Need advice on new mixer

[Lasse Rosendahl BangParticipant]

Hi everyone

I hope you are all safe and well in these days of quarantine.

The last couple of weeks I have thought long and hard about how I have organized my studio and I have come to realize that I want to cut back in some places based on a "less is more" approach limiting my options but going for better quality signal and work flow. So I am, among other things, parting ways with my beloved MX8000 24-channel console in hopes of getting something a bit smaller but hopefully better instead. The time it took to set everything up or troubleshoot routing issues finally became to much and some of the channels was becoming quirky to a point where I couldn't rely on it's consistency anymore.

I love working hybrid and want to continue doing so, but my question is what mid-level 16-channel analog mixer would guys recommend and why? My only real need is inserts on all channels but other than that I am open to all suggestions. So dear fellow PLAPers, I need your expertise and experience. I've had my eyes on the A&H ZED 22FX or the Soundcraft GB4 16+2 mixer but I have no way of auditioning either one of the them where I live, so I would have to buy it online and perhaps there's one that's better than these two in the price range?

Take care.

/Lasse

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Lasse Rosendahl Bang.

[Magnus EmilssonParticipant]

Hey Lasse.

A question about your workflow. Do you use the pre's on the console for recording or are you just using it for summing during mixing?

/Magnus

[Lasse Rosendahl BangParticipant]

Hi Magnus.

Thanks for your reply. I use it exclusively for summing and outboard processing as the pre's in the MX8000 are pretty old and thin sounding but I would love to be able to use the pre's on a new desk as well.

I started out mixing on the MX8000 and have learned so much because of it but as I've become more experienced I have realized that my mixes could be in need of an improvement in sonic quality as going through the MX imparts a somewhat glass-like and brittle high end to the mix and pulls out a significant amount of low end.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

/Lasse

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Lasse Rosendahl Bang.

[Magnus EmilssonParticipant]

I used to have an MX8000 right when they came on the market, I remember the sound it had very well. We had the good fortune to make some money on a few projects right after that and upgraded to a big 56 ch DDA mixer, made a huge difference.

Now I'm using a SSL X-Desk as a summing and routing mixer. Works very well, but while it has very good routing & summing options, it is rather limited as a mixer. Only 8 faders and maximum of 20 channels at mixdown (including the 2 stereo FX returns), only 2 sends and no channel EQ. But it sounds great and it is possible to get a very nice transient control if one drives it hard.

If you want EQ's I would start looking for used mixers, they will allow you to move up in quality a fair bit on your budget. But it might take a bit of time to find a good one. Trident, AMEK, Neotek, DDA, Cadac are just some mid-range pro stuff that's available if one has a bit of patience.

/Magnus

[KevinParticipant]

Take a look at http://www.larkingslist.com for inspiration. Don Larking only sells high-end used equipment. If you're lucky to live in the UK, you can even buy from him without extensive shipping costs and back and forward traveling.

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