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trumpetprod 15 April 2010

Hi guys
I made up my mind that for my needs a $300 mixer will do the job. OK, I have the money. But which mixer do I buy? Any suggestions? I've
got my eye on this one: http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Behringer XENYX 1832FX Mixer | Unpowered Mixers | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Behringer XENYX 1832FX Mixer | Unpowered Mixers | Musician's Friend[/]
And I know you guys say Behringer products are crap but what do you think?
Thanks
tp

Comments

dvdhawk Thu, 04/15/2010 - 17:50

Perhaps a SAT analogy will help:

Blahringer is to audio mixer as Tang is to orange juice.

It looks kinda similar it serves essentially the same function, but what a difference...

I know it's tempting, but please[[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]hold out a little longer for something dramatically better - but only a little more expensive[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]hold out a little longer for something dramatically better - but only a little more expensive[/] you'll be glad you did.

Fresh-squeezed advice, no charge.

TheJackAttack Thu, 04/15/2010 - 23:20

We've been through this already in two other of your threads! Forget the Beh@#$@# crap. That-which-is-not-named for search engine purposes is a waste of resources. Don't let money burn a hole in your pocket. FEEL THE BURN!!! Mackie Onyx or Allen & Heath or many of the Yamaha mixers are where you need to be shooting for. If you really need a mixer. Of which I'm not 100% convinced.

Jeemy Fri, 04/16/2010 - 04:42

The A&H DVDHawk linked you to is $400. This will be infinitely better than the B&hringer, it will be something you can actually be proud of, and more importantly, get results with. If everybody's saying it, just trust us, you will be glad you did further down the line. It comes with a lot of functionality that later you will find extremely useful, you will be able to expand around it with ease and versatility.

boxcar Sat, 04/17/2010 - 09:26

yeah forget B----, i can't even say the word.
this is also a great little mixer right down your price range.($300 or less)

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.djdeals…"]DJDeals.com - ALLEN & HEATH ZED-10FX MIXER FREE SHIPPING![/]="http://www.djdeals…"]DJDeals.com - ALLEN & HEATH ZED-10FX MIXER FREE SHIPPING![/]

these also look interesting if you need more channels. even comes with cubase LE. for $239

http://www.pssl.com/!nhlf0mULSxhBWj6uPD17Yw!/Yamaha-MW12-Studio-12-Channel-Mixer-With-USB

trumpetprod Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:14

Correct me if I'm mistaken, I can use a mixer to record right? My little audio interface only has 2 preamps. No, I will not buy a new audio interface, so don't tell me that. A good preamp costs 100s of dollars more than a mixer and has less mic preamps... a mixer has more. I would use a mixer partly for it's preamps. I saw some 8 channel Nady preamp for 100 bucks which of course would sound like crap. I've looked every where if there was an inexpensive preamp with a lot of channels. Now I know you guys are going start bombarding me with things like, "You can't get a good preamp with 300 dollars", and I'm sick of it because it keeps happening. I'm not a professional recording engineer that gets payed to this and I just want something that works and fits my budget because this is just a hobby. Oh, and TheJackAttack, I know for God's sake we covered this in two other threads but that was when you told me 100 - 200 bucks won't buy crap. I started a new one because I have a larger budget.

TheJackAttack Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:46

Oh, and TheJackAttack, I know for God's sake we covered this in two other threads but that was when you told me 100 - 200 bucks won't buy crap. I started a new one because I have a larger budget.

You crack me up! You've got to lighten up about this whole thing.

I've been in your shoes before except it was in Chicago (and KC and St Louis and SoCal) fighting for every freelance gig or recording jingle I could scrounge. And still find time to eat, sleep, practice, and enough $$ to pay rent/utilities since the fam was 10 hours drive away. Even so because I'm me, I'm gonna poke the hornets nest anyway.

Cheap is cheap whether it's a mixer or an interface. Buy once cry once. It's far better to have quality than any old thing because you can. Would you equate a Mt Vernon Strad with a Chinese whatever? I doubt it.

trumpetprod Sun, 04/18/2010 - 13:15

Really? I crack you up? I know I have to lighten up about it but it just get's on my nerves when you keep telling me that I have to spend 100s of bucks more on things that I really can't. I KNOW you can buy a quality mixer with 300 or 400 dollars, and if you can't, I will live with a horrible one that will break in a couple of years. And instrument wise, I have an old cheap Chinese trumpet and a Bach Stradivarius. Even though there is a big difference sound wise with the two, an instrument is only as good as the person that plays it.

anonymous Sun, 04/18/2010 - 15:04

trumpetprod, post: 346111 wrote: Correct me if I'm mistaken, I can use a mixer to record right? My little audio interface only has 2 preamps. No, I will not buy a new audio interface, so don't tell me that.

Actually, a mixer isn't going to do what you think it will. Yes, it gives you more inputs, but it doesn't get you more discrete inputs, meaning you're going to have to mix whatever you plug into the mixer down to 2 channels to go into the computer, because your interface still can't handle more than 2 inputs at once.

$500 buys you a PreSonus FireStudio, which gets you 8 discrete preamplified inputs, which means you can record 8 tracks at once without having to submix them before you get them into the box.

And, as everyone else here has already said, B**er is a waste of time and money.

hueseph Sun, 04/18/2010 - 21:33

trumpetprod, post: 346157 wrote: In that case, let me go back to the mixer stuff. Your saying if I connect a mixer to my audio interface, I will not be able to record with them or I will not be able to mix them? Will it even work?

With a mixer you will be able to mix as many channels as your mixer has to the two channels of your interface. Once that's done you won't be able to change anything to the individual instruments. Everything you apply after it's been recorded will be to the mix of those channels. That's what a mixer does. If you want to record more than two channels at a time to separate tracks you need a different interface.

soapfloats Sun, 04/18/2010 - 21:34

Here is the problem w/ "recording" w/ a mixer in your case:
The maximum # of inputs into your computer/DAW is what your interface has - in this case, 2.
If you use a mixer, you will be able to to mic and amplify more sources...
but you will have to squeeze those down to 2 outputs to go into your 2 interface inputs.
For example, you can:
Use 4 mics on the drums > mixer> mix these drum inputs and send them to the stereo outputs on the mixer > into the interface.
So you CAN record more than 2 inputs, but you will have to mix them to a stereo pair (or do two mono inputs) to get them onto your computer.
You are then stuck w/ that mix you made on the mixer.

Relax... this is the way they used to have to do things in the old 4 track days. Record 4, bounce it down to 2, record 2 more, mix that w/ the first two, bounce it down to two, and so on.

If this process isn't going to work for you, then you'll have to shell out for a more capable interface.
I was there just a few years ago. It sucks, and it's frustrating.
I've shelled out nearly $20k over the past few years in my quest.
A lot of it wasted money, like Jack alluded to.
But you either have to pay for the individual input channels, or use the work-around I described above. There is no other way.

hueseph Sun, 04/18/2010 - 21:42

trumpetprod, post: 346145 wrote: Will it be the same thing if I get a separate preamp and connect it to my audio interface?

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus DigiMax D8 8-Channel Preamplifier | Microphone Preamps | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus DigiMax D8 8-Channel Preamplifier | Microphone Preamps | Musician's Friend[/]

You know, you could put your $400 down on a Presonus Firestudio and finance the remaining $100(I know it seems ridiculous to finance $100) and you will have a decent interface with decent preamps. They will finance you. You have a job" They will finance you. For that matter look into their B stock or cosmetically damaged product and you'll likely find yourself a good interface in your budget.

Actually. Look at this: http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-FireStudio-Project-New-Open-Box?sku=423144

anonymous Sun, 04/18/2010 - 21:46

hueseph, post: 346160 wrote: With a mixer you will be able to mix as many channels as your mixer has to the two channels of your interface. Once that's done you won't be able to change anything to the individual instruments. Everything you apply after it's been recorded will be to the mix of those channels. That's what a mixer does. If you want to record more than two channels at a time to separate tracks you need a different interface.

What he said.

By the sounds of things, you don't have enough chops yet to be able to get a good balanced mix pre-tracking. What you want is more individual track capacity, not a mixer.

trumpetprod Sun, 04/18/2010 - 21:52

Hmm... I think my only option IS to buy a new interface. I would do that right away but as some of you might know my uncle bought it for me because he knew I was getting into recording.This one [[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Lexicon Lambda USB Desktop Studio | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Lexicon Lambda USB Desktop Studio | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]
I think he would find it a bit rude to just get rid of the interface he got me and get a new one. Is there any way I could put it to use with another interface? And another thing regarding the PreSonus FireStudio, is there a firewire to usb thing because my computer only has usb ports.

hueseph Sun, 04/18/2010 - 22:21

I think your uncle will understand if you want to upgrade. As long as you explain it to him in a respectful manner.

No. There is no such thing as a firewire to USB converter. A PCI or express port firewire card can be cheap. You likely won't have to spend more than $50 for a good card with a Texas Instruments chipset.

anonymous Mon, 04/19/2010 - 07:22

trumpetprod, post: 346168 wrote: Hmm... I think my only option IS to buy a new interface. I would do that right away but as some of you might know my uncle bought it for me because he knew I was getting into recording.This one [[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Lexicon Lambda USB Desktop Studio | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy Lexicon Lambda USB Desktop Studio | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]
I think he would find it a bit rude to just get rid of the interface he got me and get a new one. Is there any way I could put it to use with another interface? And another thing regarding the PreSonus FireStudio, is there a firewire to usb thing because my computer only has usb ports.

1) Yes, the two interfaces should play nice together.

2) No, you'll have to purchase a firewire PCI or PCI-e card ($20-30)

hueseph Mon, 04/19/2010 - 07:42

Scott Griffin, post: 346223 wrote: 1) Yes, the two interfaces should play nice together.

Sure they will play nice together but you won't be able to use both of them at the same time. Unless, They are designed to work in Tandem. Usually two interfaces of the same type that are designed to work this way can share one asio driver. Otherwise it's one or the other.

anonymous Mon, 04/19/2010 - 10:36

hueseph, post: 346225 wrote: Sure they will play nice together but you won't be able to use both of them at the same time. Unless, They are designed to work in Tandem. Usually two interfaces of the same type that are designed to work this way can share one asio driver. Otherwise it's one or the other.

True enough, but he's not going to want to drag out the 8-channel monster when he just wants to plug his mic in and do some quick scratch tracks.

trumpetprod Mon, 04/19/2010 - 15:06

You guys are totally right... I could record vocals and guitar with my 2 channel interface and drum set and some other things if need to with the 8 channel interface. So the best interface 400 bucks can buy is the PreSonus FireStudio?
[[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus FireStudio Project New Open Box | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus FireStudio Project New Open Box | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend[/]
And where can I purchase a firewire PCI card?

hueseph Thu, 04/22/2010 - 15:32

Computer system requirements:
Below are the minimum computer-system requirements for your FireStudio.

Windows

  • Windows 7, Vista, XP (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Intel Pentium 4 1.6 GHz processor or AMD Athlon 64 (Turion) (2.5 GHz or faster recommended)
  • 1 GB RAM (2 GB or more recommended)

Macintosh

  • Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • PowerPC G4 1.25 GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5 GHz processor (2 GHz or faster recommended)
  • 1 GB RAM (2 GB or more recommended)

Windows and Macintosh Systems

  • IEEE 1394 FireWire 400 Port
  • Internet connection recommended
  • DVD-ROM drive
  • Internal or external 7200 RPM storage drive highly recommended

This from the website. It's always good to go to the [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.presonus…"]source. [/]="http://www.presonus…"]source. [/]

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