Entry-level mixer?

chotu495 · June 2020

I’m after adding a mixer to my little home-studio.

Current setup is an imac using ableton, focusrite 2i4 and i’m after something that will take two stereo sources with a few (2 or 3) mono’s left over.

Its probably more for getting everything running together at the same time via midi and then into the iLoud monitors than for recording. Up to now, i’ve had to record into ableton and then playback via monitors as i’m only able to cope with 2 inputs via the focusrite.

Budget - up to £150 new.

Have looked at the Mackie 8, Yamaha MG10 and Behringers.

Any experience / suggestions appreciated.

spark240 · June 2020

If it just a routing solution then I would say any of those will be fine....

Maybe something that offers Phantom power would be useful, also consider inputs etc on the top or the back, depending on the location at home.

Look at A&H small mixers also.

merlin · June 2020

We have a Mackie 802VLZ4 that does pretty much what we need it for. Zoom with music, teaching, shows etc, vocal, piano, clarinet and guitar.

It provides phantom power for three channels, inserts for two. And it's really small, approx 9"x12". We paid £163 incl delivery.

octatonic · June 2020

Mackie are good- they are all pretty much of a muchness at that price point.

Have you considered upgrading your audio interface to something with more inputs instead?

chotu495 · June 2020

Thanks all. Have found an Mg10 new for a bit over £100 so will give that a go.

Am hoping it’ll allow me a bit more scope for running my Rev2, Digitakt, Crave and Minibrute 2 together. Should be fun

Might even add a bit of guitar!

I will look to up the number of inputs via a different interface in the near future. Not that long ago, it was just a guitar and Ableton

octatonic · June 2020

chotu495 said:

Thanks all. Have found an Mg10 new for a bit over £100 so will give that a go.

Am hoping it’ll allow me a bit more scope for running my Rev2, Digitakt, Crave and Minibrute 2 together. Should be fun Might even add a bit of guitar!

I will look to up the number of inputs via a different interface in the near future. Not that long ago, it was just a guitar and Ableton

That is how it starts.

JohnS37 · July 2020

One thing you maybe should consider is whether what you need is a mixer or a control surface.
If you are recording one instrument/track at a time, all you need is a control surface, and in my experience the easiest to operate and set up comes from Mackie, though I have a selection of both types- Alesis, Yamaha, Soundcraft, Behringer.
If you’re going the mixer route make sure it has dedicated digital outputs, FireWire or USB, then you’re going straight in to the box.

chotu495 · July 2020

So, Yamaha MG10 has arrived a few days back.

Other than setting it up, not had a great deal of time to play around.

It has greatly simplified things for me around running things via midi. All my stuff is usb’d in to ableton. It now all starts and stops at the same time, and the mixer has been a worthwhile addition which will hopefully allow me to be a bit more creative.

Main problem i had pre-mixer was a lack of inputs on the audio interface. I have three stereo sources, and four mono sources. Now resolved, and much happier.

Thanks all

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Entry-level mixer?

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