digital mixers WITH eq knobs on each channel?

mano 1

Founder
Staff member
Is it just me wondering?

I used to havea mackie 1604 VLZ PRO, and I LOVED the fact htat I could just tweak all the EQs directly without having to "Select" or jump to a particular track

I am about to purchase a digital mixer (not expensive, around $1000) but I am realizing that none of them have the EQs knobs above the levels ... :(


I'd go with a Mackie again, I woudlnt mind, but it sucks to give up automation/motorized faders and also... ADAT I/Os is something I absolutely need, as I want ot mix sources from my Pulsar 2 card back and forth (Effects, etc)


I have my eyes on a Yam 01V or Tascam DM-24 (a bit more expensive though) - but none of them have those EQs per channel hands-on


What do you think?

Please give me your inptu and point of view on this.

thanks

-mano
 
I don't know anything about the models you mentioned but I used to work with a Soundcraft mixing board when I used to set up bands and I loved the eq knobs on each channel. Nothing beats using those knobs. I'll always prefer old school type equipment eventhough the modern stuff is so versatile.
 
the problem is that if I go with a Mackie or Soundcraft analog board, I would have to keep my current AD/DA converter to be able to route/mix signals from inside my DAW - but I sold it - compared to digital mixers which would integrate with my DAW no problem via a few ADAT cables, as it converts as well

tough choices!

More input is appreciated :)
 
hokus208 said:
I know its above your budget, but the mackie D8B can be had on ebay now for 3,4k... excellent board.

If I happen to have this budget at some poitn, it is definitely the digital mixer I'd aim for - as I said in my initial post I used to have a 1604 analog and really liked it - in fact my mixes were better considering the little I knew about mixing ;) (ie without trying hard the result was good).
 
i was learning how to do live mixes on a mackie cfx-20 board and i loved it. you just brought back memories with the mention of the vlz because i almost got one but went for the cfx instead. i had it for two months then a burglar came and permanently borrowed it. this thread will help me along on my new search to replace it. :cheers:

634249.jpg
 
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I am almost considering an analog mixer again BUT I wouldnt be able to mix my ADAT sources (IE all the internal ones in my PC) :( ... unless I keep my converter - I cna't keep both though.
 
yeah look at all those EQs RIGHT on the face... thats what Im talking about... digital mixers dont have this "direct" approach to thinsg unfortunately

I would give up "4 bands" for 1 parametric + 3 "fixed" bands of EQ anytime (thats what the VLZ had)
 
If you want control over the EQ's then why not get a digital mixer and an additional midi controller for the EQ's? $1000 isnt much of a budget for a digital.
 
the additional midi controller isn't a bad idea.

I know it isn't much, but since the 01V is available at around 700/800 these days, it didn't seem impossible.

I just didn't feel super comfortable using an AD/DA converter box as the sole way to get signals into my DAW. Just the fact that I had to get the computer on to get any kind of signals to my monitors was a bit of a drag. Switching to a digital mixer would give me the freedom to play around with sound within a few seconds, without loading software or presets on the screen with my mouse. Know what I mean?

I am not under any pressure to get this figured out right away either - I did sell my AD/DA converter already because as I said above it just didnt feel right to work like that - however I can wait a bit too. I still have the tiny Behringer I use for monitoring ;) and after all I can plug the sources I want to track 1 by 1 inot the 2 analog-ins on the Pulsar2 as well... I never track more at once anyways.

Thanks for the input, I am glad I can use FP too :)
 
The digital mixers that seem to feature enough hands-on controls to be fun to use, without being *super* expensive are:

Yamaha 01V96

Tascam DM24:
http://media.zzounds.com/media/brand,zzounds/DM-24_front-18e3e9bcf845068c0893702565dbfe31.jpg


Both can be found for a tad less than $2,000 (I've seen the Tascam for $1,500 from what I can see - it IS over my current budget but as I said I might wait and get something like this later and just save up, if it makes more sense... Those have nice big knobs and even though I'd still have to "select" a channel, it'd work pretty well.
 
Yo mano. Have you sold the 1604? I am not sure to get one or not. To be honest I have never had a mixing console before, I just use the little thing inside my MPC. I am thinking of getting one, but it would be good to see what you thought of it. And j-traxx, what you think of the cfx-20?
 
I don't have it anymore, no. The 1604 VLZ PRO's value barely went down since when I originally bought it in 1999.

If you dont need allt he fancy digital mixer features, it's a sure value.

there are some on ebay for around $500 I think, you cna't go wrong with one of these.
 
mazammit said:
And j-traxx, what you think of the cfx-20?

the cfx20 was a wonderful unit to work with after i got used to it. the only thing i didnt like that i think i can remember was that it didnt have lights to indicate wether a channel was muted or not. i used it live with a RMX2450 Power Amp by QSC. it was a warm sound after we got everything situated. the were powering two Yamaha S115IVS Club Tour Series 15” 2-Way Speakers. everything was stolen except for my speakers that are currently collecting dust right now in my room. as far as initial ease of use...the cfx 20 is no daisy and it will not give you as much as a peep unless you read the manual first. the eq was excellent and very flexible as far as tweaking individual channels were concerned. the digital effects were never used cause i never had the time to get to know how to use them effectively b4 it got stolen :cry: it had a gang of inputs and i had about 10 mics up in there. one 5 piece drum kit mic set and 5 others for vocals. everyone has a different mic technique and tweaking the mics so that everyone was level was a bit challenging without the headphones (which were also stolen) but with headphones it was very true to the different vocal characteristics and protrayed the sound very crisply with the help of the QSC and the yamahas. it's a great unit for any live band and studio band cause it isnt much money and you get a gang of features like stereo inputs and digital master efx and such. i will miss it very much cause i wasnt done learning how to use it :(
 
The only digital mixers with eq knobs that I have seen was the Sony DMX and I think its a Mackie DB8 that has just been recently released, it was at the latest AES convention. But as I'm sure you know, those are about 20,000. If I were you, I'd just get a DIGI 002 because you can assign the knobs above the faders for whatever you want on Pro Tools. Just a thought
 
I have my eyes on the Tascam DM24.

I'll wait a bit to get it as it is a bit over my budget, but it'll be nice not to be tied to a specific software.

Perfect for tracking all my sources into my DAW, and then mix everything back out via either digital connections (ADAT, etc). Furthermore, standalone operations seem excellent.

I read part of the manual already, and EQs are easy to get to and the controls make sense.

Basically it works a bit like one of the mixers inside my Pulsar 2 soundcard (nice mixers) but it is "real".

Used, they run from $1,500 with ADAT built-in. I'll just wait for one of those to pop up when I am ready to buy. Im not in a hurry :)
 
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