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thecurejosh 13 March 2013

Hello guys,

This isn't recording related but I use this forum for help some times and thought someone might be able to advise.

If I get a pair of Active PA speakers or passive speaks with an amp is there ANY reason I wouldn't be able to use a Zoom R16 as a mixer for the purposes of a small live gig for about 150-200 people.

Cheeeeers

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dvdhawk Wed, 03/13/2013 - 08:55

Latency that would be tolerable in a recording application would be completely unacceptable for a Live PA.

If you're only in need of 2-3 inputs, you would be better served by buying an Active PA speaker that has more than one input and mixing capability on-board. If you need more than 3 inputs a small mixer designed for live purposes (either powered or unpowered) should be in your future plans.

pcrecord Wed, 03/13/2013 - 08:59

If the unit could do live/realtime processing, maybe. I meen, you could have it plug to a computer and use the realtime processing of a DAW software, but realtime processing tend to add latency to the signal. If you put too many realtime effects, the time the computer receive the tracks, process them and send it back to the unit, will create a delay. I don't want to work with that ;)

If you already have de zoom, try to plug a mic and see if you can add reverb and change the EQ in realtime, (without recording)
If so, it works. But would it be a good solution ; NO! Unless you are a DJ. Than a stereo output from your computer might be all you need.

What we expect of a live mixer is to rapidely acces all tools to mix the band, (gain, eq, effect sends monitors sends, master mix and may be some sub mix. You want to output the main mix signal and also many monitors signals for the musician to decide what they want to hear. Plus, going through menus to change the EQ is time comsuming and you don't want to do that live.

So for the same price of the zoom (399$) check the Allen & Heath ZED-14 or the Soundcraft EFX8 (with buit-in effects)

bouldersound Wed, 03/13/2013 - 10:54

thecurejosh, post: 402089 wrote: ...is there ANY reason I wouldn't be able to use a Zoom R16 as a mixer for the purposes of a small live gig for about 150-200 people.

Pick a mixer for the required inputs/outputs and features like eq and auxiliary sends, not for the size of the audience. In this case I think your Zoom comes up way short.

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