I have the Behringer UB802 and have already wished that I had 4 XLR in's. It is very handy but you should buy a little bit more than you need (yes, mutes would be good too).
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Little mixers
- Thread starter JimmyM
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Regarding Mackie, IMO, the
802VLZ4 is simplest version with mute-buttons.
Behringer has a lot of different options, but my experience with Behringer is that they're noisy.
I would try a Behringer live first, before buying.
Soundcraft had the compact 4, however no longer available.
You're asking quite a question, JimmyM!
802VLZ4 is simplest version with mute-buttons.
Behringer has a lot of different options, but my experience with Behringer is that they're noisy.
I would try a Behringer live first, before buying.
Soundcraft had the compact 4, however no longer available.
You're asking quite a question, JimmyM!
Well sending a proper signal would be a start
Ignorance on my part. We need a DI for an instrument to send to the main mixer FOH so I was thinking along those lines. Now I see my Alesis 1/4" outputs are balanced so I guess that it's a given that a sub-mixer can feed a main mixer directly.
I use an iOS based system directly to powered speakers but this thread has me thinking a mixer in the middle could make life a lot easier.
I'm with @High Camp on the 802VLZ4. Great now I've got MAS.
Mr Jimmy M. I know in your original post you asked us not to argue with your concept, but with all due respect, I think the inclusion of eq is only making it less likely you will find a compact unit. You already have eq in the signal chain. No? Your going to be carrying a desk-top thing, with knobs you might not really need protruding from it. We're agreeing on the mute. Let go of redundant eq for portability if you can.
Yeah, I hear you, but I'm trying to have it all
Definitely will have to go up in class and size, though, so I should really concentrate on what's most important.BTW, I talked to my AR guy at LOUD about this, and he didn't have any experience with it, but from what he said, it sounds like the little Mackie has stereo outs and I'd only be able to send one signal or the other to the board from the out if I go one line to the main board. True?
Mackie also has the ProFX8.
Looks good too, I must say.
Haven't looked too deeply into the features and benefits, though, let alone differences with the 802VLZ4.
Looks good too, I must say.
Haven't looked too deeply into the features and benefits, though, let alone differences with the 802VLZ4.
802vlz4 is looking like my best bet overall. It's bigger but it has XLR line outs, 3-band EQ, and mutes.
If you're hurtin' for 4 XLR ins and don't want to spend much more $, and as always, if you can tolerate a Behringer... line mixers are one of the few areas where they kind of shine for the money. The 1204FX (or 1204USB for slimmer profile) has four XLRs, 3-band EQ, and mute switches. Of course, the Xenyx are laughably obvious as a rip of Mackies. Still, $169 new, and I'm using a tiny 502 for my studio monitor mixer and it sounds great. Dunno if there'd be more noise on a bigger rig, but it's silent here until I crank the outs up way into the +dB ranges.
I'm thinking of springing for a 1204 for the studio so that I can get up to four channels discrete output via panning for podcast recording purposes. While it doesn't have the hi-Z input switches that Mackie does for direct-in guitars, I don't need that here.
I'm thinking of springing for a 1204 for the studio so that I can get up to four channels discrete output via panning for podcast recording purposes. While it doesn't have the hi-Z input switches that Mackie does for direct-in guitars, I don't need that here.
I used a Soundcraft Notepad for this very use.
Got that one because it sounded the best, and the EQ is much more, umm, musical than the Mackie.
has everything you need, and comes in a small format. only bummer is the external power supply, but if you can live with that, it is a great little mixer.
Got that one because it sounded the best, and the EQ is much more, umm, musical than the Mackie.
has everything you need, and comes in a small format. only bummer is the external power supply, but if you can live with that, it is a great little mixer.
Having worked for seventeen years in live sound, I too, think the "cheap" mixers from Soundcraft (and Allen & Heath) have a noticeably sweeter sound than anyone else's budget offerings.
Yeah, I hear you, but I'm trying to have it all
BTW, I talked to my AR guy at LOUD about this, and he didn't have any experience with it, but from what he said, it sounds like the little Mackie has stereo outs and I'd only be able to send one signal or the other to the board from the out if I go one line to the main board. True?
Hmm, that doesn't make any sense, if I'm interpreting what he said correctly. You are mixing both (or all, if that's the case) the inputs down to one output that you can send to the FOH console. Unless you pan to the left or right, all the inputs will go to the stereo bus, which is two outputs (sorry if I'm being too elementary). You can send either of these outputs to the FOH console.
What he might be referring to is the stereo inputs, as seen in the RCA or 1/4" inputs. These inputs probably don't have a pan knob. So if you connect to the left side of a stereo input, it will go to only the left side of the stereo output, same thing with the right input. This isn't what you are talking about doing, as best as I can tell.
Just looked over the 802VLZ4. Three XLR mic inputs, with one of those having a set of TRS stereo inputs and two stereo channels. Geez, that's an odd way to make the channel count come to 8. Nonetheless, I think this will serve your needs.
I gotta say, the Soundcraft Notepad 124 is a great idea, too. I agree, it's the warmest-sounding small console out there. Only problem is, it isn't made anymore. You can probably find them on Amazon or Ebay. I'd definitely look at the Notepad.
But given your relationship with Loud (had to think about that before I remembered "Ampeg". I'm used to dealing with them for EAW products), that's a good way to go, too.
You are correct, Geri...wasn't what I was planning on doing. And Stu may have thought that's what I was doing.
Now the only thing I guess I have to decide is how important XLR outs are to me. I do have a TRS/XLR mic cable to go to the soundman's line for me so I guess it's not necessary. But as much as I like to support my folks at Mackie, when you say "warm," you're speaking my language. OTOH, my setup is already quite warm and discontinued mixers give me the willies
Now the only thing I guess I have to decide is how important XLR outs are to me. I do have a TRS/XLR mic cable to go to the soundman's line for me so I guess it's not necessary. But as much as I like to support my folks at Mackie, when you say "warm," you're speaking my language. OTOH, my setup is already quite warm and discontinued mixers give me the willies
You are correct, Geri...wasn't what I was planning on doing. And Stu may have thought that's what I was doing.
Now the only thing I guess I have to decide is how important XLR outs are to me. I do have a TRS/XLR mic cable to go to the soundman's line for me so I guess it's not necessary. But as much as I like to support my folks at Mackie, when you say "warm," you're speaking my language. OTOH, my setup is already quite warm and discontinued mixers give me the willies
Too bad Loud doesn't distribute the REDDI....
Really, the Mackies don't at all suck and that unit has the Onyx mic pres, which I've been told by some golden-eared typed that they are a considerable improvement over the standard pres.
And it looks like the 802 model HAS two male XLR outputs, so you're good to go with a mic cable.
Geez, I'm looking at the manual on that thing, I'm pretty impressed (and I swear, I'm going to bed after this...). The XLR outputs are protected from phantom power, so you don't have to worry about frying the outputs (as happened to 3 aux buses on a $48,000 Soundcraft Series Five console, thanx to a video truck that blanketed the world with 48V). And there's a level with for the XLR outputs so you can send a mic-level signal to the FOH guy, avoiding the "yer blowing up my input, dude!" call from FOH...
.I just can't see you going wrong with the Mackie, Jimmy. I really can't.
Take care....
I'm thinking so, too, Geri. Also thinking that the 402 is the way to go, despite not being as full-featured. Thanks for your advice, and same to everyone in the thread!
Man, I don't know...I just listened back to some of the stuff I did last night (please don't ask me to upload it...it's very sloppy ), and I'm buying into the direct sound a more tonight than I did last night. It has some in-your-face charm that the mic does tame down a bit. Maybe I ought to stop driving myself crazy with this stuff and just realize I sound damn good no matter what I do
), and I'm buying into the direct sound a more tonight than I did last night. It has some in-your-face charm that the mic does tame down a bit. Maybe I ought to stop driving myself crazy with this stuff and just realize I sound damn good no matter what I do 
I have a limited experience with this:
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No noise because it's completely passive. As basic and as small as they get.
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No noise because it's completely passive. As basic and as small as they get.
