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Author Topic: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer  (Read 2544 times)

Steven Welwood

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Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« on: May 27, 2016, 07:29:02 PM »

Hello All,

I'm hoping someone can recommend a compact rack-mount mixer (not a slant-rack mount, but designed to be mounted on the rack face--I'm not sure of the name for this style). It will be for 3 rooms of the children's ministry area of a church, where they will use 2 or 3 mics and 2 stereo inputs.

Requirements:
1 stereo output for the main room
2 mono outputs with discrete mixes for nearby rooms
minimum 2 (preferably 3) mic inputs and 2 stereo line inputs
very basic EQ control per input (even a single-knob tone control would be fine)
preferably 4RU or less
preferably US$400 or less

I've looked at a bunch of zone mixers and all the small rack-mount mixers I could find (Rolls, A&H, Shure, ART, and even B***ger, among others), but I haven't found one that satisfies all the requirements. One I found that's almost perfect is the Alesis MultiMix 10:



Aux masters would be nice, but the only real problem with this one is that Aux 2 is a post-fader send. I know it could be made to work (kinda), but when the teachers are herding 30 5-year-olds from one room to the other, they need any adjustments to be as straightforward as possible. Also, they couldn't use a mic in use in the Aux 2 room, and have a video playing in the main room, for example.

(Is there any possibility there's a jumper inside to switch Aux 2 to Pre?)


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Jason Lavoie

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Re: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2016, 04:55:15 PM »

Hello All,

I'm hoping someone can recommend a compact rack-mount mixer (not a slant-rack mount, but designed to be mounted on the rack face--I'm not sure of the name for this style). It will be for 3 rooms of the children's ministry area of a church, where they will use 2 or 3 mics and 2 stereo inputs.

Requirements:
1 stereo output for the main room
2 mono outputs with discrete mixes for nearby rooms
minimum 2 (preferably 3) mic inputs and 2 stereo line inputs
very basic EQ control per input (even a single-knob tone control would be fine)
preferably 4RU or less
preferably US$400 or less

I've looked at a bunch of zone mixers and all the small rack-mount mixers I could find (Rolls, A&H, Shure, ART, and even B***ger, among others), but I haven't found one that satisfies all the requirements. One I found that's almost perfect is the Alesis MultiMix 10:



Aux masters would be nice, but the only real problem with this one is that Aux 2 is a post-fader send. I know it could be made to work (kinda), but when the teachers are herding 30 5-year-olds from one room to the other, they need any adjustments to be as straightforward as possible. Also, they couldn't use a mic in use in the Aux 2 room, and have a video playing in the main room, for example.

(Is there any possibility there's a jumper inside to switch Aux 2 to Pre?)

Check out the cloud Z4 http://www.cloud.co.uk/products/detail.php?id=70
It's a bit limiting, but maybe that's what you want depending on the operator.
the layout is a lot easier to understand, but the line inputs are a switcher instead of a mixer, so you can only use one at a time in each zone

Jason
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David Sturzenbecher

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Re: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2016, 05:51:06 PM »

Check out the Ashly MX line. They tend to be quite affordable on eBay

http://ashly.com/products/analog-mixers


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Steven Welwood

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Re: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2016, 10:22:24 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions.

Unfortunately, the Cloud doesn't have a stereo output, and I'd like the EQ to be more accessible, but they have some units that I'll keep in mind as possibilities for other situations, if I can find any in North America.

The Ashly MX508 fills all the requirements except for price. Lowest price for a new one is US$1440, and the used one I saw is still out of the budget.

Over the past couple days I think I've convinced the church to go for a used slant rack so we can put in a small regular format rack-mount mixer. There are a lot more options now.

Thanks again!



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Jason Lavoie

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Re: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 09:19:57 AM »

Thanks for the suggestions.

Unfortunately, the Cloud doesn't have a stereo output, and I'd like the EQ to be more accessible, but they have some units that I'll keep in mind as possibilities for other situations, if I can find any in North America.

The Ashly MX508 fills all the requirements except for price. Lowest price for a new one is US$1440, and the used one I saw is still out of the budget.

Over the past couple days I think I've convinced the church to go for a used slant rack so we can put in a small regular format rack-mount mixer. There are a lot more options now.

Thanks again!

I missed that.. the cloud CX263 is actually more appropriate, and has one stereo output. although still doesn't give you much EQ control.

Jason
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Need help choosing a compact rack-mount mixer
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 09:19:57 AM »


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