Looking for an Analog mixer ASAP - Recommendations Plz

Hi all I’m looking for a new mixer I want to pay around £400-500 Iv’e seen a few today online but what I’m after feature wise is:

  • Onboard Dual FX (if possible)
  • USB Audio Interface Onboard (doesn’t matter about multitrack)
  • At least 8 mono channels and 4 stereo channels

Enough channels to run the following:

  • Waldorf Quantum
  • Waldorf Kyra
  • Behringer MS-1
  • Novation Circuit Mono Station
  • Roland MC-707
  • Akai MPC X
  • MB33 Retro

I’m quite liking the look of the Mackie ProFX16 v3… There’s so many mixers about I’d like some tips please there’s some good deals online today.

Cheers

Rob

Mackie VLZ is very nice but no FX (there are sends though) and no USB audio. I would hope that the ProFX has the same sound quality but I can’t confirm.

You could also look into one of the rack mount ones depending on how much hands on control you need.

Why not an audio interface?

Yeah thanks I have an audio interface I have hooked up however I was wanting to dump the computer and do some live stuff in the new year with my gear.

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I think the allen heath ZED stuff is worth looking at also, maybe used to get the price down. People seem to really like the EQs in those. Do you run all that stuff at once? It could be worth getting a patch bay and a smaller mixer depending on your space, easier to mix and match and add new gear in the future potentially. Mackie stuff is a good price to quality ratio from what I have heard.

How about a Mackie Onyx 1620i? It’s an analogue desk but with FireWire to your computer.
The nice thing about is is that aux 1&2 can be sent to the computer to run fx ( I have it go to Sound Toys FX Rack) then return at channel 13&14 if needed.

Have a look and let me know if you want one! :wink:

Take a look at the Soundcraft Signature series. The 22 channel one has a twin FX module, the 16 is single I think.

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Nice Black Friday deal on the Signature 22 here actually:

£399 in the UK.

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Thanks mate been checking the Soundcraft series out… look great, is there any more you can think of with dual FX?

Rob

Those Soundcraft are decent, pretty solid. I’ve seen them get battered in a few venues and work for a long time!

I’ve not had much experience with the Zeds, but I seem to remember them sounding better, the EQs being much nicer etc.

Also, the Yamaha MG series are bomb proof and super clean.

I’ve seen some ridiculous deals for massive (lots of channels) warm sounding old analog desks on ebay recently. A few hundred pounds can buy you a lot if you’ve got the room to house one!

Not that I can think of off the top of my head, I’d just be googling, same as you…

I have a Soundcraft EFX12 which is similar to the signature range but without USB. I wouldn’t be surprised if the built in Lexicon FX processor is identical. I find the room and plate reverbs very usable on drums. The chorus is a bit mild but decent.

I think with Mackies you tend to get better aux/sub mix options that allow you to have a couple of external FX loops more easily. Having said that I like the sweepable midrange EQ on the Soundcraft and I like the overall sound of it. It has a nice cohesive quality and it’s not noisy.

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I’m about to grab a Tascam Model 24 - they look fantastic. Analogue mixer with internal recording and USB interface for 24 channels. Then stream channels back to mixer for analog mix down.

I’m really keen on one of those, or more likely the Model 16 - however they’re out of the OP’s budget (and oddly they’re the same price as each other on Andertons right now :thinking:). The USP is the multitracking to SD card (or to computer), if that’s not required then it’s probably overkill.

I use a Yamaha mg12xu. 12 channels, onboard effects, 2 channel usb audio interface, compressor on first 4 channels, 2 aux sends, 2 group outs, monitor outs. I dont use the audio interface so not sure how it is.

Its not a high end mixer (only $330) but I think it sounds good (transparent). Ive had mine around 3 years & never had any issues wiith it. Really good bang for the buck.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MG12XU--yamaha-mg12xu-12-channel-mixer-with-usb-and-effects

Here are the ones I’m considering now within my price range.

Yamaha MG16XU 16
£409.00

Zoom LiveTrack L12
£451.00

Mackie PROFX16 V3
£419.00

Yamaha MGP12X
£479.00

Seems the last one MGP12 has Dual Effects

Rob

I don’t have it but as far as i can remember on my way to a solid mixer you can use an app to change some parameters from the FX-Section via an Iphone (and just an Iphone/Ipad - no Android!!)

Thanks mate… I just found I can get the Yamaha MG16XU for £298.00 here, wondering if anyone recommends one here?

YAMAHA MG16XU

I’ve had a smaller, older version for years as a backup mixer. It has currently found use as a sub mixer in my studio - they’re flexible, built like a tank (or at least mine is!), and super clean. I’d recommend. And it seems to fit all your needs.

I’ve been also looking for the perfect analogue mixer for 2-3 weeks now, checked all of them and none was perfect, however the closest to my perfection is Yamaha MGP16x.
I had Soundcraft MTK 22 but I didn’t like its audio interface, audio signal coming into DAW was too low. Better to record directly from outputs to a recorder or any audio interface. I didn’t find multitrack recording useful in any of these mixers including Tascam Model, as they cannot record post EQ, and that is totally useless to me.
Yamaha MGP series (not MG) is another level comparing to Soundcraft MTK. It has definitely better sound, better EQs and also the best FXs in this category, and also possibility to control them via iPhone/iPad. The FXs in Soundcraft were ok but nothing special.

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This looks pretty much fine for what I want to do

Behringer Xenyx QX2442USB