Wanting to buy a used recording console? Need Advice

operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:39 pm

I have become infactuated with the idea of owning one of these, have used ameks consoles and Trident consoles and I think I am ready to buy one. I was looking at the soundcraft ghost 24 ch and really liking the look of the console, the price though is something that I would be ready for in a couple of years. I presently record with my emu- 1820m and I have a assortment of pre-amps and mics (some which are D.I.Y. Long live hamptone tube!) Anyways I think that having a recording console to my arsenal would be cool but not at that price, does anyone know of a mixer/console that would definatly have to be no more than $1000 and offer that desk feel and sound like a amek or trident would.

Used mackies look interesting but can the pre-amps be considered good? Anyways this may be a snobe post since I just basically want to incorporate somthing in my set-up which I don't need but would like to have. Any help in my journey for a cheap mixing console would be a big help, Company names and any thing that you might think might help.

Thank for any help.

Operator_tape

P.S. a studiomaster would even be o.k. I think, anything that is 8 bus is what I want.

operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 6:12 pm

I am bidding on a mackie 24X8X2 with a meterbridge. Does anyone have any comments on my question,?

Dave Nutz · Post by **Dave Nutz** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:56 pm

ribbon cables.

the pres can work, but arent amazing.

dont drop anything hard or heavy on the buss faders, because the front panel will sag into that spot and the busses will stop working...or at least the faders will become unusable.
this might sound like the most retarted comment ever, but ive seen it 3 or 4 times, almost in the same spot every time, which is the sheet metal where the group/buss faders sit.

you can drive the master buss pretty hard without it sounding terrible...

if you wire it to a patchbay, use right angle connectors on one physical side of the upper flip switches, otherwise people with unskinny fingers will have a fun time.

operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:52 pm

what do you mean ribbon cables, the mackie has ribbon cables? or the soundcraft? the pres suck then .

Dave Nutz · Post by **Dave Nutz** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:19 pm

yeah, the mackie(most mackies larger than a 1604) have ribbon cables which are known to cause all sorts of problems like channel dropouts and loss, and things of the sort.

ive been trying to dig up some stuff that was tracked&mixes through an A8B, but some of my documentation is being stored elsewhere, and my memory is not helping. the one thing i can remember is recording stereo cowbells(yes, 2 cowbells) with a pair of 414s through an 8 bus, in the back of the control room, because the live room was full of noisy people setting things up for vocals.

even better, the song was Livin on a prayer.

syrupcore · Post by **syrupcore** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:52 pm

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operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:53 pm

I heard people on gearslutz giving people with mackie 8 bus consoles shit for there purchases, So much hatred in the recording gear industry. Damn!

MechaGodzilla · Post by **MechaGodzilla** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:15 pm

Great music can be made with a Mackie. Shitty music can be made with an SSL. Just know what you've got, and how to avoid it's foibles.

I guess my feeling about Mackies are that they're clean, but kinda boring. I think I'd rather mix in-the-box or on something a little weirder. (FWIW, I'm just starting to search for a console, too.)

DJ RELAX · Post by **DJ RELAX** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:19 am

Check out the Allen & Heath line too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALLEN-HEATH-GL2200- ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Allen-Heath-PA-28-W ... dZViewItem

[/url]

Mark Alan Miller · Post by **Mark Alan Miller** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:53 am

Agreed on the 'know what you've got' comment. But try and at least listen to some signals, input through output busses, to hear what a console kinda does to the sound before picking it up.

As for the Mackie 8 buss - I've had to, for a number of different reasons, work on records on those. And they're just fine. I just did my best with it and the record sounded great. For the money they're clean and easy to use. (Try and check out The Stone Coyotes "Back To New York' or "Party Down The Hall" tracks from their new CD - they tracked in their home studio on the Mackie, and that's where I mixed them (the latter with Barbara.) Response to those tracks has been pretty good, I think, and, not trying to brag or anything, it's a good example of how that console can be used...) I think their MySpace listing just went up...
I like the Allen and Heath stuff too... bang for the buck.

I used to own a Yamaha RM2408 in the early 90s. (if I recall the model number) - quite serviciable if you don't need a gazillion inputs - and served me really well until my place went from 16 track to 24 track. In the later 90s I had a Tascam M3500 - lots of inputs, great sounding, but a little 'dark' overall. But I got used to it and made a bunch of records I'm still proud of on it. Both examples of using what I had and could afford.

bantam · Post by **bantam** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:14 am

i got a ramsa 24 ch board for 300 on ebay that blows mackie away. direct outs on all channels and the pres are usable.

snatchman · Post by **snatchman** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:59 pm

Hey...someone is selling a Tascam M-2600mkII 32 channel console on GS for $900.00..! I think that's a good deal. ( I could be bias tho', I have the 24 channel...!

)......

operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:06 pm

How are those ramsa consoles? I heard soundtracs topaz consoles are good, where can I find them and what do I look for when buying them?

Family Hoof · Post by **Family Hoof** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:11 pm

You've got to keep in mind the cost of wiring said console. With 24+ new I/O you're going to need a patchbay, and the cost of buying/building one would probably be pretty much the same for any of the consoles you mentioned, granted similar number of points. You don't want to find yourself spending $800 wiring a $1000 console that you'll probably outgrow soon and then have to spend more money changing all the connectors on your wiring assemblies when you get the better console. Or do I you? I don't know... If it were me I'd save my money or take out a loan and do it right the first time. If recording is your lifes passion and you plan on living for a while, then you'd ought to think long term about your investments.

analogcabin · Post by **analogcabin** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:49 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sound-Workshop-Seri ... dZViewItem

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Wanting to buy a used recording console? Need Advice

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