Half width (ish) rack mount mixer

[TomHoward]

I'm looking for a half width or thereabouts rack mount mixer, to rack inside some 2-way radio mic racks and save taking a mixer when it's just these two mics and maybe one stereo source like a laptop or a Bluetooth receiver. USB audio from a laptop would be nice, but if I have to add a separate interface that's fine as I can rack it up in there too....

I've seen the Rolls mixers but not sure if they fit a half rack width, the JBL CSM14 but it's mono (can probably live with that), the Samson SM4U which has bluetooth and USB audio built in but only one XLR input....

Currently I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett usb interface as a mixer with Direct Monitoring turned on... it's a bit of a bodge but some of the MOTU sound cards worked as standalone mixers too?

Any suggestions? ideally two XLRs, at least one stereo input, connectors on the back and knobs on the front, ideally stereo, half rack width.

[david.elsbury]

Shure Scm series won’t fit all those criteria but it might be worth a look?

[sunray]

2 hours ago, TomHoward said:

I'm looking for a half width or thereabouts rack mount mixer, to rack inside some 2-way radio mic racks and save taking a mixer when it's just these two mics and maybe one stereo source like a laptop or a Bluetooth receiver. USB audio from a laptop would be nice, but if I have to add a separate interface that's fine as I can rack it up in there too....

I've seen the Rolls mixers but not sure if they fit a half rack width, the JBL CSM14 but it's mono (can probably live with that), the Samson SM4U which has bluetooth and USB audio built in but only one XLR input....

Currently I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett usb interface as a mixer with Direct Monitoring turned on... it's a bit of a bodge but some of the MOTU sound cards worked as standalone mixers too?

Any suggestions? ideally two XLRs, at least one stereo input, connectors on the back and knobs on the front, ideally stereo, half rack width.

Not sure if I'm thinking of the right unit, doesn't the Samson have 3.5mm Mic inputs? I agree; not an ideal connector though.

[TomHoward]

18 hours ago, david.elsbury said:

Shure Scm series won’t fit all those criteria but it might be worth a look?

Actually looks pretty promising, is it available new or is it just used now?
Can't 100% tell if the outputs are balanced, which would be ideal. The connector itself doesn't matter as I can put tails on the rack.

[sandall]

22 hours ago, david.elsbury said:

Shure Scm series won’t fit all those criteria but it might be worth a look?

I've installed the mono ones (a while back now) but seem to remember that there was also a stereo one. Canford do a very neat RDL unit, but it's only mono.

[david.elsbury]

3 hours ago, TomHoward said:

Actually looks pretty promising, is it available new or is it just used now?
Can't 100% tell if the outputs are balanced, which would be ideal. The connector itself doesn't matter as I can put tails on the rack.

I believe it’s still available new… been a few years sorry. Outputs are on XLR on the mono versions and TRS jack on the one stereo one we have, and are balanced. (Electronically balanced rather than transformer I think)

Edited December 14, 2023 by david.elsbury

[sunray]

I've installed loads of the Shure SCM mixers but only the basic 5 input mono units, with or without tone controls.  I don't (well didn't) know there was a stereo version.

Brilliant things about them:

They matched the Shure receiver mounting brackets, so could be perfect match mounted beside a mic rx.

They had 4 unbalanced phono line/XLR mic I/Ps. Plus one line I/P

They had unbalanced phono socket line O/P and XLR switchable mic/line so brilliant at using as a DI mixer. EDIT and provide a local monitor

IEC mains input so no chance of losing the PSU.

I used to pick them up on rip-outs and had several in 'hire stock', most had hardly been touched after commissioning and looked brand new after a wipe with the shirt tail. I'll lay money on still having at least one here.

IIRC they are only 12V phantom power so not good for 451's etc.

Edited December 15, 2023 by sunray