Usefulness of a mixer, and recommendations

[Alistair]

Hey folks,

I wanted to ask, does having a mixer prove really useful (for what I/Tom do, that is), and assuming so, what features should I be looking at- what's essential in a mixer, and what's unnecessary glitz?

- Alistair

[Tom]

Depends, I guess...  I find my mixer invaluable for mixing various sound devices.  I assume what you mean by what "I/Tom do" is, working with multiple MIDI devices?  I've used a mixer since I was in my first band, back in the 1970's.  Mostly, Peavey mixers, because they were so readily available.  With MIDI, I don't own a sound card with enough INPUTS for all my gear, so a mixer is required. 

Some things, you can double up on; like plugging the output of one MIDI device, into the INPUT of another -- the MT-32, for example, into the LINE IN of the SC-8850, which then can connect to another device's LINE IN.  That sort of thing.

But I don't like doing that; I prefer having all my devices going to a mixer, then controlling their individual outputs from the mixer instead of through software and various other hardware.  A mixer is also nice for microphone inputs for live recording.  When we mic Dianne's acoustic piano and my acoustic guitar, it's very handy to have a central location (mixer) to adjust levels from multiple microphones.
 
For mixing the output of just a couple of devices, I don't think a mixer is of any real benefit.  But once you start introducing microphones and additional device outputs, definitely nice to have a mixer.  When I was recording some of the Al Emmo stuff, we mic'd Dianne's piano and my guitars quite often, plus had the MT-32, SW60XG, and SC-88xx's going; that's where a mixer real helps out ... for me, anyway.  (It also made it a lot easier for Dianne to control things.)

[Alistair]

Heh. Basically, I wonder if routing my modules in the following way is a good idea-

MT-32->MU100R->SC-55mkII->SC-8850->M-Audio soundcard

I think I'm 99% certain that it's a terrible way to do things.

Unlike say a Santa Cruz or other PCI sound card, the recording volume of the Audiophile card is constant, because it's a semi (quasi?)-professional soundcard.

So, I need an external mixer to control the volumes. It really is something I'm going to have to get- mucking around with the volume knobs is hardly a desirable solution.

What would I need in one then, apart from a few inputs that is?

- Alistair

[Tom]

Except for my first mixer, all of the mixers I've used have at least a volume, pan pot, bass & treble eq adjustment, master volume, and at least 4 Line Inputs/mic inputs.  A couple have had very nice equalizers built in, but I no longer have them.  My cheap 'Geneva' mixer is limited to bass/treble, pan, volume, but has enough inputs for me.  Everybody and their uncle makes mixers and I have no clue as to who makes the best.  I liked my Sony the best for a small mixer.  (My Peavey had 32 channels, but it was for our band...which we filled mostly with microphones back in the old days.)

If you're not picking up any noise with your connection the way it is, go with it!  I was having noise issues when I piggybacked multiple devices ... especially with the SW60XG also in the mix.  But connecting the MT-32 into the SC-8850 works fine.  If I then route that to my 8820, it seems to pickup some interference; going even further and connecting that output to the SW60XG....way too much.

[jbltecnicspro]

Heh. Basically, I wonder if routing my modules in the following way is a good idea-

MT-32->MU100R->SC-55mkII->SC-8850->M-Audio soundcard

I think I'm 99% certain that it's a terrible way to do things.

Unlike say a Santa Cruz or other PCI sound card, the recording volume of the Audiophile card is constant, because it's a semi (quasi?)-professional soundcard.

So, I need an external mixer to control the volumes. It really is something I'm going to have to get- mucking around with the volume knobs is hardly a desirable solution.

What would I need in one then, apart from a few inputs that is?

- Alistair

I would say that a mixer would be a good idea for your use because it allows you to have a central "hub" to which all your devices are connected.  Also, while I don't know how much "signal passing" (connecting one module's output to another module's input, and taking THAT output and hooking it up into another module, etc, etc...) can degrade the signal quality, I'd be inclined to think that it can't be any good.  How your modules are connected - there are too many "hops" before the signal reaches its destination.  Having a direct connection, via a mixer, would probably be very beneficial.  Besides, mixers make it so that you don't have to "muck around" with volume knobs and such.  Just set your modules to full signal level, and adjust the level on the mixer so that all are well balanced in a mix.  Sounds like something that would only take a couple minutes to do.  Having your MT-32's signal going through three other devices before it even makes it to the ADC just gives its signal more opportunity to be degraded by imperfections within your other modules.  And hey, if you get a mixer - be sure to get an EFX processor too - a distorted and phased MT-32 sounds pretty out of this world.   

[Alistair]

Heh, thanks a bunch guys.

You know JBL, if you hook a MT-32 up to a later Yamaha device, like my MU100R, you can apply Yamaha EQ/reverb/chorus/etc to the MT-32's sound output. Never mucked around with it, but could be cool.

I'll have a look into it, and probably post some links from eBay, if that's OK.

- Alistair

[Ari]

Heh, I can do that with my SW60XG as well. 
I bought an Adlib Gold a few years ago (from Bluemax, I think, don't quite remember), and due to lack of line-in inputs, I connected it to the SW60XG's line in, and from there to the sound card. I was quite surprised when I got some reverb effects with the Adlib's output.

[Alistair]

Nice

On a mixer note, can anyone tell me if either of these:

http://www.behringer.com/802/index.cfm?lang=ENG
http://www.behringer.com/1002/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Have 4 sets of stereo inputs? I'd ideally like to plug my 4 synths into 4 separate sets.

Maybe I should get the 1002 in case I get another synth..

Also, anyone know anything of these mixers, or think they're woth buying? (The 1002 is like 70 US bucks, seems cheap).

- Alistair

[djlc]

The mixer allow you to monitor sound with/without effects applied and get Monitors output and control room on headphones.



And yes, i don't use External effects module such as compressor or reverb/chorus...
And i can use any synth without power on the computer in order to hear something.
I'm using a Mackie 1402-VLZ Pro+Simple 16 Inputs Racked mixer.