Digital mixer for corporate band

silky smoove

silky smoove

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May 19, 2004
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#1
What mixer, presumably digital, would everyone recommend for a small corporate events type band consisting of the following:
  • Roland TD-25KV V-Drums either using the Roland brain, or Superior Drummer 2.0 through a laptop and an audio interface (either option goes in direct)
  • Bass direct
  • Guitar direct
  • Keyboards direct
  • Sampler 1 direct
  • Sampler 2 direct
  • Backing tracks from laptop and an audio interface
There are no stage amps and no vocals in this group. The drums and keyboards would ideally get two channels each, but if they have to live on one channel each (mono) that would be just fine. The live mix will be in mono, so having them go in mono might even be ideal.

I also need to have AUX/monitor sends on each channel, and the ability to construct four independent monitor mixes for each players' in-ears/headphones. This needs to be independent from the FOH mix which will go out to powered speakers (i.e. a powered mixer is not required). I'd like to be able to control everything from my iPad such that I can set a loop on my drums (I'm the drummer, not the bassist in this group) and have the band play to it while I go out from to check the FOH mix periodically through the night.

The Behringer Air and Mackie DL mixers both seem like potential options, but I'm very new to the live sound world and wonder if I'm even heading in the right direction. Keeping cost down while still maintaining the minimum channel count and the ability to have four independent headphone mixes that are separate from the FOH mix are the most important aspects of this mixer.

Thanks!
 
#2
Presonus 16.4.2 - was gonna suggest 16.0.2 but not sure will do four monitor mixes. The 16.4.2 will do all you need it to do and then some. If you don't need the AI features, you can pick up a non-AI 16.4.2 for fairly cheap.

Works even better if you value the old fashioned mixer form factor or don't care for mixing etc. on a tablet. I like the Presonus tablet app, but didn't care for Behringer's. Have not tried Mackie's.

Edit: 16.0.2 has four aux outputs, so you're good there. Would need a laptop, router etc. to do remote iPad mixing since the 16.0.2 is not AI.
 
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#3
Although I haven't had experience with that particular Mackie, I have had a 1604 VLZ for 12-15 or so years and it has been great. Used once a week many times more often than that for 12-15 years- still going strong with no issues. I've been impressed by their gear.
 
#5
Just be aware of iPad run mixers that you are reliant upon that as well (another something to fail). I would personally go with something that I can control with an iPad but has physical faders and such incase the iPad fails. The Presonus app is really good imo, but the board isnt amazing. But they can be found cheap used.
 
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#8
how many players in the band?

the mackie DL 1608 and especially the behringer XR18 would be more than enough to do all of it, having 6 auxes for monitor mixes; you'd want to budget for a decent dual-band router (you have to add a router to the mackie to get wireless mixing regardless).
 
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#10
TedH said:
Don't have one, but there is a big thread here on here about the Behringer X18 Air and that seems pretty close to what you're seeking.
Click to expand...

I bought an XR18 to see if it was any good, and am very impressed with it. It does require a tablet or computer, (and an external router, the onboard WIFI is dodgy at best) but it works flawlessly. With 16 mic preamps, 6 Auxes and 4 FX busses it's an insane amount of capability for the $. I've got a couple of MixWiz's and an O1v96, but the XR18 is what I use the most. (Have to confess that I keep a MixWiz nearby, as I'm not completely over my Behringer phobia though).
 
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#11
imnotded said:
Just be aware of iPad run mixers that you are reliant upon that as well (another something to fail). I would personally go with something that I can control with an iPad but has physical faders and such incase the iPad fails. The Presonus app is really good imo, but the board isnt amazing. But they can be found cheap used.
Click to expand...

having been a long time user of both the 16.4.2 and Mackie Dl-1608 - 200 - 300 gigs... I can say - that is simply not a concern for me. I have an ipad 2 docked in the 1608, carry a 4 and keep 1 on the mains, 1 on the monitor view.

I run a $50 netgear router that lives in the 1608 bag.

used ipads are cheap...

with the 16.4.2 I carry a Mac and another netgear router. That one is way more than the OP needs for his gig. Great board but there is a learning curve. If you need to get to the eq's fast - a mac and ipad is name of the game.

for mixing from stage the 1608 is very good. You shoud have both docked and un docked ipads and a decent wireless rig for your bass so you can get a mid gig reality check and make adjustments as necessary...

i like the Mackie software a lot. Weak point to me is the reverb. There is some but it's tough to get 'drenched' if that us whst you want without running a convolution reverb setup on the docked ios device
 
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