Why Would you Need a Mixer more than 3 Channels?

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-- Why Would you Need a Mixer more than 3 Channels?

Posted by Psiweaver on Apr-23-2004 16:10:

Why Would you Need a Mixer more than 3 Channels?

I'm just curious as to why you'd need a mixer wiht more than 3 channels. It seems like the most tracks you'd ever be mixing would be 2 or 3 so why do you need mixers like the DJM600, Allen and Heath Xone 92. Well not why you need them since they've got good sound quality, but why are those the club standard mixers not a 3 channel one that sounds just as good with all the same features. Thanks in advance for your answers.

Posted by Boomer187 on Apr-23-2004 16:17:

Ive seen a setup with 4 vinyl decks and 2 cd decks. but basically it is for playing multiple thigns at once. Say you have 2 vinyl playing over each other for a few minutes and you need to cue up a third record. Or add in samples from a cd.

there are more possibilities with more channels.

Posted by CraSHer[UK] on Apr-23-2004 16:24:

4 channels means you can play

vinyl - vinyl
vinyl - cd
cd - vinyl
cd - cd

without having to switch any line/phono switches. I would have thought 2 cd players and and 2 decks wasn't overly uncommon.

Posted by CraSHer[UK] on Apr-23-2004 16:25:

4 channels means you can play (assuming you have 2 cd players and 2 turntables)

vinyl - vinyl
vinyl - cd
cd - vinyl
cd - cd

without having to switch any line/phono switches. I would have thought 2 cd players and and 2 decks wasn't overly uncommon.

Posted by opianstate on Apr-23-2004 16:51:

I'm sure the basic idea is flexibility, you don't want to be stuck with two songs on CD that you would like to mix together and not have the means to do it.

Posted by IntegraR0064 on Apr-23-2004 18:16:

quote:
Originally posted by CraSHer[UK]
4 channels means you can play (assuming you have 2 cd players and 2 turntables)

vinyl - vinyl
vinyl - cd
cd - vinyl
cd - cd

without having to switch any line/phono switches. I would have thought 2 cd players and and 2 decks wasn't overly uncommon.

uhhh.....you flip a switch. if you buy a 4 channel mixer to do this....you should have given that extra money to me or someone else that would use it in much better ways.

Posted by Dj Thy on Apr-23-2004 18:34:

I my active days I mixed more than two sources at the same time.

I had a six channel mixer. 3 channels vinyl, 2 cd, 1 as effects return (prefer to use a channel for that).

Sure if you only mix two tracks at a time without any extra thing, 2 channels is enough. But

1) it's the case of expandability, always keep in mind that one day you may need more (then you already have the extra inputs, instead of buying a whole new device)
2) not every one mixes like you do. Some people need more...

This counts even more for clubs. Most clubs have lot's of gear installed to accomodate as many dj's as possible (this includes several turntables, effectors, even mics sometimes).

Posted by Freak on Apr-23-2004 18:38:

ok
I often have 3, occasionally 4 things running at once.

How would i do that on a 2 channel mixer?

Every club i work at has at least 4 channels and normally a spare unused one, and in addition to that there will the microphone channels.

Its very very restrictive having the channels being shared by a line+phono input- for a start you cant even cue up the other souces that arent selected, which is useless.

Good example:
Having worked at Air (home of godskitchen) i know they have 4 1210s, and two cdj1000s, which means the allen&heath suits it perfectly as it has enough channels
....when pvd was there the other week, they set up the outer two channels/1210s for his final scratch crap, and the rest was as normal for the other djs
-this wouldnt have been possible on a 3 channel- at some point before pvd went on (and when he finished) they would have had to unplug stuff/reroute stuff- which personally having done it before with tunes playing, is a major pain in the ass.

One sound source per channel is the way it should be.

Posted by chesco on Apr-23-2004 21:27:

Re: Why Would you Need a Mixer more than 3 Channels?

quote:
Originally posted by Psiweaver
I'm just curious as to why you'd need a mixer wiht more than 3 channels. It seems like the most tracks you'd ever be mixing would be 2 or 3 so why do you need mixers like the DJM600, Allen and Heath Xone 92. Well not why you need them since they've got good sound quality, but why are those the club standard mixers not a 3 channel one that sounds just as good with all the same features. Thanks in advance for your answers.

Once you get into dj'ing you will soon realise it's not all about playing two records for some people. take hawtin for example, this guy uses the xone 92 and into it he will have 4 dex both cdj and normal dex, two pc's and effects units. You can't do all this unless u have a mixer with multiple functionality.

Also check out mixes from jeff mills and the surgeon, these guys are masters of 3 deck mixes.

Posted by Psiweaver on Apr-24-2004 07:44:

Okay thank you guys your responses were very helpful. So what 6 channel mixer do you recommend? I know of Allen and Heath anything else on par with that?