Good Solid and Cheap Mixer

[pelissarim]

`Hey All!

So I am looking at a good solid and cheap mixer?

Taking suggestions and comments.

[AdamJay]

Recommendations for budget mixer?

Hi. At the minute I have a djm600 which is perfect for my 3 elektron machines, but in future I'll probably have one or two more synths so will need a dedicated mixer. Any tips on what's good? In terms of budget mixers, I'd like to hear what other people use... Only requirements I'd have: Cheap. 6+ channels. I prefer faders to rotary knobs Mutes/solo on each track. Lightweight. Compact. Nothing fancy! Cheers

[pelissarim]

So I said screw it and forked the 50$ more to get a great deal on a open box Mackie 1202 VLZ4

[jeffe]

Good call. The alt bus is the killer feature.

[pelissarim]

Good call. The alt bus is the killer feature.

Whats so good about it?

[AdamJay]

[quote=“jeffe”]Good call. The alt bus is the killer feature.

Whats so good about it?[/quote]

You can use it as a way to get around the lack of Main Mix insert points.

So, let’s say if the mixer HAD Main Mix insert points, you could patch in a master compressor and/or EQ. In that case the two pairs of stereo main outputs would be post compressor, which is nice. You can send one to the mains, and another to your monitors.
It’s beneficial, especially in a live setting, to hear in your monitors how the compressor is reacting with the mix.

Well, the smaller VLZ mixers don’t have that main mix insert feature, but you can use the ALT3-4 bus to get the compressed signal out of the two pairs of stereo main mix outputs.
You take all your instrument/mic channels and hit the MUTE/ALT3-4 switch. This routes the sum of those channels out of the stereo ALT3-4 output in the back. Plug that output into your compressor’s inputs. Plug the compressor’s outputs into one of the stereo input channels of the VLZ (like 13/14), or two panned mono input channels (i.e.1+2). Then, send THAT to Main bus by NOT depressing the MUTE/ALT3-4 switch.

It also gives you a 3 band stereo master EQ, as you just created a master bus with an input channel pair.

Just don’t hit the MUTE/ALT3-4 switch on the master bus channel that you just created, as that will make a feedback loop, and that’s no fun when you’re sober.

With all things, mixers, modulars, Monomachines, A4s, Octatracks… routing is everything.

[pelissarim]

Thanks I will have to look at that.

[jeffe]

Exactly - I use it as a compressor / dirt ‘send’ that comes back in on it’s own channel.

Also super handy for routing to a sampler as you can simply mute the track, send to the sampler, hear it coming back through the sampler, and not have to worry about hearing the sound twice.

I don’t know if I could get used to a mixer that didn’t have this.

[pelissarim]

Exactly - I use it as a compressor / dirt ‘send’ that comes back in on it’s own channel.

Also super handy for routing to a sampler as you can simply mute the track, send to the sampler, hear it coming back through the sampler, and not have to worry about hearing the sound twice.

I don’t know if I could get used to a mixer that didn’t have this.

SO many things, i am a bit of as scrub when it comes to routing… I think I get most of it. But havent done it