A friend that is looking for a rack mixer with decent audio quality,
without crash into bankruptcy,
to have connected a quite large synths rig, some rack Fxs unit and few mics as well,
the synths rig setup would need the a mixer with following features:
16 double A-B inputs,
only 8 with mic-line option, also with space saver DB25 conn,
as 19" rack format is a fixed space, the inline type seems to be the most suitable solution,
and the double/dual pot for volume, panpot, aux sends and the eq section seems to be the must,
with the following layout :
Each strip with dual input, input A stereo, input B mono,
with volume+pan A.,volume+pan B, and if "unprohibitive" with A-B flip option as well,
aux sends 1-2 fixed, aux 3-4, switchable to 5-6 and assignable to input B,
3 semiparametric eq dual pot section each with freqs sel and +/- gain, with on-off , and "to B" switch,
single insert switch option for each strip, assigned as default to A inputs,
and if required switchable to input B with the flip option (perfect would be dedicated switch for A & B)
channel on-off switch on each input A & B,
L-R main-master bus assigned as default for inputs A & B,
+ a selectable with switch stereo buss 3-4 with dedicated output, for drive a monitor line, or phones as well,
in the master section :
A balanced Master Mix out with dual pot or stereo small fader + insert switch, and stereo meterleds bar,
buss 3-4 out volume pot,
2 control room out, each with dedicated output volume pot + mute switches, and the C-room 1 with mono option switch,
2 headphones out with volume pot,
1 stereo external input, with dedicated to main mix, to control room, to buss 3-4, switches,
3 stereo aux returns each with volume pot, and signal led,
after several searches with rather disappointing results
as it seems that only old models of Roland, Yamaha, Fostex,Tascam and some other,
with limited audio and routings features seem to be available,
... and at so really inproposable prices,
apart some Mackie,
like the old LM3204 main unit expandable with expansion unit,
which is no longer produced,
nor did he have any successors improved-enhanced models,
as Mackie given the demand
have developed the 16ch 1604 VLZ series with small faders,
unfortunately with limited eq section, and no inline option version
like the old Alesis Studio 32, unfortunately it too with limited eq and auxes,
and however both are too cumbersome,
the one that would seems to have many but not all the features suitable for the needs,
as channels number is not enough, eq is not enough enhanced,
the 8 busses section is not required and could be used for other features as abobe,
(probably with different layout and features could become one..)
is the : Xtramix MKII,
but the price is so difficult to understand/digest ,
if no transformers, DOA, Tubes are on audio paths,
but only IC everywhere,
from what is described in various web places,
it would seem that sound very good,
however the price put it really so far away from something like an enhanced Mackie VLZ
with inline option, enhanced eq as above described,
and with double pots solution on the various sections
like the eq, aux sends and faders, reducing its size,
of which the IC sound quality would be sufficient for the purpose,
at a very affordable price,
but will it ever happen ?
Or is the Diy ( even if mpossible ) the only chance about ?
without crash into bankruptcy,
to have connected a quite large synths rig, some rack Fxs unit and few mics as well,
the synths rig setup would need the a mixer with following features:
16 double A-B inputs,
only 8 with mic-line option, also with space saver DB25 conn,
as 19" rack format is a fixed space, the inline type seems to be the most suitable solution,
and the double/dual pot for volume, panpot, aux sends and the eq section seems to be the must,
with the following layout :
Each strip with dual input, input A stereo, input B mono,
with volume+pan A.,volume+pan B, and if "unprohibitive" with A-B flip option as well,
aux sends 1-2 fixed, aux 3-4, switchable to 5-6 and assignable to input B,
3 semiparametric eq dual pot section each with freqs sel and +/- gain, with on-off , and "to B" switch,
single insert switch option for each strip, assigned as default to A inputs,
and if required switchable to input B with the flip option (perfect would be dedicated switch for A & B)
channel on-off switch on each input A & B,
L-R main-master bus assigned as default for inputs A & B,
+ a selectable with switch stereo buss 3-4 with dedicated output, for drive a monitor line, or phones as well,
in the master section :
A balanced Master Mix out with dual pot or stereo small fader + insert switch, and stereo meterleds bar,
buss 3-4 out volume pot,
2 control room out, each with dedicated output volume pot + mute switches, and the C-room 1 with mono option switch,
2 headphones out with volume pot,
1 stereo external input, with dedicated to main mix, to control room, to buss 3-4, switches,
3 stereo aux returns each with volume pot, and signal led,
after several searches with rather disappointing results
as it seems that only old models of Roland, Yamaha, Fostex,Tascam and some other,
with limited audio and routings features seem to be available,
... and at so really inproposable prices,
apart some Mackie,
like the old LM3204 main unit expandable with expansion unit,
which is no longer produced,
nor did he have any successors improved-enhanced models,
as Mackie given the demand
have developed the 16ch 1604 VLZ series with small faders,
unfortunately with limited eq section, and no inline option version
like the old Alesis Studio 32, unfortunately it too with limited eq and auxes,
and however both are too cumbersome,
the one that would seems to have many but not all the features suitable for the needs,
as channels number is not enough, eq is not enough enhanced,
the 8 busses section is not required and could be used for other features as abobe,
(probably with different layout and features could become one..)
is the : Xtramix MKII,
but the price is so difficult to understand/digest ,
if no transformers, DOA, Tubes are on audio paths,
but only IC everywhere,
from what is described in various web places,
it would seem that sound very good,
however the price put it really so far away from something like an enhanced Mackie VLZ
with inline option, enhanced eq as above described,
and with double pots solution on the various sections
like the eq, aux sends and faders, reducing its size,
of which the IC sound quality would be sufficient for the purpose,
at a very affordable price,
but will it ever happen ?
Or is the Diy ( even if mpossible ) the only chance about ?
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