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  • AudioFanzine : Home Studio, Computer Based Music, Guitars, Basses, Live Sound & DJ

Parent Category : 'Mixing Consoles'   Analog Mixers User-reviews
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Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro
By AnimalTracksStudio on 05/12/2008 at 18:06

Characteristics  
Here is a sixteen channel rackable powerhouse featuring 1/4 inch jacks, XLR jacks and jkust about every combination you can think of is available. there are six aux sends to handle any situation you might come on.
Utilisation  
THis mixer is well thoguht out and you should be up and running in no time flat. The manual is great IF you should need it.
Sounds  
The board is amazingly quiet,. even in the studio.
Overall Opinion  
MACKIE 1604-VLZ MIXER

While a lot of people use this board as merely a live sound mixer, there is so much more that this board can do that people often over look it’s ability as a studio board.

It is a full four buss mixer so you have sub-mix capabilities of sending to four discreet locations which is plenty for a modest home studio. Bur wait, there are also up to six aux outs which can act as sub outputs as well for a total of ten discreet outs.

If you have a larger system, you have access to direct outs for channels on through eight (this makes a great direct hook up for live recording, such as to Pro Tools by Digidesign which has eight ins).

The coolest way to hook this up is to run the eight sub outs into an analog to digital converter, such as the Behringer ADA-8000, which will give you eight digital outs via ADAT light pipe and then use four assignable subs and four aux sends to feed the analog input of the Digidesign interface (Digi 001, Digi 002 or Digi 003) which gives you an unbelievable 16 inputs and still leaves you two aux sends for effects and the main stereo buss out for control room monitors. This is ALMOST a dream system for a decent studio, and what is really neat about this is that you can have EQ and effects on ALL sixteen channels.

There are a couple extra outputs like a mono out that can be used to feed a fold back system for the vocalist.

The one minor drawback is that the faders are only sixty millimeters instead of the industry standard one hundred millimeters. But for the several thousand dollars in savings over a “pro” board, I think you can live with the shorter throw faders.
[ More info : Mackie ]
Mackie 1202
By AnimalTracksStudio on 05/12/2008 at 18:02

Characteristics  
This is a rackable, twelve channel board with two aux sends and two band EQ.
Utilisation  
The set up on this unit is easy and straight forward and the manula is super easy to use.
Sounds  
This is a quiet, muti pupose mixer.
Overall Opinion  
MACKIE MS-1202 MIXER

One thing that today’s studios cannot get enough of is mixers. You need a way to get everything into your system and with all that gear you can either buy one LARGE mixer if the budget is good or get a lot of smaller mixers to sub mix everything.

Granted, a larger mixer is more convenient and makes life easier if you have the cash, but the smaller units can get the job done and give you more money for other gear.

Enter the older Mackie Micro Series Mixer. The Swiss army knife of audio mixing. I bought mine in 1989 and still use it every day and have had ZERO problems and even less complaints on it.

The main use in my studio for this one is as a keyboard and tone module sub mixer. I get two full effects sends and Bass and Treble control for four mono and four stereo sources from a space about the size of a cigar box.

The biggest compliant, if you want to call it that, is that the volume controls are rotary and not faders.

While on the surface this is a drawback, for keyboards and tone modules, and even when using as a drum sub mixer, it can actually be a blessing.

My mixer sits up and the knobs are easy to see and actually allow the mixer to be smaller in size that it would be with a linear fader so it can fit in more places than you might imagine.

The unit is well crafted in solid metal that shields it and makes it quite durable, as I said, I have had mine in DAILY use now for nearly twenty years.

It will make a cost effective addition to your studio gear and at the going rate, you can actually afford several of them for various things and still pocket enough money to get yourself a decent Mic.
[ More info : Mackie ]