aah yes, it’s only selectable on the “aux master”, not individual channels
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Mackie 1604VLZ4 might be too big for what you’re asking, but you can turn the input section so it points downwards, which helps with size.
It’s got 6 sends, where 3/4 and 5/6 are toggled between.
There are four stereo returns, and if you route send 1 into return two, and send 2 into return one, etc. you can set up feedback between the effects just using returns. You can also pass return 3/4 to subgroups instead of main, meaning you can make (for example) a dedicated drum and bass mix with send effects, before summing it with the rest of your channels.
It is a pretty awesome mixer with good internal headroom and clean sound.
Cons are that the EQs don’t really give much, and the main insert was too low to properly work with my Warm Audio Bus Compressor. But other out board gear might work differently. I found a level shifting solution for using the Bus Compressor, and there are inserts on all 16 channels, so if you got 500 series gear around and a Patchbay, you can get really far.
I didn’t have other outboard gear and ended up supplanting it with a BiG SiX. But it still sits here and waits for getting brought into action 
Edit: it has a pre-switch on aux 1/2, per channel…
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The Pioneer DJM-V10 has 6 channels, and for what i can read also AES to computer. using a delay fx on one channel, controlling it via midi controller - could be a efficient usage. The mixer is expensive though. The question is, if a mapped fx rack to a midi controller works for you. Even the dub delay is now recreated as digital emu, and the pioneer itself has good (DJ FX.)
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This is an interesting conversation about digital dubbing ITB:
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This one looks really sexy, so many controls - why are the EQ lacking ? Is the Q not exact enough? Or no coloring?
Just doesn’t sound pleasing to the program material I put through. My problem was mainly in the low end. 808 kicks for electro, etc. Low shelf not deep enough.
When I got the BiG SiX the difference of the EQ was completely evident. I’ve written about that here
That said, the EQ work, does not make your material sound worse, and the sound quality generally is very clear and sounds good.
Just don’t buy it because of the EQs
If I had a proper studio and it was my trade, I would dub out on this all day long.
Edit: also forgot to mention this is a fully analog unit, with not a usb cable, sd card or digital effect in sight. It’s all about mono channels also, except the returns, main and monitor outs, and the subgroups can be used in stereo configuration.
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In the end: Any mixer can be used to make dub. The rest is personal. I chose epm12 over other soundcrafts with internal fx and stuff because I wanted a simple mixer with 2 sends for real tapedelay and springreverb. As they write in the Tubby paper above. Dub didnt necessarly get better with bigger desks and more options. In many ways I think it got worse. Maybe it can be a good thing to force yourself into limitations with a simple mixer. Or you can get a big ass SSL like Fatty but lock yourself into a section (like 8 channels) as he does in his livedub videos. I dont know. It comes back to what traditions of dub you want to be influenced by.
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if you want a small 19" mixer for this purpose you won’t get much better than an APB H1020, should be around $1200 used i think? for half that price you could get a Crest XR-20 instead, it’s pretty much the same mixer although the APB has a few extra nicer stuff going for it (variable HPF up to 400hz, more and better meter LEDs, 1 more mono group)
Yeah, like I mentioned I have the AH GL2400pro. Lots of options but noisy and simply too large. I want a desktop unit that is more focused. Again, my inspiration is the SPECK SSM that Basic Channel used. A few years ago they were being sold for under $2000 used but nowadays I am not finding them.
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If you don’t mind completely filling your desktop seek out an old Tascam 2524. 8 subgroups, 4 aux sends, Midi mutes and bags of mojo.
Check out APB.
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The Mackie’s can’t be beaten on functions and routing capabilities for the price but quality is poor. I’ve worked with 2 1642vlz4’s that both had issues like stereo channels not balanced properly between L & R and inputs sounding faintly on the main outs although their channels are muted, faders down. And I’ve met more people with vlz4 problems.
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Looks great. Thanks.
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Started nerding out on dub again because of this thread. Finding many about dubtech and such but not much about the raw original stuff. Anybody knows if there is a general dubthread?
Yes, there’re two stereo Cues with very flexible routings. I guess one can use them as 4 mono cues too. In addition to that there’re individual sends for the 4 mono channels, yet their returns lack attenuators, just punch-in on/off button, which is sad, just like the absence of individual outs for the stereo channels.
On the positive side, Bus B out can be used as a send too
BigSix has this.
Yes, you can use them as 4 mono sends, but the stereo channels don’t have a balance control for the cues, so they’d effectively be sending to both channels in each mono pair.
Which are you talking about here? Do you mean the inserts?
the inserts indeed. just listing all the ways to send signals out in more or (rather) less controllable manner.
damn, that’s right, and cue sends don’t have balance control either… I was blind. so the best one can do with this is running 4 mono channels (which have the cue pan control) out of the 2 mono cue pairs. this mixer could be much more versatile with its I/O. need a BiggerSix.
I think a BiggerSix would be an amazing dub mixer. Love my BigSix but I miss all the channels and auxes of my Mackie 1604
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Has anyone here tried out the Soundcraft Signature MTK series for this purpose? On paper they seem like they might be up to the job.
And here is my dilemma!