A stage snake

[Meyatch]

If nobody is listing them on the local craiglist, post a want ad. The price of used snakes has plummeted. We went to a digital mixer, and most other people are doing it too. Even with shipping I bet you could talk someone into selling you a snake cheaper than the $180 one listed above.

 

[Big Hoss]

@Big Hoss - taking a guess, that looks like one of those cheap Seismic, OSP or Musician's Gear snakes. For that price, you get cheap cable, cheap connections, probably wired incorrectly, and so on... You get what you pay for. My advice - if you plan to buy one - is bite the bullet and invest in a decent RAPCO, PROCO or Whirlwind snake. You won't lose channels...
I have a 16x4 (XLR) 100' Proco available if anyone is interested....

A few more channels than I need, but OP might be interested...

FWIW, the Open Box deal I got was on a Rapco.

I should mention I have both Rapco and MusiciansGear in my XLR and Instrument cable selections, and honestly, if the snakes are made like the XLR and instrument cables, I would rather have the MusiciansGear snake over the Rapco. I can't compare snakes since I don't have the MG one, but I have had more improperly soldered connector issues, or cable breaking right at the solder joint problems with the Rapco cables than anything else... I figure with a snake I can take the fittings apart and re solder if needed, and I couldn't pass up the price.

 

[Big Hoss]

Just a thought because I used to use a mixer and all... if all those inputs don't translate to individual, separate tracks in the DAW, it can be a headache. If you only need to play, fine. If you intend on recording, you want to be able to fine tune volume levels after, because if all you get is a stereo track out, you won't be able to turn up just the snare or whatever in the recording later if you wanted to.

Yeah, a mixer is to take multiple sources, and "mix" it down into one (or multiple depending) stereo signals. Not ideal for recording, but certainly what you want for live sound. I do record through my mixer, but the post mix sound is what we are aiming for... Our lead guitarist has a multi track recording interface, which is great for recording, but the last thing in the world we would want for live sound...

 

[Big Hoss]

If nobody is listing them on the local craiglist, post a want ad. The price of used snakes has plummeted. We went to a digital mixer, and most other people are doing it too. Even with shipping I bet you could talk someone into selling you a snake cheaper than the $180 one listed above.

There is a Live Wire 16x4 50' in my local CL for $180.00

 

[Big Hoss]

Okay, on the analog mixer vs digital thing. The closest features wise I can find is the Behringer XENYX X2442USB which can be had for $269.99 (Or free if you get it as a gift like I did...), and the Behringer XAir X18 that seems to have a current on sale price of $499.99.

The addition of a stage snake can be had for reasonable money. I got mine, as an open box / Ebay auction kind of thing. Basically got a NAMM surplus that was auctioned on ebay. Paid $112.00 for a snake with 12XLR Sends and 4 XLR / TRS returns. Not combination jacks mine you, just regular TRS and XLR wired to the same cabling...

Yeah I know $107.00 isn't a ton of difference cost wise, but when you factor in, like I said, the mixer was a gift... Yeah there is a difference. Also factor in, to properly use the Xair, you MUST use a tablet with add in software there is the added cost, and last time I looked an iPad isn't exactly cheap, and even decent Android tablets up the ante quite a bit money wise. So unless you already have a tablet factor in at least $400.00 for a decent tablet...

Now the cost difference is getting a bit more real...

Now, having said that, I am seeing a LOT of activity with folks BUYING and implementing analog mixers and snakes VS digital mixers / tablets. Cost is a factor, but also reliability is a concern...

It's all up to the OP and his band, but for ME and my band, we chose analog, and are comfortable with it...

 

[seamonkey]

Really, it's not analog/digital, it's the form factor. Remote controlled analog is also a strong way to go. In fact all mixers you plug a mic into have analog pre-amps.

Agree that for most low cost digital you need some kind of control surface of IOS, Android, or PC. If you get an good Android or PC for a lot less than $400. I would say though that a $100 Android or PC may not have the quality of a $400 tablet, just like a $100 snake may not have the same quality of a $400 snake. Price doesn't always determine quality, but some things like connectors just cost money to make.

It sounds like you put some thought in it, If you've gone analog, just go with it. Nothing wrong with sound from long balanced lines for microphones if you can safely manage the cable. Some venues don't like the thick cable.

Analog is still viable and stable as far as features, but it's at its peak of technology, as there's not much more to do.

Digital is growing fast. There's some good competition for Behringer now. You'll have many choices in the near future. I expect prices to drop without loss in quality.

Some will jump, some will stay, it's all about the music anyhow.

 

[s0c9]

Analog is still viable and stable as far as features, but it's at its peak of technology, as there's not much more to do.

Digital is growing fast. There's some good competition for Behringer now. You'll have many choices in the near future. I expect prices to drop without loss in quality.

Some will jump, some will stay, it's all about the music anyhow.

+100
I'm an old analog guy.. mostly because that was what my my experience and exposure was.
When digital first started appearing - eg:Yammy 01v96 - the price was out of the budget for the average weekend warrior and I found the "layers" to be a challenge - coming from analog.

Move on a few years and digital started becoming more mainstream in the weekend warrior mkt - first with Presonus, then X32, and QSC, A&H, Soundcraft and others followed suit in the small footprint world.
Having been exposed to (and used) Presonus, Yamaha, Behringer, A&H and Soundcraft "digital" mixers, I WILL absolutely CHOOSE them over analog now!
Reliability is not an issue. Complete console settings backups (I can take my settings from one console and load to another in seconds), remote control, routing, matrix mixes, remote IEM mixing, ease of use, etc.. are all things that CAN be done with analog, but not at the price point digital provides.
Our current rig is basically power up and go. Three wireless IEM mixes (Senn G3's), one P16M (Aviom style) for drummer and one wedge mix for the BL, and the X32, all housed in one rack.
Can you tell I'm a convert ?? LOL

Analog is good. It's relatively cheap today, but the form factor and technology advances dictate that at some point, analog will probably go the way of the dinosaurs!

 

[Big Hoss]

+100
I'm an old analog guy.. mostly because that was what my my experience and exposure was.
When digital first started appearing - eg:Yammy 01v96 - the price was out of the budget for the average weekend warrior and I found the "layers" to be a challenge - coming from analog.

Move on a few years and digital started becoming more mainstream in the weekend warrior mkt - first with Presonus, then X32, and QSC, A&H, Soundcraft and others followed suit in the small footprint world.
Having been exposed to (and used) Presonus, Yamaha, Behringer, A&H and Soundcraft "digital" mixers, I WILL absolutely CHOOSE them over analog now!
Reliability is not an issue. Complete console settings backups (I can take my settings from one console and load to another in seconds), remote control, routing, matrix mixes, remote IEM mixing, ease of use, etc.. are all things that CAN be done with analog, but not at the price point digital provides.
Our current rig is basically power up and go. Three wireless IEM mixes (Senn G3's), one P16M (Aviom style) for drummer and one wedge mix for the BL, and the X32, all housed in one rack.
Can you tell I'm a convert ?? LOL

Analog is good. It's relatively cheap today, but the form factor and technology advances dictate that at some point, analog will probably go the way of the dinosaurs!

You are probably right. I use a laptop with my mixer. If I were not gifted my mixer I might have gone digital...