Small mixer for webstreaming

[Dave]

I may have some webstreaming jobs coming up and have been thinking of getting a small mixer - basically to mix in a couple of ambience mics with the PA feed and send it to a PC. I'd like something with a built-in USB audio interface if possible.

 

The smallest such mixer I've found is the Mackie ProFX8, but there are reports of power-supply noise (the usual switch-mode "whine") on the audio. I could go for an A&H ZED 14, but that's a bit big and pricey (but obviously high quality).

 

Does anyone know of any other small mixers with USB?

 

Alternatively, I could go for a regular mixer and use an external interface. Soundcraft EPM6 looks about the best bet, I suppose I could consider a Behringer Xenyx 1204.

 

Again, any other ideas? I really want sliders not rotary faders which rules a lot of small mixers out.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[TomHoward]

Given the quality that you'll end up with via web streaming, I would have thought the Behringer would be apprpriate. However, if it was me, I would either go via the Line In on the PC after mixdown (as the Line In isn't likely to be quite as bad quality as the Mic In) and forget the internal interface and use something like the Behringer Xenyx 802, or buy something like an Edirol USB soundcard and again use the Behringer 802. This way the components would be useful individually afterwards, and you're probably not compromising as much on the interface. Also, I've only had one experience with the drivers for the Behringer devices, but I've found the Edirol / M-Audio ones to be pretty stable, so I might be more inclined to use them.

 

Edit: Aside that the 802 has rotary pots for the channel levels, but something excluding the sound interface.

[Dj Dunc]

http://www.thomann.de/gb/alesis_multimix_16usb.htm

 

Ive had no personal experience with this desk, but I spotted it a while back and it seemed useful?

[CharlieH]

Alternatively, I could go for a regular mixer and use an external interface. Soundcraft EPM6 looks about the best bet, I suppose I could consider a Behringer Xenyx 1204.

 

I've personally got one of these, and use it all the time. Granted it's not the best desk in the world, but I've used mine for about a year and a half and haven't found anything I'm particularly unhappy with.

 

It also came with a Behringer U-Control UCA200 audio interface, providing a single stereo channel in and out of my Mac. Not sure if this is a permanent offer, or if I was just lucky, but worth a look around.

 

Hope this helps,

Charlie

 

EDIT: Just re-read my post, and wanted to confirm that it's the Behringer 1204 I'm talking about, not the Soundcraft EPM6

[johndenim]

I much prefer slider faders to rotary pots too, but any mixer with a decent external sound card would do.

[Dave]

Thanks for the comments guys. I already have a little Edirol UA-1A interface - I might try it with one of my larger mixers to see how well it works.

 

Does anyone have any experience of the Alesis Multimix USB range?

[bruce]

I've got one of the Alesis ones - the Multimix 8 USB. (That's not the one mentioned above)

 

Physically it's fine. Well built, surprisingly solid. Rotary pots rather than faders. Useable effects. Sounds OK.

 

But the USB implementation is fairly poor. To the PC, it looks like a stereo output soundcard (which is fine for basic playback), but the signal going from the mixer to the PC is delivered as a single mono mix! So for most purposes, not particularly useful.

 

The newer ones send all channels, plus main mix.