Hello everyone. I’m trying to decide what mixer would be the best to record drums (4 or 5 tracks) into a Delta 1010lt. I’d like to have something that offers an “out” for each “in”. Any suggestions? Thank you 
Check out the Mackie ‘-VLZ’ line. 1202 VLZ, 1402…
the 1010lt is unbalanced, therefore any mixer with inserts on each channel that are normally used for putting say a compressor in the chain is useable… on the cheap end, behringer includes these. on the slightly expensive side, mackie’s new stuff is supposedly pretty cool.
I’d suggest something like a Berry 2442-fx pro - 12 mic inputs, 8 with inserts, 4 sub groups, 8 direct outs, and 4 auxs that can be used to feed the 1010lt. Pretty cheap these days.
The upside of buying a slightly larger mixer is that you can get 4-5 tracks of drums, and a track or four of bass, guitar, keys, scratch vocs in one pass.
The problem with a mixer is that even if you have 8 or more mic pre-amps, offenly you have only a stereo output, or two. That make you cant record ALL the inputs to separate tracks. Maybe you can consider buy separated mic preamps.
Thanks to everyone for your input. It has helped.
Here’s a pretty good article on using a mixer in your PC recording jig:
Using a Hardware Mixer
That’s a pretty good article. Thank you
| Quote (marce @ Feb. 10 2006,06:15) |
| The problem with a mixer is that even if you have 8 or more mic pre-amps, offenly you have only a stereo output, or two. That make you cant record ALL the inputs to separate tracks. Maybe you can consider buy separated mic preamps. |
So long as you get a mixer with inserts, that will not be an issue.
Inserts OR Direct outs. Direct outs are easier to patch but “cheater” INSERT cables can be made (or bought) to grab the signal for your interface AND keep the signal intact in the mixer. IF you need it. Depending on how the Direct out path is wired in the mixer, the “cheater” Insert cables may be best. Depends on the sitchy-ashun… 
D
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| The problem with a mixer is that even if you have 8 or more mic pre-amps, offenly you have only a stereo output, or two. That make you cant record ALL the inputs to separate tracks. |
I was going to say; “that’s why God made inserts”. but I see Bubbagump and Diogenes have beaten me to it.
Just remember to short out tip and ring on your cables, that way you still have inputs to your mixer for monitoring etc.
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| Inserts OR Direct outs. Direct outs are easier to patch but “cheater” INSERT cables can be made (or bought) to grab the signal for your interface AND keep the signal intact in the mixer. IF you need it. Depending on how the Direct out path is wired in the mixer, the “cheater” Insert cables may be best. Depends on the sitchy-ashun… |
The direct outs on my berry are post fader, so imo, probably aren’t as helpful as inserts for recording (especially in the live situation) when we want to keep gain at an optimum level for digital recording. So, I use the inserts to get a good recording level, and then mix in the desk as per normal.
In the studio, all bets are off - I’ll use whatever suits - maybe I’ll ride a fade and eq to tape with a delay on the aux, so that’ll use a direct out. Maybe I’ll just go from the insert and mix in the daw.
Willy.
| Quote (Bubbagump @ Feb. 10 2006,16:24) | ||
So long as you get a mixer with inserts, that will not be an issue. |
So, if ihave 4 preamps, by ex, 2 of them with inserts and 2 without them, you can be able to rout 4 separated channels (2 trough the inserts, and 2 trough the main stereo output?)?
Yeah, there are a couple of ways to do it.
1) send the inerts as per normal
2) pull the track faders down on the inserted channels and pan the other two hard l-r and record through the mains for the other two,
or
2) turn all the aux off. Turn track1/aux1 up and track fader down, and hook aux one into the soundcard, and turn track2/aux2 up and track fader down, aux two to other soundcard input.
Hope that makes sense.
Actually, there’s no reason why all three wouldn’t work togther.
It’s all a matter of setup/routing.
You got excellent advice already.
I’m just posting to give (yet) another way of looking at it.
I’ve got a Soundcraft Spirit Folio light (8 channel, 4 Inserts and two aux sends (one pre fade and one post) on every channel) and a 1010lt.
Here’s a couple of options I’ve been using.
Bear in mind the spirit folio have a way (2track return) that you can route a stereo input only to the earphones, bypassing the main mix…
Option one (this is what Willy refered to just above):
Channel 1 to 4 into the 1010 via inserts, channel faders totally off.
Channel 5 and 6 (hardpanned left and right) on the mixer routed to stereo out (their channel faders up to let only them go through on the ‘stereo mix’) - the ‘Main Mix’ on the mixer goes into channel 5 and 6 on the 1010.
Channel 7’s fader down, but aux1 (the prefader one) open. The aux1 send then go into the 1010’s channel 7 input.
Then it leaves me with one ‘open’ channel on the 1010 that I can use to DI a guitar amp line out, pod output, keyboard out or any other line level for going in directly into channel 8 on the 1010.
I then output N’s stereo master output into the ‘two track return’ on my mixer and route it only to the earphones for monitoring. (Alternatively, if the mixer can’t seperate the two track return from the main mix you can run the output straight into monitor speakers/headphone amp/hifi/whatever.)
The downside is that you have to balance your monitor mix using the Delta controlpanel.
Option two:
If you have two dynamic mics, you can use the 1010’s own preamps.
So then it looks like this:
Input 1 and 2 on the 1010 has dynamic mics attached directly to them.
Channel 1 through 4 on the mixer connected to the 1010’s 3-6 via inserts. (sliders on them still down)
Channel 5 and 6 on the mixer’s sliders up and then the stereo output of the mixer goes into 7 and 8 on the 1010.
Monitoring still works like above.
Option 3:
Mostly I have only need for a maximum of 4 input at a time, so my standard setup is 1 - 4 on the mixer into 1 - 4 of the 1010 via inserts. Then the 2 track return goes into the mix, and I ‘mix’ as normal to get a good monitor mix in the earphones.
If I need more channels its usually from devices with ‘line outs’ (keyboard, electronic drums, my midi module (JV1010)), so they go directly into 5-8 on the 1010.
This is the easiest option from a monitoring point of view.
Of course, if you can get a mixer with 8 inserts / direct outs it would be the easiest to use.
I’m just telling you how I work as another way of stretching the budget.
Also, if budget wasn’t an option, I would have gone Marce’s way and buy 8 dedicated preamps and then setup the 1010 so that it ‘echos’ all the inputs to the corresponding outputs and let the outputs go straight into the monitoring mixer again.
Best quality, but not the cheapest…
My 4 cents…
Wihan
Edited to fix some typo’s …
Thanks your tips on the mixer routing, i will try them.
I have the Delta 1010 with the outboard box but my experience should apply.
I did a fair bit of research before I bought my mixer and I settled on a Mackie 1642 VLZ. I had one non-negotiable criteria which was the mixer had to have 8 direct outs. This makes everything very simple. Most of the time I just had channels 1 - 8 hooked directly up to the 1010 and everything worked great. I like simple.
The 1642 is a 4 bus mixer with 12 channels so you can group a few extra channels together and use one of the busses if you want more inputs than your card can handle. The mixer also has about every other feature you would want. For a small inexpensive unit it’s very flexible.
Personally I prefer inserts to direct outs simply because there is nothing between the preamp and my convertors other than a 1ft patch cable. It doesn’t get easier than that, especially if it is an all +4 system. My Mackie puts out +4 and my EMU takes +4. So long as I have my EMU set to 0db, adjust the pregain on the Mackie, the world should be happy as 0db on the Mackie is the same as on the EMU. But if you like to EQ on the way in, direct outs can be the ticket. I just prefer to EQ in the box and never find EQ on boards to be worth much unless they are really big money boards with nice EQs.
I also have a Mackie 24/4 console and I never find myself using the busses while recording… Live or while mixing, that is a different story. Just some things to consider when looking for mixers as the super bells and whistle models may be overkill. Again, just my taste, but I would steer towards a used Mackie VLZ. I got mine maybe 10 months ago and like it more all the time. For the price of a new Berry you can get a used Mackie and I think you will get more mileage out of it.