Right, but that’s what the USB inputs are for, capturing each channels input individually over USB. In what scenario are using this so that you need to have a lot of USB outputs to send a lot of channels back out from the DAW once you’ve recorded them?
Dear gods. You saved me from a big blunder. I misread the spec. So I can get individual channels in! Thanks for making me see my mistake.
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Ah were you misreading USB outputs as being outputs from the mixer to the daw and usb inputs as coming from the daw to the mixer?
The nomenclature is certainly confusing in that context.
Thought I’d post an update:
I ended up getting the Zoom L-20. It’s so close to being perfect, but as I discovered quite quickly, it has one massive flaw. Although it provides six stereo monitor outs, each with their own mixes which can be used as Aux sends, they are pre-fader. This means that riding a fader has no effect on the signal send to the monitor mix. So for example, if you are using Mon out 1 as a send to a delay, dropping the fader down to zero doesn’t kill the signal to the delay.
So I think it’s fair to say that using the Mon outs as Aux outs is deeply problematic if you are planning on riding the levels at all. If you are going to set and forget it’s probably fine.
The other disappointing feature is that the solo button only works on the headphones, not the master out, but that I could have lived with.
Everything else is great. Very low noise, nice preamps, easy USB integration, but the pre-fader aux is a deal-breaker for me.
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…this ticks all ur boxes…
…proper live mixer, just with no faders…but total edit via screen and/or ipad…great on board fx and eq’s, including various compression modes…great pre amping for all channels…it’s a mixer, an interface, a standalone recorder, a multi stagebox…multi routing, multi group outs, multi main outs…
my set and forget device since years now…
all foh engineers love me, since soundcheck is never more than ten minutes…
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Thanks. Yeah. That’s pretty close in functionality to what @TheWhistler was suggesting above, but I really want physical faders. I want to get away from screens. But looks like there just isn’t anything available that fits my bill which I find really surprising as I don’t think my requirements are very complex.
I’ve realised that what I’m really after is a ‘performance mixer’ but one what supports stereo send/returns, but they just don’t seem to exist, at least not anywhere near my budget.
Seems like the only viable option is some kind of stage box with an iPad app or hardware controller.
Sorry to drag this back from the dead, but wondering if it’s possible to control multiple channels on the XR18 with the Xtouch? Could I set the channels up in (stereo) pairs and control them in 2s. That way I’d only need one Xtouch.
If you can deal with firewire, the older presonus mixers like the 16.4.2 can usually be found quite cheap and can do everything you need. Not really a performance mixer though.
Thanks for the suggestion. Can’t do FW but there is the 16.0.2 which comes in a USB version. As you say, definitely not a performance mixer. It’s looking like the only mixer that actually ticks the boxes though!
To conclude this thread, and to help anyone else looking for the same thing as me, there is only one mixer that actually satisfies my requirements which were (modified slightly based on experience and research):
- 16+ channels. Most of my inputs will be stereo, but mono channels would be fine.
- 4+ aux that I will use for stereo external hardware FX. Must be post-fader. Happy to use inputs for returns.
- Multi-channel USB for all tracks (24bit, 48khz min)
- Sub £1000
- Don’t want to use a tablet or laptop to mix, so mixer must have per-channel meters.
- Don’t need any mic inputs
- Don’t need any hi-Z inputs (never go direct in, will always be from a pedal)
- Don’t need busses, ability to record to SD card, or any automation.
- Not firewire
Literally the only mixer that actually satisfies this is the Presonus Studio Live 16.0.2 which looks like a decent mixer, but is definitely not what I’m after as most of the per-channel functionality is hidden behind menu.
One option I’ve considered is a stage box (which would easily give me my routings) with some kind of control surface, but the surfaces within budget don’t have per-channel meters, meaning they require use of laptop.
Candidates fall down for at least one of the following:
- limited Multi-channel USB (Yamaha A&H)
- sum stereo channels to aux channels (Various)
- aux channels (or workarounds) are pre-fader (Zoom)
- 16 bit (Various)
- no aux or too few aux
- no per-channel meters
I tried increasing budget and there isn’t really anything else in the vacinity. Feels like a big gap in the market to me, but I know nothing.
You’re asking for a lot, I’m not sure why you’d think it’d be cheap. If you want cheap you have to go for things no one wants anymore like firewire. To get everything you want you’ll likely have to go for an analog desk with individual channel outs like the allen and heath 16:2 and a soundcard or 2 with lots of inputs.
Well there are a few mixers in the £700-£1000 range which have all but one of my requirements (missing different ones for different mixers), so I don’t think what I’m asking for is beyond the realms of this price-range. I also wouldn’t call £1500 or £1000 ‘cheap’. Sure you can go vastly higher for mixers, but you are getting a lot more for your money.
What I’m after isn’t expensive in terms of components - I don’t even need mic preamps, an LCD etc. It just doesn’t seem to be something the market caters for.
I have to agree with @soup here – you’re asking for pro level features and highly specific requirements at a bargain basement prices.
At times in this forum, when someone makes a typo, I spend way too much time trying to decode the abbreviation
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I had 2 Presonus Live32 something mixers connected together and for the money it was pretty decent.
Are you sure you want a mixer and not an audio interface with enough I/O?
I already have an audio interface with plenty of IO, but it means I have to mix in reaper which means looking at a screen, which for me is an instant joy-killer when I’m playing.
Ok what about a nice big MIDI control surface than?
If you have a enough audio interface channels, why not get a mixer with individual outputs like the [/a second hand] Mixwizard 16:2? You can set it to send individual outputs to post-fader. Does it have all your other requirements?
I do think you’re asking a lot i you want all your required specs inclúding multitrack audio interface capabilities that alone for this amount of channels would already be this type amount by itself. But if you already have audio interface with enough channels, you might find a good mixer that delivers the rest of your desired specs?
That’s actually a really great idea. I definitely like the idea of separate mixer and IO and I think it would achieve the same thing that I was after. Thanks very much. I’ll take a look at the Mix Wizard’s manual, but from skimming its features it looks promising.
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