning guitar when i was 22 , left my studies(bachelor in multimedia)now it's been six years and very soon with the help of God we will launch our selves.

i've looked at the yamaha dm1000v2 and 01v96 they are pretty decent digital mixers, but we might not need right now a mixer, as i 've been seeing many features in these mixer are not yet our requirement, but maybe later, so right now i;ve chosen joemeek twinq audio interface and sebatron vmp 4000e mic preamp.
genelec 8250a monitors.
pc running sonar 6.
mics u89i
AKG C 414 B-XL II.
how about this setup.

Skip the JoeMeek. The product line is no longer the Ted Fletcher-designed British-made gear that it was a few years ago. It is now made in China, and the build quality is not very good. Lots of bells and whistles, and a friend of mine bought one because of this, already having problems with the hardware.
The Sebatron has a very good reputation around this site and others, very good deal. I would also suggest the Langevin Dual Vocal Combo. This is a dual-channel mic preamp, opto-limiter, and basic EQ. This box really rocks, and has a great build quality (built by Manley Labs). Not as many knobs as the JoeMeek, but heads above that in quality. I had one a while back, sold it to buy a different preamp for a project, and am really sorry I did that. I want to get another asap.
Of course, you'll need an outboard a/d converter (instead of the TwinQ's).
There are many from Apogee and RME, etc. that are much more stable and flexible to use. Plus, this way, you can choose which pre is feeding the converter.
You can't beat Genelec for reference monitoring. Ditto with the mics, which are a more personal choice. You might want to look at getting a good large diaphragm dynamic mic, as well, like a Beyer M99, an E-V RE-20, or a Shure SM-7b. Many times, these make a better choice for voiceovers instead of a condenser. Personally, I have the M99 and the RE-20, love them both on just about anything I've thrown at them.