OT as a Performance Mixer, but what are the other options?

Ok so I have been looking around for a performance mixer, something not too huge that will give me as many inputs as possible and some FX, hopefully a send too.

So far:
Octatrack
2 stereo inputs and no send/return

Roland MX-1
3 stereo inputs and 1 stereo send return
I don’t use aria gear so the whole USB audio is wasted

AllenHeath db4
Too big and expensive for my use

The more inputs the better, is there something out there I’m missing? Some awesome live performance mixer? I hope so!

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I think the closest thing I found was various DJ mixers when I was looking, there is definitely a gap in the market IMHO. I use some MX-1s as I have a lot of aira link gear (boutiques and modular) but actually I’d probably look to simplifying my setup if a nice tactile performance mixer existed with enough features.

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Similar deal for me, I’m looking for the same thing. Currently thinking about either connecting the DT/DN/AH with overbridge and using ableton + control surface as a mixer or getting a Mackey MIx8 if the latency there is too much

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@Malarkyk I was thinking this too, but want to stay away from the computer if possible.

@darenager yeah the mx1 is looking like my only option unfortunately. I would need to buy an a/d converter just to use channel 5/6 which is annoying. 1 stereo pair for DT, 3 channels for blackbox, and one channel for 0coast.

On the upside I like headphone cue and FX etc… :thinking:

Also the FX send is a big plus

Edit…
or 0coast in to DT but then I’m losing direct FX on 0coast :frowning:

Or one mono channel from blackbox into DT, one in to MX1, and one stereo into MX1. Get my three mix groups out of the blackbox.

You can do neat tricks to use the Octatrack in a send-like fashion with the cues.

@GirTheRobot
Yeah the octatrack can do some wild stuff but that’s using up the cue and inputs right for the send return?

I’m already limited with the mx1 at 6 channels so that just wouldn’t work I don’t think.

OT only has 2 stereo ins and then to use one as a return leaves me with only one input :scream:

Yeah a bit of a pain, although you can get them for about £/€/$10

@darenager

Actually looking in to this the coaxial is actually channel 7/8!
So I can get 8 channels in to this thing which is a lot better than 6 :laughing:

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Any decent dj mixer.

I use Xone96.

You mention db4 is too expensive.

Try looking at Xone DB2 or Xone PX5. Im sure someone was selling a DB4 not too long ago on this forum for a great price.

Both a bit cheaper than DB4 , have fx. PX5 has internal and send/returns and is analog ;). Also can send midi clock out mixer.

@s3kn0tr0n1c simultaneous individual FX per channel though? I have a DJ mixer with FX at the moment but only 2ch.
The DB2 is not enough channels I don’t think

DB2 is 4 channels with 2 fx slots.

https://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/xonedb2/

PX5 is 4+1 channel but uses sends/returns. You have 3 options per tracks sends. INT fx, EXT fx, or Both.

https://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/xonepx5/

Yeah 4 mono 1-4, 5&6 is minijack stereo, 7&8 is stereo coax digital, then 4 aira USB (no use to you), 1 PC USB (maybe use to you? Not to me) I keep thinking of trying to use the PC USB input with either a rasberry pi or ipad but not tried yet.

The midi implementation is quite good, the scenes are useful and the fx are to a lesser or greater degree quite good, and fairly editable. The mutes and other performance controls are quite nice, and fairly painless to use.

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Guys if you check what’s going with electronic producers live, you’ll see that their “perfomance mixer” is a normal analogue mixer (usually a Mackie/A&H/Soundcraft one). And they play that mixer like an instrument and use the AUX sends and returns with external effects. There’s a reason why you think there is “a gap in the market”. It’s not a gap, there are actually many many options out there for a good mixer. And I need to mention one last thing: in the pro-audio field, people are talking really bad about DJ mixers. I’ve never really had one to compare but you should be aware of that. I have a small portable Mackie mixer for on the way and a bigger Soundcraft mixer home with a good Reverb and Delay fx on the AUX.

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Pioneer DJM900NXS2 is a great piece of kit.

I got 1.3 ms latency with XONE 96, soundquality is on par with Qu PAC as far as i have tested it. (Maybe somewhat better, because of the double sample rate.)

I can recommend it, my next choice would have been the PX5, but then the master insert & extra return channels was nice to have, also with the added distortion on the filter .)

OT could be added to this setup also, just put AUX to OT, then XFADE between running, and sampled beat. Havent tried it yet, only connected Rytm & NI Maschine currently.

My personal point was, that i wanted to have something tactile, no pad interface like on qu pac.

(I still own the qu pac, and i will keep it, as its great for recording, maybe use as sub mixer.)

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Yeah been there done it, problem for me is that I don’t want to pay for mic pres (crappish ones at that) that I’ll never use, never enough stereo line channels, rarely midi, and not really optimised for performance more for front of house/project studio use.

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Hello, mate! @Buska I have a few questions. Will you be gigging live or will the mixer be a stay at home piece of gear? What other gear do you have? How many inputs do you really need? What needs to be stereo and what needs to be mono?

Great thread as I’m trying to figure out my architecture as well in terms of mixing as well. I have:

Modular
Octatrack
Digitakt
Oberheim SEM
Roland MX-1 as my mixer

Everything runs through the Octatrack into all 4 inputs (1 stereo and 2 mono inputs) and then the mains into the MX-1. This is so I can resample any of the inputs and chop/mangle on the fly. My question is around the FX sends and whether to use the cue to send channels to external efx, and then from the external fx into channels 3&4 (1&2 would be for the Octatrack).

Not sure if that would be better than just using the send/return on the MX-1. I guess the difference being that send/return on the MX-1 will effect everything where as if I use the cue send on the Octatrack, I can select which channels are sent to efx at anyone time and control the levels with the fader on the MX-1.

Think I just convinced myself to go with the Cue Send technique, will give this a try tonight.

Interested to see where you end up and whether you do leverage the MX-1.

Cheers!

Looks lovely, only $3300.00 at my local music shop :smiley:

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