Similar to Octatrack's quality pre-amps mixing console

[Uncle_Gordon]

Hey boys and girls!

I’m looking for multichannel mixing console. I experienced many mixers at the market. Chinese was not good obviously.

I noticed that my Octatrack had a really hi quality components. So you can use it as a Hi-End mixing console with 4 inputs! It gives you a really good sound quality on the recording and when you monitoring something.

These days I haven’t got an OT.

I bought a british mixer with which I’m not really satisfied (poor quality of pre-amps). There’s a picture of my setup, so you can see what I got and what tasks I should solve (live processing of 909’s external outputs and also other classic gear).

So what should I do? Is there any crazy techy geeks out there to help my with problem?

I found this sweetheart but I costs a lot. 20 grands damn! Maybe I can somehow improve my mixer or any cheaper options?

[Microtribe]

The octatrack doesnt have any pre-amps.

That looks like an allen and heath mixer, and you’re unsatsified with the pre-amps? Not happy with the sound? That’s unusual. A&H mixers sound amazing, I have one.

[chiasticon]

just sell your Roland machines. you’ll be pretty close to 20k.

[Uncle_Gordon]

I tried Mackie’s mixer and I found that EQ section and sound was better than on A&H.

At the top of this is OT. Not a competitor for these two really because of even better sound quality.

If I were very rich I would buy many OT’s to make some kind of a giant mixing console with effects

[Microtribe]

Each to their own. Personally I find the A&H EQs sound much nicer.
Either way, if you are trying to match pre-amps, as suggested in thread title, the OT doesn’t have any pre-amps.

[lesstalkmoredisco]

Hi @Uncle_Gordon

Your message/question looks a little all over the place, in comparing your unnamed mixer with the Octatrack (which sounds good and clean but apparently doesn’t even have preamps, and isn’t famous for its high fidelity mixing capabilities itself), and a €20.000 mixer. All a bit random it seems.

Maybe start with mentioning which mixer you yourself have? Better still, is to have a good look at the many mixer threads here on the forum. Or to add: what are you actually looking for in a mixer? (Clean, or warmth/character, amount of channels, etc etc).

To try and still offer you any advice: I know the Tascam Model series is much loved around here, so might sound fine compared to an OT, plus could be good for multitracking your 909 if that’s your jam.

Me myself I have a Mixwizard (like you?) which I love

[Uncle_Gordon]

I just found a russian guy, he’ll install a good pre-amps into my mixer!

It’s Allen & Heath WLZ3 14:4:2 btw.

I meant that I had an OT and it had a brilliant sound!

[Noisebuddy]

Find old Midas Venice Mixer, it`s said that they sound very good for a reasonable price

[reeloy]

…oh, goys and birls…and uncles…

this is more than just funny…!

first, it’s such a nice proof of personal taste and different perspectives…
then, it’s such a nice antidote to all the endless kindergarten discussions about the doubtless and countless miracles of an ten year old classic electronic music instrument…

and since u, uncle gordon, seem to like straight digital converting, u might wanna consider a digital mixer…it’s really hard to tell these days, which pre amps and converters do actually not have their origins in china, to be honest…
even swedish gear can’t go totally without supplies from there…

so quality measurement can not be made just by “made in china” or made elsewhere…
ur a&h board comes from times where they really had to catch up to stay in business…
so, yes, mixing boards from that time had really cheap pre amps…
but since they became a big brand in dj mixers, they really nail it again, when it comes to pre amps and converters…

and overall, british gear has a good call these days, again…
behringer bought all the midas knowhow for good reasons…
if u can find a midas console u really get best of both worlds…good analog mixing and good interfacing…

but also the actual digital boards from a&h do a really god job…in both ways…
the qu series sounds really decent…

and if u wanna catch as many channels as possible in one go, all analog solutions will mean big bux to pay…and since ur still impressed by ot’s capabilities, switching to a digital mixer/interface solution might be best bang for ur buck…

i don’t think, whatever the russian tech guy will do to that board will really help…
and what he will cost u, can also buy u the option to get rid of stereobus recordings and start to pick single channels straight at once instead…

and if it’s not about single recordings at all, well then keep ur mixing deck as it is, buy an analog heat and run the main bus through it… that will make ur thin mixer sound like a fad ssl…