a good mixer

[thumper]

i got a Mbox and want to get a mixer so i dont have to
keep unpluging stuff from the back of the Mbox.

it would also be great to use this mixer for monitoring the output of the mbox too. (i hate the LOUD POP when your mac turns on or off. it would be nice to grab a fader and turn it down to avoid the POPS)

any good mixer youd recommend, and advise for routing to avoid feed back?

 

[thumper]

would this work???
im more worried about monitoring the output of them mbox.

http://www.behringer.com/UB1002FX/index.cfm?lang=ENG

 

[.:*Robot Boy*:.]

Personally, I wouldn't put anything by Behringer in my setup. Something like the Mackie Big Knob would solve your 'pop' problem. It'll also allow you to have multiple monitoring sources and route to multiple sets of speakers.

I wouldn't recommend getting an external mixer. If your primary concern is plugging/unplugging, maybe you should get a patchbay. The easiest solution would be to just leave your mic cables plugged in and use a short female XLR to male TRS cable whenever you need to plug in something like a keyboard.

 

[adk]

Not sure why this guy ^^ is bashing behringer, their stuff is great.

 

[thumper]

Personally, I wouldn't put anything by Behringer in my setup. Something like the Mackie Big Knob would solve your 'pop' problem. It'll also allow you to have multiple monitoring sources and route to multiple sets of speakers.

I wouldn't recommend getting an external mixer. If your primary concern is plugging/unplugging, maybe you should get a patchbay. The easiest solution would be to just leave your mic cables plugged in and use a short female XLR to male TRS cable whenever you need to plug in something like a keyboard.

the big knob looks like a must have!!! thanks for the input.

i know a lot of people have beef with behringer... but i got the
BCF2000 and have to say its freckin awesome! ive worked on ProControl/Icon and an SSL with flying faders.. even an O2R and have to say this is got everything i want and a great price. some might say it sucks cuz the faders arnt touch sensitive but, i dont need it... i have it set up that if i press the pot knob down on a track that means i want control over the fader, and when i let go it takes control back... works like a charm on both protools and logic!
ive got 2 BCf2000 and will get a 3rd soon. nothing is more sexy then working with flying faders!

 

[thumper]

Not sure why this guy ^^ is bashing behringer, their stuff is great.

people bash it cuz Behringer reverse engineers other peoples stuff then gets it made in china so its super cheap and affordable for those of us who cannt afford the big name brands.

soo.. its fine with me. and besides... it gives those 10 year old kids in china a job

 

[.:*Robot Boy*:.]

I bash Behringer because, well, I don't like their products. I'm constantly put in situations where I have to use Behringer gear and it simply isn't capable of doing what I need it to. Mixers typically don't have convenient outputs, components are prone to giving up, power supplies blow up. Their microphones sound terrible. Their preamps are just awful. When I use Behringer gear, I feel like I'm cutting corners.

I don't exclusively hate Behringer, they just happen to be the company in question.

Don't even get me started on Digidesign!

 

[howesey]

I agree about Behringer. The only good thing I can think of them for use is for things such as EQ's and compressors where you will need lots of them and you do not have a huge budget. 10 cheap compressors can be very hand than having one expensive one for some things.

They're cheap, if they fail you buy another. They are known for breaking down. You get what you pay for.

Chuck a one Behringer Ultracurve EQ for a monitor you know has problems. Useful. Cheap, does what you want it to.


I also agree with the Big Knob, every DAW should have one IMHO. I have sorta fallen in love with Mackie at the mo, you can see me engineering at gigs wearing a Mackie t-shirt. :S

 

[beatsme]

agreed...

Mackie is the bomb. I have a DFX6 that works like a champ. Not terribly expensive, either.

You might wanna ask your local music store guys (some of whom I'm sure either are or know "sound men") what they recommend.

 

[zimv20]

if all you're needing is a volume control, check out the NHT Passive Volume Control. i'd reach for that before anything from mackie, which i've found to have a "what you used to hear is definitely not what you're going to get" tendency.

and definitely not behringer, either. unfair business practices and crap gear. all imo, of course.

 

[faintember]

To all of the people touting the Mackies, we have had nothing but trouble with our three Mackie mixers at my uni. Two of the three have lost more than one channel, we have had 4 trim pots replaced on one unit and 2 replaced on the other. So far the newest Mackie, the 24*8, has been ok, but we have only had it about 7 months. Maybe we just have a bad track record with Mackie products?

And to the OP, concerning the pop when you turn your system on, why not just turn on your speakers last? That typically solves the problem.

 

[e-clipse]

Mackie CFX12mkII Mixer with DFX $499.OO
This would be my choice...simply, because you could get more use out of it than it being a popper stopper. Great for mobile events!

Behringer UB1204 Pro Eurorack 12 Input Mixer $119.OO

 

[Dino1956]

I just bought a Behringer Xenyx 1204FX & it works well for simple audio recording projects. I'm not using the USB Interface just the ALT3&4 Outs to the Line In of my Mac Mini & the Headphone Out of the Mac Mini into the Tape Input of my Behringer Board. Anyone have an alternative way of routing to do basic Audio Overdubs in Garage Band with this particular Mixing Board?

 

[FX120]

Behringer is very hit and miss. Their main mode of operation is to reverse engineer others products, slap them in a similar style case, and sometimes they do it so that their final product will be about 90% of what they modeled it after. The Ultradrive Pro is one that comes to mind. Cheaply built, but it's almost as good as a DBX Driverack 260. Usually it's the digital signal processing that they get *somewhat* right.

But seriously stay away from using their mixers, amplifiers, microphones, or speakers.

If you're looking for a small format mixer with decient preamps, look at the Onyx 1220. Of course, keep in mind that in a few weeks Mackie is coming out with an updated version of that board with built in firewire that could replace your MBox entirely.

 

[wilycoder]

Not sure why this guy ^^ is bashing behringer, their stuff is great.

Their DJ equipment is crap. ABSOLUTE CRAP!

Yes, former owner of a DX700.

 

[ChrisA]

Not sure why this guy ^^ is bashing behringer, their stuff is great.

Behringer is a decent value if you don't really need the best. I would not run a signal through any of their stuff if I were recording but a patch panel has no electronics inside, it's all mechanical. Build a patch panel even a cheap panel will much less noise then even the best mixer.

I use a Behringer mixer for keyboard practice so I can hear both what I'm playing and an iPod in my headphones. Behringer is "good enough" for any of this kind of monitoring. But (in my opinion) not good enough to use in a recording signal path.