Budget mixer advice

[sbturtle121]

I'm sure that there has already been a post on this topic, but i couldn't find anything using the search.

I'v been a long time lurker of this message board. I just started purchasing equipment for my first home recording set up, and need some advise.

I have a maudio delta 1010, protools mpowered, and an at2041sp mic package (i read alot of great reviews on the at2020 and the new at2021 looks alot like a at pro 37r, and for $99 including shipping i couldn't pass it up) showing up in the mail in a day or two. What i need now is a low budget mixer so i can use all this stuff. My tax return is almost gone, so i can't spend more then a couple hundred smackers on a mixer.

any suggestions would be great.

thank you for your time.

[cfMC]

I have had decent results with Behringer and Yamaha's low budget mixers

[8th_note]

This will likely be out of your budget range but I'm going to mention it anyway. I also have a Delta 1010 and when I went mixer shopping I decided on a Mackie 1642 VLZ. The good thing about this mixer was that it has 8 direct outs which I plugged straight into my Delta. If you want to record more than 8 channels at once you can run a few more channels to one of the 4 busses. A 1604 VLZ also has 8 direct outs and would work fine.

There's quite a few of these on ebay and you might be able to get one for about $300 or so but I don't think you'll quite get down to 2 bills.

[workshed]

When I was shopping around a year or so ago, I was pointed to the Soundcraft budget mixers, such as the Spirit line. I ended up getting a Spirit Folio SX used from Dubphaser on this board for $250. It's a decent little board for the price with a lot of functionality, plus direct outs on 8 of the channels. The pres are okay, but it has nice british style EQ with sweepable mids. Anyhow, another option with which to confuse you.

[sbturtle121]

Thanks for all the advice.

I do really like soundcraft. If I could afford it right now I would probably get their M8 mixer. I was also looking at the compact 10. It has some very useful features, but no direct outs and only two busses.

The spirit folio sounds like it might fall some where in between.(price wise)

I've also looked at behringer and yamaha. they both have budget models that have built in effects, which could be nice, but i don't know how good or useable the effects are.

I've heard alot of mixed things about behringer products. they claim to be really quite, but alot of people seem to have noise problems with them.

[mikelevitt]

Thanks for all the advice.

I do really like soundcraft. If I could afford it right now I would probably get their M8 mixer. I was also looking at the compact 10. It has some very useful features, but no direct outs and only two busses.

The spirit folio sounds like it might fall some where in between.(price wise)

I've also looked at behringer and yamaha. they both have budget models that have built in effects, which could be nice, but i don't know how good or useable the effects are.

I've heard alot of mixed things about behringer products. they claim to be really quite, but alot of people seem to have noise problems with them.

I have the soundcraft compact 4. I only use it to mix my piano and ipod (while I am rehearsing) but it seems to be a pretty nice unit for $100. It's chinese made, but seems pretty solid, and sounds OK. Nothing you get for $100 is going to be great, but this box was better than I expected....

Mike

[nick_a]

someone's selling a soundworkshop 1280b console on here for pretty cheap. You should get that. I have one and love it.

[sbturtle121]

I'm kind of reviving this old post, but unfortunately I'm still looking for a mixer.

My car broke down last week, and cramped up my funds.

I was wondering if any body could tell me what they think of the Alesis studio 24. I think it was originally designed to work with their adat products, but it has 8 direct outs which would be perfect for my 1010. You can find them for right around $150, and that would work better with my now even more depleted budget.(if it's worth a damn)

[red cross]

If you're buying this mixer solely for the preamps:

1) Mackie VLZ-PRO 1202
2) Spirit Folio Notepad

Just tap the inserts for the "direct outputs".

I would avoid the Alesis unless you need sufficient inputs to mix analog. Even then I think you'd get better results mixing in the box. That Alesis thing really looks and feels like a toy. Please, save your money.

[Chris_Avakian]

somebody was selling a sound workshop 1280 on here a while back. if its still around, and the price was in your range id recomend that. those are neat little boards