Tracktion Software

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 10:51 pm

I need to get a small utility mixer to feed into my Audigy 2 ZX and need some advice. Behringer has one that will likely suit my meager needs for $35 US, but since that is so cheap, I want to make sure it isn't shit. Any advice? All I really need is an XLR in, a mono in for guitar, and a stereo in for a keyboard. More would be nice but I don't 'need' more.

Actually, this is only $50:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHUB802

Whaddya think?

semiquaver · Post by **semiquaver** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 11:10 pm

should be ok - uses ok opamps etc.

but what you really need is:

http://mercenary.com/cranspid.html

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 11:23 pm

semiquaver wrote:should be ok - uses ok opamps etc.

but what you really need is:

http://mercenary.com/cranspid.html

Yeah, 'gimmie' $7500 and I'll spend it on something else

I think I'll be happy with a $50 mixer then

freeztar · Post by **freeztar** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:20 am

I own an 802 and would advise against it for serious audio work. It's rather noisy. A better solution might be something digital. Perhaps a breakaway audio card from M-Audio? The Behringer mixers are good for live stuff, where you are overpowering the noise, but for studio work they raise the noise floor to an unusable level imo.

aldi · Post by **aldi** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:37 am

no behringer ever !!! quality is allways at the lower end. it might work but chance that it gets broken after half a year is extremly high. i had too many bad things happen with behringer stuff.

aldi · Post by **aldi** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:39 am

maby you should look at simple 1 or 2 channel mic preamps instead. just a mic-level control and phantompower. nothing more so you can be relativ sure the money goes for the quallity not for features.

braj · Post by **braj** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:34 am

Two things:

1. I'm just a hobbyist.
2. I want to have all my external gear able to access the Audigy's inputs without having to switch out anything, so switching from mic to guitar to keyboard will only involve turning stuff up/down etc.

Can anyone recommend any alternatives in the ~$50 price range?

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 3:46 am

For your needs, the UB802 is fine. I agree that it can be noisy, but the tolerances are within usable parameters for certain applications. I don't like using mine for distorted guitars, because when I throw an amp sim into the mix, the noise is amplified and too noticeable.

But with vocals, bass, and clean guitar, it's perfectly fine. Most people don't seem to grasp that musicians like you and I are hobbyists doing this for fun, and that we don't need pro-level gear to have fun with it.

Allegedly, once you jump up to the 1202, the pre-amp circuit is different and is cleaner, but I have absolutely no proof to back that claim up. On the other hand, it's about 75% more expensive.

Greg

aldi · Post by **aldi** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:02 am

hmm, buying every year a new mixer for $50 instead of using another 5 years without problem... i also hate when things are too expensive. it's like wearing cheap shoes- your feet will smell like chees after 2 weeks. but do as you please.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:04 am

aldi, I can never tell when you're serious and when you're just talking out of your ass.

The analogy is faulty at best. Logic is apparently not your strongest suit. But that's OK. In the meantime, comments about cheese-smelling feet still bring a genuine smile to my face, so do as you please.

Greg

willowhaus · Post by **willowhaus** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:53 am

Behringer=shit. Really - you're throwing your money away. I have a Soundcraft Spirit Folio Notepad,which makes a really nice little desktop mixer. It's not a $50 mixer, but you should really aim a bit higher, even for personal use.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:52 am

<shrug>

It's the lowest of the bunch, no doubt.

Mine's working fine and is giving me exactly the performance I expected of it. Nobody's claiming it's better than any other particular mixer.

Lots of people here and at CM/FM forums seem to be doing just fine with Behringer products, depending on their needs.

And, of course, there is also the bandwagon of people who will jump up and down and say that it's unusable when the evidence is all around them-- people using it just fine.

Someone asks for a $50 recommendation, you GIVE them a $50 recommendation with a caveat emptor (which I did, agreeing that the noise levels are a bit much for certain applications) and then if they decide "well crap, maybe I DO need a bit better" then they're ready to hear other recommendations.

Not saying that you don't have the freedom to recommend whatever you want at whatever price, but it takes a certain kind of perspective to actually know what the person is asking for and to give them an appropriate answer.

Just saying, "Behringer = shit" sure isn't very persuasive.

Considering the recording I've done with mine already, and all the fun I've had with it... not to mention the learning I've done while trying out different routing configurations, I consider mine to be $50 very well spent, indeed. I've wasted far more money than that on silly recording magazines that haven't really left me with anything substantial.

Greg

braj · Post by **braj** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 6:03 am

The thing is it isn't a high priority, I've spent lots of $$ in the past couple years on a computer, apps and plugins, a new guitar, controllers and surfaces, etc. My wife only has so much patience with my hobbies and I want to be as economical as possible. A small amount of people will hear anything I create, and they won't notice if it was done on a $50 or $5000 mixer

I know it isn't high quality, but I do think Greg's right. For my purposes it'll do just fine. It won't have to endure the road, and I won't be pushing it to it's limits. As long as I can get a relatively clean signal to my soundcard I'll be fine. To contrast, right now I'm running my guitar into my CS1x, then out through it's mix to the audigy. And actually it sounds fine to me. I have to imagine the Behringer will be about the same, but give me more control and an XLR for a mic.

Toad · Post by **Toad** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 6:55 am

I've had a Behringer Eurorack MX802 for at least 7 years and it's never let me down. It's been bashed around the Australian Outback in heat and dust, hauled around folk festivals, clubs 'n' pubs, served a four-piece band and has done sterling service in recording. Can't say I've noticed much in the way of noise (tho' my ears are getting on a bit). It has phantom power and the preamps are more than adequate unless you're a real professional. I don't think this model is still made, but this is one instance where you might consider going for something second hand.

M'Snah · Post by **M'Snah** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 7:04 am

I have a UB1002 and I'm satisfied with it, it's in line with my quality of composing and producing

.

When you buy a $50 mixer then you get $50 value of mixer, it's not a Mackie or whatever. I've also heard that Behringer product quality is not always the same for all products. e.g. you could buy two identical products and one of them has more noise than the other.

[EDIT: deleted my dumb problem because of wrong set up

]

Tracktion Software

KVR Audio

Small audio mixer to use with Tracktion?