External Mixer Recommendations

[Superdude]

Hi all,

When i record with mics, i end up with machine noise/hiss that covers the mid and treb region. This is because im using a beringer eurorack mx 1604a mixer. > I think these mixers were not really designed for recording, more a way of cheap monitoring. Actually, looking at the cheap metallic poky little mixer, resembles the excess machine noise + hiss that it picks up. >>>>I hate this stupid mixer.


Could you guys tell me what mixers/gear you use 2 record mics with?? Thanks all

[scopeboy]

I use a Soundcraft Spirit M12 mixer. Each channel has a direct out jack, so I just hook up the direct outs of the channels I want to record to the inputs on my Delta 1010 with patch cords.

Before that I had an old second-hand Studiomaster 16-4-2 with its four group outputs hooked up to the four inputs on a Delta 66.

[dach]

I really can't give you a recommendation but if you are cranking the pre's way up... don't... keep them at a moderate level and either turn the source up or increase the level of your softest tracks in your computer...

Actually, looking at the cheap metallic poky little mixer, resembles the excess machine noise + hiss that it picks up

that is a classic!

[brandondrury]

I'm pretty sure that every budget mixer is noisy. There is a reason that my 1272 is $500 per channel used and a Mackie is $700 for 16 pres, 16 eqs, routing, aux sends, etc.

I suggest keeping the Behringer around and just not using it for anything critical. Use a better pre for the quiet stuff.

Again, as Dach said, you'll probably find that there is a spot where the pres get very noisy. Just don't use them pasted that spot. You can always make up for it Cubase anyway.

Brandon

[Superdude]

The other day i recorded some friends playing acoustic guits and singing. I only used mics to record and was very careful not to boost the mic pres' too much when recording; This resulted in a VERY weak signal.... -15db at the best!! This is very irritating since when i go to produce the track, theres too much noise. I think i am going to buy a new mixer/soundcard. Either the motu mrk2/Presonus firepod. They both elliminate the need for a mixer and have mic pres built in. Is this a good idea guys?

[scopeboy]

What kind of mics are you using? Sometimes cheap condenser mics can be pretty noisy, and some dynamic mics can have a very low output, which means you have to crank the mic pre's right up and it seems very noisy even if the pre itself is OK.

Although I guess you're right that the Behringer desk probably sucks too. I know my cheap Behringer compressor limiter sucks pretty hard.

I paid about $700 for my mixer (and I sure wouldn't have called $700 "Budget" at the time) and I've never had any problems with hiss on mic recordings. I think it has the same mic pre's as Soundcraft's large frame desks. I don't believe that recording at a low gain and then amplifying it digitally will make the noise any better either. Boosting the signal digitally will boost the noise part of it too, and I bet you end up with just as much noise as if you'd increased the pre gain to start with. I just turn mine up until decent sized waveforms start to appear on the tracks in Cubase.

Now you mentioned machine noise which is a different matter, that could be picked up acoustically by your mics, and it doesn't matter a butt worth what kind of preamp you're using in that case. I don't know anything about the MOTU thing or the firepod or whatever.

[brandondrury]

I don't believe that recording at a low gain and then amplifying it digitally will make the noise any better either.

Assuming that noise is constant, you'd be right. However, noise is not constant with preamps. Mackie preamps, specifically, aren't noisy at all at first. If the gain is all the way down, they are fairly quiet. 12 o'clock is the limit for a Mackie. After that, the noise becomes unacceptable to me. Cranking the preamps all the way up results in total noise that is totally useless.

So in this case, you are MUCH better off boosting the gain digitally (no additional noise) than boosting the gain with a preamp that will drastically worsen the noise situation.

If I had $1,000 to blow in this situation, I'd analyze my where I was. If I needed more simultaneous inputs, I'd snag a new soundcard. If my current soundcard was of low quality or didn't have enough inputs, I'd upgrade. Other than that, I'd focus on better preamps. If I was just starting out again, I'd buy one of the lunchbox rigs and go with something like 7th Circle. If cash is low, you can build them yourself.

The preamps in these soundcards are probably not any better.

Brandon

[Superdude]

Thanks

Do u think that getting a new mixer will help?.(I didnt boost the mic pres very high at all, and there was lots of noise)

[Superdude]

I used a SM57 and a B9-PRO condenser on acoustic guits and vocals.The hiss + noise was only on the acoustic guitar recordings and not on the vocal recordings.(used the b9-pro on vox). Im sure that i need a decent mixer to use the mic pres. This eurorack sucks!!! Im gonna buy a motu.




...or a new guitar (joke)

[Wassgob]

there could so many reason why you are getting noise what you should do is check the signal flow start at the beginning of the signal (the mic) and test everything until you get to the end of your signal (MTR or Comp) thats the best way to find out in my mind! then you dont buy a brand new mixer and sound card and find out your XLR chord has just been stepped on a few too many times!

if it is equipment make sure you take some time while buying youre equipment! make sure you get good preamps! i would'nt suggest putting it into youre recording equipment (MTR/ Comp) then boosting it inside of there are you will still get a noise floor!! i suggest you make sure the signal is as good as you can get it going into the MTR or COMP