Looking for analog mixer for recording rehearsals, <$1200

[CoG]

Hi all,

First post! My band is looking for a mixer for our space. We record absolutely everything. We've been running 6-8 channels off the floor at rehearsals into some so-so Presonus and Rolls pres, then into an MAudio 1814, then into Sonar.

We're really into getting a good sound off the floor, and we basically never do anything to the tracks once we've recorded them besides maybe put a little verb on the whole mix. We thought it would make more sense to just buy a mixer with a little bit of character and do everything there, then just run a left-right out to disk instead of messing around with this dog's breakfast of pres and track templates that we don't need and a full audio production package that we use 5 per cent of the functionality of.

What I'm looking for is a recommend on an all-analog mixer, max number of inputs we'd need is 12, with decent pres and (lower priority) fairly useful eqs for drums and loud guitar (we are in a pelican/NeurIsis kind of vein.) 2 busses would do us. It's very unlikely that we'd ever get into modding it, so we'd prefer it sounds good stock. A warm, fuzzy sort of "character" is good, we're not really into "crisp."

If the workflow/ergonomics are quirky/annoying/weird, that's not really a problem because it's mostly going to be "set and forget." Aux send/return off the busses would be nice because we may want to do a little outboard stuff on a drum submix but is not required on every channel. No midi, no firewire, no ADAT, no onboard fx.

Budget is around $1200. We'd really prefer to go used/vintage than buy new-- we've looked at lots of new stuff and modern boards have a ton of features we'll never use.

We'd prefer just suggestions but if you have something for sale, feel free to pitch me.

[egr]

I think some people have mentioned TOA stuff on here a few times for "character" etc. I've got a TOA RX-216 that I really like. 2 buses, inserts on every channel, and an "analog echo" that's fun.

The powered, 12-channel version just went un-sold on eBay here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

...that one looks a little rough, tho.

Here's a link to the manual for the 8, 12, and 16 channel un-powered versions:

http://www.toaelectronics.com/disc/manu ... 12_216.pdf

From what you describe these sound like a perfect fit. I've got the bus outputs patched to channels 15 and 16 so I can have inserts and a full channel strip on both, works great.

[sound for sandwiches]

I believe a mixer I am selling fits your criteria. I don't know where you're located, but perhaps we could work something out.

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

Ramsa wr-8816, 16 channels, 4 busses, 4 aux sends (in two stereo pairs). It will do everything you are asking for, and nothing you aren't. It's also well within your budget.

David

[JWL]

If I were in your shoes, I'd sell the M-Audio 1814, and get a Mackie Onyx 1640i and use the firewire.

But that's just me. Mackie has lots of haters.