Members SunRaFan Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Hi, I've already got a 16-channel MixWiz, but I'm looking to buy something cheap and portable to use for a small vocals only PA at rehearsals. Immediate needs are really only for 1 mic, but allowing for up to 3 or 4 is probably sensible. Right now I'm thinking something along the lines of the smallest Behringer Xenyx mixer (about $60). Budget is up to $100 I guess. If I was going to spend more than that, I'd just deal with the silliness of hauling a 16 channel board around for 1 mic. Is there anything in this price range that makes more sense? The cheap behringer basically does what I want it to do, but it seems a little bit silly to buy something that seems like a disposable piece of junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boomerweps Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 At least get the 4 mic input version. There are several with varying numbers of stereo line channels (that you don't need) and some have more Aux sends and some have built in FX. I used to use a Behringer MX802A (4 mic channel , 2 stereo channel, 1 post, 1 pre fader Aux out) for practice, extra small gigs, & DJing on the side ;>) It worked well and I traded it for some plumbing services after about 3 years (still going strong). I missed the convenience of the tiny mixer and picked up a UB802 on closeout although this just has 2 mic inputs, 2 stereo, and a single post fade aux (the new math?) ;>( Still works well for what I bought it for. Lest you think I only know Behringer for comparision, we just got the A&H GL2400-24 and I use a Peavey RQ2314 for the small jobs (12 mic channels). Boomerweps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted March 1, 2007 Moderators Share Posted March 1, 2007 I have a little Behringer board mounted horizontally on my studio wall, so that the musicians can rehearse and/or control their own monitoring without tying up my recording console. I've had to repair it three times, though I have to admit it's now been working for almost two years without having to be repaired again. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted March 1, 2007 Moderators Share Posted March 1, 2007 I have a little Behringer board mounted horizontally on my studio wall, so that the musicians can rehearse and/or control their own monitoring without tying up my recording console. I've had to repair it three times, though I have to admit it's now been working for almost two years without having to be repaired again. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rbts Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 If you go to any of the online music stores, and do a search for passive mixers, and then search "by lowest price", you will find many choices. I think there are some alesis models and even a new Low end Peavey Line that might be better choices that the behringer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 1, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 I'd try the Peavey PV6. $90. http://www.zzounds.com/item--PEVPV6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 've had one of these w/effects built-in for close to 10 years. Haven't had any problems with it. Even sent it to over 10,000 watts a couple times when I was in a bind. Really handy. Rackmountable and fits on the top of the smallest SKB DJ Rack. No sliders but it does have gains on all the mic channels. http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Channel-Audio-Centron-Equinox-Mixing-Console_W0QQitemZ190084948750 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Yamaha's MG 10/2 mixers are neat, we have one and use it whenever we run a vocals-only PA. I think we paid like $200 cdn for it though for whatever reason. Peavey's little mixers are nice too. Also, don't you have your mixwiz rackmounted? If I had a tiny portable PA I'd have the mixwiz in a mixer/rack combo case and throw my amp into the rack at the bottom. Then wherever my amp goes my mixer goes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nobrainer440 Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I love my Yamaha MG series mixer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members session_of_jam Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I suppose behringer will offer the most features for the money, but I've never known any of them to last very long. I have a yamaha MG mixer. Decent. They are on sale right now at musiciansfriend. Mine fell out of my car onto the pavement driveway, and I had to use it that night. Did, and still does work flawlessly. My favorite "cheap" mixer was a Nady SRM12. That thing served me well for years. Not exactly studio quality sound, but for live vocals at rehearsal it was fine. We also used it to mix drums a shows. That one tumbled down a set of concrete steps after a show one night. Took some scrapes to the enclosure, but still worked fine. I sometimes wondered if it was designed by the military or something. The new peaveys look sweet too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GZsound Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I would suggest the Yamaha or Soundcraft small format mixers. Behringers can work, but then again, they might not.. Soundcraft makes some pretty clean affordable small mixers.. And the little Yamaha is good too. I have three small Behringers (rental units), a Yamaha, and a couple Soundcraft mixers and for the money, the Soundcraft is much better quality, although the Yamaha looks and acts bulletproof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SunRaFan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks for the suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members obgust Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 SunRaFan, I like your ID. Whenever I see you post, it brings me back to one of the greatest concerts I ever attended- SunRa and the Arkestra. I was holding on to SunRa's shoulders ( he was wearing his cape and helmet ) and we Cha-Cha'ed around the stage to "WE Travel The Space Waves, From Planet To Planet". That was 1980 and I was an undergrad at the Hartt School Of Music, I remember it like it was yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SunRaFan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 Unfortunately I didn't get to see him before he died. I have seen the rest of the Arkestra play (lead by Marshall Allen). They put on a really good show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I love my Yamaha MG series mixer. I just picked up a MG8 2fx by yamaha. I havent owned it long enough to know how well it will hold up. I use it in my music room. I play keys, guitar and bass and do vocals. I use it conjuction with my digital recorder. It saves a ton of pugging and un plugging of instruments. rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigmike216 Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 Yamaha MG is an excellent choice. I've had mine for a year and a half now with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihateyouguys Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 MF is clearing out some of the old yamaha MG mixers now that the new line is coming out - you might be able to get a deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jim77 Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Beware of Behringer. I'm waiting for my practice mixer to get back from warranty repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Try out a rackmount mixer like this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HKSblade1 Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 If you are removing and inserting XLRs a bunch buy a soldering pencil or Cold heat soldering unit. The xlr jacks will come loose over time and do on many budget and top end mixers just to be fair. We have an Allen heath and have resoldered the jacks on it too. It's really about how careful you are and if you have better plugs on the cables you use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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