Higher quality mixers - is the SSL Big Six really the only one available in 2025

marxski

Looking for an upgrade for my Allen & Heath Mixwizard 14:2. I know times have changed but it looks like the only compact high end desk around 2k new is the Big Six. Not interested in Korg or Tascam. Any suggestions? Not keen on digital.

octatonic

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Stuckfast

Not sure if anyone distributes Ashly Audio in the UK at the moment, but they make some very decent analogue mixers. They are all rackmount models though.

marxski

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

kennedydream1980

Soundcraft Signature series mixers are really nice. They do multitrack versions of them that send out via USB.

I have the Signature 10 in my home studio and really rate it. I’ve also used the bigger 16 live and it sounded great as well.

marxski

kennedydream1980 said:

Soundcraft Signature series mixers are really nice. They do multitrack versions of them that send out via USB.

I have the Signature 10 in my home studio and really rate it. I’ve also used the bigger 16 live and it sounded great as well.

Thanks they look decent but lack compressors and inserts (I still use outboard to some degree)

octatonic

marxski said:

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

OK, I understand.
I agree about immediacy with outboard.
I love it.

I don't use a console for that, I use bus compressors, EQ's, saturators etc on inserts.
I did a fair bit of testing compared to what I'd get with a console versus the downsides of having one as well as testing the plugins versus the hardware, which I've talked about on other threads.

A patch bay with a few choice pieces of outboard gives me a lot of flexibility.

marxski

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

OK, I understand.
I agree about immediacy with outboard.
I love it.

I don't use a console for that, I use bus compressors, EQ's, saturators etc on inserts.
I did a fair bit of testing compared to what I'd get with a console versus the downsides of having one as well as testing the plugins versus the hardware, which I've talked about on other threads.

A patch bay with a few choice pieces of outboard gives me a lot of flexibility.

Thanks - it's a shame that there are only inserts on the first 4 channels on the Big Six but I guess I could just put any outboard before the line input when I need it.

octatonic

marxski said:

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

OK, I understand.
I agree about immediacy with outboard.
I love it.

I don't use a console for that, I use bus compressors, EQ's, saturators etc on inserts.
I did a fair bit of testing compared to what I'd get with a console versus the downsides of having one as well as testing the plugins versus the hardware, which I've talked about on other threads.

A patch bay with a few choice pieces of outboard gives me a lot of flexibility.

Thanks - it's a shame that there are only inserts on the first 4 channels on the Big Six but I guess I could just put any outboard before the line input when I need it.

This is where a patch bay will make things easier.
I like the Redco ones.

Stratavarious

I do think my Soundcraft Signature 22MTK is a great bit of kit.. fab audio interface too.  At the price, great value.

The in built FX are really nice too

maltingsaudio

£2k would get you a nice secondhand Midas Venice 

octatonic

Or one of these:

https://larkingslist.com/products/second-hand-recording-consoles/allen-heath-gl4800

Stuckfast

If second-hand is an option then I've got a nice old Soundtech Series A console that I'm trying to find a new home for. Soundtech were the successor company to Alice and sold mainly into radio, I got this from a local radio station. It's got three mono and eight stereo channels (two with EQ, six without) in a 16-channel frame, plus a master section that has built-in limiters which are pretty cool. All the stereo channels also have RIAA inputs for turntables, should you wish to connect eight turntables at once.

marxski

maltingsaudio said:

£2k would get you a nice secondhand Midas Venice 

Yes they look excellent but I don’t have the space sadly

marxski

Stuckfast said:

If second-hand is an option then I've got a nice old Soundtech Series A console that I'm trying to find a new home for. Soundtech were the successor company to Alice and sold mainly into radio, I got this from a local radio station. It's got three mono and eight stereo channels (two with EQ, six without) in a 16-channel frame, plus a master section that has built-in limiters which are pretty cool. All the stereo channels also have RIAA inputs for turntables, should you wish to connect eight turntables at once.

I almost pulled the trigger on an Alice a few years ago but the channel count didn’t work for me. Thanks for the offer though.

marxski

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

OK, I understand.
I agree about immediacy with outboard.
I love it.

I don't use a console for that, I use bus compressors, EQ's, saturators etc on inserts.
I did a fair bit of testing compared to what I'd get with a console versus the downsides of having one as well as testing the plugins versus the hardware, which I've talked about on other threads.

A patch bay with a few choice pieces of outboard gives me a lot of flexibility.

Thanks - it's a shame that there are only inserts on the first 4 channels on the Big Six but I guess I could just put any outboard before the line input when I need it.

This is where a patch bay will make things easier.
I like the Redco ones.

Your suggestion of a summing mixer, outboard and patch bay has piqued my interest. Would you mind telling me what kind of summing box you have etc

Nerine

I have a Big Six. It’s great. I use it as my main interface nowadays. Previously I had an Avid HDIO 8x8x8.

I had a summing mixer (Phoenix Audio Nicerizer Mk2) and outboard SSL bus compressors etc.

I prefer just using the Big Six tbh. Less hassle.  

I feel like the SSL gets more use overall. 

Not massively helpful I know, but I had a lot of redundancy with my previous setup whereas the SSL just kinda deals with all of it in the same box. 

marxski

Nerine said:

I have a Big Six. It’s great. I use it as my main interface nowadays. Previously I had an Avid HDIO 8x8x8.

I had a summing mixer (Phoenix Audio Nicerizer Mk2) and outboard SSL bus compressors etc.

I prefer just using the Big Six tbh. Less hassle.  

I feel like the SSL gets more use overall. 

Not massively helpful I know, but I had a lot of redundancy with my previous setup whereas the SSL just kinda deals with all of it in the same box. 

That Nicerizer looks a bit tasty but so expensive! Was it sonically superior to the Big Six or is it a bit like hi-fi... once you get to a certain price point it's diminishing returns or subjective?

octatonic

marxski said:

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

marxski said:

octatonic said:

Yes, mixers aren't so much of a thing now.

Mackie are worth checking out- they have been project studio staples for the last 30+ years and are good value,.
But otherwise there isn't much about because usually spending the same amount of money gets you an audio interface with better features and audio performance than a typical mixer.
The SSL will sound better than the Mackie though.

I'd buy the SSL (although I used to work for them and they are just down the road).

What is this for?
Are you looking for a front end to an audio interface, or looking to take the outputs of your interface and sum them.
If the latter than a summing mixer might be an option.
The API ASM164 has just been released.
It is a little over £2000 (Around £3k I think) but if I was looking for a summing mixer right now it would be the one I'd go for,

There are still consoles being made, by SSL, API, AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs but they are significantly more expensive than £2000.

When I was building my new studio I tossed up whether to get a large format console or a studio controller and audio interface with lots of of IO and went the latter. The main reason is that a modular studio doesn't really rely on a single point of failure, where with a console if it goes does then the studio is down, entirely.

Hey thanks for the reply. I want to use it for hybrid mixing. I've done some in the box stuff and have UAD plugs... all the goodies and whilst they sound good I like the immediacy of analog kit. I also use old school Akai Hardware samplers (s950, s3k) and my intention would be to pipe them into the desk via live midi whilst writing before finally printing to the computer and then back out the the desk for mixing. Everything just sounds better even through an old A&H in need of a service.

I think unless a new product surfaces the way to go for me is the SSL.

OK, I understand.
I agree about immediacy with outboard.
I love it.

I don't use a console for that, I use bus compressors, EQ's, saturators etc on inserts.
I did a fair bit of testing compared to what I'd get with a console versus the downsides of having one as well as testing the plugins versus the hardware, which I've talked about on other threads.

A patch bay with a few choice pieces of outboard gives me a lot of flexibility.

Thanks - it's a shame that there are only inserts on the first 4 channels on the Big Six but I guess I could just put any outboard before the line input when I need it.

This is where a patch bay will make things easier.
I like the Redco ones.

Your suggestion of a summing mixer, outboard and patch bay has piqued my interest. Would you mind telling me what kind of summing box you have etc

I don't have one at the moment.
I did have an SSL Sigma for a bit.
I am looking at adding one quite soon though.

Up until now I've been using hardware just as insert effects.
I'm using 4x 96 way Redco patch bays where my analogue outboard is normalled to the audio interface IO, so I simply use it as I would a plugin in Pro Tools.
I've been buying the things I want over the last few years and a summing box is the last on the list.
IMHO it is more of a nice to have than mandatory.
I think the bus compressors I own are more necessary so I prioritised them first.

My master bus usually has the API 2500 on it and the MAAG EQ4m as well as two plugins, Sonnox Inflator and Waves REDD.47. I sometimes use the Louder than Lift Off Silver Bullet plugin (so much so that I am buying the hardware soon).

The summing box I am looking at is the new API ASM124. I'm really into API, I like the clean but punchy sound. I'm running out of space in the racks though so not entirely sure where I will put it.

Here is most of the outboard I use, I also have a rack on the right side of the console (Avid S6) that has the Massive Passive, SSL Fusion, SSL G-Series bus comp, Crane Song STC-8 and BAE 10DCF's in them. I've also since added a pair of Kush Electra and Audioscape V3a's, a pair of ADR Compex's. and an ADL1500.



My approach with using analogue outboard is, as you can see, pretty committed.
But, I don't think any of this is strictly necessary.
Plugins are really good but I really like the workflow with analogue hardware.
It is just the few extra percent improvement for a lot of hassle and expense- for instance my audio interface is 64 channels in and out, which was hugely expensive to do with top shelf conversion (Avid MTRX II, DAD AX64).
Almost as much as the analogue gear itself. 
I don't regret going this route though.
I have a huge amount of capability and flexibility.

When I prepare a mix I usually put the plugin versions in bypass (with the same settings) below to the hardware. Which allows me to work quickly (take the plugin out of bypass and disable the hardware version). 

marxski

When I prepare a mix I usually put the plugin versions in bypass (with the same settings) below to the hardware. Which allows me to work quickly (take the plugin out of bypass and disable the hardware version). 

That's an incredible setup. 

Nerine

marxski said:

Nerine said:

I have a Big Six. It’s great. I use it as my main interface nowadays. Previously I had an Avid HDIO 8x8x8.

I had a summing mixer (Phoenix Audio Nicerizer Mk2) and outboard SSL bus compressors etc.

I prefer just using the Big Six tbh. Less hassle.  

I feel like the SSL gets more use overall. 

Not massively helpful I know, but I had a lot of redundancy with my previous setup whereas the SSL just kinda deals with all of it in the same box. 

That Nicerizer looks a bit tasty but so expensive! Was it sonically superior to the Big Six or is it a bit like hi-fi... once you get to a certain price point it's diminishing returns or subjective?

I think to some degree, it completely depends on the situation you find yourself in. I rarely use templates and absolutely hate doing recall. 

When I produced/engineered/mixed full time, recalling a 60 channel SSL 4000E without recall and automation was an absolute bind. I had to refer to pictures and diagrams and there’s a lot of knobs on them things.

I wanted a fairly simple solution for my mix room at home and some summing and bus compressor seemed the best option to add a bit of that console vibe. 

I used to mix a huge number of songs, probably done close to 4 figures at this point and just reprinting a slightly tweaked track in real time owing to having to run through the hardware just got annoying and hugely time consuming given the volume of work I was churning out back then. 

I also used to find my hardware routing would change every now and again and when I opened older projects I then had to redefine all the old routing or re-bus everything to actually make the song playback. 

I decided the sonic “benefits” weren’t really worth it. TBH, I did a lot of A/Bing and listening tests and I couldn’t really reliably tell which stuff had been passed through the outboard and which hadn’t so didn’t deem the differences worth the additional time spent. I then kinda went fully ITB after that and focussed more obsessively on room treatment and monitoring etc as I think that makes a bigger difference overall. 

I feel like the overall balance and frequency response makes a track more listenable than the subtleties of analogue warmth, so decided that was my jam. 

Outboard and consoles are quicker to use and more inspiring than plugins though. I feel like analogue EQs can be pushed a lot more than digital ones and they stay more musical further into the extremes of their settings.