These Boss BX mixers look interesting. Are the inputs mono or stereo?
Mono? I mean 1 input per channel. Use two channels for stereo. BX16 has two aux sends, stereo return for both and two stereo master outs. BX-8 is half the channels but has same number of Aux and stere outs. Other models in the line have 1 aux out w/ stereo inputs and 1 stereo out.
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good to know as the SSL Big Six is very expensive for a mixer!
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Mono. I have the 8 channel one. It really excels as a sub mixer for a drum machine. I wouldnāt use it as my main mixer unless I had a small setup and even then it is a bit limited.
The 16 channel is definitely a nice option. It has no inserts which is the only bummer. But it has 2 effects returns.
That said the sound of these things is awesome if you like dirty and lo fi vibes.
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i had this one beforeā¦ but somehow it got smaller and smallerā¦ 
am i the only one who finds that even 10 Aux sends are not enough?
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I like the way you think. Haha. Let us know if you find anything worthy. Seems like digital is the only way for that much i/o now.
iām not ready yet for a digital mixerā¦ thereās still a noticeable difference between digital and analog mixing.
Might be just the noise floor on the analog mixer 
Speck Electronics X.Sum 
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Bit limited but Ashly make nice rack mixers. I have a 508 dedicated to a drum machine which is perfect for processing separate outs and gives you a couple of auxes (one stereo and one mono) as well as inserts on every channel. I wish it had a main insert but as itās basically only a sub mixer so it doesnāt really matter too much. Anyway, nice hardware, and it being rack format can be usefulā¦ depending on your situation.
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Agree! Iād rather just add more i/o and go directly in than use a digital mixer.
Are you still at 32 channels on the 2800, or did you move up to 40?
I wanted a 2800 but I got such a steal on this one I just went for it.
Oh yes, ARS is dope!
A friend had the Model 4100 (in a time when this was the only available model) and this thing was simply the ONLY mixer in this planet that really competed with external phono preamps of 1k bucks and more. Really. And I heard a lot of DJ mixers.
But yes, good sound pushes the price oft DJ mixers. It does not really make sense to spend this much money one a simple mixer. The guy ended up selling all his mixers and keeping just the old Urei 1620. Technically one of the worst sounding DJ mixers out there but itās fat sound glues late 70s pressings and modern highend productions like no one else.
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Well my search may end. Found a mixwizard v3 16/2 in great condition for a low price. Has all the routing I need and I suspect may be a step up from the cr1604. Hopefully will grab it tomorrow and see.
Started with the SSL SiX and ended up with the Xpanda-Xdesk combo. Patchbay, 500s on the inserts and the SiX is now chilling as an Fx Mixer for the FX and AUX/cue FX.
24i/24o via dsub to Lynx.
Slight hassle but I love the option - the Mixwizard lets you configure itās direct outs to post fader. So even if Iām not recording out of the direct channels, I can still EQ and volume before a sound hits a plugged in pedal effect.
The slight hassle is that you have to remove the casing and change the jumpers to do this but since I know this already before wiring it up, itās not a huge deal.
EDIT - ill update on the Mixwizard since I was able to get a used WZ3 16:2 in pristine shape today locally. It is a giant step up from the Mackie in quality. Super clean sound but it has that analog vibe going for it still. It is just clean meaning no noise or crosstalk. Bringing in hardware effects is so nice, they blend so well and just sit in the mix perfectly. It is super easy to gain stage this thing as well. Just get the gain set right per the manual by using the prefader switch and then turn it off and bring up the fader and done.
The fact that this is in incredible shape, all the channels work and I paid less than $500 is awesome. 16 identical channels, all with a great sounding musical EQā¦etc PLUS an insert for the master, plus 2 stereo Aux returns, plus each channel has a direct out? Plus each channel has 4 band EQ with High pass and 2 bands of sweepable mids.
This is how you build an analogue mixer. Well done A&H.
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I bought a Mackie MS-1202 for 50 ā¬ and the pots crackled like crazy. Thought I could get it fixed cheap but I ended up paying 60 ā¬ just to get it cleaned.
The maintenance guy didnāt bother to do any recapping or to swap some potentiometers because - according to him - āitās not worthy it. Keep it until it breaks and then buy a new oneā.
The gain distorts pretty nicely and I like the eq as well. But itās pretty noisy, a couple of pots are still scratchy and there is some channel bleed.
So, it looks like it wasnāt such a good deal for me. I might try to sell it, but unless I find someone willing to pick it up it doesnāt feel right.
So, what do you suggest doing? Keep it for some no input mixing (it doesnāt look like a good idea to me - no mutes)? Use it on a send just for the eq and gain? (could be an idea but space is tight)
Any other ideas?
I bought a Midiman Mixim but really wanted a Micromixer 16 but couldnāt find a reasonably priced one in the 2 years or so of looking. The Mixim is very quiet tho.
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Could you explain how you use it with the patchbay?
Its done unless you want to pay way too much for it to be fixed and that may not even work out.
This is why the classic mackie mixers are sold so cheaply. Once a channel dies or the sound goes out on them, and a cleaning wonāt fix it - itās typically over.
Best older mixers are modular ones. In fact it is the only type Iād buy now.
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Iāve got an old Mk1 version of the A&H Mixwizard 16 channel mixer. Love itās sound. If at some point I find the Mixwizard 14:4:2 for cheap Iāll grab one, to have the stereo and group channels.