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Hi All,

I have this simple stage setup that I want to buy equipment for:

1) I have 8 microphone inputs (being expandable to 16, is a bonus)
2) I would like to have at least three stage monitors for the performers with different mix of inputs (4 is better)

3) I would like to be able to do multi track recording of the performance, live. I can use a PC to record the these tracks (cubase).

4) I need just simple live effects, a simple reverb will do.

My question is what is the most cost effective approach to doing this, and how much it would cost (approximately), should I use a separate mixer and a separate recorder or a combination, and how would the connections be.

Your help is highly appreciated, I am looking for those pro guys to point me to the right pieces of equipment, and see what the cost would be for budgeting for this.

Thanks

Jetty

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Comments

Boswell Tue, 05/17/2011 - 04:06

There are several ways of doing this. If your primary concern is the stage performance, then you need a mixer that works for you and you are comfortable with for live use. The individual track outputs can be taken into a computer from most mixers from the middle range and upwards via a multi-channel computer interface. In some cases, an appropriate interface is built into the mixer.

The big divide is between an analog mixer and a digital mixer. An analog mixer gives you a full analog signal path for your live sound, but usually means having to use external effects units. The recording outputs are from Direct Outs on each channel, which would be taken via multi-channel analog interface into your computer. If you went for something like the Mackie Onyx 1640i or the Allen+Heath Zed-R16, the computer interfacing is internal to the mixer, so you just have a FireWire connection to your computer for 16 recording channels.

Digital mixers tend to have effects and dynamics (compressors etc) built-in, but need a more intensive learning curve to use them as live consoles. Examples from the low/mid end of the range are the Yamaha 01V96 and the Presonus StudioLive 16.4.2.

You don't say where you are located, so it is difficult to give meaningful costs.

moonbaby Wed, 05/18/2011 - 10:17

Don't waste your hard-earned money on anything from that company. Look at the Presonus 16.4 Live mixer .Firewire to the laptop, includes simple recording software designed for live gig recording. All the processing you will need for most any situation. We still don't know what corner of the world you're in, but in the States this mixer can be had for less than $2K.