Is this a good mixer for basic home recording?

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Member Since: Aug 04, 2005

Ok I guess you could say I am a noob to home recording. I found This Mixer service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear and I was wondering if it would be suitable for some basic recording. I mean to record guitar bass, and vocals. I really don't know much about what I would need except for a few good mics, a good soundcard, and this mixer. I plan to do recordings on my computer because it is fast and can handle it. If anyone can help please post any suggestions or ideas.
also one more thing, on this mixer it has 5 mono inputs and 4 stereo imputs, what is the difference between these?

thanks for the help guys

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:16 pm

sure, I used a similar one for a long time...

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:23 pm

well was the recording quality good, bad ? also does anyone have any answers to the question about mono and stereo inputs?

Member
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:24 pm

Stereo inputs are for two channels at once. you will need to use an insert cable to seperate these I believe

Member
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:26 pm

a mixer is not going to make or break the recording quality. I say, as long as it has good transparent pre-amps you arent going to notice much difference from a 1000$ mixer. Depends on how good you are at mastering

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:29 pm

The stereo channels are used to record stereo inputs, such as those out of a drum machine, sound module, synthesizer or things of that nature...the mono channels are for microphones, and are the only channels with microphone preamps...

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:30 pm

thanks stupe that sort of helped.....but i still don't quite understand the stereo and mono thing. What i mean to say is what exactly would I use a stereo input for as opposed to mono? thanks for the help

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Aug 04, 2005 12:31 pm

If I were to spend $100 on a mixer, I'd much rather have a Yamaha MG 10/2.

Oh, wait. I DID spend $100 on a mixer, and I bought a Yamaha MG 10/2. :-D

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:31 pm

the recording quality was fine, my new mixer sounds better, but the old one wasn't "bad" by any means. Like stupe said, it's not gonna make or break the recording by itself.

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:31 pm

thanks db masters, so is there any way to spit the stereo input to make two mono inputs, if so i could have a lot more tracks.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:34 pm

sure, just make sure you have your software on the PC assigned to listen to only the left on one track and only the right on another track.

For little more money, you could get a UB series Behringer mixer, which has better pres and overall better sound and sub outs which you WILL be glad you got eventually.

This is a good example service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:35 pm

Tadpui, the only problem i have with that mixer is that it doesn't have sliders. and im guessing that since this is going to mix down all the tracks to one stereo track, it would be hard to adjust the individual levels of each track if i were recording say, drums.

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:36 pm

thanks db i could definately afford that extra twenty bucks if it will benefit me in the long run

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:40 pm

I will give you my word (OK, you don't know me, my word might be ****) that the sub outs will become VERY helpful in time, the preamps in the UB series are still not the greatest (come on, it's a cheap mixer, no preamps will be in that market space) but they are much better than the pres other Behringers have used in the past.

I personally have the UB1622FX-Pro and love it. It would be far and away to best $20 you spend.

If anyone wants to agree or disagree with me, chime in before he buys.

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 12:41 pm

hey could anyone suggest a good sound card to get?

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Aug 04, 2005 12:45 pm

Slider, knobs, whatever...they accomplish the same things. And knobs take up less space.

You can still get 4 discrete channels out of the MG 10/2.

But yes, a mixer with sub outs or direct outs would be easier to use. And I really like the preamps on the MG. I can only compare it to an ART tube pre, but they're much cleaner and brighter.

The important thing is to do what you're doing: research and gather user opinions on gear they've used. Make an informed purchase, and you'll get the most out of what you end up buying.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 12:49 pm

yeah, yeah, for the type of mixer your are getting the perfect card I would say is either M-Audio Audiophile 2496 service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear or the ESI Juli@ www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=43&page=1

I say this because your mixer is a stereo in, stereo out (not channels, master out, or possible subgroup outs) and both of those cards are for that, stereo in, stereo out. Very comparible cards, I have had both, I like the Juli@ better because the latency is generally a little bit lower, it has the choice of whether you want 1/4" ins and outs or RCA ins and outs, plus, it has an optical output, which is nice when I want to play in 5.1 surround mixing...but it also costs more.

Other than that both have MIDI I/O and S/PDIF I/O and sound great.

Member
Since: Aug 04, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 03:05 pm

db masters, if i bought the mixer you suggested, would i have enough to record drums and guitar simultaneously? i mean if i recorded the kick, snare , 2 toms and cymbals seperately. I don't know though if i would mic both of the toms and the cymbals, or just put two mics positioned over the entire set. Which would be the best way to go about doing this?

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 03:12 pm

depends how you want to record...if you want each drum on a separate track, no, then you are looking at considerably great expense...needing one in for each microphone, you would need a bigger sound card and a bigger mixer with more subouts or direct outs.

JR Productions
Member
Since: Mar 03, 2005


Aug 05, 2005 04:15 pm

I have everything miked up on my kit, and that loads up every channel on my MG 16/4 (set me back $280. So If your going to want to record a guitar along with drums at the same time, your going to need to get a mixer with either 12 mic pres, or only use 9 mics on the kit (which is enough by all means). Then it also depends on on how much you control you want to mix in your editing program. I personally do a stereo mix from the mixer of drums and it has worked fine for me. If you want to be able to adjust snare, bass, cymbals, guitar, ect... your going to need a sound card with however many specific things you want to control (i.e. if you want to control snare, kick, high tom, low tom, high hats, ride, crash, and guitar seperatly, you would need an 8 channel sound card. But if you bring that down to snare, kick, tom mix, cymbal mix and guitar, thats 5...you get the idea). Reading back on this I think it might confuse you a little bit...so post back anything you don't understand. Good luck.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 05, 2005 04:37 pm

Ya, if drums come in to the picture it can be a different matter. However, I do have to add, as Jash kind of did, that the leangths he went to for miking drums is not necessary. I have gotten great drum sounds out of 8-10 piece kits with 4-5 mics. It takes some trial and error, but it can certainly be done.

I prefer to also record the drums into a stereo track on the computer, sometimes with maybe the kick and/or snare on their own tracks. But doing this requires bigger, more expensive gear. Given the price range this thread started discussing, I opted to keep it to a simple stage.

JR Productions
Member
Since: Mar 03, 2005


Aug 05, 2005 06:41 pm

Ya I guess I got a little carried away :).

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