The battle for the perfect mixer feels like it’s never done. I often want way more sends than I get. What are you using in your studio? What about when live? Which one are you eyeing carefully (that’s actually affordable)?
Studio: PreSonus 32SC
Live: kmix
I really like my presonus but I don’t want to move it ever again and honestly am getting tired of it eating so much desk space.
Kmix is alright if it’s dark enough. I’m in the market for a replacement.
Xr18 is what I’m considering next. It has enough ports to get by and is portable but really love my mechanical faders
Studio: Yamaha MG16XU (wanted the 4 stereo tracks, plus it was inexpensive)
Gigs: Pioneer DJM-750MK2 (sounds good, well built, FX are OK)
Still waiting on Elektron to release every Elektronaut’s dream mixer 
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Studio: EPM8. Had a Toft ATB-08. Would you believe that the EPM actually sounds really good? It’s got me curious about Soundcraft analog mixers.
Live: OT is the main mixer, but have also have run the Yamaha mgxusb12 or w/e the model is with success, no character outta that thing thought. But if I could have my druthers…realistically
I’d run a Ghost 32 in the studio and an X-desk live.
Unrealistically, it’d be an API box in the studio. And cuckooland would be looking at a Neve but probably more likely an SSL.
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Studio + live : Xone:96
Everything stereo. 3 aux sends when doing the cue trick. 2 analog filters and distortions. 2x USB to laptop, iPad. Big fat controls for easy operation.
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Studio: I’m looking for a Midas Venice 160.
Live: A&H Zed 14 (flexible, good sounding mixer, 2 post fader sends, 2 pre fader sends which can be set to stereo, really nice eqs)
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Studio: Tascam Model 16. Handles all routing and recording. Love it to death, though I’m still in the honeymoon phase with it. 
Live: A&H ZEDi 10. Solid as hell and the limited channel and send options force me to keep my live set compact and simple.
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I use rack mount mixers purely for space issue, plus they serve my needs. I would love more send and returns, but get around that by daisy chaining effects boxes and pedals.
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Just got a Crest XR20 for studio…will see if it’s too impractical for live
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In the studio, I mix in-the-box with Ableton or Cubase via 3x RME Multifaces. That gives me 24 analogue inputs and 3 S/PDIF inputs.
Live, I use an A&H QU24. Still have a Mackie 1604 VLZ3, but it’s a bit flakey.
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Roland MX-1 sounds good, some nice features I use 3 of them in my setup, I don’t like the useless PC channel because I don’t have a computer in there, but other than that they are ok, not much use if you don’t have USB airalink compatible stuff though as then you have effectively another 4 stereo channels that you can’t use, but I have the Roland Boutiques going into those.
I don’t play out but I use these for studio and live jams indoors.
I have all 3 going into a Samson SM10 which is a basic line mixer, it allows me to route anything into the samplers.
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Studio: Midas Venice 320 for recording and summing
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studio: Zoom LiveTrak L-12
gigs: Zoom LiveTrak L-12, planning to replace it with LiveTrak L-8, since L-12 is a bit too big, and 8 channels is enough in live situation.
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Studio:
Mackie lm3204 wired to two patchbays. Mackie 1202 for aux/fx/feedback/etc… Supplemented as needed or desired by a variety of mixers (mackie 1402, Gemini scratchmaster, home made matrix mixer, weird old bogen tube mixer/pre, etc).
Live:
Usually the mackie 1202 vlz. I’ve been using it for nearly 20 years. Know it’s capabilities and limitations thoroughly. Like the sound, perfect headroom threshold for me. Nearly indestructible. I’ve used it in the rain. Once someone emptied a fire extinguisher into it while I was playing. I finished the set, opened and cleaned it, and used it at another gig the next night.
Live with my band (playing drums and keys): Two blue stripe era peavey pa/mixer heads.
Always looking for the perfect mixer as I feel the mixer is as much an instrument as anything else, but I don’t think one exists. I’ve sold lots that didn’t make the grade. I’ll probably end up building my own some day, been designing some circuits for one for years. That being said I’d love to try a Midas Venice series.
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Studio - PreSonus StudioLive32. Standalone or can sync with StudioOne and flip to controller mode. Very handy.
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same here. in the studio at least. haven’t played live in forever, don’t plan on it (not that I could any time soon anyway). have plenty of pedals and a patch bay to access any synth in the studio. so I don’t really miss having sends. I prefer the streamlined simplicity of this, plus I don’t EQ until I’ve tracked things into the DAW anyway.
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Studio- A&H Z10 .
Gigs- what ever mixer is at the venue.
Eyeing up- nothing. Sure there are better mixers, but I dont care. The one I have does the job.
Studio and live is the same setup for me…
I use Ableton live as mixer for all the hardware, with the XR18 as interface. And faderfox mx12 & pc12 for controllers.
Using the MX-1 here too. I use it as a sound card so the PC channel is pretty useful for my setup. The input types aren’t too restrictive for my gear as I use my Virus TI via the digital in and as an aux effects processor, my SE-02 through usb, and a VT-4 as a mic pre/ mono input. It’s a bit noisy but I love the “DJ” effects, sweepable filters per channel, and the mastering effect (which adds a nice glue and presence to mixes).
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Studio: akai mg614
6track mixer / 4 track tape.
nice EQs.
nice for pushing stuff to tape.
a bit old and fiddly but I manage to keep it going.
Live+studio: MasterSounds Radius 2
nice simple 2 stereo track analog mixer with vu meters
can send to fx pre or post and fx get inserted pre master isolator eq
hipass filters are great for mixing in sounds very subtly
dead easy to use live.
probably more expensive than it should be, being boutique but it is very nice.
random routing/portable: Dude mixer
mono only mixer
adds some interesting character if saturated
saturation between multiple channels adds side chain type battling for signal dominance
good in a pinch for adding some extra routing.
doubles the mono signal to stereo which can be nice for the DJ style mixer with some gear.
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