802VLZ3 user here. Nice compact footprint and as other have said the alt3&4 output is perfect for routing back to the line ins on the Octatrack.
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the 1402 is good but without the semi-eq on the monos? what about the 1642 vlz4?
just think about shaping the ar-drums with it
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I still got my Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro in my studio, which also has been and is used for many live gigs for I think about almost 10 years now. Love this Mixer, the size an the integrated PSU , soundwise etc. If I ever need a new one it´ll be a 1202 again, maybe a VLZ5 or 6. I really hope that Mackie will never discontinue the 1202!
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sweet. thanks everyone for the insight. looks like the only contender in this price range with as many routing possibilities … cheers!
close to pull the trigger here. one question I have and hope some of you can answer (I’m a total mixer noob as you can tell):
it has 2 aux but only AUX1 has the pre fader button. does that mean I can’t use AUX2 as an FX send because I will always hear the dry signal coming from the original track? (think muting will mute the AUX too - from what I understand)… hope that makes sense
cheers
I just got a 1402 VLZ4 recently. I kind of wish I would have gotten the 1202 for the size. That being said, the ALT 3-4 is awesome, as I can route different things to the Octatrack to sample or send things to external effects. Yeah. It’s a great mixer.
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got the 1202 vlz4, good sound, nice small package, just two complaints: there are no led meters on the channels, just on the sum, so you dont have a visual hint, on which channel there is actual sound, and the two sends for fx are just mono, only the returns are stereo.
IMO the VLZ4 series mixers sound great. So great in fact that I feel my converters are not capturing everything! 
I also have a VLZ3 and somehow it doesn’t sound as good? Haven’t done any scientific A/B on this though
hey Brad, I just picked one up and I was wondering how you’re using aux2? so far I can only have the original track as well as whatever i return from aux2. any workaround here?.. the manual seems to confirm this, if I understand correctly
much thanks
aux1 has a pre-fader(level) switch, if engaged it’s effectively muted but still sending to aux1. aux2 is silent when you dial the track level all the way down - so I basically can’t get a fully wet fx send via aux2
Had a 1202 VLZ. Until gave away while downsizing 2 years ago. Clean sound , nice clear strong signal to monitors. Considering another , possibly a 1402, maybe used. 1202 is great size for live hardware gig !
Careful NOT to get the Pro FX Series . 1st one had to be replaced by Sweetwater for hissing in FX section ( which I never really use anyway ) . 2nd is OK but have never been fully satisfied w gain on some channels. Check price difference, the FX series uses cheaper pc’s / components.
Why did I not notice this sooner ? Time- better gear , analog synths , discerning ear reveals weakest link.
VLZ very good.
Also remember that since the aux returns are stereo, you can hook up more line level stuff to the board. During gigs, we usually run my AR into the aux returns of my friends VLZ (not much need for eq with the rytm!)
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At last the basedrum and the snare should be eq-ed…
well, different strokes for different folks, I guess. Never felt the need to eq those either, I shape em how I want them to sound in the synthesis stage and that’s it.
Maybe you are right… but the snare isn’t as punchy as expected… i don’t use samples
Ok, well in that case I can understand why you’d want to. But wouldn’t it be better to add snap with something like compression in that case, instead on equing?
No doubt you’re using the exponential oneshot LFOs for adding snap as well? I find using it to control overdrive or volume usually gives more snap to snares. I actually have a few synthetic snares that I find really smacking with this technique!
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That’s a good idea, thank you
i use the LFO quite alot on the BD for the “boing”, but on snares i didn’t use it
It is not allways usefull to me to bring the snare directly into face, sometimes it works very well when it’s position is discret in the background. What always work are the claps …they have this kind of sound-body without bring in much energy.
i do however crank in the overdrive for more character but also keep the levels in mind, specially when the initial transients are sharp as hell
But i have other synths too. I could do the mix directly in my MOTU but i’d like to have more control without using a computer
I find the env attack to soften things up quite adequately for the transient, but ymmv as always
for future reference:
pulled the trigger on one. it’s nice and things got a bit more spontaneous as I dont have to set up the OT anymore for mixing needs. (audio levels are much more consistent without having to do much)
the issue I highlighted further up stands true though:
aux2 is post fader and therefore the original send track has to be audible in order to send to aux2.
(I’m still not getting the relation between fader level and aux2 send level though. I can dial down fader quite a bit and after boosting aux2 to max still get a reasonable level through the send. also not quite understanding the "send to aux1-return option. but that’s just me)
out3/4 is amazing as i can send stuff back to the OT to resample - would love to know though how I could send the stereo returns too. from what I gather, only the A&H mixer would do all of the above (roughly twice the price)
the control room send are used to record (tape out would be available too)
the EQ sounds nice to my ears and the sounds appears ‘tidy’. hooked up my jazzbass the other day and the pre-amps really do sound great
good purchase. solid product. super sturdy build. never owned a mixer but it does most of what I wanted and I finally actually use all the gear rather than pondering if I should hook it up and mess up the old setUp.
I also now own a nonsensical amount of cables
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Best quote of the week 
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