Mixer for full drum miking

D

DomD

Junior Member
Hi everyone !

what mixer would you recommend for a full miked drum-set (1 BD,3 Rack toms,2 Floor toms)?

Maybe something that isn't too cheap, but also not at the top (from a Budget prospective)
 
Bo Eder said:
Can of worms question. What’s your budget?
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I had a Mackie 1202 VLZ4 on mind for a minimalistic mic-setup.
I will start with a 3 mic setup(2 Overheads, 1 for BD) and gradually I'll get some mics for the toms.
I think it would make more sense to buy from the start the bigger mixer.
 
I'd go with Mackie, and try to find one of the older ones. I've heard mixed reviews about the newer mixers.
 
Btw do you want to record with it or just for live applications? If you want to record, be sure to check of it has an USB or similar output so you can hook it onto your pc
 
Bo Eder said:
So your budget is under $500? I’d search for something with at least eight mic inputs. Yamahas’ MG line has better circuitry than some Mackie stuff.
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Yes, I would better stay under 500$.
I just don't know how low I can go without buying something crappy
 
Bo Eder said:
So your budget is under $500? I’d search for something with at least eight mic inputs. Yamahas’ MG line has better circuitry than some Mackie stuff.
Click to expand...

Bo - related to your question:

When you start sliding up into more expensive mixers - what are you getting for your money? Are there certain features or things that you get a $1000 vs. $500 - I'm looking at building a new home recording set up to in the near future.
 
NouveauCliche said:
Bo - related to your question:

When you start sliding up into more expensive mixers - what are you getting for your money? Are there certain features or things that you get a $1000 vs. $500 - I'm looking at building a new home recording set up to in the near future.
Click to expand...
You’re buying better circuitry. Everything should be quieter, so your mixer doesn’t have to force its way over a high noise floor, and the components should also last a lot longer. Of course, when you get into the new digital mixers, those give you things you never dreamed of in an analog console. For instance, I put my console on stage and everyone plugs into it, along with their in-ears, and I can mix the show with an iPad moving around the room. The band members are also able to mix their own in-ear mix from an app on their smart phones. Another cool thing was the concept of the preset - if the mixer knows what kind of mic I use on my bass drum, it has a preset for EQ and gain I can use as a starting block, then it can save all of those as a global preset so I don’t start from scratch every time I turn it on. It’s incredible.
 
Bo Eder said:
You’re buying better circuitry. Everything should be quieter, so your mixer doesn’t have to force its way over a high noise floor, and the components should also last a lot longer. Of course, when you get into the new digital mixers, those give you things you never dreamed of in an analog console. For instance, I put my console on stage and everyone plugs into it, along with their in-ears, and I can mix the show with an iPad moving around the room. The band members are also able to mix their own in-ear mix from an app on their smart phones. Another cool thing was the concept of the preset - if the mixer knows what kind of mic I use on my bass drum, it has a preset for EQ and gain I can use as a starting block, then it can save all of those as a global preset so I don’t start from scratch every time I turn it on. It’s incredible.
Click to expand...

Ok gotcha - so a mixer has some killer live application too in addition to home recording.

What are your thoughts on an audio interface and all digital mixing instead of a mixer?

Something like this with protools:

www.sweetwater.com

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface

USB 2.0 Audio Interface, 18-in/20-out, 24-bit/192kHz, with 8 Mic/Line Inputs; 2 Instrument Inputs, 2 x ADAT I/O, MIDI and S/PDIF I/O, Dual Headphone Buses, Talkback, and Bundled Software - Mac/Win
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com
 
NouveauCliche said:
Ok gotcha - so a mixer has some killer live application too in addition to home recording.

What are your thoughts on an audio interface and all digital mixing instead of a mixer?

Something like this with protools:

www.sweetwater.com

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface

USB 2.0 Audio Interface, 18-in/20-out, 24-bit/192kHz, with 8 Mic/Line Inputs; 2 Instrument Inputs, 2 x ADAT I/O, MIDI and S/PDIF I/O, Dual Headphone Buses, Talkback, and Bundled Software - Mac/Win
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com
Click to expand...
I had that Scarlett and it’s great. But you’re limited to just recording. I’m starting to like the
Mixing console that can do both. On my Yamaha TF, not only will it do live because you have enough inputs and outputs, you can also plug a computer into it and run Nuendo and recording everything as a seperate track (depending on how powerful the computer is). So you can record up to 40-tracks simultaneously and when you mix down, it’s going back through those same input channels so you can do an actual mix down through the console. I think ProTools is great and still the industry standard, but thanks to digital technology, the lines are getting more blurred by what the box can do for you.
So with the way I am now, I’m not limited to just eight channels at a time. I can do a whole band.
 
NouveauCliche said:
What are your thoughts on an audio interface and all digital mixing instead of a mixer?
Click to expand...

It’s a bit more work to get set up or to move around. But with a digital system you’ll get a ton of processing (compressors, gates, eq etc) that you would have to buy additional gear to duplicate
 
I really like my no frills Tascam 16x8

I think I paid 284 at Sweetwater
 
Bo Eder said:
I had that Scarlett and it’s great. But you’re limited to just recording. I’m starting to like the
Mixing console that can do both. On my Yamaha TF, not only will it do live because you have enough inputs and outputs, you can also plug a computer into it and run Nuendo and recording everything as a seperate track (depending on how powerful the computer is). So you can record up to 40-tracks simultaneously and when you mix down, it’s going back through those same input channels so you can do an actual mix down through the console. I think ProTools is great and still the industry standard, but thanks to digital technology, the lines are getting more blurred by what the box can do for you.
So with the way I am now, I’m not limited to just eight channels at a time. I can do a whole band.
Click to expand...

Dang - 40 tracks would be pretty cool.

Thinking about tracks now:

Snare Top and Bottom : 2
Rack Tom 1: 1
Rack Tom 2: 1
Floor Tom: 1
Bass Drum: 1
Subkick: 1
Hats: 1
Over Heads: 2
Room Mic: 1

That's 11 tracks right there - already moving past the Scarlett.
 
2 Mackie ProFX 12 mixers.

One mixer is used for all tom mics.
The Main Out L and R of the "tom mixer" goes into the Stereo Return of the other mixer.

The "other" mixer is used for 2 kick mics, 1 snare mic, and a pair of overhead mics.
The Main Out of this mixer goes into whatever I want to record with.
 
ToneT said:
2 Mackie ProFX 12 mixers.

One mixer is used for all tom mics.
The Main Out L and R of the "tom mixer" goes into the Stereo Return of the other mixer.

The "other" mixer is used for 2 kick mics, 1 snare mic, and a pair of overhead mics.
The Main Out of this mixer goes into whatever I want to record with.
Click to expand...
Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just have at least a 16 input board? I had a Yamaha MG-something that had 16 inputs for $379
 
I wasn't patient enough to save up for a larger-channel board, and I wanted a second one NOW!
The two-board arrangement sounds great. No noise artifacts.
I still have plenty of line inputs to mix in electronic pads, music, Boss DB-90, and I love messing with my Boss RE-20!

There are times when I just prefer to hear my mix with two kick mics, snare, and two overheads, and one board takes care of that.
 
Take a look at the Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK Mixer and Audio Interface. Currently $50 off at Sweetwater Audio for the low, low price of $449.
Nice board for live playing.
 
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