Help me move on from my Mackie 1402!

[Tragabigzanda]

Hey all...

So, I've worked my 1402 to the bone; I've pushed her just about as far as she can go, and I'm ready to move up...

Would love 24 ins/outs, but would settle for 16.
I'd love 4 aux send/returns.
I'll need some nice mic pres, not the clinical Mackie sound.
Balanced inputs (I came across an old Ramsa, and was surprised that it had only unbalanced inputs).
Sweepable mids.

And I've got a pretty good idea of what I DON'T want (Alesis, Mackie, Behringer), but not such a great idea of what I DO want.

Little help? I'd love stay below $1000, and even closer to $500~$600 if that's possible...

Thanks.

[lefuquaire]

i'm in the exact same boat as you.. looking @ a midas venice but that is mucho$$. the allen and heath mix wizard 16 would be in your range..

[Leopold]

Look into a Soundtracs Topaz, there's a lot of reviews on this board on them and most people are happy with them. I had mine for about 4 years and really got a lot of use out of it. I'm currently selling it after upgrading to a Soundcraft. I'm in L.A. let me know if you're interested but there may be something in your neck of the woods as well.

Eddie

[Artifex]

I havent heard of these Sountracs boards before, but some quick searching shows me that they are pretty far out of Tragibigzanda's budget?

[Tragabigzanda]

ouch!

[Leopold]

I havent heard of these Sountracs boards before, but some quick searching shows me that they are pretty far out of Tragibigzanda's budget?

Well I got mine used for way under a grand, you see them anywhere from $500-$1000. Depends if they have a meter bridge, condition, 32 channels or 24 channels. But like I said can be found for under a grand.


Eddie

[kayagum]

If it's the mic pres that are bugging you, maybe the money would be better spent on outboard pres.

If the mix buss itself is bugging you, then continue your search.

BTW- I saw a couple of Soundcraft boards for sale cheap locally. Search on http://musicgoround.com - the 16 channel 2 buss board in Maple Grove, MN might be the ticket! The 32 channel 4 buss board I saw in Roseville is in pretty good shape- missing a couple of knobs, but if it works, the price is still $1K.

[Tragabigzanda]

What about Biamp? I'm going to check out a Biamp 24 tomorrow (funny--that's the exact same one my dad had in his studio when I was about 6 years old!). Any experience with these?

[joel hamilton]

Going for more channels for LESS money than the console you have now is probably going to give you a whole lot more of what you dont like about yor current setup.

I was racking my brain trying to think of something good in the price range you mentioned, but all I can think of are things that i personally would not be more psyched about than a mackie.

Is there any way you would consider adding a sidecar? just patch it up as a mix insert so you dont lose 2 channels on the mackie and you gain the inputs from the sidecar, and get a different color pre, and eq out of the situation? like a nicer 8 channel scenario?

Even that sort of thing will probably get up over 1K pretty quick if you are looking to "beat" the sonics you are currently working with.

[vsr600]

I recommend the Soundcraft M12. It's got the same pre's as the Ghost and the routing is very clean in it...

[JWL]

Going for more channels for LESS money than the console you have now is probably going to give you a whole lot more of what you dont like about yor current setup.

This was my first reaction to this post as well. Not sure you'll do better than a Mackie Onyx in that price range....