Do you like the Mackie? If you like it then get it.

Nothing in that price range is going to be any better. Just different ... different sound, different features ....

No inexpensive smaller table top mixer is going to measure up to a "real" studio console. The design and parts are just not up to the task.

The closest thing to a really good sounding console that I have heard is the older Trident 65 series ... but they are hard to find in good condition, often need a lot of re capping and maintenance and can be costly to keep up and running.

This is why the smaller studio business is turning to DAWs as a solution. All that's needed in most cases is quality front end and perhaps a small mixer to monitor latency free if you are using a lot of inputs and you need multiple phone and CR mix's while you track and you're cutting with the best of the pros (if you have talent and know what you're doing).

OT: A different approach would be something like the Speck LiLo.
http://www.speck.com/lilo/lilo.shtml

It is "slightly" more expensive. The design idea seems quite reasonable to me. Speck gear is usually quite good.

If you look at a used one, find out when it was made. If between 1999 and 2001, make sure it's had the ribbon cables replaced with "Revision G" ribbons. I bought one new made in '01 and a few guinae pig sessions confirmed I needed new ones (warranty covered, thankfully). Signals from just about any point of the flow will suddenly disappear, dropouts, static, all sorts of gremlins are possible. Overall, I like the board, but it's wanting for headroom compared to a big console, really have to watch the gain stages.

This is why the smaller studio business is turning to DAWs as a solution. All that's needed in most cases is quality front end and perhaps a small mixer to monitor latency free if you are using a lot of inputs and you need multiple phone and CR mix's while you track and you're cutting with the best of the pros (if you have talent and know what you're doing).

When using a DAW how does an outboard mixer get rid of latency problems? Do you patch your inputs through your board, and board into your DAW? Then monitor through the board? I'm new to DAWs and I'm having a slight problem with latency.

Couple of ways to deal with latency:

- set your interface to the lowest level that still gives stability (my Firepod runs at 2.5 ms...shorter than the latency heard by a 6 ft tall person hearing foldback from floor monitors...)

- use a mult setup in a patchbay, so your mic pre out goes in two directions (one to DAW, the other to your cue mixer)...just remember to remove the playback from the tracks being recorded, or there will be an apparent echo in the talent's cue mix....

- remember that latency exists only in the digital world - the fewer AD DA devices and cue mix effects you have, the less latency affects things....

- Higher sample rates by nature give shorter latency times....but can put too much stress on an older system...

- AFAIK, for 100% latency free operation, pure analog is the only answer...record everything to tape, then transfer to digital later...I know this is NOT an option for most smaller shops, though.

- Unless your clients say something, don't mention it...if they are not aware or complaining, then its not an issue :wink:

Hope this helps.

When using a DAW how does an outboard mixer get rid of latency problems? Do you patch your inputs through your board, and board into your DAW? Then monitor through the board? I'm new to DAWs and I'm having a slight problem with latency.

I can only say how I handle the problem. Midlandmorgan pointed out a couple other approaches

- AFAIK, for 100% latency free operation, pure analog is the only answer...record everything to tape, then transfer to digital later...I know this is NOT an option for most smaller shops, though.

I'm using Cubase and a Dakota card with 2 AI3's for 16 inzanoutz. Through the ASIO outs in the software I get a latency free flip of any record enabled track back out of the AI3's. These are normaled through a patchbay to a Mackie SR 24. I send the 2-bus mix from Cubase via spdif outs through my stand alone CDr burner, to stereo channel of the Mackie to monitor pre recorded tracks which can be mixed to in Cubase. This gives me six discreet "more me" stereo mixes, latency free, as long as I don't use any plugs. At least that's what I thought. Is there still some delay with ASIO monitors?

Is there still some delay with ASIO monitors?

I think so...but we are talking less than 100 samples from what I understand...no idea what that means time wise (too lazy to do the math), but I believe its waaaaaaaaaay below the threshhold of human hearing to discern, so for all intents and purposes, it is a zero latency system....its really not noticable (that I've been able to tell) until you start punch in/out stuff....even then it seems to be completely tolerable (again, less than 200 samples or so...)

Mind you: I'm no expert - just what I have experienced and read by those who are experts...

That's been my experience. It's the only DAW program I've used. It took about four days to figure it out and get it set up for the way I like to work ... before that it was 2" and ADATs.

As far as the punches, as long as I do them with a mouse their spot on ... if I use a key then sometimes its a little slow. ...but it's easy to edit the punch ... a couple of keystrokes.

I waited a loooooong time to get into DAW holding out until native power could do everything I wanted ... so as soon as that happened I took a look around and settled on Cubase.

Happy since ...
K.