I have an Aceess Virus c / Novation K station & hopfully soon a JP8080 and while that's very nice it's also a pain in the arse for a lazy man like me to keep changeing the cables over every time I want to recored them to the pc.

So I've bben looking to get a small mixer to help with the problem but the amount avaliable is quite overwhelming.
I know to stay away from behringer but it looks so tempting e.g

Behringer UB1622FX

Behringer Xenyx 1204

also yamaha and just about everyone else has a range so any suggestions

Last edited by Jason_R on Apr-23-2006 at 23:32

Have you thought about a simple patchbay? it would be way cheaper to setup than puchasing a mixer, and having to change the cables over is pretty straight forward. Also would allow you to expand later.

What soundcard are you running>? Prahaps an upgrade to some higher model card, like RME, or Lynx with multiple inn's will be what you're looking for, instead of getting a mixer that will just add more noise to your recording chain? I run virus, nord lead 3, and jp8080 all to my soundcard (RME Multiface - 4 stereo inn,4 out + other connections) But it all depends what you need/price and sound quality. How much are you willing to spend on a mixer? Sometimes is better to just get a better quality card with multiple i/o, instead of adding a cheap mixer to your chain, that will just downgrade the sound quality of your synths. If you got 3-4 synths - and want decent sound quality I would look at lynx, rme lineup ( 1 grand range), or higher, For example if you're running any of the cheaper m-audio cards ( i am just assuming, as i have no clue what your sound card is), than selling that and investing the money that you are willing to spend on a mixer, into a multiple i/o higher quality card, will do you more good than some chep mixer. From my years of experiance with hardware mixers, I will not record anything thrue a cheap mixer, i'd rather go directly from say a synth to the sound card, than loosing quality. Go put some of the cheap mixers thrue a test and see how much unwanted noise they introduce to your sound. But that's only if you care about quality, if you don't get a cheap mixer don't complain about sound quality in the end This is just my opinion.

i just got a mackie 1402 vlz mixer, great mixer.

i highly recommend anything from the vlz-pro series from mackie, depending on the number of inputs u need, they have several models. 1202,1402,1602, and maybe one more. great board, its on of those standard type units, rugged, good sound, will last you especially if u buy it new. i got mine used for 150, and it looks like it has some years on it, but it works great!

just dont get anything from behringer.

The thing with Behringer is that although they're cheap, have impressive features and 'work', they're also made from low-price components and are mass-produced.

I decided to buy the UB1832FX-Pro and I'm mostly satisfied with it however the build quality is apparent - it's noise floor is way higher than they advertise, the soldering on the pcb is weak (one knock and you've got yourself a crackly connection) and the selling features (graphic eq, 24/96 fx etc) are so poor-quality you're better off spending the extra cash on external units - eliminating your savings against a decent desk.

If you want to stay in the budget price range my recommendation is to spend that tiny bit more for a more trusted brand, only use Behringer as a last resort.

___________________
-~-

Soundcraft is amazing. Spirit M series, I think that's what it's called, might be up your alley.

___________________

One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it's so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it's just as hard as it always was to make good music.
- Robert Moog

From experience... stay away from the Behringers, as they're noisy and not exactly the best of pro-grade-gear.

Previous suggestions like the Mackie and such as great.
Might also wanna check out the ALesis Multi-mix mixers... which double as audio interfaces.... quite handy shtuff.

A Patchbay is something to have in any case when you acquire many things to record from. THink of the Patchbay as your "matrix" between all your gear and PC and fx, etc.... inputs/outputs/inserts/auxes/etc.

It really depends on your budget.

___________________

'-.SgtFoo.-'
My SoundCloud

Does anyone know of any minal sized patchbays.
I have no clue whatso ever when it comes to patchbays but all that i have seen have atleast 20 in and 20 out.
Im looking to possible buy a patch bay as a way to switch between recording djing and recording production gear.

How many connections you wanna make? Think more of the patchbay as 40 points of connection rather than 20 in/out's.
If you only want say 10 or 20 points all up, you could prob just make one up yourself, depending how much you pay for the jack sockets, keeping in mind that it depends if you want normalled connections or not.

10 maybe 12 would do me for now.
How would i make one up for myself? Buy whole heap of stuff from RS components and solder away?
I wouldnt have a clue where to start.

It would just require getting the sockets you use (however I just checked Jaycar and Dick Smiths sites with no results - best to go into store).
All a patchbay is, is a rack pannel with the sockets fitted to it, and you solder cable on the rear, which then terminates at a plug, which you then connect to the device. it's a pretty fidly job, and only worth it for a small setup, as a mass produced one for a larger set up is prob about the same cost or a bit more, but you have no labour time besides the soldering.
i know Beringer suck, but they do have a patchbay for under $100 I think, and really for a home set up it would be ok. Couldn't be noisy as there is no power req'd - ie its just an interface. Would prob break with constant repatching, but so what, just use the next socket.

Nothing buut Mackie for me for the rest of my life. Outstanding boards. I have heard that Behringers make a lot of noise. Soundcraft is also the way to go.