What mixer do you use?

I've got a Rane MP44. Overall, it's got great sound and many routing possibilities...way more than I need at the moment but it's nice to know I have them just in case.

V.

Hopefully the last mixer I'll ever have to buy will be my Rane MP/XP 2016a. I got sick of linear faders and lousy sound quality that came from lesser (cheaper) brands, which was enough for me to justify the expense even though it never really sees use outside my house. Between my computer, turntables and cd players I've at least got something on every channel, it's basically the brain for all my music playback. If I ever had to go with something smaller I'd get a rotary Empath, but that's it.

I had an MP-22z for a while which was also nice, but not enough channels and I missed the full cut eq, even if it did have a 4-band. The only problem I've had with my MP/XP is the cue select knob occasionally has a metal on metal feel about it and makes some noise, then it goes away again. Might have to get that fixed, but Rane has excellent customer service so I'm not too worried about it.

Doh! I just ASSumed they're full cut bands. I've been thinking of getting one as a gig mixer so I my 44 can safely sit in the home studio. Great. Now, where am I gonna find a rackmount mixer with 4 band channel eqs?

V.

Yeah, it's only +/-6. Though I will say that it sounds like more than that, and it's very clean. The other slightly unusual things about this mixer included locating the trim/gain controls on the back panel near the connections, and if I remember correctly you have to use the aux out looped back into the aux in to get normal split cue. I forget exactly how that part works, but it's not a conventional design there either.

The only other mixers I know of that have a 4 band per channel eq are the x:one 62, 464, & 92, and somehow I don't think that's what you had in mind.

Why can't anybody seem to design that one perfect mixer?

I like the Xones but I need a rackmountable 19 incher. The 464 is way too much for what I need, in features size and price tag!

As far as the perfect mixer, I don't think it exists. Everyone has different wants and needs in a mixer. Say like for my mobile DJ excursions, a 4RU 19 inch mixer with two channels and a dual deck is what I'd look for. If Rane made a MP22 with 4 band asymmetrical full cut EQs, an auto-switching internal power supply, added another mic channel and an effects loop, that would be THE mixer for me.

If I wanna throw down at a party, a 10 inch with a pair of cd decks (CDJ-400 or DN-S1200) is what I'll look for. I think the Rane Empath would be close enough to perfect for me.

V.

I just bought a used Stanton RM-3s mixer about a month ago. It's more or less a clone of the Vestax PCV-175. Not a mixer I'd consider to be reliable for any kind of 'playing out'. Fortunately for me my applications are bedroom only. I love having the kill switches for channels 1 & 3... I've only had eq knobs before.

I used to have a Gemini BPM 150 mixer and the cue function on that thing was perfect (for my needs)... on this Stanton it simply blows. I'd love to have a real quality mixer at some point but it's hard for me to justify spending a lot of money for bedroom dj use.

I have a Vestax PMC mixer, but looking for a Pioneer DJM 600 or 700.

I have a Vestax PMC-50 with the rotary knobs on it. And actually, I like how the knobs feel way better on that board than the MP-2016's. I think the knobs kind of feel cheap on the Rane board.

Another thing that I didn't like about the Rane 2016 is the fact that the headphone cue was done via a knob. They've since updated it and now you have the cue buttons on each channel.

Truth be told, I would love to own a Rane board, but they haven't build a board that has all the features that I want on it, and it's not like I'm shooting for the moon either.

I like to have input meters on each channel and replaceable rotary knobs and what not.

The Empath comes close, but again, no input meters on each channel.

And, no, I don't like my master output meter doubling as the input meter.

How about the Xone:92? That is also a pretty slick unit, if I used more effects and such I'd be all over that thing. Does it have something that you don't like, or something missing? I love Rane stuff, but A&H is right up on the same level.

Pioneer DJM-800 - sorry - not exactly original

I love Rane mixers.

My first MP-24 was purchased in 1988.

In 2002, I bought a MP-24z.

In 2005, I finally got my MP-44 for the bargain price of $900 (new with 3 year extended warranty).

Now I hear the vintage battleship-grey MP-24's are highly sought after.

Mixers that used to be worth $175 are now fetching $300 on E-Bay auctions!

$300 is damn good ROI for a 21 year old mixer that originally cost $699.