You are correct in understanding the terms mono vs stereo, stereo is not mono and mono is not stereo, but stereo can sound like mono tricky stuff huh?
You use one mic pray tell why do need a mixer?

jg49 wrote: You are correct in understanding the terms mono vs stereo, stereo is not mono and mono is not stereo, but stereo can sound like mono tricky stuff huh?
You use one mic pray tell why do need a mixer?

Thanks. So will you notice a big difference between a mixer with a stereo FX send vs a mono using something like a quadraverb, using the quad for light reverb?

I want a mixer for the mic preamps / phantom power for the condenser. It also has built in effects like reverb.

My thinking on this is and I really don't know what you are recording "into" (I am guessing your comp soundcard) that you would be better off with something like this link removed
or a Firebox, or a Digi Design interface complete with bundled software. This will give you better recordings and all the effects you need built in reverb, delay, compressor, eq and more.
It has phantom power for condensers, allows up to 64 tracks, records up to four inputs at one time. It is something to grow with.
Behr*&^$ is not very well thought of for quality esp. their effects and this mixer has a very high noise level despite whatever the spec sheet says.
The issue most likely will be the software packages are somewhat complex because they offer so many options but the time spent learning them should be fun and you won't believe the things you can do with your recordings

I have owned one Behringer mixer and used two others out of necessity and circumstance. All were the noisiest pieces of crap I have ever had the displeasure to listen through. The low, low prices are attractive, but when it comes to their mixers, I think you will be disappointed and eventually end up spending more money to get something decent. You might want to save time and money and get something decent to start with.

Agreed with jg49 - it doesn't sound like you need a mixer anyway, just an interface with phantom power. Only thing to watch there is that you may be forced to monitor with latency, so you can have all the effects of your bundled software during monitoring but the monitored signal may be a little delayed. Some interfaces offer zero-latency monitoring, but as far as I know that's without effects. Effects from software require computer processing power and time, and that turns into latency. It is often possible to reduce latency to an acceptable level by tweaking your computer and the interface's settings, however, and for all I know, you won't be bothered by a tiny bit of delay anyway.

Ok, thanks for the replies.

Here's my current setup:

I use a condenser mic into a Roland AC-60 for the phantom power and reverb into a Behringer U-Control UCA202 USB interface to the computer. On the software side, I use Cool Edit Pro and record in real time.

I want to keep all my effects pre-computer as I'm use to that and just use CEP to record.

The AC-60 isn't the best choice for home recording so I sold that to get something more fitting. I read the reviews on a couple of Behringer mixers, especially the XENYX series and read that they were excellent and quiet. So I don't know...

But anyway, I want to keep the effects and stuff hardware. I need phantom power and reverb so I thought a mixer was the way to go. I'm on a buget and not planning on releasing a professionally mastered album any time soon :) so I figured the Behringer was a good step up from the AC-60.

Can anyone suggest a better mixer or setup under a couple hundred?

Thanks again

I am not the best person to offer you input on small mixers as I don't have personal experience and the comment I made regarding Be(*^%$ was from my experience with other products in their line including large mixers, I have used Mackie and the stuff was good, they do offer a 4 channel mixer with some effects which I have never used (no effects sends though.)

Just to let you know that the use of hardware effects in this price range in recording is unusual both because of costs as well as noise and connections. Once you have set reverb on a track recorded with effects there is no return, that is the advantage to plug ins post tracking. You can tweak the sound seven ways to Sunday and you still have the original track.

Sidenote, I can see you are new here but this topic would have been better posted in budget gear or the newbies section.

Well thanks for all the "help" and the administrators for moving my post so it's was hard to find with no warning. It would also be helpful if the forum made it clearer that budget systems weren't allowed in the obvious choice for recording gear. Meanwhile, I'm a new user leaving with zero information. Great site!

Well, you did post in the Recording Studio forum, which, if you read the sub-headers, has more to do with techniques than actual gear selections.
The Pro Gear section is geared more towards higher end gear though that isnt always the case.
Had you scrolled down into the rest of the forum lists you would have found this perfect area to ask your question.
As for information offered, I think because you posted in the wrong forum you werent getting all the pertinent info your question deserved.

So in trying to help YOU I get the red-ass treatment?

Wow.

Really I thought the same thing, that the question was more likely to get a response posted in budget gear. As to "no help" I thought you asked about mono fx send and stereo which I thought I answered. You were also offered two opinions on the gear you were thinking about purchasing.
If you ask a question and don't get the answer you want... well then we are a$$ wholes (pun intended.)
Don't go away mad just go away.

jg49 wrote: Really I thought the same thing, that the question was more likely to get a response posted in budget gear. As to "no help" I thought you asked about mono fx send and stereo which I thought I answered. You were also offered two opinions on the gear you were thinking about purchasing.
If you ask a question and don't get the answer you want... well then we are a$$ wholes (pun intended.)
Don't go away mad just go away.

Are you kidding me?

You are correct in understanding the terms mono vs stereo, stereo is not mono and mono is not stereo, but stereo can sound like mono tricky stuff huh?

This is your "helpful" response?

The two opinions had nothing to do with the question I asked. They offered alternative methods to what I was asking. If I wanted software advise I would have asked for it. I simply wanted to know if the effect of going to mono through the external effects proccesor would have a big impact on the final recording. The answer I got is quoted above. Ridiculous.

I won't go away mad. I'll go away happy knowing I didn't waste any more of my time here on stupid, smart-a$s answers.

Have a good one.

wjbell wrote:
Have a good one.

Cheers, I will. :)

wjbell wrote:
The problem is, this mixer only has (I think) a mono FX send. Does this mean I won't be able to get the stereo effect of the external effects processor back to the mixer and into my recordings?

I would think you could take the mono send from your channel into your effects processor and then feed the output of your stereo effects processor back into those CD, tape or control room inputs they have on there and you should have a stereo channel...

Whatta Marrooon.

I thought you were starting to get the type of responses that would help you. But you seem to have something else in mind.

What I cant understand is what you think this site owes you for simply signing up?

If you come on these type of sites with a big emotional package and your heart on your sleeve, you're gonna be disappointed every time. not just here but basically everywhere .

This is an open and free exchange of information and ideas. it is NOT your personal little encyclopedia of recording that you can simply open and expect rote and regular responses.

These people post here from all over the world. They come from different backgrounds, different cultures, different languages, and you expect it to be ONLY what you want to hear.

No one posting was screwing with you. Certainly not to the point of you becoming an asshole about it.

And that is exactly what you have become.

We really have enough assholes here so dont let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

Theres plenty of opinions all over the net about the crappiest of all equipment, Ber*(&%^#@!&*()ger.

Buy your POS and enjoy while you can because most likely it will fail when you least expect it.

Its also Stolen Engineering. Also called reverse engineering. Ber(&*%!@$%ger didnt develop any of the technology for that mixer....they stole it from the true developers. But because they are outside of the good old USofA, they face no recriminations for their sins. They price it so newbs like you will think they're getting a bargain when in fact you are simply buying into a joke on the rest of the industry.

You dont want to be here?

Good.

Wjbell:
DaveDog is right on with his advice....Go buy a Mackie instead....made right here in the USA!
All the guitar heros are buying them these days
besides we need the work.....and no I have no relationship with Mackie, Rane or Tapco...I've used them over the years and they work fine in that price range and are rugged....pretty clean....not as clean as uisng a good direct firewire interface but it might be what you need to manage and mix all your stuff....twisting real knobs is cooler anyway than mousing round and round!!

Why not just buy a soundcraft ghost, and fiddle with it for weeks on end, and still have no idea of what you are doing. Then I will buy the piece of crap from you for half of what you paid. There better be a meter bridge with it, I don't wanna slap anybody.