I'd look at the StudioLive AR8c or other StudioLive mixers.

https://www.presonu…

Allen and Heath Zed is a decent low cost mixer.

Thanks for the suggestions. 

Will I be able to just plug this mixer into the wall then hook up mics etc and record straight into the SP404 without any need for amps or computers? 

I am after a pretty simple setup just so I can get some decent quality recording of drums/percussion onto tracks in the SP404. Obviously dont mind if it pretty lofi! 

I know how recording etc works in the SP404 but I am just a bit confused about how mixers work. Particularly the difference between powered vs unpowered

Thanks for the help

Sel0001 wrote:

I’m hoping to be able to use the mixer to record/mix a few more Mics into the SP404s mic in. I’m hoping to use this to have a few mics on the drums... I’m hoping to be able to use the mixer without any laptops etc. I’m not even sure if this is possible....I know how recording etc works in the SP404 but I am just a bit confused about how mixers work. Particularly the difference between powered vs unpowered.

Yes, it's possible, but I'm not at all certain you would be happy with the results. The difficulty is that you have no way of changing the microphone mix after the recording, just as you can't un-bake a cake. You could make a stab and a wild guess at settings for the mixer that would include something from all microphones, but drum kits in particular are not easy to mix to anything that is balanced and also fit in with sounds from the SP404, not to mention vocals and any other instruments that have come in via the microphones.

If you want to pursue this route, then all you need is a small-ish mixer that has enough channels for all the microphones you intend to use, and (importantly) also has stereo a recording output on RCA terminals (phono sockets in UK-speak). All you would need then is a stereo RCA-RCA cable to go from the recording output on the mixer to the line inputs on the SP404. A technical point is that the signal level at the RCA connectors on the mixer should be at domestic level (-10dBV).

Choosing a mixer for this type of use would not be too difficult, and you can rule out most of the ones that are described as "powered". All powered means is that it has built-in power amplifiers for driving loudspeakers directly instead of needing external power amplifiers. Powered mixers are usually more expensive and certainly a lot heavier than their line-level cousins. Having said that, I have in my hire stock an old Peavey XR800F, which is a powered mixer, but has 8 microphone inputs and RCA recording ("tape") outputs. The reason I mention this unit is that they are available very cheaply on a well-known auction site. However, because of the heavy internal mains transformer, one of these may cost more to ship than it does to purchase. There is a huge range of standard mixers on Ebay; you could look for something like the Soundcraft EPM8, which go at really low prices (at least on Ebay UK).

What are the routes if you want to have the chance of mixing the live sounds before adding the SP404 effects? For this, you need multitrack recording, so that each microphone has its own track that does not add to other tracks until a mixdown session. You have said you want to avoid using computers, which are these days the obvious way of doing this, but there are multitrack recorder/mixers that could be used in this way. Even a mixer that has way of recording on to a USB stick or a flashcard and then replay that back into the mixer for mixing would avoid computer usage. Come back to us once you have had a think about all this, and we can suggest what your next steps could be.