mixer for use with logic pro?

[blackbeast250]

Hi Folks , Im using logic pro and a mac book pro , wit a presonus firepod, however I want to have mixing capabilities , and insert points for compressors , before the sound goes into the computer, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced mixer that will produce a nice sound , 10 channells max, and a max budget of 700 €uro, thanks , Robin. :blink:

[johnlinford]

There are a whole range of desks of that size for well under that price, depending on exactly what you need. If you don't care about the parametric EQ on each channel, something like the Yamaha MG16/4 should be around €350. If you do, something along the soundcraft spirit M12 offers a bit more control, and should be around €500 - again, I've used and would reccomend the M series.

 

The Allen&Heath Mixwizard range looks very nice, though I don't know off hand what they retail for - it may be a little over your budget.

[Bobbsy]

Well, there's two from Soundcraft you could look at: the Spirit FX8 and the newer M8. Either of these should be well withing your budget.

 

Both have proper direct outs as well as the channel inserts you ask for...many cheaper mixers only have inserts which would not be as convenient for you.

 

I've personally used the FX8 (and installed it in professional TV edit suites) and know it to sound okay and be pretty reliable. The M8 is a newer design, but I've only had a quick play with the M series...it seemed okay but I don't know it nearly as well.

 

I'd also love to recommend the A&H Mixwiz 12:2 because I think it sounds a bit nicer on mic inputs....but, unless you'd consider used gear, it's a fair way outside your budget.

 

Bob

[blackbeast250]

There are a whole range of desks of that size for well under that price, depending on exactly what you need. If you don't care about the parametric EQ on each channel, something like the Yamaha MG16/4 should be around €350. If you do, something along the soundcraft spirit M12 offers a bit more control, and should be around €500 - again, I've used and would reccomend the M series.

 

The Allen&Heath Mixwizard range looks very nice, though I don't know off hand what they retail for - it may be a little over your budget.

 

 

Thanks John, looked this desk up on the net , however it doesnt have firewire , so how will I get the signal into the mac? Robin

 

Thanks John , I looked up the soundcraft on the net , looks nice , however it doesnt have firewire , so how would I get the signal into the mac? thanks , Robin.

[Bobbsy]

Er, with respect, you didn't say you wanted a Firewire mixer...your original post said you had a Presonus Firepod.

 

I think both of us so far assumed you'd take direct outs from the mixer to the Firepod inputs.

 

Bob

[blackbeast250]

Sorry about that , I didnt mention that , I just thought it would be more convenient to have the mixer going straight into the laptop, and setting up the logic mixer to correspond with the channells on the desk , would I be right in saying that with a mixer that doesnt have firewire it would be a case of taking the two outputs of the desk to two inputs on the firepod? I dont have too much experience of this as you have probably guessed , what would be the best way to go ?

[johnlinford]

Er, with respect, you didn't say you wanted a Firewire mixer...your original post said you had a Presonus Firepod.

 

I think both of us so far assumed you'd take direct outs from the mixer to the Firepod inputs.

 

Bob

 

Yup, that's what I did.

 

It sounds to me like you want a control surface, rather than a dedicated mixer. These are much cheaper - essentially they act like a keyboard (usually via MIDI or USB/FireWire) to tell ProTools (or whatever, I use cakewalk), to change individual settings.

 

Behringer have quite a nice cheap range, that's about where I've got up to in using such things as I mostly do live work.

 

Hope that helps,

[blackbeast250]

Thanks guys , I will look into the beringher ones , Robin.

[Bobbsy]

If you went with the analogue mixers suggested, you could use the direct outs on each channel into the Firepod, giving you 8 individual channels.

 

As John says, you could also consider a control surface. However, you'd have to check with Logic Pro which control surfaces will talk easy with it. I'm a PC/Audition user so I can't really help with Logic pro queries...indeed you might do better in a recording forum than the Blue Room where the emphsis is on live work. You'd also have to check that the control surface in question supports channel inserts since that's your prime requirement I believe.

 

Finally, if you want an analogue mixer with Firewire, you could look at Mackie Onyx or Behringer Xenyx. Personally I'm not a big fan of the mic preamps in either, but both can be equipped with multichannel firewire outputs.

 

Bob

[Ben Langfeld]

Sorry Bob, but the Behringer comes with but a 2 channel USB soundcard. The Onyx, however, does appear to be a good desk!

[paulears]

But don't these devices just delver a stereo signla via USB - the OP wants to map it to the on screen faders (if I've read it correctly) so what he needs is not really going to work with a analogue micer and stereo digital out?

[Matt Riley]

I think what Robin ideally needs to get this done properly is something 01V shaped. I know that the 01v96 would do the job quite admirably as long as it talks to Logic fine, but that's probably about 3x his budget. Would it be worth looking in the direction of a used Yamaha 01v, soundcraft digital 328 or that Tascam one (which nobody bought) as an alternative, although you'd have to check compatibility with the mac etc. etc.

 

Matt

[Bobbsy]

But don't these devices just delver a stereo signla via USB - the OP wants to map it to the on screen faders (if I've read it correctly) so what he needs is not really going to work with a analogue micer and stereo digital out?

 

The Mackie comes with a 2 channel module but there's an optional plug in to upgrade it to multitrack as seen HERE.

 

I was less sure about the Behringer and may have jumped to a conclusion based on the way it was released to compete with the Onyx. Certainly there's no mention of an upgrade in the product spec sheet.

 

I agree that a digital mixer would be nice but see problems. The 01V series don't have a direct Firewire interface, so that would have to be sorted out or some other form of interface installed at the computer. The 96V2 variant is well out of the stated budget; used 01Vs are available at that price sometimes but would be getting long in the tooth now. The only control surface protocols native to Yamaha gear are Protools and Mackie; Logic would have to be compatible with one of those (any Logic experts here?) or the user would have to write his own interface.

 

Frankly, since the OP already owns a nice sound interface (Presonus Firepod) I'd probably go with direct outs on an analogue mixer. Having thought overnight about the control surface idea, I'm not sure that would be particularly suitable if one of the main goals is to have insert jacks.

 

Bob

[johnlinford]

Having thought overnight about the control surface idea, I'm not sure that would be particularly suitable if one of the main goals is to have insert jacks.

 

I share your sentiment, however, as I said - I'm not really sure what you'd use insert jacks for when working with Protools?

 

Certainly when I do recordings on my MOTU (usually of live shows on 8 channels to mix down later), I apply any EQ, compression or FX using the onboard functionality. I'm a Cakewalk man, so I'm not familiar with protools, but would have thought that this would still work.

 

The trouble with direct outs on a desk is that the desk doesn't control the "virtual" fader levels in the software, which the control surface would.

 

Cheers,

[Bobbsy]

I had the same thought, John. I prefer to record dry/clean and apply all my effects later.

 

However, the OP specifically mentions compressors and that's about the only area where there's some argument for having effects in the record chain, particularly if the unit is used mainly as a limiter. Certainly there are times when I've been recording vocals with a wide (and unpredictable) dynamic range, I've resorted to using a bit of compression/limiting on the input to avoid the possibility of limiting without compromising the gain structure too much.

 

Bob