Topic: Mixer for live purposes?

Anybody know a good midrange price mixer for live shit, like 6-8 inputs or so, and as compact as possible? Ive been looking at the soundcraft stuff, like the Soundcraft EFX8. Is it any good? I don't wanna end up with any Behringer style crap.

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Re: Mixer for live purposes?

I know alot of folks who use a Mackie 1202 - it's tiny

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

That seems like a perfect size, but I've been warned against Mackie.. Dead sound i hear?

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Re: Mixer for live purposes?

maybe, but I've heard it used mostly in crappy sounding venues, so no one would notice either way

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

we used a similar mackie for a year or so and it worked fine, didn't notice issues with "dead sound" i mean, you play 30+ some venues every one is different like dequalsrxt said. plus i think for live stuff you want to make sure it can take a beating too. shit happens, drunk happens, etc etc, i feel like the mackie gear is pretty durable.

worship the potentiometer.

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

I bought a 1402 vlz3 for an editing computer at my job and I quite like it... But I never liked Mackie's for their short faders and the layout of the knobs, especially live that is a downside. But indeed, soundwise they are fine for live, only some of them don't have enough headroom (except for the older ones with the gain pots on the back, can't really remember). 
I still use an almost 10 years old Soundcraft Spirit Folio F1 which I love. It's thin enough to fit on the bottom of my suitcase (I pack my 707, 727, Nord Rack, DX100 and cables and stuff on top of it) and it's build well; after all these years of abuse it looks like shit but it's still working 100%. When I bought it the tiny psu input was looking like something that would break easily and it still looks like that, but again: after 10 years it's still fine so I guess it's build better then it looks. Soundwise it's simply honest, the EQ is pretty good, there's enough headroom and the layout and options are spartan but clear.  In the studio I always thought it was a boring mixer, but live it's working fine. Biggest downside is the routing of the outputs, there's no control room out so when a stage guy wants to connect the monitor directly to the F1 you loose your pfl's, and the main outs are XLR only.

The F1 is really such a good mixer that I wouldn't doubt buying one 2nd hand if I had to, or put my money in a new Soundcraft Spirit. But the new ones I don't really know, I never ever see them so I can only judge them from my experience with the brand.

And how about those new A&H Zed's?

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

We're selling a Mackie 1202 VLZ PRO if anyone's interested

L'omini delle macchinette

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

1202 VLZ is flat, but ok.  I use 3 of them in editing suites at work, hooked up to Mackie spkrs, not bad for what they cost. I lent 1 to Computerdisco for his home studio so maybe you could probe him for opinions... but never used it in a live situation or hooked up to a typical  loud crappy PA .

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

cimabot wrote:

1202 VLZ is flat, but ok.  I use 3 of them in editing suites at work, hooked up to Mackie spkrs, not bad for what they cost. I lent 1 to Computerdisco for his home studio so maybe you could probe him for opinions... but never used it in a live situation or hooked up to a typical  loud crappy PA .

Too flat for a studio, indeed... but good for those "loud crappy PA": it's portable and clean-sounding, basically all you need. We're using one since a couple of year and won't go back.

L'omini delle macchinette

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

BMX wrote:

Anybody know a good midrange price mixer for live shit, like 6-8 inputs or so, and as compact as possible? Ive been looking at the soundcraft stuff, like the Soundcraft EFX8. Is it any good? I don't wanna end up with any Behringer style crap.

I always loved my old Behringer for playing live; its cheap, it can take loud signals (even sounds nice when in the red), its small (19" / 16 channels) and the EQ isnt that bad... I'm glad Ive ditched my Mackie 1604vlz, never liked it and I rather spend my money on a Behringer...

TB or not TB

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

Freek wrote:
BMX wrote:

Anybody know a good midrange price mixer for live shit, like 6-8 inputs or so, and as compact as possible? Ive been looking at the soundcraft stuff, like the Soundcraft EFX8. Is it any good? I don't wanna end up with any Behringer style crap.

I always loved my old Behringer for playing live; its cheap, it can take loud signals (even sounds nice when in the red), its small (19" / 16 channels) and the EQ isnt that bad... I'm glad Ive ditched my Mackie 1604vlz, never liked it and I rather spend my money on a Behringer...

I totally agree with that...

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

Yes, there actually not bad at all, work well with the Krk speakers, give a clear and accurate idea if the sound. Quiet sound path and reasonable headroom, not astounding.
Better than any Bheringer crap. Mic preamps are quiet. Eq works but is not the most musical I have ever used. But still a fairy well thought out package. Build is good, no exteranl PSU either whichis only a plus.
Downside, all the eq knobs are a little close together and feels cramped. Rotary main volume pots are harder to read than liner ones..
Overall good value for money.

+++ Dont be scared honey, thats just the resonance knob +++

13 (edited by Squadra Smackos 2008-11-27 12:59:39)

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

LIDL has their own mixer brand its small like those phonic/Mackie/Berhingers and probably ultimate ghetto crap and you can get snacks with it

http://www.lidl.nl/nl/home.nsf/pages/i.home

(BTW is there a huge mountain of over-production of KIWI's? You see them everywhere in piles and piles...15 cent a KIWI now its crazy good if you like KIWI's though)

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

I've used my Yamaha MG 12/4 last Saturday. Now, I'm not very experienced with live situations (actually it was my first time), but I was quite happy with the sound.

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

I guess the Soundcraft cant be too bad then?.. Its pretty moderately priced.

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Re: Mixer for live purposes?

make some nice kiwi jam

Squadra Smackos wrote:

LIDL has their own mixer brand its small like those phonic/Mackie/Berhingers and probably ultimate ghetto crap and you can get snacks with it

http://www.lidl.nl/nl/home.nsf/pages/i.home

(BTW is there a huge mountain of over-production of KIWI's? You see them everywhere in piles and piles...15 cent a KIWI now its crazy good if you like KIWI's though)

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

damm that's cheap ,15 cent for a kiwi
i pay 1.50 euro for 2 kiwi's sometimes here in a local shop in belguim
although i have to say the kiwi's from aldi are not so good they taste a little "fluffy"

???

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

nothing from lidl is actually food, its just excrement painted to look like food. Im sure!

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19 (edited by Sander 2008-11-28 12:29:24)

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

I don't see it on the lidl page, properly they allready sell something else this week.

I allways have used behringer live and might buy a new one again. What's up with that english EQ???? in their new mixers? (for example http://www.behringer.com/2442FX/index.cfm?lang=ENG)Is it really sounding different/better? I liked the FREQ and mids of my old MXsomething mixer.

If you take them with you during traveling you might want to have it all the way flat and not higher in height at the back like the mixer on the above link. Because it needs more space.

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

Behring quote:

Our neo-classic

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

yeah, my mackie onyx also has ''classic british perkins eq''. my ass. it sounds like shit compared to a real mixer.

i've used everything mentioned live..i'd go for either brian's soundcraft (i used a bigger one several times and the sound is pretty decent) or i'm using the onyx right now, which is also not too bad in a live situation. but if i compare it to the d&r at home, the difference is astonishing. but thats a little big to bring to a gig..if money is not an issue, find a small 16 channel midas. best small mixer i ever used.

if you play in decent venues, a good mixer will make a difference. ig you only play small places with crappy pa's, you can bring a neve console and it'll still be bad. but behringer? sorry guys, never.. that thing just makes everything sound worse..

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

Checked Midas, i guess money is an issue big_smile.. 2800 euro is a few times the budget. Anyway, I'm pretty sure "decent venues" is somewhere in the future at best.

So, soundcraft..

http://www.thomann.de/se/soundcraft_epm_6.htm could this be something? Seems tight enuff and it has all inputs we need. It seems a bit too cheap tho?



The setup will be something like;

MPC 2xstereo out
Mopho
303
Voice fx like vocoder or something, mayebe a microkorg
Some other fx like delay, reverb or whatnot

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Re: Mixer for live purposes?

Ok, looked a bit more.. This should do the trick?.. Is something lacking?

http://www.thomann.de/se/soundcraft_spirit_m4_mixer.htm

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24 (edited by Brian Chinetti 2008-11-28 14:07:58)

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

BMX wrote:

Ok, looked a bit more.. This should do the trick?.. Is something lacking?

http://www.thomann.de/se/soundcraft_spirit_m4_mixer.htm

I was thinking about suggesting this one, but I didn't cause it's much more expensive than the one you initially looked at. I didn't work with this one, but if it's anything like the F1 it's perfect for live. Nice 100mm faders, buttons and pots not too cramped, 4 band eq on the mono channels, plenty of aux sends and enough channels to fit your needs. And if you pack it the way I do, you can fit it in a trolley suitcase with all your stuff packed on top of it.
Personally, since my experience with the F1 is so good, I would definitely settle for the Spirit M. But as said, that is my personal opinion. Only thing that's kinda doubtful for me is that the m4 has only 4 mono channels and 4 stereo, where the stereo channels have only high and low eq. I reckon I would go for the M8 because of that. Come to think, on my F1 I also use the stereo channels and the lack of mid isn't even bothering me that much, but it is something you might want to think about.

edit: I believe I read that you can dismount the sides on the M series to safe space, btw.

Re: Mixer for live purposes?

The M8 is probably just a wee bit over budget tho and were trying to keep down the amount of gear but i hear you.

Is stereo sound important in a liveset?

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