Mixer Recomendations for a Poor band

BenitoBassolini · #1 08-04-2008, 12:51 AM

Hello fellow TB'ers. My band and I have begun to get into a groove with our songwriting and we'd like to get a good mixer to help record songs with the full band rather than single tracks. I think we only need about 8 tracks at a time recorded. Is it worth it to get a usb mixer to output all the tracks into recording software, or will stereo RCA do the trick?

Can anybody recommenced a great starter mixer for $300 or less?

bongomania · #2 08-04-2008, 12:56 AM

You can pick up a pretty nice used Yamaha mixer for that much; a Mackie 1202 is another good choice in that price range, or one of their bigger models if you buy used.

A USB mixer is useful if you want to record the tracks individually and then adjust their mix, EQ, compression, etc. individually on the computer. If you just want to take a two-channel (stereo) recording for practice and songwriting purposes though, a regular analog mixer will do fine.

BenitoBassolini · #3 08-04-2008, 01:24 AM

Well, we want to be able to at least put out demo tapes and recordings out for the public so we can get some gigs.

BenitoBassolini · #4 08-04-2008, 03:01 AM

I just noticed that there is a separate forum for Gear. I thought this was 'the' recording forum!

If a mod sees this, could it be moved?

**john turner** · #5 08-05-2008, 07:32 AM

in the future you can use the report post functionality to get a forum mod to move a thread like this one

.

JonathanD · #6 08-09-2008, 07:28 AM

+1 to bongomania.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/iMM8USB/

If you have the firewire capability I would suggest going with the firewire option that is the same price.

I would go with the Mackie 1202VLZ if you want to be able to use it for live gigs also.

amper · #7 08-09-2008, 07:46 PM

Make sure the mixers you are looking at, if they have USB capability, are capable of outputting more than a stereo mix, if you want to multi-track with it. That said, I wouldn't recommend USB at all for multi-track recording. Go with FireWire or a PCI based system, at the least.

I just picked up a Yamaha MG166CX-USB this past weekend at GC for $340 (on sale 15% off). It only gives the stereo mix out of the USB. Great mixer otherwise.

mikeypbass · #8 08-09-2008, 07:52 PM

Another option would be to get an analog mixer with direct outs and put each channel through a PCI interface so you can get like 16 seperate tracks while still recording the whole band at once. Prolly gonna be a little more expensive but most likely worth it in the end

Deacon_Blues · #9 08-10-2008, 12:52 PM

Why does it have to be a multitrack?

I'm gassing for a Zoom H2 to record performances and my own playing and singing, and perhaps to have some demos to send out to clubs etc. The samples I've heard recorded with the device sounds really great, capturing the live vibe that is very hard to get onto a recording using 8 channels and a limited number of limited-quality microphones. Plus, you need to have a great deal of knowledge and experience to make those mics capture the sound you want. Often, amateur recordings come off as very dry and sound rather crap.

Considering the price of the H2 (perhaps $200?), I think it you can't beat the value you get out a unit like this.