Smaller Mixer?

[Will Helton]

Hello to all.

A friend is a VO talent and uses a Yamaha MW12C USB mixer straight into her laptop (using Adobe Audition).

She gets really great results (pro quality final product) and I'd like to source something similar.

Can anyone advise on a similar, but smaller mixer as I don't need all those extra inputs and I'd like something a little less costly as well!

Thanks in advance.

Will

[Mike Sommer]

There are some cheap low quality prosumer mixers out there. Will they work? Sure but they may cause more problems than they solve. I like Soundcraft mixers, the M4 is a nice mixer but it's more expensive than the Yamaha. You can check out Allen & Heath 's ZED mixers are nice too. Bottom line, a good mixer costs money and there's no getting around that.

If you are just starting out you don't really need a mixer, or you can pic up a cheapy and call it a day.

The little Yamaha's are really bright and cause ear fatigue but will get the job done for around $100.00

[Will Helton]

Thanks, Mike.

I probably should have been clearer. My friends Yamaha MW12C is a great mixer and affords her a broadcast quality product, but I don't need all those extra channels, which of course, add to the cost.

Not having bought a mixer before and only having her example (which costs about £400 or roughly $600 US), I'm looking for the same quality of mixer, but without 12 inputs. I would have thought 4 to 6 would be plenty.

I'm not looking for a cheap and cheerful, "just to get by" option, but rather something that delivers the same quality of output for less than £300 (I'm assuming, for instance, that Yamaha may well do a similar mixer with fewer channels of the same quality, but not knowing anything about mixers, I thought it best to ask).

Thanks again.

[lanceblair]

Here's a TLM 103 into a Yamaha MG16/4 mixer followed by the same mic into a Speck 5.0 Mic Pre.

[Mike Sommer]

Then the Soundcraft M4 might be for you or the Allen & Heath 's ZED 14

[Will Helton]

Here's a TLM 103 into a Yamaha MG16/4 mixer followed by the same mic into a Speck 5.0 Mic Pre.

Thanks, Lance. That's very kind of you.

I'll see if I can source those local to me.

Much appreciated.

[Jacoby]

As much as I like (and always wanted) the Soundcraft M4, I wouldn't categorize it as "small". Maybe the discontinued Soundcraft Compact-series is more in the line of what you're looking for?

[Will Helton]

As much as I like (and always wanted) the Soundcraft M4, I wouldn't categorize it as "small". Maybe the discontinued Soundcraft Compact-series is more in the line of what you're looking for?

I think I'm probably best off going to a local sound store and getting advice on what they have in stock or can get.

I like the Yamaha mixer my friend has (and she gets great results with it - I can't stress that enough), but there's no way I need 12 inputs. I'm only ever going to be using 2 mics at once anyway, so don't see the need to pay for extra inputs I'm not going to be using.

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Your input has been very valuable.

[Rob Ellis]

If you want phone patch capability, make sure you get a mixer that has the requisite Aux Sends/Returns, etc. so that you can do phone patch sessions.

[Will Helton]

Hi, Rob,

Good point. My friend with the Yamaha has an ISDN codec that she patches into her mixer.

Might be an idea then to find the extra cash and get the same mixer as hers for the future.

Thanks for bringing that up.

[Yog-Sothoth]

This (http://www.mackie.com/products/profx12/) looks like a sweet deal. Unfortunately, no one seems to have one in stock. :(

[Mike Sommer]

I would also shoot for a mixer with a parametric EQ